manny pangilinan once again does the right thing – quits ateneo for good

part of PDI’s news article:

“Circumstances have continued to the point where [this issue] is creating division within the university,” the Ateneo statement quoted Pangilinan as saying in a letter to the school’s president, Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, S.J.

“I have no desire to see this happen, or be an accessory to it,” he went on. “In that light and all things considered, it is best that I stand firm in my decision to retire, and reiterate this wish in my earlier note to you on 3rd April 2010.”

read in full: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100417-264734/Manny-Pangilinan-quits-Ateneo-board-for-good

manny pangilinan’s speechgate has taken another bizarre turn – he now says his resignation from the ateneo is irrevocable.

pangilinan delivered a plagiarized speech in the 2010 commencement exercise at the ateneo. this was exposed on the internet where a side by side comparison was made identifying important parts of his speech  plagiarized from graduation speeches delivered by barack obama, oprah winfrey, j. k. rawling and conan o’brien in the US. in some parts, the speech copied them word for word.

as a reaction the  exposed plagiarism, pangilinan apologized for his error and resigned his post at the ateneo.

fr. ben nebres, ateneo president responded to pangilinan saying he should not yet resign and would like to talk it over with him and  the ateneo’s board of trustees. after a few days, the board of trustees of the ateneo released a statement saying they are rejecting pangilinan’s resignation.

now, pangilinan is once again doing the right thing – by rejecting ateneo’s rejection of his resignation.

this  shows pangilinan to be a man of honor where he relentlessly upholds principles, keeps on doing the right thing even though the ateneo keeps on giving him an open door to excuses.

the ateneo, on the other hand has lost it’s principles and integrity in first honoring plagiarism at the university, gives the sinner an excuse for his sin and even rejects his resignation. pangilinan’s irrevocable resignation puts ateneo once again in a bad light and much worst than how this whole thing began.

the last episode proves once again ateneo has no principles and has lost it’s integirty. one wonders, has ateneo lost the way?

what is “the ateneo way” now?

ateneo professors disagree with official ateneo action on manny pangilinan speechgate

we are publishing here verbatim what we got through email.

THIS is the Ateneo Way!  we will give our response to this next.

——————

Response to the Statement of the
Ateneo de Manila University’s Board of Trustees
Regarding the Issues Arising from
the Commencement Address of Manuel V. Pangilinan

We, the undersigned faculty, administrators and staff of the Loyola
Schools of the Ateneo de Manila University, strongly disagree with the
decision of our Board of Trustees to reject Mr. Manuel V. Pangilinan’s
offer to retire from his official duties most notably in his role as
Chairman of the Board.

As an academic institution, the Ateneo de Manila University should
take cases of plagiarism very seriously as these are violations of
intellectual integrity. In this instance, the act of plagiarism in the
speech delivered by Mr. Pangilinan at the graduation ceremonies of the
John Gokongwei School of Management and the School of Science and
Engineering on March 26, 2010 and the speech delivered by Mr.
Pangilinan at the graduation ceremonies of the School of Humanities
and the School of Social Sciences is beyond dispute.

While it was suggested by Mr. Pangilinan himself that he had some help
with the speeches, he also accepted ‘full and sole responsibility’ for
the plagiarism. Having taken full and sole responsibility, Mr.
Pangilinan bore the sole burden of accountability. As a University, we
should have applied the standards we usually apply to cases of
plagiarism, the same standards we use in handling acts of intellectual
dishonesty among our students, staff, professionals and faculty. We
teach the members of our community to accept responsibility for their
actions and to accept the consequences for such actions.  But in this
case, there is a claim of responsibility without accountability.

In fact, a higher standard must apply in this instance because Mr.
Pangilinan is the Chairman of our Board and as such, he is the co-head
of the University along with our President. In many respects, he
represents the University. As a symbol of his representation of the
University, the Chairman of the Board of the University has a seat on
stage at commencement exercises and academic convocations, two of the
most sacred rites of the academe. It would present an awfully awkward
situation and a tremendous distraction to have memories of a
plagiarized speech overshadowing these ceremonies because of the
presence (or absence) of Mr. Pangilinan.

Accepting Mr. Pangilinan’s offer to retire would have allowed him and
the University to move on from this unfortunate incident. Mr.
Pangilinan’s offer to retire was an honorable act. Not accepting Mr.
Pangilinan’s offer to retire dishonors that action.

Accepting Mr. Pangilinan’s offer to retire does not diminish our
regard for his person and for his contributions to society and to the
University. Not accepting his offer to retire, on the other hand,
seriously undermines the academic integrity of the Ateneo de Manila
University.

Signed:

