Ateneo, De La Salle and UP – why the college you choose matters – Part 8

 

University rankings: Find out how your school does!

MANILA, Philippines – Wondering which universities in the country have the most number of centers of excellence (COE) and centers of development (COD) awarded by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)?

We compiled CHED’s memorandum orders on COEs and CODs released from 2012 to 2013, came up with an unofficial tally and ranked schools according to the combined number of their COEs and CODs. In this unofficial ranking, we assigned a point for each university’s COD, and two points for a COE.

COEs and CODs are higher education institutions with the highest degree or level of standards in the areas of instruction, research and extension. The COEs and CODs used in this unofficial ranking will all have their designations expired on May 31 according to CHED.

The University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman came with a commanding lead over other universities with 22 COEs or 44 points. The university has centers of excellence in biology, chemistry, geology, information technology, marine science, mathematics, molecular biology, physics, statistics, broadcasting, journalism, communication, music, foreign language, English, Filipino, Filipino and English literature, political science, psychology, anthropology and linguistics. UP Diliman has no COD.

Completing the top 10 are the following universities:

2. De La Salle University (25)

COE (9): biology, chemistry, information technology, mathematics, physics, teacher education, literature, Filipino, psychology

COD (7): chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, electronics and communications engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, political science

3. University of Santo Tomas (24)

COE (7): biology, chemistry, medicine, nursing, teacher education, music, philosophy

COD (10): chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, electronics and communications engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, physical therapy, journalism, literature, psychology

 

4. Ateneo de Manila University (23)

COE (10): business administration, chemistry, entrepreneurship education, information technology, mathematics, physics, philosophy, literature (English), psychology, sociology

COD (3): biology, environmental science, literature (Filipino)

 http://www.philstar.com/campus/2014/05/26/1327524/university-rankings-find-out-how-your-school-does

Ateneo, De La Salle and UP – why the college you choose matters – Part 7

Five Philippine Schools in Top 300 Asian Universities

The Top 300 Universities in Asia was already revealed on Monday by QS University Rankings and 5 of the Philippine’s schools made it to the elite list of Asia’s best universities.

The Philippine schools who made it to the Top 300 are the UP, Ateneo, UST, DLSU and the University of Southeastern Philippines (USP). The leading Philippine school is the University of the Philippines, the lone Philippine University in the Top 100, ranking at 67th in the list.

The Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) ranked at 109th, the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) at 150th, De La Salle University (DLSU) at 151st-160th and the University of Southeastern Philippines (USP) at 251st-300th.

The Philippines premier university the University of the Philippines (UP) improved by a notch from last year’s 68th place. The Ateneo slid from 86th, along with DLSU from 142nd. The UST also dropped from 148th place.

Topping the 2013 list of Top 300 Universities is the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, followed by National University of Singapore, University of Hong Kong, Seoul National University and the Peking University in China.

http://philnews.ph/2013/06/12/5-phils-schools-top-300-asian-universities/

Ateneo, De La Salle and UP – why the college you choose matters – Part 6

 

 

UP and Ateneo’s University Rankings Worldwide 2014-2015 Improved

The worldwide rankings of the country’s premier educational institution, University of the Philippines and the Ateneo de Manila University improved a lot in the 2014-2015 World University Rankings by education and career network Quacquarelli Symonds (OS). The results of the latest worldwide university ranking was released on Tuesday, September 26, 2014.

The University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman Quezon City improved itsranking from 380th to this year’s ranking at 367th place worldwide. The bestranking of the University of the Philippines-Diliman was way back the year 2008, where it ranked at No. 262.

The Ateneo de Manila on its part also improved to 461-470 from the 2013-2014 rankings at 561-700. Other schools who made to the Worldwide University rankings from the Philippines are the De La Salle University and the University of Sto. Tomas, as it ranked at 650-and-below.

The DLSU dropped its rankings to 651-700 this year from its previous rankings at 601+ in 2013-2014, while the UST remained idle at 701. According to the latestUniversity Rankings worldwide, the National University of Singapore which is ranked at 22nd overall is considered as the highest-ranked Asian institution.

