Ang Pamantasan 2nd Issue (September-October 2018)

TOMO MMXIV VOL. 39 NO. 02

INTRAMUROS, MANILA SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2018

ANG PAMANTASAN The Official Student Publication of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

E rap d ec l a re s M a ni l a “ d eb t-free ” Erap hands a giant fascimile of a check for P200 million to BIR. | Photo Courtesy: manila.gov.ph

BY RAVEN VILLALUNA

Manila City Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada claimed in his second State of the City Address last July 9, at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) that Manila is “finally debt-free” as his administration paid the city government’s 200 million pesos debt.

Estrada handed a symbolic check with an amount of P200 million to Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Caesar Dulay on September 29 as payment to settle the city government’s 2007 tax liabilities, which according to his office, were inherited from his two former predecessor mayors, Lito Atienza and Alfredo Lim.

Estrada also affirmed that the passed down debt was over P5 billion, including P630 million overdue electricity bill to electricity distributor Manila Electric Company, when he took over on 2013.

He also mentioned that various fiscal reforms were administered by the local government which developed Manila as a financial,

AFP releases list of universities involved in Red October

BY MILES SINFUEGO

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) released the list of universities in Metro Manila which are allegedly part of the “Red October” of the Communist Party of the Philippines in plot to oust the Duterte administration last October 3, 2018.

The eight red-tagged universities by the AFP released statements condemning the absence of proofs provided by the military for the said allegation as it undermines the safety and security of their students.

“Unverified” Accusations by the AFP “Why would you even, if that were something substantiated, release that publicly without sitting down and [having a dialogue] with university officials? If they were serious about it, if there was something substantial, I think that’s the first step. Media release of an intelligence report does not help any,” DLSU Philippines President Bro. Armin Luistro stating that prior to releasing the list, the government should have first negotiated about it with the involved universities.

In a statement released by the UP Diliman Student Council, it

was pointed out that AFP’s redtagging imposes a clear threat to the youth and student movement— to students who bravely criticize the government and the president himself.

Brigadier General Antonio Parlade Jr., AFP Deputy Chief of Staff, included a “Caloocan City College” to the list, in which critics were immediate to point out that such school does not exist.

Threat on Freedom of Expression Parlade Jr. said that the communists are trying to recruit students through a series of filmshowing about the Martial Law. “May on-going film showing sila about dark years of martial law sa mga class to incite students to rebel against the government,” the official stated.

People in the Philippine film and art industry condemn the accusation of the Philippine Military on the alleged recruitment of the Communist Party of the Philippines through film screenings.

“It impinges on our right to freedom of expression, speech and assembly, and endangers us and our audience, especially in

the context of the Duterte regime’s murderous anti-war and counterinsurgency campaigns and the President’s recent pronouncement that ‘rebels’ are now targets for ‘neutralization’ or can be arrested without warrant, despite constitutional guarantees against it,” said in a statement released and signed by 300 individuals belonging to the art and film industry.

Additionally, the Directors Guild of the Philippines released a separate statement stating that the “broad allegation” of the AFP official dangerously sends a chilling message that not only affects the appreciation of political films, but also threatens the freedom of expression that all films strive for.

Human Security Act of 2007 In 2002, CPP and New People’s Army (NPA) were listed as a foreign terrorist organization in the United States.

On December 5, 2017, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte declared both aforementioned as a terrorist organization.

On March 6, 2007, signed by then President Gloria Arroyo, (continue on page 2)

business, and tourism capital; gaining enough revenues to make the city debt-free.

The city mayor reaffirmed that he was dedicated in re-establishing Manila’s historical title as the “Pearl of the Orient” through implementing a huge urban renewal program.

“This is my way of thanking Manilenyos to whom I owe so much

debt of gratitude from the very beginning of my career as movie actor up to my political life,” Mayor Estrada added that he wants to leave a legacy and be known as the man who paid off Manila’s huge debts.

“No amount of money can be equal what they have done for me,” he added in Filipino.

W H AT ’ S I N S I D E ?

2

BOMB THREATS ALARM UNIVERSITIES IN INTRAMUROS

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HOW TO GET AWAY WITH PLUNDER

NEWS

OPINION

7

FEATURES

Four universities in Intramuros, Manila received bomb threats one after another last September 20, 2018...

In the Philippines, as stated in the 1987 Constitution, to be qualified to run for President, Vice President and Senator, and Members of...

CAN WE TRULY BE CLEAN AND GREEN? There has been a rising consciousness in environmentalism and lessening our carbon footprint in response to the continuous deterioration of the...

2 NEWS

ANG PAMANTASAN/ SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2018

Bomb threats alarm universities in Intramuros

BY MECAELA GUMADE

Four universities in Intramuros, Manila received bomb threats one after another last September 20, 2018, the Manila Police District (MPD) confirmed.

According to MPD, four universities, including Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Mapua Institute of Technology, Colegio de

San Juan de Letran, and Lyceum of the Philippines UniversityManila, received such threats through a text message starting around 4 PM. Mapua also formerly received a bomb threat last September 18, 2018 that caused for the university to cancel its classes and office

Manila Polce District officers inspect universities in Intramuros that received bomb threats, (Photo Courtesy: ABS-CBN New)

News from page 1 “AFP releases list...” the Human Security Act of 2007 took effect, “an act to secure the state and protect our people from terrorism.”

