Winners all

Feliciano Calora Jr. (Jofel) will be formally installed as president of Benguet State University today. One of four sons of Dr. Feliciano Banaag Calora and Delia Almario Galvez of Los Banos, Laguna, Jofel earned his baccalaureate, masteral and doctorate degrees in forestry from the University of the Philippines at Los Banos. His first job was as a company forester of Baseywood Industries, then he decided to take up graduate studies and ended up teaching, doing research and extension work for Benguet State University for 26 years (Feb. 8, 1985-Jan. 23, 2012).

While with BSU, he taught, conducted research and extension work while concurrently designated as the dean, director for planning and development and vice president for academic affairs. His research interests ranged from renewable energy, agroforestry, biodiversity, silviculture, watershed and climate change. He also did accreditation work for the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines from 1994 to 2002.

From Jan. 24, 2012 until March 16, 2016, he worked with DOST – PCAARRD as the director of forestry and environment research division. He was a research manager of projects on strategic research and development, capacity building, technology transfer and policy advocacy and research governance on rubber, cacao, industrial tree plantations, bamboo, biodiversity, watershed management, mangrove rehabilitation and climate change,

BSU is 100 years old, nestling in the heart of La Trinidad, Benguet, the strawberry capital of the Philippines. Its history dates back to the time when the “Baguio-La Trinidad road was only a rough horse trail,” in 1916. That was the year when the La Trinidad Experimental Station of the Bureau of Agriculture was turned over to the Bureau of Education. By this turn of events, the La Trinidad Farm School was opened with 30 pupils in Grade V.

The farm school was “planned ultimately to develop into a large normal school, where the best Igorot pupils will be given special training for teachers among their own people with emphasis on agricultural education.” Later however, students from the lowlands were accepted to the school.

In 1946, the school became the La Trinidad Agricultural High School, and later made a college. On Jan. 12, 1986, the college was converted to a state university by virtue of Presidential Decree (PD) No. 2010 signed by President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Initiatives for this development started in the 70s when former assemblyman Andes Cosalan filed a bill for the elevation of the Mountain State Agricultural College to a university.

Recently the university has been declared by the CHED as one of the Centers of Excellence (COE) in the Teacher Education Program through CMO.17, s.2016. Earlier BSU was recognized as a Center of Excellence in Agriculture under the Agriculture Education Subsystem.

Currently the university’s La Trinidad campus has eight colleges, two academic institutes and an open university. The colleges include: the College of Agriculture, College of Teacher Education; College of Arts and Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Forestry, College of Nursing, College of Home Economics and Technology and the College of Engineering and Applied Technology. The institutes are the Institute of Human Kinetics and Institute of Public Administration.

BSU has a total population of around 25,000 students from all campuses; 466 teachers and 322 non-teaching staff.

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  From our friends in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ARMM) comes the news that Liberal Party winners are “looking to an optimistic future with the landslide victory” of reelectionist Gov. Mujv Hataman. The governor will step up his platform for poverty reduction, good governance, more investment opportunities, improved education standards, more infrastructure projects, and security in the advent of the Bangsamoro government.

In his past terms, Hataman exposed fake employees in ARMM records; stopped election fraud, advocated transparency of records in the government, and reformed bureaucracy by improving work flow. A first in ARMM, community service organizations and local governments collaborated in organizing development projects. Hataman built “roads of peace” that were delivered to various communities of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front. ARMM was also acknowledged as the most improved region in committing to reduce maternal and infant deaths under the United Nations Millennium.

Meanwhile, his wife Sitti Djalia Turabin Hataman won a seat in Congress under the Anak Party-l ist. Sitti has been at the forefront of women empowerment in ARMM. She was instrumental in the signing of ARMM’s counterpart of the Reproductive Health Bill.

Meanwhile, the mother-and-son tandem of Soraya Adiong and Mamintal “Bombit” Alonto Adiong Jr. has been declared Lanao del Sur’s new governor and vice-governor. Soraya has merely taken over her son’s previous post. When he was governor, Bombit was an influential figure in the business community for his enterprising spirit and marketing skills.

In Marawi City, former legislator Majul Gandamra won as mayor, breaking up the Ali dynasty. Handpicked by Hataman, Gandamra vows to stop violence in the streets and illegal drugs, step up cleanliness and order and manage professionally the country’s only Islamic city. In Basilan, newly elected Governor Jim Hataman’s top agenda is peace and order, social services, health and agriculture.

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Last Saturday, Hiphop Group Upeepz garnered a double whammy in gold, being champion in two categories – the Junior Division (Lilpeepz) and Mega Crew of 40 dancers (Upeez).

These two champions will represent the Philippines in the World Hiphop International in Las Vegas in August 2016.

The World Hip-Hop Dance Championship (WHHDC)is billed as “the world’s most celebrated dance event.” Over 3,000 dancers from over 50 nations will come together to compete and celebrate dance.

Upeepz grew in 2011 from just 11 to more than 150 active members coming initially only from the University of the Philippines and later included students from other schools who pass auditions.

In just a short time, UPEEPZ garnered several international and local awards, foremost of which was the NCCA’s 2015 ANI NG DANGAL for topping as champion of the 2015 World Supremacy Battleground in Brisbane, Australia.

The newest addition to the UPEEPZ family is the Lil’ Peepz. These kids lit up the PHHDC stage and bagged the Junior Division Championship Title last Saturday. Along with their bigger brothers and sisters in UPEEPZ, these “little ones” aim to represent the Philippines on the world stage in August.

The coach and director of the two teams and over-all mentor and one of the founders is 25-year-old Chips Palma Beltran. His parents, mentors and friends started his career from almost nothing, beginning as in-house choreographer at the Ateneo High School. There he co-founded INDAK, his first high school student dance group. In college at the University of the Philippines where he worked for his BS psychology degree, he became a member of the UP street dance group. He then co-founded UPEEPZ, which has become a legitimate student group. He also became a member of a dance company, the Underbrewing Point, where he holds classes in collaboration with well-known young dance-mentors, like Madel and Prince Paluob.

While he is finishing his masters in movement science, Chips continues to teach dance, choreograph and direct young and adult students in hiphop. Chips is currently artistic director of UPEEPZ. His team includes Nico Francisco who is president, and Tati Guno, vp for internal affairs; Pac Michelena, vp for external affair; Alex Samson, finance officer, and Aimee Cuta, secretary.

Chip is the third and last child of Dr. Ruby Palma, poet and author. His sister, Phoebe, is a painter and professor in art studies at the UP. His brother, the late Chico Beltran, was a visual artist.

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