Leland Joseph R. Dela Cruz (Development Studies Program),
Joy G. Aceron (Department of Political Science),
Fernando T. Aldaba (Department of Economics),
Clark Lim Alejandrino (Chinese Studies Program),
Rowena Anthea Azada-Palacios (Department of Philosophy),
Edsel L. Beja Jr. (Department of Economics),
Rica Bolipata Santos (Department of English),
Louis Catalan S.J. (Department of Philosophy),
Antonio F. B de Castro S.J. (Department of History),
Aleta C. Domdom (Department of Economics),
Ma. Celeste T. Gonzalez (Department of Education),
Marita Castro Guevara (Department of Interdisciplinary Studies
Development Studies Program),
Roberto O. Guevara (Department of Theology),
Estelle Marie M. Ladrido (Department of Communication),
Albert M. Lagliva (Department of Philosophy),
Joseph Anthony Y. Lim (Department of Economics),
Ma. Emma Concepcion D. Liwag (Department of Psychology),
Gabriel Maria J. Lopez (Department of Leadership and Strategy),
Ada Javellana Loredo (Department of English),
Pamela Joy M. Mariano (Department of Philosophy),
Isabel Pefianco Martin (Department of English),
Lara Katrina Tajonera Mendoza (Department of English),
Ruben C. Mendoza (Department of Theology),
Jovino G. Miroy (Department of Philosophy and Fine Arts Program),
Luisa O. Moldera (School of Social Sciences),
Ambeth R. Ocampo (Department of History),
Glenda C. Oris (Kagawaran ng Filipino),
Emma E. Porio (Department of Sociology-Anthropology),
Mary Racelis (Department of Sociology-Anthropology),
Danton R. Remoto (Department of English),
Fructuoso T. Sabug  Jr. (Department of Leadership and Strategy),
Sairry R. Sandoval (Department of Economics),
Elizabeth S. Tan (Chinese Studies Program),
Maria L. Tendero (School of Social Sciences),
Philip Arnold P. Tuano (Department of Economics),
Fernando N. Zialcita (Department of Sociology-Anthropology),

Signatories as of 6.04 p.m., Wednesday, 14 April 2010.

ateneo response to manny pangilinan’s plagiarism re-defines ateneo

we are posting here reader reactions on  manny pangilinan’s speechgate.  this is the official response of the ateneo: ateneo honors plagiarism, rejects manny pangilinan’s honorable act of resignation

Rey Angeles :

MVP gives a speech with plagiarism.

MVP is caught. MVP weighs his options. MVP is greatly embarrassed. MVP apologizes.

MVP resigns from the board.

MVP says he will continue his support of Ateneo sports. MVP will not reveal if he knew the speech contained plagiarism before he gave the speech.

What else do we want MVP to do? What else can MVP truly do aside from killing himself?

BUT what the Ateneo’s Board decides to do is another thing. MVP is not Ateneo and the Board is not MVP.

Ateneo has a tradition and name to protect. These tradition and name are rooted in 150 years. They may go another 150 years from now.

Ateneo has spawned heroes. Ateneo has grown leaders of corruption as well. Ateneo has influenced the Philippines for good and for evil. Which tilts the balance? That is good for Ateneo to know.

How will Ateneo define itself now? Its action on the MVP apology and resignation will define itself.

Ateneo is now put to a test.

Is its slogan, Man For Others, just a silly slogan or can it really stand the winds of the times?

Careful, Ateneo Board, you are weighed not just for yourself but for what Ateneo stands for.

As for me, it is good to put to the test what we stand for and to discover who we really are. Only then, we can make changes for the better.

REY ANGELES
AB Economics 1970
Ateneo de Manila

PV Ferrer :

A sad, sad day has come to the Ateneo where the decision and actions by its board of trustees in this case of plagiarism has spoken louder than the words they have crafted on their justifications.

To their young students in the Ateneo, it simply says that the high standards they once held for integrity and truth no longer exists. Plagiarism and other forms of violations of integrity and intellectual property are now permissible acts in the Ateneo blessed from the very top guardians of its moral standards.

It is really sad to see what the Ateneo has now become and for what is now stands for. This was a very poor example to its grade school and high school students from whom they pretend to demand excellence and integrity.

ateneo honors plagiarism, rejects manny pangilinan’s honorable act of resignation

Response of the Board of Trustees on the issues arising from the Commencement Address of MVP

date posted: 2010-04-12 14:59:56

SPECIAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
11 April 2010

The Board of Trustees met on April 11, 2010 to deliberate on the issues arising from the commencement addresses of its Chairman, Mr. Manuel V. Pangilinan, on March 26 & 27, 2010. The Board reviewed the history of the case, from the writing of the speeches to the posting of the blogs, from the response of Mr. Pangilinan to the reply of Fr. Nebres issued on April 3, 2010. It kept in mind as well the concerned statements from faculty, students, staff, administrators and the public at large.

The Board came to the following conclusions:

1. The Board considers the matter of plagiarism very serious, particularly for an academic institution. It recognizes that Mr. Pangilinan considered this a very serious matter that has caused him deep embarrassment and pain. With him, the Ateneo community has struggled with the issue and engaged in a deep reflection on its own values of honesty and integrity.

2. In its discussion, the Board kept in mind the Catholic moral tradition which for culpability considers not just the seriousness of the matter but also whether there is full awareness and consent. It recognizes that the matter is serious, but that the plagiarism happened without full awareness on the part of Mr. Pangilinan.

3. At the same time, the Board acknowledges with deep respect Mr. Pangilinan’s immediate and full acceptance of responsibility and apology for this mistake. This is particularly admirable, because in acting in this manner, he spared others from this responsibility. This is a rare example of humility, selflessness, and leadership in our midst.

4. The Board accepts Mr. Pangilinan’s apology as the appropriate response to this unfortunate incident.

5. However, the unanimous decision of the Board is not to accept Mr. Pangilinan’s resignation. It expresses full confidence in his leadership as Chairman.

6. On the matter of the honorary degree conferred on Mr. Pangilinan, the reasons for the conferment are articulated in the citation. These are his visionary leadership, his love of country and service and commitment to our people, his generous self-giving to our country, the Ateneo de Manila and many other institutions. These remain unchanged.

