The Manila Collegian Volume 27 Issues 14-15

The Official Student Publication of the University of the Philippines Manila Volume 27 Numbers 14-15 Tuesday | 18 February 2014

MORE INSIDE: NEWS 02 BOR upholds shift of class opening to August MORE INSIDE C U LT U R E 0 7 Alter[the] Nation F E AT U R E S 1 0 Blackout EDITORIAL Brasohan

The Official Student Publication of the University of the Philippines Manila Volume 27 Numbers 4-5 Friday | 6 september 2013

02 NEWS

Volume 27 Numbers 14-15 18 February 2014 | Tuesday

BOR upholds shift of class opening to August Renaming of CBA, SMIC donation also approved Christine Joy Frondozo Angat

Following their 1295th meeting on February 6, 2013, the Board of Regents (BOR), the university’s highest policy making body, had consented to move the opening of classes from June to August in all units except University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman.

Globalizing

the

University

In a statement released by the university administration, the new academic calendar will be implemented come August 2014 in seven UP campuses namely: UP Manila, UP Baguio, UP Los Banos, UP Visayas, UP Mindanao, UP Open University, and UP College in Cebu.

Meanwhile, UP Diliman will retain the current calendar, alongside its Pampanga and Olongapo extension programs. Various sectors in Diliman, including the student council and the faculty, had earlier expressed their opposition to the calendar shift.

Nonetheless, a consultation among Diliman stakeholders was held on February 10 and February 12. The UP Diliman University Student Council also launched an online survey to gauge the students’ view on the said shift. The results of the survey will be released on February 16.

According to the university administration, UP Diliman may still opt to adopt the new academic schedule pending the series of consultations. The implementation of the new academic schedule was decided following the supposed consultations in the seven campuses.

Conversely, the university revealed that the adoption of the policy will be in a pilot basis. Evaluations on the success of the new academic schedule and its impact on UPCAT, licensure examinations, fieldworks and internships, and UP traditions will be reported to the BOR after one year.

On the other hand, the UP Integrated School (UPIS) and the other high school units in the UP System will still follow the June-March calendar. According to UP Vice President for Public Affairs Prospero De Vera, the academic calendars of UP’s basic education units need not be in sync with that of the higher education units.

The proposal to change the opening of classes came in July 2013 in an effort to enhance the educational programs and internationalize the university. UP President Alfredo Pascual stated that changing the academic calendar will develop UP into a regional and global university through partnerships and integration with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The calendar shift is part of the ASEAN University Network (AUN) which aims to harmonize and standardize the universities to create more joint programs and increase student and faculty mobility among universities.

Likewise, the Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) decided to open their undergraduate and graduate classes on

August come school year 2015-2016, while the University of Santo Tomas will start their next school year on July. The De La Salle University (DLSU) and Adamson University are still mulling over the implementation of the said policy.

Rebranding and Commercialization

In addition, Anakbayan condemned the academic calendar shift for it will not solve the class suspensions due to weather and the expensive and inaccessible Philippine education. Instead, as Anakbayan suggests, it only furthers brain drain and discrimination against students from poor peasant families.

Consequently, the BOR also ruled with finality the renaming of the College of Business Administration (CBA) into Cesar Virata School of Business, after Cesar Virata, finance minister during the Martial Law. Only three regents voted against the renaming, namely Student Regent Melgarejo, Staff Regent Anna Razel Ramirez, and Congressman Roman Romulo.

Moreover, Rep. Terry Ridon of Kabataan Parylist filed House Resolution (HR) 733 which urges the Congress to probe the calendar shift. Ridon stated the change will only make education more inaccessible by enforcing education tourism, where foreign students will go to the Philippines to secure their graduate and undergraduate degrees.

The renaming of the college was first approved in April 2013, where a donation of PhP 40 M was promised by Regent Magdaleno Albarracin Jr. once the renaming was finalized. However, the renaming was postponed until the latest BOR meeting due to the disapproval of the college and the UP community.

Furthermore, Melgarejo denounced the university’s disrespect of the Martial Law martyrs and the disregard of its dignity as a national university with regard to its decision to uphold the CBA renaming. She said that the renaming of UP properties in exchange of funding marks the advancing commercialization of UP.

Similarly, the BOR also permitted that a building in the soon-to-rise UP Professional Schools Bonifacio Global City (UPPS BGC) will be named after business tycoon Henry Sy Sr. Melgarejo stated in her report that the SM Investments Corporation (SMIC) will allocate at most PhP 400 M for UPPS BGC’s construction in exchange of tax exemption and the naming.

The UP School of Business Student Council (SBSC) launched a university-wide campaign urging the BOR to revisit their decision in time of the board’s next meeting on February 27. They opposed the renaming’s “historical ignorance and insufficient student consultation” and believed that the institution should not be defined by a single person.

Insult to Public Character

Melgarejo concluded that the policies approved by the BOR is a reflection of the interests of the UP administration and the national government, which is to further degrade the university’s public character. Melgarejo then challenged the future student leaders and the whole UP community, “Now, more than ever, we are challenged to stand up and fight for the University of the People.”

The decisions upheld during the BOR meeting gained criticisms from various groups and student leaders. SR Melgarejo revealed that no consultations took place prior to the BOR’s decision. The student councils were allegedly railroaded as the policy was instituted without student involvement.

Semester

Current Calendar

New Calendar

First

June to October

August to December

Second

November to April

January to May

Short Term

May to June

June to July

Table 1. A comparison of the current and the new UP Calendar. (Source: www.up.edu.ph)

UP to participate in CHED’s PCARI project

Anomalies mar implementation of said program tHE NEWS TEAM

The University of the Philippines (UP) will officially join the Philippine-California Advance Research Institutes (PCARI) of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) after the Board of Regents (BOR) approved its participation in its 1295th meeting held last February 6.

Collaborative Research The PCARI is a five-year, PhP 10-B research partnership which aims to train Filipino faculty and students through scholarships and joint research projects

with top universities and institutions in California, USA. Specifically, PCARI will send around 500 Filipino scholars to the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and the University of California Berkley (UCB) to earn graduate and doctoral degrees.

These scholars are expected to come from UP, Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU), De La Salle University (DLSU), Mapua Institute of Technology, and MinNanao State University.

Continued on Page 12

COLLEGE BRIEFS The College of Public Health Student Council (CPHSC) and the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) University Student Council (USC) Health Committee launched “My PHAIR Lady”, a beneficial project for the children with cancer. Held on February 11 and 13, 2014, 8-5 p.m. at Room 205, CPH Annex 2, the project encouraged students to have their haircut and donate their hair to provide wigs for young cancer patients.

The University and National Issues Committee of the UP Pharmacy (UPPha) Student Council and Service League, in partnership with UPM USC, presented The Colloquium 2.0: A.S.E.A.N. (Aftermaths of Setting the Educational Adjustment Nationwide), on February 12, 2014, 1-5 p.m., at the Emilio T. Yap Auditorium. The event aimed “to provide relevant information, to educate the UP Manila community about the paradigm shift of the Philippine educational system as it ventures towards the ASEAN Harmonization, and to understand the effects of the harmonization to the different practices in the country.”

ORGANEWS The UPM Nursing Student Council brings you Student Nurses Week 2014: Iskolar nurse: Appreciating the Present and Believing the Future, on February 17-21, 2014. The week will be filled with events uch as exhibits, food stalls, Nurses Appreciation Day, sportsfest, and nurses’ and awards night.

The University of the Philippines Manila Administration and UPM USC Culture and Arts Committee together with Camp SC, Collegiate Association of Speech Pathologists and UP-MOrg and in cooperation with When In Manila, YES FM 101.1 and 96.3 Easy Rock bring you MUSIKULTURA MUSIC FEST headlined by the hottest bands and voices of our generation: Urbandub, Silent Sanctuary, Hilera, Quest, Q-York, Kat Lopez, Autolectic, Talata, Midnight Meetings, Electric Princess, UP Music Circle, and our very own UP Musicians Organization (UP MORG), on February 28, 2014, at the Paz Mendoza Parking Lot. Tickets are available for only PhP 150, inclusive of attendance to Mr. and Ms. UP Manila, Bahaghari University Food Fair and a FREE Shakey’s Snack Box. The event is exclusive for UP Manila students only and all proceeds will be for the benefit of UPM School of Health Sciences in Palo Leyte.

NEWS 03

Volume 27 Numbers 14-15 Tuesday | 18 February 2014

DepEd allows military presence in schools

Congress probe sought Ronilo Raymundo Mesa

A lawmaker has called on the House of Representatives (HOR) to investigate a Department of Education (DepEd) memorandum which allows military units to conduct activities within the premises of public elementary and high schools.

Concerned that the said memorandum may lead to increased number of children’s rights violations, Kabataan party-list representative Terry Ridon filed on January 28 House Resolution (HR) No. 725, which calls for Congress to “direct the DepEd to create new guidelines that will explicitly prohibit military entry in schools.”

The said memo, DepEd Memorandum No. 221 or the “Guidelines on the Protection of Children during Armed Conflict,” was released by the education department December 13 last year. It adopts Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Letter Directive No. 25 or the “Guidelines in the Conduct of AFP Activities Inside or Within the Premises of a School or Hospital” released July 15, 2013.

According to the two issuances, the military can conduct “civil-military operations” such as public forums and medical missions within school premises following an approval from DepEd authorities.

The AFP letter directive said the aforementioned activities were needed “to prevent the occurrence of the Grave Violations Against Children During Armed Conflict pursuant to and in compliance with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1612 and 1882, more specifically the violations known as Attacks on Schools and Hospitals.”

“The main intent of the above policies/ guidelines is… also to prevent/bring to unnecessary risk and/or endanger all children, teachers, medical/dental professionals, health workers, and/or employees/workers of the school and hospital concerned, and the school or hospital itself,” the letter directive stated.

Under DepEd Memo 221, written requests for conduct of activities will be received by school principals and will be forwarded to the division office for approval. After an activity, a report will be submitted by the school principal to the division office.

Increased danger According to Ridon, although the said issuances allow only the so-called civil-military operations, DepEd Memo 221 and AFP Letter Directive 25 would still be “inimical to the protection of children’s rights.”

“Allowing military presence in educational institutions is tantamount to increasing risks for children, especially those living in situations of conflict,” he added.

Ridon also said that the two issuances go against national and international laws which discourage military entry in schools.

The youth representative noted United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s statement in his 2013 Report on Children and Armed Conflict that “the use of schools for military purposes puts children at risk of attack and hampers children’s right to education.”

In the report, Ban also furthered that military use of schools “not only results in reduced enrolment and high drop-out rates, especially among girls, but also may lead to schools being considered legitimate targets for attack.”

“The new issuances go against the UN secretary-general’s recommendations. Limiting military operations in schools to socio-civic activities does not change the fact that both DepEd and AFP’s guidelines violate international laws and statutes,” Ridon insisted.

Unclear Guidelines

Power Struggle. Members of union sectors gathered in front of the Supreme Court on

Moreover, Ridon, in his resolution, also mentioned several loopholes in both issuances; particularly noting Guideline Nos. 7 and 8 of the AFP directive.

Unjust price hikes faced with protests

February 4 to protest against the unjust hike in bills. Photo by Jenny Mary Dagun

Ezra Kristina Ostaya Bayalan and Adolf Enrique Santos Gonzales Guideline No. 7 of the AFP letter directive states that “if there is a need for the force protection unit(s)/personnel to be inside the school, due to exigencies of the prevailing security situation and/or activity and/or request, they must be deployed and limited/contained to the pre-identified/pre-approved within the school/hospital premises.”

“The said provision is unclear on who determines the presence of the ‘need for force protection units,’ which is the AFP’s euphemism for armed soldiers and is thus open for abusive interpretation,” Ridon said in HR 725.

In addition, the party-list representative said that the letter directive also “justifies and legitimizes military surveillance in schools.”

Guideline No. 8 of said military directive states that “in order to clearly record the conduct of activity for purposes of documentation, units concerned must undertake photo and video coverage of the activity, hence is highly encouraged.”

“The said provision will in effect legitimize photo and video surveillance inside schools in the guise of documentation,” the youth solon said. Ridon also mentioned that under AFP Letter Directive 25, violations will be investigated and dealt with through a military court.

“This provision is seen to further dilute its objective to secure children from rights violations and may prove as a way for uniformed personnel to get away with violations through the mantle of protection of the military court,” he explained.

Protesters from various youth and student groups staged a rally in front of the Mendiola Peace Arch on January 30 to condemn recent price hikes on prime commodities and school fees.

The protest was joined by Kabataan Partylist, Youth Act Now, Anakbayan, College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), League of Filipino Students (LFS), Kabataang Artista para saTunaynaKalayaan (KARATULA), National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), Stand UP, and ASAP-Katipunan. The demonstrators were mostly students from state and private universities including Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), University of Santo Tomas (UST), University of Caloocan City, University of the Philippines Diliman and Manila, and Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (EARIST).

Education in Jeopardy However, Aries Gupit, National Deputy Secretary General of LFS said that it was timely for a protest to take place especially because February and March are the usual months slated for tuition fee hike consultations.

“We are calling all students to stand up for their rights to education. We always say that education is our right, that’s why we have to defend it especially from the regime that is trying to deprive us of this right. An example would be the case of Kristel Tejada who, until now, has not received justice. She is an example of how desperate students have become because of tuition.” Gupit said.

and the CEGP called for a ‘Zero Tuition Increase’ policy for the academic school year 2014-2015. They cited the difficulties faced by parents in sending their children to school, with some students “even going as far as committing suicide”.

Two days before the January 30 protest, the NUSP, student councils, and organizations from different universities in Metro Manila rallied to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to urge them not to approve any tuition and other fees increase (TOFI).

Meanwhile, EARIST students joined the protest to condemn their administration for illegal collection of fees and student repression. The student body have been battling the collection of construction fee worth PhP1,500 for over a year, but it has only been renamed and was still being collected from first and second year students. Five student leaders were already threatened of dismissal, and 16 student leaders received a warning for a five-day suspension.

B.S. “Boy Singil” Aquino Aside from the protests against tuition and other fees increase, the youth groups are also calling for the scrapping of the Meralco power rate hike, the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), the MRT/LRT fare hike, and the numerous price increases in basic commodities.

Some of the protesters held giant ampao envelopes containing electricity, water, tuition fees, and mock fire crackers with the words “Noynoy Price Hike King”. Ac-

In addition, Kabataan Partylist, the NUSP,

Continued on Page 05

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04 NEWS ISKOTISTIKS

Volume 27 Numbers 14-15 18 February 2014 | Tuesday

Disjunction:

Probing the Paradox of Economic Growth and Unemployment in the Philippines Carlo Rey Resurreccion Martinez and Leonard Dangca Javier

The countdown of the last two years of the Aquino administration has begun. Figures counter the bogus claims of economic growth due to widespread underemployment and unemployment in the country.

The Aquino government claimed that the Philippines had successfully reached some of the highest numbers for economic growth in Asia.

According to their official tally, the growth of our Gross Domestic Product has reached at least 7.4% during the last three quarters of 2013, the fastest phase in South East Asia.

Additionally, the amount of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) we received also increased, reaching $3.1 billion in the first nine months of 2013 from $2.3 billion in the first nine months of 2012.

