Philippine Collegian Issue 22

TAON 91

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BILANG 22

MIYERKULES, PEBRERO 5, 2014

‘Marketable’ courses most popular among UPCAT takers Balita

chances: 6-7 Missed Assessing UPD Chancellor Caesar Saloma’s three years in power

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Republika ng Diliman Kultura

Lathalain

Continued on page 6

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Mga labi ng pagwasak

Ang karasahan sa demolisyon ng Sitio San Roque

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OPINYON

PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN

MIYERKULES, PEBRERO 5, 2014

Kapayapaan para sa iilan HINDI KAILANMAN MAKAKAMIT ang kapayapaan kung walang tunay na kalayaan. Isa sa pinakamalaking proyekto ng pamahalaan ang pagtatapos ng usapang pangkapayapaan sa pagitan ng Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Ngunit pormal mang nalagdaan na ang Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) noong 2012, nananatiling nasa panganib ang mga Moro sa ilalim ng bagong kasunduan. Upang tuldukan ang isang siglong tunggalian sa pagitan ng Government of the Philippines (GPH) at MILF, layunin umano ng batas na bigyang katarungan at kapayapaan ang mga Moro sa Mindanao. Ngunit hindi pa rin nito naturol ang tunay na ugat ng tunggalian—kahirapan, pananamantala, kawalan ng paggalang sa katutubo at karahasang hatid mismo ng pamahalaan. Sa mismong pagbalangkas ng batas walang tamang representasyon ang mga Moro sapagkat iilan lamang ang naging bahagi ng negosasyon. Napag-iwanan ang ibang mga grupo tulad ng Moro National Liberation Front, mga katutubo sa rehiyon, at iba pang mga grupo. Liban sa pagbalangkas ng mga punto tulad ng power sharing, wealth sharing at normalization na bubuo sa Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), tinakdaan din ng pangulo ang lupong magpapasya sa kapalaran ng mga Moro.

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PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN 2013 - 2014 Punong Patnugot Julian Inah Anunciacion Kapatnugot Victor Gregor Limon Patnugot sa Balita Keith Richard Mariano Patnugot sa Grapiks Ysa Calinawan Emmanuel Jerome Tagaro Tagapamahala ng Pinansiya Gloiza Rufina Plamenco Panauhing Patnugot Piya Constantino

Binuo ang Bangsamoro Transition Commission ng 15 miyembro na pawang iniluklok ng pangulo at inatasan na madaliin ang paggawa ng BBL upang agarang maipasa sa Kongreso ngayong darating na Mayo. Makikita sa mga minadaling proyekto ng pamahalaan ang kapabayaan sa kalakhan ng

EDITOR’S PICK

The Philippine Collegian republishes distinguished photographs from its past issues that captured its YEARS tradition of critical and fearless journalism.

As part of the protest against the rising price of fuel ignored by the Marcos Regime, the UPD community formed a massive barricade using classroom chairs which led to the disruption of classes and the intervention of government troops during the 1971 Diliman Commune. The event still bears significance today as the united struggle of students and other sectors against abuse of power prevails.

BARIKADA (THE DILIMAN COMMUNE) Photo by Steve Santos February 1-9, 1971

populasyon sa Mindanao. Nitong Setyembre lamang, umusbong ang giyera sa Zamboanga bunga ng magulong negosasyon sa pagitan ng Pangulo at ni Nur Misuari. Samantala hindi pa rin nakakamit ang hustisya ng mga biktima ng Maguindanao Massacre noong 2009 na kumitil sa 58 katao kabilang ang 32 mamamahayag. Sa bisa naman ng Wealth Sharing Annex binibigyan ng pamahalaan ang mga Moro na pamahalaan ang kanilang teritoryo habang pinananatili ang kontrol sa kapangyarihan at usaping pangekonomiya sa rehiyon. Tunay ngang hudyat ng mas malaking kita sa buwis at paggamit sa masaganang likas na yaman ng rehiyon ang malawak na teritoryo, ngunit ang lagi’t laging tanong ay kung sino ang tunay na makikinabang dito. Nakasaad man sa batas ang kapangyarihan ng mga Moro na pamahalaan ang kanilang teritoryo, ang tunay na kapangyarihan ay nasa kamay ng iilang lokal na lider, negosyante, at mga banyagang korporasyon. Hangga’t may malalaking industriyang pangunahing nakikinabang sa yaman ng Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) at protektado ng pamahalaan, mananatili sa laylayan ang maliliit na industriya. Kapalit ng pagtalima ng gobyerno sa mga puntong inihain ng MILF ang Normalization Annex, o pagkumpiska ng kanilang mga

