UPCSA goes to Canyon Cove

The beach was great. The place was great (except for the overly priced food). The company was great too. I would love to go back there some time. I love the beach :3

alvene and pam

my roomies

h4b :)

best buds

the org - c.s.a.

Summer Cleaning

All that stress in school resulted to these! (can you believe it?!)

And this is another story...I am glad I am officially turning these over to my successor......It's a crap load of files from CSA...For you, Alvene, with love and guidance..hehe :)

One Half and One Fourth Love

"Appear disappear, one half, one fourth, one fourth, one half, disappear, appear."

All photos by Tiffany Chua, using her new MacBook :)

I was with one half of the incoming execomm (Alvene, Tiff, Thea, Merryan), and one fourth of the outgoing one (Kim, Laureen), plus Chris and Harrell, at Fazoli's Eastwood for dinner. We bonded over stories, food, and "ducks" instead of bridge (woah), which is the perfect CSA Bonding Experience (CBE)

This duck?? o.O

Nah, not this rubber ducky...but a board game:P

(Photo from: www.tubz.net)

I was as excited as Tiffy for her new MacBook! Welcome to the club new MacHead! Newb! (joke!) And now Kim, Laureen, Alvene and P want one...convert people, convert! :P

UP CSA Election Results

President:

Brian Ong

Vice-President:
Alvene Ngo

Secretary:
Therese Chua

Finance:
Kesterson Kua

Cultural-Social:
Madeline Co

Public Relations:
Tiffany Chua

Research and Academics:
Merryan Jim

AFICS Representatives:
Harrell Wong
Clea Cheng

Alumni Homecoming:
Tasha Teh

Congratulations to everyone who ran!

Congratulations to the winners!
It'll be a great year ahead of us!
Lets do our best! :)

Rakestra 2008

And so last night marked the first UP Fair that I ever attended! :) Alvene, Charles, Chris, Clea, Don, Thea, Tiff and I went last night to Rakestra: Lost in Oblivion, the UP Fair, sponsored by Beta Epsilon.Alvene, Chris, Clea and I went ahead of "The DonTCha". We ate a very sumptuous dinner: 3 Liempo, 1 Chicken BBQ, 1 Siomai, 1 Calamares, very refreshing Buko Pandan juice, and NY Fries with Garlic Parmesan and Red Chili Pepper dips. (Oh, not to mention, they ate KFC while waiting for me)

This is one of the moments when we all hoped we've brought cameras with us. In the end, we just settled looking for a very bright place to take our photos with Clea's camera. Sad. But it worked, at least.

Charles, Don and Tiff and Thea followed after. UP Fair Shirts are cool!

(Photo by Raisa)

It was definitely way better than Xavier fair. It was way better than ICA fair. It's just really different. It rocked! We all joined in and tried to squish our way among the crowd, to go near the front. The bands were okay, but what really struck me the most, and made my night was Urbandub, accompanied by no other than the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra. This is the celebration of music. I love it!

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the JJs (Jumping Jologs) really enjoyed themselves. Sheesh. First time to see them in action. They amuse me! ;)

We all went home after (a little before 1am), except for Chris, who "attended a meeting", and went back 4am. What a night! :)

Thanks Chris for the birthday libre!
Thanks Don for the ride home!! :)

What better way to spend UP fair, but with CSA! :)

Fulfilling

It's really so nice that you can actually do something and make a small but lasting impact to others. :)

Kim, Laureen, Kester, Pats, Alvene, Harrell, Joey and I went to Gawad Kalinga to help build houses, as part of the service activity of our organization in UP, the Chinese Student Association. It was really really fun. Bonding!

HEADLINE 1: CHILD LABORER! CALL BANTAY BATA 163 A.S.A.P.!
HEADLINE 2: LOST PROPHET, MOSES: PARTING OF THE RED SOIL

After the build, we all went to eat lunch at Bacolod's Chicken and BBQ near Ever Gotesco, Commonwealth. After lunch, we had desserts upstairs (cake galore!). I love the Avocado cake I ordered. I'll go back there for sure. :)

Chinese Students Join Nation-Building

The University of the Philippines Chinese Student Association participated today in building houses at the Gawad Kalinga Central, UP Village, as their annual service activity to cap-off their week-long celebrations of Chinese New Year/ Culturals week.

An 8-man team led by, no less than their President, Kimberly Ong, shoveled and dug through soil and rocks to clear out the site, where the foundation of the house will be built.

Kimberly says that, "We do this service activity annually so that we can bridge the gap between Chinese and Filipino people; and so that we can also break certain stereotypes people have about us (Filipino-Chinese students)."

"In the spirit of the Chinese new year, we should learn to share what we have with others, especially the less fortunate. But of course, this does not mean we help the less fortunate only during the Cultural Week. We should help them as much as we can," she adds.

After the build, which lasted from 8am to around 11am, they were all introduced to Engineer del Rosario, Project Manager of the site. He shared with us the vision on Gawad-Kalinga and his vision of the community in the area.

"Here in GK, there is no difference between the rich and the poor. Lahat pantay pantay (Everyone's equal)," said Engr. Del Rosario.

He also stressed that what the volunteers are doing is a sacrifice one can do as part of nation-building.

"You are now part of the 1MB or the Isang Milyong mga Bayani", Engr. Del Rosario explains.

He said that one doesn't have to be dead to become a hero. It is better, according to him, to do something heroic, like building houses and sharing your talents in GK programs to "the least of your brethren" when one's still alive.

Laureen Lukban, PRC head and project organizer, said, "People think it's hard, and it is. It takes hard work. But you don't have to push yourself (in building a house). That's why it's better when you have other people with you because you work together; and that's what makes it fun!"