Originally Posted by
abortretryfail
I just heard that the century old acacia tree in front of the elementary school was chopped down just for some stupid skywalk
Hi abortretryfail, I have pasted here an article by Alex Pal, wanna check it out. The acacia was not "chopped down" per se but a large portion was taken off. I saw the construction of the skywalk the last time I went home.
**********************
Dumaguete Connection
with Alex Pal
Res ipsa loquitor
I got several reactions from my last column about that unfortunate acacia tree in front of the Silliman High School, which was cut to make way for the stairs of a concrete overpass that is being built there.
For some strange reason, all the feedback I gathered over the weekend were from people who were against the cutting of the tree. That got me wondering, isn't there a single soul out there who approves of the decision to cut the tree?
My question was answered last Monday, when I received copies of three letters from the City Mayor's Office, which sought to clarify the permission given by the City to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which became the basis for the issuance of the Permit to Cut which it issued to the Department of Public Works and Highways on December 29.
It was DPWH District Engineer Rodrigo Catapusan who, in a letter dated Dec. 28, 2005, asked Community Environment & Natural Resources Officer Charlie Fabre for a permit to cut the acacia tree. The tree, which was there even before the construction of the overpass started, was preventing the contractor from installing the fourth stairway to the concrete structure. The DPWH already had a permit to prune the tree.
Now, I happened to have good teachers in agriculture during my elementary school days. Atty. Ray Moncada was one of those teachers, before he decided to become a lawyer. If I remember correctly what he told us back then, he said there's a trunk of a difference between pruning and cutting.
When you prune a tree, you cut the branches -- not the main trunk. Pruning, by its very definition, involves the elimination of unnecessary branches of a tree or plant, to encourage better growth. But while the DPWH was "pruning" the tree last December, the DENR told them to stop their "pruning" because what they were doing was actually cutting the tree, a violation of their promise during the public hearing called last December by the City Council.
This time, engineer Catapusan, in his letter, was very specific. He said they intended to cut the tree, leaving four meters of its trunk sticking out of the ground. Fabre then asked the City if they had any objection to the application of the DPWH.
In response, Mayor Agustin Perdices said the City has no objection to the request of the DPWH. But Perdices termed it differently. He said the City had no objection to the "pruning" of the tree, leaving four meters of the tree trunk, as applied for by the DPWH.
Here, Mayor Perdices and engineer Catapusan were in perfect agreement over what had to be done. They just differed in their terminologies. What Catapusan said was "cutting", Perdices only referred to as "pruning."
However you call it, that is exactly what is left of the tree today. Res Ipsa Loquitor, goes a maxim in law. "The thing speaks for itself."
Is the tree dead? Many people believe so.
On the other hand, City Environment Officer Rolly Clamonte insists that the tree is not dead. "New branches will soon come out," he told me confidently.
Well, I sure hope so, as this project has already done more than enough damage, strained nerves, and relationships among well-meaning people of this City of Gentle People.
In a few months, when the overpass shall have been competed, I hope no one would have to ask, "Was this worth all the trouble?"* [br]Posted on: January 18, 2006, 05:51:16 AM_________________________________________________[img width=425 height=225]http://www.balletmanila.net/images/co_pic1.jpg[/img]
[img width=315 height=150]http://www.balletmanila.net/images/map_pic1.jpg[/img]
[img width=189 height=126]http://www.balletmanila.net/images/foto4.gif[/img]
[img width=315 height=150]http://www.balletmanila.net/images/tps_pic1.jpg[/img]
[img width=189 height=126]http://www.balletmanila.net/images/foto1.gif[/img]
Lisa Macuja, Ballet Manila to Perform at the Luce.
The Silliman University Cultural Affairs Committee with present the Ballet Manila with internationally renowned ballerina Lisa Macuja in the production Carmen and Other Ballets on January 27 and 28 at the Luce Auditorium.
Carmen is a ballet of five scenes about the love triangle of Carmen, Don Jose, and Escamillo. Part of the repertoire are: Amis, Dalagang Pilipina, Arachnida, and Sayaw de Pamlang.
Founded in 1995, Ballet Manila has been performing in the country and abroad. The group has been hailed by critics as the “ballet company of the new millennium” because of its unwavering commitment to excellence in classical dance, both as a professional performing company and as a formidable training ground for young dancers.
For ticket reservations, you may call the Luce Auditorium Office at (035) 422-6002 local 520.[br]Posted on: January 18, 2006, 06:35:17 AM_________________________________________________
Literature Instructor Wins Book Award.
Literature instructor and Palanca awardee Mr. Ian Casocot bagged this year's Philippine Board of Books for Young People (PBBY) - Alfredo Salanga Writers Prize for his short story, Rosario and Her Stories.
Rosario and Her Stories was chosen as this year's winner, along with two other writers, for the writer's prize.
The PBBY - Alfredo Salanga Writers' Prize honors the best writers of children's literature.
