An Open Letter to Advocate Re. the Paragon's Maiden Issue L.E.

This letter was published in the Student Elections Special of the FEU Advocate. This is written with the hope to clear the issue.

A RESPONSE LETTER TO ERIK MACAPAGAL’S LETTER TO THE EDITOR

PUBLISHED IN THE PARAGON

First and foremost, I would like to thank the Advocate for accommodating my request to publish an open letter as a response to Erik Macapagal’s Letter to the Editor in the maiden issue of the Institute of Arts and Sciences’ the Paragon. Being a campus journalist myself, I understand and would like to remind the readers that this does not in any way mean that the Advocate supports my side. Nevertheless, I view this as an opportunity to clear the dark clouds beset upon me and the pioneer staff of the Paragon.

Before I go further, it is but necessary to inform you all that a couple of days after the release of the Paragon Maiden, I have set a meeting with Renel Tatlonghari, the Editor-in-Chief and informed him how I felt about the deceitful and speculative letter and asked if I could submit a letter of response to the publication to explain my side. My request was immediately granted. However, since Para is an institute-based publication, the funding for the next issue is of no assurance especially that the target date for the second issue is set on March. It is for this reason that this response is coursed through the Advocate.

* * *

Macapagal’s letter necessitates my immediate response as it contained in it lies and forced issues. While my concern for Para as its founding EIC is still burning within me, I have already given my full trust to Renel Tatlonghari, the new EIC and the rest of the editorial staff. I was shocked therefore upon reading Macapagal’s letter, which, aside from being uncalled for, contains in it factual errors which I would not like to believe to have been manipulated outwardly. I recognize from the very beginning that the end of the academic year 2007-2008 would mean the termination of our term in Para. With this though, I had taken necessary steps hopeful of a better leadership transition.

It was uncalled for because there was really no issue at all regarding what he called ‘alleged abrupt replacement’. Alleged is such a weak term. Not to mention, four (4) of my most industrious staff members were able to renew their affiliation and are fielded in the four important departments, which so to speak made me feel at ease and optimistic.

Specifically, I would like to correct and clarify factual errors presented, which in one way or another, made me appear in the negative light.

First, contrary to what Macapagal said, even before the academic year 2007-2008 started, I had already been contacting the Institute of Arts and Sciences Student Council. Since my term in the IASSC already ended (as the Auditor, SY 2006-2007) and the Paragon does not have a charter yet [thus the absence of independence, at least in choosing the Editorial Board and deciding on its recruitment processes], it is needed to coordinate with the mother organization, the IASSC, which would be re-proposing the project to OSACS. That time, I was hopeful that they would be continuing this noble endeavor of having an institute-wide publication which we [IASSC 2006-2007] named the Paragon. As a matter of fact, I was able to talk with Prof. Roger Bingculado, IASSC Adviser and Calvin Cortes, IASSC PRO (via SMS) who I thought will be the one in charge of the publication being the PRO. For the record, I was requesting a meeting with them so that I could officially pass on Paragon to their leadership and possibly discuss arrangements on how we plan to pursue it.

After several attempts, I was informed by Mr. Cortes that it is Macapagal who will be handling the Paragon. I then asked for his number and started contacting him. However, it was only last June 29, 2007 when we finally got the chance to talk. We held our meeting at the mini-conference of the Office of Student Affairs and Community Services, contrary to what Macapagal stated and I quote: during the first regular meeting of all the academic organizations presidents in the IASSC Office last July 21, 2007, I was given the opportunity to finally meet Mr. Uminga. Such a mental lapse concerning the date was condemning, as it may imply irresponsibility on my part. We met first at OSACS before the IASSC meeting which was held almost a month after; and such a meeting was agreed upon as it was the most convenient time for us to meet.

Secondly, I would like to correct Macapagal upon saying that “still after that meeting, none of them showed and so I finally ended the negotiation and concentrated in the new Paragon staff”. This is apparently a wrong claim since four pioneer staff writers were retained namely: Maureen Maquiddang, the News Editor, Donna Mae Catangay (Features Editor), Gabriel Angelo Kawada (Lay-Out Artist) and Jaana Joaquin (Literary Editor). Aside from them, other pioneer staffers namely: Clarice Ureta (II AB Mass Communication), Frauline Fuentes (II AB Literature), Roland Rainier Adriano (IV AB English Language) and Jessica Castro (IV AB Literature) sought for re-affiliation. Disheartening enough and much to my dismay, they were not given the opportunity to continue their service to the publication which they co-founded.

Finally, I would like to make it clear that, from the start of this academic year, I have decided not to continue my being the E-I-C, should I be re-appointed, since I was already heading a university-wide socio-civic organization known to all as the FEU Tamaraw Volunteers.

To end, I believe it is best to reiterate that we founded the Paragon out of the need for the voice of every FEU-IAS student to be heard. It is never and should not be a vehicle to advance any malicious intent or political motives. Journalists write to serve and to empower others. With this, I boldly condemn acts which would satisfy personal benefit to the detriment of what campus journalism stands for: balanced views,

As the founder of the Paragon, I would like to take this opportunity to declare to the FEU Community that while it seems late for us to have the publication, it is more than ready to take on the challenge of empowering not only the students but more significantly, the IAS and FEU administrators, in general, and the other members of our community. Excellence, as one of FEU’s core values, is something that we pursue. Not to mention, Paragon, in its literal sense, would mean model of excellence, an apt description of what the institute has become after 73 years.

Institute of Arts and Sciences is a dynamic community, one that caters to the entire university as a servicing institute. Just like any other system, ours is not perfect. With the Paragon though, rest assured that our collective goal to achieve and maintain excellence will forever be lit as long as it exists.

This letter is not written to humiliate the author of the Letter to the Editor of the Paragon maiden issue. It is, in its most sensible sense, intended as a reminder to everybody that campus journalism is a power granted to students: a power of the pen and the mind which must be paralleled with truth and fairness. I agree, with one dream and as one team, together we can make our community better.

God bless us all!

One in Student Empowerment,

(Signed)

JOHN PAUL C. UMINGA

Founding, Editor-in-Chief, The Institute of Arts and Sciences, The Paragon

2004-293581

(IV AB English Language)