The top 10 universities in the world this year, according to QS, are:

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (United States)
2. (tie) University of Cambridge (United Kingdom) and Imperial College London (United Kingdom)
4. Harvard University (United States)
5. (tie) University of Oxford (United Kingdom) and University College London (United Kingdom)
7. Stanford University (United States)
8. California Institute of Technology (United States)
9. Princeton University (United States)
10. Yale (United States)

 

http://philnews.ph/2014/09/17/up-and-ateneos-university-rankings-worldwide-2014-2015-improved/

Ateneo, De La Salle and UP – why the college you choose matters – Part 5

 

UP, Ateneo, La Salle in world university rankings for subjects

MANILA, Philippines – Three of the top universities in the country were included in the list of best schools in the world, excelling in English language and literature, based on a 2013 survey released by a London-based research institution.

The University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University made it to the top 200 schools in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Ranking by Subject 2013.

The report showed UP and Ateneo in the top 51-100 schools for English language and literature.

La Salle was in the top 101-150 for the same subject, while Ateneo was also in the top 151-200 in the global ranking for modern languages.

UP, on the other hand, was in the top 151-200 schools for agriculture and forestry. Its ranking, however, slipped to 348th from 332nd in the previous list.

Ateneo de Manila also slid to the 451-500 bracket from being ranked 360th. De La Salle University dropped to the 601+ bracket from 551-600 bracket.

The global university ranking by subject was based on assessments of academics and employers of university graduates.

This year, the company rated 2,858 schools but only ranked 678 institutions.

US schools led the rankings in most subjects, with Harvard University topping 10 disciplines.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology topped the list of best universities, ranking first in seven subjects, followed by the University of California-Berkeley, Oxford University and Cambridge.

http://www.philstar.com/campus/featured-articles/2013/05/10/940430/ateneo-la-salle-world-university-rankings-subjects

 

Ateneo, De La Salle and UP – why the college you choose matters – Part 4

Companies Still Favor Graduates of Top 8 Universities

MANILA, Philippines – If you are a graduate from one of the top eight universities in the country, you have higher chance of getting hired, according to report from Jobstreet.com in the new Jobs and Salary Report that has been launched recently.

In the 2015 report, companies in the Philippines still place high importance on which university the graduates come from. 71-percent of the companies who responded to Jobstreet survey said that it was an important factor when considering applicants. This year’s result though lower by 6-percent against the 2014 percentage still shows employers favor graduates from UP, UST, La Salle, Ateneo, and government schools such as PLM, PNU, and PUP.

Here are the Top 8 Universities in the Philippines that lead 2015 Jobstreet Survey of Schools that Matter to Employers:

1. University of the Philippines
2. University of Santo Tomas
3. De La Salle University / Ateneo de Manila University
4. Polytechnic University of the Philippines
5. Mapua Institute of Technology
6. Far Eastern University
7. Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila/Adamson University
8. University of the East / Philippine Normal University / Technological Institute of the Philippines

The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) is considered a big game-changer in the list of top universities in terms of ‘hireability’ next to Big Four UP, UST, DLSU and ADMU.

While the alumni of the top universities can take pride on the fact that they are favored by most companies, graduates of other institutions should still be confident about lending a job.

Companies say they will still hire applicants even if they did not come from those choice universities as long as “the candidate is trainable/willing to be trained,” and “the candidate fulfills requirements needed for the job.”

In addition, the JobStreet.com’s 2015 Jobs and Salary Report for Fresh Graduates said that out of the 450 companies that participated in their survey, 80% of employers recommended highlighting college internships.

The report also said that 52% preferred applicants who already had part-time jobs, while 50% still give importance to a decent — if not impressive — collegiate report card.

http://www.thesummitexpress.com/2015/04/companies-still-favor-graduates-of-top-8-universities.html

Ateneo, De La Salle and UP – why the college you choose matters – Part 3

 

UP, Ateneo, La Salle grads hired faster, paid more

by Jojo Malig, ABS-CBNNews.com

MANILA, Philippines – Graduates of the top 3 educational institutions in the Philippines are hired faster and paid more by employers, according to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).

The NSCB, in a new report citing a Graduate Tracer Study made by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), said graduates of the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, and De La Salle University have a significant head start in their careers compared to graduates of other colleges and universities nationwide.