Under R.A. 9372, a person who sowed and created a condition of widespread and extraordinary fear and panic among the people, in order to coerce the government to give in to an unlawful demand shall suffer the penalty of forty (40) years of imprisonment, without the benefit of parole as provided for under Act No. 4103, otherwise known as the Indeterminate Sentence Law, as amended.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, claiming that the Human Security Act of 2007 as one of the weakest anti-terrorism law in the world, stated that the senate is set to pass amendments of the aforementioned act; one of which is to extend the surveillance of suspected terrorists from 30 days to a period of 90 days, “Ang kinukuha ng court order dito ‘yung technical surveillance, meaning you will wiretap and you will monitor ‘yung kanyang social media accounts, email,” he elaborated.

As opposed to the said proposed amendment, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate statedthe glorification of terrorism and

work for that day, announcing its advisory on the university’s official Twitter page.

The MPD-Explosive & Ordinance Division (EOD) confirmed at 6:30 PM of September 20, 2018 that the said universities are negative from any explosives and hazardous materials after their inspection. “‘Yan lang ‘yung mga taong walang magawa sa buhay,” Chief Insp. Arnold Santos of MPD-EOD said, referring to the one who is responsible for the bomb threat text messages.

Other universities outside Intramuros also received bomb threats such as the Far Eastern University (FEU) on the same day and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) last September 19, 2018.

that it can be used as a way to target and silence critics of the government, “’Pag naging batas ito, tingin natin kabahagi ito ng pagsupil doon sa mga lumalaban sa gobyerno maging sa mga legal na organizatins, mga kritiko ng gobyerno sa kaliwa man ‘yan , o sa ibang mga sektor.”

“The vague language of the Human Security Act invites the government to misuse it,” said Joanne Mariner, Terrorism and Counterterrorism Director at Human Rights watch, stating that the Congress should repeal or revise the act to comply with human rights standard.

9 sugar cane farmers killed in gunmen massacre

BY RAVEN VILLALUNA

Nine members of sugar workers association, including two minors, were massacred after about 40 armed men fired upon them in Hacienda Nene in Purok Pine Tree, Barangay Bulanon in Sagay City, Negros Occidental on Saturday night, October 20 According to the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW), the fatalities who were all residents of Sagay City were identified as Jomarie Ughayon, Marchtel Sumicad, Eglicerio Villegas, Paterno Baron, Rene Laurencio, Rannel Bantigue, Angelife Arsenal, Morena Mendoza, and Marcelina Dumaguit were killed during “Bungkalan,” a land cultivation area activity wherein farmers occupy futile lands and cultivate them to make

them beneficial, were resting at their makeshift shelter when unidentified assailants fired at them.

Three of the victims were allegedly burned, while four survivors managed to escape the attack.

The police confirmed that the killers had not yet been identified and has still been investigating the incident.

“I have already issued orders to use maximum resources to ensure the arrest of the criminals so that justice may be served to the victims and their families in the soonest possible time,” said Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, director of Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) in Western Visayas.

According to Presidential

Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, New People’s Army could be the suspect behind the killings as he cited initial police findings as bases.

“Those killed were recruited the day before they were killed,” he said stating that the killed group of farmers belong to a “legal front” of communist rebels.

Panelo also added that the government will assure that the perpetrators will be put into legal action once taken into custody.

Meanwhile, P500, 000 reward will be given to whoever can give an information that could lead to the arrest of the gunmen who killed the nine farmers as per announced

by Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. on Sunday, October 21.

e

Prid o k s I

ITHM places 2nd in Puregold’s KAIN U PLM Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management (ITHM) won 2nd runner up in the Puregold KAIN U: An Interschool Food Business Competition with this year’s theme of “Ang Panalong Sangkap for Success” held on September 18-19, 2018 at the World Trade Center.

Pande Pizza Co. is ITHM’s winning business, a food booth which sells pizza in pandesal which comeswithItalian pizza sauce, cheese, and different kinds of toppings such as mushroom, pineapple, ham, and ground pork. The team behind the venture was composed of Angelica Sanchez, Ma. Theresa Ubac, Jennelle Marie Manait, Hennesy Shaina Cruz, Kyla Veraces, Kirk Daniel Arcega, Sheila Mae Calma, Ruellyn Ortega, Rizelle Mayela Severo and Mhel Fame Melgar from Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management (BSTM 1-1) and Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management (BSHM 1-1), who received a cash prize of PhP 15, 000.00 and PhP 5, 000.00 worth of gift certificate for the university.

“We were really surprised when PLM was announced as 2nd placer, some of us even cried because it was all worth it, all our efforts and our professors’ were paid off. We were really thankful during that time and proud with ourselves because despite all the struggles, we won,” Angelica Sanchez, a contestant, said in an interview.

PLM achieves 100% in REE Board PLM garnered 100% passing rate from the board examination as 11 out of 11 first-time takers from the College of Engineering and Technology (CET) successfully passed the September 2018 Electrical Engineering licensure examination.

This year’s result was an improvement from last year’s 93.33% passing rate, in which 14 out of 15 PLMayers passed the test. The national passing rate is 66.74%., with 3, 135 takers making the cut out of 4, 697 examinees. This was also higher than last year’s passing rate of 44.92%.

PLM congratulates new Registered Chemist and Chemical Technicians PLM welcomes its new registered chemists with a passing rate of 53.85 percent, and chemical technicians with 93.88 percent passing rate on the Chemist Licensure Examination last October 13, 2018.

A total of 14 out of 26 PLMayers who took the licensure examination passed the Chemist Licensure Exam. Meanwhile, 14 out of 15 from PLM passed the Chemical Technician Licensure Exam.