In conclusion, the Board of Trustees asks Mr. Pangilinan to please reconsider his resignation from the Ateneo Board of Trustees. There is so much to be done, not just for the Ateneo, but for our country and people. His leadership is needed today more than ever.

ateneo batch 2010 response to manny pangilinan’s plagiarism – calls who disagree with it as “vultures”

Batch 2010’s Official Response to Manuel V. Pangilinan

Dear Mr. Pangilinan,

Graduation is an event marked by people overflowing with triumph and euphoria, with some hint of sadness. It is a time of hanging on to the fond memories of friendship and lessons learned; letting go of the bad things which hinder one’s own and others’ growth; looking forward to the future as the graduates face a brand new chapter in their lives in entering the “real” world; and going with love because it is true that the world would die without it.

Just a day after that momentous event, the Graduation of SOH and SOSS Sesquicentennial Batch 2010, however, I and the rest of my batchmates still in the dark were greeted with the news of other people comparing parts of your commencement address with other previously given addresses by (as far as I know) J. K. Rowling, Barack Obama, Conan O’ Brien and Oprah Winfrey. People were voicing out views, comments and reactions all over the place, specifically on the social networking site Facebook. They ranged from the most negative and severe, the impartial and reflective, to the most supportive and optimistic on your behalf. The enormity with which the incident blew out of proportion, significantly because of media coverage and the internet, seemed astounding in the days that followed. This was then followed with the immediate release of your public apology and you owning up (and taking full and sole responsibility at that) to the mistake many of your detractors have maliciously chosen to point out, highlight, and emphasize. For that alone, you already have our full respect and admiration. Father Ben replied consequently, and asked that you reconsider your decision, after he accepted your apology with much care and understanding.

In view of all these and upon consultation, Batch 2010 would like you to know that like Father Ben, we understand that this incident has caused much personal embarrassment and pain on your part. And also with Father Ben, the Batch accepts your earnest apology wholeheartedly, and also utterly respects the fact that you do take full responsibility, even though the whole thing was not entirely of your doing.

Also like Father Ben, the Batch would have to disagree with your decision of retiring from your duties in the Ateneo, especially for the Ateneo community. The Batch recognizes that your response to what has become a sort of fiasco for waiting vultures was apt for a man such as you, and we can only imagine your distress throughout this whole unfortunate event – enough that you would claim that “wala na akong mukhang maihaharap.” Speaking in behalf of the alumni and undergraduates of the university, we indeed recognize that you are very much valued by the Ateneo community; so much so that it is believed we are fully equipped in moving on, learning, and going forward from this whole regrettable occurrence. And enumerating everything you have contributed to the Ateneo would be futile and overwhelming, to say the least; hence, I will refrain from doing so here.

As you must have felt that the events which unfolded were out of your hands, we too believe that your decision in the end is also beyond our grasp – it is between you, Father Ben, and the Board of Trustees. It has always been an honor that a man such as your magnanimity, innovation, dedication, and ardent spirit chose to be prominently of service to and for the Ateneo; and we sincerely hope you continue gracing us with that honor despite whatever ultimate decision you make. You, together with other Ateneo visionaries, were given the gift of having the capacity to change lives – lives which work and thrive from being inspired and motivated by you – through your life right now and beyond. Now, more than ever, we need someone who can show us how to deal with challenges, the way you have handled this situation with courage and utmost humility.

Sincerely yours,

Gregorio Ramon A. Tingson
President
Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral ng mga Paaralang Loyola
Pamantasang Ateneo de Manila
Academic Year 2009-2010
Ateneo de Manila University Batch 2010

date posted: 2010-04-12 15:03:36

manny pangilinan speechgate: writers are not ateneans, reaches The New York Times

The New York Times calls manny pangilinan the “eminent imitator” for his speechgate at the 2010 ateneo graduation rites. it has reached beyond the 7,100 islands, one of the most prominent filipino business tycoon now known for something else other than business prowess.

—

in today’s telecast of ABS CBN’s TV Patrol World, ateneo said the writers who wrote manny pangilinan’s plagiarized speech are not ateneans. it did not identify who they are  and from what school they came from.

this gives us some relief.

—-

we have received some emails identifying the names of the writers. one name keeps getting mentioned. since we do not yet have a way to verify these names or that one name, we will not publish it here.

we are still hoping we will get something from the writers themselves.

—-

we wonder how the graduates of batch 2010 feel about all these. i am sure graduation time was a happy one. hearing that speech should have helped the happy moment. but reading about the speech days after the graduation may bring some new emotions and thoughts.

—-

ateneo needs to reconcile what fr. nebres wrote in his letter to pangilinan versus the school’s stand and policy on plagiarism in the school.

