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Ang sarap maging Atenista. Ateneans have different reasons for saying such a statement. Ramon L. Cualoping III (AB COM 04), states his, “The Ateneo has taught me how to laugh and to cry. Ang sarap maging Atenista. Bar none.”

When it comes to school spirit, few can compare to Mon Cualoping. The die-hard supporter, who once shaved his head because of a losing streak by the Blue Eagles, can always be seen cheering his heart out in UAAP games. Mon’s passion for the Ateneo though, goes well beyond basketball and way more than just Ateneo sports.

Coming from a family of Ateneans, Mon describes himself as Jesuit-bred. After studying in Xavier School in Greenhills for grade school, Mon’s family moved to Mindanao where he ended up as a high school student at the Ateneo de Davao. College marked his return to Luzon as a Communication major of the Ateneo de Manila.
As a Comm graduate, Mon fulfilled his college dream of working in the advertising industry. After graduation he ended up in J. Walter Thompson, worked for GMA Network’s Corporate Communication’s department, and went back to advertising for Ogilvy and Mather. Come February, he will start working for a pharmaceutical company.

Despite working for different companies in just a few years after his graduation, Mon says he still goes back to the basic concepts he learned in Comm. “Until now I go back to the PR modules that Sev (Sarmenta) gave us before. Sometimes once you’re working you overcomplicate things, but when you go back to the basics, and you approach it in the simplest manner, you get to execute things better.”

His course, Mon says, was the biggest influence and had the biggest impact on his “super-enjoy” college life. For Mon and for his blockmates, Comm wasn’t just a series of classes taught in the classroom, it was a way of life. “It’s the way you talk, the way you interact with people, the way you observe people.”

Back then, Mon and his friends, all of them in the Ad and PR track, would often visit Starbucks to observe people. “Observe kami nang observe, how they do things, how they respond to things and eventually it led me into doing great things inside the college.”

In his junior year, ACOMM was formed and many from Mon’s block ended up joining the organization. Mon didn’t join though because he was busy organizing a new group. Along with a former blockmate who had just shifted out, Osmond Ong (BS Comtech ’04), Mon founded Partido Agila.

One afternoon, Mon challenged Osmond to run for Sanggunian. Osmond was the president of the Ateneo College Ministry Group (ACMG) at that time and was being asked to run for SOA cluster president.

“At that time, the Sanggunian did not have any political parties. It was really a coalition. The individuals running for office had no concrete vision,” he says. “We always had hopes for a better Philippines, a better country, to help the country as individuals, as students, as Ateneans.”

After thinking about it over the Christmas break, the two friends decided it was time for the Ateneo to have a political party that would serve as a backbone for future leaders. It was a political party, he says, that would create leaders not only for the Sanggunian but for the various Ateneo organizations.

Three weeks after, membership of Partido Agila grew from just Osmond and Mon to 70 members. With their election line-up complete, Partido Agila joined the elections with Mon running for Secretary-General. Even though he lost to future UAAP courtside reporter Chinie Canivel (BS ME 05), Mon continued to be an active member of Partido Agila. During his senior year, Mon also headed the Namfrel and Ateneo Sanggunian joint project Oplan Halalan 2004, which not only raised awareness but helped in the tabulation of election results.

Mon has continued to be connected to Partido Agila and continues to give the party advice and encouragement. As a Comm major well-aware of the importance of public perception, he reminds them to always take care of their image as problems with perception can bring them down.

When he wasn’t busy with Partido Agila, Mon’s free time was spent online. Mon would spend two hours a day browsing forums and reading everything and anything related to Ateneo.

“When I was in college, I’d spend my online time reading atenista.net since I loved all things about the Ateneo. Hindi lang basketball. Mas known lang yung mahilig ako sa basketball kasi iyon ang pinakasikat,” he explains.

Even after graduation, Mon’s interest for everything Ateneo-related, basketball included, continued. After a conflict arose in atenista.net which prompted the regular posters to move to a new site in gameface.ph, Mon realized that there was a need for new forum site.

“The problem with gameface was that it was purely dedicated to basketball. There are so many things to be discussed about the Ateneo, why just focus on basketball?” This led Mon to set-up, along with other Ateneo alumni, animoateneo.com.

Animoateneo uses the tagline “Ang sarap maging Atenista.” Mon and his friends started using the term when they were watching UAAP games back in college.

“‘Ang sarap maging Atenista’ is like a creative handle of a certain feeling. When you say Ateneo is number one, a lot of people will argue, but no one can argue with your feeling. When you say you love a person, you love that person,” he says. “No matter what your parents say, that’s what you feel. That’s the feeling. Ang feeling na ang sarap maging Atenista. Walang makapantay.”

And in the same intensity as his passion for anything Ateneo, Mon proudly declares how he loves the course he says has given him a great life.

No doubt. If I would repeat my college life, Comm pa rin. Walang ibang course.” COMMotion

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Having served this publication as Associate Editor over the last couple of months I am now considering a demotion.