According to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), 496 out of 1,101 passed the Chemist Licensure Examination, and 1,673 out of 1,916 passed the Chemical Technician Licensure Examination which was given by the Board of Chemistry taken in Manila, Cagayan De Oro, and Cebu City.

The results of the examination were released two working days after the last day of the examination.

Ang Pamantasan

The Official Student Publication of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

2018-2019 EDITOR IN CHIEF Shaira Oca • MANAGING EDITOR Miles Sinfuego NEWS EDITOR Raven Villaluna • LITERARY EDITOR Nicole Carig FEATURES EDITOR Keane Escobar • FILIPINO EDITOR Ina Gonzales SPORTS EDITOR Kent Mojica • ONLINE EDITOR Nisha Hernandez BOARD SECRETARY Nicole Mendoza CIRCULATIONS MANAGER Aristotle Castronuevo STAFF Mecaela Gumade / Mauren Merca / Sharmaine Mararac Alaiza Manansala / Jerome Tresvalles / Dwight Ulep / Peter Buntan ILLUSTRATORS Peter Buntan / Angela Maunio / Ivan Rosero Paul Barongan LAYOUT ARTISTS Nicole Mendoza / Raven Villaluna / Keane Escobar Nicole Carig / Mecaela Gumade

EDITORIAL

VOL. 39 / NO. 02

Consistently Inconsistent The PLM Student Manual is an emblem that the University has always been committed in upholding academic excellence, social responsibility, integrity, and discipline in its student. Even so, how would one adhere with the university policies and provisions if what is written and what is imposed are unparalleled and continuously changing?

Last October 19, Karl G. Ceneta, a CBGM fourth year student, asserted his complaint regarding the inconsistencies in adhering to the student manual through a public status on Facebook. In his post, he imparted his experience when he was prohibited to enter the PLM and was forced to be put into penalty by a school official for wearing shorts and not conforming to the university proper dress code.

Ceneta stated that he has worn shorts multiple times in the university without having any disciplinary action by presenting the student manual to the USGs as evidence that wearing shorts is not prohibited–until his fifth time this school year, when he passed by a school official in the university entrance. Generally, university rules are bound to form a discipline and organization inside the campus, and a student that violates it must face its consequence. Hence, the administration has the right to correct its students’ non-compliance as long as it has firm grounds.

However, in 2016, the 2012 Student Manual was reviewed and revised to develop more constructive guidelines made to a certain level of consistency in the Pamantasan–a consistency that seems to be a line

What perhaps can be considered as one of the longestrunning labor-related issues in the country is the permitting of End of Contractualization (Endo), in which an employee is only given temporary employment and is denied of work benefits, such as SSS, PhilHealth, PAG-IBIG, and 13th month pay. The irony is that since there has only been minute amendments in the Philippine Labor Code, this short-term type of employment technically does not violate any law and is continuing to be prevalent in the country, with most in the business industry abusing thereof.

With this, aside from protests and bills being pushed in the congress to abolish workers’ contractualization, majority of modern day youth enacts boycotts to particular mega corporations which abide this term of employment—in the form of consumer protest, wherein the public is being encouraged to stop patronizing the company’s products and/or services which will put the producer on a pressure

RAVEN VILLALUNA Ink Blot

drawn onto water. In the previous student manual, wearing of any type of shorts is prohibited as it was considered as improper school attire for the undergraduates.

Meanwhile, it is clearly presented in the Appendix A of the current and revised student manual that shorts are not included on the list of inappropriate campus attire.

Students being accountable of their misconduct is a precondition and as it should be. But the fact that the personnel insisted and told Ceneta that he might face suspension despite explaining and proving that he did not violate any rule on the student manual is uncalled-for. Students being held liable of something that has no basis is prejudice. In an interview, Ceneta mentioned that while being held for about two hours in the University Security Office (USO), he was also told to just submit a Complaint Report Form (CRF) as ordered by the same official, even if his offense is not stated in the manual because it is the administration’s prerogative.

If the implementation of policies and issuing of offenses may be arbitrarily based on the administration or personnel’s wishes, then the student manual is useless at all—a case where the guideline itself doesn’t serve as a guide. Other cases have also been observed by the many students and experienced the ambiguity in following the rules since the USGs as well, have no homogeneity and have their subjective selection in giving offense. The sanction and possible suspension from the university official to the student, without any evidence of

Political Consumerism in the Multimedia Era

3

negligence to the school rule is proof that autocracy is present in the university, students have been experiencing coercion of rights, and a consistent provision of university rules is non-existent.

In these cases, wherein students are faced in conflict with the higher people of the pecking order, the only thing that one can do is to speak, and that only right should not be at least taken away as Ceneta also mentioned that he too received a complaint for “disrespect”. The nature of this offense was said to have been his high tone of voice during the discourse with the school officials, in which he defended that he has a natural loud speaking voice and did not perform any act of verbal disrespect at all.

It is a student’s responsibility to abide with the university’s rules and regulations, but it is also their right to freedom of expression and protect themselves from violation of chastity done by any members of the university without due process and proper validation.

The student manual that serves as the concrete guide of the students with the rules and standards of the University appears to be imprecise in reference in such cases of nonconformity. It is even developed to form consistency inside PLM. However, for a PLMayer, it will be a dilemma to know what and whom to adhere if the promulgation of the regulations in papers and personnel do not correlate. In the University, one must know his/her rights and responsibilities, and adhere to them, while the other must set fairness and uniformity–make the inconsistent consistent.

MILES SINFUEGO Deerstalker

to weigh its employment policies.