Despite this, average underemployment and unemployment rates remain the highest in South East Asia. The United Nations (UN) World Economic Situation and Prospects 2014 stated that while Philippine economy will boom in the following years, this does not translate to economic opportunities.

While the underemployment rate, or the number of people who are employed but continue to seek additional income, experienced a minimal decrease, the unemployment rate, or the number of people aged 15 or older who do not have a job or are looking for one, increased. (Refer to Table 1)

Underemployment Unemployment

YEAR

AVERAGE RATE

2012

20%

2013

19.8%

2012

7%

2013

7.3%

Table 1. A comparison of underemployment and unemployment rates from the past two years. (source: National Statistics Office)

In April 2013, the National Statistics Office (NSO) reported that the unemployment rate had reached 7.8%, the highest in three years. Unemployment among college graduates also increased, reaching approximately 1.1 million in April 2013 from approximately 880,000 in April 2012. In terms of education, 21.3% of the unemployed were college graduates, 14.6% were college undergraduates, and 31.7% were high school graduates.

Furthermore, the total number of employed persons dropped to 37.819 million in April 2013 from 37.840 million in April 2012.

Job generation has continued to decline within the past three years. (See Table 2)

“

A fast growing economy is Supposed to create more, not less jobs

YEAR

NUMBER OF JOBS CREATED

2011

1,200,000

2012

408,000

2013

317,000

Table 2. A table showing a decreasing trend in job generation in the Philippines for the past three years. (source: Labor Force Survey, National Statistics Office)

Weakened Agriculture Sector According to the WB’s Philippine Poverty Reduction and Economic Management (PPREM) group, a weakened agricultural sector may be the cause of the declining job generation. In their Philippine Economic Update released in May 2013, they claim that the agriculture sector lost approximately 637,000 jobs. Meanwhile, the manufacturing, services, and other related sectors created approximately 1.25 million jobs.

Additionally, PPREM claimed that majority of workers in the services sector remain informally employed, or without salary, benefits, or contracts.

Furthermore, IBON Foundation Inc. claimed that the construction, real estate, and manufacturing sectors are not sustainable for long term development.

Job Mismatch Continues According to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), one major factor contributing to the country’s high unemployment rate is job mismatch, varying from skills, location, education, and personal preferences.

In a study, Philippine Business for Education (PBEd), through its research partner Brain Trust Inc. (BTI), interviewed various companies’ human resource officers as part of its Higher Education for Productivity Project (HEPP) funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Technical skills are of prime importance for large firms according to PBEd. However other factors such as lack of analytical ability, communication skills, and values also contribute to the job mismatch. These are often neglected in the schools where the workers and professionals are trained.

One of the problem is that what seems to be in demand now may no longer be so four to five years later when they graduate and look for jobs.

The tertiary education offerings also tend to rely on what they see students and parents want, thereby reinforcing the possible error in perception of job market demands.

The WB also claims that many Filipino’s desire to work abroad has contributed to the domestic job mismatch.

Additionally, the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency’s (POEA) 2008-2012 Overseas Employment Statistics shows that the number of Filipinos working abroad has steadily increased.

(Refer to Table 3)

Total Number of Overseas Workers with Contracts

Illusive economic growth

2008

1.464.295

2009

1,479,070

2010

1,644,439

2011

1,850,463

2012

2,083,223

Table 3. A table showing that an increasing number of Filipinos are working abroad from 2008-2012. (Source: Philippine Overseas Employment Agency)

Moreover, the POEA stated that a lack of sufficiently skilled workers trying to get into in-demand occupations was also a problem. In-demand occupations for land-based Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) were identified in 23 countries. These include civil engineers, skilled welders, and mechanical engineers, among others.

Furthermore, the POEA enumerated several reasons that contribute to occupations becoming hard-to-fill. These include the lack of at least two years experience in the area of expertise, lack of training, limited education, in-demand workers already being deployed, and employers maintaining high standards of qualifications, terms, and conditions.

Sustained Growth Needed Benjamin Diokno, former Budget Secretary during the Estrada administration, expressed doubt over the supposed economic growth.

“A fast growing economy is supposed to create more, not less jobs, yet more jobs were lost this April compared to April 2012. If the economy has really grown at 7.8 percent as trumpeted

by Malacanang, how come joblessness has increased?”

On the other hand, Arsenio Balisacan, Director General of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), stated that economic growth needed to be sustained for a longer period of time before its effects could be felt and should be seen as a sign of improvement for the quality of jobs in the country.

“Our neighboring countries that have managed to reduce unemployment rates have been growing robustly for decades. On the contrary, it was only recently that the Philippines started to register robust economic growth rates,” Balisacan claimed.

NEWS 05

Volume 27 Numbers 14-15 Tuesday | 18 February 2014

Unang GASC para sa AY 2013-2014, ginanap sa UP Mindanao Elizabeth Danielle Quiñones Fodulla Humigit-kumulang 48 na mga konseho mula sa iba’t-ibang kampus ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (UP) ang muling tinipon ng Office of the Student Regent sa unang General Assembly of Student Councils (GASC) para sa panuruang taon 2013 – 2014 na ginanap sa UP Mindanao noong Enero 25-26.

Pinangunahan ni Student Regent (SR) na si Krista Melgarejo ang nasabing pagtitipon kung saan tinalakay ang mga isyung kinaharap ng mga mag-aaral ng UP. Kabilang sa mga pinag-usapan at pinagdebatehan ay ang mga resolusyon sa mga lokal at pambansang mga isyu, gayondin ang mga inihaing pagbabago sa Codified Rules of Student Regent Selection (CRSRS).

UP matapos ang unos Pangunahing tinalakay ni Melgarejo ang mga kampanya at isyung kinaharap ng mga estudyante mula sa simula ng taon. Kabilang na rito ang patuloy na paglala ng krisis ng edukasyon sa bansa at ang mga represibong polisiyang inapurbahan ng administrasyon ng UP tulad ng Socialized Tuition System at ang pag-amyenda sa mga probisyon sa UP Code.

Ayon kay Melgarejo, walang pagbabago sa ilalim ng rehimeng Aquino sapagkat lalo lamang naghihikahos ang mga mahihirap at napagkakaitan ng kanilang karapatan sa mga pangunahing serbisyong panlipunan.

Natalakay rin ang kasalukuyang kalagayan ng UP Visayas (UPV) Tacloban campus at UPM School of Health Sciences (SHS) Palo campus na nasalanta ng bagyong Yolanda noong Nobyembre ng nakaraang taon.

Ayon sa mga delegado mula sa UPV Tacloban, ilang buwan matapos ang unos ay wala pa rin umanong ginagawang aksyon ang administrasyon upang mapalitan ang mga nawasak na pasilidad. Marami rin sa mga mag-aaral ang patuloy na nangangailangan, hindi lamang ng pangunahing kagamitan kundi pati na rin tulong pinansyal upang makapagpatuloy sa kanilang pag-aaral.

Kaalinsabay nito ay pormal na inilunsad ang UP Tacloban Student Council ng kampanyang “Hustisya para sa UP Tacloban, Gising UP system,” isang panawagan sa buong UP system upang kumilos at magtulong-tulong na makabangon ang mga naging biktima ng bagyong Yolanda.

Pag-aamyenda sa mga polisiya Bago pa man makapagbahagi ang iba pang mga konseho ng kanilang council reports ay minarapat na ng UPM Medicine Student Council na maghain ng mosyon upang ipagpatuloy ang iba pang agenda sa GASC, partikular na ang pagdinig sa pagbabago sa CRSRS.

Isa ang UPM Med SC sa mga naghain ng petisyon upang baguhin ang kasalukuyang Codified Rules for Student Regent Selection.

Ilan pa sa naghain ng amendments ay ang UP Diliman College of Social Sciences Student Council at ang UP Los Banos College of Agriculture Student Council.

Isa sa naging tampok na resolusyong inihain ay ang pagbabago sa sistema ng pagboto. Mula sa dating per constituent unit ay inihahain na gawing “One Council One Vote” ang pagpili ng rehente ng mga mag-aaral.

Kumalap ang resolusyong ito ng magkakaibang reaksyon sa mga konseho sa pagtitipon. Ayon sa UP Cebu Student Council, ang pagpili sa rehente ang usapin at hindi eleksyon, kaya nangangailangan ng consensus ang bawat yunit.

Kung magkakaroon ng isang boto bawat konseho ay para ng magiging eleksyon ang pagpili ng rehente.

Dagdag pa ng UP Mindanao Student Council, “Nagbibigay siya ng bias dun sa bigger campuses. Majority ng mga student councils ay nasa Luzon. We are expecting the student regent to represent all the UP units and all the students. Sa one council, one vote, issues at problema lang ng UPLB, ng UPD at UPM ang mas mabibigyang pansin. Again, selection siya ng student regent at hindi star circle quest.

Uphold the current CRSRS.”

Matapos ang mahabang diskurso at botohan ng mga konseho, lumabas na 16 na konseho ang pumabor sa resolusyon, 24 ang hindi pumabor dito at apat ang nanatiling abstain.

Sa resulta ng botohan, nanaig ang hindi pabor sa mga inihaing amendments kung kaya, ang kasalukuyang CRSRS pa rin ang gagamitin sa susunod na pagpili ng susunod na Student Regent.

Pagpasa ng mga resolusyon Pagkatapos ng botohan para sa pag-amyenda ng CRSRS ay naghain na ng mga resolusyon ang mga konseho. Ang mga resolusyon na maipapasa sa GASC ay mga kampanyang susuportahan at bibitbitin ng lahat ng konseho sa buong UP system.

Ilan sa mga resolusyong naipasa sa nasabing GASC ay ukol sa pagpapawalang-bisa sa desisyon ng BOR ukol sa pagpataw ng mga bayarin sa mga Class D patients sa PGH, pagbibigay ng donasyon tulad ng medical equipment at libro para sa UPM SHS Palo, pagkakaroon ng isang student-sponsored and democratically-drafted policy sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Los Baños, pagiit ng kalayaan ni Maricon Montajes, Taysan 3 at lahat ng bilanggong-politikal; at ang pagbasura sa STFAP, rollback ng tuition at ang paggiit sa estado ng greater state subsidy para sa UP.

SC continues DAP oral arguments Palace defends program’s constitutionality Gayle Calianga Reyna

Following the issues concerning the state budget and disbursements, government lawyers of the Executive department defended the legality of the Disbursement Acceleration Plan (DAP) before the Supreme Court (SC) on January 28.

The points of contention raised during the interpellation were: whether or not DAP violated the constitution; whether it stepped on the Congress’ “power of the purse”; and if it breached the Equal Protection Clause, system of checks and balances, and the principle of public accountability considering that it authorizes the release of funds upon the request of legislators.

preparation for the May 2013 elections.

In his response-comment, Jardeleza defended that augmenting appropriations through the DAP is within the chief executive’s authority as stated in Article VI, Section 25 (5) of the 1987 Constitution which reads:

“No law shall be passed authorizing any transfer of appropriations; however, the President, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and the heads of Constitutional Commissions may, by law, be authorized to augment any item in the general appropriations law for their respective offices from savings in other Succeeding the nine petitions brought items of their respective appropriations.” before the High Court in 2013, the SC has already held oral arguments to hear the Jardeleza added that DAP is a “propetitioners’ urgings on the constitution- gram or an administrative sysality of DAP last November 19, 2013. Con- tem of prioritizing spending” to the country’s economy. sequently, the SC has set the next hearing bolster on February 18 whe re representatives from the Congress will also defend DAP. However, Justice Lucas Bersamin pointed out that the constitutional provision excludes the transfer of approConstitutional Violations priations from one agency to another.

SC justices grilled government rep- He further noted that the President’s resentatives Solicitor General Fran- power for budget augmentation is limcis Jardeleza and Budget Secretary ited only to the executive department.

Florencio Abad for having transferred the Executive’s budget savings to oth- Moreover, Bayan Muna Representaer government agencies through DAP. tive Carlos Zarate said that Abad’s admission that there was a cross-borDuring the oral arguments, Abad admit- der transfer of funds support the ted that DAP was used to augment at claims that DAP is unconstitutional. least three projects of other agencies such as the E-library of the Congress ‘No more DAP ‘ and the information technology equipment of the Commission on Audit (COA). On the other hand, despite the long Funds were also channeled to the Com- hours of discussing and defending mission on Elections (COMELEC) in the constitutionality of DAP, Jardele-

za claimed that the petitions filed against the program are no longer significant since DAP no longer exists.

The Solicitor General argued that since the systemic issues slowing down public spendings have been resolved and budget utilizations among line agencies have been normalized, DAP has fully served its purpose and is no longer needed.

Likewise, Abad said that the administration’s economic managers have recommended the termination of DAP to the president. He added that the program has not been used since mid2013, prior to the filing of petitions.

Moreover, Abad explained that although the program has been terminated, the President’s power to augment savings will remain as stipulated by the Constitution.

Calls for Abolition and Transparency Meanwhile, on the same date as the oral arguments, groups led by by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) held protest actions in front of the SC to renew their call to scrap DAP. Moreover, Bayan pointed out that the Aquino administration is yet to disclose important details regarding DAP, such as the sources of the funds and how funds were used.

According to Bayan Secretary General Renato M. Reyes Jr, the government’s “double-talk” on transparency is a disappointing act of hypocrisy. “On one hand it claims to advocate transparency, even coming out with a web portal for so-called ‘open data’ and ‘open government’, yet on the other hand, it conceals vital informa-

tion involving the misdeeds of the regime.

Aquino goes on national television to praise and defend DAP, but when we ask for details, they deny us.” Reyes added.

UNJUST PRICE HIKES / FROM PAGE 03

Acording to Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon, in line with the Chinese Lunar New Year, the ampao is a symbol of luck and fortune for the coming year. However, he stated that the Aquino administration has nothing to offer the people this year but price hikes.

“Fuel prices are up again, no thanks to the deregulated nature of the oil industry. Meanwhile, smuggling and cartels have inflated rice prices, thereby adding burden to Filipino families – particularly at a time when wages are at a complete standstill,” Ridon stated.

“From tuition to electricity to food prices, the Filipino people is beleaguered with price hikes and the Aquino administration, inept as usual, is not doing anything about it. That’s why we give him a new moniker, he’s not only the pork barrel king and the impunity king, now he’s also price hike king. This fuels our rage, this fuels our determination to continue and even intensify the protests in the streets and in all venues of dissent this year,” according to Vencer Crisostomo, Anakbayan national chairperson.

Earlier, on January 21, youth groups also joined different sectors as they occupied the front of the Supreme Court in Faura to protest the power rate hike.

06 NEWS

Volume 27 Numbers 14-15 18 February 2014 | Tuesday

MGA FULUNG-VULUNGAN NG NAGJIJISANG

Lola Patola

♥

WUV WUV WUV EDISHUUUUUUUUUN!! ♥

♥♥

Wuv is in de air na mga afows! Hafiii balentayms sa mga masasaya ang heart ngayon at hafiii single awareness day sa mga single fa rin. Doncha worry, dadating jin ang fag-ibig na desurv mo.

In taym! Hihihi. Heniwaaay, kahit na ang mga jutaws ay busy sa kanileng mga date (ehem) or vusy-vusyhan sa acads dahil need nilang maging occupayd or else voila at heartvreaaak na naman ang avot nila, meron fa rin mga di nagfafa-stop-in-thename-of-luuuv sa pagiging fasaway. Weyt. Itey na. Kafit pa!