It has nothing to do with being remiss of my responsibilities or that my commitment to the publication is in question. I guess this writer just wanted to write more and shy away from the possibility of bludgeoning articles, which would have been fun but quite unnecessary in COMMotion. Without a doubt, a demotion to ordinary staff writer will serve my purpose greatly.

Now free of my editorial obligations, I can devote my time and energy to my new-found passion: Travel writing.

Aside from taking me to all sorts of places both wonderful and mundane, travel writing has given me a chance to (re)connect with the city or whatever place in a different light while the stuff of my future memoirs slowly fill my leather-bound portfolio.

Taking hints from the COMMpass articles I edited, my adventures around the metro begun to take shape. The Pasig River Ferry Service, the “Cruise for Juan de la Cruz” I called it, allowed me a glimpse of the metro from its first nautical highway. From the oil depots of Pandacan, Santa Ana’s majestic riverside estates, children and teenagers splashing about naked in the murky waters and the beautiful yet crumbling edifices along the once-fashionable Escolta, the Pasig cruise allows one to reflect on the way things were and hazard a guess on where we are leading towards.

When I was sent to Cubao’s Fiesta Carnival, which was already derelict and abandoned, chills trickled up my neck as the remnants of childhood memories were scattered all over. Rust slowly eating up the mangled steel frames of rides, a clown with holes for eyes and his nose cracked open like the shell of a red egg greeted passers-by as the stench of burnt diesel filled the air.

All around enigmatic Cubao, the mysterious and exotic defies even the keenest of senses. It changes and spins at dizzying speeds, at first an artist’s haven then a bargain center for shoes, furniture and do-it-yourself household fixes, all this as the unusual tide of blue, green, red, yellow and maroon flows in and out accompanied by the thunderous roar of drums.

It is in both examining the different ingredients of each place – the sights, sounds, smells and tastes – and savoring the bigger picture that an exciting gastronomic adventure, literally and figuratively, begins.

Perhaps this provinciano from the sugar baronies of Negros wanted to do more than check grammar, nix articles and clean up copies, he wanted to go places and write about what most jaded residents and natives no longer see – the chaotic beauty of the big city.

So until my next travel assignment, this is not “adios,” it is “hasta luego.”

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After squeezing calamansi juice over a plateful of juicy minced pork cheeks and adding several onion slices to it, a delicious aroma filled the air as the mixing caused the oils to ooze from the succulent meat. And with a bowl of rice, Peydro’s Sisig (Los) Angeles was perfection.

This was how the lowly sisig was served at Peydro’s Sosi Street Food and it would have taken super human powers to resist it. A breath of fresh air in the world of culinary masterpieces, Peydro’s is here to stay.

Lost in the labyrinth of the SM Mall of Asia and further dwarfed by familiar chain stores that border, Peydro’s is literally a greasy hole-in-the-mall. Although definitely small in terms of size compared to the other establishments, Peydro’s is difficult to miss. The contradicting words, “sosi,” a Pinoy slang for high class, and street food alone, are enough to make a passerby stop, take a second look, be pulled inside and perhaps sample everything.

Being so tiny, the restaurant only has three tables set up inside and two outside. We, my mom, brother and I, were lucky enough to be seated inside and were able to concentrate on the food instead of being distracted by the endless display of Peydro’s chef’s culinary acrobatics which could be seen more clearly on the restaurant’s window.

As my mom and my brother pondered over the menu, I scanned the restaurant’s interior. It tried its best to maintain a kalye aura with roof seams on the walls, a street lamp in the corner, and picnic benches as tables. However, with the way the elements were pieced together and with the red and green color scheme, everything seemed to be rustic, thereby falling short of the natural street ambiance.

Of course, I was intrigued how anyone can make the street-branded isaw gourmet save for serving it on a shiny, ceramic platter. I was disappointed, however, when I browsed through the menu, I discovered that the more popular roadside goodies such as isaw (chicken or pork innards), adidas (chicken feet), betamax (solidified chicken blood), and walkman (chicken head) were nowhere to be found in their carte du jour. Instead, Peydro‘s opted for the safer fish balls (dubbed fish bowl), Pancit Malabon (nicknamed Pancit ng Taga Fort), and banana cue (evolved into banana cue flambé), among others.

There was also a sprinkling of foreign comfort food such as hotdogs and chili dogs. For someone who has sworn off the decadence of meat, eating here would be like mortal sin. But since Peydro’s was relatively new, my mom and my brother decided to make the best of this “gourmet” experience by ordering everything in the menu—from the array of bowla-bowla, rice bowls, different kinds of pancit, sandwiches, and a variety of desserts.

I gladly shoveled through the squid bowl and fish bowl which barely resembled the squid balls and fish balls normally offered on the roadside. The Pancit ng Taga-Fort, meanwhile, tasted exactly like the regular Pancit Malabon.

I didn’t eat anything before going to Peydro’s because I wanted to freely indulge myself to everything. However, it was not my appetite that held me back but a serious conviction to vegetarianism. More than half the food that was scattered on the table was meat. The lechon manok, the Sisig (Los) Angeles, which was basically ordinary sisig served in a fancy dish, and the kwek-kwek coated with ground meat instead of the standard orange flour were a different story altogether.

