GeneSoc, Phileos collaborate for IBS Freshmen Orientation

by Merc Emil P. Matienzo (Riboswitch)

For the first time, The UPLB Genetics Society (GeneSoc) and Philobioscientia, The UPLB Life Sciences Society (Phileos) collaborate on one of the major IBS activities: The 2015 IBS Orientation for New Freshmen held last August 5, 2015 at IBS Lecture Hall Main.

Phileos and GeneSoc members team up for 2015 IBS Freshmen Orientation and Campus Tour.

The President of both organizations told the GENEWS Team that they decided to work together on this big activity because they think they value common end and purpose in holding such event.

“Our organization thinks that GeneSoc shares the same mission and ideals with us,” said Kimberly Deri, Phileos President.

“We decided to collaborate because we love new experiences and challenges. We thought that this would be a great opportunity, an avenue to know and work with them and I was not wrong,” GeneSoc President Dale Joseph Diño said on a separate interview. “Also, it is fun to let the members feel a new experience of collaborative work with another organization.”

The event, hosted by Prof. Therese Honrade of Environmental Biology Division and Prof. Phillip Alviola of Animal Biology Division and sponsored by Micha’s Bakeshop and Eat-sumo Teri Haus, was attended by over 170 BS Biology new freshmen.

Messages from IBS Director Dr. Merlyn Mendioro, CAS Dean Dr. Felino Lansigan, CAS College Secretary Ivan Marcelo Duka and performances by GMDB Cupcakes and Prof. Jae Rodriguez were among the highlights of the afternoon event.

Volunteers from both organizations assisted freshmen students in the Campus Tour immediately after the program. Games were devised per station in order to spice up the activity.

Some freshmen students expressed positive feedback as they told the team that the activity was really helpful in preparing them for their UPLB life as BSBIO students.

BS Biology freshmen students during Campus Tour activities and games.

"The orientation was fun because I got to know my blocmates more. It helped me to be mindful of what to do especially the rules of the university and the institute,” Cresha Lynn Maniwang from Philippine Science High School – Central Visayas Campus responded. “Sana masaya yung lab classes at sana marami pa akong makilalang tao.”

Historic Tandem

After 12 years of solely holding the freshmen orientation, this was the first time Phileos tapped another organization as partner, and also the first time in history of IBS that two organizations collaborated in handling an activity.

Deri believes that the event was successful because “the goals of the activity were achieved…and thus it promoted camaraderie between the members of both organizations.”

Meanwhile, Diño admits that this will be a good testimonial in order to break the boundaries among student orgs. “I felt honored kasi hindi naman kadalasan ginagawa ito ng Phileos. Sobrang saya at sobrang honored ng GeneSoc na makatuwang sila sa activity na ito,” he added.