Mga Kawani Ronn Joshua Bautista Mary Joy Capistrano John Keithley Difuntorum Ashley Marie Garcia

armas—ito ay tahasang taktika upang pilayin ang operasyon ng MILF at ipaubaya sa AFP ang kaligtasan ng mga partidong dawit Pinansya sa negosasyon. Amelyn Daga Bago pa man ang pagkakatatag nito noong 1976, ang ARMM ay Tagapamahala sa Sirkulasyon naging pugad na ng walang habas Paul John Alix na sagupaan sa pagitan ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at Sirkulasyon Moro National Liberation Front Gary Gabales (MNLF). Bigo ang kahit anong Amelito Jaena negosasyon na wakasan ang Glenario Ommamalin sagupaan, karahasan at matinding kahirapan sa nasabing rehiyon. Mga Katuwang na Kawani Sa pagbalangkas ng BBL, muli at Trinidad Gabales lalong isinusuong sa panganib ang Gina Villas mga Moro sa pamamagitan ng mga kasunduang tulad ng FAB ng isang gobyernong kung tutuusin ay wala Kasapi pang napagtagumpayang laban. Lalo UP Systemwide Alliance pa nitong hinahati ang rehiyon at sa of Student Publications and Writers’ katunayan ay pinagbabangga pa ang Organizations (Solidaridad) interes ng iba’t ibang mga grupong College Editors Guild of the Philippines hindi kasama sa negosasyon, katulad (CEGP) ng Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). Pamuhatan Kaya naman sa tagal ng panahon Silid 401 Bulwagang Vinzons, na naging lunan ng giyera ang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, Diliman, Mindanao, hindi nakapagtataka Lungsod Quezon ang malakas na pwersa ng mga rebolusyunaryong gerilya sa Telefax kabila ng dami ng mga militar na 981-8500 lokal 4522 ipinapadala ng gobyerno dito. Lunan ng panganib ang patuloy Online na panlilinlang ng pamahalaan. pkule1314@gmail.com Dapat lamang na asahan ni Aquino www.philippinecollegian.org na patuloy lamang na mananatili at sa katunayan ay lalo pang lalakas fb.com/philippinecollegian ang pag-aaklas sa rehiyon hangga’t twitter.com/kule1314 walang makabuluhang solusyon sa ugat ng tunggalian. ∞ Ukol sa Pabalat Litrato ni Keithley Difuntorum

BALITA

PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN

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MIYERKULES, PEBRERO 5, 2014

‘Marketable’ courses most popular among UPCAT takers Julian Bato BUSINESS AND SCIENCE COURSES, degree programs deemed marketable, are the most popular choices among applicants for admission to the national university. Of the more than 83,000 high school students who took the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) this year, more than 25 percent or 22,309 applied for Business Administration and Accountancy, Civil Engineering, Business Administration, Architecture, and Tourism as their first choices. The most preferred courses among UPCAT applicants are included in the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHEd) list of priority courses. Based on the national development plans of the Department of Labor and Employment, the said list attempts to convince high school seniors to pursue degrees with high market demand. “Symptomatic ito ng kung anong kaisipan ang itinuturo ng gobyerno at mga pribadong korporasyon: ang kumuha ng mga kurso na madaling pagkakitaan ayon sa pamantayan ng mga kapitalista at ng gobyerno,” said Michael Francis Andrada, professor at the UP Department of Filipino and Philippine Studies (DFPP). Jose Abelardo Torio is one of the 3,296 qualifiers for UP Diliman this year. He applied for BS Microbiology and Biotechnology, a CHED priority course, and BA Linguistics. Both courses, according to Torio, suit his interests. Though qualified for MBB, Torio says he still wants to pursue a writing course like Creative Writing but fears no one will hire him after finishing the four-year course. “I think that in today’s economy, companies are hiring more in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields. There is little demand for the liberal arts,” said Torio. Another passer, Christlyn Faith Arias, also applied for science courses. A Materials Engineering qualifier, Arias said she believes that business and science courses have greater opportunities, citing the abundance of scholarships reserved for these courses and a greater return of investment after college. Courses from the fields of social sciences, social work, home economics, and humanities are the least popular courses among UPCAT takers. Although pre-law courses continue to receive great demand yearly, other courses from these

