UP grad in photo plagiarism gets redemption

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2015/12/02/1528420/grad-photo-plagiarism-gets-redemption

Janvic Mateo (The Philippine Star) - December 2, 2015 - 9:00am

MANILA, Philippines - For former Chilean ambassador to the Philippines Roberto Mayorga, Mark Joseph
Solis more than just redeemed himself: he has proven that the dark moments in one’s life often reveal
the brightest trait of an individual.

For the past two years, Solis, a graduate of political science from the University of the Philippines,
managed a football program for street children at a makeshift field inside the Baclaran church
compound in Pasay City.

The football club, with players aged eight to 12, seeks to develop children’s character through the sport.

“We were inspired by the world-class football players of South America who started via street football,”
Solis, who co-founded the program, said in an earlier report in The STAR.

“But more than developing top athletes, we aim to provide these kids with opportunities for personal
and spiritual development,” he added.

The program was part of his commitment to Mayorga and the rest of the people behind the Calidad
Humana project following a photo plagiarism controversy that hounded the Smiles for the World photo
contest sponsored by the embassy of Chile in 2013.

Solis was stripped of the grand prize after it was learned that he was not the person who took the
winning photo. He later apologized for the incident.
Mayorga, meanwhile, asked him to participate in the activities of Calidad Humana as part of his path to
redemption.

“I think this is very important,” Mayorga told The STAR following the book launch of “Calidad Humana:
Sharing the Filipino Spirit” at the Cultural Center of the Philippines yesterday.

“Mark Solis is an example that it is possible for someone to redeem himself, to change,” he added.

Mayorga, now a consultant for the Energy Development Corp. (EDC), said the issue is now closed as Solis
has genuinely repented and redeemed himself following the incident.

“Two years working with children, and now he’s a different person,” Mayorga said.

For the former ambassador, the lessons Solis learned from one of most challenging episodes in his life
are more important.

“He was so damaged, totally damaged,” he recalled, adding that Solis has worked hard to recover from
the aftermath of the controversy. “After fulfilling his commitment, he deserves to be recognized.”

Mayorga and Solis shared an emotional embrace at the culmination of the book launch as the latter’s
“redemption” from the controversy was imparted to the audience.

Solis, who has suffered harsh criticisms on social media over the plagiarism case, declined the request
for an interview, saying he is now “living a quiet life.”

He, however, pledged to continue working with the program to promote Calidad Humana, a Filipino
value loosely translated as kabutihang loob sa kapwa (goodness to fellowmen).

Sharing the Filipino spirit

During the book launch, Mayorga stressed the need for Filipinos to recognize and preserve an
exceptional trait of “deep and intuitive concern for others that comes naturally to Filipinos.”

“A majority of Filipinos are known for their positive attitude: friendliness, hospitality, humility, the
priority they give to others over material things, resiliency, spirituality, joy of life and a sincere attitude.
This is calidad humana,” he said.

The book contains articles that provide the intellectual framework aimed at understanding and
strengthening the concept. It also contains numerous messages from various notable individuals from
different sectors.

“Sometimes a country is best seen through the eyes of a foreigner. That is the case with Roberto
Mayorga, Chile’s former ambassador to Manila,” STAR editor-in-chief Ana Marie Pamintuan wrote.

“(Calidad humana) is exemplified, he says, in the smile that comes easily to the Filipino, even in the
midst of poverty and adversary… This book is a tribute to the Filipino spirit,” she added.

Oscar Lopez, chairman emeritus of the Lopez Group of Companies, wrote the foreword to the book.

“Together, we need to do our utmost to safeguard, preserve and cultivate this national spirit. But we
should also be aware as Filipinos that our calidad humana can be our gift to the world and that it is both
a privilege and responsibility to share,” Lopez wrote.

“Just as all countries seek to export their natural resources or their industrial and technological
products, the Philippines is in a unique position to export its human richness to all the peoples of the
world,” he added.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura del Rosario, who attended the book launch, said the department
would distribute copies of the book to the different Philippine consulates and embassies to spread the
word on calidad humana.
Mayorga said a second part of the book, which will cover different ways on how Filipinos can safeguard
calidad humana, would be released next year.
Carabuena: From bully to cyberbullying victim

By Ivy Jean Vibar, ABS-CBNnews.com

Posted at Aug 23 2012 01:58 PM | Updated as of Aug 24 2012 01:09 AM

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MANILA, Philippines -- Robert Blair Carabuena, who admitted his wrongs and issued an apology on
Thursday, has been the subject of online attacks since a video of him allegedly abusing a traffic enforcer
was broadcast and went viral on the web.

