More evidence of the past in Boljoon, Cebu

USC, NM archaeologists find more evidence of the past in Boljoon

A team from the University of San Carlos and the National Museum has uncovered 13 burials a few meters from the façade of the old Boljoon Church (built in 1783) in a month-long archaeological excavation to trace evidences of a pre-Spanish settlement there. The team, led by Jose Eleazar R. Bersales, chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology (SoAn), began excavations at the site in February this year and uncovered two burials, one accompanied by a datable Chinese ceramic dish tentatively dated to around the 15^th -16^th century A.D.

The joint USC-Soan and National Museum team with some of the local laborers pose before one of the 10 expanded excavation units.

The current round began on May 29 with five 2 x 2 meter squares which were later expanded as more burials were exposed in four of the units. Amalia dela Torre, a member of the Archaeology Division of the National Museum (NM), has been leading the team from NM during the two excavation seasons and has supervised the recovery of the burials for further analysis. Carla Escabi, an incoming doctoral student at Texas A&M University and Bonn Aure, member of the SoAn faculty trained in osteology, conducted initial skeletal analysis on the bones in situ.

According to Escabi and Aure, at least four of the burials appear to be female while the rest are male. Most have filed teeth and at least one has an artificially deformed skull at the occipital lobe. Some may have suffered during their lifetimes due to extremely bad teeth resulting from a diet of carbohydrates, probably cassava and yam. One other burial was interred sideways on his right side, which appears to be the first burial in that position ever uncovered in a systematic excavation in the country.

Carla Escabi and Bonn Aure conducting an in situ inventory of two of the 13 burials. Note the sideways interment of the burial at left.

Other than the burials are some 1,000 artifacts including two iron bolos, plain and decorated earthenware pottery sherds, a 2.2-meter long necklace and a worked shell pendant that were also recovered and accessioned. Ecofacts recovered include marine shells and animal bones, many of them showing cut and chop marks. At least one post hole, indicative of a structure over the burial, has also been uncovered.

The 2.2-meter long necklace awaiting conservation treatment.

The excavations form part of a project to apply Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology in archaeology for the first time in the Philippines and is being carried out by SoAn together with Van-Larenstein University (Holland) and Geoplan Foundation Inc. Like the first phase in February 2007, the excavations were funded by the Office of Research with logistical support of the University Museum through curator Marlene Socorro Samson who personally drove to the site, stayed with the team for days and helped bring the artifacts and ecofacts to USC.

The excavations were undertaken with the approval of Fr. Sofronio dela Peña, parish priest of Boljoon and the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church, headed by Fr. Carlito Pono. Mayor Deogenes Derama and the local government unit of Boljoon also provided important on-site logistical support, as did the Cebu Governor's Office through its Committe on Sites, Relics and Structures as well as the Boljoon Heritage Foundation Inc, headed by Atty. Edmund Villanueva, himself a Carolinian alumnus.

Author: staff
25 / June / 2007

Physics chair attends international space science workshop

Physics chair attends international space science workshop

Roland Emerito S. Otadoy, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Physics, is in Tokyo, Japan for the Workshop on Basic Space Science and the International Heliophysical Year from June 18–22, 2007.

The workshop is jointly sponsored by the United Nations, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and is held at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) in Mitaka, Tokyo.

Dr. Otadoy visited the Nobeyama Radio Observatory.

Dr. Otadoy is presenting a proposal to study equatorial electrojet, which is a narrow current distribution along the magnetic equator, using the Magnetic Data Acquisition System (MAGDAS). The Department of Physics has maintained the MAGDAS after its installation by researchers from the Space Environment Research Center (SERC), Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan. The equatorial electrojet proposal will be a collaborative project between SERC, Manila Observatory and Ateneo de Manila University.

The workshop includes a discussion of the International Heliophysical Year (IHY) 2007 which commemorates the 50^th anniversary of the International Geophysical Year 1957. The main purpose of IHY 2007 is to enhance our understanding of the sun-heliosphere-earth system (more info).

