School Calendar for the Academic Year 2010-2011

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Augustinian tops LET 2009

Jaylord Losabia, a cum laude from the College of Education (CoEd), topped the Licensure Examination for Teachers or LET (Elementary) in October 2009.

Losabia, a graduate of Bachelor of Elementary Education major in General Curriculum, earned general average of 89.6 percent. He is the first Augustinian to top the licensure examination for teachers.

In an interview, Losabia said he didn’t see it coming. “I was surprised with the results but I am happy about it”.

Both a St. Augustine Scholarship grantee and an academic scholar during his college days, Losabia admitted he was focused on his academic studies.  “I was an ordinary student then. My teachers asked me to join different organizations but I refused. I told them I was already overwhelmed by extra-curricular activities when I was in high school,” he said.

According to him, he prepared for the LET through the review classes organized by the former CoEd dean, Dr. Nenita V. Quiñon. He added, “I also attended a four-day review class at the St. Louis Review Center.”

Losabia was a graduate of the Iloilo City National High School in 2005. He finished his elementary education at the Andres Bonifacio Elementary School. He fails from Infante, Molo, Iloilo City and is son  to proud parents, Jose and Nelida Losabia.

The licensure examination consisted of three parts: General Education (20%), Professional Education (40%), and a more specialized General Education (40%). It was originally scheduled on 27 September but was postponed to 4 October due to typhoons  “Ondoy” and “Peping.”

Source: The Augustinian/UCRP

CoEd regains Level III accreditation

The Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) confirmed the Level III status of the College of Education (CoEd) in December 2009.

“I am overwhelmed with the results after the rigorous preparation”, CoEd Dean Alex B. Facinabao stated. “Bringing back the Level III status is the greatest achievement we’ve got since this is my first (term for the) deanship. It was really a challenge for me.”

Established in 1977, FAAP is the umbrella organization of all accrediting agencies in the Philippines. It is authorized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to certify the quality levels of accredited programs at the tertiary level for the purpose of granting progressive deregulation and other benefits. “The Philippine Association of Accrediting Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) recommends the status of all institutions to FAAP, until it confirms the results,” said Ms. Gladys Confessor, Accreditation and Quality Assurance Office Executive secretary.

When asked about his future plans for the college, Facinabao stresses he wants to maintain the Level III status by improving instruction, research and community extension; by making  the passing percentage for LET at least 75 percent; and by achieving accreditation for the following courses: BS in Library Sciences, BS in Hotel and Restaurant Management and BS in Nutrition and Dietetics.

Source: The Augustinian/UCRP - Communitas (June 2010)

HRD conducts 2 summer 2010 seminar-workshops

Committed to the thrust of incessantly enhancing and upgrading the competency of the university personnel, the Human Resource Department (HRD) conducted two seminars in summer 2010.

A week-long training and workshop on Research Proposal Writing was held on 5-8 April 2010 at the Nursing Review Center. This is in recognition of the inadequate facility of the most of the members of the faculty for research.

The seminar resource persons were Dr. Alejo P. Biton, research teacher at the Graduate School, and Dr. Remedios Somcio, Director of the Center for Educational and Institutional Research. The activity was attended by sixty-six participants, mostly members of the respective Research Management Groups (RMG) of the different departments. At the end of the training, each RMG presented a research proposal to the University President for approval.

Another seminar, Data Processing and Generation / MS PowerPoint, was conducted on 6-7 April 2010 at the Computer Laboratory A. The resource persons were Prof. Michelle Tribaco and Prof. Erlita Gonzales, Information Technology faculty members. The training was attended by thirty-nine faculty members, mostly, newly-hired personnel.

All these capacity building activities were facilitated by the Training and Development Committee, chaired by HRD Director Carmen N. Hernandez, DM. The summer 2010 seminars form part of the Personnel Development Program of the University of San Agustin.

Source: M.G. Salmorin/UCRP-Communitas June 2010

CAS-IT leads Tilipunan computer literacy project

The College of Arts & Science (CAS), with its dean, Dr. Isidoro Cruz, spearheaded the kick off of the Tilipunan Computer Literacy Project last 6 December 2009 in Ginomoy, Alimodian, Iloilo. The college turned-over to the Ginomoy Barangay Council a computer unit for community use, particularly in the preparation of documents and incorporating computer lessons for the Tilipunan children.


