Library blues

By Christian Edu Villegas

(Vol. XXVII No. 27, Editorial Cartoon)

Library blues

At the start of the second semester, various offices and sectors in Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) were disconcerted upon hearing the news that the number of student assistants (SA) was trimmed down due to the meager funds of the Student Government (SG). One of the sectors that was badly affected by the reduction of the number of SAs is the university library – from 17, it went down to 12.

In effect, this has led to various burdens on the part of the library goers. Aside from the fact that they cannot be accommodated easily because of the lack of SAs to attend to their needs, there is also no guarantee that valuables left at the baggage counter will be strictly guarded. Most of the time, because of lack of SAs, the baggage counter is left unattended.

University Librarian Pablita Munar apparently blames the problem to the decreased number of SAs assigned in the library this semester. Munar pointed out that with the current number of SAs, they cannot handle their work well.

Munar’s claim is indeed true. The poor service of the library is the result of the scarcity of manpower. With only few SAs hired this semester for the library, more work is pelted on the remaining SAs; they cannot maximize their assigned tasks because new errands are to be accomplished, thus leading to stacks of pending works. Also, considering the number of library goers, the 12 SAs would surely find it difficult to accommodate all the students flocking, especially during the examination week. Moreover, it should also be considered that SAs are students, too, and they cannot devote all of their time to the library.

In defense, Student Government of Dumaguete City I (SGDCI) President Christopher Don Catacutan answered that the SG should not be blamed for the problems that the library is currently suffering. Catacutan said that before the second semester started, he already informed the university librarian that they will be decreasing the number of SAs assigned in the area because of meager funds. Thus, according to him, it is already the librarian’s full responsibility to look forward to its consequences. Catacutan opined that Munar should have screened well the SA applicants so that she can set the SA’s vacant time for duty. He asserted that hiring SAs is only one of their projects and that they cannot spend the entire SG fund for the said project.

On that note, Catacutan is right. Funding SAs in various offices is only one of their projects, and they also have other projects to attend to. With their insufficient funds, it is only right that they will hire less SAs – for if they will still hire more, they will suffer the consequences like that of the previous administration’s where some SAs were unpaid.

Looking at the problems currently suffered by the library, both parties are right in defending their sides. Munar was right in saying that the poor service of the library is because of the SAs number reduction. Catacutan is also right in saying that the blame should not be put to them because they are only hiring SAs according to their available funds.

With both parties being right, so what now? Will the library problems remain as they are? Having no one to bear the blame, will the library’s poor service continue? The school year is already ending, will these problems continue to haunt until next school year?

Looking for appropriate solutions to the problem may seem out of reach, but if well planned and deliberated, it will lead to impressive results. Maybe, it is now time for the university administration to start thinking of hiring more full-time personnel in the library so that its manpower will not largely depend on its SAs. Also, it is now time for the next SG administration to start assessing that in the coming school year, they must regulate their unnecessary projects like pageant and beautification, allocate more funds in hiring SAs, and assign more SAs especially in the library, because it is an important spot – being the avenue for learning – for most Norsunians.

The library is a very important tool for Norsunians. Its problems go to the students as burden. May authorities work together to put up a worry-free and efficient NORSU library.

A fiasco

By Paul Anthony Eso

(Vol. XXVII No. 26, Editorial Cartoon)

A fiasco

The inter-school live band competition dubbed as “Chaos of Love” which was organized by the Student Government of Dumaguete City I (SGDCI) turned out to be a one big failure. The SGDCI headed by Christopher Don Catacutan may declare that the recent “Chaos of Love” band competition was still a success despite the poor crowd, yet the fact remains that the main goal of the event was not achieved.

When Catacutan first declared that they would stage a live band competition which will be called Chaos, in early interviews with him this school year, he emphasized that the purpose of the activity is to build the Norsunian spirit which, according to him, is slowly deteriorating and could no longer be felt in the university unlike before. He said that Chaos would be a great project to bring back to life the weakening spirit of most Norsunians.

There were two Chaos staged this school year. The first Chaos was a live band competition featuring different colleges and satellite campuses of Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) and was staged on October 2, 2009. The second Chaos was dubbed as ‘Chaos of Love’, an inter-school live band competition for the universities and colleges of Dumaguete City in which NORSU’s representative was the winner of the previous Chaos. The second Chaos was staged last February 19, and the very poor turnout of audience is a solid indicator that it was a flop.

To recall, Catacutan first scheduled the second Chaos in November last year just in time for the Founders Week Celebration. SG only moved it to February this year because, according to him, Chaos needs ‘heavy marketing’ which by that time, they could not do because they were focusing on staging Mister and Miss NORSU 2010 pageant.

Now here are the questions.