Of the “Big 3,” UP graduates were the fastest to find work but were paid a smaller starting salary compared to Ateneo or La Salle graduates.

UP graduates only waited an average of 1.8 month to find work and had a mean income per month of a little over P9,700.

De La Salle graduates actively looked for a job for an average of 2.4 months but got a mean income per month of almost P11,900.

Ateneo graduates, meanwhile, spend an average of 2.9 months looking for work and had a mean income per month of around P 10,100.

In comparison, graduates of other private sectarian universities spent almost 4 months looking for work and got a mean oncome of P8,388.

Graduates of private non-sectarian schools, meanwhile, spent 4.4 months looking for work and had a mean income of just 8,202.

Meanwhile, graduates of local colleges and universities, other state unuversities, and non-profit educational institutions spent as much as an average of 6 months looking for work and were paid far less than graduates of the “Big 3″ schools.

NSCB Secretary General Jose Ramon Albert cited the 1999 CHED data in his report released Friday on whether education is in sync with the country’s labor conditions and needs.

“The 1999 GTS suggests that graduates from the three premier HEIs in the country, namely, the University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, and Ateneo de Manila University, have triple plus points: lower waiting time to join the job market from the time of graduation; higher employment rates; and higher income,” he said.

“About half of the respondents to the study land jobs within 6 months after graduation, and about one percent of them do not have jobs even 2 years after their graduation,” he added.

“Chief among the reported reasons why the college graduates surveyed for the 1999 GTS find difficulty getting jobs are lack of job opportunities, and unsatisfactory salaries or opportunities for advancement in jobs,” Albert said.

He raised the need to conduct a new GTS to determine if supply from higher education meets the demands of the labor market.

‘Choosy graduates’

Citing a 2006-2011 set of data from the Labor Force Survey (LFS) conducted by the National Statistics Office, Albert said college graduates account for at least 18 percent of the total unemployed in the country.

Most of the college graduates who are not working earned degrees on medical courses, trade, craft and industrial programs, engineering and architectural programs, he said.

In comparision, Bureau of Labor Employment Statistics (BLES) data indicate that the top 3 “hard-to-fill” job vacancies from January 2009 to June 2010 include accountants and auditors, electronics and communications engineers, and systems analysts and designers.

“The top 3 reasons why vacancies are hard to fill were: 1) applicants lack needed competency/skill; 2) applicants expect a high salary; and 3) applicants lack years of experience,” he explained.

He said this jibes with the CHED’s 1999 GTS that shows jobless college graduates seem to be “choosy” in seeking jobs.

Albert said 2 in 5 unemployed graduate say they are jobless because of the following reasons: there is no job opening in field of specialization; no interest in getting a job; starting pay is low; and, no job opening within the vicinity of residence.

“The GTS clearly has a wealth of information that are useful in designing policies that put education in sync with employment,” he said.

Albert told ABS-CBNNews.com they are still waiting for the results of a new 2012 GTS that was commissioned to DLSU.

“The CHED appears to have conducted the GTS last year, and I look forward to examining the results,” he said.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/01/11/13/ateneo-la-salle-grads-hired-faster-paid-more

 

Ateneo, De La Salle and UP – why the college you choose matters – Part 2

Jobstreet: More employers prefer graduates from top universities

Manila, Philippines—Fresh graduates from top Metro Manila schools have a better chance of landing a job, a recent survey of employment search engine Jobstreet.com Philippines revealed.

The survey conducted by Jobstreet.com for Fresh graduate Employability showed that most companies in the Philippines still look on which university the graduates come from.

Among 400 companies surveyed, 77 percent of the respondents said they prioritize graduates from University of the Philippines (UP), Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), University of Santo Tomas, and De La Salle University (DLSU).

The survey, however, said, graduates from other universities should still be confident in landing a job as 94 percent of companies said they would still hire applicants even if they did not come from the top four universities.

Jobstreet.com quoted a Human Resource practitioner saying, “So long as they are able to communicate in English, are trainable and dedicated to work hard, they will still be considered even if they don’t graduate from top universities.”

This, after the survey also indicated that  graduates from state-run universities such as Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), Philippine Normal University (PNU), and Polytechnic University of the Philippines are also considered by employers.