To start off the alternative education, faculty members from the CAS-Information Technology (IT) Department, with its head, Prof. Josephine de Asis, and Tilipunan volunteer Mr. Dominicio Laude, spent their time last 29 May 2010 in Alimodian to facilitate hand-on basic computer training to barangay officials and community volunteers. IT Professors Christopher Langrio and Rodrigo Delmoro served as speakers for Microsoft Word and Excel. The training will arm the community in improving documents preparation in the barangay. For School Year 2010-11, the college, with its faculty coordinator for community service, Ms. Irene Grace Galon, and the student volunteers, will conduct a series of computer education sessions with the Tilipunan children. (M.E.O. Yap-Aguirra)




Source: Communitas Vol XX No.1 June 2010

LA / CAS 75th Diamond Jubilee & Alumni Homecoming

Wondering about our Artian classmates?
See them all at the DIAMOND (75th) ANNIVERSARY AND ALUMNI HOMECOMING of the COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS / COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, University of San Agustin, Iloilo City
December 6 - 11, 2010

ACTIVITIES:
December 6 - Mass, Motorcade, Exhibits, Sports and Fun Games
December 7 - Rada Lecture Series, Alumni Debate
December 8 - Medical, Dental and Legal Mission
December 9 - Alumni Lecture, Leadership Training
December 10 - Artian Job Fair
December 11 - ALUMNI NIGHT, Hotel Del Rio


CAS Office: +63 3374841 - 44 local 233 (Dean) 240 (Secretary)
Alumni President: Atty. Dwight Trasadas: 0915-4839134, 329-1008

Evangelization through Values Education

Aside from announcing, witnessing, celebrating, and renewing the world with the Gospel, offering it a new way of being and living with Jesus’ Real Presence in the

liturgy, the University finds it even more urgent to work for renewal of the ‘city of man’ (the earthly city guided by self-love and lives according to the natural man whose thoughts, actions, and desires are not ordered to God as to their supreme end) by appealing to the values emphasized by Augustine. This then could lead to conversion, a change of structures and models of life contrary to the ‘City of God’. And so, it is fitting that before we discuss about the Augustinian values as the University’s way of discovering her identity and her unique way of evangelization, let us first have few words on values as commonly understood.

It is said that every day we make choices. And we translate these choices into action. In fact, some of the choices we act on make us feel good and happy; while some of them we regret. Further, some of our choices are minor and have little or small implications; others are major and have great implications. Besides, for every choice we make, we attach a personal meaning. The personal meaning we have identified becomes a definite value when the choice we act on brings about positive feelings. In short, behind every choice we act on that makes us feel good is a value.

In simple terms, a value is commonly defined as “something which we consider important and essential to our life” (Ulgado, 1989). Others would offer a more functional definition of a value as “something that is freely chosen from alternatives and is acted upon, that which the individual celebrates as being part of the creative integration of his development as a person” (Simon, 1972).

By these we can say that values are important because they serve as “guiding stars which navigate our life”. Consequently, knowing our values gives us a definite direction. Knowing our values and living according to our values lead us towards personal integration. The process by which a value becomes an integral part of us is known as the valuing process. This process involves the journeying inward into the core of our person. It touches the deepest part of ourselves as we introspect, analyze, and explore who we are and what is important to us at a certain moment in time. As we engage in the valuing process, however, we have to be aware of the three dimensions of a person: the cognitive structure (choose), the affective life (prize), and the behavioral patterns (act on). The first requires that the choice must be done freely, must be made from alternatives, and must be done after considering consequences; the second necessitates that the choice must be cherished and prized for the person feels good about it, and the person is willing to publicly affirm that choice; and the third entails that the cherished choice must be acted upon, and it must not only be acted once, but repeatedly and consistently in life.

The Augustinian Values

With the preceding common understanding of values, we can affirm that whatever values that are emphasized in Augustine’s life, reflected in his voluminous writings, followed the same process of choosing, prizing, and acting on consistently. Furthermore, while he chose them freely from so many alternatives present during his time, he publicly affirmed them in his dialogues with his friends, shared them with others through his sermons, and wrote about them for others to know and to perpetuate them.

Our Augustinian scholars would estimate that more than five million words have been preserved from his autobiographical book “The Confessions” to his inspiring “Sermons”; from his catechetic “On Christian Teaching” to his theological “City of God”. It is from these sources that these values are wellenshrined; and from where we will choose the more common and familiar values that the Saint mentions. Since we are in an educational setting, we may say that these values are those that find relevance in our educational ends.

Not too long ago that the Order of St. Augustine came up with a more systematic approach to value formation typical of an Augustinian as her way to assess the educational centers found in many parts of the world, especially as to how the stakeholders would benefit from the Christian integral education, the Augustinian way. This process is not only meant to share the values endeared to Augustine, or to disseminate for the sake of sharing them, but to give an identity proper to an Augustinian education. This can also be a potent means for a new Augustinian educational evangelization in the 21st century as she dialogues with the times. As experts say, Augustinian values may define clearly our education and may be converted into clean air that may be breathed in our educational communities.