—-

this is a very good lesson to CEOs who are invited to deliver commencement exercise speeches  – ask the speech writer point blank if any part of the speech has been copied from someone else.

better yet, don’t hire a speech writer, write it yourself.

a call to the 2 ateneo students who wrote manny pangilinan’s plagiarized speech to come out

to the 2 ateneo students,

we are issuing this call to the 2 ateneo students who wrote the plagiarized speech of manny pangilinan at the 2010 ateneo graduation rites to come out, identify yourselves and issue a statement on the matter.

according to PDI,  you had wanted to come out but manny pangilinan insisted that he will take full responsibility for the error. we applaud mr. pangilinan.

we call on the 2 students to own up to your errors.

while you are at it, we have a few questions that we would love to hear from you on:

• how did you ever think it is okay to plagiarize the speeches of others, much morecelebrities?
• you wanted to inpress mr. pangilinan, plagiarizing a speech is the way to do it?
• it did not occur to you that you will be found out? why not?
• you knew manny pangilinan will deliver the speech in public, in front of many hundreds of students, parents, guests and faculty – you did not see the possibility of being found out? why not?
• how did you see it fit that one of the country’s most respected and most successful CEO can deliver a plagiarized speech?
• you do not have an estimation of the possible shame and loss of  honor for mr. pangilinan, the school and yourselves if your plagiarism was found out?
• you saw your work as something you can be proud of?
• is plagiarism allowed at the ateneo?
• plagiarism is not sanctioned at the ateneo?
• what happens to a student found to have plagiarized by the school?

we also wonder what the school professors have to say about this issue and plagiarism at the ateneo.

we hope to hear from you soon.

vote in the polls on manny pangilinan’s resignation from the ateneo and fr. ben nebres’ response

vote now!

read more on this topic:

• writers of manny pangilinan’s plagiarized speech are 2 ateneo students! OMG!
• fr. nebres gives pangilinan an excuse slip  for the plagiarism
• manny pangilinan delivers commencement exercise speech at ateneo plagiarized from jk rowling, oprah, conan o’brien  and barack obama’s speeches
• manny pangilinan’s ateneo commencement address transcript and the plagiarized parts
• manny pangilinan speechgate: who is the idiot speech writer who wrote the plagiarized commencement exercise speech at the ateneo?

writers of manny pangilinan’s plagiarized speech – 2 ateneo students!

from PDI:

2 new writers

Pangilinan—who also chairs telecommunications giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), where Nebres serves as independent director—is known in media circles to use the services of at least two staff members as his speech writers.

But public relations men who claimed to represent the tycoon in this crisis said Sunday morning that the draft for the March 27 speech was prepared by “two new speech writers.” No names were given.

A PR practitioner who works for Pangilinan on certain projects said the two new writers were “Ateneo students” who “wanted to impress” the tycoon.

“They wanted to come out but Pangilinan insisted that he will take responsibility,” the PR practitioner said on condition of anonymity.

A portion of Pangilinan’s letter to Nebres reads: “I have had some help in drafting my remarks, but I take full responsibility for them.”

source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100405-262426/Pangilinan-offers-to-quit-as-Ateneo-board-chair

this is exactly the kind of irony that we were hoping we will not have – pangilinan’s plagiarized speech was written not just by 1 but 2 ateneans! we had previously written here of our fear that the speech writer could be an atenean. we were afraid of this as there are many ateneans in the staff of PLDT.

according to PDI, they are  two ateneo students and they wanted to come out but pangilinan insisted on taking the responsibility. again we applaud pangilinan on this gesture.

we encourage the two ateneo students who wrote pangilinan’s plagiarized speech to come out and identify themselves. we will post their names in this blog and will publish their statements on the matter.

the plagiarized speech has obviously harmed the reputation of one of the country’s most successful and most admired business tycoon. it has also harmed the reputation of your own school, the ateneo. coming out and owning up to your error is the right thing to do and will begin restoring the lost reputations of pangilinan and the ateneo.  save pangilinan, save the school and save yourself.