Their appetizing fragrance and presentation, however, won over my conviction—this time. I bravely poked the meat-covered kwek-kwek with my fork, and took a small bite. I don’t pretend to be a food connoisseur. On the contrary, my judgment for what’s delicious is limited simply to what is edible and what is not. But let me just say that my bites became bigger and more convinced.

The only problem with the kwek-kwek was that the egg has been frozen for too long and it showed. That probably made the lechon manok, cooked like barbecued chicken, taste even better than it actually was.

After that I sampled some dessert. I focused my attention on the banana cue flambé which, ironically, was not flaming at all, nor did it even have a hint of alcohol. Flambé is food cooked in flaming liquor. It certainly did not resemble the ordinary banana cue. It looked more like warm bananas clumped together with a film of super hard and sticky crystallized sugar, complemented with two scoops of vanilla ice cream.

Fearing that we might end up breaking a tooth or two, we gave up eating or shall I say wrestling with the bananas and ended up sharing the ice cream instead. Except for the gumminess and hardness of the flambé, it was actually quite good.

The place being sosi, the prices would likewise be sosi. They were nowhere near as cheap as the ones we find on the streets. The prices range from P80 to P150 a dish. Although we left the Peydro’s with our pockets considerably lighter and our stomachs several inches bigger, Peydro’s is definitely worth a visit.

The experience did not make me a meat convert but once in a while, if something interesting like Peydro’s turn up, a bite here and there of poultry, pork and beef would be most welcome. If you’re craving for a bite of street food, visit Peydro’s and try their jazzed-up version, served in a fancier setting sans the ubiquitous elements we hate so much in the streets and you just might come back for more. COMMotion

Photos by Finness Calacal

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COMM MAJORS usually find their niche in any of these four tracks: advertising, journalism, media studies, or production. There is one more field, however, where they shine. It involves bright lights, background music, good acting, and sometimes, a standing ovation.

Indeed, for Marvin Ong—Blue Repertory’s lead actor for its upcoming play Batboy—the stage is just another medium where effective communicators can share stories and effect change. COMMotion finds out how this sophomore Comm major relates everything about theater to Comm, how music is also a language, and how he wants to inspire people through what he loves doing most.

COMMotion: How did you audition for Batboy?

Marvin Ong: At first I really didn’t want to audition, because during the first sem, I wanted to rest because I was burned out in theater. Pero my friend told me, “Uy bagay ka dun sa part. Why don’t you try?” Sabi ko, sige try ko, wala namang mawawala sa akin.

I didn’t know what to sing on the day itself, I just decided na I’d sing this song from this play called Whistle Down the Wind. I thought the song kinda sounded like a song from Batboy. I knew the director, Robby, since I was nine or ten…and I heard was he’s a perfectionist type talaga. So when I sang during auditions, di ‘ko na-notice na I was freezing. I was singing with no emotions na kasi sobrang sakit na ng katawan ko tapos parang nanginginig na ko. First time ko na-experience yun, dahil sa Batboy na yan (laughs).

C: As a course, was Comm something you’ve wanted before college?

M: My original course was Creative Writing, but then, I think I can express myself more when I talk directly to people, rather than writing. It transmits faster, of course, when you talk. Creative writing though is a private matter—ikaw lang ang makababasa. But when you talk, everybody can hear you.
I like theater. I like public speaking. So I thought, how about I’ll go to Comm? Since I have a background in theater, maybe Comm is the course for me. I like film, I like recording, tinkering with stuff…and I found out that Comm is very, very broad, in a sense na you can go to theater, you can go to newscasting, production, journalism. I love the media, so that’s why I ended up in Comm.

I chose the production track. I like to make things, and direct things. I find that production has a creative side also. For example, sa photography class ko. You learn not only how to shoot a photograph, but how to see intricate patterns, images, details, things that don’t seem beautiful in your environment. [Production] brings out and hones my creativity.

C: You sing very well. Was it something you trained for when you were a kid?

M: I wasn’t trained by my parents. I found out that I could sing when I was, like, four. We had a karaoke laser disc at home. I always put it on, and I found out na I could actually imitate yung boses ng mga kumakanta ng “I Swear.” Grade four nagstart na ako mag-Trumpets [a theater organization].

C: So you were a Trumpets member from then on?

M: Tuloy-tuloy siya hanggang grade seven or first year high school. Eventually, when I was in grade seven or grade six, Trumpets made this thing called The Playshop Kids. It’s a children’s group, like a boyband. We were composed of three boys and three girls. We had a lot of shows and we had an album out for Dunkin Donuts’ Handog Pamasko. That’s when you buy a box of 12 donuts, you get a free CD. We were the first artists to be featured in that CD.

When I got here, I really wanted to join BlueRep, but it struck me as a non-professional org at first sight. Kasi galing nga ako sa professional theater, so pagtingin ko sa Blue Rep, it was not the same.

Then they called for auditions for High School Musical. And I said, sige na, wala namang mawawala sa akin eh, I’ll give it a try, so I tried out. I was considered for Troy, but unfortunately they found me too short. They shuffled the roles around, and they found me fit to be Jack Scott—a new character in the High School Musical theater premiere.

