Himati | February 2021

EDITORIAL | PAGE 2

BEWARE OF THE TROJAN BOARS NEWS | PAGE 3

RED-TAGGING SPREE HEATS UP AT ONSET OF ATA ORALS

LATHALAIN | PAGE 7

SA ILALIM NG KAMA NI ELI

OPINION | PAGE 12

FROM KEYS TO THE STREETS

VOLUME XXII ISSUE 1 FEBRUARY 2021

EDITORIAL

VOLUME XXII ISSUE 1

ILLUSTRATION BY Chairman Meow

A

t a time when physical interaction is limited, we rely now more than ever on the internet to keep us wellinformed. A Trojan horse finds itself on our shores to protect us from the nation’s strongest unseen enemy, but leaves us vulnerable to the fascist attacks of the state instead.

The execution of the AntiData from Rappler’s Terror Law in the middle Sharktank shows that Facebook of the pandemic appears to pages run by the armed forces have bolstered the police have a coordinated pattern and military in attesting their and behavior in publishing authority towards the Filipino disinformation and augmenting masses. Aside from mandating on to unsubstantiated content militaristic measures to ensure from trolls and fake news that no form of physical “revolt” peddlers. Their graph showed against the government would the numerous police pages ensue, they have sought tighter that have shared posts from at hold of the media, particularly least three (3) of the top redthrough the social media tagging pages, which in turn platforms. are then shared by other local A quick Google search police-run pages as well. The will show the police being following pages having the heralded in several articles as highest recorded shares on these firm purveyors of “the truth” contents are: Ligao City Police and even seeks to suppress the Station, 2nd Albay Provincial growth of misinformation. In Mobile Force Company, recent developments however, it Camarines Sur 1st Provincial has been revealed that the armed Mobile Force Company, and forces are using various social Malinao Municipal Police media platforms in spreading Station. false information against As if harassment done unto any perceived enemy of the Duterte’s critics were not administration. enough, the administration With the increased frequency appears to be hellbent on of mobilizations held, along silencing dissent from student with the masses in response to activists. Progressive groups the ineptitude of the government and individuals have been the during a time of crisis, subject of fabricated quotes and social media trolls have been images to further fuel the fire of perpetrating misinformation distrust of those entranced by against Duterte’s critics. the Duterte Regime.

BEWARE OF THE TROJAN BOARS

Still, it came as a surprise when National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana issued a letter to UP President Danilo Concepcion unilaterally “terminating” the long-standing UP-DND Accord.

Lorenzana claims that UP has become a ground for recruitment of communists, and through the abrogation of the accord, the military could allegedly perform their sworn duty to protect and be worthy of trust and not fear.

Though even with the accord intact, the AFP has proven to be disrespectful of it countless times. The case of Cebu 8 and the army reserve’s presence within the perimeters of UP Mindanao have proven so.

AFP Spokesperson Edgard Arevalo’s statement about UP housing a shabu lab is cut from the same cloth as Lorenzana’s statement: baseless and incriminating.

AFP’s inability to produce concrete evidence to support

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Regina Louelle Masacupan

FEATURES EDITOR Angelika May Taclendo

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Darlyn Jade Rios

OPINIONS EDITOR Joelo Balan

MANAGING EDITOR Dexter Tendido

ART DIRECTOR Marie Crestie Joie Contrata

their motives just goes to show how far these people would be reaching just to silence their critics. Their consistent attacks are nothing but a blatant display the armed forces’ tactlessness that poses grave harm and threat to the public. Yet, we still find ourselves in the middle of a long-standing propaganda war.

Though being exposed to extensive information availability, Filipinos are left defenseless in terms of technological literacy. The heavily-abused social media has become a hotspot of exchange with disregard to the legitimacy of information at hand.

While thieves and murderers run free in daylight, resources are funneled into plunging the lives of Filipinos into darkness.

Clearly, the odds have been kept from ever being in our favor.

The actions of the armed forces have been nothing short of disappointing but not surprising at all. The fascist-

WRITERS Vhea Ghane Goso Azeliyah Bangcong

STAFF Judith de Asis Van Humphrey Gamo

PHOTOJOURNALISTS Rougin Rolio Gutib Danah Lamanilao

CONTRIBUTORS Badiday Chairman Meow Marielle Pagoto

enabling environment thriving among their ranks only fueled their distaste for dissent and inability to participate in intellectual discourse. Free thinking and will are found at the bottom of their list of priorities, therefore resorting to acts of terror. Perhaps, instead of playing games of intimidation, the government should consider putting their people as their priority for a change.

Here again, comes the Trojans bearing gifts at the People’s doors. They present to us a wooden figure bearing the promise of peace, security and safety, and yet are the ones who tie the blindfold, cover our ears, and gag our mouths, in order to take control of a narrative befitting their own agenda.

As with the saying ‘Beware of Greeks—or in this case, pigs bringing gifts’, lest we see the fall of another Troy.

UP Systemwide Alliance of Student Publications and Writers’ Organization (UP Solidaridad) College Editors’ Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) Himati House, Kalimudan Rd., University of the Philippines Mindanao, Mintal, Tugbok District, Davao City emailhimati@gmail.com

FEBRUARY 2021

DOST-SEI REVOKES UP STUDENTSCHOLARS’ STIPEND CUT

T

NEWS DEXTER TENDIDO

he Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) retracted its previous memorandum released last 10 November 2020, allowing student-scholars from the University of the Philippines (UP) to receive the full five months of stipend.