fields still receive low demand, said Dr. Franco, director of the Office of Admissions. This year, four of the courses that received the lowest demand were all degree programs offered by the UP College of Arts and Letters. This year, DFPP courses Filipino and Malikhaing Pagsulat have no qualifiers. Arianne Beth Cubanbang, lone passer in the DFPP, said she is not even pursuing Araling Pilipino for her college education. Cubanbang said she plans instead to take Advertising Arts in another university. Usually, passers who qualified as Degree Program With Available Slot (DPWS) fill courses with low demand like those in DFPP, said Franco. UPCAT passers tagged as DPWS are applicants who satisfied the cutoff grade for their preferred campus but failed to meet the requirements of their preferred courses. Should they decide to study in UP, they will have to apply for a degree program with available slots. “This phenomenon only goes to show the failure of our educational institutions in instilling to the youth that sense of appreciation with regard to the field of arts and humanities,” said Eduardo Gabral, national chair of systemwide alliance of student councils Katipunan ng mg Sangguniang Magaaral sa UP. ∞

GASC defeats proposed CRSRS amendments Victor Gregor Limon

Youth groups staged a protest against price hikes on January 30 at Mendiola. The group slammed the Aquino Photo by Kel Almazan administration’s privatization and commercialization schemes, citing it as the cause for the continued increase in prices of basic commodities such as fuel and electricity.

COST OF LIVING

Sidebar 1: The most and least preferred courses in UP Diliman

*Quota courses

Source: UP Office of Admissions

Sidebar 2: How to qualify for a degree program

THIS YEAR’S GENERAL ASSEMBLY of Student Councils (GASC) junked renewed efforts to amend the rules on selecting the next UP Student Regent (SR), the sole student representative in the national university’s Board of Regents. The largest congress of student leaders in the UP system, the GASC approved without changes the Codified Rules on Student Regent Selection (CRSRS) in its first session held in UP Mindanao (UP Min), Davao City on January 25 to 27. The 16-year old CRSRS will thus govern the selection of the 32nd SR, who will succeed incumbent SR Krista Iris Melgarejo of UP Min. A total of 26 amendments were submitted to the Office of the SR (OSR) by three student councils, namely the UP Manila (UPM) College of Medicine (Med) Student Council (SC), UP Diliman (UPD) College of Social Sciences and Philosophy (CSSP) SC, and the UP Los Baños (UPLB) College of Agriculture (Agri) SC. On January 26, however, a total of 24 student councils thumbed down one of the three main amendments, dubbed as the “one council, one vote” system, four abstained, while 16 voted in favor of the proposal. The amendment sought to grant one vote for each local and university student council, instead of the current system where UP units are given votes irrespective of student population or the number of councils housed within each unit. The current CRSRS grants two votes each to UP’s constituent units, namely the UP Baguio (UPB), UPD, UP Cebu (UPC), UPLB, UPM, UP Visayas (UPV), and UP Min. One vote is given to each autonomous unit, namely the UPD Extension Program in Pampanga, UPV Tacloban College, UPM School of Health and Sciences (SHS) in Palo, Leyte, UPM SHS in Baler, Aurora, and UPM SHS in Koronadal, South Cotabato. Following the defeat of the “one council, one vote” amendment, the UPM Med SC and the UPLB Agri SC withdrew their remaining proposals, including two other key revisions: a minimum academic requirement for SR nominees and the removal from the CRSRS of a clause recognizing the historic role of Katipunan ng mga Sangguniang Mag-aaral sa UP in founding the OSR. The UPD CSSP SC was not able to present their own amendments as their delegates had to leave the assembly early due to return flights Continued on page 11

