One less scientist
I write this with deep regret but with fond memories. Dr. Pacifico Payawal passed away last November 28.
They said he was a terror teacher. That he starts the class on the dot and with a 100-point quiz every meeting. I found these all to be true. I found out more as well. He was “terror” in the sense that he tried to discipline us, to be punctual and to be always prepared. His quizzes were always a source of dread, not that they were very difficult. The questions were mostly from the lecture notes. How I hate to miss those quizzes, never mind that I couldn’t get a hundred points all time but that I did not get any zero at all. He was that strict with his quizzes. I do remember the time that he gave in to us, not to give us a quiz that day. That was when he won his car from a raffle by the San Antonio de Padua Parish in Crossing. News spread like wildfire, and the moment he entered class, we just started clapping and chanting “No quiz, no quiz”. He did his best to look stern at us, but broke out into a happy smile. He was so happy then, saying it is seldom that a government employee can afford such luxury. And gave in to our request. In later years, I always remember that day whenever I see him around campus driving his white car.
In the early 90s, two natural disasters struck the Philippines, the 1990 earthquake and the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption. He was the voice of reason then – explaining those phenomena not only to his students but also to the community. He was dean of the College of Arts and Sciences when I graduated from UPLB. The day he signed my theses was my last contact with him. I did see him during mass serving at St Therese. It was inspiring to see him, a man of science but a man of God as well. He taught us the natural phenomena around us – from the solar system to volcanoes, from tectonic earthquakes to Pangaea… He also showed us by his actions, life outside the walls of the university.
Truly he will be missed.
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December 4th, 2006 at 6:35 am
Sounds like he was a great mentor and a great man of science. Requiescat in pace.
December 5th, 2006 at 8:01 am
the guy great… though somehow had an unfair grading scheme…
i enjoyed his classes… it’s just like watching national geographic and discovery…
December 6th, 2006 at 9:02 am
nalungkot ako dun…:(
sobrang gusto ko ang classes nya kahit na pinapa-cram nya ako every class dahil dun sa every meeting quizzes….
he is a great man of science.
great mentor of discipline.
- “paalam na po sir”
kakalungkot naman itong post mo.. huhuhu!
December 8th, 2006 at 5:12 am
The following is a snippet of email from my mom to her former boss at BioSci when she found out about the sad news:
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“I’ve always liked Ike as a friend. Masayahin siya. Isa sa mga totoong dedicated at masisipag ng UPLB, helping at church services, working as Cahbriba principal
after retirement. At para involved din sya with the running of Los Banos Barangay High School. Very helpful guy. I was very grateful to him for agreeing to conduct the UPCAT review at then Los Banos Science School, my pioneer project for the school as their batch PTA President at the time. Nagparaffle kami ng mga appliances to be able to put up an honorarium for him. Succeeding years ginaya na din ng PTA for their batches. It helped a lot kaya tumaas percentage
admission ng LBSS sa UPCAT.”
“Ike never changed a bit as a friend and has always been very approachable, gayun din his wife Zinnia, who died earlier of breast cancer. We were groups nila
Charity, Precy, Ma’am Joy Pantastico and a couple others in handling the Botany 2 classes for Lower Forms at lagi sya masaya. Di ko malimutan mga collecting trips namin sa mga beaches to gather marine algae and especially at Mt. Data to gather gymnosferms etc., the group going around Baguio City after collection. With limited allowance we will all stay in just one hotel room, salo salo sa food we could afford to order. Lagi ang saya saya namin which could have
account for the closeness we have developed to each other nila Charity, Mila Goss, Ike, Precy, Rolly Talatala etc. How I miss these folks these days.”
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-kyo-
December 8th, 2006 at 9:07 am
Thanks for sharing part of the email.
December 9th, 2006 at 1:29 pm
naging teacher ko si doc payawal sa NatSci. yeah, i dread those quizzes every class. pero enjoy ako kasi may ready drawings na sa blackboard pagdating namin sa class. i cant remember him being late…
December 27th, 2006 at 2:23 am
Hi. I’m Helga Payawal-Vergara, the youngest daughter of Dr. Payawal. Thank you so much for the post. Napaluha ako nung nabasa ko ung post mo about my dad. He is truly a great man. He was a great teacher and a great Father as well. Nobody knew kung gaano kalambot talaga ang puso niya.
Yes he was known to be a terror professor in UPLB but what’s ironic about it was the letters that he would recieve from his former students about how much they appreciated his lectures and how a great teacher he was. (Even yung mga binagsak niya ay sumusulat para lang pasalamatan siya.)
Another thing that very few people knew about was that he served as a principal and teacher at Cahbriba alternative school after his retirement. Would you believe na nagturo siya ng elementary at high school. At take note naiintindihan sya ng mga bata at favorite teacher pa siya. Infact nung nakaconfin na siya sa hospital bago siya namatay, they would visit him everyday. They would even cry na parang masmukhang basang sisiw pa sila kesa sa aming mga anak niya.
Daddy was really a great man. We are truly blessed to have a father like him. Thank you so much for appreciating him hard work.
March 30th, 2009 at 5:37 am
Dr Payawal made me appreciate geography and punctuality.
Whenever I see mountain formations and volcanic calderas, I always think of Dr Payawal. Whenever I have business meetings, I come in early and prepared – learned it from NASCII. I liked the subject, liked the teacher even better. The old man rewarded me with a 1.25.
Sure he gave those ‘pesky’ quizzez at 7:00 am in the morning, sharp – but think of the reasons why he deployed this teaching strategy in the first place. I believe it is to instill discipline and promote appreciation for learning. He’s one of the most remarkable teachers in UPLB. I have so much admiration and respect for Sir Payawal and for what he had accomplished in his lifetime, on-campus and off-campus.
Sir Payawal, it was an honor having you as a teacher. You’re gone but you will never be forgotten.