We, at AMARANTH, are more than honored to hold the year 2023 with much pride and fulfillment. With the various events that unfolded and the amount of work that required the critical role of truth-telling in the Viscan community, the responsibility of pursuing the moments that mattered brought us to a vision of greatness through campus journalism.
With that, we give you a recap of the stories and events that encompassed the year 2023.
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[PASUC-8 (October 17 to 20)]
The first major coverage of Amaranth for the academic year started with the culmination of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC-8) Regional Culture and Arts Festival 2023, held in its own turf in the Visayas State University (VSU). It showcased a diverse array of talents across literary arts, visual arts, music, dance, and performing arts - which brought together delegates from 10 participating State Universities and Colleges across the region.
VSU excelled across multiple competitions, securing medals in extemporaneous speech, literary arts, visual arts (acrylic painting), music, and performing arts. However, it was Leyte Normal University (LNU) who emerged in the top, securing 10 titles across Literary, Visual, and Music categories. EVSU followed suit with a commendable haul of 9 awards, while UEP and VSU tied with 6 medal count. The champions of various contests will represent Region 8 at the National PASUC Culture and Arts Festival in Laoag City in February 2024.
[SCUAA-8 (October 22 to 27)]
Just 2 days after, VSU took helm in hosting another major event, the triumphant return of the Regional State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA-8) Games to where it all started. The six-day event showcased exceptional performances from 11 State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) across various sports categories. VSU Python’s outstanding performance in swimming, dance, pageantry, and multiple sporting events allowed the team to take the top pedestal hauling a total of 89 gold medals, 44 silvers, and 59 bronzes reclaiming the overall championship title. Meanwhile, EVSU placed second with a total of 136 medals, followed by the UEP bagging a total of 120 medals.
However, just like many events, the SCUAA-8 sport meet did not go smooth-sailing. The event was tarnished by issues such as An Lantawan, the official tertiary publication of Leyte Normal University, being denied recognition by their university administration prompting them to not use their publication name during the coverage. The highly anticipated Mr. and Ms. SCUAA-8 was also marred with controversies prompting skepticism with the final results, unprecedented delays, and a run-of-the-mill performance by a guest singer. The event also saw a controversial and rare two gold medals awarded to both SSU Deers and the SLSU Kingfishers in the Championship round of Basketball Men. There were also reports of rocks thrown and disturbing one of the venues of a basketball event.
Nonetheless, the event was deemed a success as it showed the bond and sports camaraderie formed among the 11 participating SUCs in Eastern Visayas. In the end, a symbolic moment ensued as the celebration of sportsmanship and camaraderie continues with its next stop going north - to the Northwest Samar State University (NwSSU) in 2024.
[Recent Developments in VSU]
VSU underwent significant changes and advancements at the start of the academic year. From the split of the once biggest department in VSU Main Campus, to the rollout of free and accessible Google workspaces and premium software accounts for students, to the huge feat with the passing of House Bill 7412 which will establish the College of Medicine in the campus; let us walk through these advancements and explore the changes it bring to the Viscan community.
DLABS splits into DALL, DPSS
This school year, the Department of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences (DLABS) which was the biggest department of VSU Baybay, is dissolved to form two departments namely the Department of Arts, languages, and Literature (DALL) and the Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences (DPSS).
The said proposal has been long overdue since 2017. It was only realized until this school year due to the need to enhance the department in terms of facilities and human workforce of faculty members and staff that cater to both major and general subjects for the emerging number of Viscan students each year.
Having two separate departments would also hold more curriculum efforts since both have their offerings already such as the Bachelor of Arts in English Language Studies from DALL and Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from DPSS. The Bachelor of Arts in Literature is also in the pipeline according to DALL Head Dr. Maria Vanessa Gabunada.
Successful Rollout of Google Workspace and Microsoft Accounts
The system-wide rollout of Google Workspace and Microsoft premium licenses with unlimited storage on Google Drive for faculty, staff, and students is also realized this first semester of Academic Year 2023-2024.