Source: UP Office of Admissions

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BALITA

PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN

MIYERKULES, PEBRERO 5, 2014

PH economic growth ‘unsustainable’—IBON Arra B. Francia THE “NARROW, SHALLOW, artificial and unsustainable” policy programs of the Aquino administration may eventually force the country’s recordhigh economic growth to a decline, according to independent think tank IBON Foundation. Government figures claim the Philippines posted a 7.2-percent growth in gross domestic product (GDP) in 2013. The said growth, however, is primarily attributed to foreign investments of more than $3 million, which is three times higher than that in 2011, according to IBON. Because foreign investments are driving our economic growth, less favorable conditions in the global economy would wind down ours as well, said IBON Executive Director Sonny Africa in the foundation’s Yearend Birdtalk held in UP Diliman on January 15. Exclusionary growth The Philippine economy relied specifically on the sectors of financial intermediation, which includes commercial and investment banking, construction, manufacturing, and real estate, renting and business. The four fastest growing sectors are weakly integrated to the rest of the economy and, thus, have a limited multiplier effect, according to IBON. The four fastest growing sectors contributed only 8 percent to the country’s total employment, leaving 10.6 percent or 4.5 million Filipinos unemployed, according to IBON. Also, the activities of these sectors are only concentrated in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon and Calabarzon, added IBON. Meanwhile, around 65 percent of the revenues collected from the real estate and manufacturing industry come from transnational and multinational corporations, according to IBON. These companies locate themselves in the Philippines to profit from the country’s cheap labor, natural resources and market, said Africa. Public-private partnerships The 2011-2016 Philippine Development Plan (PDP) of the Aquino administration also encourages foreign investment for infrastructure development and social services through public-private partnerships (PPPs), according to IBON. Last year already saw the privatization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center, which has provided free medical assistance to Filipinos for 68 years. The transfer of the hospital’s management to the private sector led to the imposition of new and higher fees for health services. The privatization scheme became more evident in the administration’s rehabilitation efforts in the Eastern Visayas after the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda, said IBON Executive Editor Rosario Bella Guzman.

Around 60 percent of the P361 billion needed for infrastructure projects, agriculture and industry and services will be tapped from private companies, according to the National Economic and Development Authority. Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery Panfilo Lacson said that the private sector could implement the rehabilitation work in Eastern Visayas “faster and more efficiently.” However, bunkhouses built for temporary shelter were immediately criticized as “inhuman” for failing to meet international standards and being too small for a family’s use. Averting failure “The country’s pro-market economic policies are failing to deliver development. This can be corrected with

a package of social and economic policies promoting an inclusive, balanced and stable pattern of growth,” according to IBON. The Philippines is still a widely agrarian country, yet the agriculture sector grew by only 1.1 percent in 2013, said Africa. The government must then take decisive action in implementing a genuine agrarian reform to increase agricultural output and produce substantial wage increases in the sector, he added. “Domestic production can be expanded at the same time with government intervention, support and protection for Filipino firms and farms,” according to IBON. National industrialization would lead to stability and sustainability of the Philippine economy, added Africa. ∞

DepEd memo allowing AFP in schools endangers children—groups Arra B. Francia A MEMORANDUM FROM THE Department of Education (DepEd) allowing members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) access to the country’s learning institutions may lead to more human rights violations, several progressive groups warned. Issued on December 13, the “Guidelines on the Protection of Children during Armed Conflict” as provided through DepEd Memorandum No. 221 allows military units to conduct “civilmilitary operations” (CMOs) in the form of public forums, symposiums, and medical missions inside schools, as long as the school authorities approved of the activity. “A school being used as barracks by soldiers in full battle gear with long fire arms disrupting the classes of children: This is what the [memorandum] looks like in the field,” said Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay. The DepEd memorandum adopted the guidelines from Letter Directive No. 25 of the AFP, or the “Guidelines in the Conduct of AFP activities inside or within the premises of a School or a Hospital.” The AFP guidelines state that “force protection units/personnel must be deployed and limited/contained to the pre-identified/preapproved within the school/ hospital premises if there is a need for [them].” The directive, however, does not specify who determines whether there is indeed a need to deploy force protection units in schools. CMOs including military-organized symposiums in schools form part of the Aquino administration’s strategy under Oplan Bayanihan to put an end to the 44year communist and Muslim separatist rebellions in the country, according to the AFP.