According to Jobstreet, employers said fresh graduates need to highlight their internship experience, their grades and extra-curricular activities on their resume to make up of their lack of experience and have higher chances of being hired.

It, however, said that while some employers were open to hiring fresh graduates, some expressed concern about “fresh graduates leaving the job after being trained, [with] poor communication skills, [and with] unrealistic salary expectations.”

Jobstreet.com said that in 2013, 83 percent of companies hired fresh graduates.

Jobstreet: More employers prefer graduates from top universities

 

Ateneo, De La Salle and UP – why the college you choose matters – Part 1

The universities of choice

DEMAND AND SUPPLY By DEMAND AND SUPPLY by Boo Chanco  | Updated March 13, 2002 – 12:00am

The Commission on Higher Education has reportedly concluded a study that tracked graduates of Philippine universities. One of the findings was hardly surprising. Graduates of Ateneo, UP and La Salle were said to get better pay than graduates from other universities. The reputation of these universities for academic excellence was said to be the reason why.

Sounds unfair to me. For one thing, graduates of UST, Maryknoll (Miriam College now) and Assumption, in my experience, have been pretty good too. UE doctors are more than competent. And a nephew of mine who is an Ateneo graduate who works with computers, tells me that graduates of the top computer schools are quite good too. Remember the Love Bug virus?

Right after graduation from Ateneo last year, my son joined his friends job hunting even if he had plans of migrating to the US. He commented that they normally start with a roomful of applicants but after they go through various tests and interviews, only a handful are left for final consideration for employment. And they are usually from Ateneo, UP or La Salle. He said he felt a bit guilty because those eliminated seem to need the job more.

In a sense, tradition and reputation are probably reasons why employers often specify graduates of Ateneo, UP and La Salle as preferred employees. Based on my experience as an executive, somehow, graduates of these top three universities are better able to manage on their own. And most important in the world of business, they are also best able to express themselves.

Unfortunately, even these top three universities seem no longer as good as they used to be. They are definitely not among the top 10 in Asia as rated by Asiaweek. I am not even sure if our top universities are among the region’s top 30. It is quite a letdown from our previous reputation as the region’s learning center. Like most things else about us and this country, the past seems better than the present and the future seems pretty disconcerting.

In a sense, that’s also what I feel about my own alma mater. I come from a family with a strong bias for the State University. We studied there from high school onwards. But when it was time for me to decide where my own children would study, I swallowed my pride and allowed my son and a daughter to study at the Ateneo. My son passed his entrance test at UP but decided to stay on at the Ateneo. I could not protest.

How could I object to my son’s decision? I remembered that just a few years before, I hired some Ateneo graduates over UP’s for the simple reason that the Ateneans were at least able to express themselves well in one language: English. The UP grads were not as coherent in either English or Pilipino. At that time, they were in the process of changing over to Pilipino as medium of instruction. The entrance criteria were also skewed to favor high school graduates from public schools that didn’t really prepare them well for college work.

My son is now seeking his fortune in the legendary land of milk and honey. Being an Atenean and an honor graduate at that, medyo self assured, in short belib sa sarili. But a few months in America and he is ready to study again because as he puts it, hindi nila kilala ang Ateneo dito.

One thing he had going for himself is the training he acquired at the Ateneo to think for himself and deal with the twists and turns of life. All those Philosophy and Theology subjects that seemed useless were not in vain. His self confidence certainly comes in handy in the competitive environment of America.

As for UP, at this point, I think UP is running on empty… on the fumes of sheer reputation of its glorious past. How can UP be a great institution of learning without budget support? Some months ago, fellow alumni were asked to contribute about $25 each (the price of a toy truck, a Tonka) so that the Diliman campus can buy a garbage truck. Previously, they were asking alumni to donate funds needed to cover the costs of building classrooms.

Faculty members are not being compensated sufficiently so that they are spending more time consulting for the private sector that takes precious time away from teaching and research. I wonder if they are still able to attract the kind of quality needed in a world class faculty given the pretty sad situation in Diliman today.