Carabuena had been caught on camera berating and slapping Metropolitan Manila Development
Authority (MMDA) aide Fabros on August 11 after he was pulled over for a traffic violation.

“Pending investigation,” Philip Morris Tobacco Corp. suspended Carabuena, one of its employees,
following petitions from various sectors urging the company to fire him.

In a statement, the company said while Carabuena was “not on duty for the company at the time” the
incident occurred, “it does no not condone inappropriate conduct by any of our employees.”

The MMDA also said that the direct assault case it has filed against the Philip Morris executive will push
through despite his apology, and a preliminary hearing at the Quezon City Prosecutor’s office was
scheduled for Thursday.

However, according to initial reports from the MMDA, Carabuena was rushed to the hospital after
feeling discomfort because of hurtful comments he received from several people at the fiscal’s office.
Carabuena has not been immune from online “retaliation” either. From issuing taunts of “baboy” (pig)
to assertions that he should be killed, netizens have not been kind to Carabuena, leading some to say
that the bully is now being cyberbullied.

Flame bait

Incidents of cyberbullying by Filipinos online are not new, with people even intentionally creating what
can be termed as “flame bait” to draw the ire from netizens.

One incident was that of “Ahcee Flores”, an identity created by an Internet troll to comment on Yahoo!
Philippines. A parallel Flores account was also set up on social networking site Facebook.

Flores wished ill on the victims of an earthquake in Visayas, leading to the creation of pages on the social
networking site dedicated to sowing hate against her. Her posts also went viral online.

Even celebrities are not immune. Actress Francine Prieto also received flak for an offhand comment
about President Benigno Aquino III being “panot.”

“I deleted my first Twitter account dahil nilabas ko ang saloobin ko sa dami kong problema…ngayon
naman sobra na ang mga bastos, mahaba ang pasensya ko 'wag mo lang akong babastusin dahil kaya ko
rin maging bastos,” she said to her online haters on Twitter.

As of posting, there are over 40 pages on Facebook dedicated to Carabuena, with names such as
“Patayin si Robert Blair Carabuena,” “Like if you want Robert Blair Carabuena to be fired from Philip
Morris”, “Ikaw na nga may pinagaralan ikaw pa walang modo, f*** you Robert Carabuena” and “Ilechon
si Robert Blair Carabuena,” among others.

“Ipakulong si Robert Blair Carabuena” is currently the top page with 23,216 likes.
There is also now a parody Twitter account for Carabuena -- @RBlairCarabuena. It has only eight
followers and 97 tweets as of posting.

Carabuena acknowledged his haters in his apology.

“Nitong nakaraang Linggo, naramdaman ko po ang galit ng publiko sa aking inasal. Simula nang lumabas
ang ‘video’ sa media at sa ‘social media,’ minabuti ko pong manatili muna sa aming tahanan,” he said.

Carabuena has since reportedly shut down his social media accounts.

Just desserts?

In a blog entry by Jess Lorenzo on ABS-CBNnews.com, he said that while Carabuena has been the
recipient of a “deluge of harassment online…the image that Carabuena put himself in is his own doing.”

“I can only surmise that any cyber harassment is provoked by the bullying that Carabuena dished out to
Officer Saturnino Fabros; heightened by their social circumstances,” Lorenzo wrote.

“I believe Carabuena is a typical person who dwells in ENTITLEMENT. This is one of the illnesses of our
culture. It is seen in many of our behaviors and leaders. It even exists in persons who may hate the likes
of Blair but may also manifest similar symptoms. They are double standard people who are quick to seek
justice but are poor in following the law.”

However, in an interview in 2011, Philippine Human Rights Information Center executive director Dr.
Nymia Pimentel Simbulan said that while everyone has a right to the Internet and information, as well as
to free speech, netizens also have the responsibility to respect the space and rights of others.