Previously, the DOST-SEI families as well ... The lack of levels can now avail the full shall be equivalent to five announced that they would only compensation sets the students five-month stipend after DOST months for the first and second be providing student-scholars up for an ethical dilemma requested its partner institution semester of AY 2020-2021.

The lack of enough stipends to cover only between present resources or to submit their official academic Earlier, DOST-SEI Director the four (4) months of the first eventual graduation that most, calendar for AY 2020-2021 for Josette Biyo stressed that the compensation semester of Academic Year if not all, student-scholars further review. policies on the stipend cut sets the students 2020-2021.

Meanwhile, UP Office of were based on the scholarship cannot afford,” said University up for an ethical The memorandum has Student Council Chairperson Student Financial Assistance contract between DOST-SEI dilemma between imposed stipend cuts Bruce Mico Gamad. released Memorandum RAG and the scholars. present resources ranging P33,000 from the “The scholarship agreement Moreover, Gamad expressed 2020-51 last 15 December or eventual P40,000 regular stipend for student concerns wherein 2020, stating Guidelines on clearly states that the scholars graduation that undergraduate scholars while scholarships have served as the Administration of Student are entitled to financial graduate scholars received the primary source of income Financial Assistance Services assistance during their actual most, if not all, P100,000 from the usual for most UP Mindanao-based in Remote Learning to present period of study, meaning the student-scholars P125,000 stipend. policies and duration of the semester they scholars’ household amidst adjustments cannot afford.

UP Mindanao student- the intensified rate of job loss initiatives to address the needs are enrolled,” Biyo said. scholars were quick to expresss during the pandemic. of UP students during remote Reportedly, it was Bruce Mico Gamad their grievances over the emphasized during the DOSTThe first semester in UP learning.

University Student Council Chairperson supposed stipend cut, stating started on 10 September 2020, Under 3.5 of the Guidelines SEI orientation and contract that most scholars rely on their compressing the usual 20-week for Donor-funded Scholarships signing that “scholars should be stipend to access online classes, semester into 14 weeks after the and Student Grants, where given the exact amount of their modules, and materials.

UP Board of Regents decision. the DOST Scholarship and stipends per semester regardless budget. The SEI then received “The hasty transition to Government-funded of any given situation.

However, in the recent other P4.65 billion to fund its science remote learning has become memorandum released last 28 scholarship programs were For 2020, DOST has a and technology scholarship burdensome, not just for the January 2021, scholars of both classified, stated the payment of P20.5 billion allocated budget programs, based on the 2020 academic sector, but their undergraduate and graduate monthly stipends and benefits from the P4.1 trillion national General Appropriations Act.

“

RED-TAGGING SPREE HEATS UP AT ONSET OF ATA ORALS RED MASACUPAN

PHOTO BY Red Masacupan

S

everal groups and individuals have been tagged as enemies of the government following the first day of oral arguments of the controversial Anti-Terror Act (ATA) of 2020, last 2 February.

Recently, an erroneous kundi pati na rin ang lahat ng College Editors Guild of Facebook post red-tagging an mga aktibistang nagsusulong the Philippines (CEGP) which alumnus of the University of the sa karapatan ng mga Lumad at was also red-tagged by NTFPhilippines (UP) was mentioned kabataang Pilipino,” it said.

ELCAC, stressed the aggressive by petitioners, is now under The All UP Academic move of marking critical voices investigation, Associate Justice Employees Union-UP inside campus can trigger further Marvic Leonen said.

(AUPAEU) Mindanao Chapter harassments.

UP Mindanao alumnus Jayvie stated the urgency of the call “The worsening situation Cabajes reportedly red-tagged to Defend UP, and to protect experienced by the student by alleged-National Task Force its student and alumni activists publications, like defunding, to End Local Communists from “those who suppress admin intervention, harassment, Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC)- academic freedom.” red-tagging, and even the backed Facebook page, “These [Kalumuran abrogation of accords, is a Kalumuran Mindanao.

Mindanao posts] have no factual clear manifestation of anti Cabajes was accused of grounds, and are done to sow -democratic and fascists acts indoctrination of Communists’ fear among individuals and done by the Duterte regime to ideology inside UP Mindanao prevent them from speaking up keep the Filipinos uninformed and the Lumad community in against injustices,” AUPAEU- and ignorant towards the real the United Church of Christ in Mindanao said in its statement. condition of our society,” CEGP the Philippines (UCCP)-Haran.

In similar posts, Himati has said.

Kabataan Partylist-Southern been also accused of being an UP Mindanao administration Mindanao Region defended ally to the communist group by called for actions from concerned Cabajes, the Vice President for Kalumuran Mindanao. government agencies to ensure Mindanao of the partylist, in In Himati’s defense, the the safety and protection of its statement condemning the publication’s residents and its constituents from blatant recruitment of the New People’s alumni “vehemently condemns harassment.