It was fine for the Commission on Higher Education to undertake this tracking study of college graduates. It would be better if CHED did something to assure the quality of higher education in this country. Our college graduates used to be our competitive edge in the regional business arena. I’d hate for the day to come when a Philippine college diploma isn’t worth the sheepskin paper it is printed on.

source : http://www.philstar.com/business/153729/universities-choice

ads that don’t communicate, need to be explained

ads is a very visual medium – what you see is what you get. and what you get is what it communicates. in these ads, you need to think hard what it is trying to say to you.  what you see are these familiar objects that are being unwrapped to show chocolate.

now with that visual, one of the following is being communicated :

• they are selling chocolates shaped as a coffee maker
• the object, in this case the coffee maker, makes chocolates
• you will find chocolate when you  unwrap a coffee maker

that is what the visuals say.

but after some much thought and reading the text on the bottom right of the ad, it looks like what the ad is trying to say is – give yourself a treat this Easter and buy appliances in this store called Currys. i guessed that much after using google to find out what Currys is. it is a retail outlet in the U.K. that sell electronics and appliances.

we got that after reading the small texts at the bottom of the ad and AFTER using google. it does not help that the texts at the bottom of the ad were small. we think many consumers will not bother doing what i did to understand the ad. consumers will most likely just stay on the giant visuals and just say one of the above.

the idea of  giving oneself a treat this Easter is very carefully hidden in the visual. it is actually unsaid and the ad is asking you ro logic it out and find the connection between chocolates and a treat.

for us this is a WAWAM!

costly blooper in Price Is Right TV show – model accidentally gives away a car!

Tekken 7 insults the Philippine national hero and Filipinos with a character named “Josie Rizal”

there is no doubt about it, Josie Rizal, a character in Tekken 7 is named after Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero. even its creator,  Katsuhiro Harada acknowledges that the character was meant to appeal to Filipino gamers. for the character to appeal to Filipinos mean using a familiar name to Filipinos make that easier.

we find this a blatant disrespect of the country’s national hero and filipinos as well.

Josie Rizal

 

 

Tekken creator to ‘delete’ Josie Rizal if NCCA pushes for name change

The creator and game director of Tekken has threatened to “delete” Josie Rizal, a new Filipino character in the globally famous franchise, if the government pushes for the name change.

In a tweet, Katsuhiro Harada said on Thursday he would delete the character from the game if the National Commission on Culture and the Arts would issue a statement forcing him to drop the character’s name.

Responding to a tweet by Chris O. Easley (@Ulect) which said: “NCCA is just concerned about the name, the character should not be deleted just change the name!” Harada said: “No. If it happens, I’ll delete her.”

In an earlier statement, Harada said that Josie is special for the Filipino gaming community and if she does not get support from Filipinos, it is very easy for the gaming company to delete her.

“Josie [is] for (the) fighting game community. But Josie is very special for (the Philippine) gamer community.”

“If Josie can’t get supported in the Philippines, we give her up anytime. Tekken 7 arcade board has a network update system. We can change plan and change characters anytime and quickly,” he said.

Harada added that he got 90 percent positive feedback from fans and Filipino gamers on Josie Rizal.

Some netizens disapproved of the character’s name, saying that it tarnished the reputation of national hero Jose Rizal.

The NCCA said on Thursday that it had no official stand yet on the issue and that it would release an official statement after consulting with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

Last March 29, Tekken introduced Josie Rizal as a new character in “Tekken 7,” a female kickboxer who specializes in eskrima (Filipino martial art). RC
Read more: http://technology.inquirer.net/41587/tekken-creator-to-delete-josie-rizal-if-ncca-pushes-for-name-change#ixzz3WEWlnADt
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how to harness the power of celebrities in TV ads – BMW’s 2015 Super Bowl Ad

this is what celebrity ads is all about and how its true power can be used in TV ads. this BMW ad first takes us to 1994 whenBryant Gumbel and Katie Couric, hosts of the Today Show showed on air they were being stumped by this things called the “internet” and what this thing “@” meant in an email address.

fast forward to today (no pun intended) and the pair is inside a BMW electric car showing us again that they are being stumped by the BMW electric car, having the same kind of discussion as to what the car is all about. the ad ends with Couric once again calling a staff member to explain what it is.

just brilliant advertising!

