The 19th STI National Youth Convention is back!

 Once again the 19th STI National Youth Convention is back and STI students are already excited to become a part of this spectacular roadshow presentation. This year the them centers on Social Media as students from all over the country will be treated with lots of additional knowledge and surprises during the event.  The theme is "Social Media and Me, Discover the real life impact of every like share and post. " You can interact with every NYC site by logging in at the STI NYC fan page, Twitter page, Google plus page, Tumblr and Instagram. See you at the NYC.

 INTERACT WITH US!

The Amazing Philippine Beauties 2013

This year's winners of the 

Ms. Amazing Philippine Beauties 

Ms. Nathalie Arcache and her court

Here are highlights from the Amazing Philippines' Beauties pageant. Definitely it was another banner year for them producing gays that you could mistake for women because of their astounding beauty. This year's batch have so many lookers and since the pre-pageant everyone took notice of their bets to win it all.  This also marked their launch of the new Amazing Theatre as the previous Manila Film Center got demolished from a fire last year. Congratulations once again to the organizers for another amazing year.

The beauties open the pageant in their Cosplay attire

Eventual winner Natalie Arcache 

shows her form,curves and beauty during the grandiose opening segment of the pageant

From Ms. Photogenic to other Sponsor's choice winners 

parade in front of the audience

The Amazing Beauties during the Swimwear competition

Radiant in a yellow gown 

is Iwa Simbulan

Iza Calzado look alike, 

Nicole Laforteza 

in her evening gown

The top 10 beauties during the evening gown competition

BLUNITED: ATENEO 2013 HOMECOMING

BLUNITED

If there is one thing I thank my parents for is sending me to the Ateneo de Manila University.   The things i have learned in that institution are priceless and the teachers i met helped become who I am now. If the Ateneo is community is my second home, the people are wonderful. I might agree growing up was difficult considering you have to always be at your best and more importantly not left out. As they say there is no room for mediocrity here. I survived a bit, picked up the pieces and is now content with what I have. The great thing there is that through out my journey, it was my friends from the Ateneo who helped me out in many different ways.

THE RAFFLE TICKET

Last year went fast as me and my High school batchmates celebrated our 25th year Silver jubillee. I must admit seeing most of my batchmates and other Ateneans from other batches was a blast and the stories on what we used to do in HS kept pouring on while the laughter was enough to make someone get a heart attack.  It was also nice to note that most of my batchmates are succesful in their own feild and have their own kids studying in the Ateneo Grade School and others in the Ateneo High school.  The Ateneo Alumni Homecoming is really a great venue to renew ties with people we have not seen for a long and more importantly it is a way to come home to where everything started.

READY TO COME HOME?

This year, the Ateneo High School 1988 play hosts to this year’s event which is entitled BLUENITED! True enough, coming home once again to the Hill is something a lot of Ateneans look forward to more importantly if the event is to eat, drink and be merry with fellow Ateneans.  This year, ticket prices are at P 88.00 only and everyone is invited to join the raffle with a chance to win a Toyota 86, Beer Below Zero Freezers, gadgets and various other prizes.  Imagine that, an evening to recount memories with sumptous food from Mercato outlets, booze courtesy of San Miguel and a chance to win raffle items. What more can you ask.

EVENT POSTER OF BLUNITED

Lastly, a true trademark of an Ateneo event is to where the proceeds will go to. In a way I am quite happy that Batch 88 has continued to support the Jesuit Infirmary and the Tulong dunong perpetuity fund. At the same time they added other beneficiaries as they included the Ateneo HS Teacher’s fund and the P.A.G.S.I Fund.  For tickets or more information kindly call the Office of Alumni Relations, Ateneo Loyola Heights Campus. The OAR is located at the 2/F Faber Hall, beside Xavier Hall. You can contact them through 426-6001 local 4088. You can also look up their Facebook page of the event at this url: https://www.facebook.com/blunitedahs88. 

See you guys, prepare for the One Big Shot and the One Big Night!!! See you guys and Congrats in advance to AHS Batch 1988. 

