The Manila Collegian Volume 27 Issue 7

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES MANILA WEDNESDAY 16 OCTOBER 2013 VOLUME 27 | NUMBER 07

MORE INSIDE Pagbusal NEWS 03

Rated X CULTURE 06 Pagbubuwis FEATURES 08 Collateral Damage EDITORIAL 10 Saving Grace OPINION 11

02 NEWS

Volume 27 Number 7 16 October 2013 | Wednesday

UPM, Other Universities Unite Against Pork Barrel Children’s Hospital Walkouts, noise barrages staged across Metro Manila Carlo Rey Resurreccion Martinez

S

tudents and faculty of the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) staged a series of protests on September 20 to call for the abolition of the pork barrel system, oppose the P1.43 billion budget cut of the University of the Philippines (UP) System, and demand higher state subsidy for education and other basic social services.

The protests in UPM were led by UPM Kilos Na, supported by the Alternative Students’ Alliance for Progress – Katipunan ng mga Progresibong Magaaral ng Pilipinas (ASAP-Katipunan), Congress of Teachers and Educators for Nationalism and Democracy (CONTENDUPM), the All UP Academic Employees Union, and the All UP Workers Union.

On the other hand, metro-wide protests were also staged by the #ScrapThePork, a multi-sectoral alliance calling for the immediate abolition of the presidential and congressional pork barrels. Other organizations who spearheaded these protests were Youth Revolt, Babae Laban sa Katiwalian (BABALA), and Bayan-

National Capital Region (NCR), among others.

detained in Camp Crame, also participated in the event.

Nationwide Walkout

United Stand

Students and faculty of UPM boycotted their classes to join the snake rally around the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and the program at the Rizal Hall (RH) Lobby. Afterwards, the protesters held a noise barrage in the CAS Garden at noon the same time as other participating private universities and state universities and colleges (SUCs).

The protesters from UPM later marched to T.M. Kalaw Street to stage another noise barrage. The protesters converged with students and faculty from other SUCs and private universities, including Manila Science High School, Philippine Normal University, and De La Salle University.

Other universities that participated were Adamson University, Arellano University, College of the Holy Spirit, Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippine Women’s University, San Beda College, San Sebastian College, Santa Catalina College, and University of Santo Tomas.

Moreover, several communities in the cities of San Juan, Marikina, Pasig, Quezon, Caloocan, Mandaluyong and Muntinlupa, as well as political prisoners

Mark Louie Aquino, spokesperson of the #ScrapThePork Alliance and Bayan-NCR Secretary General, asserted that these protests will continue until the call of the people for the abolition of the pork barrel is fulfilled.

“The noise that we created today and in the days to come will serve as a loud alarm and warning to the present administration of President Aquino to once and for all listen to his real bosses who are the majority of the Filipino people asking for the abolition of the pork barrel,” Aquino stated.

DOJ drops charges vs suspects in Burgos Case Mother of Jonas, Human Rights groups oppose decision Christian Vincent Esmeralda Vicuña

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motion of reconsideration was filed by lawyers of Edita Burgos on September 23 after the Department of Justice dropped the charges against former officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) last Septmber 3 who were allegedly responsible for the enforced disappearance of Jonas Burgos, a political activist who went missing in 2007.

Insufficiency of Evidence In the September 3 resolution made by the DOJ, former AFP chief of staff Hermogenes Esperon, former Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino, Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano, and former Philippine National Police chief Avelino Razon were cleared from the cases of arbitrary detention, murder, and obstruction of justice. The DOJ also dismissed the complaint filed against Col. Melquiades Feliciano and Col. Eduardo Año.

Meanwhile, the DOJ only found sufficient evidence against Army Maj. Harry Baliaga Jr. following the testimony of eyewitness Jeffrey Cabintoy who identified Baliaga as one of the men involved in the abduction of Burgos in a mall in Quezon City on April 28, 2007. Baliaga will be charged of arbitrary detention.

The DOJ also dropped the murder charge against the complainants as Jonas’s body is yet to be found.

In a report released on March 2011, the Commission on Human Rights identified

Baliaga as one of the eight people involved in the enforced abduction of Burgos.

However, the CHR said that they could not identify the other men involved because of the deliberate refusal of Brig. Gen. Gilberto Jose Roa, the AFP Judge Advocate General and Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, to provide the necessary documents despite the Supreme Court’s order asking for the full cooperation of the military in the case.

Injustice of the Decision Edita Burgos, mother of Jonas, asserts that there is enough evidence to charge Año along with Feliciano and Baliaga as the three officials is said to have knowledge of the abduction of the activist.

In addition, the lawyers of Edita Burgos claim that Esperon, Yano, Razon and Tolentino should be charged with obstruction of justice due to the principle of command responsibility.

According to Lorena P. Santos, secretary general of the Families of Desaparecidos for Justice, Maj. Baliaga could have not abducted Jonas without the orders from his superiors.

“Niloloko niyo kami! Puwedeng kasuhan ang kamay ng krimen pero ang utak ay hindi?” Santos said in a picket held at the DOJ main building.

Meanwhile, Families of Desaparecidos and members of human rights groups urged Justice Secretary Leila De Lima to

withdraw the September 3 resolution.

“If this is how the DOJ acts on its ‘priority cases’, how else should it act on the cases involving lesser known victims of human rights violations?” asked Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan human rights group.

Moreover, the groups called on to Justice Secretary Leila De Lima to prosecute Año and other military officials removed from the respondents. Año was the head of the operating arm of the Intelligence group of the Philippine Army when Burgos was abducted.

“The DOJ decision confirms our apprehension about the much publicized creation of the inter-agency committee on extralegal killings, enforced disappearances, torture and other grave violations on life, liberty and security of persons. It is a shame that after announcing that it will give priority to the Burgos case, the DOJ, as the lead department of the inter-agency committee, exonerated the brains of the crime and then covered up for Año’s responsibility and accountability,” Palabay added.

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faces ‘eviction’

Kathleen Trinidad Guiang

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he Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) is at risk of being removed from its current location that it has occupied for more than 30 years in Agham Road, Quezon City after the National Housing Authority (NHA) demanded the hospital to pay P1.1 B for its land property.

Formerly known as the Lungsod ng Kabataan created by Presidential Decree 1631 on August 1979, the PCMC was administratively attached to the Department of Health by Malacañang Memorandum Order No. 48 dated November 12, 1986.

The government-run hospital used to occupy 6.3 hectares, but the area was reduced to 3.7 hectares following NHA’s grant of the 2.6 hectares to the Office of the Ombudsman and the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA).

PCMC is a 200-bed capacity hospital and one of the government-owned and controlled National Centers for Specialized Health Care. It was mandated by the government to provide health care services to indigent children and to offer training programs for health care providers.

NHA said that the money they will get from selling the property to the PCMC will be used for the relocation of informal settlers. Last August, it also sold 2,500 square meters part of the hospital land for P83 million to the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)’s Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).

NHA gives the PCMC the option to occupy another property owned by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources where the hospital can have a new high-rise building. However, PCMC executive director Julius Lecciones said that this move could endanger their patients who are mostly children, and would be against the concept of Lungsod ng Kabataan.

In line with this, a group of lawmakers led

by Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez filed House Resolution, pushing for President Benigno Aquino III to issue a proclamation donating the land to PCMC. “The State should donate the land that the hospital presently occupies to the PCMC in order that it can fully fulfill its objectives without the threat of eviction by the NHA,” lawmakers stated in the said resolution.

On September 22, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that the Malacanang reassures the patients and workers of the PCMC that all efforts are being exhausted to keep the hospital from getting evicted from the property.

“Rest assured the Department of Health (DOH) will work with other agencies to solve this particular issue confronting the PCMC,” Valte said.

On the other hand, DOH Secretary Enrique Ona said that although the land was already given to the PCMC by a presidential decree issued by former President Ferdinand Marcos, the title still remains with the NHA. He said that they will be asking funds from the Department of Budget and Management or the Department of Finance to enable them to buy the land.

An online petition initiated by Violeta de

Continued on page 04

NEWS 03

Volume 27 Number 7 Wednesday | 16 October 2013

ISKO

TIS TICS:

A

PAGBUSAL

Pagtatasa sa estado ng mga Bilanggong Politikal at Desaparecidos sa ilalim ng Administrasyong Aquino elizaBeth danielle Quiñones Fodulla at ronilo rayMundo Mesa

patnapu’t isang taon makalipas ang Martial Law, nananatili pa rin ang multo ng karahasan at kawalan ng hustisya sa Pilipinas. Sa kabila ng pagdaan ng ilang administrasyon, hindi pa rin nakakawala mula sa tanikala ng panunupil ng estado ang mga Pilipino, at ito ay makikita sa patuloy na pagdami ng bilang ng mga paglabag sa mga karapatang pantao.

Sa ilalim ng tatlong taon na panunungkulan ni Pangulong Benigno Simeon Aquino III, mabilis ang naging pagdami ng enforced disappearances at political prisoners sa bansa. Sa pagpapatupad ng pamahalaan ng kontra-insurhensyang patakarang tinatawag na Oplan Bayanihan at sa pagpapatuloy ng mabagal na takbo ng hustisya sa bansa, malinaw na lihis sa ipinangakong “tuwid na daan” ni Aquino ang tunguhin ng kanyang administrasyon kaugnay ng mga karapatang sibil at politikal ng mga Pilipino. Nananaig pa rin ang kultura ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao at kawalan ng pananagutan ng estado.

PaGlaBaG sa KaRaPatan Ayon sa pinakahuling datos ng Karapatan Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights (Karapatan) at Samahan ng mga Ex-detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (Selda), may 449 bilanggong politikal ang kasalukuyang nakapiit sa iba’t ibang bilangguan sa bansa.

Sa nasabing bilang, aabot sa isang-katlo o 154 ang iligal na inaresto sa ilalim ng kasalukuyang administrasyon. Tinatayang 84% sa naturang bilanggong politikal ay nahaharap sa common crimes habang 4% naman ang nahaharap sa kaso ng rebelyon. Ang iba naman ay nahaharap sa mga kasong criminal.

PAGLABAG SA KARAPATANG PANTAO

Paniniil nG Estado Sa isinagawang pag-aaral ng mga human rights group, lumalabas na ang mga miyembro ng Philippine National Police (PNP) at Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ang pangunahing lumalabag sa mga karapatang pantao.

Ayon sa datos ng Karapatan, malaki ang naging epekto ng mga ipinapatupad na counter-insurgency programs, tulad ng Oplan Bantay Laya 1 at 2 ng administrasyong Arroyo at Oplan Bayanihan ng administrasyong Aquino, sa bilang ng enforced disappearances at political prisoners sa bansa (Sumangguni sa Talahanayan 3). Sinabi rin ng Selda

142

Extrajudicial Killings Enforced Disappearances

17

Torture

16

Frustrated Extrajudicial Killing

154

Illegal Arrest without Detention

247

Illegal Arrest with Detention

250

Illegal Search and Seizure

214

Physical Assault and Injury

206

Restriction or Violent Dispersal of Mass Actions, Public Assemblies and Gatherings

2,781

TALAHANAYAN 1. Paglabag sa Karapatang Pantao sa Ilalim ng Administrasyong Aquino, July 2010 hanggang April 2013 (SANGGUNIAN: KARAPATAN) URI NG KARAHASAN

ADMINISTRASYONG ARROYO ADMINISTRASYONG AQUINO (2001-2010) (2010-2013)

Political imprisonment

343

449

Enforced disappearance

206

17

TALAHANAYAN 2. Bilang ng mga political prisoner at mga biktima ng enforced disappearance sa ilalim ng nakaraan at kasalukuyang administrasyon (SANGGUNIAN: SELDA, KARAPATAN, BULATLAT.COM)

ARROYO

Sa kabilang banda, nasa 17 naman ang naitalang enforced disappearances o mga desaparecidos. Bukod pa dito ang mahigit-kumulang 222 kaso ng illegal arrest without detention. (Sumangguni sa Talahanayan 2) Sa nasabing datos, lumalabas na mas marami ang naitalang kaso ng political imprisonment na naitala sa tatlong taong panunungkulan ni Aquino kung ikukumpara sa siyam na taon ng rehimeng Arroyo. Bagama’t mas kaonti ang bilang ng enforced disappearance sa panunugkulan ni Aquino, manipestasyon pa rin ito na pinagpapatuloy ng kasalukuyang rehimen ang pagdusta sa karapatan ng mga mamamayan. Karahasan ang sagot ng administrasyong Aquino sa mga Pilipinong nangahas na tumindig para sa kanilang mga karapatan.

