The Norsunians’ year

By Christian Edu Villegas

(Vol. XXVII No. 22, Editorial Cartoon)

The Norsunians’ year

Weeks ago, every one of us in this planet, welcomed the year 2010, the Year of the Metal Tiger, with optimism and high hopes. It’s been already weeks since we started our respective journey on this new year – new stories, new adventures, and new pages to fill another chapter of history. It’s been already a while when we finally left and closed that chapter which was filled with eye-popping surprises – the year 2009.

Looking back, the year 2009 had been another healthy chapter in the history of Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) as a young and budding university, struggling to be a dynamic higher education institution of preference in the Visayas and Mindanao. In the year that was, NORSU had another period of commendable transformation.

NORSU-Mabinay Campus was opened; new teachers and faculty members were added to the university’s teaching and working force; IP cameras were installed for tighter security; the ground floor of the College of Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences building was opened for the students’ use; a Doctor in Dental Medicine course was offered; the university grounds were beautified; the mock ship for the College of Maritime Education students was finally furnished and was launched for students’ practical hands-on; more foreign students enrolled here – these were only some of the remarkable improvements embraced by the Norsunian community last year.

Along with these transformations were achievements that added significant pages to the history of NORSU. The year 2009, just like in the past, was another year of achievements for Norsunians, especially in topping national licensure examinations. It’s a year of adding laurels to the university and extending the long list of Norsunian achievers in the history.

To recall, Childrico Caingcoy, a graduate of BS Marine Engineering, landed in the second spot of the written phase of the Marine OIC Examination with a score of 87.75 percent. Jessie James Lasconia, a BS Geology graduate, ranked 9th in the August 2009 Geologist Licensure (Board) Examination. Another remarkable achievement was that of Dan Jerome Saycon Barrera, a graduate of NORSU-Bais Campuses, who ranked 3rd in the September 2009 Criminology Licensure Examination.

These accomplishments which highlighted the year that was are pages of history that surely each Norsunian will be proud of. It is very inspiring that despite the evident lack of facilities and equipment in the university, Norsunians excel as one of the best and finest across the nation.

We finally bid adieu to those pages and those are nothing now but parts of history. The chapter had ended and here goes the university and the whole NORSU family paving pages of another chapter to NORSU’s history. As we look back to last year and continue journeying, it is not bad to hope for this year to have an increase in the record of achievers. It is not bad to cross our fingers that this year, like last year, would be another chapter of remarkable achievements for Norsunians.

Moreover, it is not bad to hope that somehow, some longings of the students for equipment and facilities would finally be realized. It is not bad to pray that hopefully, the students’ concerns would be the main priority this year because if Norsunians did more with less, they could do more with adequate facilities and equipment.

Norsunians are known as the Tigers. May this Year of the Metal Tiger be the Norsunians’ Year!

Election and corruption

By Paul Anthony Eso

(Vol. XXVII No. 21, Editorial Cartoon)

Election and corruption

The circus is once again in town.

With the national poll set in May, it is very apparent that the election circus is now almost engulfing the whole local and national atmosphere. Election campaign jingles like the much sung ‘Nakaligo ka na ba sa dagat ng basura’ are now redundantly played on television and radio stations. Campaign posters, with the candidates’ smiling faces, are starting to sprout everywhere. Different fora and debates about the candidates’ platform and background were staged and were witnessed by the Filipino people in the past days – and more are to be staged and may be witnessed in the coming days.

Popularity matters in the Philippine election that is why, candidates are now spending millions for their political ads. Leadership and personal background also matter that is why, every candidate now seems to be digging everything in their respective coffer to show proofs of their luring achievements and pictures of their charitable deeds like helping people in a flood scene, offering food to street children, launching program for Mother Nature, and the like that has dramatic soap opera features. Every candidate now seems to be ‘nagbubuhat ng sariling bangko’ just to lure the Filipino masses.

Popularity, leadership skills, and personal background are the traditional factors that are considered by most (responsible) Filipino voters before voting. But, if there is one more factor that should be secured first above the rest, it should be the ‘incorruptible’ factor – a voter must vote for the candidate who is not corrupt, a candidate who is strongly determined to fight corruption.

The problem about corruption has been hounding the government since time immemorial. As the May poll comes, it also means that there is a chance that it can be ended, or at least, minimized by electing an incorruptible leader.

These days, the issue about corruption is already alarming and at these times, it appears that it is not just a problem of perception but an actuality. Despite the countless corruption issues exposed in the past, corruption cases are increasing not only in number but also in the amount of money involved.

What is also alarming is the fact that among the reported big cases of corruption in the government, not one was given proper action by the government, despite the efforts of whistleblowers and concerned groups. It is a sad reality that corruption has freely spread its roots and branches in the Philippine government because the current administration itself has done nothing to cut it. Well, how could they afford to cut it if it would mean cutting their own roots and branches?

If only corruption were not present in Philippine government today, the life of every Filipino would have been, at least, a little easier. But this social illness, instead of being eliminated by our leaders in the past, has gone far until the present and has even worsened – freely and healthily. It’s been there growing sturdy because our leaders allowed it.

Corruption these days may have turned into the sturdiest tree in Philippine government, but it is not yet too late to cut that tree down. It may appear impossible, but we can still do something about it.

This coming election is our chance to revive the fight against corruption. Let us choose an incorruptible leader.