I-desuuurv-an-explanayshooownchismaksers numvaaah one: Seeeer, vakit va ang laboo mooo?

Nasasaktan na kamiii!

Anek itey narinig kong chismaksers na itey isang froppucino sa Don’t Promise Sobrang Masakit ay napakalabooo. Dehins daw nagpapapasok ang frop na ito at sovrang dami nang meetings ang nasasayang na parang unrequited luuuv!! Nagmake try naman itey si frop na ayusin ang gusot.

Nagpa-send siya ng sched ng aking mga afows sa kanya fara makapag-ayos silang ng vagong sched dahil may conflict daw sa oras niya ang timeslot ng class na iyon. Catch na catch na sana eh.

Kaya lang, waley siyang ni-give na email address! Goodbye na naman. At nung January, naipost na na madi-dissolve na daw ang class na yun! Kalurkey!

Dissolve??!??!? Perooo, nag-make amends si frop at nagpapa-make up class. Kaya lang, conflict pa rin sa sched ng mga afows ko sa clazz na yun. Frop, pakiayows naman fo ito. Okaaay? Kasi di lang isa ang subject ng aking mga afows. Marami pa. They desuuurv an explanashown!

They desuuurv an acceptable sked of make-up classes! Kalurkeeey ka, Da Poreber Magulo!!

I-desuuurv-an-explanayshooown chismaksers numvaaah two: Vaket mo ako zinazaktaaaan?!

Itey! Itey talaga ang mataraaay! Sinetch va naman ang makakaforget sa napakainit na valita na fresh na fresh from the nakaraang Grabe Ang Sovraang Catastrophe?!?!?! Anek naman ang nkklk at nafaka-bayolent! Yes, uhhuh, tama. As in B for Bayolent! Ganitey kasi yun. Isang maagang morneeeng, may naganap daw na confrontashown between isang asul at isang pula. Ang chismakers, ni-push daw nitey isang asul si ateng taga-red corner!! May dugo palang pangWWE ang koya niyooo! As in out of nowhere ay nag-alburuto na ang inyong koya dahil kasama ni ateng pula ang kanyang mga friends, romans, countrymen from the same coloouuuur!! Abaaa!

Kapag kakain ng breakfast hindi ba pwedeng united colors of Benetton munaaaa??!!!?! Ay wait. Baka this is a sign of love! Baka dapat hug yung tafos natulak niya! Yieheeeeee! Uy kilig! Uy kinikilig!!!! Wuv wuv! Chartreuseeee! Pero, remind ko lungs, violence against women is punishable by law! Odibaaa! Bongga! Kaya kay koya, take care. Mwahuuugs and goodluck!

Yan na muney mga afows fara di naman masyadong sad and wasak ang inyong balentayms! Wits naman kailangan ng ka-

relationship or whatever.

Luuuuv yourself muna para mas masaya! Hihihi. Sa may mga lovelife, remember the three elements of a good relationship: love, trust and honesty. Arteee! Ang dami kong alam! Heeeheee.

Kaya goodvay na! Meron pa akong date with yer Lolo Upo!!! Catch ba? Catch na catch!!! Luv will keep us high and aliiiive! Hihi. Mwah mwah choop choop! :* :* >J<

ITANONG KAY ISKO’T ISKA Dear Michelle Mendoza of Dentistry, alam mo ba na ang ganda ganda mo. Ang galing mong pumorma tas ang funny mo pa. Di ko alam kung pano nacontain lahat mg beauty sa isang maliit na tao. Hihihi. Nagmamahal, kuyang taga-NatSci 20**-555century Hi crush sa maikling sandali pa lang na tayo nagkakilala gusto ko sana magpasalamt sa pagkakataon na maging parte ng buhay mo.

Salamat sa panahon na tayo ay magkasama, dahil sayo natuto ulit ako maging masaya maski sa dami ng problema na pinupukol ng buhay. Gusto ko lang din ipaalam sa iyo na hinding hindi ako susuko sayo tulad ng hindi mo pagsuko sa akin.

Salamat ulit and Happy Valentines- JRA, 201318945, ddm, CD Ayen Pingco, Happy Valentine’s Day! ☺ actually di ko alam kung ano ang ilalagay ko sa mensahe kong ito dahil halos linggo-linggo naman tayong nagkikita. Anyway, di ko alam kung ano ang mangyayari. Wala akong eksaktong plano para sa araw na ito so enjoyin na lang natin ang date natin mamaya love you! :*-KilalaMoAkoSyempre ☺ “Habang di pa tayo nalulunod, umahon na tayo.”

Pero nais kong malaman mong mas gugustuhin kong malunod kung ikaw ang kasama ko.

Aylabyusomats At di ako mapapagod sayo”Laya, 201*-8500*, ♥ Friend di mo ba napapansin na ako sa iyo ay may pagtingin. Ang bitersweet lang talaga kapag nakikita kitang kinikilig sa crush mo. Pero eto naman ako, encourage agad sa iyong pagpursue ng relationship ninyo. Ok lang ako. Basta masaya ka, masaya ako.-KahitHindiBatid, 2011, CAS This goes out to everyone: The concept of love does not solely lie in romance. Simple acts are considered acts of love to, be it the way friends confide in each other, or the way a parents holds her child. Valentines day is all about celebrating LOVE, not just its romantic aspects, so for everyone out there, especially the singles out there, Happy Valentines day. There’s always going to be love around you, but you’ve got to let it touch you. -Vincent Valentine, 201*, OrComm

VALENTINE’S EDITION LOVE DEDICATIONS

♥♥♥

mas tamad ka pa sa akin. Kahit feeling ko walang patutunguhan ‘pag niligawan ng isang tamad ang isa pang tamad.-Pochi 2012 Dear Janelle Tabajonda, Kung ang tadhana ay isang orasan, ako ang mga kamay nito at ikaw naman ang mga numero. Ilang beses tayong nagkakalapit sa isa’t isa, ngunit hindi nagtatagpo.

Kung ang buhay natin ay isang orasan, ako ang kamay nito at ikaw naman ang mga numero.

Paikot-ikot lang ako, walang kapaguran at walang saysay ang bawat galaw, hanggang sa ituro ako sa iyo. Kung ang pag-ibig ay isang orasan, ako ang mga kamay nito at ikaw naman ang mga numero.

Inaabot ko na ang puso ko, pero ikaw, walang nakikita, walang nararamdaman, walang ‘ako’ sa puso mo.-KungTayoAyOrasan Hi, Jethro Matubis. You’re the only one that stood out from your extremely loud ComSci block. I hope that you are doing well. codename: Maria 2013-xxxxx HAHA OMG Solstice!With you, Valentine’s Day is not just on February 14. It’s everyday! Everyday full of love, harutan at tawanan. AND DOCTOR WHO! :)) You’re the sweetest guy that I know. Honestly, you’re way too perfect for me. Nandiyan ka lagi kapag kailangan kita. Sinasamahan mo akong magdata gathering kaysa magpahinga.

Kapag nasstress ako, may handa ka nang chocolates and/or bacon para stress reliever ko (Kahit tumataba ako dahil dun. Hahaha!). In a month, we’re officially celebrating our one year anniversary (or four kung included ang MU stage). Thank you for keeping up with me and my moods. I’m not perfect but when I’m with you, I get so close to that asymptotic line of perfection (Uyy,” Use asymptote in a sentence” ang peg.

XD).Happy Valentine’s Day! I love you so much!

- Akire, CAS Hi Mariette Servano, Happy Valentines Day! I wish instead of being with someone, you’ll be with me, even just for today.Aromaticity | 201204895 | CAS

To the Queen of my Heart, As much as I would like to be with you this Valentine’s Day, naunahan ako sayo. Hope you’ll have fun.But I hope in a parallel universe you’ll have more fun with me on Hi Kyla of Block 9! Happy Valentine’s day! Ang Valentine’s Day.Red, 2012-xxxxx ganda, ang bait, ang galing mo forever! Sana wag Darth Vader,Akala ko, special ako. Since day one ka na masungit sakin! Yun lang hahahahafrom: kasi, hinahanap mo na ako. Akala ko, may pagblockmate-namemate 2013- ♥ ♥ CAS asa tayo. Ever since kasi napapadalas ‘yung paguusap natin, ‘yung tipong, dinig na dinig ko na Hi Gelo Agdeppa! Ang pogi-pogi mo umaakyat ka ng hagdan, na naglalakad ka, kapag naman! -hindiakosigeloagdeppa, 2011 kausap kita sa phone at naghahanap ka ng signal, naramdaman ko na may importansiya ka sa akin.

“Sana ako na lang.”Raseac | BS Pharmacy | 2010- Akala ko, ikaw na ‘yung binigay sa’kin ni Lord, na 33377 babago at babasag sa lahat ng pinaniniwalaan ko sa pag-ibig. Madalas mo kasi akong sinusundan, I loved you for the past 18 months. I love you tapoa makikita ko na lang, kasabay na kitang today, I will love you tomorrow, and even when maglakad, o kasabay sa elevator.Nakakatawa kasi we’re already worlds apart.-somuchkeso, 201* pinaniwala ko lang pala ‘yung sarili ko sa lahat ng “Happy Valentine’s day Austin D! Wag mo kong ito. Na magiging nandyan ka tuwing kailangan iwan. Huhu. Charot. Smile lagi, wag masyadong kita. Na espesyal talaga ako para sa’yo. Pero suplado. Pumapanget lalo. JOOOOKE! Labyu.” hindi eh. Hindi talaga. At ngayon nga, ikakasal -mamimisska, 2013-cffed ka na. Ang hirap, ang hirap tanggapin. Ang sakit.

Sana hindi na kita nakilala. Sana hindi ko na lang Hi, bes. Noong sinabi ko sayong “I love you”, wala binigyan ng meaning lahat ng ginagawa mo. naman akong hiniling. Gusto ko lang malaman mo Simula noong hindi ko napagbigyan yung gusto ang totoo dahil ang sakit sakit na. Pero syinota mong mangyari, nawala ka na. At may bride ka mo ang bestfriend mo. At ngayon, nakahanap ka na.Salamat. Salamat sa pagdaan sa buhay ko, na ng iba, don’t expect me to be hanging around at sa pagpaparealize sakin na, minsan may mga pa rin. Kasi di ako manhid at tanga. Mahal pa rin bagay na hindi na dapat idefy, hindi na dapat naman kita eh. Yun nga lang, ayoko na.- Patchot, kwestyunin. It’s tragic.--Irene Adler, 201*-****0 2010-02*** Hi Mark Jason Orhel Calderon. You’re not even To: My QueenAll I wanted is to be like an old from UP Manila but whatever. Hahaha. Sorry fashioned knight riding to your rescue, which is for not spending time with you lately, sobrang stupid because you are more capable at doing busy sa acads e I know you understand tho, so everything than I am.From: Spaghettilover, CD thank youuuu Happy Valentines B! I love you to Dear I Can Do, Ang masasabi ko lang sayo ay I bits. YouKnowWho-20 CRUSH YOU!! -Dankarl Magpayo Area Studies Dear Friday, I like you. I liked you ever since that Doon sa lagi kong nakakasabay sa lrt papuntang fateful Friday afternoon. I like you even though Quirino, lagi kitang tinitigan. Memorize ko na ang everyone does, too. I like you despite the fact kulay ng bag mo, ang lanyard mo, ang hugis ng that I can’t have you. If this wasn’t so limited, and mata mo. Sana magkita na tayo sa UPM. Kapag if only I knew how to write, I’d write you a love nakita kita sa Valentine’s sa UPM, damn - it’s a song. Because I like you that much.-Rainbow sign. >> Magic Mike, 20**-168** 20** CAS Sana lumipas na itong nararamdaman ko para Miss na kita. Pero taken na ako. Taken ka na rin. sayo. - Gooby, 20**-xxxxx, CAS Sorry for giving you an illogical reason when I turned you down. I miss our friendship, and I miss Will you be my carbon dioxide? I love you. our morning conversations. Sana, someday, we’ll Hihihihihihi *photosynthesis* - HalaMan see each other again. – umamindin 2010-25269, hindi ka gwapo, pero napaka-cute Hi, Ian Altuna! Crush talaga kita forever. Crush mo. At mukha talagang kagalang-galang kapag lang naman. Taken ka na ba? Kung hindi pa, tayo nakapormal kang ayos, pang-abogado talaga na lang. Bagay tayo. Promise. - Girlieeeee, ang dating. kapag nagtapos ka na, mami-miss ko 2010-*****, CAS yung eye-contact natin kapag nagkakasalubong tayo. hahaha. God bless, happycrush. Happy Sana pagkain na lang ako ngayon Valentine’s day. Valentines’ Day Alam ko aral lang nasa isip mo, Para kung aagawin man ako ng iba, sasabihin ipagpatuloy mo lang. Joke. Magpakasaya rin pag mo, “Hoy, akin ‘yan!” Kaso hindi. Gusto kita kahit may time! Padayon. - class of 2013 o 2013-xxxxx?

Continued on Page 13

CULTURE 07

Volume 27 Numbers 14-15 Tuesday | 18 February 2014

ALTER [the] NATION Unmasking the truth behind Historic Revisionism John vherlin canlas magday illustration by daniel john galinato estember

Image source: Google Images

History defines a society way beyond one’s imagining.

With the old and rather cliché adage “Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan,” we have been constantly reminded of how history plays a vital role not only in promoting cultural heritage and nationalism but also in achieving national development. But while history offers an earnest attempt to safeguard national identity and integrity, it might also pose a perilous effect once it is manipulated towards the specific interests of the few.

When Name Becomes a Shame A simple alteration can result to complex historical implications.

Everyday, we see how history unfolds in so many different ways. From the most significant political events to the most trivial local celebrations, history is inevitably being created while, as an effect, we tend to weigh the historical accounts that can contribute to national development. But despite the rather tedious task of efficiently sorting the events, one can actually discern which of these should be glorified from those which should be detested.

Such example can be seen in the case of the renaming of the College of Business Administration (CBA) in the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman. The Board of Regents, the highest policy-making body in the university, has approved with finality the renaming of the CBA to Cesar E. A. Virata School of Business during its 1295th meeting last February 6, 2014.

Various issues surround the said renaming: first, the renaming is illegal under Philippine

law; second, 97% of the students of the said college oppose the renaming; and lastly, that a PhP 40 M “donation” was given in order for the said move to be actualized. Yet, one could analyze that the real issue in the said move and the root of all opposition towards it is mainly because of the person to whom the building is now named after.

Due to the vehement opposition faced by this move, one may simply ask who Cesar E. A. Virata is and why he was chosen for the new name of the UP CBA. The answer, at first glance, seems quite simple: Virata may have become a Dean from the same college, but he was more known to be the infamous technocrat and Prime Minister of the “sham” Batasang Pambansa during the Marcos regime. Thus, this association with a despot, aside from several other factors, only tainted Virata’s reputation and eligibility to perpetuate him in an academic structure.

The renaming of the CBA is just one of the attestations to the bigger picture of what is now known to be as “historical revisionism.”

This concept of reinterpreting the notions surrounding a historical event implies two salient points. First, in relation to the CBA issue, it may alter the way that the University perceives the people and events depending on whether they are projected in either a positive or negative way. Consequently, the second point emphasizes that this may actually alter the entire course of our history, towards a path where either perceived ironies can actually be realities, or established realities may become hoaxes.