it’s time to own up – The Ateneo Way.

~~~~~

make a comment in this post or send us an email at wawam.email@gmail.com if you want to publish a statement on this matter or if you have information on it.

——-

also read:

• writers of manny pangilinan’s plagiarized speech are 2 ateneo students! OMG!
• fr. nebres gives pangilinan an excuse slip  for the plagiarism
• manny pangilinan delivers commencement exercise speech at ateneo plagiarized from jk rowling, oprah, conan o’brien  and barack obama’s speeches
• manny pangilinan’s ateneo commencement address transcript and the plagiarized parts
• manny pangilinan speechgate: who is the idiot speech writer who wrote the plagiarized commencement exercise speech at the ateneo?

who is the idiot speech writer who wrote the plagiarized ateneo speech of manny pangilinan? : the manny pangilinan speechgate

this is also one of the most important questions regarding this speechgate – who is the idiot speech writer who wrote manny pangilinan’s plagiarized speech at the ateneo commencement exercise? please post in the comment section if you know who this speech writer is.

we are sure this speech writer has been fired by manny pangilinan but we like to know who this person is. (also hope to the heavens that this speech writer did not graduate from the ateneo! we hate ironies of this kind!)

what was this speech writer thinking? or perhaps the more apt question – why did this speech writer did not think at all?

the speech actually has two parts – the inspirational part and the tidbits about manny pangilinan’s life. obviously pangilinan read and wrote parts of the speech as it included personal anecdotes about his life.

pangilinan must have not known and he was probably not told parts of it were plagiarized where some were almost exact copies from other people’s speeches. we wonder if that was how it happened?

why did the speech writer not re-write them? he/she could have just picked up the thoughts but he could have made an effort to re-write them. was that lack of time? laziness?

the speech writer must have known this will be delivered at the ateneo. ateneo students are not exactly known for being naive.  most probably all the graduating class at the ateneo owned a laptop and has internet connection. for sure at least one of them must have read some of these speeches where they were plagiarized from.

we are also very amused that pangilinan found out about the plagiarized parts of his speech at facebook. it is a very modern way of finding out about it. this is the equivalent of your home sex video circulating in the internet (hello, katrina halili? hayden kho?)

it made us wonder – what? manny pangilinan has a facebook account????

also read:

• writers of manny pangilinan’s plagiarized speech are 2 ateneo students! OMG!
•  fr. nebres gives pangilinan an excuse slip for the plagiarism
• manny pangilinan delivers commencement exercise speech at ateneo plagiarized from jk rowling, oprah and barack obama’s speeches
• manny pangilinan’s ateneo commencement address transcript and the plagiarized parts
• manny pangilinan speechgate: who is the speech writer who wrote the plagiarized commencement exercise speech at the ateneo?

fr. nebres gives manny pangilinan an excuse slip for delivering a plagiarized speech at ateneo graduation rites

we applaud manny pangilinan for doing the right thing – admitting his error and resigning from the ateneo.

he should however fire his speech writer. we don’t understand how this speech writer can even consider plagiarizing other people’s commencement exercise speeches, most specially celebrities. copying it from others by itself we think is really dumb but plagiarizing the speeches of celebrities is simply stupid.

this speech writer did not think of the humiliation he/she is putting his/her boss in delivering a plagiarized speech. this is the ateneo, it is easy to expect the students are very much well read that at least one of them have read obama’s, oprah’s or rowling’s speeches.

manny pangilinan did the right thing but we do not understand how fr. ben can not do the right thing here.

in fr. ben’s letter to pangilinan, fr. ben was too forgiving and even went out of his way to provide pangilinan an excuse for his error.  fr. ben puts the blame on pangilinan’s unnamed speech writer and exonerates pangilinan from the error as  he may have not been “fully aware”.

we have a simple question for fr. ben to answer –  based on ateneo policy and principles, what does the ateneo do to an ateneo student if they find out the student plagiarized?

the ateneo way is the principled way. it teaches it’s students and prides itself in being very principled. it protects and upholds principles, what is right and honorable regardless of consequences, even unpopular ones.

ateneo as a school also holds the highest and completely unflinching standards of excellence on it’s students.  grade school students as early as grade 3 are  taught that should they use a quote from someone or from the internet, the students should identify it’s source be it the author or the web link in homework or projects they submit to their teachers.

this is said in all grade school documents for homework and projects. all the students follow this and it is always checked. not doing this will get the student a lower if not a failing mark for the assignment or project.

we wonder why all of a sudden fr. nebres is not following these same standards and principle with manny pangilinan.

pangilinan is not a student, we understand that but he did perform a very important role at the school during the commencement exercise. his role is supposed to provide inspiration to the new graduates and when you do that it is expected that you do it at the highest standards that is why only men or women of substance or only those who are deserving are invited to make speeches like that.

fr. nebres in his letter to pangilinan sounded very willing to bend or even ignore the very same principles that it teaches its students to follow and abide by.

pangilinan knew what he did was wrong and he knew it’s gravity and how the plagiarism has hurt the school. he knew it so well that in his letter  he said  “wala talaga akong mukhang ihaharap pagkatapos.”

but fr. nebres disagreed with pangilinan’s statement of contrition. pangilinan is an ordinary citizen, fr.  nebres is a priest and yet pangilinan knew the sin he committed and the  moral shame he has caused the school and himself  while  fr. nebres  a priest and president of the university can so easily can ignore it. this is really very hard to understand.

plagiarism is dishonesty. and plagiarism committed in a university destroys the very foundation of what a school of learning is. it is from universities where many  great things in our world begin. copying it from someone else is no great achievement nor does it contribute anything. it is a shame.

the situation seems like everything is turned the opposite way or upside down. the sinner owns up to his sin that he knows to be a sin while the priest ignores it is a sin and lets it pass, reluctant to accept the act of contrition. the sinner already admitted the sin, can the priest not accept it?

we do not belittle who manny pangilinan is. he has done so much for ateneo and we admire him for it and are very thankful for his efforts.