Army (NPA) and teaching the rampant attacks against the “While we aim to protect one’s terrorism to the Lumad. publication and the body that it right to life, liberty and security “Sa ginawang ito [red- serves.” from being associated with any tagging] ng Kalumuran “The attacks against the free communist front organization, Mindanao, pinapatunayan press have only intensified this blanket act of red-tagging lamang nito kung gaano sila throughout the years, demanding endangers our students, faculty ka desperadong manira lalo for a more vigilant media body and whole academic community pa’t wala namang konkretong to stand against it. Kalumuran as it maligns and imperils people basehan ang kanilang mga Mindanao itself is a manifestation for the lawful exercise of their alegasyon. Higit pa rito, ni- of the intensified efforts of the freedom of expression,” it said. redtag nila ‘di lamang ang Bise Duterte regime in silencing its Presidente ng Kabataan Partylist critics,” Himati said.

Matapang. Makabuluhan. Mapagpalaya.

03

NEWS

TAKING SHOTS: COVID-19 VACCINES AND THEIR PRICE POINTS

VOLUME XXII ISSUE 1

PGC MINDANAOPARTNERED COVID-19 TESTING LABS SET UP IN DAVAO DEXTER TENDIDO

PFIZER-BIONTECH United States, Germany

95% Efficacy Rate PHP 2379.00 per treatment (2 doses)

MODERNA United States

94.5% Efficacy Rate PHP 3904.00 to 4504.00 per treatment (2 doses)

GAMALEYA (Sputnik V) Russia

91% Efficacy Rate PHP 1220.00 per treatment (2 doses)

ASTRAZENECA United Kingdom

60-90% Efficacy Rate PHP 610.00 per dose (1-2 doses)

SINOVAC China

50-78% Efficacy Rate PHP 3629.50 per treatment (2 doses)

NOVAVAX

United States

Clinical Trials ONGOING PHP 366.00 per treatment (2 doses)

T

he University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao officials, together with Police Regional Office (PRO)-11, recently unveiled the Philippine Genome Center (PGC)-Mindanao COVID-19 testing laboratory to aid Southern Mindanao Region’s testing needs.

On 18 January 2021, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Debold Sinas led the formal inauguration of the reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) molecular laboratory.

In the Memorandum of Agreement between PRO11 signed on 16 September last year, UP Mindanao will offer their assistance in the development of a manual on the standard of operations for the laboratory.

PRO-11 Director Filmore Escobal said they are still waiting for their medical technologists that are still training at UP Mindanao’s Genome Center to graduate and operate the said facility.

Meanwhile, PGC-Mindanao Director Lyre Annie Murao reported that the RT-PCR molecular laboratory can hold a capacity of 110 tests per day up to 550 tests per week, with 10 personnel per shift.

UP Mindanao, in a press statement, said the collaborative effort will benefit and expand partners in “mitigating the spread of infectious diseases in the Southern Philippines.”

“UP Mindanao, through the experts in PGC Mindanao, will train the lab personnel in biosafety and molecular diagnostics and prepare them for proficiency testing by the Department of HealthResearch Institute for Tropical Medicine (DOH-RITM),” it said.

Moreover, UP Mindanao officials together with provincial government of Davao del Norte and its local government units (LGU) collaborated with the turnover of the COVID-19 testing facility to end-user Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC) located in Tagum City, last 27 August 2020.

The said project was funded by the respective shares of

Davao del Norte LGU from the Bayanihan “We Heal As One” Act for the construction of the P12 million facility.

The testing facility which was a joint project between the UP Mindanao, Davao del Norte provincial government, and Maer Summit Konstrukt Company, was first proposed on 24 March 2020 and was completed last August 2020.

UP Mindanao contributed to the design of the facility according to the approved standards set by the Department of Health (DOH) and provided trainings to DRMC personnel on molecular diagnostics and biosafety for highly infectious human pathogens.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the testing facility will continue its operation to help in the surveillance of infectious diseases in Southern Philippines and in pursuing collaborative researches through PGC Mindanao.

COVID-19 case downward trend In a radio interview last 8 February, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said based on the recent COVID-19 data, the city’s active cases have been going down in recent days.

According to the DOHDavao Center for Health Development’s Regional Case Bulletin for 7 February, Davao City has logged 22 new cases totaling 12,071 record cases with 1,399 active cases, wherein 10,099 recovered and 573 died.

Meanwhile, she said active cases are now on lower levels compared to the peak of the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), lowering the active cases to around 1,300 per day in contrast to the 2,500 per day during the surge.

Despite the improvement in the figures, there is still not an assurance that the city

04 HIMATI The Official Student Publication of the University of the Philippines Mindanao

will be qualified to step down to MGQC from its current general community quarantine (GCQ) status.

Davao City COVID-19 focal person Dr. Ashley Lopez said in a previous virtual presser that Davao City was experiencing a post-holiday surge during the first week of January and is expected to last until mid-February 2021.

Vaccination plan The City Council has approved on third and final reading the COVID-19 immunization ordinance which prepares the city for the arrival of the first batch of vaccines this month.

City Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte said the city is now ready for the implementation of the COVID-19 immunization program with the COVID-19 Electronic Immunization Registry, which would serve as a platform for master listing and registration of persons to be vaccinated in the city.

Moreover, the city government should conduct a simulation activity with the DOH in the region to ensure the success of the vaccination plan, she said.

Based on the city’s estimated population which is around 1.8 million, Duterte-Carpio said at least 1.2 million Dabawenyos are targeted to be inoculated with COVID-19 vaccine to reach “herd immunity.”

