Political Science Archives

Mar252022 by 1 Comment

Trolling for the truth? Two online trolls claim they are not just after the money

Features

by RY PHILIP JACO T. GALVAN WEEKS BEFORE the official start of this year’s local campaigns, Raphy and Harry (not their real names) have already posted propaganda on social media. They would call out and highlight the opposition’s wrongdoing, which could benefit the local politician they are serving. As the tight race for city mayor heated up, trolls from both sides hurled insults and allegations against each other. Raphy and Harry had been doing everything to promote their candidate and to discredit their rivals, even at the expense of truth. “Corrupt!” they wrote as if unleashing hell towards their target social media users. While they do not have substantial evidence to back their claim, the two insisted that what they wrote was the truth. “I do not lie when ...

Mar162021 by No Comments

Peace process in Mindanao, ‘elusive,’ PolSci prof says

News

by KAREN RENEE S. NOGOY Finding peace in Mindanao remains a continuous struggle despite the formation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), a political science instructor said Thursday in a webinar. "The process towards the transition to BARMM faces major constitutional, social, and legal challenges," UST Department of Political Science Amr Solon Sison said. The BARMM was formed in 2019 to replace the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) region as a result of several years of peace talks between the Philippine government and autonomist groups. Sison cited the creation of the ARMM, which he also considered “ineffective” in attaining peace. He emphasized that the attainment for ‘lasting peace’ in Mindanao became ‘elusive’ due to the homestead p...

Nov262020 by No Comments

Pandemic limits students’ mobility, ‘necessary noise’—PolSci educators

News

by MATTHEW DAVE A. JUCOM and MARIE CLAIRE "BLANCHE" S. LAGRISOLA POLITICAL SCIENCE educators have emphasized the challenges of mobility restrictions and the importance of students’ ‘necessary voice’ in dealing with the health crisis in a webinar conducted by the UST Department of Political Science last Nov. 23. Department of Political Science Asst. Prof. Louie Benedict Ignacio noted in his study “Mobility, Teens, and Quarantine: Covid-19’s Impact on the Mobility of Students and Young Individuals” that mobility restriction has a long term effect on personal, social, and economic characteristics of an individual. Ignacio said that it has compromised the students’ ‘sense of freedom’, an essential component for social development through constant engagement to others belonging in ...

Feb172019 by No Comments

PolSci, CA to vie for Athena volleyball championship

News, Sports

By MA. LEANDREA A. TAMARES POLITICAL SCIENCE (PolSci) and Communication Arts (CA) claimed the finals spots in the Athena Cup volleyball tourney after defeating Journalism (Journ) and Legal Management (LM), respectively. PolSci swept Journ early in the game with an 8-0 run, ending the first set at 25-13. Journ tried to catch PolSci with their own 7-0 run led by Rex Morales, but failed with service errors late in the second set, ending the game at 17-25, in favor of PolSci. "’Yung difficulty na kinaharap namin is ‘yung mawalan ng confidence ‘yung mga bata. Kasi I know ‘yung skills ando’n na talaga, execution na lang talaga sa kanila," PolSci Team Captain Ryan Tuguinayo told the Flame. CA overthrew defending champion LM in an intense three-set match, 25-23, 12-25, and 25-21...

Sep242018 by No Comments

Elmer Ligon is redefining public service

Features

REBELLIOUS and a nonconformist in his college years, who would have thought that Elmer Timothy “Timmy” Ligon had a knack for serving people other than himself? During his years in the Faculty of Arts and Letters, Timmy was not one to adhere to the confining rules of the University. However, he eventually realized the importance of these rules later in his life. “Syempre nung una ‘di mo ma-a-appreciate ‘yung kung ano ‘yung binibigay sayo ng school. [...] Very traditional ang UST [...] and dapat mag-follow ka ng rules. [...] Well, na-apply ko ‘yun nung nagtrabaho ako, ‘yung later part na lang actually. ‘Oo nga pala, tama pala,’ pero dati ‘di ko na-appreciate ‘yun,” he expresses. Despite being a political science major, Timmy never really expected to end up in the realm of public...

Feb172017 by No Comments

PolSci begins title defense bid edging SCL; LegMa, Eco, ELS, BES, SCL secure 1st wins in AB volleyball tourney

News

POLITICAL SCIENCE (PolSci) started its title defense bid strong as it roasted Sociology in an intense two-set match, 25-14 and 25-20, on the opening day of the AB Sportsfest 2017 mixed volleyball tournament held Feb. 15 at the Felix Huertas Court. Economics, Legal Management (LegMa), English Language Studies (ELS), and Behavioral Science (BES) earned opening day wins, giving them an instant advantage in their respective brackets, while Sociology recorded a 1-1 standing. PolSci and Sociology started the first set with an early draw at 6-6 but PolSci’s Samantha Makayan broke the knot with a service ace, leading her team to a 5-0 run and a 13-7 advantage. The teams continued to exchange spurts of 3-0 but PolSci finished the first set at 25-14 through a 5-0 run and a powerful spik...

Nov102016 by No Comments

Educator urges youth awareness on federalism

News

WITH THE possible shift of the current unitary presidential system of government to a federal one, the youth sector would play an important role in advocating awareness on the said concept, an educator said in a forum held Wednesday. Prof. Eric de Torres, chair of the University of the East Department of Political Science, said the Filipinos’ awareness on federalism is important because it is up to the people to determine if the planned shift in the government system will push through during a plebiscite. “What we are doing is basically proposing a change in the political system and administrative system. At the end of the day, how will you be able to sell this to people? The key consideration really is awareness and education, especially on the part of the youth, and common peop...

Oct182016 by No Comments

Duterte’s 100 days not just war vs. drugs – PolSci profs

News

POLITICAL SCIENCE professors in a forum yesterday evaluated President Rodrigo Duterte's first three months in office, saying he lacked some elements needed to run a country. The president’s focus on eliminating the country's drug problem and his propensity for expletive statements might have overshadowed his administration's efforts, said Antonio La Viña, Dean of the Ateneo De Manila University School of Government. He described Duterte as a president who has a strong political drive but is short of overall political strategy. “From what I view, there is no execution of strategies except the war against drugs. In the other areas of governance that I mentioned earlier, the president does not really govern […] This president is not capable of multitasking. He can really do one t...

Jul172016 by No Comments

AB to also offer JRN, LM next academic year

News

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was originally published in the Flame’s second issue during the academic year 2015-2016. THE FACULTY of Arts and Letters (AB) will also offer Journalism and Legal Management in the next two academic years, alongside two other degree programs initially retained in the Faculty’s course offerings. Last year, the University announced it would reduce its program offerings in the academic years 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 to courses which are highly in-demand, initially leaving Communication Arts and Political Science under AB. The said move is in anticipation of low freshman enrollees due to the full implementation of the K to 12 program. AB Dean Michael Anthony Vasco said the reopening for enrollment of the said programs was due to the inquiries his offi...

Jul172016 by No Comments

AB to offer only CA, PolSci in 2016

News

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was originally published in the Flame's first issue during the academic year 2015-2016. THE FACULTY of Arts and Letters (AB) will only offer Communication Arts and Political Science courses in anticipation of the full implementation of the K to 12 program next year, where a significant decrease in freshman enrollees is expected as senior high school opens. AB Dean Michael Anthony Vasco explained this was because a high number of students who came from K to 12-implementing schools are enrolled in the said programs. "Two years ago, I got a figure that only 89 of freshmen students graduated from K to 12-ready schools," Vasco said. "A great majority of these students are in Communication Arts and Political Science." Vasco said the Faculty did not com...