In 2012, the military conducted CMOs in 64 public schools in Baguio City to supposedly inform the children of the “lies and deception” of the “Communist Terrorist Movement”. The operations then became a venue for tagging progressive groups as “enemies of the state,” which instills fear and qualifies as a form of harassment, according to Children’s Rehabilitation Center, a non-government institution for victims of state violence in the country. The 2013 Report of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General on Children and Armed Conflict also discourages military presence in schools. “The use of schools for military purposes not only results in reduced enrolment and high drop-out rates… but also may lead to schools being considered legitimate targets for attacks,” said UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. From July 2010 to 2013, Karapatan Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights recorded a total of 18 minors who were victims of extrajudicial killings and 132, 633 human rights violations victims because of military intervention in schools, hospitals and other religious public places. “CMOs in the guise of humanitarian activities cannot be devoid of any military objective. [This] abets the continuous rights violations among children and communities,” said Palabay. In a house resolution filed on January 25, Kabataan Party-list Representative Terry Ridon urged the Congress to repeal the memorandum and “direct the DepEd to create new guidelines that will explicitly prohibit military entry in schools.” “Congress should investigate this at the soonest and take urgent steps for the said policy to be scrapped,” Ridon said. “Clearly, allowing military access in schools leads to greater harm for our school children,” he added.

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SWEEP Photo by Kimberly Pauig

UE defenders pressure UP’s Gerardo Valmayor in the second round match in the UAAP Season 76 football competition on February 2 at the Moro Lorenzo Field. Season top goal scorer Valmayor nailed a shot in the 11th minute mark and in the injury time of the first half to win against goalless UE, 2-0. The Fighting Maroons enjoy solo second behind the Tamaraws.

UP BOOTERS PINASADSAD ANG ARCHERS, 3-1 Hans Christian Marin HINDI ISINUKO NG UP FIGHTING Maroons ang ikalawang pwesto sa torneo matapos nilang dispatsahin ang De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers sa ikalawang round ng Season 76 ng University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Football. Mula sa pagkakabaon sa pakikipagbakbakan sa parehong koponan sa unang round, bumangon ang Maroons upang mapatibay nila ang kapit sa ikalawang pwesto noong ika26 ng Enero sa Far Eastern University (FEU) – Diliman. Naging agresibo agad ang opensa ng Maroons sa first half kung saan ilang mintis ang muntik na sanang maging goal para sa koponan. Nagkaroon naman ng mga butas sa depensa ang UP, dahilan upang maisagawa ni striker Gio Diamante ng Archers ang unang goal sa sagupaan sa pamamagitan ng fumble sa ika-24 minuto kung saan nabitawan ni goalkeeper Ace Villanueva ng UP ang bola sa loob ng goal. Hindi na nagpatumpik-tumpik pa ang Maroons at itinabla agad ang iskor sa 1-1 sa bisa ng goal mula sa instep kick ni middlefielder Fe Baya na sinalo ang isang cross pass sa labas ng box noong ika-33 minuto ng sagupaan. Nagsagawa naman ng ilang pagaayos sa depensa ang UP sa ikalawang

half upang posasan ang mga strikers ng DLSU. Ikinasa din ng nagbabalik mula sa one-game suspension na si forward Gerardo Valmayor ang kaniyang ikapitong goal sa torneo sa bisa ng penalty kick sa ika-75 minuto upang pangunahan ang lahat ng mga strikers ng lahat ng mga koponan. Pinalawig pa lalo ng UP ang kanilang kalamangan matapos maikubra ni striker Vincent Aguilar ang isang instep kick mula sa mintis ni middlefielder Eric Fernandez at maisakatuparan ang ikatlong goal ng Maroons sa ika-90 minuto. “There were lapses in defense during the first half. Only during the second half did the backline able to adjust to DLSU’s attack pattern,” ani Michael Simms, captain ng UP. “Valmayor’s comeback helped the team to create more chances given his physical ability,” dagdag niya. Sa kasalukuyan, inangkin ng UP ang 19 puntos upang palakihin ang kalamangan mula sa nasa ikatlong pwesto na DLSU na tangan naman ang 14 puntos. Tatlong puntos ang nakukuha ng mga nagwawagi sa bawat laban habang isang puntos naman para sa parehas na koponan kung tabla at walang puntos ang makukuha ng matatalo. Susunod na makakasagupa ng Maroons ang Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles sa ika-2 ng Pebrero, ala-una ng hapon sa Moro Lorenzo Field sa Ateneo.