but like pangilinan, we will call a spade a spade. he screwed up and what he did was shameful. we know he had not intended it but as he has said so  himself, the damage has been done. and it was a very meaningful damage.

for his mistake, we think it is right for him to resign his position at the ateneo. if he still wants to serve and help the school, he should continue to do so but not having the same title and function he used to have. if he continues to serve and help the school, we will continue to admire him and be thankful for his efforts.

his letter to fr. ben and his resignation from his position in the school is his mea culpa and meant to bring back honor to the school. he should be allowed to do so. why is fr. ben stopping pangilinan from doing so? and why is fr. ben so freely accepting of  the sin done on the school’s gradutaion rites?

graduation rites at its core is about achievement and excellence. glossing over a plagiarism committed at these rites we think destroys a lot of the meaning and celebration the event deserves very much. henceforth, graduation rites 201o will be known in the school’s history for the next 150 years and beyond  as the one that had dishonesty in it. and fr. ben did not censure it.

we think manny pangilinan has done the right thing  in owning up to his error, apologizing and  taking the right action of resigning from the school, fr. nebres has not. we applaud pangilinan but we can’t say the same thing for fr. nebres.

what is The Ateneo Way?

Letter of Pangilinan to Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, president of AdMU

Dear Father Ben

Easter greetings!

I have been told last night that portions of my graduation remarks – in particular my address to the Schools of Humanities and Social  Sciences – had been borrowed from certain other graduation speeches.

I had taken a look at the side-by-side comparison @ Facebook, and must admit to this mistake.

For this, I wish to express my sincerest apology to you, the University and to the 2010 graduating class.

I have had some help in the drafting of my remarks, but I take full and sole responsibility for them.

In mitigation perhaps, the body and substance of my speech represented my own story and my thoughts.  And I have labored long hours to get those speeches done.  It is my hope that their impact has not been lost on the graduates. That said, this post  fact event I am certain has devalued the words I have uttered at graduation – whether original or copied.

I am told further that comments posted on Facebook have started to spill beyond graduation, and are now alluding to my misconduct with respect to Meralco, with former President Erap, and so forth.  Under the circumstances, it is best for the Ateneo and myself to shorten the life of this controversy and prevent it from spinning out of control.

Fr Ben, this has been a source of deep personal embarrassment for me.

I am truly regretful for it.  I already have too many battles to fight, and some of them I wish not to have to fight.  In this instance, I do not want to, and would seek only the honorable  and principled way out.  The matter at hand may rest after this public apology, but it gives me a lot of  personal discomfort to continue to be closely involved with Ateneo affairs after this incident.  I am afraid the damage has been done – wala talaga akong mukhang ihaharap pagkatapos.

With much regret, Fr Ben, I would wish to retire from my official duties at the Ateneo.

With all good wishes to you and to our graduates.

M. V. P.

Letter of Nebres to Pangilinan

Dear Manny,

I received your apology just a few minutes ago and feel how deeply embarrassed and pained you are by this event. We realize that this was a mistake and we respect and appreciate your taking responsibility and your immediate apology.

At the same time, we know that this happened without your full awareness, though you take full and sole responsibility.  Thus this does not diminish our admiration and respect for your person and for your care and accomplishments for our country and for the Ateneo. In fact, your acceptance of responsibility and apology command our utmost respect.

In reading again through your speeches, we also see that indeed the main part of your speeches were your story and your thoughts. We thank you for taking so much time to craft them and to share them with us and our graduates. We are deeply touched by this sharing of yourself.

Again I realize how profoundly embarrassed you are by this event and that you believe that resigning from official duties at the Ateneo is the principled thing for you to do. However, reflecting on the events and circumstances, I cannot quite agree, and I believe with many others that what is appropriate is the apology you have given.  Neither can I agree with you that “wala talaga akong mukhang ihaharap pagkatapos.”  I would thus like to take up your retiring from official duties at the Ateneo with our officials and Board of Trustees and discuss it further with you.

It is Easter Vigil and may the Risen Christ be Light to you.

Fr. Ben, S.J.

also read:

• writers of manny pangilinan’s plagiarized speech are 2 ateneo students! OMG!
• fr. nebres gives pangilinan an excuse slip  for the plagiarism
• manny pangilinan delivers commencement exercise speech at ateneo plagiarized from jk rowling, oprah, conan o’brien  and barack obama’s speeches
• manny pangilinan’s ateneo commencement address transcript and the plagiarized parts
• manny pangilinan speechgate: who is the idiot speech writer who wrote the plagiarized commencement exercise speech at the ateneo?

the manny pangilinan speechgate – pangilinan gives a graduation rites speech at the ateneo plagiarized from jk rowling, oprah, barack obama, conan o’brien’s speeches

this is shocking. how can this happen to one of the country’s most successful business tycoons in one of the country’s most respected universities?

ateneo prides itself as principled and doing the right thing, The Ateneo Way. this one happening on a commencement exercise?

it is karma, irony or a message being sent that one of the most successful filipino tycoon delivers a speech at one of the most respected universities in the country during one of the most important period in the university’s history, the sesquicentennial (yes that is a word, means 150) and it is marked by one of the foulest  intellectual sins – plagiarism!

The Ateneo Way?

——-

click links below to read the speech transcript, the plagiarized parts and the letters sent by  pangilinan and fr. nebres.

MVP admits mistake in speech, offers to retire from Ateneo

MANILA, Philippines – Businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP) has offered to “retire” from the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) after acknowledging that portions of his commencement address to the school’s sesquicentennial graduates last March 26 and 27 were copied from speeches of celebrities.

In a letter to AdMU President Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, S.J. posted Saturday on the AdMU website, Pangilinan apologized to the university and to the 2010 graduating class for giving a speech that “had been borrowed from certain other graduation speeches.”