Indeed, change is inevitable. In the blink of an eye, history is made. We should, however, remain vigilant about the things that are happening around us. It is a task among us to ensure that bad figments of our history will not resurface and reestablish themselves as mighty and respectable foundations of our

nation. More importantly, we should learn how to revise history in such a way that it will eventually uncover the truth and dismantle the myth, in order to forge a stronger key towards genuine change.

Time and Again… and Again We should have learned from the troubles of the past and yet we still chose to live within its shadows.

Filipinos have this tendency to be fervent about their love for the country, especially at times of disasters – either natural or man-made.

Disasters transform us, for we tend to become more conscious of our fighting spirit as a nation and become more compassionate towards one another. Ultimately, we tend to, or at least we try to, remind ourselves that we should never forget these disasters. Unfortunately, as the tides of these disasters gradually ebb, so does our spirit and compassion.

Given as an example, the issue involving Virata manifests the deep impact of the Marcos regime and everything related to it to the lives of every Filipino. We know how repressive and tyrannical his leadership was, and this is especially true for the individuals who experienced torture, enforced disappearance, poverty, malnutrition, economic instability, and death. Indeed, we had a collective memory of the horrors of this regime, although some might not been born at the time.

This collective memory, however, is somewhat forgotten by many Filipinos. To illustrate, remember the tale of former AFP General Fidel V. Ramos and former Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile – who were both staunch allies of former President Ferdinand Marcos and were the ones who led the persecutions, tortures, enforced disappearances, and deaths of dissenters who fought for the nation’s democracy – and how they were regarded

as heroes of the EDSA “People Power Revolution”. That is how they effectively used and revised history for their own interests.

Yet, we react only once the deed was already done. As a matter of fact, many of us do not actually engage ourselves in activities that will cease the recurrence of such horrendous acts in our nation’s past. We remain as passive observers of history and this impassivity is borne out of the fear of challenging the status quo.

Nevertheless, we shall see to it that only the righteous and deserving people only get the chance to be glorified, and not those who only manipulated and maneuvered the course of history in realizing their personal goals. Ultimately, we shall always remember and never forget the memories of the past.

Fortuitous or not, history serves as a reminder of how our characters were shaped as citizens of the country and how we ought to find recourse whenever problems arise.

Indifference is the greatest enemy of preserving history.

It is an indubitable fact that we are living in a fast-paced, modern world where everything seems to be changing in the blink of an eye.

Conversely, it should be noted how we must never forget history as a relevant factor in our everyday lives since it shows our identity as a people.

We should always strive to remember and never forget. Learning to do so will our nation truly attain genuine change.

08 FEATURES

Volume 27 Numbers 14-15 18 February 2014 | Tuesday

Till Debt Do Us Part Exposing the Anti-student Character of the UP Student Loan ANGELICA NATIVIDAD REYES

The debt is overdue.

The financially-incapacitated Iskolar ng Bayan was rattled as he tried every means to be able to pay an outstanding loan and the interests attached to it.

Graduation is already near, yet the payment has to be settled before academic requirements are released. The meager resources that STFAP considered to be their family’s assets, however, did not suffice to cover all so-called liabilities.

Hence, the Iskolar’s education is still in debt.

The Loan No qualified UP student shall be denied access to education due to financial incapacity (BOR Policy, 12 April 2013). All students must be duly registered before they are allowed to attend classes. A student who is unable to pay the required tuition and other fees due to financial incapacity may apply for a loan from the Student Loan Board to complete the registration. – Article 330, UP Code Revision Being a state university, it is the mandate of the University of the Philippines to uphold the right of its students to an accessible quality education. The tragic death of Kristel Tejada, which was allegedly triggered by being forced to apply for a leave of absence, has placed the University’s fulfillment of its mandate in question.

It also prompted the call for substantial revisions of certain provisions: Articles 330, 430, and 431 in the University Code.

The UP administration considered the review. But instead of creating substantial changes to these anti-poor student provisions, these were merely rephrased.

The original phrasing of Article 330 states that “No person who has not duly matriculated may be admitted to the classes. In exceptional cases, the Dean of Admissions may, on the recommendation of the Dean or Director concerned, authorize the admission of a visitor to a class for not more than five sessions.”

Looking at the original provision of Article 330, one would see that no substantial change took place. It has just taken a different form but still, democratic access that does not discriminate students according to their financial capability was still not provided. Moreover, the newly revised provision has just given a more insulting jolt as it implies a seemingly “forced loan” scheme wherei n students that are incapable of paying

ILLUSTRATION BY JOANNE PAULINE RAMOS SANTOS

their tuition and other fees should avail the student loan with the corresponding interest for him or her to fufil his or her registration in the University.

date of his or her account. It does not require the administration to provide the student any assistance or consideration in paying the loan.

A report from the Philippine Collegian states that according to the Office of Scholarships and Student Services (OSSS), 2,965 students in UP Diliman applied for tuition loans as of July 2013.

This amounts to a total of PhP 39.9 million. It was the highest number of students applying for tuition loans in the last 24 years. The data also suggested that the number of students applying for tuition loans has rapidly increased by 47 percent since the 300% tuition increase and the restructuring of the Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP) in 2007. The increasing number of students applying for tuition loans is a clear manifestation of the ineffectiveness of the UP administration’s mechanisms are in providing accessible education to the students. The administration’s attempt to impose a seemingly “forced loan” through the new provision of Article 330 is nothing but a flawed scheme that complements the existing impropriety in its policies and adds up to the commercialization of UP education.

Through a memorandum issued on May 21 by UP President Alfredo Pascual, the administrators were allowed to lend first and second year students up to 100% worth of assessed fees. Third year and graduating students may be approved of up to 80%, while graduate and law students may borrow up to 85 percent. But this scheme is merely another façade to cover the administration’s neglect.

Accessible and quality education is the right of every citizen – it should never be, in any form, denied to them. Letting the students avail a loan just to afford their education, which is in the first place a right that they supposedly possess, is an extreme contradiction to the University’s mandate. It is a clear showcase of how the system gradually deteriorates into a horrible form that pulls the students down to their graves.

The Interest Students who are unable to settle their loan accounts with the Student Loan Board by the final due date shall be notified, together with their parents and/or guardians, of their past due obligations.

– Article 430, UP Code Revision The original Article 430 states, “Students who are indebted to the Student Loan Board, their sureties and parents or guardians, shall be notified that such indebtedness must be paid in full one month before the final semestral examinations begin.”In the same vein as the other revised articles, this does not present any significant amendment that could improve the accessibility of education for the students. The revised code provides that the student who availed the loan shall be merely notified of the final due

In every loan, a 6% interest per annum is being imposed on the amount the student has borrowed. According to the OSSS data compiled by the Philippine Collegian, 1-6% of student-borrowers have been unable to pay tuition in the last seven years. In the previous semester, only 6.58% or 167 out of 2,539 student-borrowers have been able to fully pay their loans. In addition, four months before another enrollment comes, only 70 out of the total 2,965 students who availed of tuition loans this semester have settled their loans. And to reiterate, these loans are increasing with a 6% interest every year that the students are not being able to pay for it. The student loan is an income-generating scheme imposed by the administration under the guise of providing financial assistance to the students.

The main purpose of the existence of the University is to provide service to the Filipino masses. Pulling profits from the already financially incapable is such a ruthless assault to the right of the students. With these kinds of schemes, the administration has seemingly completely forgotten its obligation of providing a genuine public service and already inculcated the thought of commercialization in its core.

The Payment The policy statement of the Board of Regents last 12th of April, 2013, asserting that “no qualified student shall be denied access to UP education

due to financial incapacity”, was deemed irrelevant. The amendments on the UP code provisions during the recently concluded BOR meeting have not presented any substantial change that could uphold the right of the students to an accessible education. These revised provisions have just perpetuated the deprivation of the students’ rights. UP education was given a very high price to the point that it is already being loaned to the students- their right is being loaned to them.

The administration has not taken any significant action to address the students’ shouts for an accessible quality education. Moreover, it has continuously exhibited outrageous bastardizations of the students’ rights.

Deaths are being counted as debts are getting higher. For the students to have their own right loaned to them is a huge insult to the nature of the right itself. To put an interest into this loan is much more heinous. This growing list of injustices has been the continuously accounted debts of the inutile administration to the students. The students have suffered long enough. The debts have been overdue. The call for genuine accessible quality education needs to be intensified so as to make the administration accountable for their actions and inactions.

CULTURE 09

Volume 27 Numbers 14-15 Tuesday | 18 February 2014

Brewed Consequences

Thalia Real Villela DIBUHO NI john zeus cabantog taller

Pagsiyasat sa pagtangkilik sa milk tea at ang mga epekto nito sa lipunan

Dito sa Maynila, halos sa bawat kanto ay may nakatayong Milk Tea Shop. Ang kaliwa’t kanang pag-usbong ng mga milk tea shop sa bansa ay nagpapahiwatig ng magandang takbo nito sa merkado.

Ngunit hindi lang dapat tayo umiinom lang nang basta-basta. Tulad ng ibang bagay, magandang malaman kung saan ito nagmula at ang implikasyon nito sa ating lipunan.

Pait ng tunggalian

Tanging ang mga taong may pinansyal na kakayahan lamang na magsagawa ng tea party ang maaaring matawag na elite.

Dahil nais ng marginalisado at nagdarahop na mayorya na tikman ang kakaibang inuming kinahuhumalingan ng mga mayayaman, nagtulak ito sa ilang mga grupo para ipatikim ito sa mga mahihirap, sa paraan ng smuggling.

Dahil sa iligal na paraan, naging pantay ang iniinom ng mayaman at mahirap. Tunay nga na hindi lahat ng legal ay makatarungan.

Maraming posibleng maging dahilan upang magustohan nating mga Pinoy ang isang bagay tulad ng milk tea.

Nariyan ang dahilang marami tayong napagpipiliang lasa, tamis, laki ng lalagyan, at marami pang iba. Nagsisilbi ito bilang refreshment drink o comfort food sa tuwing may pinagdadaanan tayo, tulad ng pagkakabilad sa araw o pagkakaraos sa mahihirap na pagsusulit.

Maidaragdag pa sa mga rason ng pagtangkilik natin sa nasabing inumin ay ang pinaniniwalaang health benefits nito – nakaiinam raw kasi sa cardio-vascular at immune system ng mga tao ang pinagsamang sustansya ng gatas at tsaa. Ngunit ang nagdala talaga sa milk tea sa rurok ng kasikatan sa Pilipinas ay ang ambience ng mga cozy o comfy stores/shops nito.

Siyempre, mariin itong tinutulan ng mga mayayaman.

Hindi raw ito mainam sa mga mahihirap lalo na ‘yung mga nasa working class, dahil mas nagiging tamad sila.

Napupunta lang daw kasi ang kanilang mga oras sa pagtsitsismisan o pagsi-siesta habang humihigop ng tsaa.

Iba-iba man ang ating dahilan upang bumili ng milk tea, lahat ng ito ang bumubuo sa katotohanang marami ang may gusto nito. Ngunit ayon sa kasaysayan ng inuming ito sa buong mundo, may isang dahilan ang nangingibabaw.

Hindi na maitatangging ang tsaa ay may ginagampanang tungkulin sa pang-araw-araw na pamumuhay ng karamihan sa mga tao

Hindi tulad ng sa Pilipinas, ang pag-inom ng tsaa sa bansang Tsina ay bahagi na talaga ng kanilang kultura. Iniinom nila ito bilang bahagi ng kanilang mga ritwal at bilang mabisang natural na gamot. At kahit wala pa silang konsepto ng pagbebenta ng milk tea para pagkakitaan, hinahaluan na talaga nila ang tsaa ng gatas.

Sa kabilang dako ng mundo, ang tsaa ay maraming pinagdaanan bago matanggap ng lahat. Tulad ng mga malalaking bakod, hinati nito ang kasaysayan at lipunan.

Noong sinaunang panahon, gaya ng mga bansa tulad ng Britanya, ang tea ay isang luxury product na iniinom ng mga kalalakihang nag-uusap tungkol sa business sa mga tea house.

Ang mga elitista lang ang nakabibili dahil napakalaki ng nakapatong na buwis, ngunit agad din naman itong naging bantog sa mga middle class.

Ayon sa kasaysayan, natural talagang mapait ang lasa ng tsaa. Dahil nga may kamahalan ang presyo nito sa merkado, ang mga mayayaman lang ang nakakabili at nakakatikim nito. Kung hindi pa nga dinala ang tsaa sa mga tahanan, hindi pa ito matitikman ng mga kababaihan.

Ngunit hindi naman basta-basta ang pagpigil sa isang gawaing unti-unting nakakahiligan ng lahat, lalo na’t kung ang masa ay tinatangkilik ito. Sa paglipas ng panahon, ang mamahaling tsaa ay unti-unting naging mura — ngunit marami itong naging kapalit. Maraming mga kemikal ang nilagay para sa kulay, ibang dahon ang ginamit, at dito na rin nailagay ang gatas sa tsaa.

noon at ngayon. Makikita rin sa kasaysayan na naroon na ang malinaw na pagkakahati ng mayayaman at mahihirap. Kung kaya, ang pait ng tsaa ay tila manipestasyon ng banggaan ng mga sektor ng lipunan na mayroong magkakaibang prinsipyo at ideolohiya.

Tamis ng pagbabago Masasabing tunay na higit pa sa tsaa ang milk tea; bukod kasi sa pagiging bahagi ng kultura, maituturing na simbolo rin ito ng kaugalian ng mga tao at klase ng lipunang mayroon ang Pilipinas.

Hindi nagkakalayo ang dahilan kung bakit ganoon na lamang ang pagkahilig ng mga Briton at ng mga Pinoy sa tsaa, o milk tea sa kasalukuyang panahon. Maiisip nating parehas na nahahati ang lipunan sa tatlong antas ng pamumuhay na nakabatay sa kayamanan: ang mga mayayaman, burgis, at mahihirap.

Ang pagkakahati na ito ng mga tao sa mayaman at mahirap ang siyang bumubuo sa konsepto ng indibidwalismo kung saan ang kadalasang naiisip ng mga tao ay kung ano ang nakakabuti sa kanila. Nagsisilbing instrumento ang milk tea, at ang labis na pagbili nito, para ilugar ang mga tao base sa kanilang kakayahan na makabili o hindi.

Ito ang nagtutulak sa mga tao sa konsumerismo. Dahil sa pagbili ng bagay nang labis, at minsan ay labas pa, sa pangangailangan, nagdudulot ito ng pagiging conscious natin sa at imahe. At sa usapin ng pag-inom ng milk tea, mas pinapalakas nito ang kagustohan ng ilan na mayroon silang kakayahang makasabay sa uso at makabili ng mga bagay na tanging mayayaman lang ang may kaya. Nagiging mababaw ang tingin natin sa milk tea, ngunit sa kabilang banda, nagiging malalim ang problemang dulot nito sa ating lipunan.

Sabi nga ni Bob Ong sa isa sa kanyang mga libro, ang mga Pinoy, kapag nagpupunta sa Starbucks, onti-onti lang hinihigop ang kape upang magkaroon ng rason na manatili nang mas matagal. Sa gayon kasi, nakapaghihintay sila ng mga kakilalang mapapadaan doon at makikitang doon sila nagkakape.