From there I had several rackets for Blue Rep, and then I found out that, wow, this org is really professional. Slowly, you’ll love the org. There are some instances that the org that the org pushes you to the brink of you getting pissed at the org. Haha! But you’ll come back and love it. You’re tiring yourself for the love of theater. For the love of art. That is something I can’t take away from myself, because the first few good experiences in my life were found in theater.

C: As a Comm major and a member of Blue Rep, how do you relate the two?

M: Well, for one, Blue Rep has many Comm majors. I can relate to Comm kasi I’m a storyteller by nature. I grew up in theater. Theater is a form of communication. It is a way to tell a story and to deliver a message to an audience, only through different means. Through musicals, through songs, I can deliver a message. For example, in Batboy, we have the message of embracing the freak in yourself, embracing what is unique in you, even though people think you are weird.

C: What do you love most about theater?

M: I love that you can play around with it. You can be whoever you want to be sa mga roles mo. You can be a contrabida na hindi mo magagawa in real life. I can be a monster in theater. You have different choices. The limitation is only in you.

I like the musicals because I like songs, I like to sing. In my opinion, you can’t be a good singer if you don’t know how to act. Because the song itself has emotions diba? (Sings) “You’re the meaning in my life, you’re the inspiration…” kapag kinanta mo yun with a blank face, hindi maganda. So you have to act it out din. I find the singers who do this very good, especially the African-American singers. They have this thing eh, they have soul. Alicia Keys has it, Brian McKnight has it. I love the soul of theater.

Another thing I like about theater is the relationships. For example, what if I sang here in the middle of the field? Lahat ng tao diba titingin sa akin, parang, what the hell is this guy doing? In Blue Rep, you sing out loud, you do whatever you want, you’re accepted, because…it’s them. It’s our environment, the way we are. We’re very spontaneous people.

C: Can you see yourself without theater?

M: No. I cannot be Marvin Ong without theater. It’s where I grew up, since I was four. And singing has been a language to me, it’s really universal. You can touch people’s hearts with it. I like affecting people in a good way. I see music and theater as a means of inspiring other people.
This track, this course, allows you so much avenues [of expression], ang dami talagang pwedeng puntahan sa Comm. It nurtures your creativity and hones you to become a better person. And I love it because of that. COMMotion

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 Sometimes you love it and sometimes you hate it. One day it makes you feel good and on other days it drives you crazy. Whatever your reason is, there are just some things you can’t live without . Find out what things make these Comm majors go bipolar.

“Cursing. I love it in a sense that it makes me feel free and it gives more impact when I express how I feel; I hate the fact though that it’s considered bad, and it isn’t exactly a good habit.” – Hallsy Al-Taie

“Money, coz money is the root of all evil; however, we cannot avoid the fact that we NEED it.” – Nina Concepcion

“Love and relationships. It’s hard to live with them, you can’t live without them.” – KP Lee

“Food. Yummy but fattening.” – Charlie Coralejo

“Parents – I love them because they gave a lot of effort in every aspect of my life. I ‘hate’ them because they sometimes don’t give me what I want or they don’t want to listen when I explain.” – Keshia Fule

“Sleeping, because I escape reality and see fantasies come true through my dreams; however, I hate it because sometimes, I use it as an excuse as why I can’t be productive with school work!” – Alisa Robin

“College, eh kasi hassle kasi school, pero iyong crowd at yung freedom masaya!” – Dijo Songco

“Performing in front of a crowd, I really love it, because I basically enjoy it in the end anyway, but then I really hate how scared I am of it!” – Jussy Peña

“French fries, I love them because they’re good, but I also hate them because they’re loaded with too much oil, preservatives, carbs, and everything else bad for the body.” – Erika Valdez

“School, because it brings brighter future for me but at the same time it is so hectic and pressured!” – Chio Cebrero

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AT 1:15 pm, after doing her Balitanghali newscast—which, on that day as usual, was peppered with politics old and dirty—she freshens up and remembers the safe, green, breezy place that is the Ateneo.

She begins, “I love the campus.”

After all, Ma. Pia Concepcion Arcangel (AB Comm ‘00) is a shining daughter of the Ateneo—she was president of its Debate Society, was its UAAP courtside reporter, and now anchors Balitanghali on QTV 11, hosts Art Angel, and reports for GMA News.

“Do you still call it the Quad?” asks Pia, referring to what is now known as the Zen Garden. It was her favorite, recalling the Glee Club and their hymns come Christmas time, and the Christmas lights hanging from the trees.

In the network that used to sport a similar tagline, there was this tune in the background: from the alma mater song, “This is the place where we belong.”

Shy Comm major
Pia wasn’t originally a Comm major. She came from Development Studies and later went to Comm Tech. “Then I got a D in Accounting, so I figured this isn’t for me.”

She then shifted to Comm, where she thought, “It might be fun to work in TV.”

Her former professor, Sev Sarmenta, says that Pia was very popular because she was a debater. Her teacher in subjects like Radio Production and Broadcast Performance, Sarmenta adds, “You could tell that she was going to a broadcast career.”