Viscans with @vsu.edu.ph can access apps and websites including Gmail, Drive, and Docs, as well as premium discounts on services such as Spotify, Adobe, and Canva.
Meanwhile, every @vsu.edu.ph has an equivalent @365.vsu.edu.ph account with the same username for the Microsoft A3 license. Users can use 365 services such as Outlook, SharePoint, and OneDrive. Using the same account, they can also install licensed versions of Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, among other devices useful to the Viscan users.
VSU College of Medicine is now enacted into law
The highly anticipated VSU College of Medicine is nearing its establishment following the enactment of House Bill 7412 signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last December 27.
VSU will be the first state university in the Eastern Visayas, along with UEP, that will be offering a Doctor of Medicine Program including an Integrated Liberal Arts and Medicine program, which will consist of basic science and clinical courses that will use learner-centered, competency-based, and community-oriented approach.
Sponsored by Rep. Carl Nicolas Cari of the 5th District of Leyte, it was first approved by the house committee last October 2022 with the objective of the "Doktor Para sa Bayan Act", strengthening the health-related education and workforce in the country with appropriating medical scholarships and return of service.
[SALINGKUSOG: Uni-Wide Intramurals Meet 2023]
After four years of hiatus, Visayas State University (VSU) Main Campus opened its gates as the host for the long-awaited return of the university-wide intramural games participated by the college coalitions from VSU Main Campus and the VITA component campuses from Villaba, Isabel, Tolosa, and Alangalang for a four-day event.
VSU also welcomed the comeback of last year’s intramural theme “Sálingkusóg” as this year’s intramural branding, which highlights “the transference and cultivation of strength, discipline, camaraderie, and sportsmanship across all competitions in the intramural games.” Along with this, the revival of various sporting events featured from 2019 made its way resulting in a total of 20 sporting events.
This year’s university-wide Sálingkusóg is also joined with the various factions from different colleges, including Growling Guardians (CAFS x CoN), Sylvan Dragons (CFES x CME), Regal Minokawa (CoED x CVM), and Valiant Gladiators (CET x CAS), together with the VSU IHS participants: Vehement Gryphons, Vigorous Basilisks, and Valorous Wyverns along with the four factions from the component campuses: Griffins (Villaba Campus), Cyber Warriors (Isabel Campus), Greyhounds (Tolosa Campus), and the Blue Phoenix (Alang-alang Campus).
At the end of the four-day event, the Cyber Warriors went home victorious as the overall champion with a whopping 84 medals, followed by the second place, Valiant Gladiators secured a total of 71 medals and the crown for Ginoong Malakas, and in the third place, Greyhounds from VSU Tolosa with 57 medals.
[On issues that matter]
Apart from school-based issues and events, the AMARANTH, true to its mission, also tackled and sparked discourse on social issues both in the local and global scope. By spotlighting these diverse societal concerns, we aim to amplify voices that may otherwise go unheard, and encourage meaningful conversations among our readers.
The 20-peso rice and onion conundrum
A prominent promise made by the UniTeam during the election period, specifically President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, was to bring down the price of rice to at least 20 pesos per kilo. When he assumed office, he recommended a price cap of around 20-30 php for each kilo of the said produce. This paraded hope amongst many working class and poverty-stricken voters to trust his word, leading him to the highest seat in office whilst also being in the position to make these aspirations a reality. But realistically, these were just words coming from a traditional politician, as proven in his second year of office.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and economy experts discussed how such rates would be gravely idealistic and unfair to farmers as it is seen as an imbalance of investment, resulting in massive importations in the long run. While the price ceiling was then implemented, it only lasted for a month. The recommended price ceilings did not attain its goal of maintaining the sufficiency of the rice production for the Filipino farmers, as much as it was a bright aspiration for Filipino consumers.