Fr. Raul M. Marchan, O.S.A., Ph.D.
University President

USA is 3rd best nursing school in WV

BASED on the recently released result of the December 2009 Integrated Comprehensive Nurse Licensure Examination, the University of San Agustin–College of Nursing placed 3rd among the twenty-three nursing schools in Western Visayas.

The college obtained an overall passing performance of 83.82 per cent, which is far beyond the national passing performance of 39 per cent. In the national level, the University ranked 14th among the more than 300 schools of nursing in the country. This is according to the data published by the Board of Nursing and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

Records show that more than half of the nursing schools in Region 6 have not obtained more than a fifty per cent passing rate. St. Paul University and West Visayas State University bagged the number one spot in the region for schools having 100 and more examinees and having thirty to ninety-nine examinees, respectively.

In November 2009, the Commission on Higher Education released a memorandum citing the best nursing schools in the Philippines. In said memo, the University of San Agustin placed 15th among more than 300 schools.

These data have clearly shown that the college is continuing to attain its goal to be one of the best nursing schools that offer satisfactory nursing education, not only in the region but also in the country.

CN opens first virtual lab in Panay

THE first of its kind in the island of Panay, the Virtual Laboratory in the College of Nursing commenced its operations on 11 January 2010. The initiative to construct a Virtual Laboratory was brought about by the college’s adoption of a new B.S. in Nursing curriculum embodied under Memorandum Order #14 of the Commission on Higher Education. Article VI, Section 13.5 clearly states that “higher education institutions are encouraged to put up virtual skills laboratory to supplement and complement the related learning experiences prior to actual experience.”

Thus, the College of Nursing, in partnership with Healthcare Advantage Institute (HCAI), builta Virtual Laboratory utilizing NAL B and C at the Gamboa Hall.
The curricula of the courses offered by HCAI are based on the Joint Commission International (JCI) standards. JCI is a subsidiary of Joint Commission Accreditation of Hospitals Organization (JCAHO) which is renowned globally in the field of healthcare delivery accreditation. With this upgrade, the students enrolled in the college are assured to receive laboratory skills of international standards.

This is significantly advantageous in the preparation of students in the clinical setting and during the provision of concrete methods and processes in client care.

Furthermore, this will bridge the gap between the academe and the hospital industry by enhancing the students’ skills in manipulating modern equipment. Some of the equipment to be used in this facility are: Geri Advanced Manikin, Biphasic
Defibrillator with ECG monitor, Infusion and Syringe Pump, Electronic Ventilator, Electric Bed with remote control, Sheridan Flex – C-Pap System, ECG, Adult and Pedia radio transparent electrodes, and Feeding Tube Machine. The curriculum design, aside from being based on JCI standards, is also taught in a manner adopted in the United States. This would cultivate a paradigm shift in the nursing mentality from being passive to assertive.

A process of acculturation will also be ascertained, helping the students improve their learning curve. The courses offered were divided into three categories to guarantee proper acceleration of learning. The building- block courses contain basic documentation and basic life support. Basic Skills level include Intensive Care Unit and Maternal and Child Nursing. Advanced Skills have Telemetry, Intensive Physical Assessment, and Pediatric and Neonatal Advanced Cardiac Life Support. These are just a few of the lessons that will be taught CN opens first to the nursing students at different levels of their academic life.

This innovation in nursing education was made possible through the leadership of College Dean Sofia Cosette Monteblanco, with the support of University administrators. Indubitably, this Virtual Laboratory has proven that the college can offer quality nursing education at par with international standards and can produce globally competitive nurses.

Outstanding engineer addresses 2010 graduates

ENGINEER Jeffrey Mijares, a 2001 Outstanding Chemical Engineer Awardee, addressed and inspired the nearly one thousand and five hundred Augustinian 2010 graduates last March.

Mijares finished his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the College of Engineering and Architecture, then College of Technology, at the University of San Agustin. At present, he is the manager of the Corporate Environmental Management and Safety Group, and the Ethanol Project Team Leader of the Roxol Bioenergy Corporation, both of Roxas Holdings, Inc.— the biggest sugar manufacturer in the Philippines. Concurrently, he is Pollution Control Officer III of Central Azucarera Don Pedro in Luzon. This outstanding engineer Commission, from 2006 to the present. Mijares has likewise served as a member of the DENR Pollution Adjudication Board from 2003 to the present. He had been president of the Pollution Control Association of the Philippines, Inc. for two administrative years, from 2001-2003. He has been chair of the Sugar Industry Environment Committee and the Committee on Environment of the Federation of Philippine Industries. 
Engineer Mijares has traveled to various places in Asia, North and South America, and Europe in an on-going effort to enhance his skills and knowledge in his chosen field. He has likewise delivered talks, sharing his learning with his colleagues and countrymen.