He says, however, that Pia didn’t want to attract too much attention to herself. While part of a “very energetic” batch, says Sarmenta, “she was even a little shy.”

“But when you put a light on her with a camera, she just glowed. There are some people who just connect with the camera, and Pia was one of them.”

“We all have celebrity moments when we’re in front of the mirror,” quips Pia, recalling her high school days. But unlike other people, she would never sing nor act.

“I would just read the news.”

Memorable mentors
Good teachers have shaped her, influencing her in school and even at work.

“Si Sev, favorite ko siya (Sev is one of my favorites),” she says. “I really think that the things I learned from his class are the things that I am still using until now.”

She also likes Jim Paredes, her teacher in Creativity class. “Does he still teach?”

“Ah, Dr. Garcia, my Philo teacher. I still remember his lessons on the joy of living.”

And the legends like Fr. Adolfo Dacanay and Bobby Guevara of Theology—yes, she remembers them with fondness.

Well, they remember her too.

“She has one of the cutest laughs,” says Sarmenta, who is also ninong to her and her sportscaster husband, Mico Halili (AB Comm ’95)—Sarmenta’s student, too! “When you get her to laugh, she is going to make you smile because of her really funny laugh.”

“Boy, and she can eat also. Tell her I said that. She has a nice and healthy appetite. In Bacolod, we finished a lot of chicken there.”

“Niloloko niya ako,” a giggling Pia remarks. “Kasi nasasabayan ko sila so
na-sho-shock sila, nag-dessert pa ako after (He was teasing me. I caught up with them so they were shocked; I even took dessert).”

She is also surprised that Guevara—her Theology of Liberation teacher, who evoked memories of her immersion at Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija—still remembers her. Initially thinking otherwise, Pia remarks, “How sweet.”

Living the lessons
Now that this Eagle has landed in media, Pia applies her lessons from up in Loyola. In journalism, for example, where she is “always exposed to the bad side”—the victims of fire, dead people, violent rallies … the things she used to cover in the police beat—she remembers what her teachers said: “There is a reason why we are doing this.”

“Actually, my work is a great opportunity to live out what they teach us in Ateneo
to be men and women for others,” she says.

She enjoys, of course, an “Ateneo advantage,” when interviewees become friendlier upon learning that she’s an Atenean. But there’s also the other side of the coin when she suffers an “Ateneo disadvantage” – when some think that Ateneans are sosyal, coño, and unapproachable.

Pia advises, “Don’t think na just because Atenista ka, you’re gonna get special treatment.” “When I was in the Ateneo,” she says in Filipino, “I never had to walk in mud—in high heels!”

Flying high

“If you want to be a journalist,” Pia says, “just be prepared for anything.”

And she is, claims Sarmenta: “Aside from the fact that she looks good on television, she has a lot of gray matter between her ears; she is intelligent.” Proud as a father, he told her one time they met, “I always knew that you’ll go somewhere.”

If not too long ago, she was just journeying through the Comm Dept., then not too far from now, any Eagle can also go where the Art Angel flies. COMMotion

With reports from Dessa Jimenez
Photocourtesy of Ateneo Archives

—-

THE SUN was setting on the horizon, its last rays turning pink and orange as it sank deeper into the sky. Like a wheel that has run through the heavens, the sun prepared to give way to the incoming night.

In the darkness, something still shone, however. As dusk drew near, the Giant Wheel glimmered and sparkled, its busy lights mimicking the sun’s earlier journey above.

On ground, my companions and I waited in line. In front of us was the Flipper, a wheel of another kind: rapidly revolving and rotating, its orbit erratic as it either tilted high to the sky, or bent low to touch the ground. Each unexpected twist of the wheel elicited screams of mixed terror and joy, as riders clung to their seats for dear life.
It was too late when my companions and I found out that, unfortunately, the ride lived up to its name. After minutes of being tossed, hurled, and flipped in all directions imaginable, we were never more thankful to have gotten through the experience
alive.

On that cool Saturday afternoon, I, together with three companions, had journeyed to a place of many unforgettable weekend gimmicks and spontaneous getaways. We were at a place where childhood fears are reawakened and where youthful curiosity is revived anew. On that day, we were explorers, eager to experience our first taste of the newest carnival in town.

The Global Fun Carnival, which originates from Singapore, is a European-style carnival traveling through Asia. Claiming to be a world-class entertainment center and one of the safest in the world, it boasts thirteen rides, six attractions, and many game booths that, of course, visitors will surely enjoy.

Although immensely popular among children and adults alike, the carnival, located beside the Mall of Asia, will only operate in the Philippines for a limited time: from October 27, 2007, to January 15, 2008.

In general, most of the carnival’s rides are for children; a few are not for the faint of heart. The Roller Coaster, for example, definitely belongs to the former: the scariest thing that happened on our ride there was a companion losing a cap after it flew off his head. The Flipper, on the other hand, belonged to the latter: after riding it, we lost our sanity, balance, poise, and sense of direction.