However, Duterte-Carpio said it was not sure yet what type of vaccines would be expected to arrive in the city although Dr. Lopez earlier confirmed the first batch of Pfizer-BioNtech would be arriving this month from the national government.

Among the top priority for COVID-19 vaccines identified on the approved ordinance are the healthcare and frontline workers and the indigent.

LATHALAIN

FEBRUARY 2021

HIKAHOS.

Ayon sa price watch ng Department of Agriculture, tumalon ng hanggang 66 porsiyento ang halaga ng mga gulay at karne mula sa mga presyo noong Disyembre 2020. Sa kakarampot na kitang tila pinagkakasya lang sa maghapon, mariing ipinahiwatig ng iba’t ibang grupo ng mamimili ang pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin ng gulay, karne, isda, at maging ng bigas.

Isinalaysay ng isang nanininda ng karne ng Tagum City Public Market ang hirap na dinaranas sa kalagitnaan ng community quarantine.

Habang tumataas ang presyo ng sariling paninda, nagiging mahirap din sa kanya ang pagkasya ng kita sa pang-araw araw na gastusin.

DANAH LAMANILAO Matapang. Makabuluhan. Mapagpalaya.

05

NEWS

VOLUME XXII ISSUE 1

DND TERMINATES ACCORD WITH UP, CALLS FOR ACADEMIC FREEDOM DEXTER TENDIDO

V

arious groups and individuals slammed the Department of National Defense’s (DND) unilateral “termination” of the 1989 Accord, which is seen as a motion to intensify the attacks against the University of the Philippines System and the academic freedom it fights for.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana unilaterally “terminated” the 1989 UP-DND Accord through a letter to UP President Danilo Concepcion beginning the 15th of January 2021, which has seen backlash and outrage among concerned groups and individuals who believed the abrogation of the accord poses an ominous threat to the country’s, if not just the University’s, academic freedom The abrogation was coined to claims yet to be proven that the University is actively recruiting its students to join leftist groups, particularly the CPP-NDF-NPA. In the letter, Lorenzana, who did not present factual and concrete evidence to support its allegations, reported that the DND is eyeing the recruitment inside UP campuses and is using the accord to prevent the government from holding operations.

The UP-DND Accord was inked on the 30th of June 1989 between the UP President Jose Abueva and then-Defense chief Fidel Ramos. An earlier agreement in 1982, the SotoEnrile Accord, was signed between student leader Sonia Soto and then-Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile.

The 1989 UP-DND Accord was then signed 14 days

following the abduction of Donato Continente, formerly of UP Diliman’s Philippine Collegian, who was forced to confess to the murder of American soldier Col. James Rowe.

UP, known as a bastion of activism, has been then overtly tagged as producers of “enemies of the state” when, in fact, expressing critical voices of dissent towards the government is legally constitutionalized by the law. The move of DND to unilaterally terminate the accord only shows desperations to curb the formation of critical voices, sends a chilling effect towards institutional spaces.

Aside from red-tagging UP, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Major Edgard Arevalo used the excuse to enter UP to its unfounded allegation about the presence of a shabu laboratory inside UP, which relates to the controversial war on drugs scheme of the Duterte administration.

However, several lawmakers have filed a resolution seeking to advocate the accord between UP and DND and the academic freedom of all educational institutions.

In House Resolution No. 1491, the Makabayan bloc, led by Kabataan Partylist Rep.

Sarah Jane Elago, said that the unilateral termination of the accord and campus militarization will suppress academic freedom and free spaces for speech and expressions.

“Schools should be safe spaces and zones of peace that are free from police and military presence and intervention, harassment, and intimidation,” they said.

Moreover, student councils across the UP system said that the termination of the accord will further endanger the students to harassment and red-tagging.

The UP Mindanao University Student Council said the abrogation of the accord is “to suppress dissent and criminalize legitimate criticism.”

“This move by the DND will only ensure more state perpetrated violence and threat against our democratic spaces with the exercise of our democratic rights, our plight for true peace, equality, and freedom compromised,” it reiterated in a statement.

The College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) called the termination as “desperate measures” to silence dissent towards the current administration.

“The UP-DND accord is a safeguard not only for

TIYABAW ISKOLAR: In eight words or less, what makes UP special?

2018-121** says Nothing.

2019-*0*41 says

But UP’s not special? Siguro suki na nireredtag? *crying emoticon*

2015-117** says Nothing.

2019-049** says

Luh. ‘Di naman bhie.

2018-**336 says

UP is UP because of its academic freedom.

2019-05**4 says

The people and the mandate to [Serve the People].

2019-**832 says

Acts and responds on different lenses of society.

academic freedom of students and educators but a safeguard for press freedom of campus publications, the right of academic employees to organize unions and the right of youth organizations and student council formations to host activities that forge a critical sphere within the university,” CEGP said.

Meanwhile, the 11th Regional Community Defense Group, Army Reserve Group Command-Mintal in Davao City has been allocated at least 20 hectares of land in 2019, part of 204 hectares of land granted to UP Mindanao.

Army reservists claimed to use it for military reservations, even so, state forces should not be allowed inside any civil institutions as per the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Recently, presence of AFP personnel inside Barangay UP Campus in Quezon City were seen carrying firearms for an urban gardening project, adding Philippine National Police (PNP) remark on the barangay being one of among the high number of crime rates in Quezon City, which the Barangay UP Campus officials denied the claims.

