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Bastê: up close and personal

Junel 1999

He has a loud voice and a strong personality. Easy and fun to be with, a comedian and a cheerleader.

Whenever you hear somebody shouting "It's okay!" or "HOO! HOO! HOO!" during the volleyball games of BAR, you can bet it's the one and only SOS-Sebastian Oscar Sebastian.

SOS joined BAR as an IT consultant last January. He worked before at TESDA as a network consultant shortly after he came home from the States.

He lived in California for twenty years, hence the twang when he speaks English (it sounds cute!). He met his wife there, F. Charito Imperial. They have two boys uniquely named Djezmor Daniel and Djeremi David.

In the States, he took up a two-year vocational course on electronics at the San Diego Electronic Technical Institute. Before he finally landed on a job related to his electronics, he went through what he described as a "difficult life." He became a buzzer boy and a bartender at a hotel. You can just imagine his expertise on liquor. And then in 1979, he finally got a job as a supervisor for the testing division at Advanced Micro Devices. He later joined the US Navy where he taught oceanography. He also got a taste of war--the Desert Storm.

"Os-ker and pronunciation ng pangalan ko hindi 'Os-kar'"

He may seem to be "pa-easy" but he does his job well. Right now, the ITD, with his help, has assessed the LAN of BAR and PhilRice, has designed the system for BAR head office and its 19 networks, and is in the process of mobilizing the RDE network. He hopes to accomplish more in the coming months like continuing to have in-house training for the IT staff, finally getting the budget for IT, and conversion and renovation of the old Conference hall into a Training room and Server room.

SOS is fun to be with but at times he admits he's strict especially if his co-workers give him a hard time. He screams at them. "Nabubulyawan ko sila dahil matitigas ang mga ulo nila," he says with a laugh.

He is fun to be with because he likes to be with people. For the same reason, he took up Anthropology as an undergraduate course in UP Baguio. "I want to socialize and live with the people. That's what attracted me to take up Anthro," explains Baste or by his preferred moniker, Sebas.

Cool is one word to describe the man who also wants his name to be pronounced "Os-Ker". "Para naman hindi medyo Filipino ang dating," he says, again with a laugh.

June 1999

»» Hanover world expo selects BAR-FARM project
»» BAR initiates IDP workshop
»» Bar introduces "library in a box"
»» Up close and personal: Bastê
»» A night of pure fun & pleasure
»» Spending summer at BAR
»» Did you know that…
»» Tantalizing tomatoes!
»» BAR holds RDE network meeting

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