A year wiser

The now famous Embotido 

Highlights from my lunch celebration of my birthday. Sorry guys I just invited a few guests and was just happy some people came. Did not invite a lot of people just a few who I think will be there when the now legendary embotido is at hand.

Together with my Grade School 

mentor Pido Aguilar 

Thanks for the cake

Atty. Cathy Herrera

Thanks for your time

Mah Gurls 

My High School buddies

Deo, Bong, Aa

Thanks 

My college Pal

Marlon with Glo and their son 

The All-Stars with their Kids

Another one with the Good guys 

My CO-MODELS

Jaja, Jeanne and May

BE STI DANCERS 2013

A Photo AVP of the BE STI Dancers
Performance at the STI Anniversary Celebration

STI 30th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Grand Winners of the Mr. STI 2013 Competition

Mr. STI 2013 :  MARK ANTHONY D. HERRERA, STI COLLEGE FAIRVIEW

1st Runner -UP:  GLENN MARC SERRANO, STI COLLEGE TARLAC

2nd Runner -UP :  BERNARD M. SAMBAJON, STI COLLEGE CALOOCAN

3rd Runner -UP :  TURKY BRAVO A. HUSSEN, STI COLLEGE DASMARIÑAS

 4th Runner -UP :  ZACHARY BRIAR E. PENERA, STI COLLEGE BAGUIO

Amidst all the rains and flood, the STI College network of schools celebrated its 30^th Anniversary during the week of August 21, 2013.  That anniversary week signaled the start of the STI Talent Search that culminated with a grand celebration at the Enchanted Kingdom in Sta. Rosa, Laguna on September 27, 2013.  Although this is the first time that the STI network held it’s Grand anniversary celebration in September, there were still around 22,000 STIers that went to the newly refurbished theme park.  This number was bigger compared to the delegation in 2012.

Grand Winners of the Ms. STI 2013 Competition

Ms. STI 2013 :  ALYNNA  P. DE GUZMAN, STI COLLEGE SAN FERNANDO

1st Runner -UP :  MARY RUTH V. DELA PEÑA, STI COLLEGE GLOBAL CITY

2nd Runner -UP : ANGELYNNE M. CABRERA, STI COLLEGE TARLAC

   3rd Runner -UP :  AUDREY A. MACALADLAD, STI COLLEGE LUCENA

 4th Runner -UP :  REGINA ROSE ORIENDA, STI COLLEGE STA. ROSA

Two sets of ride all you can tickets were sold to STIers in this one day celebration with the first batch from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm while the second batch from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm.  Majority of the STI students enjoyed their visit to the world class theme park as they were able to take pictures and post it in their own Social Media account through their mobile phones without any hitches. This was made possible by Globe Telecoms, one of the major sponsors of the event, that provided Free WIFI access through the whole park. While others enjoyed the rides and other park attractions, the other STI students supported their respective bets in the National finals of the STI Talent Search 2013.

The Balaraw Dance group of STI College Balagtas

repeated as National champions

In 2012, Enchanted Kingdom introduced the Enchanting Events place, a covered tent which is part of EK’s three phase expansion.  This venue can accommodate a crowd of around two thousand people. It was in this venue where all the major competitions took place - the  Battle of the Bands, the STI Idol Solo singing competition, the Hataw Sayaw Grand National Finals and the Search for Mr. & Ms. STI 2013.

STI's newest singing sensation

Cathrine Jane Loayan of STI College Southwoods

This year’s Talent Search was full of fun and notably one of a kind competition as the BARESWITCH Band of STI College Las Piñas came out the winner in the Battle of the Bands competition while STI College San Fernando and last year’s champion STI College Novaliches came in 2^nd and 3^rd respectively.  STI College Balagtas’ BALARAW dance group on the other hand came out the best dance team nationwide for the second straight year followed by STI College Southwoods and STI College Las Piñas. Cathrine Jane M. Loayon of STI College Southwoods came out as the newest STI singing sensation  while Bai Aniraton Sumalampong of STI College Cotabato and Dan Daryl Carating of STI College Meycauayan came in second and third in this year’s STI Idol Singing competition.

