Macau

We are in China!

Will tell you more about it by and by.

A380

I only want simple things in life. A friend told me once I am quite easy to please. Perhaps. But to be honest I just know what I want and when I have it, I am happy.

The A380 is the world's largest commercial aircraft. It's a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine airliner that provides seating for 525 people in a typical three-class configuration or up to 853 people in all- economy configurations. I was lucky to fly in it from London to Singapore via Singapore Airlines.

The plane is massive. I can't imagine this getting filled. In fact, our flight was only about 50% full. View of the cattle class.

I had the whole row to myself! Managed to lie down, it felt like I was in first-class. Not! hehehe.

Singapore Airlines has one of the best entertainment programs. Saw 5 movies in total whilst on this flight. A quick look at the monitor and we were flying over Romania.

Call me strange but I actually like airline food. Singapore Air's food selection was really good. The first course was Indian Prawn Curry.

We were served snacks in between. Roasted peanuts and pineapple juice. FYI, this was my first orange juice in more than two years.

Ham and Egg sandwich with crisps. That was actually my favorite flavour until I tried the flame grilled steak crisps (also from McCoys) the other day. Sarap!

A couple of hours before landing and we were served one last meal. Stir-fried beef and Singapore noodles.


Half a check off my bucket list. When I ride the largest ship in the world, it'll be a full check.

i'm all over it

LQ in the time of 3G.

Hands down, one of the cleverest, cheekiest and most charming adverts on TV today.

viva santo tomas

If you think my writing is juvenile, you're not wrong. I write like a 9 year old, which is kinda insulting to grade schoolers who can actually write.

But enough about me. My beloved alma mater, The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines, celebrates it's 400th year. I am proud to be a Thomasian. I know my words cannot give justice to how honored I am to be one. Pardon me for doing an MVP but let me "borrow" the Inquirer editorial. Their tribute to Uste is, to put it simply, beautiful.

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UST’s staying power

Filipinos may strike their breast for their short memory and notorious “ningas cogon” attitude, negative traits that hamper their efforts at unity and authentic nation-building; but they don’t have to look far for inspiring examples of visionary enterprise, sense of mission and commitment to it, along with resilience, tenacity, and sheer staying power. This week the University of Santo Tomas formally starts its year-long celebration of its 400th anniversary as Asia’s oldest university, and whether one is an alumnus or not, one must join in the thanksgiving for, as UST Rector Magnificus Fr. Rolando V. de la Rosa, O.P., put it, UST has indeed been a “gift” to the Philippine nation.

It is a gift because for a people unsure about their national identity and bereft of institutions to reflect their worth and pride as a people, UST has been a paragon of institution-building. Older than the Philippine republic and practically the oldest institution in the country after the Roman Catholic Church, UST is the alma mater of the founders of the Philippine nation (Jose Burgos, Jose Rizal, Apolinario Mabini, Emilio Jacinto, Felipe Agoncillo and nearly all the framers of the Malolos Constitution) as well as of four presidents (Manuel L. Quezon, Sergio Osmeña, Jose P. Laurel and Diosdado Macapagal), and of patriots and nationalists (Claro M. Recto and Fernando Ma. Guerrero), several Supreme Court chief justices, jurists and lawmakers.

UST was founded by the intrepid Dominican order. The small seed that was to become UST was sown on the death-bed of the third archbishop of Manila, the Dominican friar Miguel de Benavides who, before dying in 1605, bequeathed his personal library and his meager personal fortune of 1,500 Spanish pesos for the establishment of a college-seminary for the training of priests. It was only five years later that his Dominican confreres were able to gather enough extra donors and start the college.

Starting as a school for the sacred sciences, UST later branched out to the civil disciplines so much so that today, UST sports proudly all of the superlative titles as far as age is concerned—oldest law school, oldest medical school, oldest school of pharmacy and of other health sciences, oldest journalism school.

Of course, it has become a cliché to call UST “older than Harvard,” a tag invented not by the Dominicans but by the American governor-general, Cameron Forbes who wanted to measure every Spanish-bred institution in the Philippines based on Anglo-American yardsticks.