Firstly, where was the strengthening of the Norsunian spirit during the activity when there were only few Norsunians who participated during the event? And those few means, it can only be counted by the fingertips. Secondly, where was this ‘heavy marketing’ that Catacutan said? Was the few audience and few Norsunians already the product of their so-called ‘heavy marketing’? More Norsunians and other students could have watched the event because the weekend was extended that time since there was no class the following Monday.

Some students claim that the Chaos was a flop because of the poor dissemination of information about the event which Catacutan denied. According to the SGDCI president, SG did its part and even went as far as advertising “Chaos of Love” in a local radio station. Sure thing they advertised it in a radio station, but what about Norsunians? Do all Norsunians know about it? Was their posted advertisement enough?

The bottom line here is that SG could have advertised it first among all Norsunians before going into the whole Dumaguete City community. After all, Chaos was not only staged as a mere fund-raising activity-it was supposed to uplift the Norsunian spirit.

Obviously, SG made their goal a success during the first Chaos. It can be accepted if they will say that the first Chaos was a success, but the recently staged Chaos? No way.

Catacutan was probably shallow when he said that it was successful because they gained a P5,000-profit. What has the profit got to do with Norsunian spirit? Given that there were ‘some’ who attended and witnessed the event, but a few number of crowd, most of which are people from the participant-bands, was still not enough for the Norsunian spirit to be uplifted.

Let us admit it: “Chaos of Love” was definitely a flop no matter what the head of the SG might have said. The few people who were there and the contestants could honestly attest to that.

On promises

By Ren Angelo Elevera

(Vol. XXVII No. 25, Editorial Cartoon)

On promises

It is only a matter of time and school year 2009-2010, like its predecessors, will be added to the pages of Negros Oriental State University’s (NORSU) colorful history. It is only a matter of time and the most awaited graduation rites for this year’s graduates will take place. Also, it is only a matter of time and the tenure of all Student Government positions in the university will end.

Yes, it is only about a matter of time for incumbent Student Government of Dumaguete City I (SGDCI) President Christopher Don Catacutan before he vacates his seat for incoming SG President-elect Mary Dawn Valencia who will assume the position come June this year. But the outgoing SG president is apparently not worried with the little time that is left of his administration.

Matter-of-factly, Catacutan is even confident that he will be able to realize his remaining projects before the curtain falls for his administration. His promising endeavors include the construction of a new building along the Automotive vicinity at the College of Industrial Technology (CIT) where SG’s executive branch office will be housed; repairing of the Legislative office and providing them with a session hall; landscaping of the areas beside the Administration building and near the power supply and the Tablet of Fame for the planned mini-park; a prayer room for all religions to be situated in the present SG national office; and the realization of the long-delayed mini-theater project of which he promised to build last school year when he was still the governor of the College of Arts and Sciences.

No doubt, these projects, if ever materialized, are indeed beneficial to the whole studentry by and large. But the question on whether or not these projects will be realized is one big thing we all have to be worried about. With only a few remaining days to go before the second semester closes, we cannot be blamed if we start believing that all of these promises will never be translated into deeds.

If we can recall, the SGDCI president promised the students that he will put up a bell system in the university, organize an all-black university acquaintance party, and pursue with the mini-theater project when he assumed the presidency at the start of the school year. But apparently, all of these projects are nowhere to be found hitherto. Catacutan reasoned out that the university acquaintance was not pursued because the sponsors of the event had earlier withdrawn their support, while he promised last semester to really continue with the mini-theater project before his tenure expires. In a recent interview with him, he vowed another promise saying that he will pursue with the almost two-year delayed mini-theater this summer vacation. He said that the P200, 000 budget for the project has been available and that the construction will start this summer. The project, according to him, will be erected on the greenhouse area located near the open courts.

Now, if we are going to believe that, it means that before NORSU opens its gates for another semester in June, we shall expect that the said mini-theater, together with all of his pending projects, is already visible in the campus and available for students’ use.

Nonetheless, reality tells us to believe the other way. If we look at the real situation, Catacutan is promising us big infrastructure projects such as the construction of the new building at the CIT premises and the mini-theater—these are major construction projects that cannot be done in just a few months. Of course, these projects translate to hundreds of thousands—we thought the SG is hiring only few student assistants because of its meager funding, how come they have such amount?

One more thing, the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines prohibits all government office to pursue with their projects 45 days before the day of the elections. This means that if Catacutan cannot start with the project before the implementation of the election ban, he has to postpone it until after elections. In which case, he cannot stand with his promise to finish all his pending projects before summer ends.

Indeed, time is running fast like a ticking bomb for Catacutan. With only a few more months to go before June, it is now a big challenge for him to realize all of his promises before he bequeaths the throne to Valencia. So the question now is: Will Catacutan beat his deadline? The answer is: He must if he wants a good review in NORSU’s history.

Let us wait and see.