Ang image-building ng mga tao ay nasasamantala ng mga kompanya. Bilang kanilang marketing strategy, pinapalabas nila na nakatutulong sila sa mga mamimili na maiangat ang kanilang sarili sa bawat pagbili nila ng kanilang mga produkto. Ito ang isa sa kanilang motibo sa tuwing nagkakaroon sila ng mga midnight sale, buy-1-take-1 promo, priveledge/loyalty card at iba pang mga pakulo.

Impulsive man o hindi ang pagbili ng mga ganitong inumin, alam nating lahat na comfort food ito. Comfort, dahil maaari nitong tanggalin ang ating uhaw; at comfort, dahil kaya nitong punan ang uhaw natin sa isang imaheng mataas at makapangyarihan..

Hindi lang ang milk tea ang may ganitong pinagmulan at implikasyon. Ang milk tea sa usapang Continued on Page 13

10 FEATURES The light started to flicker.

Those who hold the power stole the light.

The issues faced by the country in connection to the power industry are never addressed by the State. Through the privatization of the power industry, the government presented its dim and dismal solution.

The cost of achieving utmost luminosity is dire.

Alternating current The sudden surge of power also brought darkness to the masses.

The power shortage faced by the country in the late 1980s and early 1990s paved way for the privatization of the power industry. By the year 1991, the Filipino people experienced 6-10 hours of blackouts and the economy suffered a loss of $1 billion annual output. In order to address these issues, the Philippine government declared Republic Act 7638 – establishing the Department of Energy (DOE). The department was mandated to explore, utilize, and conserve the energy resources of the country while ushering the intrusion of private investors in the power industry.

By the year 2001, the government spearheaded another attempt towards privatization through the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA). According to DOE, the law aims to “bring down electricity rates and to improve the delivery of power supply to end-users by encouraging greater competition and efficiency in the electricity industry.” The provisions of the law includes ensuring the “quality, security and affordability of the supply of the electric power” and ensuring the “transparent and reasonable prices of electricity.” However, the presence of the EPIRA also promotes the influx of private investors that is purported to promote greater competition and end inefficient monopolies.

Jennah Yelle Manato Mallari and Liezl Ann Dimabuyu Lansang ILLUSTRATION BY Czarina Catapang Tuazon

Illuminating the State of the Philippine Power Industry

BLACKOUT

The National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR)’s assets and liabilities were privatized through EPIRA. Presently, 52% of the total generating capacity is controlled by the San Miguel Corporation, Danding Cojuangco, and the Lopez clan. Moreover, it is stated that

Volume 27 Numbers 14-15 18 February 2014 | Tuesday the increase of rates in 2010 amounted to 112.5%. But even with the increased, the quality of power generation continued to decline as massive power outages continue across the country. For one, in North Cotabato, 6-8 hours of daily power outages are observed.

With the privatization of the electricity industry, the masses carry the burden of increasing rates for it legalizes the act of passing the cost of power generation to the consumers, which is the “system loss charges” reflected on the monthly bills. Private companies who are involved in energy generation earn huge amounts of money while the consumers carry the burden of high power rates. EPIRA failed its mandate of providing affordable and quality power services to the Filipino people but it achieved success in pleasing foreign investors and exacerbating thecrisis faced by the masses.

Imbalance The impending power rate hike only underscores the inutile and lenient practices of the current administration.

Last December 9, 2013, Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) permitted Manila Electric Company’s (Meralco) proposal of a 4.15php per kilowatt-hour (kWh) power rate hike. It was to be gradually collected into three parts, starting at 2.41 php/kWh in December, 1.21 php/kWh in February, and 0.53 php/kWh in March. The increase was due to the shutdown of the Malampaya facility, which happens every two years due to maintenance works and facility repairs. But due to unscheduled and simultaneous shutdowns of different generation plants, the price rose to 4.5 php/kWh. In turn, Meralco had to avail electricity from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), handled by the same power producers at the bid cap of 62 php/kWh. The nature of power producers to prioritize profits over providing actual services can be seen in the excessive pricing of the bid cap alone.

Meralco, with its ‘staggered collection’, purportedly aims to minimize the impact of the generation cost hike to the consumers.

However, this does not change the fact that

there is still an obvious rise in the country’s already-high electricity rates. The Philippines is ranks fifth – following Austria, Italy, Germany, and Denmark - among countries bearing high power rates. This scenario reflects the obscure system that embodies the power industry– where the rates continue to increase and the services continue to decline.

Also, ERC’s sudden approval of the hike in lieu of investigating the cause of the shutdowns beforehand has also gone against the interest of the public.

Along with other groups, Bayan Muna lawyers Carlos Zarate and Neri Javier Colmenares have immediately petitioned for the Supreme Court to release a temporary restraining order (TRO) to suspend the hike. In the oral argument held last January 21, 2014, they have also cited how Section 6 and 29 of the EPIRA proved that “power generation and supply are not public utilities”. The lawyers have pointed the following sections as the reasons why ERC cannot fully regulate charges, and thus, have asked the high tribunal to cross them out of the act.

In addition, the petitioners have pointed out Meralco and ERC’s violation of public interest by going against Section 4(e), Rule 3 of the Epira’s Implementing Rules and Regulation, which indeed states that applications for rate adjustments must acquire the notice of publication in newspapers circulating in the locality affected. This violation could be seen in ERC’s immediate approval on Meralco’s hike without even informing the consumers of the impending hike and giving the chance for the public to express their views on the matter.

The petitioners have also mentioned the concurrent shutting down of generating power plants after Malampaya’s shutdown, and have suspected a possible collusion going on. This could have resulted to a defeat in market competition, and left Meralco with no alternative but to collect more from its consumers to regulate costs, as the WESM uses more expensive fuel to generate electricity. It is definitely a win-win situation for the private corporations owning these power plants, as they are also the handlers of the WESM. The government,

however, has stood by its claim that there is no adequate basis to suspend the hike.

The threat posed by privatization, however, strengthens with the fact that private companies can easily stop operations once profit starts to decline.Such situation can be seen in Cebu Private Power Corp (CPPC)’s condition years ago, which almost shut its 65-megawatt plant due to loss of profit and financial problems. The same situation can also occur to larger power producers. This only shows the willingness of the government to even sacrifice the rights of its people for the sake of profit, without fully analyzing the effects it will cause in the long run.

In the midst of rising prices in electricity, the government has done nothing but submerge itself in the darkness, continuously pretending to be blind at the imbalanced treatment that it gives to the monopolizing corporations running its sectors, while its people continue to suffer.

Standby demand The surge of power is merely a false hope of light that is designed to further deceive the nation.

The mere fact that the government does not have full control on the energy sector chiefly disallows it to be mobile in the midst of the nation’s energy problems.This only implies that the government has abandoned its duty to serve the people and instead, promotes privatization of its services. But with the different disadvantages that privatization and deregulation impose to the people, it is only imperative that the said schemes be eradicated from the state.

Privatization of commodities, for instance, gives the upper hand to the handling corporations as they are given the right to either automatically increase the prices of goods or propose hikes. Such situation could be seen in the experiences of the people in Cochabamba, Bolivia, whose water systems were handled by US-company Bechtel since the 1990’s.

With the distress of the Bolivians in Bechtel’s

Continued on Page 13

CULTURE 11

Volume 27 Numbers 14-15 Tuesday | 18 February 2014

Tele: yo is B PAGSUBAYBAY SA MGA PAANDAR AT PASABOG NG KONTEMPORARYONG PINOY TV JAMILAH PAOLA DELA CRUZ LAGUARDIA DIBUHO NI Czarina Catapang Tuazon

“Maisakatuparan na kaya ni Donya Victorina ang kanyang maitim na balak?

Malaman na kaya ni Maria Olivia na si Katalina ang kanyang nawawalang kapatid? At magtagpo pa kaya ang landas ng magkasintahang sina Jose Antonio at Maria Olivia? Abangan bukas.”

dahil nakiki-join lang sa grupo ng mayayaman ang bidang dating mahirap. Imbes na magkaroon ng kapangyarihan dahil masigasig na nakikipaglaban para sa mga karapatan, ang ipinaglalaban na lang nila ay ang mapabilang sa angkan ni Lucio Tan.

Eh, wait a minute– hindi ba’t ganito rin ‘yung istorya nung drama sa kabilang istasyon, at nung isa pa noong nakaraang taon? Napalitan lang si Marian at Dennis nina Angel at Jericho, saka mas dumami lang ‘yung mapang-akit na adjectives sa title – pero paulit-ulit lang din ang eksenang nangyayari. Ika nga ni Sarah G., ikot-ikot lang.

Ngunit, higit sa pagtataka kung bakit ganito ang istorya nila, mas nakapangtataas ng kilay kung bakit walang kasawaan ang mga manunulat sa paggawa ng ganitong mga eksena. Mas masipag pa sila sa MMDA sa pag-recycle ng mga bagay.

Hirit ng mga istsyon ng tv, ang kuwento ng kanilang mga palabas ay hango at salamin ng kuwento ng bawat Pilipino.

Ngunit, sa panahon ngayon kung saan lahat ay nakapangyayari sa pamamagitan ng lente ng kamera at mga imahe sa telebisyon,isang life-saving technique ang pagiging kritikal at mapanuri sa lahat ng napapanood.

BABANGON AKO AT DUDURUGIN KITA You just can’t get enough – kaya kahit pulang-pula na ang mata mo at antok na antok na, sige lang Naaalala mo pa ‘yung kilig na naramdaman mo kay Maya at Sir Chief? Ang mga ganitong Cinderella stories at mga karakter na underdog ay talaga namang kinakagat ng masang Pilipino. Dito nagkakaroon ng silip ang mga Pilipino sa maaaring mangyari kapag nawala ang malaking distansya sa pagitan ng mga mayayaman at mahihirap ; wala ng “langit ka, lupa ako” na drama.

Pero, mali ang pagkakintal ng ganitong kaisipan sa isip ng sambayanan. Sa totoo lang, wala naman talagang abolition of classes na nangyayari sa mga nasabing palabas. Bagkus, mas tumitindi pa nga

Ang bawat kumpas ng mga manunulat nito ay kontrolado ng interes ng mga taong nagpapasuweldo sa kanila. Siyempre, bakit sila magpapalabas ng mga palabas na kumakalaban sa mga interes nito?

Bakit nila ipapakita ang pagkamkam ng gobyerno sa lupa ng mga magsasaka? O sa isinasagawang extra-judicial killings ng administrasyon? O ang patuloy na pagbusabos sa kabataan at kababaihan? O ang paglala ng kondisyon ng kapaligiran dahil sa polusyong dala ng mga pabrika?

Labas pa dito ang usapin ng pagpapa-unlad diumano ng kultura ng Philippine drama dahil sa huli, pera-pera na lang din ang lahat.

Ang ganitong pagkasakal sa interes ng mga naghaharing-uri ay kitang-kita sa ”propaganda model”, isang konseptong nabuo nina Edwar Herman at Noam Chomsky. Ayon sa kanila, malayang namamanipula ng mga mayayaman ang lahat ng nagaganap sa harap ng lente ng kamera, sapagkat sila ang nagpopondo ng lahat ng kailangan upang mabuhay ang industriya – advertising, pagbibigay ng sponsors at iba pa. Idinagdag pa nila na ang lahat ng lumalabas sa diyaryo, radyo, telebisyon at Internet, ay mga napili nang impormasyon at matagumpay nang nasala para pumabor sa interes ng mga mayayaman. Kaya naman ang pagkalaban ng media sa mga taong mismong bumubuhay sa kanila, ay parang paghu-

kay na rin ng kanilang sariling libingan ng industriya.

Sa huli, binubusog lamang natin ang bulsa ng mga kapitalista at ginagawan ng pabor ang mapang-aping estado sa patuloy na pagkalugmok at pagkabulok ng kalidad ng mga palabas sa Pilipinas.

MAGING SINO KA MAN Talagang nagbago na ang tema ng istorya ng drama : naghalikan na si Erik at Vincent sa tv at tila araw-araw ay may nagpapalitan ng mga asawa sa drama . Kung dati-rati ay parang isang mortal na kasalanan kapag pinag-usapan ang ganitong mga tema, ngayon tampok na sila sa mga palabas sa telebisyon.

Parang kabute na nagsulputan ang mga teleserye na akay-akay ang mga kuwento tungkol sa pakikiapid, pagkakaroon ng kabit, at pagtampok sa mga buhay ng Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals at Transexuals (LGBT). Isama na ang natural instinct na magpalitan ng mga asawa at award-winning dialogues ng mga other woman o man. Lumelevel-up na ang mga tema ng mga teleserye, ang mga ganitong uri ng palabas ay nakatutulong sa pagpapalaya ng kaisipan ng mga Pilipino. Ang pagatake ng mga palabas na ito sa usapin ng moralidad at etika ay agad pumukaw sa atensyon at kuryosidad ng mga Pilipino.

Katakam-takam – ‘yan ang pakiwari ng viewers sa mga teleserye na tumatalakay sa LGBTs. Bukod kasi sa panibagong atake sa daloy ng istorya ng mga teleserye, nabibigyan din kasi ang mga manunuod ng sneak peek sa mga pinagdadaanan ng mga miyembro nito. Gayondin, mas nagiging malinaw para sa mga tao ang diskriminasyon sa LGBTs at sa mga pinagdadaanan ng mga ito upang makamit ang respeto, pag-intindi, at pagtanggap mula sa lipunan.

Bukod

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pag-iimbestiga sa mga asawa, ang mga dramang pokus ang tema sa trading ng asawa ay salamin din ng kondisyon ng lipunan. Lagi na lang may mga taong “sumasakabilang-bahay”. Kaya’t hindi rin maiiwasan na hamunin ng ganitong mga palabas ang prinsipyong hinahawakan ng mga Pilipino, gaya ng pagkilala nila sa katatagan ng matrimonyo. Isama na rin ang opinyon nila tulad sa usapin ng polygamy at diborsyo.

Pero, ang mga tema na ito ng mga drama ay parang balikbayan packages – please handle with care. Malaki kasi ang posibilidad na mapagsamantalahan at maging mali ang interpretasyon ng ganitong mga tema. Halimbawa, maaaring ma-exaggerate ang pagpapakita ng mga maseselang eksenang tungkol sa homosexuality at ma-misinterpret ng mga manunuod ang mensaheng gusto nitong iparating. Kaya’t sa halip na respeto at pagtanggap ang ibigay para sa LGBTs, baka tumindi lang ang maging diskriminasyon sa mga miyembro nito sa lipunan.

Kung hindi rin magiging maingat sa pagtahi ng mga mensaheng gustong iparating, malaki ang posibilidad na sa halip na makonsensya ay mas makumbinsi pa ang mga Pilipino na ipalaganap ang pangangaliwa. Maaari kasi nilang isipin na ang mismong pagpapalabas ng mga ganitong tema sa telebisyon ay isang malaking palantandaan na isa nang legal natural instinct ang mangaliwa Ang mga ganitong posibleng epekto ng teleserye sa lipunan, ay manipestasyon ng tinatawag na “media culture”. Dito, tuluyan nang tumatagos ang epekto ng media hindi lamang sa kung anuman ang patok o uso, kundi pati sa paniniwala, prinsipyo, kultura at tradisyon sa lipunan. Hindi na mga passive na tagapanood lamang ang mga tao, dahil ang mismong panonood nila ay nagiging instrumento para sa pagbabago ng takbo ng lipunan. Baliktad na Continued on Page 12

12 FREESTYLE

Volume 27 Numbers 14-15 18 February 2014 | Tuesday

2014 LOVE HORRORSCOPE

MADAME DAMIN

• ARIES

• LIBRA

‘Wag kang mag-alala.