Lightheaded, the three of us—Allan, Austin, and I—sat on a long bench, right beside these glittering posts shaped like Christmas trees, to try to gain our senses back. Unfortunately, we also sat beside this PDA-ing couple who seemed not to care that we were there. I wished Diwa, our photographer, was there to capture their moment.

After a while, we searched for another (safe) ride we could try. We could hear the shrill sounds of an ambulance from the distance, and sure enough, the sounds came from a ride with helicopters going around and around. It was called TeleCombat.
Going aboard, Austin discovered that TeleCombat was not only a ride that goes round and round; it has controls enabling the rider to go up and down as well. Amazing—for children.

The ride was, nevertheless, ideal for a nice view of the place. I didn’t mind going around in circles; the view was incredible, anyway. As we went up, down, and around, the carnival started lighting up. The place suddenly went ablaze with a spectrum of lights: brilliant attractions, sparkling booths, and glittering rides.

The Giant Wheel’s lights danced, and often, formed the shape of the sun; the Carousel gently sparkled along with its music. In a constellation of the carnival’s festival of lights, these two were the biggest stars, shining brightest of them all.

While I was thoroughly enjoying this visual display, however, Allan looked quite pale and nauseous. Worried that he might throw up any minute, I willed the ride to stop.

We retreated for a while to the carnival’s food court, where they sold typical carnival fare: hotdogs, sweet corn, popcorn, burgers, and cotton candy. Austin was raring to try each food item that looked good; we weren’t supposed to eat though, not until we tried most of the rides in the carnival. It took incredible willpower not to buy anything yet, unless we wanted to throw up later.

There were a number of good rides we haven’t tried yet. When we first entered the carnival, we wanted to try the Ranger: an arc that swings in full, 360-degree circles. The ride seemed exciting—the arc pauses for five seconds while passengers were upside-down in the air, before swinging again. After being violently hurled in different directions on the Flipper, however, being turned upside-down didn’t sound so good.

We then decided to ride the Great Wheel, which is actually just an abnormally tall Ferris wheel with lights. Austin and I were okay with riding the wheel; Allan, though, admitted that he was afraid of slow-moving rides over ten feet high.

Before we could even bully Allan to ride the Giant Wheel, however, he abruptly announced that he lost his wallet. We spent a good fifteen minutes looking for it, before concluding that it was not lost, but rather, stolen. Nifty fingers, it seemed, did not spare carnivals.

Well, that instance may have ruined the day, but it didn’t. Allan was one very lucky guy, having lost a cap and wallet and almost throwing up earlier on, but amazingly, he wasn’t that upset. Shrugging off the loss (the wallet was valued more for sentimental reasons), we rode a few more of the rides—the Bumper Car, the Giant Wheel, and the Wave Swinger.

The Wave Swinger is a giant, multiple swing set that goes around in high circles. I didn’t like it at first, because it looked scary. I rode it anyway, though, because Allan rode the Giant Wheel and I didn’t want to be called chicken.
To survive the ride, I screamed my lungs out, cried, and held tightly to the swing handles because my life depended on it. Meanwhile, Allan yelled in apparent enjoyment, while Austin cheered and posed a la Superman flying high into the clouds. The song being played was Flying Without Wings. No kidding.

The carnival was full of the sights and sounds of many people by then. We ate (Austin eating five times more our servings), conversed for a while, and then decided to call it a day.

I would like to say we went home and all was well after that, but no, it wasn’t.

Apparently, Allan’s lucky streak hasn’t ended yet. On our way out of the parking lot, the car’s wheels sank deep into the soft mud, not just once but twice. We were trapped, and were left with no choice but to call a tow truck and wait.

We got out after two hours.

On those two hours, I remember how we agonized and laughed about the car’s stuck wheels; I remember how the lights of the Giant Wheel shone brightly on the horizon, seemingly taunting us on our situation. The carnival wouldn’t let us leave, Austin joked. Conversely, in a few weeks, the carnival would be gone, along with the memories of our misadventures.

After the sun has set, after the wheel has made its final turn, we know that this day, however, will be remembered: not only for the fun, but also for the unexpected adventure—of flying without wings, of losing and finding, of seeing (despite the mishaps) each cloud’s silver lining. COMMotion

Photos by Diwa Tiongson

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A LOT of her friends say Jessica Mendoza’s perfect. And it’s not difficult to see why. With brains, beauty and talent all tucked under her belt, it’s no wonder why people who know her see Je as the complete package.

While most high school seniors are already happy to pass the ACET, Je can actually claim of topping it. And with the right amount of charm complimenting her already evident beauty, it’s a no-brainer why she has already appeared in a couple of print and television advertisements and has managed to earn the admiration of most of her peers. Her abilities to host, sing, write and lead, as she proves time and again as a member of Blue Repertory and Sanggunian, shows that apparently, one person can indeed have it all.

Commotion took time out to talk to the merit scholar and dean’s lister and discovered that even for someone like Jessica the search to be a more complete and well-rounded individual never stops. Here Je talks about why she chose to be a Comm major, the pressure of ranking number 1 in the ACET, her Christmas favorites and how life is about more than just getting good grades.

