SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022
VOL. XXV. NO. 1
WWW.FEUADVOCATE.NET
SAMPALOC, MANILA
FEU students urged to report crimes to WHAT’S INSIDE? NSIDE? authorities amid rising unverified reports PAGE 2
‘We remember, we will never forget’
Far Eastern University Central Student Organization (FEUCSO), together with University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) schools’ student councils (SCs), released a joint statement for the 50th Anniversary of the Declaration of Martial Law last September 21.
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Hit or miss: Not-so-happy halls
On guard. The Manila Police District (MPD) deploys officers on standby to guard students at Far Eastern University (FEU) on August 22. (Photo by Zedrich Madrid)
By Maxine Alessandra B. Turiano Far Eastern University (FEU) students were prompted by the Manila Police District (MPD) to avoid spreading false crime reports on social media as faceto-face classes resume this academic year. In an interview with FEU Advocate, MPD Spokesperson Major Philipp Ines advised students to relay any crimes or suspicious activity to the necessary authorities. “Hindi proper venue ‘yung
social media—dun mo siya i-report? I-report natin sa proper authorities para matulungan tayo—maaddress kung talagang meron talagang ganitong insidente, sabi natin, eh makagawa ng karagdagan aksyon agad dito (Social media is not a proper venue—should social media be where you report? Let’s report it to the proper authorities so that they can help us—to address if there really is an incident like this, so we can take additional action immediately),” he said. Additionally, the FEU Central Student Organization (FEUCSO) advised the Tamaraws
FEU student population peaks at 25,000 for 1st Semester, AY 2022–2023
Back within thy happy halls. Tamaraws once again fill the campus as they line up at the Far Eastern University (FEU) Main Auditorium for the face-to-face comeback of Tatak Tamaraw 2022. (Photo by Janice Aina Herrera)
Far Eastern University (FEU) Manila and Makati campuses reached a total of 25,000 students in the resumption of face-to-face classes. According to the Office of the University Registrar, the average number of enrollees before the pandemic was around 19,000-20,000 per semester. However, during the second semester of the Academic Year (AY) 2020-2021, the population declined to about 18,000 students due to financial and health conditions brought by the pandemic. On the other hand, the following AY 2021-2022 had approximately 24,000 enrollees for the first semester, while the implementation of a hybrid learning set-up during the second semester recorded around 23,000 students. In an interview with FEU Advocate, University Registrar Dr. Gerald Villar mentioned the expansion projects done by the University to accommodate the growing population of the community. One of the projects is the recently built FEU Transformative University Resource Center or FEUTURE Center, which opened this semester to cater to the freshmen and students of General Education courses. “[Ito] yung naging additional space intended for the
college [students dahil mayroong] ginagamit ang high school. Kasi [the high school students are] occupying the Nursing Building (NB), Accounts, Business, and Finance Building (ABB), and the Architecture and Fine Arts Building (AFB), (This became the additional space intended for the college students as the NB, ABB, and AFB are currently being occupied by the FEU High School students),” he said. Dr. Villar also explained that the surge is an indicator that both students and parents are confident about FEU’s serious intent to provide quality education despite the changes in the learning environment. “We’re lucky we got the approval and confidence of our students, as well as the parents that despite [the] pandemic, despite [the] learning modality, they still trust us,” Dr. Villar said. He also believes that the strong implementation of a health protocol system was one of the factors why parents are complacent enough to let their children attend face-to-face classes once again. While the community is slowly returning to normal, Dr. Villar said that the University is expecting to accept more enrollees across all FEU campuses in the upcoming semesters. - Ma. Recellina P. Lafue
early on to ‘refrain from speculating and spreading unverified information and wait for official announcements from the University’ after police were seen within FEU grounds, following local government efforts to protect students as classes resume. In line with the increase of unconfirmed kidnappings, assaults, and other related crimes within the FEU community, students were also reminded to avoid disseminating unverified reports of crimes occurring in the University Belt (U-Belt). Moreover, Major Ines
explained that the MPD keeps watch over several universities in U-Belt and that the area is prone to crimes due to the high population density. As learners, their guardians, teachers, and staff return for the academic year, the MPD reinforces security around U-Belt. “At alam din natin na pagdagsa ng mga tao, ‘yan ay nagtatake-advantage din yung mga tinatawag nating termites o anay ng lansangan, yung mga—may mga masasamang balak, ‘diba? Alam naman nila ‘yan. So pinupuntahan talaga ang University Belt (And
we know that with the influx of people also comes those who take advantage of the situation, those we call termites of society—those who have bad intentions, right? They know about it too. So the University Belt really is a hotspot),” he said. Heightened police presence Students first spotted police within the campus last August 20. Major Ines mentioned that the MPD deployed over 500 officers.... Read ‘Crimes’ | Page 3