Nandiyan lang siya sa tabi-tabi – sa Facebook or Twitter. #pls

Ngayon na ang tamang panahon para magpapansin sa kaniya. Kaso wala siyang class today. Lol. #sorrynotsorry

(O: MAR 21 - APR 19; N: APR 18 – MAY 13)

(O: SEPT 23 – OCT 22; N: OCT 30 – NOV 23)

Lucky Number: 17 Again Lucky Color: Burnt Sienna Lucky Song: Pusong Bato by Aimee Torres/Renee Dela Rosa/Jovit Baldivino

Lucky Number: 50 First Dates Lucky Color: Periwinkle Lucky Song: Someone Like You by Adele • SCORPIO

• TAURUS

(O: APR 20 – MAY 20; N: MAY 13 – JUN 21)

May mag-aabot sa ‘yo ng flowers. Pero, hep, hindi iyo ‘yon! Pakibigay daw sa best friend mo. #wagkasiassuming

Lucky Number: (500) Days of Summer Lucky Color: Razzle Dazzle Pink Lucky Song: Dreaming of You by Selena

• GEMINI

(O: MAY 21 – JUN 20; N: JUN 21 – JUL 20)

Kambal na kamalasan ang darating sa iyo. Wala ka na ngang love life, wala ka pang pera. #twinwreck

Lucky Number: 13 Going 30 Lucky Color: Atomic Tangerine Lucky Song: Thinking of You by Katy Perry

• CANCER

(O: JUN 21 – JUL 22; N: JUL 20 – AUG 10)

“Pipikit na lamang at magsasayaw, habang nanonood siya.” #sawi

Lucky Number: 16 Candles Lucky Color: Blue is the Warmest Color Lucky Song: Indak by Up Dharma Down

• LEO

(O: JUL 23 – AUG 22; N: AUG 10 – SEPT 16)

Ayan na ang soulmate mo!

Palapit na siya sa iyo. Ayan naaa… Ay! Umalis ulit?

Sorry, ‘di ko na ‘yun fault. #muntikna

Lucky Number: 127 Hours Lucky Color: Wisteria Lucky Song: Nanghihinayang by Jeremiah • VIRGO

(O: AUG 23 – SEPT 22; N: SEPT 16 – OCT 30)

“You made the biggest mistake of falling in love with your best friend.” Dahil kahit kailan, walang taste ‘yun. #anek

Lucky Number: 1 More Chance Lucky Color: Chartreuse Lucky Song: I’ll Never Go by Erik Santos

GABAY NA HANDOG SA’YO NI

DIBUHO NI DEONAH ABIGAIL LUGO MIOLE

PCARI PROJECT / FROM PAGE 02 The said program will also fund 25 research projects specializing on information infrastructure development (IID) and health initiative and translational medicine (HITM).

Questioned Integrity However, several controversies hounded the PCARI project. In October last year, Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon filed House Resolution 386 before the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education urging the Congress to investigate the alleged anomalies behind the project.

The said anomalies were revealed last year following the resignation of CHED Director Carmina Alonzo and CHED Commissioner Nona Ricafort. According to Ridon, “The P10-billion PCARI project is riddled with anomalies and legal infirmi-

(O: OCT 23 – NOV 21; N: NOV 23 – NOV 29)

‘Wag ka nang umasang maaaya mo siyang makipagdate sa iyo. Dahil busy siya today, busy siya tomorrow, busy siya buong taon. #walangpagibig

Lucky Number: 3 Idiots Lucky Color: Tumbleweed Lucky Song: Back to December

by Taylor Swift • SAGITTARIUS (O: NOV 22 – DEC 21; N: DEC 17 – JAN 20)

“Ginto na nga ang nasa harap mo, basura pa ang pinili mo.” #wrongchoices

Lucky Number: 28 Days Later Lucky Color: Cerise Lucky Song: Before I Let You Go

by Freestyle • CAPRICORN

(O: DEC 22 – JAN 19; N: JAN 20 – FEB 16)

Makakatabi mo ang apo ng lola ng uncle ng kapitbahay ng soulmate mo, twice removed. #hindiparyttime

Lucky Number: 200 Pounds of Beauty Lucky Color: Laser Lemon Lucky Song: Kung Ako Na Lang Sana by Bituin Escalante • AQUARIUS

(O: JAN 20 – FEB 18; N: FEB 16 – MAR 11)

Hindi ka niya mahal. End of story. #str84ward

Lucky Number: Friday the 13th Lucky Color: Mulberry Lucky Song: Moonlight Over Paris by Paolo Santos • PISCES

(O: FEB 19 – MAR 20; N: MAR 11 – APR 18)

Makikita mo ang kinabukasan mo sa isang flower shop. Congrats! Isa kang certified halaman 5ever. #kingdomplantae

Lucky Number: James Bond 007 Lucky Color: Granny Smith Apple Lucky Song: Magkabilang Mundo

by Jireh Lim • OPHIUCHUS

(N: NOV 29 – DEC 17)

Tulad ng zodiac sign mo, magiging salimpusa ka lang sa laro ng pag-ibig at magdudulot lang ng kaguluhan sa mundo. #thirdparty Lucky Number: 50 Shades of Grey Lucky Color: Whitish Black or Blackish White Lucky Song: Far Away by Nickelback

ties. The way its implementation is designed — wherein foreign institutions pre-selected by PCARI focal persons can access large chunks of public funds without the benefit of a public bidding — makes the project highly vulnerable to corruption. A comprehensive congressional review is thus in order,” According to Alonzo, the foreign partner institutions of PCARI were already predetermined rather than undergoing a bidding process. Alonzo furthered that PCARI should have been under the Department of Science and Technology rather than CHED. In addition, Ricafort lamented that the Philippines will solely fund the said project. However, the patents and intellectual property rights of the researches will be jointly owned by the Philippines and the US, and in a certain extent, by US alone.

The scientist group Advocates of Sci- natin ang kasama natin sa paglaban. ♥ ence and Technology for the People (AGHAM) already called for the rechanneling of the PCARI funds for local research with own domestic TELE-BISYO / FROM PAGE 11 targets. According to AGHAM Chairnga ang proseso dahil sa halip na tao ang person Giovanni Tapang, the government should increase the budget for kumontrol sa nagaganap sa media, ito na research and development so Filipi- ngayon ang kumokontrol sa kanilang kino researchers can collaborate with los at pag-iisip. any institutions and not be limited to the conditions of external groups. Sa huli, patuloy lamang na magiging inutil ang pagsusumikap ng mga Pinoy Likewise, Student Regent Kristal Mel- teleserye na kumawala sa bumabagsak garejo expressed her reservations on the na sistemang kinakapalooban nito kung project and UP’s foreseen involvement. laging ipagsa sawalang-bahala ang kalayaan ng kaisipan ng sambayanan.

“As your Student Regent, I am for the development of the country’s science S.O.C.O. (Scene of the Chismis Operand technology. Sharing resources atives) and best practices often lead to remarkable research advances. Under Kung umay na umay ka na sa mga drama this project, however, which has been sa gabi dahil hanggang ngayon hindi pa marred with controversies and framed rin mahanap si Elisa, bakit hindi mo subuwithout any genuine regard for pro- kang magtune-in sa pinakabagong trend tecting the interests of the coun- sa tv, ang “talakserye”? Take your pick try, our universities’ researchers will ang mga tema nito – pangangaliwa, mga only remain at the disadvantaged end anak sa labas, paglaladlad ng kasarian, pang-aabusong pisikal o sekswal. Dito of the bargain,” Melgarejo stated. nga lang, mas mababaw ang isyu, mas patok. Mula sa hindi isinauling kaldero sa kapitbahay, hanggang sa pagnanakaw sa TRU LAB / FROM PAGE 16 alagang tuta, all eyes and ears ang mga roon siya — nagpapahinga. Ngunit hindi taga-subaybay nila. ka naaasar sa kanya, bagkus, siya ‘yung taong gusto mong makilala at mahalin. Totoong drama ng buhay – ito ang ipinagmamalaking bentahe ng tv staSiya ‘yung klase ng tao na gustong tions sa mga ganitong uri ng palabas. matulog muna bago simulan ang la- Ipinagpipilitan nilang dapat ka nang hat ng bagay. Gagawin niya muna ang magsawa sa mainstream na teleserye sa lahat ng gusto niya, bago niya gaw- primetime bida at panahon na raw para in ang mga bagay na kailangan niya. pagtuonan mo nang pansin ang “tunay” Para sa kanya, maikli ang buhay, at na pinagdadaanan ng iyong mga kapitang tunay na pagtahak nito ay ba- bahay. Idagdag pa na parte na ng buhay tay sa iyong kagustohan. Kumbaga, ng mga Pilipino ang tsimis at ang pakiwalang pressure mula sa lipunan. Gani- kisawsaw sa mga tsismis kaya’t binubuto siya sa lahat ng bagay, at maaaring hay talaga ng mga ganitong palabas ang ganito rin siya pagdating sa pag-ibig. kanilang mga katawang-lupa.

At marahil, ganito ka niya itatrato.

Walang pabigat dahil mahal ka niya sa kung ano ka. Tanggap ka niya hangga’t tanggap mo siya at ang paraan niya sa paglakbay sa mundo. Chill lang, ‘ika nga. Gusto niya ng katahimikan, ang pagbabasa ng libro, o pagkuha ng mga litrato. Gusto niyang kunan ang mundo, malayo sa ibang mga taong pinipilit na kunin at angkinin ito. Masaya siya sa kung ano ang mayroon siya, at pinapahalagahan niya ito dahil hindi niya ginustong maging agresibo.

Siya ‘yung may pag-ibig na ipaparamdam sa iyo ang simple at purong pagmamahal — at papatunayan niyang ang simple at puro ay sapat na. Siya ang magpaparamdam na ang makita ang bawat isang nakangiti at magaan ang pakiramdam ay ang tunay na pagmamahal.

Sa isang lipunang nakakasakal, alam mong siya ang iyong kalayaan.

Madami kang tao na makikilala sa unibersidad. Madaming beses kang mapapaibig, at maraming beses ka ring masasaktan. Pero hindi mo kailangang maging bitter. Hindi mo kailangang magmadali. Minsan nga, mas madalas pang dumating ang magagandang bagay sa mga panahon na hindi mo inaasahan.

Hindi natin maikakaila na masayang may kasama sa paghihirap, lalo na sa kasagsagan ng hell week. May mag-aalaga sa iyo. May aakay sa iyo sa panahon na hindi mo na kaya ang stress.

Pero bilang mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, hindi lang katuwang ang hanap natin sa buhay. Hanap

“Tunay na kuwento” nga ba? Ito nga kaya ang “totoong drama ng buhay” na dapat pagtuonan ng pansin ng taumbayan, at pag-aksayahan ng pera ng tv stations para mai-ere? Kung tutuosin kasi, may higit pang malalaki at kontrobersyal na mga problema ang kinakaharap ng mga Pilipino -- ang pagbaba ng kalidad ng edukasyon at serbisyong pang-kalusugan sa bansa, ang patuloy na pagkasira ng mga kagubatan at karagatan, at iba pang suliranin sa lipunan. Nabibigyan din sana ng ganitong klaseng atensyon ang mga isyung nagpapahirap sa buhay ng mga Pilipino.

Ginagawa ring inutil ng mga ganitong palabas ang mga lumalahok na mga bisita, gayondin ang mga sangay ng pamahalaan na dapat ay namamahala sa ganitong mga gulo. Dapat kasi sana ay naaareglo na ito sa pagitan ng mga indibidwal o sa barangay. Idagdag pa ang presensya ng mga “tagapayo” sa mga talakserye, na para bang walang kakayahan ang mga indibidwal na pagpasyahan at pag-isipan ng mabuti ang kanilang ginagawa.

Kaya naman anomang ganda at garbo ng packaging sa mga palabas na ito, hindi pa rin maikubli ang mala-chicharon na materyal nito – puro hangin lang. Wala pa rin itong ipinagkaiba sa mga ordinaryong teleserye sapagkat wala naman talagang nananalo sa ganitong mga human sabong kundi ang interes ng mga tv station.

Gaano man magpagandahan ng image at pride ang bawat bisita, uuwi sila na laging talonan dahil sa kahihiyan at kaliitan ng pagkatao na kanilang naranasan.

FREESTYLE 13

Volume 27 Numbers 14-15 Tuesday | 18 February 2014 Sa huli, ang nakakapang-akit na pangako ng mga talakserye na sosolusyunan nila ang problema ng mga Pilipino ay napapako at higit lamang nagpapalala sa sitwasyong kinasasadlakan nila.

katrina joy capulong

Alam kong may dinaramdam ka.

I-spluk mo na ‘yan sa akin!

May mas makabagbag-damdamin pang eksena kaysa sa kuwento nina Esperanza at Mara Clara– ang patuloy na pagbulusok ng kalidad ng Pinoy drama, kasabay ng paglala ng kondisyon ng buhay ng masa.

Ang mga teleserye ay isang malaking repleksyon ng kultura at pakikipagsapalaran ng bawat Pilipino. Hirit nga ng tv stations, ang kuwento ng bawat drama ay kuwento ng bawat Pilipino. Kaya marahil na ang patuloy na pagkayamot at pagkamuhi sa mga tema ng drama ay manipestasyon din ng pagkayamot ng ilan sa lipunang Pilipino. Ngunit tulad ng bawat karakter sa mga teledrama, hinahamon tayo ng ating panahon na humulagpos sa bulok na scripts na punong-puno ng interes ng mapang-aping iilan at gumawa ng panibagong kasaysayan. Gayondin, gumawa ng mga bagong karakter na magdagdag ng kulay, at pag-asa ng pagkakapantay-pantay sa buhay ng bawat Pilipino.

https://www.facebook.com/

lolapatola

LOVE DEDICATIONS / FROM PAGE 06 J,J,&P, hindi ito romantikong mensahe, pero alam niyo namang mahal ko kayo (bleh). Nah, but seriously, though, kayo ang dahilan kung bakit hindi pa ako tuluyang napapariwara. Lagi kayong nangdyan para mang-insulto/mang-bitch, pero ramdam pa rin ang suporta. It’s how we roll, clingy us. ;)) We’re not each other’s Valentine’s, but we are each other’s bitches. Alam niyo ‘yan. Maligayang Araw ng mga Pusong (sawi)! - ahente

Dahil ano man ang nangyayari sa harap ng kamera ay tumatagos sa lente nito – nagpapalaya at patuloy na humuhubog sa pananaw at perspektiba ng sumusubaybay na masa.

I can only thank you so much, Kuya. Thanks for all the effort just to empower me. I’ll miss the time you virtually spend with me.

Soon, you’ll enter the real world, and you’ll be very busy. Kahit ayaw ko man, hindi naman ako makasarili, at SINO NGA NAMAN BA AKO. awtsu. Sa ngayon, susulitin ko na habang may pagkakataon pa. Happy Valentine’s Day! -cosyouknowhowtopriritize |

BLACKOUT / FROM PAGE 10 tinuous raising of water prices, violent protests broke out a decade later,resulting to the forced removal of the company.