Author: P. J. Lim
21 / June / 2007

University names officers for AY 2007-08

University names officers for AY 2007-08

The Office of the President released today, June 21, 2007, the names of the University officers from the Board of Trustees down to the coordinators and section heads.

For a complete listing of the University officers, please click here.

Last year's Board of Trustees headed by Engr. Jesus N. Alcordo continue their term of office. The three lay members of the Board are Dr. Pericles P. Dakay, Dr. Conchita L. Manabat, and Dr. Ernesto M. Pernia. The other six members are SVD confreres led by Fr. Dionisio M. Miranda (vice chair), Fr. Florante Camacho, Fr. Francisco T. Estepa, Fr. Ernesto M. Lagura, University President Fr. Roderick C. Salazar Jr., and Southern Province Provincial Fr. Heinz Kulueke.

Notably, Fr. Petrus Keban, SVD takes over the chaplaincy of the USC-North Campus. Fr. Alejandrino A. Plaza, SVD passed away last May 6, 2007 (see story). The Basic Education departments of the South and North Campuses also have newly appointed registrars, namely Sr. Mary Joy Quizan, SSpS and Manolito P. Montalvo, respectively.

All the deans of colleges and majority of the department chairs returned for another year. Five new chairs were appointed, namely Christine D. Bandalan, M.Eng. (Computer Engineering), Cecil S. Gantalao, Ph.D. (Hospitality Management), Ma. Russel A. Pielago, Ph.D. (Languages and Literature), Director of Libraries Marilou P. Tadlip, Ed.D. (Library Science), and Ma. Corazon M. Medalla, M.A. (Teacher Education). Queenie P. Siega, Ph.D. was transferred from Teacher Education to hold the post of Principal of the USC Montessori Academy.

Author: P. J. Lim
21 / June / 2007

Classes in full swing

Classes in full swing, enrollment up; new TC multicabs running

Classes at all levels in the University are in full swing since June 13, 2007. Enrollment for the undergraduate level is closed, while the graduate programs are still registering students until June 23.

Data obtained from the Academic Registration Information System (ARIS) shows that enrollment in the colleges is now 18,201, up by 848 students compared to last year's total first semester enrollment. This number is expected to rise since enrollment of masters and doctoral students is still ongoing.

The surge in enrollment is led by the colleges of Commerce and Nursing, up by 595 and 520 students, respectively.

A USC Credit Cooperative multicab makes it way up the hill past Arnoldus Science Complex on its way to the Health Sciences and CAFA buildings.

For convenience of the students, Talamban Campus (TC) is now serviced by eight multicab units operated by the USC Credit Cooperative, Inc. The units, painted in University colors ply around TC ferrying students to the Arnoldus Science Complex, Health Sciences Building and the CAFA Building before making their way back to the designated parking area near the TC exit gate.

Author: P. J. Lim
18 / June / 2007

USC Upcoming events!

Archaeological Excavations with GIS Applications
Boljoon, Cebu
May 29 - Jun 26, 2007

Blessing and Inauguration of the new North Campus HELE Building
June 19, 2007 5:00 p.m.

COEd Student Leaders Meeting
College of Education
June 22

Forum on Globalization and Its Impact on Farmers
June 23, 2007
Buttenbruch Hall, 1 to 5 p.m.

Certificate Course in Museum Studies in cooperation with Arizona State University
Department of History
June 2007

General Assembly Staff, Faculty and Students
Department of History
June 2007

General Assembly of Students, Staff and Faculty and Orientation of New Students and Transferees
Leadership Training of the Sophia Officers
Philosophy Department
June 2007

Blessing and Inauguration of the new USC Montessori Academy
July 14, 2007, 11:30 a.m.

Presentation of Preliminary Results of Boljoon Archaeological Excavations
July 2007

Plantation Bay Museum Project
Department of History
July 2007

Tangub City Museum Project
Department of History
July 2007

The President's Message

The President's Message [click image to read full text]

Biology department hosts beekeeping skills training

Biology department hosts beekeeping skills training

The Department of Biology is hosting a Beekeeping Skills Training Seminar on June 8–9, 2007 as a kick–off activity of the newly established Apiary located at the USC Nature Park within Talamban campus.