BILANG NG BIKTIMA

AQUINO

ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES

POLITICAL PRISONERS

7

361

2002

9

135

2003

11

133

2004

26

203

2005

28

127

2006

78

207

2007

33

335

2008

9

105

2009

4

111

2010

1

96

2010

4

17

2011

9

81

2012

1

50

2013

2

2001

TALAHANAYAN 3. Bilang ng mga bilanggong politikal at desaparacidos sa implementasyon ng Oplan Bantay Laya 1 at 2 at Oplan Bayanihan. (SANGGUNIAN: KARAPATAN) na ang mga nasabing programa ay mga istratehiyang binalangkas ng pamahalaan upang supilin ang mga makabayang pagkilos ng mga mamamayan.

Bulok na RePoRMa Sa kabila ng paglalahad ng malakas na ebidensiya, patuloy ang pagtanggi ng Malacañang sa pagkakaroon ng mga bilanggong politikal at desaparecidos sa ilalim ni Aquino. Gayonpaman, naniniwala ang ilang mga grupo na hindi maitatanggi na nananatili ang anino ng Martial Law sa kasalukuyang administrasyon.

Itinuturing na isang malaking insulto ang patuloy na pagtaas ng bilang ng mga bilanggong politikal at enforced disappearances sa kabila ng pagsasabatas

noong Disyembre ng RA 10353 o “AntiEnforced or Involuntary Disappearances Act of 2012”. Ang nasabing batas, na ipinasa ng kasalukuyang administrasyon upang supilin umano ang lumalalang kaso ng desaparecidos sa Pilipinas, ay bigo na magbigay ng katarungan sa mga naging biktima ng paniniil ng estado.

Ayon sa RA 10353, itinuturing na krimen ang pagsupil sa kalayaan ng sinumang inaresto, ikinulong, at dinukot ng mga ahente ng estado o opisyal ng pamahalaan.

Ang sinoman na mapapatanuyang nagkasala ay paparusahan ng habambuhay na pagkakabilanggo.

Bagama’t mahigit isang taon na ang

ItuLoY Sa PaHina 04

COLLEGE BRIEFS Miguel Francisco M. De Jesus, alumnus of the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), topped the Chemistry Licensure examination given by the Board of Chemistry in Manila last September.

In addition, Dmitri Leo M. Cordova and Janrick Nichol O. See, also UPM CAS alumni, made it to the top 10 by landing in the 8th place. Based on the results posted by the Professional Regulation Committee (PRC), there were 320 passers out of 571 who took the exam, 92 of whom were from UP Manila, Diliman, and Los Baños.

According to the Office of the College Secretary (OCS), the students who filledout the ESF last July 24-31 can proceed with the online pre-enlistment for the second semester beginning October 9 until October 15. On-campus preenlistment will be held at the Cybernook in Rizal Hall while off-campus pre-enlistment can be done at any cybercafé. The results will is available for viewing from October 25 -28.

In line with the recent crisis in Zamboanga, the College of Allied Medical Professions (CAMP), in cooperation with the University Student Council (USC), launched the “Sampo for Zambo”, a project that aims to aid the refugees of the Zamboanga conflict. Ten pesos will be collected from each CAMP student, though the CAMP Student Council welcomes donations higher than the said amount. Half of the proceeds will go to Pahinungod for the purchase of medicines for the refugees while the other hald will proceed to the AmBAGan project spearheaded by Ateneo de Zamboanga. Donations in cash or in kind are also welcomed for the AmBAGan project. Just approach any CAMP SC member for your donations and for further details.

ORGANEWS In line with the Biochemistry Week last September 16 to 20, the UP Biochemistry Society (BCS) is selling their custom designed shirts for UPM Students. The shirts are available in blue, green, maroon, orange, purple, red and yellow. For further details, interested BCS members are advised to approach their respective batch representatives while non-BCS members are requested to contact 09164403716 for further information.

UP One Earth is inviting everyone to participate in an Annual Camp for Life at Mt. Natib, Orani, Bataan organized by the Kanlungan Pilipinas Movement Inc., one of the 2005 TAYO awardee. Tentatively slated on November 1-3, the said camp costs around PhP 1,500 which includes registration, food, and transportation.

Experience the bliss of nature. Feel the comfort of the mountains. Challenge yourself with an awesome adventure.

For more details, you may contact Sarah at 09175835675.

04 NEWS

Volume 27 Number 7 16 October 2013 | Wednesday

P10 minimum wage hike in NCR approved Workers protest for higher pay Gayle CalianGa reyna

he Regional Tripartite Wage and T Productivity Board of the National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) passed

a resolution allowing a P10 per day minimum wage hike effective on November 2013. However, labor groups expressed dismay over the decision.

Under RTWPB-NCR Wage Order No. 18, a P10 increase on the basic wage of P426, plus the current P30 cost of living assistance (COLA) will compose the new minimum wage of P466 a day.

According to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Director Alex Avila, the new wage order applies to all minimum wage workers of the private sector in NCR regardless of position, designation, status of employment, and the method by which they are paid.

However, Avila noted that the wage increase does not cover household workers, family drivers, and workers of barangay micro business enterprises.

Meanwhile, RTWPB-NCR also decided to integrate P15 of the existing P30 COLA into the basic wage by January 2014.

DOLE Secretary Rosalinda DinapilisBaldoz explained that as a result, workers will get bigger 13th month pay at P11,651 instead of P11,240.

‘FaiR’ foR Businesses

A ‘CRuel Joke’ On the other hand, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) called it a “joke” following their petition fora P83/85 hike during the wage consultations.

“The increase cannot even take a worker to work and back. We will definitely appeal the decision,” said TUCP Spokesperson Alan A. Tanjusay.

Furthermore, Partidong Manggagawa (PM) slammed the P10 hike, regarding it as a “cruel Napoles joke” given the ongoing pork barrel scam that took the people’s attention from other pressing issues.

“Janet Napoles stole P10 billion of the people’s money and the government offers P10 in coins to workers as a consolation... the wage board thinks it can quietly dupe workers with a measly pay increase,” said PM spokesperson Wilson Fortaleza.

Insufficient IncRease Following RTWPB-NCR’s wage order, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) picketed at the Labor Department’s main office in Intramuros last September 10 to decry the ‘cheap’wage hike. The progressive labor group noted that with the current price hikes, the new minimum wage is insufficient for worker’s families.

The government and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) supported the P10 hike, warning that increase in minimum wage would result to mass layoffs and closure of companies.

Based on its May 2013 study, research think tank IBON Foundation reported that the minimum wage increases remained less than half of the region’s P1,024 family living wage at P280 to P426 during the last 10 years.

ECOP president Edgardo Lacson said the amount was a “one-size-fits-all”. “It may be too small for some employers, but too big for others...the P10 should have been only P7,” Lacson added, claiming that the hike was a decision made with worker’s representatives and labor groups.

“NCR labor productivity for outpacing the mandated wage implies that the benefits of productivity growth have been going to owners of capital rather than workers,” said IBON executive director Sonny Africa, noting that higher wages are vital to inclusive growth.

According to Makati Business Club Chairman Ramon R. Del Rosario, most large companies should be able to cope with the proposed wage increase, but it may be a challenge for some small and medium-sized businesses to adapt with the hike.

Finally, KMU vowed to hold bigger protests and reiterated its call for Congress to pass the P125 Wage Hike Bill and to abolish the wage boards that are ‘incapable of approving significant wage hikes’.

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OSMOSIS / FROM PAGE 12 communities. Professor Simbulan also emphasized the need to make the admission system tailored to the needs of the marginalized.

Besides these models, the study group also looks at the possibility of automatically admitting valedictorians and salutatorians from public high schools. This will constitute 80% of the admitted students, with the remaining 20% of the slots to be competed for by other students. Such option is in line with what is provisioned in the chapter: to take affirmative steps in ensuring that the pro-poor bias of the university is met, as Simbulan explained.

Not only would a commitment and community-based admission system suffice the call for the university to go back to grassroots level, but it also ensures representation. More than that, as Professor Simbulan argues, by “having the gene pool of the university widely represented, the income profile of the university would respectively accord towards those of the lower income brackets”. The need to stretch the mandate of the university towards marginalized segments not only invites a larger area for representation of regional units, but more than ever, a “substantive sound and justification to fully assert and argue for higher State funding”.

More than the issue of representation, an issue which the group has to consider is the concentration of applicants towards quota and in-demand courses. The aim is to redirect the thrust of the university towards courses and curricula that meet the demands of the people, and not what is demanded by the global market. The study group would also like to explore data and information as to the feasibility of having a uniform P300 per unit tuition fee rate, which, according to Zubiri, is sufficient for the university to continue its operations.

The current admission system is nothing but the university’s expedient measure to continue its course towards privatization. The necessity to probe the current policy requires the same necessity to topple it. To democratize is worthy, but to reinstate the pro-poor bias of the university is imperative.

Give the people what it deserves to have. The university will always be for and by the people. Nowhere else will this assertion remain true but within the bare hands of struggle.

It is one big filtering machine. But the students should dare break in.

CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL ‘EVICTION’ / FROM PAGE 02

FACES

Guzman at Change.org calls for the aversion of the ‘eviction’ of the PCMC. They believe that PCMC “has provided poor Filipino children with subsidized quality medical treatment for decades” and that the government should ensure that the center should be given the right to remain at the property.

“We the people, the ‘Boss’ strongly urge President Benigno Simeon Aquino to ensure that the PCMC continues to remain where it has stood for decades to provide competent, comprehensive and devoted health care to the present and future generations of Filipino children,” the citizens stated in their petition.

The petitioners also express their opposition to the continuing privatization of health services and facilities which the petitioners say put “quality health care beyond the reach of the ordinary Filipino.”

“Health care is after all a right, and government must act, with dispatch, to ensure that that right is realized now,” said in the petition.

PAGBUSAL / MULA PAHINA 03 lumipas nang maipasa ang nasabing batas, inilahad ng Selda na wala pa ring napapanagot o napaparusahan sa bisa ng naturang batas. Ito ay sa kabila ng lantarang pagkakasangkot ng ilang opisyal ng pamahalaan sa kaso ng enforced disappearance at illegal detention.

Gaya ng mga nagdaang rehimen, malinaw na ang karapatan ng mga mamamayan, partikular na ang kalayaan sa pag-oorganisa at pamamahayag, ay binubusalan pa rin ng estado. Patuloy pa ring nagbubulag-bulagan at nagbibingibingihan ang pamahalaan sa hinaing ng taumbayan.

Karahasan man ang palagiang tugon ng pamahalaan sa mga kritiko nito, hindi dapat nangingimi ang mga mamamayan para labanan ang pasistang estado.

Dapat mas maging masikhay pa ang pagkilos ng mga mamamayan upang labanan ang pagsupil ng kasalukuyang rehimen sa kanilang mga karapatan.

Just gimme your sumvong Oh oh oh oh oh oh Louder than the lion You're gonna hear me roar XOXO, Lola PAtola

NEWS 05

Volume 27 Number 7 Wednesday | 16 October 2013

ITANONG KAY ISKO’T ISKA ANO ANG MASASABI MO ELECTIONS? PAGKAKASUSPINDE NG

H

ALLER HALLER MGA AFFOWZ! Did ya miss me aking mga grandbabiezz?

Tagal kasi mag-update noong superultra Ay!Pown ko, kalurkey, wiz matino ang internet ko ditow sa Zhungle. Well, well, at least close to nature ang peg ng Lowlah niyo today! Hallow enimels. Peaceful zana ang lyf e, kaso navahala akez dahil sa mga nazagaf kong chismax. Peepz ng YuFiEm, Y U sow mats moar magulo than da zhungle I’m staying in? NKKLK. Pero you know my beloved afowhs, may good news din naman aketch. Dehins naman mga puro pasaway ang peepz sa YuFiEm. Hir na ang mga zumvong na nakarating za akin dito sa zhungle via parrot express!!! Charaught!