Also, the lessening of government regulations to free the market through deregulation has paved the way for companies by profiting from the consumers while not meeting their needs.

Implementation of deregulation laws, though promising to provide cheaper electricity, have proven the opposite.

For example, the advocates of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights (FTCR) stated that it is due to deregulation that caused California’s electricity crisis back in 2000-2001.

Electricity charges have blown to 40% in over a year as the laws allowed Enron, a large electricity distributor, to overcharge. Yet, there was no significant improvement in the provision of electricity, and six rolling blackouts have even occurred in the state in 2001.

With deregulation and privatization currently being applied to the different sectors in the nation, the risks of these cases happening in the Philippines are also high. Therefore, there is a need for the government to nationalize the energy sector in order to have a better hold of it, without having to compromise with the private holders.

According to POB Review, the rising of prices can be prevented through nationalization, as monopolies or cartels occurring in privatized companies can be avoided. The government would also be expected to be more sensitive to the people rather than corporations, which are merely concerned with profit and not the benefits of its consumers.

Thus, the nationalization of sectors is essential as better regulated prices of goods such as electricity would be benefit the people and help develop their lives. In a developing country with

WARMTH

KESSEL VILLAREY

people whose wages cannot afford ex- and efficient way of addressing the counorbitantly priced commodities, there is try’s increasing demand for quality jobs. indeed an inherent necessity to publicize goods such as electricity. However, the government has been nothing but futile BREWED / FROM PAGE 09 in doing any probing on laws that allow the privatization of sectors, such as the ito ay kumakatawan lang sa mga bagay na EPIRA, despite the pleas of the people to patok sa masa ngayon, tulad ng mga cupscrap it. cake, cookie butter, donuts, frappe, at iba Unless the government reforms the pa. Hindi masama ang bumili ng mga ito, energy sector by nationalization, there ngunit ang mahumaling sa mga ito, pagwill never be a solution to the nation’s papanggap man o hindi, ay dapat pinagenergy problem. For as long as the sec- mumunihan. Kailangan nating alalahanin tor rests in the hands of the profiting na hindi naman kasi masama kung hindi privatized companies, the people will makabibili ng mga ito. Wala naman kasing only keep suffering from more hikes nagiging mali sa isang tao dahil lang sa and power outages and get nothing but hindi niya afford ang isang bagay. the services that they do not deserve.

And as long as the government fails to wholly carry out its role in leading the nation, there will never be a brighter future waiting at the end of the yellow regime--only impending darkness lies ahead.

DYSJUNCTION / FROM PAGE 04 While the economic growth experienced last year is commendable, the question of its long term sustainability and benefits to the employment situation and labor force remains. These facts and figures fail to satisfy the needs of the masses. Despite the measures taken by various government agencies to remedy the situation, the Aquino administration is still hard-pressed to find a concrete

Sa kasalukuyang lipunan, kailangan nang baguhin ang pagtingin natin sa mga produkto at sa ilusyong ibinibigay nito sa atin. Tulad ng pagkakahumaling natin sa mga milktea, nahuhumaling na rin tayo sa pagpapanggap.

Mas maganda kung bumibili tayo nang walang iba pang motibo kung hindi masunod ang pangangailangan, mabusog, masiyahan mula sa pagkakalugmok o makapagrelax. Huwag na tayong magpapalinlang sa ugaling mapag-mataas sa tuwing nakasusunod sa uso. Dahil taliwas sa pamagat nito, walang naman talagang sino man ang nagiging angat o astig dahil dito. “You can’t buy class,” ika nga. Ang pwede lang ay ang magpakatotoo ka.

nabukingmonayataako

Sana libro na lang ako, readings, or isa sa mga pahina ng notebook mo, para naman kahit papano araw araw magkatitigan tayo.

Sana lagi kong hawak ang mga karunungan nina Rousseau, ni Marx at iba pang mga indibidwal na nagsisilbing guro mo para naman lagi kitang makausap at lagi akong may maibigay sa iyong makubuluhan. Pero wala pa ako doon. Medyo nahuhuli pa ako. Pero sisikapin kong makaabot sayo.

Parehas lang tayo ng daang pinili. Kahit gaano pa kahirap, hahabol ako, para naman masabi ko na sayo tong nararamdaman ko.

-Umbrellaundertherain *2012-29719* CAS

VISIT AND FOLLOW MKULE ONLINE! http://themanilacollegian.tk/ https://www.facebook.com/ themanilacollegian https://twitter.com/MKule

14 EDITORIAL

Volume 27 Numbers 14-15 18 February 2014 | Tuesday

Walang kapangyarihan ang mga estudyante sa pagdedesisyon sa mga mahahalagang pangyayari sa kanilang sariling pamantasan.

Editor-in- Chief

Aries Joseph Armendi Hegina Associate Editor for Internal Affairs

Tila ang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (UP) ay para na lamang sa administrasyon at iilang mga indibidwal na namumuhunan dito. Ang opinyon ng mga estudyante, na bumubuo at nagpapanatili sa pamantasan bilang isang paaralan, ay hindi man lang kinikilala sa pinakamataas na kapulungan.

Noong Pebrero 6, 2014, ang ika-28 UP Board of Regents (BOR) ay nagkaroon ng kanilang 1295th pagpupulong sa Executive House sa UP Diliman. Ilan sa mga tinalakay ay ang kontrobersyal na isyu sa paglilipat ng simula ng academic calendar mula Hunyo papunta sa Agosto, na buong taon nang pinag-uusapan ng UP at iba pang mga pribadong pamantasan. Tinalakay rin ang pagpapanatili ng desisyon sa pagpapalit ng pangalan ng College of Business Administration (CBA) sa UP Diliman bilang Cesar E.A Virata School of Business, ang Philippine California Advanced Research Institutes (PCARI) project, ang pagpangalan sa isang gusali sa UP Professional Schools Bonifacio Global City (UPPS BGC) bilang Henry Sy Sr. Hall, at ang UP Diliman Code of Student Conduct.

Sa nasabing pagpupulong, inilahad ni UP President Alfredo Pascual ang paglilipat ng academic calendar na umano’y naaprubahan ng Presidential Advisory Council. Layon ng paglilipat ng academic calendar ang internasyonalisasyong magbibigay umano ng pagkakataon sa UP upang makalahok sa mga exchange programs ng ibang pamantasan sa Timog Silangang Asya. Ayon kay Pascual, sa paraang ito, may pagkakataon ding maiangat ng UP ang ranking nito bilang isa sa mga pinakamagagaling na unibersidad sa Asya at sa mundo.

Ang pagpapalit ng academic calendar ng pamantasan upang tumugon umano sa globalisasyon ay isang pagtataksil sa mga paniniwalang pinangangalagaan ng pamantasan. Ang UP ay dapat nagsisilbi sa mga mamamayan nito at hindi para pagbigyan ang kagustohan ng mga banyaga.

Hindi pa nakapaloob dito ang ilang mga implikasyong dulot ng pagpapalit ng academic calendar: una, taliwas ito sa karaniwang panahon ng pagtatanim at pag-aani na maaaring magdulot ng gutom at kawalan ng kakayahang makapagbayad ng mga anak ng magsasaka at trabahador sa bukid; pangalawa, wala namang naidulot ang pagbago ng academic calendar upang masolusyonan ang mga suspensiyon sa klaseng dulot ng pabago-bagong panahon; at pangatlo, ang pagiging iba ng academic calendar ng UP sa mga high school ay makakaapekto sa enrollment at sa akses sa edukasyong ibinibigay ng UP. Sa huli’t huli, ang usapin ng pagpapalit ng academic calendar ay dapat sumasagot sa tanong na “para kanino”; at pinapatunayan lamang ng pagbabagong ito na hindi ito para sa mayorya.

Bagama’t hindi dumaan ang nasabing polisiya sa malawakang konsultasyon sa mga stakeholder ng pamantasan partikular na sa mga estudyante, ipinasa pa rin ang tuluyang pagpalit ng academic calendar ng pamantasan. Ang pagpupulong ng mga rehente ay isang moro-moro lamang na nagpapakita na hindi nito pinapahalagahan ang boses ng

Angelo Dennis Aligaga Agdeppa

Associate Editor for External Affairs

Kathleen Trinidad Guiang Managing Editor

Ruth Genevieve Austria Lumibao Assistant Managing Editor

John Vherlin Canlas Magday News Editor

Christine Joy Frondozo Angat Graphics Editor

Deonah Abigail Lugo Miole News Correspondents

Ezra Kristina Ostaya Bayalan, Elizabeth Danielle Quiñones Fodulla, Leonard Dangca Javier, Carlo Rey Resureccion Martinez, Ronilo Raymundo Mesa culture Correspondent

Jamilah Paola dela Cruz Laguardia Features Correspondents

princess pauline cervantes habla

Brasohan

Christian Reynan Ibañez Durana, Jennah Yelle Manato Mallari, Angelica Natvidad Reyes Resident Illustrators

Lizette Joan Campaña Daluz, Daniel John Galinato Estember, Mark Jason Santos Flores, Gerald Miranda Goco, Princess Pauline Cervantes Habla, Joanne Pauline Ramos Santos, John Zeus Cabantog Taller Resident Photojournalists

mga mag-aaral sa operasyon ng UP. Sa pagtalakay ng pagpapalit ng pangalan ng CBA bilang Cesar E.A Virata School of Business, naging parehas lang din ang mga eksena. Hindi pumayag ang malawak n ahanay ng mga mag-aaral sa pagpapalit nito, ngunit nanatili pa rin ang desisyon. Ang mismong mga survey na ginawa ng konseho ng mga mag-aaral ng CBA na nagpapakita ng disgusto ng mayorya sa pagpapalit ng pangalan ng kanilang kolehiyo ay walang nagawa upang mapigilan ang pagpasa ng nasabing desisyon at ang pambabraso ng administrasyong Pascual.

pag-amyenda sa mga probisyon sa UP Code.

Inutil rin ang administrasyong Pascual sa pagiging pasibo nito sa pagtugon sa mga suliranin na nangangailangan ng kagyat na solusyon tulad ng pagtulong sa mga nasalantang mga mag-aaral ng UP Tacloban at School of Health Sciences sa Palo. Mas inuna pang atupagin ng BOR ang paghingi ng limos sa mga malalaking korporasyon sa halip na pangalagaan ang kapakanan ng mga magaaral nito.

Hindi dapat hinahayaan na brasuhin ang mga mag-aaral ng administrasyon, lalo na kung nakasalalay rito ang kapakanan,

Ang BOR ay alipin na sa ideya ng pribitasisayon at kumersyalisasyon at gagawin nito ang lahat, kahit salaulain ang pagkakakilanlan at pampublikong karakter ng pamantasan, para lamang maisulong ang interes ng iilan.

Sa halagang P40 milyon, ibenenta ng administrasyon ng UP ang kaluluwa nito, maging ang makulay na kasaysayan ng nasabing kolehiyo. Makikita na sa pagpupulong na ito kung sino ang tunay at tanging pinagsisilbihan ng mga administrador ng UP: ang mga malalaking kompanya at mga makapangyarihang indibidlwal. Ang BOR ay alipin na sa ideya ng pribitasisayon at kumersyalisasyon at gagawin nito ang lahat, kahit salaulain ang pagkakakilanlan at pampubliong karakter ng pamantasan, para lamang maisulong ang interes ng iilan.

at ang mismong pagkakakilanlan ng institusyon. Ang pangingimi at pagiging tahimik sa harap-harapang pandudusta ng administrasyon sa pampublikong karakter ng UP ay hindi dapat pinahihintulutan.

Patuloy ring iniipit at pinupuwersa ang mga Iskolar ng Bayan na sundin at tanggapin na lamang ang mga naunang desisyon ng BOR tungkol ng Socialized Tuition System at sa

Sa panahon na kung saan ang binabraso ng administrasyon ang karapatan ng magaaral, nasa mayorya ang lakas at tapang upang humulagpos at lumaban.

Patrick Jacob Laxamana Liwag, Kessel Gandol Villarey Resident L AYOut ARtisT

Romelyn Taip Monzon Office

4th Floor Student Center Building, University of the Philippines Manila, Padre Faura St. corner Ma. Orosa St., Ermita, Manila 1000 Email

themanilacollegian@gmail.com Websites

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MEMBER

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Solidaridad - UP Systemwide Alliance of Student Publications and Writers’ Organizations

The Cover

Nasa mga Iskolar ng Bayan ang pagpapasya. Nasa mga Iskolar ng Bayan ang boses upang irehistro ang pagtutol sa mga represibong polisya ng administrasyon.

Nasa mga Iskolar ng Bayan ang kapangyarihan upang baguhin ang namamayaning bulok na sistema.

Illustration by Princess Pauline Cervantes Habla

OPINION 15

Volume 27 Numbers 14-15 Tuesday | 18 February 2014

Words Unspoken

A BLANK CANVAS

(You Don’t Listen Anyway)

Joanne Pauline Ramos Santos I WAS YO UN G TH EN, WITH NO real grasp of reality and fantasy. The only thing I knew was that you’re gone.

Why would I want to waste my time starting something that I know would inevitably end? I don’t plan on being hurt.

You’re the reason why I never believed in love, the romantic kind at least.

They say I need a love life. I say I don’t.

Because I really don’t.

While girls spent their days wishing for their Prince Charming, I spent mine wishing for a future where I’m strong enough to hold my own. When they imagined their perfect wedding, I imagined myself with a great job and lots of money. When they dreamt of a nice family of their own, I dreamt of a life with no commitments and no ties.

Society is structured in such a way that makes people believe that they need romance and a partner to be truly, completely happy. The media’s basically shoving it down people’s throats. It’s my choice not to swallow their pill.

“

Don’t get me wrong, though. I’m not complaining. If anything, I guess I actually feel grateful. You see, you showed me that the world is a cruel place. You taught me that you can’t really trust anyone with your heart. You proved that love is a fickle thing, and I shouldn’t let myself experience it. You might not have intended to, but you did.

And you know what? You’re right. It’s the only time that you are. Pain is not something with which I want to be familiar.

Eighteen years is a relatively short time, but in its span I’ve seen too many broken hearts. I have no wish to add mine to that pile. And so I taught myself how to control it. I conditioned my heart to not feel.

I shut down whenever someone gets too close, hid behind my carefully constructed walls. Some may say that it’s a lonely existence, that I’m too cynical and that I should at least give myself a chance to fall for someone.

But it’s not cynicism; it’s practicality.

might be because I haven’t found the right match or haven’t looked hard enough. (Though I think if it’s meant to be I shouldn’t have to look at all, but well, what does someone like me know about this thing, right?)

Maybe it’s because I’m not brave enough to break the walls that keep the world out. Or maybe it’s because no one cares enough to break them.

It’s been said before, but I’ll say it again.

Find someone. Kiss. Break up. Repeat.

WHY WOULD I WANT TO WASTE MY TIME STARTING SOMETHING THAT I KNOW WOULD INEVITABLY END?

No. I’d rather not try at all. It’s too risky, if you’re invested in this sort of thing (you know, with emotions and all that). What are the chances that you’re not going to be the one that’s hurt? (See? I’m not brave. Not when it comes to this.)