This hands–on seminar will introduce basic skills in the art of beekeeping including an introduction to the biology of bees, honey production and harvesting, pest and disease management. Participants will also be taught the technique of wax embedding and how to make queen candy.

Resource persons from the Cebu Honeybeekeepers Association Inc. (CHAI) and from the Department of Biology will facilitate the two–day seminar–workshop which will be held at the Apiary for the hands–on portion and in the Biology lecture room for the discussions. The participants will have an opportunity during the training to manipulate bee colonies that are now producing honey for the first time and wax products ready to be harvested.

The seminar is open to anybody interested to learn the art of beekeeping on a first–come–first–served basis at a minimal fee of P1,600 to cover the cost for food (lunch and snacks) and kits (hand outs and protective hood). Interested parties may contact Ms. Glenda Bendanillo, Secretary, Department of Biology, at telephone number 344–3801 local 507.

Author: D. B. Largo
07 / June / 2007

School on the Internet-Asia meeting, policy workshop

Engineering faculty members attend School on the Internet-Asia meeting, policy workshop

Engr. Rosana J. Ferolin, Assistant Dean of the College of Engineering and Engr. Christian V. Maderazo, head of the Department of Computer Engineering Computer Networks Laboratory, attended the School on the Internet–Asia (SOI–Asia) Spring Meeting and Policy Workshop at the Institute of Technology–Cambodia last May 28–30, 2007. The three–day activity included several research presentations on distributed learning, virtual community and Internet technologies.

Engr. Rosana J. Ferolin (first row, sixth from left) and Engr. Christian V. Madarazo (second row, second from left) with participants from other SOI-Asia partner universities.

The School on the Internet–Asia was launched in 2001. The project utilizes satellite–based Internet to provide Internet environments in a less expensive, easy to deploy, and more feasible way for universities located in regions where Internet environments are insufficiently developed. The project also conducts research and development of the necessary technology for IT human resource development in Asia while using the environments. Through field experiments, SOI proposes a new educational methodology for universities in Asia and other educational institutions abroad. The project also aims to provide higher education to individuals who have the will to study using Internet–based technologies, thus eliminating traditional limitations.

As of May 2007, the project has 24 partner universities and research institutes in 12 Asian countries and has deployed receive–only satellite earth stations at each partner site to share the distribution of live (real-time) and archived lectures by professors from various universities and research institutes all over the world. Over the years around 2,900 individuals, mostly university students and professors, have entered this university and the average number of access to the lecture page per month goes up to 350,000.

The University of San Carlos–College of Engineering through the Department of Computer Engineering has been a member of SOI–Asia since 2005. Since then, the Department of Computer Engineering and the College of Engineering have been offering graduate courses and special lectures from Keio University–Japan, Asian Institute of Technology–Thailand, UNESCO–Jakarta and Nokia Research Institute–California, to graduate students in the College of Engineering via satellite.

In the Philippines, the School on the Internet–Asia has only two partners, namely USC–College of Engineering through the Department of Computer Engineering and the Department of Science and Technology–Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST–ASTI).

Author: Engr. Rosana J. Ferolin
06 / June / 2007

13 new Carolinian mechanical engineers

13 new Carolinian mechanical engineers

Thirteen graduates of the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering hurdled the recently held licensure examination for mechanical engineers in April 2007.

USC had a passing mark of 57%, compared with the national passing average of 50%.

The successful examinees and new mechanical engineers are:

Abecia, Richi Virgil R.
Antido, Brendan N.
Corpus, Rey Robin C.
Cui, Adrian Rey T.
Engracial, Melwin James A.
Gutierrez, Louie Rondel C.
Lape, Vincent M.
Mercado, Felix Russell A.
Nailon, Francisco M.
Pahilan, Honorio Jesus A.
Pucayan, Anwar G.
Tarriman, Arden R.
Yuson, Resty John A.