Rawrrr!

Pasabog from ze Unkavowgable Zhungle numbah one: Kuya manong sorveterowh, gujab!

Happy na happy ang aketch afowhs dahil kay Manong Sorveteroh na may big heart! Sure na sure aketch na magiging loyal customer mo itech my afowhs who was so happy with your seherviiice! Mantakin mo, pers taymer si aketch afowhs na bumili kay Kuya manong and she asked kung owkay lang buh na big cup + tinapay combo. Ay oportunista ang peg?

Jowk lang afowhs, ahihi. Huwell, joker ang afowhs ko, so nagbuy na lang siya nung big cup, and after mag-pay eh walk away na siya.

Haweber, biglang may nag-call! Hala?! Moomoo?! Ay, dehins pala!

Si Kuya manong sorveterowh pala itetch! Humirit si Kuya manong and said, “Di ba gusto mo ng may kasamang tinapay?”, edi binigay ni Kuya manong the tinapay and nag-pay sana my afowhs, kaso biglang sabi ni Kuya manong eh, “Ay hindi na. Huwag na ineng. Sa iyo na yan…” sabay smile ang koya niyo! Pinilit ni afowhs na i-pay kaso big heart talaga ang ating hicecream vendor. At ganyan, mga YuFiEm peepz, ang kind-hearted citizen!

Gayahin niyo siya! Simple lang ang jab, pero gujab!

Rawrrr!

Pasabog from ze Unkavowgable Zhungle numbah two: Prof ka ba talaga teh?

Ay kajinit ng head ang news na itey! I need my meds, gosh.

Okay na sana aketch kay Kuya manong sorveterowh eh, kaso I really need to get this chismax out of my head! Sinetch itey YuFiEm prof na hindi asal prof?! Bumulong sa’kin one of my afowhs and told me the nakakalurkey thing na ginagawa ng prof nila!

Emfre when you go to a class, dapat swak sa class yung mga examineyshen dibuh? Pero dehins sa prof na itech! Ang klazeeh na yah expect to make walkie-talkie and delivurr spiiitches and stuff turned intoooh written examineyshen? I mean, yung totoo?! Eh emfre my afowh is just a student so sige gorabells lang sa test, eh kaso may kalurkey thing ulit!

Ay dehins na natapows! Ang nagbantay daw sa examineyshen nila eh co-worker niya sa company nila. Prof ka ba talaga teh? Dibuh dapat you mag-watch watch sa mga students mo or yah make hanap sambadeh prom the

department store? Huwag puro kaharutan ang atupagin noh! Char! Tamo si Kuya manong sorveterowh, gayahin mo ang gujab niya!

Rawrrr!

Pasabog from ze Unkavowgable Zhungle numbah three: Agreements in chakaaaa mode!

And my biggest kalurkey chismax for today issss… Sobrang intense graveh… Pati legal contracts nilalagayan ng kung anong chuwariwap! And not just any legal contract mind you! Ang Rumampa Sila Again ng aketch mga white college afowhs! Kwento ng isa sa aketch mga afowhs eh bigla daw nag-change yung mga thingies ng kanilang two year Rampa contract ng dehins tine-tell! Legal buh itech?

For realz? At hindi lang ito itsy bitsy change ha, talagang pang showbiz chikka change itech especially for my white college afowhs!

You know naman most of the white college courses eh fowh Prep-Medlurrr dibuh?! So na-devastate aketch afowhs noong biglang sabi sa kontrata nila eh dehins ka pwede mag-take medicine for two years if dehins ka makapasa sa YuFiEm Cee-ehM! Hu-wow? Huwat?! Nagipit lalowh ang aketch mga afowhs sa kontratang itech kasi emfre they have to pass the Need Mo Aketch To rampa test w i t h flying colorz! Eh what if hindi palarin dibuh? What about my afowhs’ dreams? I-dreamed-a-dreamof-time-gone-by ajujukelz.

Hindi lang itech! May isa pa daw thingy na dehins daw allowed mag-shift to other YuFiEm coursesz na nega relationship sa Healthy sooperSayans na course ang contract na itey kahit under 60 yunitz lhungz nomons ang natakelaloo ninuh afowzh! Isn’t Yu Pi like may freedom and charot?!

Ay graveh lang huh, nagiging micro mini shorts na ang optionsss ng aketch mga afowhs. And then may handbook daw na nilabaz about sa contract na itech and shady itech handbook kasi parang shiny pa siya, you know, new! My white college afowhs promised to serve the country naman pero why may chorva na ganoon?! Pati yung dreams nila nag-bye bye and hindi pa sila in-ask if they liked the chorvaness or not! Kung totoo man itech chismax, ay kalurkey! Ang unethical and chaka niyo. Fo shame!

Oh siya my lovely afowhs, stahp na aketch bago pa me ma-HB and masugod sa PGH! Heinakuh.

That’s it fo today po.

Laro muna ako wiz my pet taigahr and pet mankee and ader pets. Ahihi. Babalik agad ang inyong sexyyy, h o t , and ultra pretty lowlah after kong makifag-wrestling wiz dis enimels.

Werq it! Take care aketch mga afowhs!

I-preservation layk meh and yurr Lola Upoh ang inyong vyuti at freshnezz kahit Hell Huweeek! And rememver, you gat da eye op da taigahr, fayter, densing thru da faiyaaaaahh ‘coz u are da champion!!!!

So down’t eber give up! Ahihihi. Labyu ol.

Mwahhhhhh.

SA SK

Naghalong saya at lungkot. Kasi pinakikita lang nila na parang walang kakayanan at importansya ang kabataan kaya ako malungkot. Masaya naman ako sapagkat hindi mapapagastos ang mga magulang ng mga tatakbong SK. - @profivandelux, BSPt, 2013-017** Tingin ko okay lang dahil mas dapat na pagtuunan ng pansin sa ngayon ay yung mga mahiwagang Pork Barrel ng ilang senador at kongresista. -G Basta maayos ung SK, okay lang.

- Aromaticity, 2012-04895, CAS Good. SK is just a glorified grooming program for future political crocodiles.

- ahente, 4***7, BA OrCom Okay lang, wala naman talagang nangyayari sa SK eh, noon meron ngayon wala na.

Sayang lang ang pondo if wala namang matinong projects ang SK. Aminin mo, kilala mo ba mga SK kagawads ng barangay niyo eh yung chairman? Bumoto ka ba? Dapat nga buwagin na rin dahil natututo lang ang kabataan ng corruption at an early age.

Kung gusto nila ituloy ang SK dapat maayos ang implementation at hindi lang para may masabing “boses ng kabataan”.

-Olive Oyl, 2012-60xxx, OrCom, CAS Bara-bara. Walang naman yatang naganap na consultation sa kabataan at sa outgoing SK tungkol dito. Pero observation ko lang naman yun. Personally, I-abolsih na iyang SK, sayang lang ang pera diyan, panay pa-liga lang naman every summer pinapagawa nila eh.

- Madason, 68315, CAS Dapat lang, dapat magtapos muna sila para pag sila na ang nakaupo, hindi tayo mapapatuwad at mapapayuko. - pilyongKERUbin Di kasi ako kandidato, so walang sense kung itutuloy pa nila.

- Pia Hernandez, 2012-xxxxx, Orcom, CAS Dapat lang. Wala namang nangyayaring matino sa SK eh. #personalexperience - insert witty codename here, OrCom, CAS Bababa ng station at lilipat ng ibang train. like ermiiiigaaaaahhhd. XD - lethalblue Siguro nga hindi pa sapat o akma ang husay at kaalaman ng mga kabataan. Marapat na siguro magkaroon pa ng lalong tamang panahon para sa edukasyon at magkaroon ng lalong angkop na kamulatan sa ibat ibang isyu ng lipunan dahil datapwat ang kakulangan sa mature na pagiisip ang nagigng dahlan ng pagkabuo ng ideyalidad ng korupsyon na namumuo sa pamamagtan ng impluwensya ng kanilang mga magulang.

- Martin 2013 46534 Napakagandang ideya yan, dahil ginagawa na lamang siguro ang SK bilang training ground ng mga anak ng mga kasalukuyang opisyal at mga anak na ipapasok sa susunod na dynasty!

Ngunit halos wala nang training ground an gmga kabataan na gustong manilbihan sa bayan sa hinaharap! Sana ay ibalik nila ang SK ngunit kailangan ay mas magkaron ito ng maayos na sistema at wala itong pinapaboran.

- teehee ^.^ 2013 05*** Ayos lang na natanggal na yung SK elections.

Naaksaya lang naman yung pondong nakalaan dun dahil most of the time hindi naman nagagamit yun sa mga programs na magbebenefit ang mga kabataan. Bata pa lang natututo na yung mga tao maging corrupt.

– Mojay 2013-05*** Hindi ko alam kung ano ang tunay na intensyon ng gobyerno dito dahil hindi lang pagsususpinde ng SK elections ang balak nila, kundi pati ang pag-abolish sa buong SK. Ang

Pwede ring ipadala ang inyong mga sagot sa pamamagitan ng pag-text sa 09069447782!

(Pero bawal ang textmate!) nakakatawa pa dito ay para makatipid daw sa budget. EH kung yung pork barrel nalang kaya mismo yung iabolish? Hindi ba mas maganda yun? YUNG TOTOO PO. - JackFrost, 2013-3xx54 Mixed emotions. In one hand, mas mapagiispan kung ano ba talaga ang dapat na maging future ng SK system. I’m currently an SK official at alam ko ang mga kabalastugang nangyayari sa sistemang ito. On the other hand, Syempre, I used the benefits of SK scholarship para makapag-aral sa UP. I know this sounds selfish, pero it helps dun sa taong nangangailangan talaga. Pero depende pa rin ito dun sa gumagawa ng trabaho. It could benefit both sides (SK official and constituents). But the current system prevents it. - SomethingBlue, CAS

KUNG MAKAKASABAY MO SI  KRIS AQUINO SA LRT, ANO ANG GAGAWIN MO? Sasayaw ng Rubadabango. –G

Aamuyin ko yung damit niya kung amoy Downy ba talaga.

-FightingMaruuuu 2011-0****, CAS I’ll probably ask her if she really eats San Marino Corned Tuna.

- ahente, 4***7, BA OrCom Lalapitan ko sya at sasabihin in the nicest way possible. “baba ka po ng pedro gil or un station tas diretso ka ng UP Manila nang ma-ireport mo sa kapatid mo ang mga kakulangan ng UP dahil sa budget cuts niya *flips hair* tapos may ps: go san mig! go james yap!”

- Olive Oyl, 2012-60xxx, OrCom, CAS Manang, san po -pilyongKERUbin

papuntang

Baguio?

Bubuhusan ng adobo para mag-amoy ulam siya.

At nay valid reason na siya para kumanta ng Rubadabango.

- insert witty codename here, OrCom, CAS How loooong does it taaaake to fiiind true looove~ -Pia Hernandez, 2012-xxxxx, Orcom, CAS Sana pasok na lang nasuspinde. – lethalblue Tatanungin ko siya kung maari ko ba siyang kausapin habang nakasakay kami sa LRT hanggang dulo. Ikukuwento ko sa kanya ang mga problema ng Pilipinas na makikita kahit sa mga bintanna lamang ng LRT. Tulad ng Traffic, plusyon, lack of infrastructure at iba pa. Papamukha ko sa kanya na hindi lahat ng numero na inilalabas ng administrasyon ukol sa ekonomiya ay totoo at nararanasan ng mga mamamayan.

- teehee ^.^ 2013 05*** Wala. Di naman uunlad Pilipinas nakipagtsikahan ako sa kanya eh. Haha.

– Mojay 2013-05***

kapag

Ahahaha...kapag nakita ko si kris.. tatawa ako at magpapapicture siguro.. –Huierd 201302154 Ehem. “Amoy ulaaaaaam na ba kayo? Leeeeeet’s do the rubbadabango!” - JackFrost, 2013-3xx54 Ipagtutulakan ko po sya talaga sa loob ng lrt ng malaman nya nakung gaano karami ang mga trabahador at estudyante na pumapasok ng maaga at nagsusumikap para lang mabuhay ang kani kanilang pamilya at maging produktibo sa sariling larangan. tao lang naman din si kris ha??