On the other hand, around the start of 2023 and during the months of April and May, the price of onions per kilo became the talk of the town as it reached around 90-200 php, seven times more than the world’s average price. More than just becoming a subject of memes, the onion prices and other perishable goods such as meat and poultry experienced an increase in rates. It would not take long for more goods in the market to join the price hikes, and for PBBM to scramble on alternatives just to bring down the inflation rates in the country, with him even assuming the position as DA Secretary.
In short, the 20-peso rice did not happen, or at the very least; not yet. The price of red onions, on the other hand, has been recently regulated, at least in some parts of the country, mainly in the provinces.
Read more here: https://amaranth.vsu.edu.ph/views/13-opinion/576-hanggang-saan-aabot-ang-pangakong-bente-ni-pbbm
#NoToJeepneyPhaseout
Today, December 31, 2023, marks the deadline of the mandatory franchise consolidation for PUV operators and drivers alike as the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUMPV) nears its full-blown implementation in 2024.
The phaseout of traditional jeepneys and old PUV units has caused major injustice amongst drivers and commuters alike. The said implementation will prioritize the rehabilitation of said units through modernized e-jeepneys and mini-buses which are said to be more efficient and less hazardous to the environment.
But many aspects of this program completely disregards the welfare of its supposed benefactors. The new units are said to be unused and excess products from nations in East Asia such as Japan, Korea, and China, and these units are to be paid by the operators themselves, with the co-ops having very little responsibility on how each unit may dealt with the debt.
Moreover, each unit costs around P2.8 million, which is astronomically staked compared to the daily earnings of a PUV operator which is only around P3000-3500. It is also expected that the PUV drivers will have to settle for lower wages. This also places the commuters at a major disadvantage with the price hike of around 30-40 peso fare compared to the usual 13-pesos.
Transport strikes and petitions are continously being done against the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, with groups such as MANIBELA and Piston taking the lead and calling for the PBBM administration to junk the said implementation.
Read more here: https://amaranth.vsu.edu.ph/views/12-editorial/442-editorial-driverless-ride-towards-modernity
On Sara Duterte, Department of Education (DepEd), and the Office of the Vice President (OVP)
It was revealed late this year that the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) found that Filipino students aged 15 lag behind other countries in reading, science and math. This is despite the rigorous preparation of the Department of Education, under education secretary Sara Duterte, after similar low results in 2018 during his father’s presidency.
Education groups also slammed the education department in response to Rappler’s two-part investigation of how DepEd laptops ended up for sale across online shops and retail stores. Rappler also revealed in an investigative report that almost P3-B worth of learning materials were not delivered to schools and were left “hostage” in their partner logistic warehouse.
Vice President Sara Duterte has also been flagged over her access and use of confidential funds without congressional authorization. Rights groups and opposition senators are alarmed at the use of these funds for security and intelligence forces well beyond the scope of responsibility of the offices Duterte holds.
The nation was sent into a frenzy when it was revealed that VP Duterte spent P125 million in confidential funds in just a short span of 11 days to which Duterte corrected that it was spent in just 19 days. This predilection of Duterte for confidential funds was found by COA in their annual report and may be traced back to her father’s billions in confidential intelligence funds during his term.
As of writing, petitions are pending in the Supreme Court questioning the legality of the use and transfer of the confidential funds and demands Duterte to return the amount to the national treasury. Amidst the controversy, the House removes the P600 M confidential funds in the 2024 national budget for the OVP, DepEd and other agencies.
Read related article here: https://amaranth.vsu.edu.ph/views/13-opinion/550-confidential-funds-or-confidential-fun
On Israel genocide of Palestinians
As of writing, the death toll in Gaza rises to 21,000 including almost 9,000 children since October 7, with the United Nations calling the Gaza strip as the “Graveyard of Children”. Israel has escalated its military offensive on Gaza and increased violence in the occupied West Bank. Latest records show 23 hospitals and numerous health care facilities have been destroyed. Estimates show almost 2 million Palestinians have been displaced.