UP has been enshrined as a shelter to brilliant minds,

What is inside the UP-DND Accord?

1

Prior notification shall be given to the UP administration by the military or police before they could conduct any operations inside the UP campuses.

2

Except in “cases of hot pursuit and similar occasions of emergency,” no military or police shall enter the premises of the UP campuses.

3

When the UP administration asks for security assistance from the troops, only uniformed personnel of the military and police can enter the campus premises.

4

Members of the military and police “shall not interfere with peaceful protest actions” by the UP community in campus.

06 HIMATI The Official Student Publication of the University of the Philippines Mindanao

“

This agreement, the product of bloody sacrifices of activists, is made

by UP Students to fight for our rights.

This unilateral abrogation to “protect and secure” UP and the youth is spitting on our faces and the graces of many brave students!

Renee Louise Co

39th Student Regent of the UP System

cultivating students to contribute to the nation, especially to become a representative and a voice of the marginalized sectors in the country.

The continuous struggle of UP to fight for the rights to protect its constituents has, yet again, been threatened as the unilateral abrogation of the agreement between DND, affecting the university and its freedom to conduct protests, openly discuss concurrent issues, and uphold academic freedom.

5

The service of search warrants to any UP student, faculty, employee, or invited participant in any UP activity shall as far as predictable be done after prior notification to the UP President, or Chancellor of the campus, or the Dean of the regional unit.

6

The arrest or detention of any student, faculty, or employee anywhere in the Philippines, shall be reported immediately to the UP administration. No members of the UP community shall be subjected to custodial investigation without prior notice of the university administration.

7

A joint monitoring group composed of the UP Faculty Regent, UP Student Regent, UP administration officials, and officials from the military and police shall meet twice a year to determine compliance [with] the agreement.

8

Nothing in the agreement “shall be construed as a prohibition against the enforcement of the laws of the land.”

LATHALAIN

FEBRUARY 2021

Sa ilalim ng kama ni Eli L

ANGELIKA MAY TACLENDO

iwanag lamang ng buwan na pumapasok mula sa bintana ang nagsisilbing ilaw sa loob ng silid. Maririnig ang mga kuliglig sa kapaligiran at ramdam ang malamig na ihip ng hangin. Naglalarawan man ito ng isang mapayapang gabi, kabaliktaran ang nararamdaman ng musmos na si Eli. Sa tuwing sasapit ang gabi, ang halimaw sa ilalim ng kama ay nangangalabit at pumipigil sa kanyang tuluyang pagpikit mula sa katotohanan — mga halimaw na nagpapanggap bilang mga mababait na kasamahan sa gitna ng kanilang pangangailangan.

Ngunit sa oras ng paningil ng mga pangako nito ang siyang pag-alingasaw ng kanilang tunay na baho.

Sa kanyang pagtanda, matatagpuan na lamang ni Eli ang kanyang sarili na kusang pupunta sa lansangan. Mapagod at mapaos man, matanaw lamang ang mga karapatang sinisiil sa mamamayan.

Kapaguran ay hindi dama sa pagbuhos ng kanyang lakas para malabanan ang pang-aabuso ng mga berdugo’t mapang-api nang magkaroon ng pantay-pantay na karapatan ang mga nasa laylayan.

Nakita niya sa sariling mga mata kung paano minaltrato ng militar ang mga Lumad at mga nasa kabukiran. Naranasan niya kung paano balewalain ang mga hinaing ng kapwa niyang nasa laylayan. Ang labis na pambubusabos ang siyang nagudyok sa kanya na lumaban at

GRAPHICS BY Joelo Balan

masabi sa sarili na tama na ang pagiging pipi.

Tila ang bungad na lamang ng pag-tanda ay ang hirap sa paglaban para ika’y ituring bilang tao.

Si Eli ay naglalakad sa kasulok-sulukan ng San Roque nang bigla na lamang niyang narinig ang pagkasa ng isang baril.

Ang halik ng baril ay nagyeyelo laban sa nangangainit niyang noo. Iba ito mula sa huling halik ng kanyang pangalawang inang nasa kabundukan. Iba ito mula sa gabi-gabi nilang pagtatalik ni Kamatayan.

Ang pangambang kanyang nadama nang makita niya ang kanyang mukha sa karatulang binansagan siya bilang terorista ang siyang nagbalik. Bitbit rin nito ang pagsikip ng kanyang lalamunan at dibdib.

Ang may hawak ng baril ay ang pekeng mesiyas ng sambayanan na pagala-gala sa mga eskinita, nagbibigay hatol sa mga tao, at nanduduro nang walang kapararakang batayan.

Kailanman, hindi siya humawak ng baril ni bomba sapagkat ang tanging armas niya ay ang kolektibong aksyon para

sa pagsulong ng mga karapatan ng pambansang minorya. Ang hindi niya maintindihan ay kung bakit ang kanyang pagseserbisyo sa masa ay labag sa mata ng pekeng mesiyas na ito.

Sa mga nagdaang buwan, patuloy na tumataas ang kaso ng panrered-tag sa kabila ng pandemya. Kasabay nito ay ang pagdanak ng dugo ng mga kasamang pinagpapaslang ng estado at sa katunayan ay may humigit-kumulang 248 na ang kaso ng mga napatay sa taong 2015 hanggang 2019.