So bakit magiging kakaiba ang tingin sa kanya pag nasa loob ng lrt?? Porke ba kapatid sya ng corrupt na presidente eh magiging espesyal na sya)!!! – Krizia Kung makakasabay ko si Kris, baka bumaba ako ng LRT. Dahil sa magiging sobrang ingay at sikip ng LRT kung ganun. I don’t want to be a part of her publicity na nagpapakita na alam niya kuno ang nararanasan talaga ng mga sumasakay regularly sa LRT. -SomethingBlue, CAS

06 CULTURE

Volume 27 Number 7 16 October 2013 | Wednesday

S

A ISANG MOTEL, “HUWAG KANG mag-alala. Dirty little secret natin ito, babe. For private viewing lang itong exhibition natin ngayong gabi.”

environmentalist na si Dr. Gerry Ortega.

Makikita rito kung gaano kababa ang kredebilidad ng hudikatura sa bansa.

Nakadidismaya na ang korte pa mismo ang pumipigil na malaman ng publiko ang katotohanan sa krimen at papanagutin ang mga tunay na may sala.

Sa isang close-door meeting, “Everything is settled. All we are waiting for is the execution of the plan.

Are you ready to embrace your sure win this coming elections?’

Pero minsan, kahit na may pagkakataong takasan ang parusa at pananagutan sa scandal na kinasasangkutan, may mga taong nagpapakulong at nagpapatalo na lamang sa isyung kinakaharap. Tulad na lamang ng isang dating Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff, na nagpatiwakal sa kasagsagan ng kinasasangkutang AFP Pabaon Scandal.

Ganito kalakas ang dagok ng scandal sa buhay ng ilang tao. Minsan, sa halip na ang isyung kinasasangkutakan ang kanilang tatakasan, mismong realidad na ang kanilang tinatakbuhan upang matigil ang pagkadurog ng kanilang pagkatao at moral sa talim ng mga kritisismo at kahihiyan, gayon din sa paulit-ulit na usig ng kanilang konsensya.

Ngunit bakit ang ika nga ay isang “dirty little secret”, nakaka-250,000 views na sa Youtube? Nagbabagang tsismis na ni Cristy Fermin at headline na ni Mike Enriquez? “Private meeting” daw, pero bakit ito na ang bagong pinag-uusapan ng sambayanan?

Hayaan ang sarili na magpadala sa agos ng kuwento habang naglalakbay papaikot sa mundo kung saan ang mga scandal – tungkol man sa sex o sa politika, ay nagsisilipana na parang mga gamu-gamo tuwing tag-ulan.

Kaya, sit back and enjoy the show!

Ekslusibong, Explosibong, Exposé Female actress, huling-huli ng camera na sumisinghot ng shabu! Male singer, todo giling sa sex video kasama si baguhang starlet! Dating child actor, kumakalat ang nude photos!

Hindi ka tunay na Pilipino kung sa arawaraw na pagbabasa mo ng diyaryo o panonoood ng telebisyon ay hindi ka nagulantang sa “ispluk” sa mga celebrity ni Boy Abunda o ni Lolit Solis. Sex, paggamit ng droga, pagiging lasenggo, psychological breakdown, pakikipagrambulan – ilan lang ito sa piling “talents”na ipinapakita ng mga artista na nahagip ng lente ng kamera. Magkasingbilis din ang pagtanggi nila sa kumakalat na mga scandal na ito, at sa dami ng views ng mga ito sa Youtube.

Ngunit, hindi lamang “talents” ang nalalantad kapag lumalabas ang scandals ng mga artista –nabubunyag rin ang mga itinatagong baho at sangsang ng kanilang buhay at pagkatao. Kumbaga kasi sa isang pekeng diyamante, sa una ay nakasisilaw ang buhay ng mga artista sa dami ng kanilang imported na bags, endorsements, platinum record labels, acting awards at mga mamahaling kotse.

Ngunit mapanlinlang ang kanyang kinang, sapagkat itinatago lamang pala nito ang kanyang mga gurlis at basag; ang hindi mapintasang hiyas, ay puno pala ng karupokan at nagasgasan din sa kaloobkalooban. Sa likod pala kasi ng lahat ng kinang at kasikatan ay nagkukubli ang isang katotohanang tao lang din sila – maaari at maaari silang magkamali.

Sa kasalukuyan, inaangkin na nga ng publiko ang trono ng mga paparazzi – ang kaibahan nga lang, kung ang habol ng mga paparazzi ay pera sa pag-eexpose, personal na kaligayahan naman sa kahihiyan ng iba ang kadalasang pakay ng taumbayan. Ang mga scandal kasi, bukod sa pambusog ng mata at pang-kumpleto ng mga pantasya, ay isang elevator din na nagtataas ng moral ng mga tao. Mas kakaiba ang “perfomance”, mas tumataas ang tingin ng tao sa kanilang sarili, dahil tingin nila hindi sila kasing-imoral ng mga artistang ito. Minsan, dahil sa inggit, galit at pagkairita nila sa mga artistang sobra ang kasikatan at karangyaan, ikinatutuwa pa nila ang mga nangyayari sa mga ito.

Kulang na lang ay sabihan nila ito ng

RATED X Paglalantad sa Iba’t-ibang Anggulo ng Scandal JaMilah Paola dela Cruz laGuardia at thalia real Villela Guhit ni Joanne Pauline raMos santos

harap-harapang “Buti nga sa’yo!” sabay labas ng dila.

nagpunta agad ng Amerika nang lumabas ang kinasangkutang scandal?!

Subalit minsan, hindi na kailangan pa ng scandal para mapatunayang talagang may pagkakataong nabubuo ang araw mo sa kamalasang sinasapit ng ibang tao. Ilang beses mo na bang hiniling na sana ma-hack ‘yung account ng basher mo sa Twitter? O kaya naman madapa sa Padre Faura ‘yung prof mong binagsak ka sa Math 11? Pamilyar ba? Isa ka kasing Pilipinong avid fan din ng karma.

Katuwiran mo naman, nararapat naman para maranasan niya ang kamalasan, pati na ang katatawanan at kahihiyang mapapala niya.

Hindi lang sex videos o nude photos ang mukha ng scandal. Hindi lahat ay nagbibigay ng ganoong spice. Ang iba naman ay nagbubunyag ng mga ebidensya laban sa mga abusado’t manloloko sa bawat sulok ng lipunan.

Ngunit sa likod ng mga tawa at pamamahiya ay ang paglitaw ng isang pataas nang pataas na pader na humahati at sumisira sa elemento ng pakikipagkapwa sa lipunan. Dahil nakadepende ang kasiyahan at satisfaction ng publiko sa pagkakamali ng kanilang kapwa, silasila mismo ay naghihilahan pababa – nagkakalkalan ng baho ng bawat isa.

Imbes na tuklasin ang kanilang mga kalakasan at mabuting katangian, ang resulta ng batuhan ng putik at hukayan ng baho ay ang pagkawala ng natitirang dignidad sa pagkatao nila. Lumilitaw ang isang marahas na uri ng kompetisyon kung saan walang nakararating sa rurok ng tagumpay, sapagkat ang pagkapanalo ng isa ay nakadepende sa pagkawasak ng pagkatao ng kanyang kapwa. Namamatay ang tunay na esensya ng sosyalisasyon; at ang lipunan ay pinagagalaw ng pagnanasa sa kapangyarihan at kontrol sa buhay ng bawat tao.

Tingnan na lamang ang Sex-for-Flight Scandal. Sa halip na pantakas sa mapaniil na realidad, nagsilbi pa itong pangmulat para sa mga Pilipino. Isiniwalat kasi nito ang mga iregularidad na nangyayari sa embahada ng Pilipinas sa Gitnang Silangan at ang ibang klaseng paghihirap na kinahaharap ng iyong mga kapatid na OFWs.

Kung dati-rati’y “Walang magtutulungan kundi tayo-tayo lang” ang prinsipyo, “Walang maghihilahan pababa o maghihiyaan sa harap ng publiko, kundi tayo-tayo lang” ang sistemang ipinalit at bumago.

General Patronage Da who? Sino itong politikong MIA at

Hindi sa lahat ng oras ay ginagamit mo ang mga iskandalo upang panandaliang makatakas sa realidad ng buhay.

Kadalasan, ang mga ito pa nga mismo ang nagkukulong sa iyo sa loob ng mga katotohanang kailanman ay hindi matatakasan.

Marami pang scandal ang kinasangkutan at kinasasangkutan ng gobyerno, kagaya ng “Hello Garci”Scandal, Fertilizer Fund Scam, Pork Barrel Scam at iba pa.

Nakapanlulumong isipin na kung sino pa ang mga inihalal upang paglingkuran ang sariling bayan ang siyang nangunguna pa sa panloloko. Ang problema din kasi dito sa bansang Pilipinas ay umiiral ang kultura ng impunity.

Ang daling lusutan ng mga personalidad ang kinasasangkutang scandal dahil sa taglay nilang kapangyarihan. Mapapansin sa bansang ito na may sistemang politikal na nakapanig sa mga makapangyarihan.

Marami nang kasong kinasasangkutan ng mga politiko ang naibasura ng mga korte kahit may mga sapat na ebidensya ukol dito. Tulad na lamang ng pagbabasura ng reklamong malversation laban kay Rep. Gloria Arroyo at ng kasong kriminal na isinampa kay dating Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes na isa sa mga pangunahing suspek sa pagpaslang sa mamamahayag at

Patikim pa lamang ito sa sandamakmak na mga scandal na dapat suriin, bantayan at subaybayan ng lipunan. Ngunit, imbes na tangkilikin at kasabikan, ito ay dapat ikondena at marapat na pagpanagutin ang mga taong sangkot dito. Isang nakaaalarmang indikasyon ito na may mga mali at hindi katanggap-tanggap na nangyayari sa lipunang Pilipino. Kasabay ng pagtantong maraming bagay ang hindi napapansin agad hangga’t hindi pinapalaki ng madla, ang pagbabago ng pananaw at paraan ng pagtingin ng isang indibidwal sa kanyang lipunan.

May isang bagay lang sa lipunan ang dapat gamutin bago mabigyang solusyon ang ibang problemang kinakaharap ng mga Pilipino– ang collective memory ng taumbayan na napakaiksi. Dahil dito, lumalabas na ang mga Pilipino ay isang lahing medaling makalimot— tipong ang bilis makalimot sa mga ginawang kamalian sa sambayanan. Masasalamin ito sa kanilang patuloy na pagboto sa mga politikong nakulong na o kaya’y patong-patong na ang mga kasong kinahaharap. Ang dali para sa kanilang mag-move-on kahit harap-harapan na silang winawalang-hiya o inuutakan ng mga opisyal mula sa gobyerno. Kaya hindi rin talaga nagwawakas ang korapsyon sa Pilipinas ay dahil parang hindi natitigatig ang mga pulitiko sa panloloko dahil kampante silang madaling makakalimutan ng sambayanan ang kanilang mga masasamang gawi.

Lahat ng tao, may scandal.

Nagkakataon lang na mas madalas walang ibang kumukuha ng larawan o video, kaya sarili lang ang nakakaalam.

Hindi na marahil maiwawaglit sa kultura at kasaysayan ang mga scandal ng iba’t-ibang personalidad. Ang tanging aspektong mababago ay ang paraan ng pagtanggap ng tao sa paglabas ng mga scandal na ito. Kung susuriin, ang mga ito ay maaaring gamitin upang higit na mapabuti ang pakikipasalamuha ng mga tao sa kanilang kapwa; at upang linangin ang perspektibo at kuro ng publiko sa mga usapin sumasaklaw sa moral at etika.

Dahil hindi lamang pinakatatagong baho ng mga personalidad ang nabubunyag sa mga scandal – inilalantad din nito ang masangsang na mekanismo at sistema ng lipunang pinababayaan lamang na mabulok sa pagkatao ng mga mamamayan.