The event of October 7th and the events that resulted from it are just a section in the long running history of British imperial and colonial mindset being at play in foreign lands. In 1917, the British Mandate incorporated the “Balfour Declaration” stating support for “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people” which eventually fueled a Zionist extremist movement. The influx of Jewish immigration swelled up during the second world war. In 1947, when the UK government couldn't get hold of the situation, it turned over the “Palestine problem” to the UN.
Since then, 50 years on since the first Israeli occupation, millions of Palestinians have been displaced and dispossessed of their land, homes, and properties. Amnesty International, an international rights group, records almost 5 million Palestinians facing daily restrictions on their movement in their land.
As this genocide continues, rights groups and critics and citizens of both the West and the East call for immediate ceasefire and slamming governments and leaders of the west for their complicity to the situation.
Read more here: https://amaranth.vsu.edu.ph/views/13-opinion/620-opinion-in-this-lifetime-palestine-will-be-free
[The Enduring Legacy of Former President Edgardo “Edu” Tulin]
Following his eight years of service, Dr. Edgardo Escuadra Tulin concluded his presidency after being seated as the 6th President of the whole VSU system. In his final year, Dr. Tulin ended his term on a high note as he boasted accomplishments that he believed would lay the foundation that would allow the university to be prepared for sustainability and diverse opportunities in the future.
In the area of administration, Dr. Tulin facilitated linkages, internationalization initiatives, and the hosting of local and international conferences. This year, VSU formed 323 stronger links with other academic institutions, private organizations, and government agencies. Dr. Tulin asserted that these connections would promote academic, research, and cultural exchange, which will foster joint initiatives that benefit VSU and the affiliated party. Another achievement that VSU attained was the official recognition by the National Book Development of VSU Printing as a Publisher of Print and Digital Books. This feat can pave the way for VSU to become a university publishing house.
Further, VSU also achieved its Magic 10 position in the Webometrics ranking for the July 2023 edition of the Web Ranking of Philippine Universities. The university was also named the Top 1 Performing State University by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP). Moreover, VSU got a Reporter Status in the Times New Higher Education World Universities Rankings (Asia University Rankings 2023). Lastly, VSU was hailed 9th best University in the Philippines, according to UniRank.
In the area of Research, Extension, and Innovation, the university accomplished 124 VSU-funded research projects, 45 VSU-funded extension projects and 7 TBI projects with a total of 99,121,040.54 pesos funds generated for REI projects. VSU also trained 9,248 beneficiaries from various communities in the country.
AMARANTH also recognized Dr. Tulin as the “president who championed press freedom” due to his vital role in safeguarding the students’ right to free speech and expression. The publication noted that it did not encounter any attempts from the administration to be controlled or censored. Campus journalism at VSU flourished during his term and thrived even when the articles published were meant to critique the university. AMARANTH also highlighted that Dr. Tulin fostered an environment where student journalists could be empowered to become vigilant storytellers.
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As we brace ourselves for the dawn of another year as Viscans, we anticipate various major events and changes in the university. One of the highlights is the grand anniversary celebration of VSU as it turns 100 years old, with a centennial feat this coming April. Moreover, in the next month or so, the university will also elect a new president that will lead VSU for the following years, ushering a new legacy of relevance, integrity, truth, and excellence.
It has been quite an immersive year for VSU, and we at Amaranth, will continue to tell stories that compel the truth and experience of every Viscan. We are grateful for every opportunity that honed not just our skills, but also our camaraderie.
As 2024 ushers in a new year filled with chances that could once again attest to our great aspirations of providing the best kind of campus journalism, we are hopeful that all the injustices that the world is facing today, come at the price of being settled in the most bona fide way possible.
In the name of truth and standing by it, we are Amaranth, the official student media organization of the Visayas State University.
[Courtesy to some of the photos to KJ Rosales of PhilStar Global, CNN Philippines, Bulatlat News, and Middle East Monitor]
[Layout by Paul Suralta | Amaranth]