UP Diliman's Trees, Sunken Garden

One of the things that make me proud of being a University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman alumni, is the wide area of green spots in the campus, with many tall and big trees. I stayed in the dormitory inside the campus (Molave, Yakal, Narra dorms) in my undergrad days in the 80s.

Below, the UP Administration building surrounded by big trees to its left, right and back. An open space at the back of the building called the Ampitheater is used for some big events in the university, such as the awarding of the annual UP Lantern parade, or university graduation, or some concerts.

The succeeding photos below, I got from Paulo Alcazaren's facebook page.  He must be taking these shots from a chopper. The long straight road in front of the UP Admin building is the University Avenue, going straight to Philcoa.

Another view of the Ampitheater, the Administration building, and the trees behind them.

Lower photo, the white tower is called the UP Carillon, it's between UP Theater on the right, and the UP College of Music on the left.

Galerie Joaquin and the UPSEAA

My appreciation of painting and other artworks can be compared to the appreciation of an average grade schooler of calculus or advance algebra. Nahh, just kidding. I appreciate music, classic rock music especially. But painting, not much. Not only that they are generally expensive for me, my interest of them is generally passing.

But last September 18, 2012, I joined a number of fellow UP School of Economics (UPSE) alumni in trooping to Galeria Joaquin to see lots of beautiful and rather expensive works of art. The galerie is owned by Jack Teotico, a kind hearted and former President of the UPSE Alumni Association (UPSEAA).

It was actually a fund-raising activity by the UPSEAA. Prices of each art work were as is, no discount. But whatever profit margin by the galerie for the sales that night will all go to the UPSEAA fund as the association is helping our alma mater have a great 50th year anniversary in 2015 or just three years from now. There are grand plans for the school such putting up a new school building, expanding the scholarship fund, creating more professorial chairs, and so on.

That is why I said that Jack is a kind hearted entrepreneur and alumni of the school. Every year, there is a general alumni homecoming, sponsored by graduates 25 years ago. And every year, Jack would donate some art pieces to the school for bidding. Whatever amount to be raised will all go to the SEAA fund. Jack is definitely among the most gallant alumni of the school.

There are other rich alumni too, who gave substantial amount to the school, mainly to modernize each classroom. If you see the classrooms there, you will be impressed, they are word-class lecture rooms with high tech facilities -- all from donations of alumni. The taxpayers subsidy alloted for the school only goes for the maintenance (electricity, water, books, office supplies, etc.) as well as salaries of faculty and staff.

Me, I went there just to eat as I knew that Jack would prepare really yummy food for all guests, buyers or plain kibitzers. I was not disappointed as the food was really nice. But I was disappointed also because I thought that there would be some medium or high octane drinks, say 17 percent alcohol content red wine or even 5 percent serbesa, there was none. Disappointing Jack! :-)

There were lots of juices, soda and water.

ArtEconomics, September 18, 2012

For lovers of the arts and painting, here is a good chance to pick really wonderful artworks from 20 different artists. Just look at the design below, really creative and artistic.

The event will actually run for a week, the 18th is only the opening of the exhibit. This is a fund raising activity  for my alma mater, the University of the Philippines School of Economics (UPSE), initiated by the UPSE Alumni Association. I finished my AB Economics and Diploma in Development Economics from this school.

Here are more details, released today:

Over 125 Artworks, 20 Artists Featured

UPSEAA LAUNCHES ARTECONOMICS: FUND RAISER FOR FACULTY DEVELOPMENT AND SCHOLARSHIPS

The UP School of Economics Alumni Association (UPSEAA) announced today the launching of ARTECONOMICS, a major fundraising effort for the benefit of the Jose P. Encarnacion Endowment Fund for Faculty Development and for the UPSEAA Scholarship Fund.  ARTECONOMICS, an art exhibit is slated to open on Tuesday, September 18, 2012 at Galerie Joaquin Main in P. Guevarra st., Addition Hills, San Juan and runs until September 25, 2012.

Over 125 paintings and sculptures from more than twenty top modern and contemporary artists will be featured in the project. The artworks are by renowned artists such as National Artist Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, National Artist Arturo Luz, National Artist Abdul Mari Imao, Presidential Medal of Merit awardee Juvenal Sanso, sculptors Ramon Orlina and Glenn Cagandahan, modern masters Angelito Antonio, Mario Parial, and senior artists Lydia Velasco, Carlo Magno and Dominic Rubio. Other artists are Jerry Morada, Vincent de Pio, Aileen Lanuza, Karina Baluyut, Aldrino Abes, Jovan Benito and many more.

UPSEAA hopes this will be a welcome opportunity for its alumni and friends of the alumni to acquire good quality art and at the same time be able to help their alma mater.