“There are limits,” she said. “Fundamental rights should not be taken as a license to attack the rights or
positions of other individuals. Nagiging bastusan na.”
Four in ten teenage girls 'are addicted to internet': Youngsters increasingly showing signs of
compulsion with their tablets and smart phones

 Nearly two thirds of pupils said in survey they took their gadget to bed with them

 46 per cent of teen girls asked thought they were addicted to the internet

 2,000 secondary school pupils aged 11 to 17 asked their views in survey

By LAURA CLARK, EDUCATION CORRESPONDENT

PUBLISHED: 01:40 BST, 9 May 2014 | UPDATED: 07:53 BST, 9 May 2014

Four in ten teenagers believe they are addicted to the internet with girls affected more than boys, a
survey found.

Youngsters are increasingly displaying signs of compulsion to use their tablets and smartphones,
including taking their devices to bed and in some cases even preferring the company of gadgets to
people.

The findings prompted Tablets for Schools, the charity which conducted the survey, to launch a charter
on how families can set boundaries to foster a healthy relationship with the internet.

Teenager girls are increasingly displaying signs of being addicted to the internet and using smart
phones

Advice includes banning children from taking their devices to bed and encouraging them to buy alarm
clocks instead of using their phones for the purpose.

The survey, which questioned more than 2,000 secondary school pupils aged 11 to 17, found that 39 per
cent believe they are addicted to the internet.

The figure was higher among girls at 46 per cent, whereas 36 per cent of boys thought they were
addicted.

The poll found that girls spent more time chatting to friends on social networks while boys were more
absorbed by computer games.

One 11-year-old girl said: ‘I can never get off it, and at night I stay up for two to three hours after I’m
meant to be asleep.’

A 12-year-old girl, said: ‘The internet nearly always controls my actions. I have been told that I am
addicted to the internet, and prefer its company rather than being with other people.’
And a third pupil said: ‘If I had no wi-fi I would have no life.’

Nearly two-thirds of pupils - 64 per cent - said they took their gadget to bed with them.

Of these, most were using their phone or computer to talk to friends on social media, watch films or
videos or play games.

One 12-year-old boy said: ‘It’s the first thing I look at in the morning and the last thing at night. It seems
I’m constantly on it.’

+2

Nearly two-thirds of pupils ¿ 64 per cent ¿ said they took their gadget to bed with them

A girl of the same age commented: ‘I get nervous when I’m not on the internet for a long time. I feel like
I’m missing something.’

The poll, conducted by the charity Tablets for Schools, led to the development of a charter on internet
use for teachers and families.
It urges youngsters to resist the temptation to take their device to bed and use a proper alarm clock
instead of their phone.

There should also be time limits on how youngsters can use devices with specific times during the day or
week for being ‘unplugged’.

Youngsters were also urged to ‘switch off and sleep’ and ‘don’t use your device as a clock, invest in a
real alarm clock.’

The charter also said that students should protect their study time, find new ‘boredom busters’ -
activities they enjoy away from using the internet - and dedicate certain times of the day or week to
being ‘unplugged’.

Andrew Harrison, the chairman of Tablets for Schools and chief executive of Carphone Warehouse, said
tablets can be an ‘incredible force for good’.

It may be that we all, adults and young people, need to impose boundaries on the way in which we
use our digital devices

But he added: ‘This Charter of guidance from pupils themselves is invaluable.

‘Boundaries can help maintain a healthy relationship with the internet.’

A report accompanying the poll admits that use of the term ‘addiction’ is controversial.

Psychologist Professor Tanya Byron argues that by labelling behaviour such as technology use an
‘addiction’ we run the risk of ignoring the responsibility we have as individuals and parents for our own
behaviour,’ the report said.

Youngsters were referring to addiction in the ‘vernacular sense’, the report said.

It adds: ‘It may be that we all, adults and young people, need to impose boundaries on the way in which
we use our digital devices.

‘We might question whether it is a good idea to use devices late into the night, or take the device to
bed. Importantly it seems that a dialogue needs to take place between young people and the adults in
their lives, be it in school or at home, about using the internet safely, wisely and in a way which
enhances their wellbeing.’

The charity’s charter on internet use for teachers and families says students should protect their study
time, find new ‘boredom busters’ – activities they enjoy away from the internet – and dedicate times of
the day to being ‘unplugged’ from their devices.