COMMotion: What was your initial reaction when you discovered that you ranked number 1 in the ACET?

Jessica: That’s funny because up to now I haven’t confirmed it yet and it’s just people telling me that I did top the Acet. I wasn’t told about it officially so I don’t want to confirm anything because I don’t know where it came from. They say it’s official. I was surprised. I couldn’t believe at first that I got the scholarship. I was happy but I was surprised.

C: Did that kind of achievement pressure you to perform in a certain level during college?

J: Yeah, a little bit. Kasi parang I felt na (Because I felt that), you know, especially with people saying those things it’s like they expect you to be a certain way. Academically they expect you to achieve the really high standards. It was a little bit uncomfortable because I don’t really like having a standard. My parents never set one for me.

C: You’re part of Blue Rep and you’ve also modeled for some TV and print ads. It seems that you’re really comfortable performing in front of people or in front of the camera. Were you always a performer as a child?

J: I have all these pictures of me when I was a kid. And my parents would always say that when I was a kid I liked to pose in front of the camera. But even like today when I have to perform, I still get stage fright. I still get nervous but I really enjoy it.

C: What has been your favorite performing experience so far? It can either be in a play or an advertisement.

J: It’s a different experience, being in a live play. And I haven’t really done a lot of plays, just a couple when I was younger. (For advertisements) There are two. The first one was for a photo shoot for Meg. It was the first time I got to do a fashion ed. It’s like three or four pages. That was a lot. I really enjoyed that because I liked the clothes. I was surprised I got it because they just texted me, because I have a few contacts in Meg. And the other one is the first commercial that I really remember doing. I used to do one when I was a kid.

C: Aside from handling academics and BlueRep, you’re also part of Sanggu, so that must be a pretty hectic schedule, what are the things you do to relax and to have fun?

J: I go out on weekends with my friends definitely. Parang you know, you do a lot of stuff during the week and then I like to make it a point that my Friday nights and my Saturday nights… I want to go out. I’m not going to study. I don’t care.

C: You seem to be like a guy’s dream girl… beauty, brains, talents and that really cute smile. What does a guy have to do to make Jessica Mendoza fall in love with him?

J: Be himself. I haven’t really been looking, but in general, I like guys who are friendly and smart.

C: You seem to have a good combination of everything but if you could have one more talent or one more ability, what would it be and why?

J: I would want to have really, really great voice and to be a really good musician. Music… it’s my frustration.

C: If there was one thing you would change about yourself, what would that be?

J: Sometimes I wish that I didn’t put so much into school. I wish I could put more into the things that… there are things that matter beyond school, right, and I wish I could have the guts to go out and do those things too because sometimes I’m just scared kasi na parang I’m relying so much on the grades that I get. I wish I wasn’t like that.

C: Are there any other specific things aside from school that you think you really need to give more time and effort to?

J: My talents. It seems like I’m giving it time because I’m in BlueRep but I feel like I’m not really pushing myself as hard as I should if I really, really want this. I’m just torn between what is expected. You are expected to do well in school but then half the time, if you really want to do something like sing, learn to sing or learn to act really well, you’d have to invest a lot too and I don’t know if I have the guts to give up a little bit of acads for that.

C: Going back to academics, you got the highest score in the ACET and that basically means that you could have gone to any course that you wanted to, and yet you chose to go to Comm. What do you think that says about Comm majors?

J: I don’t understand why people go ‘and yet you chose’… why? I mean, I think Comm is a great course. In all the schools, I didn’t choose any course but Comm. That’s why I chose Comm because that’s what I wanted. Just because you can choose any course you want, you’re going to choose ME. Ang hirap-hirap noon. (That’s very difficult) Mag-aaral ako ng (I’d have to study) Math.. Yuck! And I’m not a good business person.

C: What’s the thing you love most about Comm?

J: It has everything I was looking for in a course. It has writing which I like. It has speaking which I like. And the people in it are great. They have the same kind of energy. They like the same things. It’s a good course. Teachers are cool, too.

C: Christmas is just around the corner so I’ll ask you to fill in the blanks about some Christmas favorites. Favorite Christmas food?

J: Do drinks count? My lola (grandmother) makes this old fashioned hot chocolate, yung tsokolate talaga, and I love that. I look forward to that every Christmas.

C: Christmas symbol?

J: Christmas tree. I’m not a big fan of wreaths. I like the tree. My mom, she makes career (works hard on) the tree every year. Actually, this year we have three Christmas trees – Papa, Mama and Baby trees.

C: Please finish the following sentences for us. We never knew Jessica Mendoza was afraid of…

J: Actually, I’m shy. I like meeting of people but at the same time I’m scared of that. You can say in a way that I’m afraid of rejection. When I meet new people, I try really, really hard especially in college, for example nung freshman Orsem. I was trying extra hard to be really out there otherwise I’d just be quiet. I’m just scared of meeting new people.

C: The best gift to give Je this Christmas is…

J: Alcohol… Wala, company. I like to spend time with my friends and my family.

C: I talked to your friends and a lot of them labeled you as perfect. In one sentence, how would you describe Jessica Mendoza.