The commencement speaker opened his speech by challenging the graduates through the following question: “After you leave your comfort zone within the walls of the university…, will your new life as a college graduate (be) a constant struggle for survival or will it be a walk in the park?” He ended it by giving them hope, saying: “Your journey to follow your dreams had just begun. Keep holding unto it. It will take a little while, but for as long as you know where you are going, you will surely get there.”

Med tech students win best oral paper in microbio

A TEAM of four Medical Technology students won the Best Oral Paper Presentation in the undergraduate category during the 17th Annual Convention and Regional Scientific Meeting of the Philippine Society for Microbiology, Inc., Visayas Regional Chapter, on 23-24 October 2009 at the Punta Villa Resort in Iloilo City.


The research team was declared best among seven groups coming from three competing schools: three from the University of the Philippines Visayas, two from the Riverside College and two from the University of San Agustin. The Augustinian team members were Serren Lor Gallinero, Ellen Mae Cerena, Diane Lorraine Loreña and Rachelle Ann Sayomac.


The group’s research was on “Parasite Larvae in Soil Samplesfrom Brgy. Calaparan, Arevalo, Iloilo City.” The members defended their study in front of a panel composed of microbiologists coming from within and outside the country.


The contest had three categories: high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels. Each contesting group was given ten minutes to present its study and to defend the same in an open forum – where the panelists, other contestants and other research advisers were allowed to critique the study and ask questions. “I think what is best in our study is that it is new – we have used a modified Baermann technique for the experiment; and it has greater benefit to the public: there is still hope for parasitism incidence in Iloilo to be controlled or lowered now that we have found out the reason why this is so,” Gallinero stressed.


The group had three months (June-August 2009) to finish the study as part of the requirements of the research subject under Professors Christine Villanueva and Lerma Paris, who also served as the group advisers.

Augustinian accredited as psychometrician

AUGUSTINIAN Joy Yongque-Robles, university guidance counselor, was accredited as

Psychometrician by Behavioral Dynamics, Inc. after passing the test given in Cebu City early this year. She received the accreditation on 19 February 2010.

Yongque-Robles took the examination as official representative of the University,
and, in her capacity as In-Charge of Psychological Testing at the Guidance Services Office. As a Psychometrician, she is now qualified to procure psychological testing materials at level A.

She is qualified, as well, to administer and interpret results
for said tests. Level A testing materials refer to all psychological tests, except
clinical tests. Behavioral Dynamics, Inc.’s accreditation of Yongque-Robles also means the accreditation of the University of San Agustin as an institution.

CBAA mentor is outstanding business educator

EFRAIN Francis Encanto, a faculty member of the College of Business Administration and Accountancy (CBAA), was named national finalist in the 2010 Search for Outstanding Business Educators by the Philippine Council of Deans and Educators in Business (PCDEB).

Encanto received the award on 12 March at the Lyceum University in Intramuros, Manila. All the finalists were from Luzon, except Encanto who hails from Iloilo.
With the theme “Beyond the Bottom Line: Our Social Responsibility and Commitment,”
the 2010 national search awarding ceremonies coincided with the 9th Annual PCDEB Conference and 3rd Business Education-Industry Summit.

“The students must dig for knowledge and the teachers must be prepared for it,” Encanto said in an interview. He added, “The trophy of a teacher comes when he
is able to see the good contributions of this learner (to the community).”

Encanto served as president of the Rotary Club of Jaro (2005-06) and of Rotary International District 3850 (2009-10). He was as coordinator of the management
department (1995-98) and is a loyalty awardee of the University of San Agustin.
The national search was for the fields of accountancy, economics, entrepreneurship, finance marketing, office administration and management.

CoEd regains Level III accreditation

THE Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP)confirmed the Level III status of the College of Education (CoEd) in December 2009. “I am overwhelmed with the results after the rigorous preparation,” CoEd Dean Alex B. Facinabao stated. “Bringing back the Level III status is the greatest achievement we’ve got since this is my first (term for the) deanship. It was really a challenge for me.”

Established in 1977, FAAP is the umbrella organization of all accrediting agencies in the Philippines.

It is authorized by the Commission on Higher Education
(CHED) to certify the quality levels of accredited programs at the tertiary level for the purpose of granting progressive deregulation and other benefits. “The
Philippine Association of Accrediting Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) recommends the status of all institutions to FAAP, until it confirms the results,” said Ms. Gladys Confesor, Accreditation and Quality Assessment Office Executive
Secretary.”

When asked about his future plans for the college, Facinabao stresses he wants to maintain the Level III status by improving instruction, research and
community extension; by making the passing percentage for LET at least 75 per cent; and, by achieving accreditation for the following courses: B.S. in Library
Sciences, B.S. in Hotel and Restaurant Management and B.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics.

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