Some critics pigeonhole UST as a Spanish colonial relic that hasn’t kept up with the times. But even the Jesuit American historian John Schumacher has noted that the quality of education provided by UST in the Spanish period was comparable to that of Europe, else how could Rizal and the other Filipinos who continued their studies there have adjusted very well to the European curriculum? Else how could UST have given the Church the Dominican theologian Ceferino Gonzales, who became cardinal-archbishop of Toledo and primate of the Spanish church, and who became the adviser of Pope Leo XIII in the universal revival of Thomism in the late 19th century? Else how could UST have provided Europe the Dominican thinkers Norberto Prado and Francisco Marin Sola, who occupied one after the other the theology chair of the University of Fribourg and who became top theologians of the first half of the 20th century?

Moreover, while Harvard is heavily subsidized, UST is not. In fact, it has not historically received any subsidy—not from the Spanish monarchy or colonial establishment, not from the Americans, and not from the Philippine republic. Despite all this, UST is, according to the Professional Regulation Commission, the best performing private school in licensure exams and the biggest provider of Filipino professionals. Among private schools, too, it has the highest number of programs declared as Centers of Excellence and Centers of Development by the Commission on Higher Education.

Amid the vicissitudes of history, UST has forged on, with its overriding vision of Christian humanism and Thomist optimism, which looks at nature and everything as vehicles and bases of grace. But when one looks today at UST’s sprawling campus in Manila—with its classic earthquake-proof Main Building, its two hospitals, one of which is the biggest private charity hospital in the country, and its magnificent art-deco church—one comes into contact with a sight not Thomistic, but Augustinian: it is the vision of the City of God on earth. It is a vision that all Filipinos should aspire to.

Happy birthday, Uste!

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In case you are still wondering what Philippine university is oldest in Asia, this is what a good friend had say.

No contest: UST is oldest university
By José Victor Torres

MANILA, Philippines—Learning history sometimes means memorizing superlatives—“the highest,” “the longest,” “the shortest,” “the earliest,” “the lowest,” etc. It sounds like studying history means grabbing a Philippine edition of the Guinness Book of World Records and reading through its facts.

Yet, it is these superlatives that give people, places and institutions distinction.

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) is one of these institutions. It is recognized as the oldest in Asia, older in fact than Harvard in the United States.

In addition to this claim to fame along with the titles “Royal” and “Pontifical” and “The Catholic University of the Philippines,” UST boasts of a historical continuity with its original owners and administrators—the Dominicans.

But its reputation as the “oldest university” was challenged by the University of San Carlos in Cebu which, in 1995, officially celebrated its “400th Foundation Day.” The Cebu institution traced its beginnings from the foundation of a Jesuit-run school, Colegio de San Ildefonso de Cebu, in 1595 to the present.

San Carlos’ assertion dates back to 1948 when the college was elevated to a university. Since then, newspaper articles published this “fact,” the latest in 1995 when writer F.C. Borlongan reiterated in a newspaper article that “San Carlos, not UST, is the oldest university.”

As well-respected historian and former UST archivist Fr. Fidel Villarroel, O.P. pointed out in a journal article, “UST or San Carlos of Cebu? A Question of Age”: “This is not the first time that newspapers, periodical publications and even an occasional history book have come out with such a claim which, in our considered judgment, is totally erroneous.”

With the ongoing quadricentennial celebration of UST, this contention must be resolved with available historical data. Several questions are to be answered: Which educational institution is the oldest? What are the evidences? And, why argue about these claims?

Looking through facts

UST’s history remains unquestionable: The Dominicans were at the helm of higher learning in Spanish-colonial Philippines. It is a tribute to their roles as stalwarts of education that their legacy—UST—still remains today as a bastion of higher learning.

Its foundation on April 26, 1611, happened more than three decades after the founding of the City of Manila. It was from Manila Archbishop Miguel de Benavides, O.P., that a school of higher learning came into being through his last will that provided a library and funds to erect a “seminary-college.”

Its name was Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Rosario, later to be renamed as Colegio de Santo Tomas de Nuestra del Rosario, and, finally, to Colegio de Santo Tomas.

Through the years, the colegio underwent major changes that raised its stature. In 1619, Pope Paul V authorized the granting of degrees of Philosophy and Theology to all colleges administered by the Dominicans in the “Occidental Indies.”

In 1645, Pope Innocent X raised Santo Tomas to the rank of university. In 1785, the title “Royal” was given by Charles III in recognition of their loyalty to Spain during the war against England.

In 1902, it was given the title of “Pontifical” by Leo XIII and, in 1947, the title of “Catholic University” was granted by Pius XII.

What about San Carlos?

The university’s fame also provided the impetus for the Spanish government to assign it as the Bureau of Education in the mid-19th century when the secondary school system was revamped. This is the reason many student records of different schools, such as Ateneo and Letran, are found in the UST archives.