This locally manifests on the ongoing boycotts against Philippine’s major corporations, like, opting to buy to other condiments company aside from NutriAsia, or choosing to bear not eating Filipino’s unofficial favorite fast food from Jollibee, one of the many other corporations owned by JFC. The involvement of younger people in the discourse of progressiveness of the nation is essential in the facilitation of our social and economic development.

Nevertheless, what needs to be acknowledged is this “anger” we feel every time we hear, read, or watch something related to inequalities enough to transform into the “change” that we are fighting for in this country.

Social media is never a democratic platform. One can try to hide his privilege in real life by sharing posts on Facebook about critical societal issues or tweeting with #BoycottNutriAsia or #BoycottJollibee. There is actually nothing wrong with these except when they still consume thereof, but

lack real lasting results, especially when they are not the target market of these corporations. After all, we never know until when we can hold our stomachs if they crave for Chickenjoy. Moreover, making social media as avenues to call-out unequal systems without personal social awareness makes boycotting a trend, thus putting an expiration date with it with all the political consumerism issues happening.

As Brayden King, a Management & Organizations Professor at Northwestern University, said, “The no. 1 predictor of what makes a boycott effective is how much media attention it creates, not how many people sign onto a petition or how many consumers it mobilizes.”

Using the market as an avenue for our political stands inflicts if not nothing, only little economic harm on these offending mega corporations, but still has an impact by staining a corporation’s reputation not necessarily by how many people sign a petition or how many consumers have stopped patronizing a product, but actually how much attention it creates.

How to Get Away with Plunder

In the Philippines, as stated in the 1987 Constitution, to be qualified to run for President, Vice President, Senator, and members of the House of Representatives, one must be a natural-born citizen of the country, a registered voter (in the case of district representatives, registered in the district where he or she will run), and is able to read and write. The same applies to candidates in the regional elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), according to Republic Act 9054. There are also age and residency requirements for each elective position, but NBI clearance is not included in the requirements, even for local posts.

Meanwhile, an ordinary Filipino who applies for a job is required to submit birth certificate, transcript of records or diploma, SSS, Pag-IBIG, Philhealth, BIR forms, and NBI clearance.

Among the 152 senatorial aspirants who filed their Certificates of Candidacy (COC) for the May 2019 mid-term elections were three former senatorswho were not stopped from eyeing a comeback to the upper chamber amidst plunder cases in connection with the pork barrel scam.

Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Jinggoy Estrada, and Juan Ponce Enrile were charged with graft and plunder back in 2014 for alleged involvement in the multibillion-peso Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam. They were accused of funneling PhP 10 billion of lawmakers’ funds into bogus non-government organizations.

On the other hand, Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada is also seeking for his third and last term in the 2019 mid-term elections. The former president was ousted from presidency in 2001 through a popular revolt after an aborted impeachment trial where he stood accused of illegally accretion of wealth through kickbacks and commissions from jueteng operations, stocks manipulation, and tobacco excise taxes. In 2007, he was charged with life imprisonment after being found guilty of corruption. But despite being found guilty of plunder, Estrada still managed to land on the second place in the race to the 2010 presidency.

In 2013, he made his political comeback after winning as the mayor of the City of Manila. He was then elected for a second straight term as Manila mayor in 2016.

They are just some of the many government officials who get away with corruption and other crimes, and get seated on their post over and over again.

The lack of qualifications for candidates is unfair and unfavorable to think that being a politician is also a job and logically speaking, the higher their position is compared to ordinary Filipino employees, the more they should have a clean record, especially that they are paid by the Filipino people and they are spending the money of every countrymen in doing their job.

It is about time that the requirement of having no criminal record for any government position be passed into law. If an ordinary ex-convict who aspires to start a new life by earning money in a clean way is hindered by the NBI clearance requirement for job applicants, why would we allow criminals who stole millions and billions from the people to have the chance of stealing more?

But as for now, since the May 2019 is fast approaching and they have already filed their candidacy, then it is about time that Filipino voters be wise enough and take away the chance of these clowns to easily get away with graft and plunder all over again.

More importantly, we are not here to fight just against a single mega corporation, but the whole downright foul industry practice.

Change is more attainable by having each one of us aware

that the fight of each sector of the industry is also a fight of all Filipinos, and investing in and joining movements make it more reachable.

4 LITERARY

ANG PAMANTASAN/ SEPTEMBER=OCTOBER 2018

DON’T SWIM

BY ALAIZA MANANSALA

I still remember the night I met him, Stars were hiding, Waves were crashing, And the cold breeze of air soothed my skin.

I was sitting by the shore With blank eyes, looking ahead, Hoping answers would suddenly appear in front of me, But instead of answers, it’s him who sat by my side.

He asked me what was wrong, And I said, “Everything.”

With auburn-colored eyes, he looked into my soul, I remember how gorgeous he was, His messy hair looked unbelievably perfect on him, Aristocratic nose and soft lips; He was everything I wasn’t.

I was a mess With red puffy eyes and unruly hair, Cheeks wet with tears, Worn-out clothes from yesterday; I was disorder-personified.

He told me he can make me feel better.

Desperate and tired, I asked, “How?” He found my two black orbs, And in his, I found the solution, But I shook my head.

Despite my refusal, He stayed by my side, Held my hand While I silently cried

Until the light materialized.

I told him I didn’t want to see him again; I told him to get away from me, And he did.

For years, I saw no trace of him; I thought he finally understood me.

However, it’s me who didn’t understand what I said.