CULTURE 07

Volume 27 Number 7 Wednesday | 16 October 2013

Bilang na Araw Mga Epektong Bunsod ng Pagbabago sa UP Academic Calendar seKsyon nG Kultura

“Papunta pa lang kayo, pabalik na kami.”

Guhit ni noeMi Faith arnaldo reyes

Iyan ang sinabi ng mga estudyanteng nag-aaral sa ibang unibersidad na nakapagbakasyon na at nakapagswimming na sa beach, samantalang ang mga estudyante ng UP ay abala pa rin sa mga gawaing pang-akademiko. Tama, nagbabakasyon na sila, samantalang tayo, gusto na ring magbakasyon ang utak dahil sa sangkatutak na trabaho.

Gusto mo nang magbeach, pero sa Hunyo at Hulyo pa ang bakasyon. Ayos lang ba sa iyo na maulan ang iyong “summer” vacation?

Sa ilalim ng memorandum na inihain ni UPLB Chancellor Rex Victor Cruz noong Hulyo 22, ang pagbabago diumano sa academic calendar ay isang hakbang tungo sa pagpapabuti ng sistema ng edukasyon. Ang pasukan ay iuusog

PANAWAGAN SA PAGBABAGO Ayon sa Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), ang internasyonalisasyon ng edukasyon ay isang proseso kung saan magkakaroon ng intergasyon ng internasyonal at kultural na kamalayan sa pagtuturo, pag-aaral, at serbisyo ng isang institusyon. Ito ay hindi resulta ng globalisasyon, at sa halip, ito ay isang tugon sa hamon ng globalisasyon at kung paano magkakaroon ng pagbubuklod ang iba’t-ibang bansa sa mga programang pang-edukasyon.

Kabilang sa mga hakbang ng internasyonalisasyon ay ang pagpapaaral ng mga estudyante sa ibang bansa, pagkakaroon ng multicultural na edukasyon, at paglalagay ng area studies sa curriculum.

Ang pagbabago ng academic calendar ay magsisilbing nang hakbang tungo sa internasyonalisasyon ng sistema ng edukasyon sa Pilipinas. Ayon sa administrasyon ng UP, kapag nabago na ang akademikong kalendaryo, inaasahan na mabibigyan tayo ng mas malaking tsansa na makilahok sa mga programa at mga seminar sa ibang bansa na ginaganap sa buwan ng Hunyo at Hulyo. Ang kapalit naman nito, wala ng summer break na kinagawian na ng mga estudyante. Sumunod, dahil nausog ng dalawang buwan ang pasukan ng klase, maiiwasan ang maulan-ulan na panahon sa Hunyo at Hulyo na kadalasa’y nagiging sagabal sa pagpasok ng mga estudyante’t guro. At dahil kasabay na natin ang iba pang mga unibersidad, masasabing

sa Agosto, at ang pagtatapos naman ng klase at mapupunta sa Mayo. Ang pagbabagong ito ay isang hakbang umano upang mas makasabay ang unibersidad sa mga bansa sa Asya na gumagamit ng parehas na academic calendar.

Hindi maikakaila na ang bawat gawain sa unibersidad ay naka-ayon sa academic calendar. Ang talaarawang ito ang unang sanggunian sa bawat desisyon, plano at aktibidad ng bawat mag-aaral at personel ng unibersidad.

Ang mga pagbabago sa talaarawang ito ay magbubunga ng mas malalaking implikasyon hindi lamang sa loob ng pamantasan kung hindi maging sa lipunang gingalawan ng mga Iskolar ng Bayan.

mas madaling makakapagpadala at makapagpaaral ng mga estudyante mula UP sa ibang bansa.

Ang paggaya ng UP sa internasyunal na a c a d e m i c calendar

ang Pilipinas ay naiiba sa ibang bansa sa aspektong politikal at ekonomiko. Dito pa nga lang sa UP ay gipit na gipit na tayo sa budget, at hindi ito masosolusyonan ng pagbabago lamang ng academic calendar.

Ang nakaambang na P1.43 bilyong budget cut para sa susunod na taon ay magkakaroon ng malaking epekto sa kakayanan ng unibersidad na mapaayos ang mga pasilidad, at magbigay ng buong subsidiya o scholarships sa mga estudyanteng hirap makapagbayad ng tuition. Sa huli, nawawalan ng esensiya ang pakikiayon sa internasyunal na pamantayan kung ang edukasyong ibinibigay ng pamantasana ay hindi naman kayang tustusan ng mga maralitang mag-aaral.

Ang tunay na diwa ng internasyonalisasyon ay hindi nagtatapos sa pagbabago ng academic calendar. Kung ninanais ng UP na tuluyang makasabay sa mga internasyonal na unibersidad, mas nararapat na pagtuonan ng pansin ang pagpapalawak at pagpapainam ng kasalukuyang curriculum ng mga kurso, pagtuturo ng iba’t-ibang Asyanong linggwahe, pagtanggap ng mga foreign students/professors, at pagpapatayo at pagpapaayos ng mga imprastraktura.

PAGTUGON SA TAWAG NG PANAHON Hindi maikakaila ang impluwensya ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas sa mundo ng akademiya. Sa mahigit isangdaang taon nito, marami na itong napasimulan, napatunayan at napagtagumpayan. Kaya’t sa planong pagbabago ng academic calendar ng unibersidad, hindi maiaalis na maaring maging epekto nito sa ibang pamantasan at ilang beses na itong naipakita ng Unibersidad.

Bilang ang

nangungunang papublikong pamantasan sa bansa, mga polisiya ng Unibersidad ay nagiging

ang polisiyang ito ay unang ipinatupad sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas. Kahit na labis itong tinututulan ng mga estudyante ng UP dahil isa itong patunay ng komersalisasyon ng edukasyon at pagsasawalang-bahala ng gobyerno sa kanyang responsibilidad na tustusan ang edukasyon ng kanyang mga mamamayan.

Nakakalungkot isipin na ang polisiyang ito ay tila nagiging modelo pa ng ibang paaralan upang makapagpatupad ng mga polisiyang kagaya ng STFAP. Kamakailan lamang, nagpahiwatig ang ilang pamantasan ng kanilang plano na i-angkop ang kanilang tuition and financial assistance program nang tulad ng sa UP. Dahil sa pagtalikod ng estado sa kanyang mandato na suportahan ang mga pampublikong pamantasan, napipilitan ang mga pamantasan na gayahin ang isang palpak na sistema tulad ng STFAP na isang income-generating scheme.

Isa pang manipestasyon ng komersyalisasyon ay ang pagbebenta o pagpapaupa ng mga idle assets na pagmamay-ari ng Unibersidad. Nandiyan ang UP-Ayala Technohub at ang UP Town Center maging ang University Physicians Medical Center sa UP-PGH. Ang mga lupang kinatitirikan ng mga establisimiyentong ito ay pagmamay-ari ng UP at dapat ay ginagamit sa edukasyon. Ang mga polisiyang kagaya nito ay isang hakbang tungo sa pagsasapribado ng mga serbisyo tulad na lamang ng edukasyon at kalusugan.

Ang mga polisiyang ito, kasama na rin ang pagbabago ng academic calendar ay mga aksyon bilang pagtugon sa tawag ng panahon. Kinakailangan daw ipatupad ang mga polisiyang ito upang maibigay sa mga estudyante ang isang mas maganda at mas maayos na edukasyon. Ngunit, hindi ito ang kailangan ng mga estudyante. Kung naipatupad ito sa primyadong pamantasan ng UP, hindi malayong gayahin at ipatupad ito ng iba pang pamantasan na lalong magpapalala sa kanser na dinaranas ng sektor ng edukasyon.

PAGSUNOD SA PANGANGAILANGAN Mayroong maliliit na larawan sa likod ng malaki at perpektong plano ng internasyonalisasyon— mga indibidwal na pagbabago sa kultura ng mga estudyante, propesor, empleyado at iba pang sektor na maaapektuhan ng pagbabago sa academic calendar.

Isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit isinusulong ang pagbabago sa academic calendar ng UP ay upang mabawasan ang kanselasyon ng mga klase dulot ng paghagupit ng mga bagyo sa bansa. Ngunit salungat sa ideyang ito, Agosto ang pinakaaktibong buwan para sa malalakas na bagyo.

Samakatuwid, ang unang buwan ng semestre ay dapat nang asahang may pinakamaraming anunsyo ng walang pasok.

ay masasabing isang m a b a b a w na hakbang. Mainam na isipin natin na

modelo din ng mga polisiya ng ibang pamantasan.

Halimbawa na lamang ang Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP).

Hindi lingid sa kaalaman ng karamihan na

Kung susunod ang ibang paaralan sa yapak ng UP, magiging malaking dagok ito para sa sector ng edukasyon. Dahil sa tuloytuloy na suspensyon ng klase sa unang buwan pa lamang ng pasukan, maaantala ang momentum ng pag-aaral. Ang mga silid-aralan ay gagamitin bilang evacuation centers. Noong Agosto ngayong taon,

ItuLoY Sa paHina 09

08 FEATURES

Volume 27 Number 7 16 October 2013 | Wednesday

SANG PANLILINLANG ANG TAG-URI IFilipino ng pamahalaan sa mga Overseas Workers (OFWs) bilang mga

makabagong bayani ng bansa. Sa katotohanan, sila ay naging mga alipin sa makabagong panahon—alipin ng isang sistema na kung saan ang buhay ng mga mamamayan ang inaalay maipagpatuloy lamang pagbuhos ng dolyar sa bansa.

Sa kagustohang takasan ang kahirapan at kawalan ng hanapbuhay sa bansa, napipilitan silang makipagsapalaran nang malayo sa lupaing pinagmulan.

Tinitiis nila ang hirap at panganib makaahon lamang mula sa pagkakasadlak na dulot ng bulok na sistemang umiiral sa bansa. Ngunit sa patuloy na pagtalikod, pagdusta, at pagkalakal sa kanila ng pamahalaan, tila bigo pa rin sila sa hangaring mahanap ang kaginhawaan. Ang mga anino ng bulok na sistema ng Pilipinas ay sinundan sila maging

Siklo

Tahasang Pagtalikod Sa pangunguna ng Migrante International, idinaos noong ika-19 ng Setyembre 2013 ang “Zero Remittance Day”. Sa nasabing pagkilos, nagpahayag ang OFWs ng galit at pagtutol sa mga katiwaliang naisiwalat sa ilalim ng kasalukuyang administrasyon. Kaakibat nito, hinamon nila ang pamahalaan na magpatupad ng mas mabilis at sistematikong pagpapauwi sa mga OFW na naipit hindi lamang sa mga gulo sa ibayong-dagat kung hindi maging sa mga polisiyang dulot ng krisis pang-ekonomiko sa iba’t - ibang bansa.

Ang panawagang ito ay upang isaboses ang tinig ng libo-libong mga OFW sa Gitnang Silangan na naghihintay pa ring maiuwi sa bansa. Sa Riyadh at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, mahigit limang libong Pilipinong walang legal na dokumento ang nananatiling hindi pa naililikas. Sa Egypt, kung saan nagdeklara ang Department of Foreign Affairs ng Alert Level 4 at sapilitang paglikas sa mga OFW, tanging tatlong OFW pa lamang ang nakakauwi sa bansa. Ayon sa datos ng Department of Labor and Employment , 1500 lamang mula sa mga 7000 OFWs sa Egypt ang inaasahang umuwi sa bansa. Noong taong 2011, kung kailan nagsimulang sumiklab ang gulo roon, 26 mula sa 650 OFWs lamang ang bolunutaryong nilisan ang bansang Egypt. Sa Syria, na kasalukuyan ring nasa tumitinding krisis pangseguridad, tinatayang 17,000 OFW ang naghahanapbuhay at 90% dito ang walang legal na dokumento. Kalakhan sa kanila ay biktima ng illegal recruitment at human trafficking.