The case against San Carlos’ claim was made in two scholarly articles written by Villaroel and a professor of the San Carlos Seminary itself, Aloysius Lopez Cartagenas.

Villarroel wrote that the historical problem of San Carlos is this: “The case of the University of San Carlos is an entirely different story. Different in the sense that its origins have yet to be established solidly on the basis of unquestionable historical documentation. But whatever date may be fixed and conventionally accepted as the foundation date, it cannot be the year 1595.”

San Carlos has its roots tied with those of another institution—the Jesuit-run Colegio de San Ildefonso. What made it troubling is that this school has a spotty past.

San Ildefonso opened in 1595 and closed down in 1608, leaving only a primary school (similar to an elementary school) for boys. There was a lack of students as many Spanish residents left Cebu to settle in Manila.

The school closed down after the Jesuit expulsion from the Philippines in 1768. Its buildings, however, were used by the Diocese of Cebu for San Carlos Seminary, which was established in 1783.

In 1867, the seminary opened a government-authorized secondary school that became known as “Colegio de San Carlos.”

In 1924, during the American period, the colegio separated from the seminary and, in 1948, was given university rank by the Philippine government.

In its entire existence, the school changed administration from the diocese to the Vincentians and, finally, to the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) order.

Based on these facts, Cartagenas wrote: “The earliest roots of the University of San Carlos in Cebu are not the Jesuit Colegio de San Ildefonso of 1595 but Seminario de San Carlos which, under the Vincentian Fathers, began to admit lay students in 1867. The year 1867, not 1595, as claimed, appears to be the auspicious beginning of an educational institution that would later become a university.”

Conclusion

It seemed that University of San Carlos’ history does not come from one but three different schools—the 1595 Jesuit Colegio de San Ildefonso that began as an institution of higher learning but was reduced to a primary school that later closed down; San Carlos Seminary, which educated and trained the diocesan clergy; and, from this seminary, Colegio de San Carlos was founded in 1867, recognized in 1912, and becoming a university only in 1948.

Three different schools. Three different histories with a break in its timeline. This historical discontinuity and the institutions that were founded lacked what Villarroel called San Carlos’ “homogenous growth.”

“You do not call a mango tree an orange tree just because the mango tree has grown in the place where formerly an orange tree was planted, grew and died,” he wrote.

Accident of age

Why argue about superlatives?

At first glance, such arguments and contentions may be trivial to the reader. After all, both universities enjoy a reputation of excellence. But, as Villarroel said, “the accident of age may add luster to the institution.”

This has been true for UST throughout its 400 years of existence.

If we research, study and interpret the historical facts well, the honor of being “the oldest university” belongs to the University of Santo Tomas.

House resolution

Perhaps the issue was settled last Dec. 1 when the House of Representatives passed Resolution No. 51, “Resolution Congratulating the University of Santo Tomas (UST) on the occasion of its Quadricentennial University in 2011.”

The resolution was officially presented to UST Rector Magnificus Fr. Rolando V. de la Rosa, O.P., surrounded by proud UST alumni among the lawmakers, in a special session of the lower chamber on Jan. 18.

On Wednesday, Jan. 26, at the opening of the 10th biennial conference of the International Council of St. Thomas Aquinas Universities (Icusta) headed by UST, with presidents and administrators of several prestigious international universities present, the resolution was read by Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo of Valenzuela City.

The resolution leaves no doubt as to which is the oldest university in the Philippines and Asia. It describes UST as “founded on April 28, 1611 by Archbishop Miguel de Benavides” and “has the oldest extant university charter in the Philippines and Asia.”

The UST charter and other historic documents, preserved in the UST archives, should show the historical and documentary validity of UST’s claim as the oldest university in this part of the world.

UST events

UST has been celebrating its 400th anniversary this week. On Monday, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales blessed the UST Jubilee Door at UST Santisimo Rosario Church and gave an apostolic blessing in a High Mass on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI, who has proclaimed 2011 as UST Jubilee Year.

Yesterday, UST formally opened the 10th biennial conference of the International Council of St. Thomas Aquinas Universities at UST Santisimo Rosario Church after a High Mass presided over by Archbishop Karl Adams, apostolic nuncio to the Philippines.

President Aquino addressed the conference, an international federation of higher-education institutions taking after the principles of St. Thomas Aquinas, the universal patron saint of Catholic schools. The UST Conservatory of Music later mounted the opera “Cavelleria Rusticana” at the UST College of Medicine Auditorium.