One night, I saw myself by the shore again, Feeling the sea water on my feet, Walking back and forth, Looking for him.

He didn’t make it difficult for me.

Upon my request, He was here again, Holding my hand, whispering into my ears, I told him, “Everything is wrong again.

The pain I feel is killing me And unlike before, I can no longer bear it.”

With weary eyes, I pleaded.

He asked me if I was ready to hear his solution.

Without hesitation, I said yes.

I tried drowning him before; It was hard.

I thought I succeeded, But little did I know he knew how to swim, So he resurfaced again, I knew I should get my matches, And burn him ‘til he turned into ashes, But I put up no fight, I let him hold my hand; I let him take control, And we walked through the waves Until I can no longer see the sky, But unlike him, I do not know how to swim.

SANCTION

BY SHARMAINE MARARAC

TRUTH UNTOLD

BY NICOLE CARIG

Mouth is shut by irrational fear And all that’s left is a roll of tear, Hunted by horror every night Yet everyone seemed to be blinded by sight.

Another bruise from an intended fall Yet there’s no one I can call Another heavy slap of reprimand As I stumble on the ground, Depraved words thrown at me whenever I wear something to feel free.

Another scar has been planted, Is this how women should be treated?

Crimson blood drips off my lips, Temple damaged by fist Yet my cries were left unheard, And I was silenced.

I was coerced to sacrifice my sanctity just to satisfy his thirst; bare hands crept my flesh, I felt lesser than less.

He shot me with those lustful stares, as he mortify my blood and soul He crawled beneath the blanket sheets, And put me under his control His hands wandered thoroughly, perusing every inch of me

Sweat.

My legs are exacting every bit of oxygen this body could muster.

When will the Pursuer run tired of this game?

Left. Left. Right. I know this highway like the back of my hand. He’ll never catch up.

Or will he? Will it matter? That voice again.

Left. More left. It matters to the uniform.

Eager, voracious and selfish blue out to get me and what I took I look back, and he’s nothing but a speck in the darkness.

the snobbiest alleyways where we love to hide.

All that tenacity for a meager minute’s worth of calm. All this strain, every night, to escape, and perhaps for the rest of my life.

Serves you right.

I’m not afraid. The world has long forsaken me. My bones, my blood, my skin are my only sanctuary.

Blood.

I taste iron where the fist collided with my skin. I ache in all places.

You deserve it. I do, right?

It was the same old black again. Always in

Tears.

Even my muscles betray me, and I won’t have it, and so I’d weep for all that’s lost; For myself, for those I’d left behind, for

Beneath my breath, I muttered, “stop”, but he had already disrobed my top This body I had struggled to keep has shouldered neglect, the fear visits me in my sleep, never had my nights become, again, perfect.

Once, twice, thrice, I was pinned against the wall Thirteen, Fourteen, and at fifteen, my life has gone into a downfall Behind those creepy smiles are the demons he hides.

I do not know if I really survived or long ago, I have died.

I was told that I was a born an angel, but at the age of fifteen, the devil got my wings broken, and these evil monsters occupied me.

I hide behind a mask just so I can save myself both from the demons around me, and the demons inside me.

Time slipped idly by, and his life persisted just fine, but these words I’ve held back, just remained a truth untold.

what I took, and even for the daily knots of my insides, when there’s never enough of anything it needs to feel alive, then I take more from the packet, barely, so I don’t run out. Another, and all is lost once more.

Within this measly mass of powder, I took among others. My pain is fluid, undetectable, temporary.

I wait for the voice to inculpate me; perhaps even the Pursuer to complete his arrest, capture the fiend, yet I was alone all night long.

I am not afraid.

LITERARY

VOL. 39 / NO. 02

5

THIRD CRY

BY NISHA HERNANDEZ

The boy cried wolf for the third time; nobody was convinced, except for her.

"The wolves will gorge me alive!

I'll perish.

I'll die."

No one dared to look at the boy.

The feeble boy who's tarrying and shrieking for help, except for the lass who concealed herself behind the oldest palm tree beneath the starry night.

She enveloped him and whispered, "It's all in your mind."

Her name is Sentry.

She's not a protector like her name denotes, but she is willing to be one for the boy who cried, "Wolves!"

Sentry left the palm tree and ran to the boy.

He whimpered, "Please believe me, there's are wolves!"

Sentry tightened her embrace.

"Yes, I believe you. I can see them too."

No one knows how arduous it is to feud with an invincible enemy that nobody sees.

The wolves are the demons.

The demons are the wolves.

With the eyes of remorse and animosity, paws of crisis and confusion; fangs of humiliation, deterioration, and turmoil; howls that demands to relinquish, to give up, and to discontinue breathing.

The boy cried wolves, but no one dared to help him aside from the girl that gave up and stopped breathing.

"The rope should be obscured in a hasp closet and never to be used again.”

Sentry disappeared in the midst of a cold evening.

A FIEND OF MINE

BY ARISTOTLE CASTRONUEVO People often look at me as if I am insane; they never think of me as someone who’s fighting just to be here.

Losing a battle every night is like digging my own grave as I drown myself with tears; Eager to destroy the cage my demons have built was never been easy for me.

After all, I’ve been living with them for almost 19 years, and they never left me, rather they built a home inside me— a home that eventually became a cemetery for my exhausted soul.

Suddenly, they knew how to control and tame me.

Even though I’m scarred, bruised, and flawed, I’m still trying to win over my demons.

Soon, the storm inside my heart will subside as the rays of hope touches and heals the wounds I’ve been trying to hide.