“I had taken a look at the side-by-side comparison @ Facebook, and must admit to this mistake. For this, I wish to express my sincerest apology to you, the University and to the 2010 graduating class,” he said. “I have had some help in the drafting of my remarks, but I take full and sole responsibility for them.”

Several posts on Facebook said portions of Pangilinan’s speech were allegedly copied from celebrities such as JK Rowling, Oprah, and Conan O’Brien. (Read portions of the speech here: MVP: Money’s cool, but so is meaning)

Pangilinan said the incident “has been a source of deep personal embarrassment for me,” and he asked Nebres to allow him to “retire from his official duties at the Ateneo.”

http://abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/04/03/10/mvp-admits-mistake-speech-offers-retire-ateneo

also read:

• writers of manny pangilinan’s plagiarized speech are 2 ateneo students! OMG!
• fr. nebres gives pangilinan an excuse slip for the plagiarism
• manny pangilinan delivers commencement exercise speech at ateneo plagiarized from jk rowling, oprah and barack obama’s speeches
• manny pangilinan’s ateneo commencement address transcript and the plagiarized parts
• manny pangilinan speechgate: who is the speech writer who wrote the plagiarized commencement exercise speech at the ateneo?

transcript of manny pangilinan’s speech at ateneo graduation rites and the plagiarized parts and links to original speeches

Manny Pangilinan Commencement Exercise Speech
School of Humanities & School of Social Sciences
Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City
4:00 p.m., Saturday, 27th March 2010

Magandang hapon sa inyong lahat. I want to thank Father Ben and the Ateneo community for the honor of this doctorate degree. And congratulations to our Law School for having 7 of the 11 – ten topnotchers – in the recent bar exams!

Father Nebres, Father Magadia, trustees, faculty and staff, parents and siblings, graduates of 2010 – many congratulations. Thank you so much for this gift of fellowship with the sesquicentennial class. You‘ve earned your diploma from a great learning institution, and you have every right to be proud. I have wracked my mind and heart with what I should say today.

The weeks of fear and worry at the thought of giving this commencement address have made me lose weight, and sleep.

(“Not only has Harvard given me an extraordinary honour, but the weeks of fear and nausea I have endured at the thought of giving this commencement address have made me lose weight.”   –J.K.Rowling)

I‘ve asked myself, what I wish I had known at my own graduation day 44 years ago.

The sad truth is that I don‘t even remember who the speaker was at my graduation, or a single word that was said. So I begin these remarks with the expectation that I will soon be forgotten. I‘ve been cautioned that on an occasion as this, graduates are only thinking one of the following thoughts: one – I hope these ceremonies finish soon because I can‘t wait to take my vacation.

Two – inspire me please. There aren‘t too many doing that these days.

Three – If MVP stops talking before I stop listening, I‘ll give him a big applause.

Four –If you hand out free tickets to the Justin Timberlake concert tonight, we‘d give you a standing ovation. Yes, I’m happy to say that Smart will be giving away four free tickets right after this ceremony!

Now that you‘ve been sufficiently humored and bribed, let me earn my honorary degree, and turn thoughtful and traditional. More to do, more to achieve I come here today with the thought that despite what may seem to be the culmination of a successful life with this honorary degree, there‘s still much to do. I come to say that one‘s title, even an honor like this, says little about how well one‘s life has been led –that no matter how much you‘ve done, or how successful you‘ve been, there‘s always more to learn, more to do, more to accomplish. So I want to say to all of you, that despite your remarkable achievement, you too cannot rest on your laurels.

Some graduating classes in the past have marched into this place in times of peace and progress. In those easy times, we could have called on you to keep things merely going, and not screw things up. But we‘re gathered here at a time of trial and transition, not only for this country but also for the world.

Our economy slowed down last year because of a global recession – the result, in part, of greed and irresponsibility that rippled out from Wall Street. We continue to spend beyond our means. We avoid making the tough, unpopular choices. And in 44 days, we will elect a new set of national and local leaders.

For all of you, these challenges are felt now in more immediate and personal terms. You will soon be looking for a job – struggling to figure out which career makes sense in this economy of ours. Maybe you have loans, and are worried how you‘ll pay them down. Maybe you‘ve got a family to help. Maybe you‘re asking how your siblings can have an Ateneo education like you had.

(“For many of you, these challenges are also felt in more personal terms. Perhaps you’re still looking for a job — or struggling to figure out what career path makes sense in this disrupted economy. Maybe you’ve got student loans — no, you definitely have student loans — (applause) — or credit card debts, and you’re wondering how you’ll ever pay them off. Maybe you’ve got a family to raise, and you’re wondering how you’ll ensure that your children have the same opportunities you’ve had to get an education and pursue their dreams.” –President Obama)

(click here for transcript of obama’s speech: http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/05/obama_at_arizona_state_u_makes.html)

Against these issues, you may be tempted to fall back on the more visible markers of success — by chasing the usual brass rings. How much money you make, a fancy title or a nice car. Being on the roster of the ―rich and famous (or the ―most invited) guest list. But the choice of form over substance, fame over character, short-term gain over long-term goal is precisely what your generation needs to end.

Defining success

Coming from the Ateneo, I know that the pressure to succeed is immense. In fact, your biggest liability is the need to succeed. And your biggest fear must be the fear of failure. But first, let me define what success is.

Let me tell you, money‘s pretty cool. I‘m not going to stand here and tell you that‘s it‘s not about money, because money is sweet. I like money. It‘s good for buying companies and things – and for putting up a few buildings here and there for Ateneo. But having a lot of money does not totally make you a successful person. What you want is both money and meaning. You want your life and your career to be meaningful. Because meaning is what brings real richness to your life, to be surrounded by people you can truly work with – because you trust and treasure them, and they cherish you in return. That‘s when you‘re really rich, that‘s when you really succeed.

(“Let me tell you, money’s pretty nice. I’m not going to stand up here and tell you that it’s not about money, ’cause money is very nice. I like money. It’s good for buying things. But having a lot of money does not automatically make you a successful person. What you want is money and meaning. You want your work to be meaningful. Because meaning is what brings the real richness to your life. What you really want is to be surround by people you trust and treasure and by people who cherish you. That’s when you’re really rich.” — Oprah Winfrey in her June 2008 commencement address at Stanford University)