TBWA\Hakuhodo Ad Agency’s 3-D printed ice cubes – a classy, classic and fascinating creative idea that works

we were floored, our jaw dropped and a word in our mind keep popping up “wow!” when we saw this idea TBWA\Hakuhodo thought of for its client, Suntory Whisky – 3-D printed ice cubes that you put in your glass to enjoy Suntory Whisky. it was hands down, one of the classiest, classic and creative idea we have seen for an alcoholic drink.

it does present Suntory as a very classy and above its class kind of whisky. the exact image and impression one wants when you are a whisky brand.

 Suntory Whisky 3-D Printed the World’s Most Incredible Ice Cubes

TBWA creates landmarks and characters in miniature

Advertising craft doesn’t get more delicate than this. Check out the crazy ice cubes TBWA\Hakuhodo created for Japan’s Suntory Whisky.

The agency used what’s called a CNC router (and a process that’s kind of inverse 3-D printing) to carve the designs, which ranged from the Statue of Liberty to the Sphinx to Batman and everything in between. (There even appears to be, perhaps presciently, a Cannes Lion in the mix.)

Miwako Fujiwara of TBWA\Hakuhodo said the CNC router was chilled at -7 degrees Celsiusto keep the ice from melting. The agency used an app called Autodesk 123D to capture the 3-D images and prep them for printing. “A touch of chilled whiskey polishes the surface of the ice and gives a beautiful shine to the sculpture,” Fujiwara added.

more pictures here : http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/suntory-whisky-3-d-printed-worlds-most-incredible-ice-cubes-163782

 

 

 

Krisel Mallari’s speech stopped by Sto. Niño Parochial School officials – karma

this is one of the sharpest definitions of “karma” on the internet. kirsel mallari is the salutatorian of the Sto. Nino Parochial school and she gave a welcome speech during the graduation rites of her school. just after she started her speech, school officials stopped her from giving her speech. the idea of stopping her was to prevent the students and the guests to hear what she had to say. we would think there would be a few hundred people during the graduation rites.

someone was video-taping the whole thing and posted it at youtube. the news programs picked up on the story and the video became viral. an hour or so after the event was covered by TV, the youtube post had around 350,000 views. the next day, when more people on social media talked about it, the views jumped to 1,500,000 views. that was just overnight.

it was karma that the school’s  effort to stop a few hundred people from hearing Krisel’s speech during the graduation rites have resulted to 1.5 Million people reading about it and the video seen by as many people.

transcript of the speech by Krisel Mallari’s speech.

A pleasant morning to my fellow batchmates, to my teachers, guests, welcome to the 13th Commencement Exercises. Sa okasyong ito ay pinipili kong magsiwalat sa wika na aking kinagisnan, ang wikang Filipino o wikang Tagalog. Taong 2004 ng una akong umapak sa silid-aralan ng eskwelahang ito, upang mag-aral. Ngayon, makalipas ang labing isang taon, ay narito ko sa inyong harapan upang ibahagi ang aking karanasan at magbigay-aral. Sa bawat taon na lumipas ay puspusan ang pag-aaral na ginawa ko sa eskwela, naniwala ko sa patas na labanan. Sa pagtatapos ng school year na ito’y isang hakbang nalang ang layo ko sa finish line, ngunit sa pagdating ko rito’y naglaho ang pulang tali na sisimbolo sana sa aking tagumpay, naglaho nga ba o sadyang kinuha?

Maraming tao ang nagbulag-bulagan sa isang sistemang marumi at kaduda-duda. Ngunit di ko ito tinuluran, ipinaglaban ko ang sa tingin ko’y tama, nanindigan ako bilang isang Pilipino na palaban at may takot sa Diyos. Chismis, isang piyesta ng chismis ang inabot ko ng pinagmukha nila akong masama. Ganun talaga minsan, pag umayon ka sa kung alin ang tama, ikaw pa ang lumalabas na mali. Di na nga nila pinakinggan ang iyong hinaing, nakuha ka pa nilang laitin. Kung sinasabi niyong wala akong acceptance, marami ako niyan, pero pano kong tatanggapin ang isang bagay na di naaayon sa katotohanan. Para san pa ang aking dedikasyon sa pag-aaral at hustisya kung di ko naman ito ipaglalaban. Sa kabila ng nangyari ay masaya padin ako, tulad nga ng laging sinasabi sa teleseryeng Dream Dad, “Maganda ang buhay”, kaya bakit ako mag-aaksaya ng oras sa kanila kung mas maraming mas kapaki-pakinabang na bagay ang pwede kong gawin. Ngayon ay may piling indibidwal akong gustong pasalamatan, ito yung mga tao na sumuporta sakin sa kabila ng eskandalo na idinulot ng ipaglaban ko kung ano ang sa tingin ko ay tama.