And in my soul, it is always night.

Vague figures from various shadows; Every night, I’ve imagined them; they’re like ghosts surrounding me; I wish I could cast a spell to stop them.

Mysterious creatures inside my head; Endlessly thinking, only if I were dead, I would no longer feel this pain.

For hope is what’s inside me; Reminding myself to keep going despite this suffering.

Observed and found life so dreary, dark, and gray.

My eyes have cried a million times, yet the victory was still mine.

Maybe I can shoot myself? No, I remember my mom’s sweet face.

Yesterday and the days before it, I tried to hide that I’m already dead inside.

Depression is a façade of a smiling face.

Everything I do, it’s always there.

Minding my loved ones that I’ll take my life one day.

Only I can hear the whispers of knives, pills, and guns; Nightmares, muted screams, and gloomy nights.

Sick of waking up, I wrote my suicide note.

Then I realize that every night, Only I can turn the wheel of my life. I’m going to sail my ship away from this oceanic sadness.

Now, I took off the noose around my neck, Instead of hanging myself, I’ll hang the unwanted thoughts lurking inside my head.

Given the chance to live once again, I ponder twice and thrice: How can I live without wanting to end my life?

The finality of it all, the demons are still here.

They may be quiet tonight, but inside my head, they are screaming for me to end my life.

They called it demons but sometimes their name is depression.

DELUSION

BY MARCO PADORA

He’s me and I’m him.

I have no identity.

He took my greatest name.

Now, I’m just nobody.

I’m chasing my biggest desire and ambition like any other child would do.

Unfortunately, there’s you – my wildest foe, who stopped me from reaching my glorious moment.

Looking at the mirror, glancing my devilish self, this is not me.

I’m jailed in my own wicked body.

He tricked me with he’s mischievous smile, telling me that it’s fine to be swallowed by jealousy.

I’m dying with my own pride and ego, belong to the thousands of victims

he has deceived.

I’m insane because of own myself; I trusted the wrong person, but I’m talking to my reflection clearly and vividly.

Blinded. Voiceless. Demented.

Torn between two personas.

I grasped my old self because that’s my real personality.

I want my mind and body back to what they were before.

Becoming holistically well and defined; That’s what I wish for.

You gave me the hope of my future; RA 110036, known as Mental Health Law. Thank you for the light you’ve shown.

Today, I’m getting my own body home.

6 FEATURES

ANG PAMANTASAN/ SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2018

Police the Police?

BY SHAIRA OCA

Second grade student Jan Kim from Samar using a makeshift pen out of twigs and rubber bands.

Photo Courtesy: Maricor Bacunata

The Unschooled Genius of the Filipino Poor

BY NICOLE MENDOZA │ DWIGHT ULEP

Manila, Philippines – Just a few miles away from the corporate world yet in a controlled chaotic world of its own. Amidst the chattering people and alternating street lights, genius resides in the people who have lived and struggled in the lone streets of Manila or perhaps, the airy fields of the provinces. Brilliance is inherent in the vocation of teaching and writing – their great love for service.

Their fathers are exemplars of prowess, and their mothers are the embodiments of magnificence.

Excellence is situated in its raw and fascinating streets mirroring distinctively extraordinary realities and stories. All these are dwelling in the Filipino Poor.

Oftentimes, when people are finding answers to questions concerning education, they would resort to going to institutions and universities. They would

be addressing the problems by gathering data and providing statistics. However, it comes with the risk of knowing the situation and not fully understanding it. Painfully, these issues come in different forms and sizes. One of which is the Filipinos’ desensitized view on the education system.

In the Philippine setting, education is religiously considered to be one of the greatest inheritance our parents could give. The country has an effervescent and diverse education system, together with the governing departments and assisting private sectors. Truly, there is not a single generation before us that has been blessed with the various set of circumstances and generous funds that could aid in our professional pursuit. In line with this, the 1987 Constitution assigns the highest budgetary priority to education having had realigned

billions of pesos to address the needs of the Filipino students, both in the secondary and tertiary level. Specifically, for this year, P40 billion could be used in establishing and maintaining facilities, hiring teaching and non-teaching staff and providing and developing learning materials and equipment’s for the students.

On the other hand, it is undeniable that several controversies have risen once its effectivity and its lack of evident results are questioned. It is a fact that the flaws of the system have major effects on the students itself expressed through continuous complaints, both from the parents and the students. These complaints all have a common factor of being about the heavy workload and lack of theoretical learning due to the emphasis on output-making. contiinue on page 7

Nowadays, the term “rape culture”, an “environment in which rape is prevalent and in which sexual violence against women is normalized and excused in the media and popular culture”, is often heard and used in daily conversations.

Essentially, however, rape culture supports the idea that men hold some sort of power over women.

Meanwhile, policemen, as stated in the Chiefs of Police Manual of the Philippine National Police (PNP), must “protect the rights of persons and property within the jurisdiction; and arrest offenders when necessary to prevent their escape, and those who unduly interfere with or obstruct the performance of the legitimate functions of law enforcement”.

Recently, a video went viral showing Director Guillermo Eleazar, National Capital Region police chief, bawling out PO1 Eduardo Valencia who had allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl in exchange for the release of her parents who had been rounded up by the police in a drug sting. The parents sought help from the authorities after their daughter told them that after she was brought in to the station for questioning, Valencia offered her a ride but instead brought her to a motel where the officer allegedly raped her. Valencia denied the accusation and made alibis, but Eleazar stressed that the medical examination showed that there was a laceration on the girl’s private parts which indicate that she was sexually abused.