Kung kaya’t di na kataka-taka na nananalaytay ang takot ni Eli para sa kanyang buhay. Dati ay takot siya sa mga halimaw sa ilalim ng kama, at mas lalo pa itong nanangingting nang ito’y nagkatawang tao na.

Sa pag-pikit ng mga mata ni Eli ang siyang pag-danak ng luha mula sa kanyang mata.

Mainit at maalat ang kada patak na nagiging lasang metal dahil sa kanyang takot. Sa kabila nito, makikita ang pagbugso ng tapang ng kanyang loob.

Hindi nakakatakot ang baril ni ang pagputok, kundi ang prinsipyo ng halimaw na humahawak nito.

Matapang. Makabuluhan. Mapagpalaya.

07

FEATURES

VOLUME XXII ISSUE 1

RATING:

FAILED DEXTER TENDIDO

P

rior to the onset of the pandemic, the government’s irrelevant actions precursors the increasing number of infection cases of CoViD-19, with lapses over the national response to the affected Filipinos amidst the national health emergency issue.

It was noted in late January 2019 when Duterte stated the imposing of travel ban between China is unnecessary, assuring the public to not worry. It was then confirmed by the Department of Health later on 30 January the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in the Philippines.

The patient was known to have a travel history from the ground zero of an outbreak in Wuhan, China which further leads to community transmission and the surge of cases in the country. In succeeding days, the Philippines will impose travel bans on different countries.

Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases

(IATF) was then mobilized to be on top control for the management of COVID-19.

Even so, major setbacks from other pressing issues like the onslaught of typhoons in the northern Philippines resulted in thousands of Filipinos being displaced in their houses and now vulnerable to catching the virus in evacuation centers.

Problems also raised in Hatid Probinsya Program for the locally stranded individual (LSI) in Metro Manila which leads to the surge of COVID-19 cases in the provinces. The government was not keen on having a concrete plan for rolling out vaccines to curtail the coronavirus cases in the country. It was late December

2020 when Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin Jr. “dropped the ball” in the country’s COVID-19 vaccine negotiations between Pfizer.

Under such an abnormal situation, the government’s handling of the national health issue brought such numerous issues and anomalies which despicably show the incompetence and blatant negligence toward the affected citizens of the country. The authorities might topple us down because of their negligence, but we Filipinos will always demand accountability for the actions of the government that brought us here.

08 HIMATI The Official Student Publication of the University of the Philippines Mindanao

INFOGRAPHICS BY Joelo Balan

FEBRUARY 2021

Matapang. Makabuluhan. Mapagpalaya.

09

OPINION

VOLUME XXII ISSUE 1

IN FOCUS

THROUGH THE LENS OF PHILIPPINE EDUCATION

VHEA GHANE GOSO & ANGELIKA TACLENDO

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mong all government agencies, Education tops the list of sectors that receives the highest amount from the national budget every year in response to the quest for providing a higher quality of education and producing globally competitive students. However, despite the allocated budget for higher education, the amount intended was not enough to finance all the demands and expenses of students who study in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs).

The 2021 national budget apportioned Php 754.4-billion in education according to the Department of Budget and Management.

The amount received by the education sector was used to fund the students’ learning needs under the Universal Access of Quality Tertiary Education in State Universities and Colleges (SUC’s) or the Republic Act 10931 that covers the tuition and miscellaneous fees of students.

Truly, the law is favorable for Filipino students, but this statute does not guarantee the access to free quality education.

Undoubtedly, it should then be better called as “tuition-free education”. Lest we forget that there can only be legitimately free education if the provision of the law covers the necessary living expenditures of a student, but sad to say, this is not the case.

Despite the legal mechanisms, budget prioritization, and increased access, Philippine education has been dogged with issues. The Duterte Administration seems to undermine the budget for education as well as other sectors and prioritized the intelligence funds. In the primer released by the National Union of Students of the Philippines, the 2021 Budget shows that the budgets of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of National Defense (DND) were larger than those intended for the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). This just shows the priorities under this regime as it continues to neglect the student’s demand for free education.

These problems in turn resulted in a considerable number of Filipinos who run to scholarship agencies to support their educational needs. However, some scholarship grants forbid students to join so-called “subversive organizations,” neglecting that these are the same organizations that advocate for the Constitutional rights of Filipinos. These progressive organizations have long fought for the right to free education.

These progressive organizations have been an important driving force in demanding for a better quality education in the country.

Yet, these same organizations receive the blunt for being the voices of those who keep silent.

Education under low Minimum Wage The students are deprived of their right to quality and accessible education because of the neoliberal system of education in the country. A Filipino who earns the minimum wage salary cannot send their child to school leading to an increasing dropout rate per year.

The increasing educational related challenges of learners call the government for support and concerns to those students who are willing to obtain a degree but cannot afford tertiary education.

Jose Rizal’s “Ang kabatan ang pag-asa ng bayan” continues to lose its meaning when the Youth is left to rot in the persevering commercialized, capitalistoriented education.

Education provides individual freedom and empowerment.

It is a tool that helps every individual to lift themselves economically and socially. The endless opportunity to achieve one’s dreams is blundered by having to choose if they want to live somewhat comfortably or do what they want and suffer.