A website, http://galeriejoaquin.com/arteconomics will be available for this project by the first week of September.  Before that, the organizing committee of ARTECONOMICS will be sending images of the selected artworks as they become available via email and Facebook.

Various methods of payment are available to interested alumni and alumni friends. These can be via credit card, PAYPAL, check, telegraphic transfer or cash. Installment plans via accredited credit card companies can also be availed of.  Even foreign based alumni and alumni friends can participate in this project and avail of any of the artworks offered. Shipment arrangements can be done by UPSEAA and the cooperating gallery. Interested parties can reserve or acquire the artworks as soon as the images become available 

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As for me, I don't have sufficient wealth to purchase possibly any of the paintings there, but I will attend the opening of the exhibit on the 18th. Please pass the info to your friends, whether they are UP alumni or not.

Cheers.

UP ETC

The University of the Philippines School of Economics (UPSE) is my alma mater. I belonged to 1984 Haraya Yearbook because I was supposed to graduate that year, but I gSot an Incomplete in my Econ 199 (undergrad thesis) under Prof. Winnie Monsod, plus a bad grade in Econ 131 (Econometrics). I worked at UPSE as a research assistant to Dr. Florian Alburo while completing my thesis, finally graduated in 1985. Thus, I belonged to two graduating batches of UPSE :-) It's a good thing too because I have friends in both batches, we still meet from time to time.

My student organization in UPSE was the UP Economics Towards Consciousness (ETC), formed in 1979 by now UPSE faculty member, Dr. Orville Solon and his buddies. But while I was in UPSE, I was also active in my UP Sapul group (see below) at the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) then.

Upper right photo, I was at the right, with curly hair, I looked like a rebel then, haha. The three other photos were some of our reunions here in Manila about four years ago maybe. Lower right is clearer, from left: Jim Villar, RJay Garcia, Noel Ostrea, Jojo Desiderio, Roger Ynzon, Winnie Adorador, me, Ajie Papa.

In April 2004, I went to the US for the first time, was an international fellow of the Atlas Economic Research Foundation. Went to several free market seminars, conferences and meetings there for a month -- Michigan, Chicago, Washington DC. Before I flew back to Manila, I went to NYC. Two ETCers there (upper left  photo), Erlyn Barza and Esther Habana, beside me, toured me to some places there, had nice lunch. 

Next three photos, in some of the UPSE Annual reunions. Upper right, 2009 UPSE Homecoming; to my right is Popo Suanes, he's not an ETCer, he's from EcoSoc, but he was our batch valedictorian then, he finished Summa Cum Laude, the first summa alumni of the school, really bright guy. Lower right, 2010 UPSE Homecoming, having fun as "trying hard activists" at least in photo. g, the 

In April 2009, I went to Los Angeles, California, to attend the Atlas Libety Forum. After the conference, another ETCer, Joey Dayao, picked me up from my hotel the next day and toured me around LA. By afternoon, we visited Jim Villar in his place. Before that, Joey brought me to Hooters bar in LA, nice place. It was also my first time to visit a Hooters bar. The waitress who attended to us was friendly and wacky, I think Joey gave him a good tip.

Meanwhile, it is Jim's birthday this coming May 23, advance happy birthday Jim.

Below, a small group reunion here, sometime in 2005. Upper left, from left, with my girlfriend then (now my wife) Ella, Roger Ynzon, Fermin "Tarcs" Taruc, Arn Abundo, husband of another ETCer Debbie Flores, and Larry Lara.

Fermin died last year, heart attack. He is a big guy with a big heart, big humor. Three nights before he died, I attended a hurriedly-organized ETC reunion because Esther Habana-Matioli came home from NYC and Fermin is a very close friend of her, she wanted  a quickie reunion. It was fun, that Thursday night. By Monday morning or barely three days after that, Fermin died. One reason why as much as possible, I attend all reunions by friends 10, 20, 28 years ago, especially my friends, former classmates, schoolmates, dorm mates, org mates, from UP.

Larry Lara and Debbie are close to me. In "retaliation" for their friendliness to me, I made them among the godparents of my second child, Bien Mary, who will turn two years old this coming October. When I went to Sydney, Australia two years ago to attend the 4th Pacific Rim Policy Exchange mainly sponsored by the Americans for Tax Reforms (they gave me a travel scholarship as I was one of the panel speakers), Debbie and Larry (he happened to be there too) hosted me when I got out of my hotel. Lots of food and wine and tour. Larry brought me to Manly Wharf so I was able to see Sydney City proper from the sea.

Super thanks again Larry, Debbie.

More photos later as I dig the photos from our ETC yahoogroups.