The rookie police cop reasoned out that it has already been a practice among the operatives whenever they catch a drug pusher.

This remark by Valencia was quoted

on Twitter and was understood as how normalized sexual harassment is in the police force. The statement immediately went viral and prompted angry comments against the cop on social media. However, Eleazar clarified that Valencia was pertaining to how it was normal for those apprehended to hit back with counter-charges against arresting cops.

Nevertheless, the rape case faced by Valencia is a clear abuse of power that sparked a larger discussion about the internal culture of the PNP and underhanded the procedures used by the cops in the government’s war on drugs.

According to the Philippine National Police-Internal Affairs Service, they have filed a total of 31 rape cases committed by policemen from 2012 to 2018, where 43 cops were involved. In 2017, the number of rape cases grew to 15. For 2018, nine (9) cases have been filed.

Most of the victims were female detainees and their relatives.

Now, these being said, isn’t it alarming that the ones people looked up to as protectors are the ones who make people, especially women, feel unsafe and are the ones who commit unlawful acts?

Rape and other forms of violence or abuses against women, and even men, should never be normalized nor trivialized. They have no place in the society. Rape is a crime punishable by law in the country.

Even those who are powerful such as the PNP officers should instill in their minds that respect begets respect and should recognize that women’s rights are human rights which they should safeguard in the first place. Being a policeman doesn’t mean one cannot be policed.

Memes and Criminals

BY JEROME TRESVALLES

The word itself is harmless; it is a unique unconventional way of creating humorous material.

Its consumption is exclusive in the sense that many memes have “layers” or that in order to understand certain memes, you need to understand parts of internet activity that has happened long ago. If you weren’t in tune with the internet as the hotspot for unusual ideas and practices, then memes would be the first thing to get you started.

From memes to the real world, here in the Philippines, a stabbing

occurred last October that left one woman dead and another in a critical condition. This made headline news as the suspect tried (and subsequently failed) to convince police that he did not commit any crime that night. With his head woefully shaven of hair and speaking in a slurry voice, he uttered the lines “Paano mo nasabi?” which ultimately led him to become the subject of an internet meme.

Recently, somehow, memes and criminals go together well in the Philippines. Memes are meant to be

humorous, and the Filipino people thrive on making and consuming these memes even to the point of making communities centered on meme-making. But with the fun it gives Filipinos, it also takes away their sensitivity towards real issues these memes portray. The real issue in laughing at memes that poke fun at criminals is that we almost always only remember the criminal as a meme, not for what got them in the news in the first place.

Unfortunately, this is not just a recent occurrence. Last July 2016, the Philippines saw a rise in

extrajudicial killings. In this season of outrage against the government for these crimes, some still managed to create memes that made use of the hashtags: #Nagmahal #Nasaktan #Nagtulak #Namatay; all of which parody romantic Filipino tropes but done in a distasteful manner.

However, this 2018, we saw an influx of a number of memes that are taken directly from the news; some gems include Battousai, “Wala na finish na” “Wala kang kwentang kuya” and many others.

These iconic memes came from people jailed for: attempted murder,

unlawful entry and attempted rape and snatch theft and burglary.

These kinds of memes are changing the way people think about issues, it desensitizes our perception of crime and the way we should feel for people on and off the internet. Putting into perspective the televised crimes and our sense of morality, we must try to be better, we must stop making the wrong people famous for the wrong reasons, and lastly, we have to regain our empathy for victims of crimes instead of putting their aggressors in the limelight.

FEATURES

VOL. 39 / NO. 02

7

Stigma

BY PETER BUNTAN

Photo Courtesy: Go Zero PH, Clean n Green

Can We Truly be Clean and Green?

On the possibility of ethical consumption

BY KEANE ESCOBAR

There has been a rising consciousness in environmentalism and lessening our carbon footprint in response to the continuous deterioration of the environment.

Various trends have risen out of this, all with the intent of fixing, or at the least mitigation, the damage of our actions. However, with this response comes the question if it is truly working or not.

With this recent upsurge in plastic awareness, coffee and milk tea enthusiasts have hopped on the hype-train of using metal straws for their drinking needs.

Dubbed as the next best alternative to using plastic straws, the use of metal straws is highly encouraged and promoted, due to the fact that they are reusable and easy to clean with the brush cleaner that comes with every purchase. These straws come in many forms; from the basic stainless-steel straw up to the colored metallic variety, with some even coming in large sizes to accommodate milk-tea-pearl enthusiasts.

Though one could easily see how the metal straw can aid in mitigating the environmental damage from plastic use, consumers tend to forget the other damage that could come from its production: one that comes from its mass production.

The metals used in making the straws are obtained from mining;

which, aside from its environmental repercussions, is also at fault for the displacement of natives from their respective areas. Recently, the Lumad were driven away from their homes as Mindanao is still under military rule. In an interview conducted by ABS-CBN, they quote Kalumaran’s secretary general Duphing Ogan, “They [the government] are targeting our lands, destroying our mountains and our forests, and selling out to corporations. This is an all-out war against minority people, not against terror.”

Despite former DENR (under) secretary Gina Lopez’s 10-month campaign against mining practices, the Philippines still continues to be a hotbed for mining activities, both legal and illegal; to date, the cost of mineral resources in the Philippines is placed at around 1 trillion USD. This issue is not exclusive to the metal straw campaign either.

In an attempt to lessen the harmful effects of the meat industry, more and more people are starting to adopt a vegan lifestyle, one that is cruelty-free in all aspects.