FEU to conduct in-person graduation for batch 2020, 2021 By Maxine Alessandra B. Turiano Far Eastern University (FEU) plans to set the face-to-face Commencement Exercises for Batch 2020 and 2021 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) on November 23 and 24. Following strict pandemic restrictions on mass gatherings that required Batch 2020 and 2021 to conduct their Commencement Exercises online, the graduates will now have the chance to take to the PICC stage. In an interview by FEU Advocate, University Registrar Dr. Gerald Villar shared that the idea for the ceremony was in response to the students’ clamor during the Batch 2022’s face-to-face graduation rites held last June 30 to July 2. “This is a special request, so definitely, we will do this after the Batch 2022 Commencement, so we really intend to schedule it by November,” he stated. Furthermore, Dr. Villar expressed that the Office of the
University Registrar (OUR) aims to let the students and their families experience an in-person ceremony, as it is also ‘something that the family has actually achieved, especially ngayong pandemic.’ He also added, “It will be
“It will be a challenge for the OUR, but kahit mahirap, talagang, we really make sure we will do it for the graduates, especially for the parents.” a challenge for the OUR, but kahit mahirap, talagang, we really make sure we will do it for the graduates, especially for the parents (It will be a challenge for the OUR, but even if it’s difficult, we really make sure we will do it for the graduates, especially for the parents).” According to the OUR, the
University has not yet finalized whether they will conduct ceremonies on both November 23 and 24 or only on November 23. The ceremony schedule is subject to change if there is a low attendance turnout, as the initial dates were set assuming all graduates would participate. In a survey conducted by the OUR, Batch 2020 only had 1,510 attendees out of its 3,051 graduates. Meanwhile, there were 675 registered attendees out of Batch 2021’s original 1,312 graduates. Additionally, the official number of attendees is also subject to change based on their payment of the necessary fees. “Ideally, it takes a month for us to really prepare the final list of graduates,” Dr. Villar mentioned. The OUR will announce the final date for the Commencement Exercises in October. The virtual Commencement Exercises for graduates of Batch 2020 and 2021 were held last year in October and December, respectively.
Far Eastern University (FEU) raises the “Be Brave” mantra to new levels as Tamaraws who hoped for a ligtas na balik-eskwela now find themselves caught up in the school’s high-stakes game of hitor-miss. As it turns out, the preparation for a complete face-to-face comeback requires more than just six months of experimental hybrid setup and romanticized resiliency.
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BATIBOT: Pagtanaw ng bihis ni Juana sa lipunan Hindi tulad ng pag-agos ng tubig mula sa batis, ang mga alaalang iniwan at itinatak ng diktadura ay mananatiling nakaukit at babagabag sa isipan ng mga biktima. Burahin man ng panahon at pagkakataon, mananatiling nakamarka ang hagupit ng sistemang minsa’y bumunot sa kalayaan ng maraming Pilipino.
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In the Spotlight: Top 5 Worthy Post from “One FEU Community” Group
Since the peak of remote learning, the One FEU Community (OFC) Facebook group became Tamaraws’ safe haven. With more than 110k members, its viral posts caused inspiration, unity, and laughter–easing the stress during the start of the first semester.
IHSN assistant dean on increasing nursing applicants: ‘There is a global demand’ By Agustin F. San Andres, Jr. and Randy James Espares Far Eastern University (FEU) Institute of Health Sciences and Nursing (IHSN) Assistant Dean Alma Trinidad Taragua attributed the increase in nursing applicants in the University due to the global demand for nurses. “Napansin namin na there are so many graduates, alumni, who had actually enrolled, nagapply to work abroad, parang every week we have about 20 to 25 applications for CGFNS and NNAS (We observed that there are so many graduates, alumni, who had actually enrolled, applied to work abroad, approximately every week we have about 20 to 25 applications for CGFNS and NNAS),” Taragua explained. In an interview with FEU
The light of tomorrow. The Institute of Health Sciences and Nursing (IHSN) conducted the 66th Capping and Candle Lighting Ceremony at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) last September 22. (Photo by Apollo Arellano)
Advocate, Taragua shared that IHSN opened 40 sections with 45 students per block which comprises approximately 1,760
freshmen nursing students this academic year. The Nursing program of the University originally had 35
sections with 40 students enrolled in one unit. Amid the increase in nursing applicants, Taragua assured that the University managed to maximize the use of classrooms in the campus to cater the students. “Ang FEU utilize ‘yung classroom use, before kasi ‘yung ating Engineering Building diba hindi naman talaga halos ginagamit...Tapos ‘yung aming level 1 has been using the FEUture Center, and we are waiting for the Arts Building na makumpleto para some of the offices would be transferred there then we can use the classrooms [Arts Building] (FEU utilizes classroom use, before the Engineering Building was rarely occupied by students… Read ‘Nursing’ | Page 3