The C-Trees in Los Baños

Yearly, of course, we do observe the Christmas Season in Los Baños.  This year, though, we’re observing a few new things.

One, we’re seeing for the first time a giant Christmas Tree in front of a new Los Baños Municipal Hall.  Well, the new municipal building is beautiful and large, and expensive, too, according to those claiming to be in the know.  Me?  I think I’d prefer to transact business in the new edifice.  We’ll see about the “culture” later on.

Along with this new edifice is, of course, the new shopping center called the Los Baños Centtro (we’ve reported on this earlier on) in what used to be the site of Agrix.  And there’s another Christmas Tree there, too. 

 

There are those who have called our attention to the similarities in terms of materials used in the construction of the Centtro as well as the new municipal building, including the Christmas Trees, which look similar to many people.  Well, I’m not really that observant so I’d like to just leave it at that.

This is how Los Banos streets look like during the season.

Then, there’s that Christmas Tree on the UPLB Campus.  This giant Christmas Tree isn’t new, but its color is.  This year, we have a red Christmas Tree. 

And the “sabsaban” on the Alumni Plaza, between the the Samonte Hall and the CDC Bldg, is now a castle.  

The reindeers along Kanluran Street on the end side of the CDC Bldg. are there again this year. The motif of this year’s UPLB Christmas ambiance is decidedly Scandinavian.  We are, however, completely unable to establish any link between the motif and the places that may have been frequented by UPLB officials during the year. 

And how about the UPOU?  Well, this year we got a green Christmas Tree.  In previous years we had white trees.  The UPOU Christmas Tree, however, is far from imposing compared to those at UPLB, the new Municipal Bldg of Los Baños, or the Los Baños Centtro.  Clearly, the UPOU doesn’t have the resources.

By the way, we’re mighty proud of the appointment of UPOU Chancellor Gigi Alfonso to a third term as Chancellor.  That’s another three years of hard work, but she’s been doing extremely well in the last six years.  I believe that a Chancellor given a third term has the complete prerogative of reorienting the direction toward which the institution is heading, and even of making changes in the assignment of individuals in the administrative circle.

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On December 10, I gave a three-hour lecture on getting published in Academic journals for UPLB graduate students.  This was a project of the Graduate School Student Council in collaboration with the UPLB Graduate School.  The seminar was held at the College of Public Affairs Lecture Hall.  Some 95 graduate students (both Filipino and non-Filipino) participated in the seminar.

Before graduate students receive their respective graduate degrees from UPLB, they are required to submit their theses in publishable form.  That is to say, such materials should be ready for submission for publication to any academic journal.

Why should graduate student be required to submit their theses in publishable form?  Well, research results should be published so that others may become aware of the results of such research.  Results of research, particularly if funded publicly or if done as part of the requirements for graduation from a public higher education institution like the UPLB, must be made part of public knowledge,  It is through  publication that research results are made part of public knowledge.  Science is science only if it is part of public knowledge, it is said.