The Charo Santos-Concio-hosted Maalalala Mo Kaya (MMK) episode about a UPLB summa cum laude played by Angel Locsin is causing an uproar on the Internet. This issue was first brought to light by The Professional Heckler, who wrote to PEP with regards to the distorted facts in the said MMK episode. This time, UP Los Banos itself joined in the clamor as it issued a statement regarding the "wrong impression" the MMK "Blusa" episode bestowed upon its viewers. The prestigious institution is now demanding that it is only right for ABS-CBN to "set the records straight" and lay bare the truth that Nemie is NOT a UPLB summa cum laude. You can read the UPLB's Official Statement here.
This MMK episode entitled "Blusa" alleged that a certain UPLB summa cum laude in BS Agribusiness Management named Nemie (Angel Locsin) found it hard to land a job that she ended up working as a club dancer. Later on, she lost her mind because Nemie became so frustrated about the series of unfortunate events that happened in her life. You can click here to know more about this MMK episode.
UPLB has made a rigorous research in its history since 1909 and found out that out of the 27 summa cum laude graduates, no one fit the description of Nemie. Here are the list of UPLB's summa cum laudes in all of its history:
As anyone can clearly see, only one summa cum laude graduated with a BS Agribusiness Management degree in UPLB. That was in year 2000. It is impossible for THAT former student to be the one who was the basis of Nemie's character, since the MMK episode showed the real Nemie is already old (about 45 to 50 years old), while this Agribusiness summa cum laude is estimated to be just around 28 to 29 years old.
In the UPLB statement, the institution reiterated that:
The issue here is not about the improbability of a UP summa cum laude to end up as a club dancer because she cannot find a more decent job, but it is the premise of distorting the fact that she's a UPLB summa cum laude when she is not. There's no amount of dramatic/creative license can justify that because whether she is summa cum laude or not, her academic status is immaterial to the progression of Nemie's character.
This MMK episode entitled "Blusa" alleged that a certain UPLB summa cum laude in BS Agribusiness Management named Nemie (Angel Locsin) found it hard to land a job that she ended up working as a club dancer. Later on, she lost her mind because Nemie became so frustrated about the series of unfortunate events that happened in her life. You can click here to know more about this MMK episode.
UPLB has made a rigorous research in its history since 1909 and found out that out of the 27 summa cum laude graduates, no one fit the description of Nemie. Here are the list of UPLB's summa cum laudes in all of its history:
- 1946 BS Agriculture - Obdulia Fronda
- 1947 BS Agriculture
- 1975 BS Agriculture - Cielito Habito
- 1976 BS Biology
- 1978 BS Applied Mathematics
- 1979 BS Biology
- 1982 BS Biology
- 1987 BS Biology
- 1987 BS Biology
- 1988 BS Applied Mathematics
- 1992 BS Biology
- 1992 BS Biology
- 1993 BS Applied Mathematics
- 1993 BS Biology
- 1995 BS Economics
- 1996 BS Biology
- 1996 BS Economics
- 1998 BS Economics
- 2000 BS Agribusiness Management
- 2002 BS Applied Mathematics
- 2004 BS Biology
- 2005 BS Chemistry
- 2005 BS Economics
- 2006 BS Chemistry
- 2006 BS Applied Physics
- 2007 BS Biology
- 2007 BS Economics
As anyone can clearly see, only one summa cum laude graduated with a BS Agribusiness Management degree in UPLB. That was in year 2000. It is impossible for THAT former student to be the one who was the basis of Nemie's character, since the MMK episode showed the real Nemie is already old (about 45 to 50 years old), while this Agribusiness summa cum laude is estimated to be just around 28 to 29 years old.
In the UPLB statement, the institution reiterated that:
Whether or not the subject was a UPLB graduate, we deeply sympathize with her and her family. However, in the interest of maintaining its reputation as a truthful storyteller, the MMK should have a mechanism to validate claims by letter senders especially those that require a stretch of imagination as to be believed.
The issue here is not about the improbability of a UP summa cum laude to end up as a club dancer because she cannot find a more decent job, but it is the premise of distorting the fact that she's a UPLB summa cum laude when she is not. There's no amount of dramatic/creative license can justify that because whether she is summa cum laude or not, her academic status is immaterial to the progression of Nemie's character.
Declaring Nemie as a UPLB summa cum laude when she's not would only tarnish the reputation of an esteemed university. What impression would it give to its students and future students? That a UPLB Agribusiness/Agriculture summa cum laude cannot even get a decent job, so better yet they shift to Nursing? That UPLB is not offering job recommendations for their top graduates? The list goes on and these are the ramifications of misrepresenting one basic fact that she's NOT a summa cum laude.
In the light of all these brouhaha, ABS-CBN seems to play deaf amidst this issue. Tell me, whatever happened to the "Panig sa Katotohanan, Panig sa Bayan" mantra that they are proudly wielding in their news promo plugs? Tita Charo, charot lang pala lahat yon?! Kalurkey!
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