Today, the Quattrromondial, the UST Quadricentennial Memorial Monument, a 10-meter sculpture in bronze and glass by internationally renowned Filipino sculptor Ramon G. Orlina and modeled by actors Piolo Pascual and Charlene Gonzales, will be unveiled at UST Quadricentennial Park.

On Friday, a High Mass marking the UST Quadricentennial and the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas will be held at the UST Grandstand and Football Field, at 5 p.m. The principal celebrants are Cardinal Zenon Grocheleweski, the special papal legate sent by Benedict XVI, and Fr. Bruno Cordore, master general of the Dominican Order.

The alumni homecoming party follows.

( Jose Victor Torres was a former senior historical researcher of the Intramuros Administration. He has a doctorate in History and has won the National Book Award for his Intramuros history guidebook.)

happy halloween

Donnie: Why do you wear that stupid bunny suit?
Frank: Why are you wearing that stupid man suit?

Who says you need a costume this Halloween?

Donnie Darko is a trip.

mob

"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends." --- Love Actually

Here's a mob I actually wouldn't mind being a part of.

33

Happy anniversary to my beloved Teatro Tomasino. The university-wide theatre guild of The University of Santo Tomas celebrates its 33rd year today.

My stint in UST was definitely memorable because of Teatro. They say most of life's important lessons are learned outside the claasroom. And it couldn't be more true in my case. UST gave me the diploma eventually but Teatro Tomasino molded me into the person of strong will that I am today. The organisation and its members shared knowledge and wisdom to me that I will be eternally grateful for. Most importantly, the guild taught me how to love. I lost it but because of Teatro, I found another one that's even more beautiful.

Incidentally, this year's first production is "Ang Kalungkutan ng mga Reyna" by Floy Quintos. I invite you all to watch because I can't. Check out their FB page for more details.

Happy Birthday Teatro. As we say in theatre, break a leg!

summertime

In my eyes, Jackson Pollock's Summertime is the most beautiful piece of Art in the universe. It gave me goosebumps the first time I laid eyes on it. It was like looking at one of the great wonders of the world.

I love the energy of the painting. The colors are inspired, the madness of the strokes are moving and electrifying. Amidst all the perceived mess, everything, amazingly, is in order and well balanced. And the size of it, I keep forgetting how big it is.

There's a film about Pollock's life starring Ed Harris. You should see it. Did you know Pollock was married to another artist? Lee Krasner was his wife. It's a shame that her reputation as an artist was eclipsed by Pollock's popularity. Krasner was an influential and talented artist too.

The painting in the background is called Gothic Landscape. Painted by Krasner a few years after her husband's death. Notice the thick vertical strokes? They're meant to be trees and the violent and expressive brushstrokes reflected her feelings of grief.

tate modern

Of all the attractions in the British Isles, Tate Modern is my favorite. The Tate Modern in London is the UK's national museum of international modern art. The galleries are housed in the former Bankside Power Station, designed and built after the Second World War.

Works of international modern and contemporary art dating from 1900 onwards make up the collection.

Because it's a huge facility, the museum is divided into several galleries on the buildings 5 floors. The Tate Collection is on display on levels three and five, whilst level four is reserved for large temporary exhibitions and a small exhibition space on level two is allotted for works of contemporary artists.

Yesterday, I visited it again after picking up my new passport at the Philippine Embassy. I only spent not more than 90 minutes because it was already late afternoon when I got there and yet I ended up with almost 300 photos. It's great that visitors are now allowed to take pictures because the last time I was there with Ketty about 4 years ago, it was still prohibited.

I have to break this entry in parts. Here's the first batch of photos.

I could live here.

But I have to do something about this wall.

Not digging the bubblegum on acid look.

And maybe change the statues at the altar.

How's this for the laundry room?

The Venus of the Rags is beautiful.

This one's titled White Spring.

Perfect in my kitchen because it reminds me of breakfast.

Speaking of breakfast, here's a Francis Bacon.

And another one of his called Triptych.

Marvel at Matisse.

In case you're wondering who he is, this is him.

White Field. Mixed media. A relief using hundreds of nails. Ingenious.

There's an exhibition about voyeurism, surveillance and the camera.

Do you agree?

Me channeling Big Brother. I'd have this framed someday.

This one's rather curious.