STI Battle of the Bands National Champion

Bareswitch of STI College Las Piñas

The highlight of the competitions went to Mark Anthony D. Herrera of STI College Fairview and Alynna Alexandria de Guzman of STI College San Fernando who were adjudged Mr. and Ms. STI 2013 by a panel of very distinguished judges that included an Artist recruiter from GMA 7, Mr. Bing Manalo, Binibining Pilipinas World 2008 Ms. Janina San Miguel together with Ms. Bikini Philippines 2013 and runner up to Ms. World Megan Young in the Ms. Philippines-World 2013 competition, Ms. Janicel Lubina.  Guests stars included Ms. Coleen Garcia of ABS-CBN and Derrick Monasterio of GMA 7 who serenaded the contestants.   

As the Search for Mr. and Ms. STI came to a close, the event itself reached the climax with a fireworks display that made enchanted kingdom truly an enchanting place to be.  Happy 30^th Anniversary STI.

The STI Anniversary website can be accessed through this link: http://www.anniversary.sti.edu/

STI College Ortigas-Cainta inauguration

Building Marker

Strong winds, heavy rains and waist high floods suspended the original date set to inaugurate STI College’s newest milestone last August 20, 2013 which coincides with the 30th Anniversary of the number one IT school in the country.  Heavy rains may have fallen but it did not dampen the spirit of the STIers who worked hard once again to finally push through with the inauguration of STI’s newest building which is located along Ortigas Avenue Extension last September 25, 2013. STI College Ortigas-Cainta is located in a four hectare property that has two buidlings – a three storey edifice that is now the STI head office and a seven storey building  which is the house of STI’ers in the province of Rizal.

STI Chairman Mr. Eusebio Tanco with distinguished guests

unveiling the building marker

This new STI building known as STI College Ortigas-Cainta has LED monitors installed in every classroom with hot and cold kitchen laboratories, fully equipped computer laboratories and more importantly a great landscape which boasts of a campus like life for STI students. This facility can accommodate close to 8,000 STI students.

STI ESG President Monico V. Jacob 

delivers a message

STI has since upgraded its courses as this branch will cater to students who will take up Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management, Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, and Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. There are also two-year courses on Tourism and Events Management, Computer and Consumer Electronics, Information Technology, and Hospitality and Restaurant Services.

A view of "the Plaza"

STI Education Services Group President Monico V. Jacob said that STI aims to continually improve its facilityes and upgrade its quality of educaiton which is STI’s commitment to the future of Filipino Youth! As a matter of fact, STI College Caloocan is next on the list of upgrades as it will be inaugurated in the next few months and its building will be bigger and can accommodate 10,000 students. In the 2014-2015  school year STI College Cubao, Las Pinas, Calamba and Lucena will be in full swing with new buildings as part of the nationwide expansion of STI. As everyone  else in our organization says – the best is yet to come.  Congratulations to STI College Ortigas-Cainta and to the STI Education Services group for giving Filipino students a venue to pursue their dreams.

The STI Girls handling the registration

30 Years of Quality Real life Education

The first STI branch in 1983 

“First we’ll teach you then we’ll hire you!” This was the unique value proposition that our forefathers thought which until now is still what Systems Technology Institute or STI is all about. August 23, 1983 was the day when Augusto C. Lagman, Herman T. Gamboa, Benjamin A. Santos and Edgar H. Sarte came together to set up a training center that delivers basic programming education to professionals and students who want to learn this new skill.

STI College Sta. Rosa when i entered STI in 2001

The first two schools that were inaugurated were in Buendia, Makati and España in Manila which offered basic computer programming courses.  Since computer literacy was on a rise on that time the franchise added three more franchises in Binondo, Cubao and Taft.  The trend would continue with STI gaining more than 100 branches before the school celebrated its 18th year in 2001. That year saw the changing of the guard as STI dropped the Systems Technology Institute name and rebranded as STI College and Mr. Eusebio H. Tanco took over as Chairman of the STI Education Services Group.