Clearly, the capitalist nature of our educational system makes education to be a privilege rather than a right. In fact, 17.9% of Out School youth Filipinos are deprived of education because of its cost and financial concern.

Moreover, Lumad schools who served as the platform for indigenous people to acquire proper education have been facing a budget crisis, threat and harassment that leads to its closure. Instead of reallocating the budget to provide more teachers and facilities to promote education to the youth and to Lumad communities, a budget cut has taken place for the capital outlay for education. It is almost as if the need to build more buildings, facilities, and teachers to ensure physical distancing with this pandemic and to

address the student-teacher ratio is overshadowed by physically combatting an invisible enemy.

Education amid the CoViD-19 Pandemic With the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country, schools were not allowed to hold face to face classes and were forced to conduct online delivery using virtual learning environments and web technologies. Arguably, the method of Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s) to have a modified mode of learning aims to continue the classes despite the pandemic. This mode of learning requires educational gadgets and stable internet connection, and it is undeniable that not all students are capable of this distant mode of learning. Until today, internet connection and learning devices continued to be a privilege placing those students with no such resources in a disadvantage.

As a result, students had a hard time coping with this new normal set up in submitting their assignments and quizzes.

The implementation of K-12 education in the country, provides the students with different curriculum exits — higher education, entrepreneurship, or job opportunities. Many senior high school graduates who had obtained a National Certificate from TESDA had preferred to look for jobs rather than pursuing college because of the lack of financial stability. However, they have been left behind compared to those college graduates since the majority of companies still prefer hiring the applicant with a bachelor’s degree leading the SHS graduates to settle for contractual jobs and to work abroad despite acquiring middle-level skills.

In fact, the Philippines is one of the major sources of cheap labor force globally. Many Filipino OFW sacrificed their families to work for minimum wage salary for capitalists countries.

Rage against the dying of the light. Or in this case, rage against the repressive economic and academic policies blinding the academic sector from genuine democratic and scientific education in sight.

SOURCE: National Union of Students of the Philippines 2020 Primer

TIYABAW ISKOLAR: Are you satisfied with the current state of the Philippine Education System?

2019-050** says NO.

The country’s educational system is inadequate, stressful, and inefficient for the country’s needs. It mainly focuses and favors on STEM courses, and treats Humanities and the Liberal Arts as a second thought, not giving equal importance to all aspects of education to guiding Filipino students to be multi-faceted and learn holistically.

2019-082** says NO.

There’s always room for improvement; we can only be satisfied once quality education is accessible to everyone.

2019-600** says NO.

The fact that education in our country has become a privilege, instead of being a right, is already concerning in itself.

Moreover, students’ performances are being prioritized and given more attention over their emotional, mental, and socioeconomic welfare.

10 HIMATI The Official Student Publication of the University of the Philippines Mindanao

INFOGRAPHICS BY Darlyn Jade Rios

CULTURE

FEBRUARY 2021

C

onfined in a box that echoes of unrelenting horror and abuse, Marie keeps to herself at its corner, huddled, seeking comfort in the warmth that her own arms somewhat provide. Looking towards the crack of the box’s opening and the freedom and peace that awaits her outside, Marie ignited with courage and strength inches towards the crevice. Whatever determination she had may have never prepared her for the sight of incredulous eyes that sweeps over her hunched form along with the snide murmurs and jeers thrown at her.

Suddenly it doesn’t feel as if they’re outside anymore. The light and safe façade it promised was but another dark and constricting box in its own.

With her courage and strength snuffed out in the blink of an eye, Marie retreats back to its former corner and once more endures the box’s daunting bellows, preferring to seek comfort from themselves instead.

Sadly, this is not just the only story of a box and a woman trapped within its walls, but only one recount amongst the many wherein macho-feudal power structures prevail and women are left burnt of the sufferings.

Marie lived her life carefree.

Everyone she knew would be taken in by her charm and wit, and this would only bolster her confidence, believing that anyone should be able to do what they want and be who they want to be. Everything in her life was just right and was going really well.

Until it wasn’t.

News broke of the young woman’s horrifying fate. She was wearing her usual clothing of a halter dress with a belt, did her hair in the same beach wave style, and introduced herself to new acquaintances in her trademark friendly demeanor.

It was just another night, yet things just had to go south.

Now, her and her family looked on as details of her sexual assault were aired to the public.

Her perpetrators? No less than the acquaintances she made that

night and even one of her well known friends were involved.

All they could hear was the relentless murmurs coming from outside their homes.

The nature of the crime took place in an event where there alcohol is present. Together with the public noting Marie’s choice of clothing as “provocative” coupled with the tirades on her confidence has raised biases of some people against the victim, denoting the demeaning phrase: “Baka ginusto niya ‘yon.”

Marie dealing with the aftermath of the horrible acts done to her, her friend’s immoral betrayal as well, furthered with the public’s jibes at her, and the case nowhere from being solved, has reduced her to the shell of the woman she has once been.

And for everyday thereafter was but another brick added to her box.

Amidst the darkness beams a light that illuminates a disregarded topic in the country: rape culture.

Victim blaming is nothing new. Victims of sexual assault are the ones put under the limelight and reprimanded for the succeeding action of the rapist. Whilst maybe not seen by others as a way of defending the rapists, it is in its core indirectly supporting the case of the suspects and negating their own intentions and actions which has led to the crime.

