The entire Mapúa community festively received this school year’s batch of freshmen through the “Frosh Week,” a week-long celebration that commenced last July 7. The event was spearheaded by the Central Student Council (CSC), Council of Organizations (COO) and Council of Presidents (COP), Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs (OVPSA) and Student Personnel Services (SPS) units.

The Primer

An opening ceremony hosted by CSC Adviser Prof. Geraldine L. Canlas of the School of Languages, Humanities and Social Sciences (SLHS) and EEC-SC CSC Representative Mark Delfin fronted the week’s celebration. Dr. Reynaldo B. Vea, MIT President and CEO, gave the welcoming remarks while Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Bonifacio T. Doma and Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Antonio L. Mateo, Jr. introduced the school administrators and the different organizations respectively.

Engr. Mary Jane S. Casumbal, Head of Admissions Office, presented the awards to the Institute’s entrance exam top-notchers, the earliest applicant and the students from the top feeder school. Paco Catholic School delivered this year’s most number of enrollees with 44 students followed by Pateros Catholic School with 39.

A Festive Mood

Fun booths and food concessionaires such as Pizza Hut, NY Fries & Dips, Smokey’s, Rice in a Box and Fruit Haven graced the first day of the celebration. A total of 33 booths filled the quadrangle including MLO’s Idikit Mo, Tutunog Ako, MJC’s Judorific, RLC-SOE’s Videoke Booth, PICHE-JCMIT’s Tic-Tac-Toe, HSM’s Dead or Alive and LEAD’s Tekken Challenge. Various sponsors also provided free refreshments around the campus.

The Job Fair also graced the event. The list of participating companies includes Accenture, the Ayala Group of Companies, Canon Information Technologies Philippines, Inc., China Banking Corporation, Cypress Manufacturing LTD., Filinvest Land Incorporated, Ford Motor Company Philippines, Forssman Pacific Corporation, Globe Telecom, IMI (Integrated Micro-Electronics), Incuventure Partners Corporation, Line Seiki Phils., Maynilad Water Services, Nestlé Philippines, Petron Corp.,0 Smart Communications, and Unilever Philippines participated on the Career Expo 2008. A variety of seminars and workshops were also held at the Audio Visual and Seminar rooms throughout the week.

“MYX Jam 2008,” a concert sponsored by MYX, shared the spotlight of the celebration as popular local bands Rivermaya and Urbandub, together with some Mapúan bands, rocked the MIT gymnasium last July 11. Sponsors of the week’s affair include Sun Cellular, San Miguel Mills, Netopia Internet Café, Bio-Fitrim, Save Our Skin, Memory Tablet, Nescafe Soundskool 2008 and Seventeen magazine. 

Of Talents and Wits

The Mapúa Concert Singers fronted the show of Mapúan talents and wits with their presentation at the South Circle. The act was then followed by the Nescafé Soundskool and the Mapúa Music Society’s Mini Band Concert. The Sining Kalinangan and Mapúa Breakers also welcomed the freshmen with their dance concert on the second day of events.

The following day was dubbed as "Extra-ORG-dinary Day" with the school organizations participating on a talent contest. The EEC Thinkers bagged the first place while JPCS and IECEP placed 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Dr. Antonio L. Mateo, Jr., Prof. Geraldine L. Canlas and The New Builder Adviser Prof. Benigno B. Agapito, Jr. judged the said event.

Meanwhile, the Honor Society of Mapúa organized the 1 vs. 100, the third Interschool Quiz Show, with Prof. Alberto Villaluz of the Department of Mathematics and Mechanics (DMM) as its main player. Students from different programs as well as the Head of DMM Mr. Cesar V. delos Reyes and Professors Francis Llacuna and Jocelyn S. Buluran took part as the mob.

In the afternoon, student contestants vied for the title Mapua Idol 2008 with their exceptional performances. From a total of thirteen contestants, Arthur Salandanan emerged as the champion after singing I Believe I Can Fly and This Is the Moment. Lynda Santos, Harold Estampador, Ace Varon, and Paul Laurence Laureles grabbed the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th runners-up respectively. MYX VJ Iya Villania, renowned composer and songwriter Vhenee Saturno and Vice President of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Marketing Services Reuben SJ Pangan judged the competition.

Courtesy of The New Builder