In order to be vegan, one must completely reject the commodification of animals. In this sense, veganism is not just limited to food; it also includes clothing, cosmetics, and stretches to practically any form of commodity

available for our consumption.

Essentially, the goods have to be “cruelty-free”; the cruelty in this sense referring to animal cruelty, which is directly and indirectly done by the aforementioned industries. Not only is veganism advocating for the lives of animals, it is also touted as a solution to the worsening situation of our climate, which is hugely attributed to the meat industry. Roughly 60% of agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are due to livestock, and massive loss of wildlife is also due to clearing of forests for farmland use, with roughly 80% of global farmlands used for raising cattle. The common argument for veganism is that adopting a cruelty-free lifestyle comes with the protection of animals and, in the long run, the conservation of the environment.

Despite the apparent benefits, vegans still remain to be a minority on the Philippines. Not only that, in 2014, the Philippines is named as one of the worst countries to turn vegan. Critics cite that this is due to our cuisine being meat-based, however, this is not the only reason why veganism cannot completely take off locally.

Taking into consideration class conditions, most of the population of our middle and working class are concentrated in urban areas, where

vegetables and non-dairy products (or generally a healthy diet) is hard to come by. Living in what is called a food desert can be a challenge in on itself and modifying current conditions that are hard enough as it is to accommodate veganism can be an unnecessary burden. In addition to that, vegan alternatives are either mass-produced by dominant oligarchies with questionable business practices or small cruelty-free businesses that are yet to gain footing in a larger market. The market is saturated with products made out of exploitation (be it with natural or human resources), and while the obvious solution here would be to support the latter, the (working class) individual shouldn’t be held accountable for the commodities they consume due to the fact that cruelty-free options aren’t made accessible in the first place.

All of these, however, do not discount the importance of movements toward environmentalism. It is merely important to be more critical of the solutions provided to mitigate environmental damage, and whether they work in the long run. In a consumerist culture deeply entrenched in exploitation, individual attempts at living crueltyfree and zero-waste can only go so far.

professional training. In a similar sense, he even considered the, ill-educated and often coined “ignorant” Juan de la Cruz as the wisest of the wise, for he has simple virtues and philosophies that put to shame the studied and complex rules of conduct of highly educated men and women.

In accordance to the human capital theory, Ronald Meinardus once stated that the economic development of a nation is a function of the quality of its education. However, yet again, an underdeveloped education system cripples our visions and

promises for the country, for it yields educational malpractice which has greater impacts to every student’s learning. It provides an excuse for incompetence and ignorance. As a resolution, it is a better move to change angles through positioning higher education as a mechanism of creativity, innovation and inclusive development. This way, education would not be merely numbers and words on paper.

Instead, it would mold students who are capable of independent reason and appreciation— not schooled, but educated Filipinos of distinct and notable character.

Features from page 6

“The Unschooled Genius...”

Sadly, people are failing to see that these are mere manifestations of the symptoms of a larger problem for this neoliberal approach to education can be construed as another guise to producing members for the workforce, with very minimal difference – accomplishing strenuous amount of work for very little income, with empty development and unfavorable working conditions.

In the light of this, as the country indulges on the benefits that come from formal schooling, its people must not overlook the moral aspects of education— its sole duty

of character refinery and having due respect to the spiritual dimensions of the self. In Jorge Bocobo’s essay entitled “College Uneducation,” he stated that some alarming signs of college uneducation include (1) the lack of independent judgement and the love of pedantry because of the worship of the printed page and the feverish accumulation of undigested data, (2) the deadening of the delicate sense of beautiful and the sublime, on account of overspecialization and (3) the neglect of the formulation of a sound philosophy of life as a result of excessive emphasis on

When darkness overcasts the atmosphere, will you dive with radiance or let the society devour? Depression that is the most ubiquitous mental health illness in the Philippines. Can this mind massacre be stopped and reduce the fatality of one’s body?

Can you shout for those who whispers help and lead them to a society that is intoxicated? Are the persons with disorders are sick or is it the helpless society that let those persons who drown from toxicity?

There is a vast number of people who suffer from depression worldwide. World Health Organization (WHO) stated that there are 300 million who endured this mental health illness. In fact, it is very alarming that here in the Philippines, anxiety and depressive disorders are the most leading contributor with over six million Filipinos.

Nowadays, with a huge number of people who suffer mental health disorders, there are people ignoring this serious and life-threatening problem.

According to the WHO, in 2012, the suicide rate of 2.9 per 100,000 in the country had been reported with a number of 2,558 suicide cases. And every person in every region in the Philippines, at any time, a helping hand can be a huge step in stopping the ignorance towards these huge number of victims.

Mental health conditions should not be referred to as simple feelings but must actually be seen as a dangerous condition of being unhealthy in one’s body or mind. These are serious illnesses or disorders that prevent one’s body or mind from functioning normally.

With such incidents of suicide, an estimated number of 100 million per year or 3,000 people die every day according to the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP).

And it is said to be that by year 2020, the estimated number of deaths will rise to 1.5 million in a year. A society’s evasion with such grievous acts having sets of negative and unfair beliefs must be stopped to save lives and prevent humanity from perpetuating self-harm.

This is not just a fight for those who are in need, but everyone must contribute to prevent and lessen the occurrences of suicide. Even being a voice over the walls can help society rise.

Every other person who starts to be aware is not just a small flare, but is actually a beam that would lighten up one’s whole world.

8 ISKOMIKS

ANG PAMANTASAN/ SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2018