Ang mga OFW na naipit sa Saudi Arabia ay umaasang malilikas bago pa matapos ang ibinigay na palugit ng gobyernong Saudi at muling ipatupad sa Nobyembre 2013 ang crackdown laban sa mga migranteng walang legal na dokumento.Kinakailangan namang mailikas ang mga OFW sa Syria at Egypt bago tuluyang malagay sa alanganin ang buhay nila dulot ng mga kaguluhang nagaganap sa mga nasabing bansa. Malaki ang pangamba ng mga OFW na hindi nila makakamit ang kanilang panawagan para sa isang libre, mabilis at maramihang paglikas dahil sa mabagal na pag-usad ng proseso para sa pagpapauwi sa mga OFW, na karaniwan ay inaabot nang higit pa sa isang buwan.

g

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aa

b u s

P a g b u b u w i s *

sa ibang bayan at pilit silang ibinalik sa kalunuslunos na kalagayan.

Mapupuna rin ang mababang bilang ng mga OFW na boluntaryong umuuwi sa bansa. Ito ay sa kadahilanang alam nilang pagbalik

nila sa bansa ay wala rin silang daratnang tiyak na kabuhayan. Ang ipinagmamalaking reintegration training package ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) at Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA), na makatutulong umano sa pagkakaroon ng kabuhayan ng mga OFW babalik sa bansa, ay hindi nakasasapat. Sa programang ito, sumasailalalim ang mga napauwing OFW sa ilang buwang pagsasanay at pag-aaral ukol sa iba’t ibang kasanayan na maaari umano nilang pagkakitaan. Ang ilang buwang pagsasanay na ito ay wala ring saysay sapagkat wala rin naman silang makukuhang trabaho o hindi kaya ay ang makukuha nilang hanapbuhay dito sa bansa ay hindi rin naman makasasapat upang tugonan ang pangangailangan ng kanilang mga pamilya.

Sa makatuwid, isang malakas na sampal sa pamahalaang Aquino ang pagtanggi ng mga OFW na mailikas sa kabila ng tumitinding gulo sa mga bansang kinaroroonan nila. Ang resulta ng pagtalikod ng pamahalaan ay ang pagpili ng mga OFW na ilagay sa alanganin ang kanilang buhay sa halip na umuwi sa bansa at maghirap kapiling ang kanilang mga pamilya— isang masaklap na katotohanang pilit pinagtatakpan ng gobyerno ng Pilipinas.

Walang silbi ang gobyerno sa pagtugon sa pangangailangan ng mga OFW na kagyat na mailikas at mabigyan ng kaukulang tulong pangkabuhayan. Ito ang katotohanang lantad sa mga mata ng mga Pilipinong manggagawa sa ibayong-dagat. Kaya bagaman walang katiyakan sa kanilang kaligtasan, mas pinipili ng mga OFW na manatilisa mga banyagang bansa kaysa mamalimos ng tulong mula sa pamahalaang inutil sa pakikinig at pagtugon sa kanilang mga hinaing.

Matinding Pagdusta Ang “reverse migration” o ang pag-uwi ng maraming OFW dulot umano ng paglakas ng ekonomiya ng bansa ay isang panlilinlang.

Ayon sa Migrante International, ang panunungkulan ni Aquino ang naging pinakakarima-rimarim na panahon para sa mga Pilipinong manggagawa sa ibayong-dagat.

Sa katunayan, ang mga kaso ng paglabag sa karapatan at pang-aabuso sa mga OFW na nahawakan ng nasabing organisasyon ay tumaas mula sa 1500 taon-taon bago umupo si Aquino, patungong 4500 noong taong 2011, at 5000 sa pagtatapos ng taong 2012. Ayon pa rin sa Migrante International, mula 2500 kada araw bago umupo ang pangulo, ay tumaas sa 4900 ang bilang ng mga Pilipinong umaalis upang maghanap-buhay sa ibang bansa. Ito ay indikasyon ng kawalan ng disenteng trabaho, mababang pasahod at kapabayaan ng estado na magbigay ng mga batayang serbisyong panlipunan sa mga Pilipino.

Bilang karagdagan sa tahasang pagkalakal at pagpapabaya ng administrasyong Aquino, nakaranas rin ng pangaabuso ang ilang mga OFW sa kamay ng mismong mga opisyal ng gobyerno. Isang malaking paratang ang kinaharap ng ilang opisyal ng

o sa m ga OFW

anGeliCa natiVidad reyes Guhit ni lizette Joan CaMPaña daluz

embahada ng Pilipinas sa Saudi Arabia matapos lumantad ang ilang kababaihang naging biktima ng tinaguriang “sex for flight”. Sa isang insidente, walang patumanggang ibinubugaw umano ni Antonio Villafuerte, isang opisyal ng embahada, ang isang babaeng OFW sa kanyang kaibigang Arabo. May pagkakataon ring siya mismo ang gumawa ng sekswal na pang-aabuso sa ilang mga Pilipinang lumapit upang humingi ng tulong sa embahada. Sa paglapit sa embahada, umaasa ang mga OFW na sila ay mabibigyan ng atensyon at ng karampatang tulong. Sa kasamaang palad, isang panibagong pasakit at pagyurak sa kanilang pagkatao ang sumalubong sa kanila sa kamay ng sarili nilang kababayan.

Ang kahandaan ng mga embahadang ipasailalim ang mga OFW sa pang-aabuso at karahasan ay muling napatunayan sa isa pang insidente.

Noong nakaraang Hulyo, nagprotesta ang higit sa 100 OFWs sa labas ng embahada ng Pilipinas sa Riyadh, Saudi Arabia upang humingi ng tulong mula sa gobyerno matapos magdeklara ang gobyernong Saudi ng crackdown laban sa mga mangagagawang walang dokumento roon. Sa halip na harapin at tulungan, pinagsarhan ng pinto ng embahada ang mga OFW. Marahas rin silang ipinahuli sa mga awtoridad ng Saudi.

Binugbog at kinuryente pa ang ilan sa kanila sa utos mismo ng mga opisyal ng embahada.

Kaawa-awa ang kinahinatnan ng mga Pilipinong ang nais lamang ay mapakinggan. Ang inaakala nilang makakapitan sa oras ng kagipitan ay siyang talim na dumagok sa kanila at dumadagdag sa bigat ng kaloobang dinadala nila. Ang higit pang nakagagalit para sa mga biktima ay ang kawalan ng kakayahan ng pamahalaan upang bigyan sila ng katarungan at panagutin ang nagkasalang mga opisyal.

Ang pagtalikod sa tungkulin ng mga opisyal ng gobyerno ay katumbas ng isang karumal-dumal na krimen— isang paglapastangan sa dignidad ng mga OFW at pagkitil sa baon nilang pangarap na makaalpas mula sa kahirapang kinagisnan sa Pilipinas.

Madugong Kalakalan Ang mga pangyayaring ito ay hindi lamang basta resulta ng mga banta ng seguridad sa iba’t ibang bansa o ng malawakang krisis pang-ekonomiya sa mundo. Ito ay bunga ng mas pinaigting na mga polisiya ng pamahalaan upang tuluyang ikalakal ang mga mamamayang Pilipino kapalit ng mga nakukuha nitong halaga.

ituLoY Sa paHina 09

FREESTYLE 09

Volume 27 Number 7 Wednesday | 16 October 2013 PAGBUBUWIS / MULA PAHINA 08 Ilan sa mga polisiyang nagpapaibayo ng paggamit ng gobyerno sa mga mamamayang Pilipino bilang mga produktong ikinakalakal ay lantarang makikita sa mga iskemang ipinapatupad nito sa aspekto ng edukasyon. Kabilang na rito ang programang K-12 ng administrasyon. Ang adhikain umano ng programang ito ay upang iangat ang lokal na produksyon ng hanapbuhay ng mga mamamayan. Magkakaroon umano ng mas magandang pagsasanay ang mga kabataan at mapapantayan nila ang antas ng kakayahang mayroon ang lakas-paggawa ng mga banyagang bansa. Ngunit ito ay pawang kabalintunaan.

Ang programang K-12 ay nangangahulugan ng mas bata at murang paggawa mula sa mga semi-skilled laborers na produkto ng programa.

Samakatuwid, ito ay isang iskemang naglalayong paigtingin ang komodipikasyon sa kakayahan at baguhin ang dapat sanang makabayang kaisipan ng mga kabataan na mananatili sa bansa upang pagsilbihan ang mga Pilipino.

Isa pang programang inihahain ng gobyerno ay ang tinagurian nitong Roadmap for Higher Education Reform (RPHER) kung saan iaayon ang bilang ng mga mag-aaral sa bawat kurso depende sa kung aling industriya sa pandaigdigang pamilihan ang may pangangailangan sa lakas-paggawa. Bilang karagdagan, ang plano nitong pagpapataas sa kalidad ng pagtuturo sa mga pampublikong kolehiyo at unibersidad sa pamamagitan ng pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga pribadong mamumuhunan ay pagpapaigting lamang ng pagsasapribado sa mga pampublikong institusyon at pagnenegosyo ng edukasyon.

Sa tahasang pag-anyaya ng gobyerno sa mga kabataan upang manilbihan sa ibang bansa, tinatanggalan sila ng pagkakataong makapag-ambag sa pagpapaunlad ng kanilang sariling bayan. Sinasanay silang tumugon sa pangangailangan ng pandaigdigang pamilihan na nakapaling sa interes ng mga banyagang kapitalista.

Ang kawalan ng paninindigan ng pamahalaan upang magtakda ng mga polisiya sa mga bansang umaangkat ng lakas-paggawa mula sa Pilipinas ay maituturing rin na isa sa mga dahilan sa pagpapatuloy ng sistemang nagpapahirap sa mga OFW. Paglabas ng bansa, samu’t saring polisiya ang sumisikil sa karapatan ng mga manggagawang Pilipino. Isang halimbawa na lamang nito ay ang sistemang kafala ng Saudi Arabia kung saan walang manggagawang Pilipino ang makakapasok sa bansang nabanggit nang wala siyang “in-country sponsor” na kadalasan ring nagiging amo ng OFW. Ang kapangyarihang naipagkakaloob ng sistemang ito sa mga employer ay mistulang nagbibigay permiso sa kanila upang abusuhin at hindi pasahurin nang tama ang mga OFW. Ang esensya ng sistemang ito, sa iba’t ibang tag-uri man, ay umiiral sa iba pang mga bansa.

Mabilis lamang ang pamahalaan sa pagpapalabas ng mga OFW at pagkolekta sa mga buwis mula sa kanila ngunit pagdating sa pagtugon sa kanilang mga hinaing at pangangailangan, nananatiling inutil ang pamahalaan. Ayon sa Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), ang Documentary Stamp Tax (DST) na umaawas ng 0.15% sa bawat P200 halagang ipinapadala ng mga OFW ay nakalilikom ng higit sa US$1.5 M kada buwan. Noong 2012, umabot sa US$ 21 B ang naipadala ng mga OFW kung saan kumita ang pamahalaan ng P2.5 B. Hindi pa kabilang dito ang ibang buwis na ipinapataw sa mga OFW. Sa laki ng mga halagang ito, hindi kataka-takang habang patuloy ang pagpapalabas ng gobyerno ng mga OFW sa bansa, inihahanda na rin nito ang mga susunod niyang ikakalakal na mamamayan sa pamamagitan ng mga mapanlinlang ng polisiya nito sa edukasyon.

Ang kawalan ng disenteng pamumuhay at katarungang panlipunan sa bansa ang kumukulong sa mga OFW sa isang mapang-

abuso at mapaniil na siklo. Isang siklong kung saan iindahin nila ang pang-aalipin ng mga dayuhan at ang panganib sa ibang bansa malagyan lamang ang kumakalam na sikmura ng kanilang mga asawa’t anak. Ang matinding pangangailangang ito ng mga Pilipino ay siya namang sinasamantala ng pamahalaan upang tuluyang ikalakal ang mga Pilipino sa mga banyagang bansa kapalit ng nakukuha nitong kita. Hangga’t walang komprehensibong pagbabago at kongkretong polisiya ang maibibigay ng pamahalaan, mananatiling alipin ng siklong ito ang mga manggagawang Pilipino sa ibayong-dagat.

Ito ang siklong sumisikil sa kanilang mga karapatan nang walang katapusan. *Sa ngalan ng mga nakukuhang kita, handang ilagay sa kapahamakan ng pamahalaan ang buhay ng mga Pilipinong manggagawa sa ibayong-dagat.