(click here for transcript of oprah’s speech: http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2008/june18/como-061808.html)

Fear of failure

Let me now deal with failure. On this wonderful day when you stand on the threshold of what is called ―real life, it is – ironically – the best time to talk about failure. Nobody‘s life is seamless or smooth. We all stumble. We all have setbacks. If things go wrong, you hit a dead end – as you will, many times in your life – it‘s just life‘s way of saying – time to change course.

Now I cannot tell you that failure is fun. Periods of failure in my life were dark ones. I‘ve had a lot of success. But I‘ve had a lot of failures. I‘ve looked good. I‘ve looked bad. I‘ve been praised and criticized. And it hurt like hell. But my mistakes have been necessary.

(I‘ve looked good. I‘ve looked bad. I‘ve been praised and criticized. And it hurt like hell. But my mistakes have been necessary.  —- Conan O’brian)

(read transcript of O’brian’s speech here:http://www.allowe.com/Humor/book/COBspeech2k.htm)

I had no idea how far the tunnel of failure extended. And any light at the end of it seemed more hope than reality.

(“I had no idea then how far the tunnel extended, and for a long time, any light at the end of it was a hope rather than a reality.   — JK Rowling)

(transcript of rowling speech here: http://harvardmagazine.com/commencement/the-fringe-benefits-failure-the-importance-imagination)

Now let me tell you about some of my biggest failures.

In 1995, first pacific invested in telecommunications in India at a time when the industry there was just getting started. Under the laws of India, foreign investors are allowed to own not more than 49% of a local telco. So we invited an Indian partner to hold the 51% majority.

You all know how capital intensive the telco business is. To our utmost regret, our partner could not provide the counterpart capital. The relationship soured, and we had to sell the business. Since then, India‘s telecoms industry has grown exponentially. So we lost significant value by divesting. If we had managed to retain this business, I would not need to make a living giving graduation speeches. But I have had personal failures as well.

I will now let you in on a well-kept secret. I was in 4th year high school in San Beda College, and was in contention to be valedictorian that year. It was an open secret that majority of my classmates were cheating –changing answers from true to false, ironically, in our religion exams.

I felt I had to do the same to protect my grades. Several of us were caught – pero ako ang pinag-initan. I knew I was wrong, and deserved to be punished. Indeed, San Beda stripped me of all my honors. Finally, with the suspicion about rampant cheating, I was asked by the principal to name names. I refused. I disappointed my parents deeply. It took many years for the pain and bitterness to heal. Several years ago, I thought it was time to free myself from the rancor and memory of that experience. What better proof of reconciliation with San Beda than the 3 NCAA championships for the Red Lions?

Failure taught me lessons about myself that I could have learned no other way. I discovered that I had a strong will, and more discipline than I had imagined: I also found out that I had parents whose value was truly priceless.

The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you can be secure in your ability to survive.

(“The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive.   — Rowling)

You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity. And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life, my career and, most importantly, my moral values.

So graduates, always remember this – success is never final. Failure is never fatal. It is courage that counts. MVP‘s lessons for life as I come near the end of my remarks, let me wrap up with some old-fashioned, feel-good graduation advice:

First, hug and kiss those who helped get you to this day – parents, grandparents, friends, teachers. If you’re too shy or uptight to do that, please do the old fashioned handshake thing. But I recommend a hug and a kiss. Don’t let the sun go down today without saying thank you to someone.

Second, don’t forget that you have a body under your toga. Take good care of it. Engage in sports. It‘s fun, and it is a laboratory for victory and adversity. How an athlete celebrates his triumphs, or overcomes defeat or injury, how he deals with a hostile crowd or a critical media, reflects what life is all about. Indeed, sports offers a richness all its own – it is a metaphor for life.

Third, remember you have brains under that mortarboard. You‘ve been running it like crazy for four years, whining about all the books you’ve had to read, the papers you’ve had to write, the tests you’ve had to take. Yet thanks to that versatile, gigabyte hard-drive of yours, and a million Starbucks cups, you made it today.

Fourth, give one peso for every ten you earn. I saw my mother pass away 8 years ago, and she left this world without anything. Which means you’re not the owner of what you think you own – you’re only a steward, because everything‘s on loan. So pass some of it on. If you don’t, government will just take it anyway.

Conclusion

As today‘s door closes softly between us, those are my parting words. But there will be other partings and other last words in your lives. But today will not be complete without acknowledging what Father Ben has done for the Ateneo these past 17 years as the university‘s longest serving president – the new Loyola Schools, all the new buildings, the UAAP championships and the bonfires. It has been a pleasure working with him. Thank you so much Father Ben.

I do have one last word for you, if I may. This was a gift when I graduated at the age of 19 – the gift of friends with whom I sat on graduation day, who remain my friends for life. So today, I wish you nothing better than similar friendships.

And tomorrow, I hope that even if you remember not a single word of mine, you will recall those of Seneca, one of the old Romans i met in search of ancient wisdom: ―as is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters. I will now let you go. Through God‘s providence, may each of you travel well that precious journey called life. And may your future be worthy of your dreams. My deepest thanks for the courtesy and honor you all have shared with me. Many congratulations. God bless you all. Good day and good life.

also read:

• writers of manny pangilinan’s plagiarized speech are 2 ateneo students! OMG!
• fr. nebres gives pangilinan an excuse slip for the plagiarism
• manny pangilinan delivers commencement exercise speech at ateneo plagiarized from jk rowling, oprah and barack obama’s speeches
• manny pangilinan’s ateneo commencement address transcript and the plagiarized parts
• manny pangilinan speechgate: who is the speech writer who wrote the plagiarized commencement exercise speech at the ateneo?

also read:

the manny pangilinan speechgate – should pangilinan return the degree of Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa given by ateneo?