J: I am nowhere near perfect but I try to be a good person to other people, to my friends and I try my best. COMMotion

Photos by Hub Pacheco

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EVERY DECEMBER, Santa works overtime to complete his (in)famous list. No one knows who makes the cut—that’s a big, big secret everyone finds out only on Christmas Eve. These bold Comm majors confess whether they’ve been on their best behavior this year or if they deserve to get some nasty spanking from Santa!

Fidz Pamintuan – “Nice. I tried being naughty, but it’s just not in my nature”

Charlie Coralejo – “Nice. I change people’s lives.”

Franz Garay – “Naughty! Because I want all the gifts to myself!”

Anna Cristina Manalastas – “Both! I’m not consistent but I’d have to say naughty—nice naughty.”

Mari Collinares – “I’m naughty for thinking that I’m nice.”

Vica Hernandez – “Naughty—I’ve been shirking my responsibilities and my grades are a total mess.”

Kara Mendoza – “Nice, of course! Because I stuck to my New Year’s resolution which was to lose weight. I learned to share food… and the calories!”

Geru Gotico – “I’m on Santa’s naughty list para maiba naman. I’m always on the nice list.”

Photos by Sasha Lim Uy

IT WAS 2002 and the Araneta Coliseum was filled with a sea of blue and green. Drums thundered and cheers volleyed from each side’s galleries as the archrivals battled it out for the Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Basketball Championship. As the final buzzer sounded, the Blue Eagles emerged victorious and ended its 14-year title drought.

It has been seven long years since Mico Halili (AB Comm ’95) was seated at courtside not as mere spectator but as play-by-play commentator of ABS-CBN Sports. It has been seven long years but the exhilarating feeling of winning it all remains fresh in his mind.

Although he now enjoys his work as sports commentator for the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Mico says that covering the first and third games of the 2002 Finals are the highlights of his career. Indeed, he will be remembered for being the voice that proclaimed that the Blue Eagles are once again the kings of the UAAP.

“When I watched the tape, I was babbling idiotic things,” he says. “As an Atenean, I’ve always dreamed of an Ateneo championship especially one over La Salle.”

Happy accidents

Mico confesses that he never planned to enter a career in sportscasting. He initially wanted to take up Fine Arts in the University of the Philippines so he could go into advertising, but after he found out he passed the Ateneo entrance exams, he took up Comm in the Ateneo.

“I was very, very poor in Math so I only had two choices: IS or Comm,” he says. “I said I’ll just choose Comm, so it was a happy accident for me.”

He had his beginnings in broadcasting as a reporter for the 5 AM news of then Sky Cable News and now ABS-CBN News Channel. This did not work for him because he wanted to have free reign on his hairstyle. After all, what is a newscaster without that neat, parted and combed hairdo?

When an opening came for sports reporting, he immediate grabbed it. “Since I was babble, I took the opportunity. My first assignment was to cover the UAAP opening. And I was doing it for three years as a Babble.”

It was during his Blue Babble Batallion days when Mico polished his journalistic tendencies. He didn’t write for any school publication but it was then when he learned to go to an event and capture the essence of the event. Since he was present in all the games, he made a habit of documenting what he saw and eventually learned different basketball jargon.

Comm mentors

For Mico, sportscasting is just like storytelling where he is the narrator and the viewers are

Sarmenta’s television production class stood out for Mico because for his final exam he proposed that ABS-CBN should cover UAAP basketball. This was in 1994 and after a couple of years, he would be part of Studio 23 covering the tournament.

“Everything I learned about sportscasting I basically learned from him and to this day, he’s very generous about giving advice and suggestions,” he says.

Aside from Sarmenta, Comm Department’s beloved MT (Mang Tony) helped Mico improve his organizational and technical skills.

“I owe my abilities of timing and editing to MT,” he says. “I did a lot of projects when he taught me to do shot lists. Before, I would go to editing without shot lists.”

He says that being a product of the old curriculum has forced him to look at the bigger picture before focusing on the details. “We may lack the technical know-how since our Comm Department isn’t the best equipped but the lack of technology forced students like me to think – think big first before we rely on technology.”

Higher league

Although he has been in this line of work for over 10 years, he believes that he’s not yet in the same league as Sarmenta or Joe Cantada.

“I’m already in the PBA and it’s very tempting to just say that there is no need to improve or learn but the toughest thing is to motivate yourself learn new things and to try to convince yourself that you’re not there yet,” he explains.

“Unless you improve you can go nowhere. Others will come in and can easily replace you,” he says.

And now that he’s a commentator for the PBA, Mico says that he feels blessed to be able to do something that is both fun and rewarding. Although he dons suits on the job, he still doesn’t feel like its work.

He considers himself lucky because not everyone gets to be a PBA commentator. “All the opportunities I’ve gotten in basketball, it wasn’t like I campaigned for it. I never thought I’d do something like commentating.”

“My early addiction to basketball prepared me for my career. It’s not my design but it kind of worked out,” Mico explains.

“I don’t think I chose basketball. Basketball chose me.” COMMotion