Marie, still recuperating from the horror she went through, is unjustly being condemned for

acts that she is not guilty of.

This pattern of victim blaming is prevalent in two forms, both of which were present in Marie’s instance. First, is when rape cases involve the pattern of blaming the rape victim for attracting the rapist’s attention by wearing revealing clothing, in which women would be berated to avoid “dressing down” to avoid being victimized. Another form is where women are advised to avoid drinking and parties which creates this notion that the obligation to “avoid” rape must be held over the victim’s shoulders.

The problem is that some view that in order to not be sexually assaulted, the victim should instead improve their behavior, rather than placing the improvement part on the behavior of the rapists. There is a somewhat fixed image of “real” rape, in which the predator attacks their victim who has not been drinking and not dressing in a sexual manner.

This presents a very skewed way of viewing rape such that cases should fit this narrative in order to be considered as a crime.

These notions all boil down to the idea that sexual assault and violence are anchored soley on how women act. Women are demanded to make the sacrifices to avoid being assaulted, revealing the misogynistic truth that we live with.

With reports showing 1 in 16 or roughly 6.5% men being rapists, and an annual

rate of 19.08% of rape cases in the Philippines, why then should the improvement of behavior be placed upon the bigger population? Should it not be sensible to demand the improvement of behavior on the 6.5% instead? It is imperative, then, to amplify anti-rape campaigns that teach not only what is considered to be sexual assault but also teach not to be a rapist.

The one who is in control of an attempted sexual assault, is none other than the rapist alone.

No amount of revealing clothing or inebriation would translate to consent that would enable someone to commit a crime so gruesome, unless it is inherently their desire to do so. And if our culture continues to insist on the lie that those would all lead to rape then perhaps the problem is our culture.

Marie, is just one among many who are being put through the terrors of cursed imprisonment of scrutiny. We can always extend our hand for them to hold onto as they make and find their way outside at their own pace and ultimately being a support and providing for them the aid they need to find themselves through life again.

But to fully put a stop to any person’s possible confinement from then on, is to once and for all break the root of the anguish and violation; to erect no more of these boxes.

AZELIYAH BANGCONG GRAPHICS BY Red Masacupan

Matapang. Makabuluhan. Mapagpalaya.

11

OPINION

ABOUT THE COVER Himati takes a spin on Gil Scott Heron’s “Hindi Isasatelebisyon ang Rebolusyon” – a gentle reminder that the People’s fight will happen outside the comforts of 240 characters or less.

COVER BY Badiday

VOLUME XXII ISSUE 1

Hashtag politics or digital activism, whatever it is called, has paved the way for advocacies and campaigns to be forwarded to the population that has access to internet connection. It could not be denied that through social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and even Tiktok, different social issues have been discussed, from the government’s incompetent handling of COVID-19 to the fascism of the state. The youth of this generation are more than aware of what is happening in their society.

Last year, #BlackLivesMatter and #HongkongProtest became trending, bringing us information of the rampant racial discrimination in USA and the repression of China towards Hongkong, respectively. In the Philippines,

hashtags have emerged including #LabananAngAbuso advocating on protecting women and children from abuse, #SaveLumadSchools on defending schools built by the Lumad in their communities, and #StopTheKillings on the extensive extrajudicial killings happening in our country.

Bringing advocacies and social issues to the digital table can be difficult because it demands to be sustained and brought about so many times. These issues have to be amplified more, in order to not to be buried under more fun, more exciting content online.

However, more than being creative or informative in bringing social issues to online platforms, the question of the nuances on social issues — for example on calling for giving land to our farmers — cannot be deeply captured in one meme alone. There is still a need for a thorough discussion of these social issues. It is of utmost importance that we recognize

why these issues exist and why they are fought against by different advocacy groups and organizations.

In the vast digital world where anyone can post and rant, opinions of netizens outweighed the genuine, grassroots situation of the very sector of the society they are fighting for that more often, advocating or fighting for people’s issues becomes a cancel culture, a bardagulan, or simply spewing of personal spat on each other.

We are molded in a society dictated to serve and follow the existing status quo. We cannot immediately change one’s perspective of the society especially if done online. Thus, advocating online leads to an echo chamber where minds that think-alike online are huddled together. It is one of the dangers of digital activism – through the enforcement of an echo chamber, the advocacies and campaigns for people’s issues do not reach a wider audience and those we disagree with became more difficult to persuade to look at our side.

We often forget that beyond spewing facts on the sectors we advocate, nothing could articulate their struggle better

than the people coming from the sectors themselves. Most of the time, they do not have access to the internet or a smartphone.

This is the upside of digital activism – those that have privilege to access online can give the sectors their own space by way of documentaries, online interviews or providing them with resources that enable them to give their narratives.

The essence of the reason why marginalized sectors protest or demand more support from its fellow men or the government itself.

Undeniably, digital activism is a good way to spread advocacies and gain support for people’s issues.

It should not be forgotten that actively forwarding the demands of the people online should be accompanied by learning the plights of the people by actively integrating with them.

Activism, first and foremost, is seeking political change and we wanted to change our society for its betterment. The end goal is for the people’s demands to be heard and the government and other state agencies be held accountable for their negligence.

Activism does not end in the digital platform. More than anything, we need to go to the grassroot sectors, live among them, and aggressively demand from the state the change we deserve in our society.