FIRST COLLEGE HEARTBREAK/ FROM

PAGE 09

of the fact that my family will surely have difficulty in paying costly tuition fees— no matter how hard my parents deny that they could afford it.

I conclude that UP opened a wider avenue for me to trek on. More opportunities come, so do experiences. More ups and downs exist. Ergo, more chances to learn and more time to discover.

Sometimes, you have to open yourself to other opportunities for it is the only way that you will notice things that you may have overlooked.

Do I just need to reformulate my initial plans? Or do I need to scrap it, go back to square one, and replace it with a new one?

No one knows.

Sometimes, it is in trying things that we do not know that will lead us to the place where milk and honey lie— and that’s one of the perks of being a risk-taker. *Will I still become a doctor? Well, we’ll see!

As for now, I’ll finish what I’ve started. I <3 OC

BILANG NA ARAW/ MULA PAHINA 07 umabot sa 90,000 katao ang nag-evacuate dahil sa pagbaha dala ng pagsalanta ng bagyong Maring. Dapat ring isaalang-alang ang epekto ng kalamidad sa mga mag-aaral.

Ayon sa ulat ng UNICEF, karamihan sa mga kabataang naaapektuhan ng kalamidad ay nagda-drop out sa eskwela o hindi na lamang pumapasok.

Malaki rin ang epekto ng pagbabago ng academic calendar sa tradisyon ng unibersidad. Kailangan ng malakihang pagpapaplano para sa mga programa at okasyon na nakagawian nang gawin sa isang partikular na buwan at araw. Maraming tradisyon sa unibersidad na sinusunod ang kailangang pagtuonan ng pansin, tulad na lamang ng paggunita sa Foundation Day ng UP tuwing Hunyo.

Pero kung matutuloy ang planong paglilipat ng simula ng kalendaryo, malilihis ito sa schedule ng mga law schools, medicine schools at iba pang mataas na paaralang hindi kabilang sa UP System. Ang hindi pagkakatugma ng academic calendar ng UP sa mga pribadong institusyon at pamantasan ay maaaring magresulta sa isang mahabang bakasyon para sa mga bagong graduate na Iskolar na naghahanap ng trabaho o mas mataas na antas ng edukasyon.

Hindi lang naman ang mga Iskolar ang maapektuhan kung sakaling matuloy ang pagbabagong ito sa Academic Calendar ng UP. Nandiyan din ang mga sektor na maaring mawalan ng pagkakakitaan kung sakaling matutuloy ang planong ito. Ilang buwang kita ng mga manininda sa loob ng kampus, Ikot at Toki drivers ang mawawala dahil walang estudyante sa loob ng kampus, at dahil doon apektado nito ang kanilang pangunahing pinagkukunan ng pagkain sa araw-araw.

Maaaring may mga magandang madudulot ang panukalang pagbabago sa academic calendar. Ngunit, sa huli, dapat isipin kung talaga bang kailangang ipatupad ang nasabing panukala. Higit na dapat bigyan ng

pokus ang mga kasalukuyang problema ng pamantasan bago ito mangahas na gumawa ng isang napakalaking hakbang na lubhang makakaapekto sa unibersidad sa mga susunod pang mga taon.

Nilalayon ng pagbabago sa academic calendar ng unibersidad na ang magkaroon ng internasyonalisasyon at integrasyon ang UP sa ibang mga unibersidad sa Asya. Marahil, ito ay isang hakbang tungo sa internasyonalisasyon, ngunit, mas mainam kung susuriin ng mabuti ang mga kaguluhang maaaring idulot nito sa mga estudyante, guro, kawani, at sektor na may kaugnayan sa UP, na nakasanayan na ang kasalukuyang akademikong kalendaryo.

Ang hinihinging pagbabago sa academic calendar ay paunang lunas lamang sa mga butas at problemang nararanasan sa kasalukuyang sistema ng Unibersidad.

Hindi nito masosolusyonan nang buo ang mga perinyal na problemang kinakaharap ng unibersidad: kakulangan sa badyet, mahal na bayarin na hadlang para sa mga maralitang mag-aaral na makapasok sa UP at ang pagsalaula sa pampublikong karakter nito dulot ng pribatisasyon at komersyalisayon. Humihingi rin ito ng malalaking pagbabago mula sa mga ibang pamantasan at sektor dahil kailangan nilang umangkop sa bagong sistema ng UP. Malaki ang nakataya sa pagbabago ng academic calendar. Hindi lamang ito desisyon ng UP, kung hindi desisyon din ng lahat ng maaapektuhan sa naturang pagbabago. Higit pa rito, hindi rin malayo na umangkop ang ibang pamantasan sa gagawing hakbang ng UP. Dapat lamang na pag-isipan nang maigi kung nararapat nga bang umangkop sa pagbabago, kung ang magiging kapalit naman nito ay ang pagbabago ng kultural na identidad ng mga tauhan sa loob at labas ng ating unibersidad.

Dahil hindi kailangan.

lahat

SIGN

LIGHTS AND PRAYERS PHOTO BY: KESSEL GANDOL VILLAREY

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pagbabago

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10 EDITORIAL REGIME IS THE killing machine.

A

Volume 27 Number 7 15 October 2013 | Tuesday

WELL-OILED

The brazen callousness of the current administration led by President Benigno S. Aquino III with regard to human rights is appalling, yet not at all surprising.

When his promises of good governance and accountability have gone stale, the true nature of the regime has been unmasked: one that is heavy-handed and brutal in quashing its dissenters.

With a streak of human rights violations that is comparable to the atrocities done during the nine years of the Arroyo administration, the Aquino regime has become the monster he once vilified.

According to the most recent report published by Karapatan Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights (Karapatan), 449 people faced political imprisonment under the Aquino regime, wherein the stated figure is more than the number of political prisoners detained under the nine years of the tyrannical Arroyo government.

The most recent documented case of political imprisonment under the reign of terror waged by Aquino is that of Kim Gargar, a physicist and former professor at the University of the Philippines, who is now facing four criminal charges which include: illegal possession of explosives, firearms and ammunitions; violation of the election gun ban; and two counts of multiple frustrated/attempted murder.

Gargar was found with injuries on his head and feet after he was caught in a skirmish between the military and the New People’s Army in Sitio Spur Dos, Barangay Aliwagwag, Cateel, Davao Oriental on October 1. Gargar has been detained in Davao Oriental Provincial Jail since October 4.

The military maintains that when they have found Gargar, he is said to be “clutching an M16 rifle 200 meters away from the encounter site”. Eastern Mindanao Command of the Philippine Army stated that Gargar was “captured by the troops who were pursuing the rebels after a firefight in Aliwagwag.”

Moreover, according to reports, Gargar is said to possess the following items which were confiscated by the military during his capture: “assorted IEDs, wires, assorted ammos, one unit M-16 rifle without magazine, eight pieces blasting cap, assorted personal belongings, medical kit, one unit handheld radio, one unit transistorized radio.” To add further insult to injury, the military asserts that he is a member of the New People’s Army in Compostela Valley and during his stint as a doctorate student in the Netherlands, he is said to have “helped CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)-NPA founder Joma Sison in the production of several books aimed to exploiting the countryside”.

The Aquino government’s repressive state apparatus is on a mission to weed out its perceived number one enemy— even to the extent of victimizing innocent civilians.

To become subservient to the chain of command equates to become a purveyor of the oppressive and inhumane status quo.

The military is keen to adhere to its master by blindly arresting, hurting and killing unarmed civilians and then labeling them as insurgents. Gargar is not the first to become a victim of these abhorrent tactics of the Aquino state forces yet his case has emphasized that

EDITOR-IN- CHIEF

Aries Joseph Armendi Hegina ASSOCIATE EDITOR FOR INTERNAL AFFAIRS

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 GR APHIC S 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 CORRESPONDENTS

Jamilah Paola dela Cruz Laguardia FE ATURES CORRESPONDENTS

Christian Reynan Ibañez Durana, Jennah Yelle Manato Mallari, Angelica Natvidad Reyes, Charlotte Porcioncula Velasco RESIDENT ILLUSTR ATORS

Lizette Joan Campaña Daluz, Mon Gabriel Posadas Distor, Daniel John Galinato Estember, Mark Jason Santos Flores, Gerald Miranda Goco, Princess Pauline Cervantes Habla, Noemi Faith Arnaldo Reyes, Joanne Pauline Ramos Santos, John Zeus Cabantog Taller RESIDENT PHOTOJOURNALISTS

DANIEL JOHN GALINATO ESTEMBER

Collateral damage the spell of terror under the regime has not reached its culmination.

Gargar’s case is a manifestation on how this inutile state could go breadths and lengths so as to justify a counterinsurgency framework that has long been bared as fascist and anti-people.

The Oplan Bayanihan, which is said to focus on including the people in its initiatives to maintain peace and order, has been right on one thing: it has included the unarmed masses as

the masses. Complemented with state violence is the control of the regime to other state institutions, such as the police and courts. Therefore, anyone who has been tagged as threat to the regime is rendered powerless.

The imprisonment of Gargar is a calculated maneuver executed by the state to mask its inadequacies. With the enforcement of a counter-insurgency program which has inflicted more harm to civilians and justified the rule

TO BE SUBSERVIENT TO THE CHAIN OF COMMAND IS TO BECOME A PURVEYOR OF THE OPPRESSIVE AND INHUMANE STATUS QUO. targets. Oplan Bayanihan exemplifies the No one is safe as the state regards everyone as a potential threat. On the case of Gargar, he asserted that he is on the Compostela Valley to conduct resource mapping in order to develop a reforestation program for the rehabilitation of areas ravaged by typhoon Pablo last December 2012.

Yet, the clarifications made by Gargar to establish his innocence have not and may not serve as a strong case for his freedom. This is due to the fact that the fascist military force of this regime has resorted to redtagging and redbaiting individuals and groups to justify the atrocities they inflict on the lives of

Patrick Jacob Laxamana Liwag, Kessel Gandol Villarey RESIDENT L AYOUT ARTIST

Romelyn Taip Monzon OFFICE

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The Cover

of violence in the country, the regime proved that violating the rights of its citizens is one of its main thrusts for “development”.

In a system where the lives of the people have become the price of the state maintaining a firm grip to stay in power, inaction is unacceptable. Thus, more than calling for the freedom of Gargar and other political detainees, it should be emphasized that it is imperative for the people to exact genuine and pro-people reforms from the state in the protection of their rights.

Illustration by John Zeus CaBantoG TalleR

OPINION 11

Volume 27 Number 7 Tuesday | 15 October 2013

EPHEMERAL LIBERTY Liezl Ann Dimabuyu Lansang

T

HE STILL DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT masks these teary, bloodshot eyes.

I know that time cannot be brought back to repair the damage that has been done, but tonight, I shall take this time to mourn for what might have been— if only the government funds were used for the welfare of the people. We should have long been a globally-competent country, if only corruption did not exist in our system.

And so I weep.

I weep for the Filipino youth who have never even stepped on the grounds of a learning institution; their bright futures have been sacrificed for the selfish interests of others. Where are the funds that could have been used to construct public schools and support state colleges? The people’s money may have been probably used to pay for the checks for the lavish platters of officials whose hearts have long decayed from their beings. And while public funds satisfy their hunger, young Juan struggled to read, or worse, he might not have even learned how to do so.

I weep for all the ill Filipinos who were not able to avail quality healthcare.

Not even the best public doctors can alleviate the pain they are experiencing due to the lack of proper hospital facilities and equipment. The medical funds must have been spent on buying signature items and leisure trips, while the ill cope up with their pains as they only get to avail the meager amenities

funded by the scraps of pork that the corrupt have feasted upon.

I weep for the Filipinos working abroad who are sacrificing in order to support the economy of the country through their remittance as they strived to

“

May the nation hold on to the hoPes oF ProGress, and May the Citizens KeeP on FiGhtinG For their riGhts and For the Greater Good. provide for their families. As they kept struggling to live in a foreign land, they were repaid with the fact that the money that they paid was only invested on the businesses of government officials, and not invested for the development of the country. It is just saddening to think that these citizens have been ceaselessly deceived while they are working for their families in another land.