Of course it's not just some random cctv footage. There's a fox roaming the halls of the museum!

the cove

The Cove is an Oscar-winning documentary that depicts in painful detail the horrors of dolphin fishing in Taiji, Japan. From the outside, the town seems to be devoted to the majestic creatures swimming off it's shores. Statues are erected, boats designed to look like dolphins cruise the shore, and a whale museum is the pinnacle of the town. But the small fishing village has a big secret. Every year from September to March, fishermen motivated by the multi-million dollar dolphin trading industry gather in this cove for the hunt. Slaughter, or perhaps massacre. I don't know which word is stronger.

Do not mistake my words as those of a hardcore animal activist. I am far from it. As a carnivore, I can't imagine life without meat. Even if the only fish I eat is tuna in a can.

I can only describe what wen't on in the cove as evil, pure and simple. As men, we've learnt enough about dolphins to know that they are probably the smartest creatures on earth. One only need common sense to know that they can communicate with each other and just like us they know pain. Watching them being gored to death whilst the young are made to listen to the agonising calls of their parents is horrifying.

There's a quote in the film that says, "If you're not an activist, you're an inactivist." I guess, it's easy and convenient for people like me to make strong pronouncements condemning acts of barbarity like this. After all, talk words are cheap. But I hope through this blog, I can spread the word and will eventually reach someone like Richard O'Barry, a former dolphin trainer who has since recanted and become the mammal's strongest ally.

To all the men and women who were involved in the making of this film, congratulations for a powerful, compelling and an absolute brilliant documentary and thank you for bringing this to our attention. I hope more people will see this film and become involved in your advocacy.

goodbye

Angelica: Relationship with Derek stronger than ever.

I guess this is the end. waaaah-ahahaha!

how difficult is it to smile?

One of my favorite songs in the world. Did you know that the music was done by Charlie Chaplin?

It's funny that a song called Smile doesn't always bring joy to its listeners. I say that because everytime I hear the song, I can't help but get choked up a bit. It really is ironic that I find the song full of melancholy despite it being about finding comfort and happiness in life.

The simplicity of the song is stunning. And the truth that its words speak is beautiful. The song is haunting, poignant and all in all, wonderful. It tells us that life, from time to time, it bites, sucks ass and makes us feel blue but a simple act of smiling can turn it all around. And yet as simple as it is, sometimes we can't bring ourselves to do it.

Some experts believe that it takes something like 43 muscles to frown and only 17 muscles to smile. But why is it that the simple things in life usually are the hardest to do?

happy crimbo!

let it snow

And snow, it did!. The heavens dumped several inches of snow late Thursday - early Friday which resulted to this.

I am probably the only adult in the Kent area who is amused and delighted this has happened.

What a lovely way to greet me good morning.

My street. Or what's left of it.

Maidstone was on a standstill. This is a view of my neighborhood.

I didn't mind the fact that it was a nightmare hauling my monkey ass to work today because of the beautiful scenery.

Mc, you would've loved this. 'Di bale, we'll have our winters coming real soon.

Buried in ice.

Snow monkey.

cebu state of mind

Last year, I was home for a month's vacation. Ketty and I decided to go away for a weekend trip somewhere and we ended up in Cebu, the oldest city in the Philippines and the queen city of the south. That was 365 days ago to this day. Despite the intermittent rains and short time, we had a blast. Allow me to reminisce.

We were billeted at this hotel. Can you feel the Miami vibe?

We woke up to this view. The Hilton Towers in the background.

If only the sky was clear and the sun shining, this would've been perfect.

The missus and I hired a cab and toured the city, stopping by the most famous spots to capture some memories.

We flocked to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino

and joined hundreds of devotees to pray.

Lighted some candles and thanked Him for our blessings, we did too.

Magellan's Cross, one of the most important historical artifacts in the Philippines.

We entered the gate to this great fort

and strolled in its manicured garden.

Then, we climbed some hundred steps

to reach the top of the hill for this, the beautiful Taoist temple in Beverly Hills.

Overlooking the queen city of the south.

Our tour guide/cab driver took us to the Casa Gorordo Museum.

And on our way, passed by this lovely bahay na bato. We both love heritage houses.

We went to a guitar factory and learned how the instrument is made.

Shopping for pasalubongs at the Tabo-an market.

Cebuanos sell sea shells by the sea shore.

Finally, a visit to Cebu wouldn't be complete if one doesn't pay his/her respects to the great warrior, Lapu-Lapu, the first Filipino hero.