Una sa lahat, gusto kong pasalamatan ang Diyos, isa siyang ama, kapatid, kaibigan na naging sandigan ko sa lahat ng pagkakataon, sa hirap at ginhawa. Sa aking ama, dad salamat, salamat kasi ni minsan ay di mo kami sinukuan, salamat kasi naniwala ka sa kakayanan ko, salamat kasi ipinaglaban mo ko kahit pa sumama ang tingin sayo ng iba, salamat kasi ikaw si Ernesto Mallari, ang haligi ng tahanan na nakukuha paring magpatawa kahit alam ko na sa loob niya ay nahihirapan na siya. Sabi nga sa isang pelikula ni Robin Williams, “You are the world’s greatest dad”. Sa aking ina, isang napakalaking thank you, siguro nga’y madalas akong makulitan sa’yo dahil sa madalas mong pangangaral, paulit-ulit nga siguro ang mga sinasabi mo, pero ma, yan ang tunay na dahilan kung bakit the best ka, dahil di ka tumitigil na pangaralan kami pag alam mong naliligaw kami ng landas.

Talaga ngang totoo yung kataga na “Mother knows best”. Sa pinakamaganda kong ate, Ate Kat, salamat kasi ikaw ang pinaka nakakaintindi sa mga hilig at pinagdadaanan ko bilang isang babae, ikaw ang aking selfie buddy, church buddy, at shopping buddy na pinagkakatiwalaan ko ng mga sikreto. Sa napakatalino kong kuya, Kuya Kerwin mainitin ang ulo mo, medyo mayabang ka nga siguro, at medyo tamad mag-aral; pero ang di alam ng marami, busilak ang puso mo, salamat kuya, sa pagturo sakin na manindigan pag alam kong ako ang nasa tama. Sa napaka-cute kong kapatid, salamat Kristine, ikaw na siguro ang pinakamatuturing kong tunay na BFF.

Julia, Clang, Katrina, Faye, Dane, Nico at sa iba pa, napatunayan niyo sakin na tama ang katagang “quality over quantity”, siguro nga’y di kayo karamihan, pero alam ko na bawat isa sa inyo ay maaasahan at mapagkakatiwalaan ko, kaya salamat! Sa mga teachers na napalapit na sa aking puso, Ma’am Factora, Mam Calanoga, Mam Amil, Mam Garcia, Mam Restor, Mam Castillo, Mam Acacio at Sir Francis, nagsilbi po kayong pangalawang magulang ko, salamat po. At siyempre pa, sa mga taong bumabatikos at nagbibigay ng negatibong komento sa akin, isang napakalaking thank you, kayo ang dahilan kaya’t mas pinagbubuti ko pa ang pag-aaral, tulad nga ng sinabi ng basketbolistang si Dwyane Wade, “My belief is stronger than your doubt”. Panibagong kabanata ang aking haharapin, bilang isang accountancy student sa University of Santo Tomas. Panibagong hamon na nakangiti kong haharapin. At para sa ating lahat mga kapwa ko graduates, ito’y isang mahalagang kabanata kung saan natin gagawin ang pinakamahalagang mga desisyon sa ating buhay. Kaya naman good luck sa inyo, at good luck din para sa kinabukasan ng paaralang ito.

Let me finish this in style and say my last words in the vernacular language of the world. I am Krisel Mallari, a Filipino citizen who would rather choose to fail with honor, than win by cheating. Adios!

heineken puts it’s money where it counts – consumer satisfaction

this is one of the boldest moves we have seen in marketing and one very strong show of confidence on the quality and desirability of their product – heineken will give your money back if you do not like it. the basic promise here is that it is the best tasting beer. and if you do not like the taste, they will return your money. it is brave. it is great.