The Adventist University of the Philippines Ambassadors Chorale Arts Society was one of the featured guest artists in the 1,000 Voice Mega Concert for Peace held at the Likas Stadium, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia in July 15, 2007

The mega concert, the first of its kind in Sabah was officiated by Y.B. Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Datuk Kitingan, Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah. The concert was organized by the ADVEN-TIST DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION (ADF), is a non-government charitable organization registered in the government of Malaysia started and formed by the Kota Kinabalu Seventh-day Adventist Church (KKSDA). The event was also equally supported by the ADVENTIST - LAYMEN'S SERVICES AND INDUSTRIES (ASI) an international organization of Seventh-day Adventist church members who work in the private sector in business and professional vocations. Participants of the concert were all members of the 1,000 Sabah Union Choir and nearly 6,000 Mega Choir coming from Malaysia and other countries.

The Ambassadors were accompanied by Dr. Robin Saban, AUP President, Mr. Leomer Batulayan, PR Director, and Dr. Heidi Cerna, Music Dept. Chair. The group also served in worship during the Sabbath hour before the day of concert. Transportation, accommodation, and food expenses were all provided free by the organizers of the mega concert.

First of all, I would like to thank the organizing committee of the 1000 Voices Mega Concert for Peace for inviting me to officiate at the Opening Ceremony of this special event. I would also like to congratulate Dr. Saiman Sandah and his team for successfully bringing in the Ambassadors - the No. 1 Choir Group in the Philippines and the World Champion for the Gospel and Spiritual Category in the 2006 World Choir Games (4th Choir Olympics) held in Xiamen, China from July 15-26 last year. It is indeed rare to have, together on stage, not only one of the world's best choirs - the Ambas-sadors, but also the Golden Angels, an international singing group all the way from Korea. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate our local singers who make up the rest of the choir members for their commitment and dedication in making this concert, a reality.

The timing of this concert is very appropriate since it coincides with the Visit Malaysia Year 2007. This Mega Concert has the potential to boost the success of the Visit Malaysia Year. I was made to understand that a new record in the Malaysia Book of Record under the Largest Choir category might be created tonight if the number of choir members exceeds 5,500. A concert of this magnitude is probably the first of its kind not only in Sabah but in Malaysia. This attests to the Malaysia Boleh, Sabah Boleh and Kita Boleh spirit among Sabahans.

A concert for peace is indeed timely, especially after the September 11 (9/11) incident when the whole world is working towards world peace. If compassion takes precedence over hatred, I believe life on this planet would be much better. The voices of the 5,000 odd choir members echo humanity's longing for peace, love and compassion. It represents the hope of the human race. This special event conveys the world's need for peace and mutual respect for human dignity. Music transcends cultural boundaries and this makes the 1000 Voices Mega Concert for Peace a truly meaningful event. Such a concert is very much lauded and should be encouraged in the future.

We are thankful that the freedom we enjoy in this multi racial country allows us to organize such an event. I am sure it will have a lasting impression on all those who attend and participate in this auspicious occasion.

Best wishes to all members of the organizing committee and participants and May the Almighty richly bless you all.

The Adventist University of the Philippines, (AUP) College of Nursing was enjoined by the Commission of Higher Education, Region IV to operate a review center for nursing. The memo-randum is in compliance with Executive Order Number 566 that empowers the CHED to regulate review centers, that is, review classes can only now be operated by schools as opposed to independent review centers in the past. The school can however operate review classes in partnership with former review centers but only accredited HEIs (higher educational institutions) and lead schools in Region IV is given the privilege to operate review center in partnership with existing review centers in the past. The CON at present is processing application in partnership with AIM.One, owned and operated by Howel and Myrna Dellosa Inocencio, AUP BSN Batch ’94 for final approval of CHED. Should this venture push through, AUP would be the first school to operate official review classes in preparation for the national board examination in Region IV.

The AUP College of Dentistry, in cooperation with Loma Linda University School of Dentistry and United Labora-tories Inc. hosted its first Dental Congress with the theme “Embracing the Challen-ges of Dentistry through Modern Tech-nology” last June 27, 2007 at the Tagaytay International Convention Center followed by another seminar-workshop the next day at the Finster Hall of All Nations and the AUP College of Dentistry, respectively.

Dr. Quint Nicola, Associate Director for Dental Affairs, Health Ministries Department of the General Conference of SDA gave the welcome remarks. Leslie R. Arnett, Jr., DDS, MS, professor, LLUSD Department of Periodontics spoke on the topic “All You Really Need to Know and What You Didn’t Think was Important” while Dr. Robert Handysides, professor, LLUSD Department of Endodontics, tackled “Adventures in Endodontics.” Dr. Arnett gave a toothbrushing workshop at AUP COD.

Delegates included dental students, dental school faculty and dentists from as far as Baguio City. Dr. Marissa H. Virgines, AUP-College of Dentistry Dean is optimistic that this first Dental Congress will strengthen the ties between our own AUP and LLUSD.

The College of Theology was visited by a Team composed of Dr. Huang Po Ho from Taiwan, and Dr. Zenaida Lumba from Pampanga, both coming from Theological School that is member of Association of Theological Education in South-East Asia (ATESEA). This is the third time that COT is being re-accredited, in the past two accreditations the college was granted with a four-year accreditation status. Pastor Moises de Ocampo, Dean of COT says that AUP pays 300 USD per year as member of ATESEA but in return they receive grants amounting to 2,500 USD per year which the college use for its academic development in the form of seminars, books, and equipments. Membership to this organization equally brings prestige to the university.