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BALITA

PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN

5

MIYERKULES, PEBRERO 5, 2014

Mga labi ng pagwasak

Ang karasahan sa demolisyon ng Sitio San Roque Gloiza Plamenco HUMANTONG SA KARAHASAN ang isinagawang demolisyon sa Sitio San Roque sa Quezon City noong Enero 27, matapos balewalain ng lokal na pamahalaan ang pagtindig ng mga residenteng manatili sa kanilang mga tahanan. Naiwang sugatan ang 29 katao, kabilang ang isang sanggol, at binawian ng buhay ang isang 65-anyos na lalaki, nang umabot ang iringan sa pagitan ng demolition team at mga residente sa batuhan ng tear gas, bote at pill box. Sapilitan namang dinampot ng mga pulis ang may 11 sa mga residenteng pumalag sa demolisyon. Hindi naging sapat ang pagbabarikada ng mga residente upang pigilan ang 600 kataong demolition team, 700 na pulis at 100 miyembro ng Special Weapons and Tactics na tuluyang wasakin ang mga kabahayan, Sa loob lamang ng dalawang araw, napatag ang mga kabahayan sa San Roque, tahanan ng mahigit 500 pamilya sa nakaraang dalawang dekada. Pandarahas Biglaan ang isinagawang demolisyon sa Central Terminal, ayon sa mga residente. Wala man lamang umanong Notice of Demolition na inilabas ang lokal na pamahalaan. Nakumpirma lamang ng mga residente ang pagsasagawa ng demolisyon nang magsidatingan ang mga pulis sa mismong araw ng demolisyon. Naging hudyat din para sa mga residente ang pagdeklarang walang pasok sa mga kalapit na opisina at paaralan, na karaniwang ginagawa ng pamahalaang lokal sa tuwing tatangkain nitong magsagawa ng demolisyon sa lugar. . Alinsunod sa Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992, kinakailangang makapag-abot ang lokal na pamahalaan ng 30-day Notice of Demolition sa tuwing paaalisin sa kani-kanilang mga tirahan ang mga residenteng nakatira sa mga pampublikong lupain. Nang maghanap ang mga residente ng Notice of Demolition sa mga pulis, nalamang hanggang Setyembre 2013 lang ang bisa ng dokumentong dala ng demolition team, ayon sa Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay), isang pambansang alyansa ng mga maralitang tagalunsod. Hindi ito ang unang beses na tinangkang paalisin ang mga naninirahan sa Sitio San Roque. Noong taong 2010, 2011 at 2013, ilang ulit na binalak ng lokal na pamahalaan ang malawakang demolisyon sa buong sitio. Pagpapaupa Bahagi ng paghahanda ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Quezon City

ang sunod-sunod na demolisyon sa lungsod, upang isagawa ang proyektong QC Central Business District (CBD), isang malaking business complex sa lungsod. Taong 2004 nang aprubahan ng administrasyon ni Gloria Arroyo ang Executive Order No. 670 na naglalayong mapabilis ang pagsasaayos ng East at North Triangle, at Veterans Memorial Area sa Quezon City. Matapos ang limang taon, napagkasunduan ng Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) at National Housing Authority (NHA) na pagtulungan ang pagpapaunlad sa QC-CBD. Kabilang sa 250-ektaryang saklaw ng proyekto ang North Triangle kung saan matatagpuan ang Sitio San Roque. Balak itong pagtayuan ng mga call center, mamahaling mga tindahan, at mga kumpanyang mangunguna umano sa industriya ng Information Technology, ayon sa lokal na pamahalaan ng QC. Sa kasalukuyan, itinatayo na ng ALI ang Vertis North, na binubuo ng mga gusaling pang-komersyal at condominium, sa isang bahagi ng Sitio San Roque na nauna nang isinailalim sa demolisyon. Itinatayang kikita ang lokal na pamahalaan ng P11 bilyon mula sa pakikipagkasundo sa ALI para lamang sa pagpapatayo ng Vertis North, ayon sa NHA. Inaasahan ring magbibigay ang proyekto ng Vertis North ng halos 200,000 na kabuhayan. Gayunman, kasabay nito ang pagpapaalis sa mga residente ng Sitio San Roque na nakaasa ang kabuhayan sa lungsod. Kabilang sa mga naninirahan sa Sitio San Roque ang pamilya ni Aling Yoli, 50. Habang binabantayan niya ang lima niyang apo, nagtitinda ng sampaguita at nagbabantay sa mga parking area sa Timog Avenue ang kanyang anak at asawa nito. “Matagal nang mahirap ang aming pamumuhay. Ngayon nawalan pa kami ng tirahan,” sambit ni Aling Yoli. Dislokasyon Matagal nang inaalok ng NHA ang mga residente ng Sitio San Roque na lumipat sa mga itinakdang relocation site sa Montalban, Rizal at Bulacan. Maliban sa pabahay, makakatanggap ang bawat pamilya ng P5,000 at grocery items bilang kapalit ng kanilang paglipat. Marami sa mga residente ang tumanggi sa alok na relokasyon, tulad ni Aling Yoli. Samantala, marami naman sa tumanggap ng alok ang kalauna’y bumalik rin sa San Roque. Idinadaing nila ang banta ng pagbabaha sa relocation sites at ang kawalan ng hanapbuhay. “Hindi lamang ito usapin ng kanilang mga tirahan na matagal na nilang inookupa, kundi ng kanilang kabuhayan na mawawala kung sila ay palalayasin. Karapatan nila,