STI College Naga from humble beginnings

to a promise of a good future for Nagauenos

Mr. Tanco brought in a more professional approach to the school as he got former Petron head honcho Monico V. Jacob to “reformat” STI.  Their partnership together with the new breed of STI Executives clicked as the network experienced growth year in and year out. The new management created better benchmarks and set out once in for all that STI is in the business of Education and not a business masquerading as a school.

STI Head Office at Ortigas, Cainta

Once known as a computer learning center, a technical vocational school, STI eventually offered 4-year Computer Science courses, Computer Engineering Courses and lately computer enhanced courses which includes Nursing, Business Managment, Hotel and Restaurant Management and eventually other courses that will be in demand in the future.  The network currently serves close to 70,000 students nationwide and will hopefully grow in the next few years. The STI Campuses in Southwoods, Sta. Rosa, Dasmarinas, Cagayan de Oro City, Fairview, Novaliches, Tacurong, Malolos and Ortigas-Cainta will be joined by other schools that are now upgrading the facilities in their respective schools namely our branches in  Caloocan, Cubao, Las Pinas, Calamba, Cebu, and Vigan.

A view of the future

From “First we’ll teach you then we’ll hire you” to “Enrollment to Employment” STI has gone a long way in providing quality computer enhanced education. I am so happy, lucky and proud to be part of an institution like STI. Here’s to the next thirty more years.

STI College Caloocan will open by SY 2014 - 2015

100 Batches of the St. Scho DWTL

The SSC-DWTL throught the years

Upon hearing that the St. Scholastica’s College Days with the Lord will be holding its 100th Batch, I was quite nostalgic and also happy for the the SSC-DWTL. It was a time for remembering the years that I would rather spend serving for the Lord and enjoyed sleeping on the cold floor and being a kuya to hundreds of Kulasas. One hundred batches in twenty six years only means that amidst all the adversities the SSC-DWTL has faced, it has weathered so many storms and more importantly what it has now is the backbone of a better support team that means it will be there for another one hundred batches.

The Music Crew

I was a teener back in the summer of  April 1987 when the Ateneo High school announced that it will start to support two All-Female High schools in spreading the Days with the Lord to other schools, the two schools were St. Scholastica’s College and Markyknoll (now Miriam) High School. Both weekends were scheduled at the Pollock Renewal Center and both schools will have teacher observers as part participants and around 15-18 female participants. Some of the participants were incoming fourth year high school while the rest just graduated from high school. 

The HT crew

Like any other Days with the Lord weekend the most critical part in sustaining the community is the first ten batches and its support system – the dedicated staffers. The first weekend handled by the St. Scho gals was at the Subiaco Retreat house just across St. Scholastica’s college. After four more batches there was suddenly everyone was busy doing other things that left the DWTL without a rector to sustain the initial efforts. Back then, it was hard to pool each other together since Social Media wasn't in full blast then and having meetings were hard since most of the heads were in different colleges in metro manila so planning a weekend was so hard.

Batch 100

One thing I liked about Scholasticans is their sense of coming in together amidst their many differences. Eventually the sixth batch came in January of 1990 which was again held at the Pollock Renewal Center.  This time, the original batch of St. Scho dazers breathed new life to the program by getting younger participants to be able to pass the DWTL to the new ones. The plan was to guide the new dazers in running the show that would eventually secure the future of the St. Scho days.

Kulasas who Live to Serve 

In the next few batches I never thought that working with the Scholasticans would eventually made them trust me enough to be some kind of an adviser of the DWTL.  I was just lucky I was up to the task and did my best to live the part. Years went by and batch after batch I helped out the core group and rectors on how they can mount the weekend. We tried to put some continuity and predictablity into the days with the lord weekends so that it will remain strong and withstand the problems that might arise specially funds and venue. The St. Scho days with the lord took a lot of my time and unfortunately when I got busy with my work in STI sometime in 2003 I slowly faded and passed on my duties to the elder core members for them to carry on the tradition.  The past years had me come back to play music and just observe as the new generation of St. Scho dazers take turns in serving the lord.

