updates

Lasallians form ALSA-Erap

Various sectors of the Lasallian community recently formed the Alliance of Lasallians Against Erap, or ALSA-Erap, in an effort to pool talents and resources for the removal of President Joseph Estrada from office.

The group was established following the community’s release of “A Call for Collective Action”. Members of ALSA-Erap come from the College of Liberal Arts (CLA), Student Council, Council of Student Organizations, Political Science Department, Political Science Society, and the Center for Social Concern and Action.

According to CLA Vice Dean Dr. Eric Batalla, one of ALSA-Erap convenors, the alliance has already gathered 1,100 members, mostly students, to undertake projects like mobilization, research and education, recruitment, production, and communications.

ALSA-ERAP led the DLSU-Manila community during the national Jubilee Martyrs March and Mass last December 7 at the Malate Church. The activity, which fell on the first day of the Senate impeachment proceedings, was organized by Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin to commemorate the heroism during the Second World War of our forebears, and to challenge the people to follow their patriotism and loyalty to the Church.

For its initial activities, ALSA-Erap held a noise barrage led by DLSU System President Brother Roly Dizon last November 28 at the South Gate. Also, it released a flyer on the contact information of the senators.

The alliance plans to sustain the community’s vigilance on important social issues and to help in national reconstruction.

CE faculty in JSPS Environmental Engineering Workshops

Faculty members of the Department of Civil Engineering recently participated in workshops conducted under the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Program in Environmental Engineering. The JSPS program involves the collaboration of researchers from Japan and Philippine universities.

Alexis Fillone presented a paper titled “Bus Passenger Demand Models for Metro Manila” during the workshop on Urban Infrastructure Development and Environmental Management at UP-Diliman last November 17. Senior CE students in the Transportation Engineering Division also attended the workshop.

Dr. Andres Winston Oreta presented his research on “Application of Neural Networks in Seismic Performance Studies of Reinforced Concrete” while Dr. Romeo Estanero talked on “Mitigating by Retrofitting.” CE vice chair Jonathan Dungca discussed his paper, “Liquefaction Risk Assessment of Metro Manila.” Oreta, Estanero, and Dungca made the paper presentations on November 20, also at UP-Diliman.

Renan Ma. Tanhueco and Danilo Terante participated in the workshop on the Manila Bay-Laguna Lake System held on November 23 and 24 at Hotel Rembrandt in Quezon City. Tanhueco was a key person in the module on “Socio-Economic Development and Infrastructure.” The group discussed “The Atmospheric Circulation of Water and Air and Environmental Problems.”

Started in 1999, the JSPS Core University Program in Environmental Engineering is a ten-year program with the CE Department. In this program, DLSU-Manila CE faculty members get the chance to visit universities and research institutions in Japan, as well as conduct short-term research projects