But all the more do I weep for the local Filipino workers, who always did what they can to maximize their meager salaries in the face of rising prices of commodities. In addition to that, they also are obligated to pay the taxes that are ideally for the betterment of our nation. Yet, it was from their blood and sweat that Janet Napoles, for instance,

CONFESSIONS OF A DPWAS STUDENT Thalia Real Villela

UP DESTROYED MY DREAMS. The plate outside her office read Thalia Real Villela, M.D. Wearing white pants and coat, she proudly survived the roundthe-clock rotations during her Medicine days until she was licensed to cure and take care for the sick. She is now busy with her grueling-yet-prolific shifts at the country’s largest public hospital.

Well, that’s how I saw myself when I was in grade school and high school, until UP decided to crush that lofty ambition of mine.

I dreamed of going to UP because of two things: One, it offers quality education at low cost (which is actually, supposedly for free), and second, it hones the brightest minds of the country (which is challenging yet fulfilling). And I was not disappointed. I passed the UPCAT, in my first campus choice, yet not on the courses that I wanted. In short, I was placed in DPWAS – Degree Program with Available Slot.

Nevertheless, I still have enough reasons to be grateful. For one, I was able to win the slot for my current course against six to seven fellow aspirants. But, it’s just that I couldn’t take away the blues easily, especially that my future was at stake. I was asked to choose four courses again, two BS and two BA courses. Of course, being a never-say-die-doctor-wannabe, I put the two BS courses as my first and second choices. But to my grief and disappointment, I ended up with my third choice, which is a BA one. Well, maybe, a pre-med course is not or not yet really for me.

Eventually, I have whole-heartedly accepted my fate, for I somehow find my

AN ELEGY FOR THE MOTHERLAND

Yes, I mourn for the Filipino nation. I mourn for the motherland for it has been doing nothing but struggle, while the corrupt ones have amassed wealth to afford their luxuries. The nation is duped to hope in the supposed promises of a two-faced government, a government which keeps on betraying its people. And while the nation did its best to fund its government for the greater good of the country, nothing good resulted from it.

Nothing was offered to the people as the remnants of the money of the people were feasted upon by its governmental leeches.

I wish that these tears could reverse this situation as easily as how Janet Lim-Napoles held the government on her palm, but it cannot. I can only look forward to the Filipinos continuing the struggle towards achieving progress, without forgetting this tragedy that has happened in its history. May the nation hold on to the hopes of progress, and may the citizens keep on fighting for their rights and for the greater good.

Looking out, the sun slowly rises to break the darkness, signalling the dawn for the nation as it illuminates these dried tears. It seems to be calling the people to wake up and start acting against the corruption that may deprive them of what they deserve.

It is a new start.

FIRST COLLEGE HEARTBREAK*

current course still relevant to my life.

Because I graduated from a Business High school, I’ve acquired knowledge that I can definitely apply to my present course. I also did not have a hard time moving on because it was His will, not mine. The only time my confused heart and mind finally calmed was after our brief course orientation (when I learned that I can still find my way to Med even after pursuing my current degree program).

“

There are things we need to let go and

soMetiMes, you haVe to oPen yourselF to other oPPortunities For it is the only Way that you Will notiCe thinGs that you May haVe oVerlooKed.

to accept their impossibility to take place, no matter how awful it could be.

That definitely doesn’t mean we give up that easily on our goals or in life as a whole. It’s just that the thought of ‘not everything we want are destined for us’ applies just as it does in love.

Undeniably, it is inevitable for us to reflect on things which we have already accepted. I came to realize that not because you want something, you can have it. And there are very significant reasons, which you may not be able to fathom now, but would make sense eventually. Not getting what you want doesn’t mean you don’t deserve it. It just means that there are other things

LUISA A. KATIGBAK

was probably able to buy two Porsche cars and a Ritz-Carlton suite for her daughter.

that you deserve more and are even better than anything you can ever think of. Moreover, I discerned that I was quite unfit for my dreams- financially, physically and mentally. Determination, mind, heart and will are sometimes not enough. There are other factors I know that should be considered but I couldn’t put them into words.

UP may have had destroyed my childhood dream, but not my capability to construct and achieve a new one. In fact, UP can serve as my guide in opening my eyes to the real world, as I discover myself and the future that awaits me.

As of the moment, I regard the things that happened against my will as blessings in disguise. If I did not qualify in DPWAS, I wouldn’t ask myself this: If being a doctor is not (or not yet) your calling, why not give writing, which is your second love, a shot? I may not be as glad if I qualified for a pre-med course, but at least at present, I find myself in a place where holding a pen and scribing on a sheet of paper is already tantamount to serving my fellow Iskolar and my nation. Finding a family in my new home is a bonus too.

Now, the gaping hole in me is filled by a different kind of happiness.

There are dreams that should remain as dreams. But those dreams should not symbolize failure or incapacity in achieving it. Instead, those aspirations shall become emblems of courage in letting go of important things as well as symbols of wisdom which will be used in making selfless decisions in the future.

I could actually go to other universities where I passed my desired pre-med course, but I decided not to. It is because

Continued on Page 09

I Live You*

F

*CK.

I know it’s not right to curse because it won’t change anything, but I’m physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. While sipping my eighth cup of coffee (yes, believe it or not), the pink alarm clock on my nightstand reminds me that I’m not one of The Avengers. I should be dozing off right now because I still have a 7:00 AM class later, but 150 pages of readings, two papers, three reports and five exams scheduled for this week won’t allow me. In these trying times, sleeping is never an option. There’s no hell month or hell week, because it’s hell every single day. Nonetheless, there’s a silver lining after all: you.

I don’t want to be in any relationship because of what happened to my parents, so I’m scared that I may become a martyr or a masochist. I’ve already had enough pain, disappointment, and blame in life; and being intimate with someone is like adding fuel to the fire.

I don’t want to be the clingy friend or overly attached girlfriend because whatever kind of relationship one could have, it could only end up either in ‘forever’ or ‘never’. The more you hold on to the person, the more you can’t let him/her go.

But subduing one’s affection for someone is more than just unhealthy; it’s stupid. The heart, after all, is just a muscle— it could only bear so much before it implodes.

Never in a million years would I have imagined a dork like you will accept me for who and what I am, and at the same time, changing my idiosyncratic outlook in life. Every time we’re waiting for a free cut and having a little chat, I’ve come to realize that our odd similarities complement our insightful differences. It makes me feel normal: a teenage girl talking to her physics seatmate about anything but Newton’s law of motion, Bernoulli’s principle, and whatever terms and concepts that can be found in her textbook.

Never in a million years would I have thought a bookworm like you could light up fireworks in my lackluster life. This may sound absurd, but I’ve already found our own ‘red string of fate’— Nabokov’s Lolita. Letting you buy that book is the greatest thing I have ever done. I will always treasure the moments of seeing you gently flipping the pages of a book and slightly frowning while reading its blurb at the bookstore. Suddenly, it hits me: you are my happy ending. Damn, that last line was cheesy.

You’re the topic and our story is the angle in this article. I’m taking the risk by being brave and honest. Whatever the ending may be, I just want you to know I don’t regret anything; whatever we’ve been and we’re going through, you are worth it.

You asked me once if I would accompany you to the bookstore, and now I’m asking you if you could hold my hand so that we can brave this mad and harsh world together.

I guess I already know your answer —there’s one unopened message popping up on my Facebook right now. *What I’m feeling for you lies between the fine lines of like and love. And I guess I’ve already found the word that I’ve been looking for and I should be thankful to Colleen Hoover for her work, Losing Hope and Hopeless.

OSMOSIS:

Assessing the Prospect of Restructuring UP’s Admission Policy CHRISTIAN REYNAN IBANEZ DURANA

ILLUSTRATION BY JOHN ZEUS CABANTOG TALLER

HE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST T IS NOW A MATTER OF WHO HAS MORE AND WHO HAS LESS. The commitment of the university to embrace self-sufficiency became its own identity crisis. What was once an institution insulated from economic and capital drag, has now succumbed itself corporatizing its structure and governance. The promise of quality education coupled with affordable tuition rates has facilitated an influx of demand from those who can generally pay—in which the university has willingly obliged. This move raked profit for the university and affirmed the feared prediction that UP education will become inaccessible to the masses.

The university filters.

SURFACE RUNOFF Administrative Order No. PAEP 1370, promulgated last July 2013, was enforced to convene a study group that will review the current admissions policy of the university. This was issued by UP President Alfredo Pascual as a response to the fulfilment of the democratic access provision stipulated in Section 9 of 2008 UP Charter.

The university suffers from a representational deficit. Seventy six percent of the population comes from higher income brackets, with only 26.5 percent applying for STFAP. Students from lower income brackets, therefore, are basically hindered to enter the university. This is particularly evident in the increasing percentage of “no shows” in the whole system, with UP Diliman having 30% and 60% from the system’s regional units: UP Mindanao, Cebu and Baguio. “No-shows” refer to students who do not continue to enter the university despite being admitted by virtue of the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT). With the university’s promise of prestige, demand is inevitable— so as the stifling competition.

Prestige, however, does not equate to privilege. This was pointed by UP Manila USC Chairperson Mariz Zubiri, who is part of the study group. She stated that UPCAT “is nothing but a passive reflector of the disparity of the rich and the poor.”

This is evident in the discrimination of

public high schools in favor of private high schools. The UP Admission Index, which was instituted to complement the 2007 STFAP reform and TOFI, discriminately measures the qualities and characteristics of a certain high school that would then determine a student’s qualification. The UPCAT grade is 60% derived from the UPCAT score and 40% from high school grades, but these criteria are subject to other constitutive factors. Under the index, UP Professor Maria Serena Diokno explains that the UP grade is adjusted depending on the UPCAT scores of all the graduates of a certain high school. This implies that the performance of all UPCAT examinees from a certain high school affects an individual’s admission to the university.

This index particularly puts premium towards private high schools since UPCAT presumes that public high schools has more students that are less prepared and less intelligent; and this wide-ranged difference in ability distribution is ignored in the UPCAT. Also, it is rather incongruous that a one-time measure such as the UPCAT is stringently multiplied to a time-stretch measure such as a high school grade.

Moreover, the index depicts a situation where students of a rural high school are disadvantaged due to lack of resources and instructors to teach them, unlike those from the private and science high schools.

The preference of the Admission Index towards private high school students produces severe repercussions. This has been the case particularly in far-flung regions severed by deplorable socioeconomic conditions and underfunded educational institutions.

Besides discriminating the students who are belonging to lower income brackets, the Admission index also homogenizes the demography of the university, one that is in favor to the middle class.

The historic role of the university as a defender of the masses, and its timehonored role as a social critic has been abashedly derogated towards the more convenient, self-serving and conditional notion of being “for” others. This consciousness has prevailed itself since the inception of the university’s economizing schemes such as the current admission policy.

The university has gradually bowed to the dictates of the market.

PERMEABILITY The necessity to reform the admissions system is just a matter of “strongly upholding and according to the [UP] Charter” Professor Simbulan explains.

The Charter is conclusive as much as it is binding. Professor Simbulan stated that the

g r o u p will study the issue h o l i s t i c a l l y, meaning that the group is analyzing the issue on a larger co n tex t— t h at is, in relation to the educational system as a whole.

The commissioned study group has already conducted several consultations with the student body and the faculty in the different campuses in the UP system. And although they have not yet presented a definite proposal, they already have a few insights from the data they have gathered so far.

They have also considered several models to adapt, which are consistent with the aim to democratize access into the university.

One model the study group would want to adapt is the commitment-based admissions system being implemented by the UP Manila School of Health Sciences. Its mission, which is to produce competent and socially conscious health workers that are ready and are committed to stay and serve depressed and inaccessible rural communities, is largely fulfilled by its admission system.

From such premise, scholars are then determined upon consultations with the community, and not through an aptitude exam. These scholars should come from lower income brackets and from areas that have no sufficient access to

public healthcare.

Scholars are nominated by the community through a Barangay Resolution which should be signed by 75% of household heads. They will then undergo a ladderized curriculum aimed to develop a student to acquire knowledge from various fields of competency.

More than being bound by the Return Service Contract (RSA), about 92 to 95 percent of the extension’s alumni have fervently served their constituentssimply because they belong to these

Continued on Page 04