100 Batches and still standing

A few years ago, I was informed that St. Scho management had some run ins with the St. Scho Days with the Lord. I was not surprised since it is really hard to understand the DWTL. As ive said in previous communities that we handled, one cannot understand the DWTL if one has not experienced it. I remember talking to nuns in one community we handled, they asked us to justify the events happening which unfortunately was not in the best interest of the nun’s or the school’s beliefs. In response, the St. Scho days changed its name to Live to Serve.  I am just happy that all these years the St. Scho Days with Lord has adapted and survived every challenge.  One hundred batches is a testament that whatever happens the St. Scho Days with the Lord has helped more Scholasticans become closer to Christ and more importantly a venue where one can renew their spirit and relationship with Christ. Congratulations to the Live to Serve - the St. Scholastica’s College  Days with The Lord.

Gilas Pilipinas halt Qatar win streak

One of Japeth's three dunks

Japeth Aguilar put a punctuation mark on the Smart Gilas win over Team Qatar as his empathic dunk with 7 seconds left in the game showed that TEAM Philippines has awaken from the slumber that they took five days ago.  Team Pilipinas beat QATAR 80 – 70 as apparently the point spread was enough to fend off the rallying middle east team. Marcus Douthhit led the team with 19 points as he literally scored at will as the Qataris could not keep up with his inside presence while  Aguilar on the other hand added 14 points.

Marcus was a force in the middle

The home team controlled the pace of the game from the get go as Jeff Chan started the ball rolling with two three pointers right away. The Filipinos then zoomed in to a 15 – 6 lead as Gabe Norwood tried to shut down Qatar’s naturalized player Jarvis Hayes. Hayes is the tournament leader in points with 22 points per game but the Filipinos did well in shutting him down. He still managed to score a team high 17 points but most of those came from garbage time and he even missed two crucial free throws right around the time they had a blistering run in the fourth period. The Qataris eventually caught up in the first quarter to tie the score at 20 – all.

Jeff Chan buries a three

The second quarter proved to be the difference in the match as the Filipinos scored one basket after the other and their tight defense held the Qatar team to just 9 points. The Filipinos through LA Tenorio, Gary David, Jason William and Jimmy Alapag alternated in scoring to give Team Gilas a 47 – 29 lead.  The Qataris never knew what hit them.  There was tension in the third quarter when Marcus Douthit came down holding his knees and eventually limping off the court. With Douthit out, the Qataris used the first few minutes of the fourth quarter to get back into the game.

Jolens move by LA Tenorio

The Qataris opened the quarter with a 14 – 2 run as their outside sniping finally came into play and their inside play finally making wonders. Aside from Hayes, Efran Ali Saeed scored inside to give the home team a big scare. Jeff Chan sank a free throw and Marcus Douthit eventually came back in to help the Smart Gilas team stem the tide. Japeth Aguilar showed his athleticism by grabbing missed rebounds by Qatar and at the same time scoring at the free throw line and dunking on everyone else.

Crowd favorite Gary David on the move

The win made the Qatar vs. Chinese Taipei game a crucial one today. If Chinese Taipei wins the Philippines will have to meet China in the Quarterfinals. A win by Qatar will have the Smart Gilas take first place in Group E and will meet most probably Kazahkstan. If Qatar wins by 16 points then they take first place then RP comes in second. Tough task for the Filipinos so lets troop to the MOA Arena to cheer our team. LABAN PILIPINAS.

  

 Japeth's 2nd dunk

The scores

PHILIPPINES (80)

Douthit 19, Aguilar 14, Chan 12, Tenorio 7, William 7, Alapag 5, David 5, de Ocampo 4, Norwood 3, Pingris 2, Fonacier 2, Fajardo 0.

QATAR (70)

Hayes 17, Saeed 13, Abdi 9, Musa 8, Daoud 8, Elhadary 5, Mohamed 4, Mohammed 4, Mo. Abdullah 2, Ali 0, Ma. Abdullah 0, Saad 0.

Quarter scores

20 – all, 47 – 29, 63 – 44, 80 – 70