Dr. Israel P. Andoy, D. Min., Chair of AB Theology, and professor of the College of Theology was invited to be one of the resource persons in a Ministers’ Council of the two Indonesian Conferences held at Jakarta and Manado in July 12-20, 2007.

The council was participated by ministers and their spouses and other workers of the missions in Indonesia. The thrust of the event is to strengthen and inspire the mission workers “To be more like Jesus” as their theme. Lectures gave appreciations to the missions’ workers for their being united and forgiving. Dr. Andoy presented 5 topics and delivered two sermons with emphasis on urban evangelism, his specialty in the ministry.

Dr. Ferdinand O. Regalado, Ph. D. in Religion from AIIAS and professor at the College Theology heeds call to be a professor in Montemorelos University in Mexico. Charito, his wife with an MA in Elementary and his 2 daughters will be going with him. Their departure is on July 25, 2007 and would be connected with Montemorelos University for six years.

Miss Maripaz Adriano, a BSN Batch 2007, and a Summa Cum Laude was one of the chosen 30 finalists who vied to be one of the 2007 Ten Outstanding Students in the Philippines (TOSP).

“Getting to the top 30 isn’t a task easily accomplished. Letters are sent to universities in different regions to invite two graduating students to the regional and national search. They are judged by their grade point average and their active participation in the community. The 30 qualifiers are then made to take part in a three-day formation process conducted by the TOSP executive committee and TOSP alumni. Business and government leaders then interview them to find the final 10.” Ronald S. Lim, “And Then There Was Ten”, Manila Bulletin July 9, 2007.

The awarding ceremony was held at Rizal Hall of Malacanang Palace in July 5,2007, the President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was the special guest. Dinah Galang, CON Dean, one of those invited to accompany Miss Adriano during the awarding ceremony said that the event is an “eye opener” in preparing participants to this prestigious award should AUP would participate again in the future. It will be recalled that Angela Manalo Adil, BS Accountancy 2001 is first AUP’s bet to won the TOSP award.

The Fine Arts Department headed by Ruben Pagaduan, will sponsor the “First On the Spot Painting Contest” to be participated by fine arts students coming from invited schools offering Fine Arts from Manila, Bulacan, and Calabarzon Area.

The painting contest, with its theme “Meta Art in Nature” (or what nature reveals within) is open to all bonafide student of fine arts who is currently enrolled in a recognized college or university in the country. The contest rule is that participating artists are free to use any medium including mixed media in their own provided painting materials to be drawn on a 30 by 30 inches non textured, ready for hanging panel board or canvass. There is only one entry for each participant to be accepted. Prizes at stake in cash are: Grand–25,000 pesos, second-15,000 pesos, third-10,000 pesos and 2 honorable mentions at 5,000 pesos each.

The contest is part of the events that will occur in August 1, 2007 in celebra-tion of AUP’s 90th Foundation Anniver-sary. On that day too, the Fine Arts Department will officially open to the public the Art Park.

Dr. Romeo M. Barrios, University Research Center(URC) Director and his staff had launched the Stakeholders’ Assessment of Quality in Higher Education (SaQuaHE) Instrument as a research tool in enjoining the academe to do research under the “Every Teacher a Researcher” (ETR) program of the URC in July 11, 2007 at Finster Hall during a research forum also organized by the URC and participated by AUP faculty.

The SaQuaHE instrument designed by Dr. Barrios and currently being develop into a book was created to address the problem on the dearth of available evaluation instrument to measure the quality of a college or university for apparently, quality assessments is practiced today by many higher educational institutions (HEIs) with self-serving motives. Many HEIs claim that they have “quality education”, “academic excellence”, or a top performing school which is usually derived from the perspective of the school operators. SaQuaHe considered stakeholders such as: students, parents, faculty, alumni, employer, government, etc. point of view as a measure of the quality of an educational institution. It is hoped that every university department will adopt this program with the participation of every teachers under the department.

Equally featured during the research forum is the presentation of Dr. Danilo Poblete’s (VPAA) paper on “Reflective Teaching Characteristics of Solusi University Faculty” and Statistical and Sampling Designs for SaQuaHe Instrument by Dr. Edwin Balila, Dean of the College of Arts, Sciences, and Technology.

KOTA KINABALU: The angels lent their voices to man last night as more than 6,000 people sang to the heaven for peace on earth in the 1,000 Voices Mega Concert for Peace at the Likas Stadium here.

A mammoth effort by the Adventist Development Founda-tion (ADF), the concert was a rousing success as at least 5,000 spectators were enthralled by the powerful and moving songs sung throughout the three-hour event.

Co-ordinated by Joshua Shin, the youth and music director for the Northern Asia-Pacific division, the concert also showcased for the first time in Sabah The Ambassadors, the top choir group from the Philippines and world champions of the Gospel and Spiritual Category in the 2006 World Choir Games in Xiamen, China as well as the internationally-renowned Golden Angels all the way from South Korea.

Earlier before the start of the concert. Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the event conveys the world's need for "peace and mutual respect for human dignity."

"A concert for peace is indeed timely, especially after the September 11, 2001 incident,” he said in his officiating speech, in reference to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York.

"Since then the whole world has been fighting terrorism. If compassion takes precedence over hatred, I believe life on this planet would be much better.

"The voices of the choir members echo humanity longing for peace, love and compassion... it represents the hope of the human race," he said.

Pairin added that the concert may pave the way for a new record in the Malaysia Book of Records under the largest choir category if the number of choir members exceed 5,500 people.

Also present at the event were Sabah Council of Churches president Rev. Bishop Datuk Voo Thien Fui and Sabah Mission of Seventh-Day Adventist Church president Pastor Francis Lajanin.