The thought of a future tethered to someone never fails to make me wince, because commitments never really did appeal to me. Not now, not ever. My friends tell me that it’s just because I haven’t met the right person yet, the one who would change my mind, the one that could show me what a fantastic feeling being in love is. They say that because they think they know me. Maybe they do. But the thing is, I don’t want to meet the right person. I’m not even sure if the right person exists.

Broken promises. Broken hearts. Broken families.

I don’t need you.

Mom told me that the first time I said those words was thirteen years ago. But you don’t know how to listen, even then.

Do you, Papa? ***

In the end, I suppose it doesn’t matter, anyway. No one ever plans on getting hurt. And it doesn’t matter who you meet. Right or not, they always end up leaving.

You’re right. It’s the only time that you are.You unintentionally taught me why I should not love. It’s the only lesson I’ve learned from you, the only piece of parental advice I would ever take from you.

It’s the only thing for which I could ever thank you.

A thousand reasons might explain why I can’t (or choose not to) fall in love. It

So thank you. (And may you and your witch have a happy Valentine’s day.)

BLUE CHEESE

bakit ka ba nag-iisa?

John Vherlin Canlas Magday VALENTINE’S NA NAMAN. Panahon na naman para i-Mighty Bond ng mga magsing-irog ang isa’t isa para hindi sila magkahiwalay. Kahit saan ka tumingin, may makikita kang mag-asawang naka-couple shirt or worse, couple attire, o kaya naman ay magkasintahang kulang na lang ay daklutin ang kani-kaniyang mata huwag lang malingat ang pagtitinginan.

Valentine’s naman kasi, kaya parang nanonood ka ng pinagsama-samang telenovela love stories, all rolled into one day.

bang sisihin ang sarili mo sa kakulangang ito, o ang maramot na pagdiriwang na kung tawagin ay Valentine’s Day? Kung tutuosin, maraming dahilan kung bakit nag-iisa ang isang tao. Kung minsan ay nasa panlabas na anyo ang sukatan, at kung minsan naman ay sa karakter

“

Pero, paano naman tayong mga ipinanganak sa mundong ito para magpakasal... sa sarili, sa pamilya, sa pag-aaral, o sa trabaho? O kung hindi naman ay nakatikim na ng pag-ibig ngunit sawing maging happily ever after ang love story? Kailangan pa ba ng Valentine’s day para i-validate ang paniniwalang kapag wala kang love life ay sawi ka? And don’t get us started sa mga nagsasabing ang Valentine’s day ay para rin sa mga nagmamahal sa pamilya, kaibigan, kapitbahay, o teddy bear.

Palibhasa maligaya love life nila.

Pero sa isang banda, mapapaisip ka rin, “Bakit ba ako nag-iisa?” Okay, given na Valentine’s season ngayon, at overkill talaga ang mga bagay na may kinalaman sa puso, pag-ibig, o relationships. Pero come to think of it, ano kaya ang kulang, o sobra, sa pagkatao mo kaya hanggang ngayon ay single pa rin ang status mo sa Facebook, or #tigang ang ending ng mga hugot tweets mo? At kailangan mo nga

Pero hindi lamang talaga pag-ibig ang sukatan ng esensya ng ating pagkatao, ‘ika nga: “There’s more to life than love.”

Kaya nating mabuhay nang walang on the side, hindi pa naman end of the world.

na nakikita ng iba sa iyo. May hindi talaga appealing ang personality, pero may ibang sinasadya talagang maging unappealing. May ibang masyado kasing desperadong mahanap si true love, pero may iba ring masyadong mataas din ang standards sa paghahanap ng mamahalin. Marami pang iba’t ibang mas komplikadong dahilan, pero ito ang madalas na isasagot sa iyo kapag nagpasurvey ka.

Pero sa totoo lang, insatiable beings din kasi tayong mga tao. Hindi tayo kuntento sa kung ano ang nakahain sa harap natin, kaya maghahanap at maghahanap

tayo ng ideal nang hindi kino-consider ang real. Sa huli, walang masyadong nagwawagi sa pagkamit ng pag-ibig na inaasam, bagkus ay maiiwan ding magisa, sa harap ng TV, manonood ng mga tragic love stories habang nakikiramay sa bigong pag-ibig ng mga bida.

Sa kabilang banda, kasalanan din ito ng ibang taong masyadong ipinangangalandakan na ang magkaroon ng sinisinta ay parang VIP ticket – kakaunti lang ang nakakakuha. Masyadong napoproject ang Valentine’s Day bilang panahon para ipagdiwang ng mga couple ang kanilang pagmamahalan, kaya lahat ng amenities at products ay by pair ang pagbenta. Dahil dito, nape-perceive ang mga single na sawi at bigo na para bang love life lang ang importanteng bagay sa mundo, kaya naman lalo lang nitong binibigyan ng pagtatangi ang pagkakaroon ng kapareha.

Sige na, bitter na ako kung bitter sa mata niyo. Panira ng spirit of love, ampalaya, archenemy of Valentine’s Day, o ambassador of lonely hearts. Pero hindi lamang talaga pag-ibig ang sukatan ng esensya ng ating pagkatao, ‘ika nga: “There’s more to life than love.” Kaya nating mabuhay nang walang on the side, hindi pa naman end of the world.

Let love have its own way, dahil when you least expect it, kusa na lang siyang darating. Promise. Peksman. Cross my single heart.

Luisa A. Katigbak

The Truth About love* Valentine’s Day is a worn-out adage. The idea of love – how it is worshipped in songs and how it is immortalized in books – is so overrated that it makes me question why I fell for it in the first place.

But clichés are called as such because these statements are actualized truths. And in a world that always strives for reinvention and change, clichés are the ones that we could all cling to. We tend to favor things that withstand the test of time. We are a sentimental lot, mind you. For no matter how we stray from the usual, no matter how we try to become different, we are always comforted of the fact that we will be able to return to a state of complacency. And such is the idea of love, and how we tend to view it as our saving grace.

But just because love has been glorified far too much, that doesn’t mean that we should avoid tackling the subject altogether.

So I refuse to not write about love. I will not give you poetic and hormonally-injected musings about how wonderful it is to love and be loved in return. Or how love lifts us up where we belong. And even how love is all we need. By now, you should have learned that it is not the case. I gravitate towards showing its ugly head – its side where it is considered as an induced reaction to a world run by consumerism and capitalism. Notice how your special someone picks the best flowers, buy the sweetest chocolates and favor the fanciest jewelry, only to see you swoon and express how grateful you are to have that person as your partner. Capitalists create false demands on things you don’t really need such as flowers, greeting cards, and teddy bears – all done in the name of ‘love’. Emotions are capitalized, love is commoditized.

If such is the case, how could love be any different from your favorite tapsilog and binalot?

I will dwell on the fact that love also touches the concept of class struggle. We can always fantasize the possibility (or lack thereof ) of having a romantic relationship because after we go home from our classes, we get to feast on the food prepared for us and rest on our beds.

Whereas, the marginalized majority live in abject poverty. How could we entertain the thought of butterflies fluttering in our stomachs when we see our ‘crush’ yet we know that someone who was left homeless due to the demolition in Agham Road does not have anything to fill his grumbling stomach? Call me “The Grinch Who Stole Your Valentine’s Fantasy”, but I won’t give a damn.

Once in a while, one must act as the devil’s advocate, the girl who cry wolf, so as to keep you in touch with reality.

One should be freed from the capitalist strings that ensnare the conventional idea of love. After all, love is given meaning when it is associated to someone, or something. Thus, we could love to serve the people, we could love to fight oppression, and we could love to end the flawed status quo.

Love’s a cliché - I get that, you get that. But what makes it anything but rehashed is if you are willing to give your love for someone or something that will make your life worth living for.

P.S If you’re wondering whether we have already broke up and this is a result of my bitterness, I assure you that it’s not.

I love you, even if it seems petty-bourgeois. *My apologies to P!nk.

16 CULTURE

Volume 27 Numbers 14-15 18 February 2014 | Tuesday

TRU♥ LAB Apat na Uri ng Taong Iibigin Mo sa UP

Angelo Dennis Aligaga Agdeppa at Ruth Genevieve Austria Lumibao DIBUHO NI PRINCESS PAULINE CERVANTES HABLA Marahil ay dumating na sa isip mo ang posibilidad na sa buhay-kolehiyo mo makikilala ang iyong magiging kabiyak. Sa pamantasang ito, kung saan naghahalo-halo lahat ng paghihirap mula sa pag-aaral, hanggang sa pagkilala ng iyong sarili — maiisip mo kung may tao kayang magpapabago sa mga pananaw mo, o mamahalin ka kasama ang iyong mga kakulangan at kamalian.

Pero, magpakatotoo na tayo — mahirap hanapin ang taong para dapat sa iyo. Ang nagpapahirap pa ng sitwasyon natin ay ang takot natin na masaktan at hindi maintindihan. Masaklap na ang mundo para sa ating mga pag-asa ng bayan, at masaklap din ang maglakad ng walang kahawak ang kamay, hindi dahil wala kang kasabay, kung hindi dahil ayaw kang ipaglaban.

Dito sa UP, hindi lang dapat propesor, schedule, at room ang pinipili — kung hindi maging ang taong gusto nating kasabay at ipaglaban.

Tibak Kasing-taas ng taas-kamaong pagpupugay sa rebolusyon ang pagtingin mo sa isang tao na may matatag na paninindigan.

Makikita mo siya sa rally. Makikita mo siya na may hawak na mic, nakatuntong sa taas ng sasakyan at nagsasalita sa harap ng malaking kumpol ng mga tao. Siya ang tao na sumasama sa RTR para magpahayag ng balita at humihingi ng patak. Apat na taon

na ang lumipas, pero patuloy siyang lumalaban, ipinagpapatuloy ang rebolusyon.

Siya ang tao na mamahalin mo dahil mayroon siyang tiyak na paniniwala. Marunong siyang tumindig. Marunong siyang lumaban. Marunong siyang rumespeto sa karapatan. Alam niya ang kahalagahan ng buhay gaya ng kaalaman niya sa bawat problema ng lipunan. At mas mahalaga, mayroon siyang paninindigan.

Tandaan mo ang mga terminolohiya ni Marx, dahil madalas niya itong gagamitin sa mga usapan ninyo. Hindi siya ang knight in shining armor dahil naniniwala siya sa kakayahan at lakas ng kababaihan. Hindi siya ang damsel in distress dahil alam niyang kaya niyang ipaglaban ang sarili niyang karapatan. Hindi niya iisipin na kailangang mas mataas pa siya sa iyo. Sa paniniwala niya na kailangang mabuwag ang nananaig na sistema, alam niya ang halaga ng pagkakapantay-pantay.

Hahamigin ka niya na sumama at manindigan – dahil mahal ka niya, at gusto niyang makasama ka sa pagtagumpay ng rebolusyon.

Grade-Conscious Nakatago na ang mukha niya sa likod ng isang gabundok na libro at photocopied materials.

Pero siya ang inaabangan mo sa silid-aklatan araw-araw. Siya ang hinihintay mong dumating nang maaga sa unibersidad dahil kailangan pa niyang mag-aral para sa pagsusulit. Pasimple

ka pa ngang magpapa-photox ng notes niya.

Pasimpleng magpapaturo sa Math 11 or Chem 31. At walang malisya ito para sa kanya. Hindi niya iniisip ang buhay pag-ibig, pero hindi ibig sabihin nito ay mayroon siyang pusong bato.

paraan. Dahil ang isang grade-conscious na tao ay hindi high maintenance. Alam niyang hindi siya laging nandiyan para sa iyo, at alam niyang hindi kayo laging magkasama. Pero mahal ka niya, at kung mahal mo siya, sapat na iyon.

Noong una ay humahanga ka lang sa katalinuhan niya – kung paano siya nakaka-uno sa lahat ng subjects niya, kung paano siya nakakapagpasa ng papers nang maaga kahit madami siyang ginagawa. Maiiwan kang laging namamangha sa katalinuhan niya tuwing sumasagot siya sa klase. At onti-onti, hindi na lamang paghanga ang nararamdaman mo para sa kanya.

Ma-PR

Siya ang Hermoine Granger ng buhay mo.

Mamahalin mo siya dahil sa kanyang determinasyon. Siya ang inspirasyon mo para maging mas mabuting tao – dahil alam mong hindi siya dapat mapunta sa kung sino-sino lang.

The person who deserves the best because he or she is the best. Kailangan niya ng katapat – kapareho ng determinasyon, sipag at pagiging desidido. Hindi ka pwedeng magpaligoy-ligoy dahil madami na siyang iniisip para hintayin ka pang umamin. Bawal ang torpe.

Mabibigyan ka niya ng inspirasyon na higitan kung ano ang ginagawa niya – ang taong katuwang mo sa pag-graduate ang siyang magiging katuwang mo sa buhay. Hindi ka niya lulubayan, at lagi ka niyang tutulungan.

Banat lines tungkol sa bagong lecture? Oo, korni. Pero napapangiti ka niya sa pinakasimpleng

Makikita mo siyang naiilawan ng mga bumbilya mula sa isang bar. Siya ang tipo ng taong pinupuno ang planner ng mga lakad, gala, at party.

Hawak-hawak ang isang bote ng alak sa isang kamay at yosi sa kabila, ang kanyang mga simpleng indak sa saliw ng nakabubuhay na kanta ang bibihag sa iyo. Sa unang tingin, aakalain mong alam mo na ang lahat ng kailangan mong malaman batay lang sa itsura niya. Ngunit mayroong mga bagay na hindi nakikita, anomang tingkad ng mga ilaw sa party ang tumama sa kanya.

Siya ang may pag-ibig na iiwanan kang nagtataka. Mananatili kang mapapa-isip kung paano nga ba ang buhay kung kasama mo siya, at paano na lang kung wala. Tulad ng kanyang personalidad, ang pag-ibig na handa niyang ibigay ay puno ng surpresa at sigla.

Siya ‘yung taong pipiliing maging masaya at malakas para sa iyo, dahil ayaw niyang makita mo siyang malungkot at nag-iisa. Ang atensyon mo ay ang bagay na hinahanap niya. Gusto niyang maging sanhi ng lakas mo, dahil ito ang paraan niya ng pagmamahal — ang lumigaya kayong magkasama. Siya ang taong mahilig sa adventure. Hilig niyang tuklasin ang mundo, at gusto niyang tuklasin ito kasama ang mga taong mahal niya sa buhay — kasama ka. Alam niyang maikli at walang early warning device sa buhay na ito, kaya gusto niyang masubukan ang mga kakaiba at memorable na bagay.

At marahil, dahil din sa mga kakaibang experience na ito, magkakaroon kayo ng lubak-lubak na pagmamahal. Pero dahil din sa dami ng pinagdaanan niyong kakaiba ay makakahanap kayo ng mga paraan para mahalin ang isa’t isa muli at tignan ang mundo sa mga bagong perspektiba. Higit sa lahat, alam niyong kahit maging magulo ang mundo tulad ng mga party kung saan bahagi kayo, ito naman talaga ang punto ng isang relasyon — ang maging matatag at matibay sa gitna ng kagulohan.

Happy-Go-Lucky Mahahanap mo siyang walang ginagawa.

Habang ang buong pamantasan ay nagkukumahog sa pagtapos ng mga gawain, habang ang lahat ay tila hindi mapakali,

Continued on Page 12