"To get this recognition is a great honor because the prize itself is the most coveted prize among children's story writers in the Philippines," Mr. Casocot said. He said writing stories for children is not easy as they are perhaps the most difficult kind of fiction.
Mr. Casocot will receive cash and certificates from the National Library and the Cultural Center of the Philippines during the National Children's Book Day celebration on July 16.[br]Posted on: January 19, 2006, 12:51:10 AM_________________________________________________[img width=345 height=284]http://su.edu.ph/netnews/v12/v12n2.jpg[/img]
Dr. Ben S. Malayang III (first from left) during the Special Convocation with the Nominees for 12th Silliman President held November 18, with Board of Trustees Chair Prof. Leonor Magtolis-Briones and Silliman President Dr. Agustin A. Pulido.
Dr. Ben Malayang III is New Silliman President.
The Silliman University Board of Trustees, through Chair Prof. Leonor Magtolis-Briones, has announced the appointment of Dr. Ben S. Malayang III as the 12th Silliman President.
Meeting en banc on January 14, Saturday, the BOT unanimously confirmed the appointment of Dr. Malayang as the next President to succeed Dr. Agustin A. Pulido whose term will expire in May this year.
Dr. Malayang is a Sillimanian, having graduated from Silliman University High School in 1970. He finished college at the University of the Philippines-Diliman in 1974, with a degree of BA Philosophy. He holds an MA in Philosophy and another MA in International Affairs (Southeast Asia Studies; Major in Economics; Minor in Political Science and Philosophy) from Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, and a PhD in Wildland Resource Science from the University of California at Berkeley.
Considered an authority in environmental management and international development, Dr. Malayang is a Member of the International Science Planning Committee of the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change based in Bohn, Germany, Environmental Science Member of the National Committee on Bio-safety of the Philippines, and Member of the Executive Committee of the United Nations Development Programme Portfolio Programs. He worked in government as Undersecretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources from 1993 to 1995.
Recently, Dr. Malayang has served as Team Leader, Mission Leader, and Lead Writer on Empowerment and Governance in projects funded by and conducted in partnership with foreign governments and international organizations, including being International Adviser on the National Capacity Self-Assessment Project of the Royal Government of Cambodia.
Dr. Malayang is also active in the academe, teaching for 12 years graduate courses on Institutions and Environment, Environmental Impact Assessment, and Contemporary Issues in Environmental Science and Management. He is a Senior Fellow of the Development Academy of the Philippines and Fellow of the Strategic Studies Group of the National Defense College of the Philippines. At the University of the Philippines-Los Baños, he was Full Professor and Dean of the School of Environmental Science and Management.
In the field of research, Dr. Malayang has authored several works covering Forest and Environmental Policy and Governance, Biodiversity, Environmental Security, Environmental Philosophy and Ethics, and Institutional and Environmental Transformations in Southeast Asia.
According to Professor Magtolis-Briones, “Dr. Malayang is expected to strengthen the service program of Silliman University and maximize his extensive network in the University of the Philippines, the Development Academy of the Philippines, and the United Nations for the benefit of the University.” Go to top[br]Posted on: January 21, 2006, 01:05:54 AM_________________________________________________NO TUITION FEE INCREASE!!!!
BOT Approves No Tuition Increase for SY 06-07. The Board of Trustees during its meeting last Saturday approved a resolution that there will be no increase in tuition this coming school year 2006-2007, starting in June.
The decision was made on the assumption that strong efforts will be taken to increase enrolment and improve the retention of students in the University.
For this second semester, the University has a total college population of 5,583, higher by 339 students compared to the second semester of last school year.[br]Posted on: January 21, 2006, 07:43:36 AM_________________________________________________[img width=231 height=160]http://www.abs-cbn.com/imgs-tmp/c2u2.jpg[/img]
[img width=145 height=115]http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/images/news/newspics/11-05-2005/sammed.jpg[/img]
CLOSE TO YOU
by: Sam Milby
here is nothing i wount try
just to make u mine
to get a little closer
would be so divine
and everytime i see you
you make me come undone
i always watch you hear me
in you i found the one
[chorus]
oh why dont you smile my only star
shine on baby
smile my only star
smile my only star(2x)
with you by my side
girl it feels do right
and now that im close to you
i could stay wll night no matter where i go
no matter what i do
in the end your smile
brings me back to
you shine so true
i cant believe youre mine
and everything may change
but to me youll always shine
The movie Close to You was partly shot at Silliman University. When Sam Milby sang the Close-Up and movie theme song "Close to You" (if you have seen the trailer), it was taken at the Amphitheater (the SU Church could be momentarily seen at the background in the trailer).
[img width=276 height=200]http://mozcom.com/~montebon/img30.gif[/img]
amphitheater with silliman church as background
Re: SILLIMAN UNIVERSITY
Reply With Quote