katulad ng lahat ng maralita, ang paninirahan at kabuhayan,” ayon sa isang pahayag ng Kilusang Mayo Uno, isang militanteng grupo ng mga manggagawa. Gayunman, matapos ang pinakahuling demolisyon, mapipilitan umanong tanggapin ng pamilya ni Aling Yoli ang alok na relokasyon. Binigyan ng lokal na

BANTAY SALAKAY Photo by Keithley Difuntorum

pamahalaan ang mga residente ng hanggang Pebrero 4 upang tuluyang lisanin ang Sitio San Roque, ayon sa Kadamay. Kabilang ang pamilya ni Aling Yoli sa mahigit 300 pamilyang pansamantala munang nagtayo ng barong-barong sa “center island” ng kahabaan ng Agham Road, hanggang makalipat sila.

“Nangako ang NHA at ang lokal na pamahalaan ng maayos na tirahan, trabaho at edukasyon para sa mga mag-aaral. Wala na kaming magagawa ngayon kundi manawagan sa kanila na tuparin ang mga pangakong ito”, ani Estrelita Bagasbas, vice chairperson ng Kadamay National. ∞

Nakipagtapatan si Estrelieta Bagasbas, national vice chair ng grupong Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap, sa hanay ng kapulisan habang nagsasagawa ng kilos-protesta ang mga residente ng Sitio San Roque sa Quezon City noong Enero 28. Tinangkang pigilan ng grupo ang isinasagawang demolisyon ng kanilang mga kabahayan.

AGRARIAN GROUPS SLAM KILLING IN HACIENDA DOLORES Julian Bato AGRARIAN GROUPS CONDEMNED the recent killing of a farmer in Porac, Pampanga following a land dispute in Hacienda Dolores. In a January 12 statement, the Aguman Dareng Maglalatuang Capampangan (AMC), Anakpawis Partylist- Central Luzon Chapter, Alyansa ng Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luzon (AMGL) decried the killing of farmer Aman Padino, 33, as yet another form of harassment in the disputed hacienda. According to AMGL, Padino was on his way to Sitio Balokbok to work on his farmland at about 4 AM on January 12, when unidentified men fired at the farmer. Padino was then in the company of Noel Tumali and his son Reynold. Hearing gunshots, barangay official Arthur Tolentino, farmer leader and chair for Aniban ng mga Magsasaka ng Hacienda Dolores (ANMHD), and other villagers ran

to the place of shooting, said AMGL. Upon arrival, armed man also fired at them before leaving, according to Kilusang Magsasaka ng Pilipinas (KMP). The villagers rushed the three farmers to Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga for treatment. Padino died the following day due to a gunshot wound in the head, according to KMP. Tolentino attempted to file charges of murder and frustrated murder against the security forces of land developers Leonardo-LachenalLeonio Land Holdings (LLL) and FL Property Management Corporation (FL), according to KMP. However, Tolentino and his son were illegally detained for malicious mischief and carnapping charges even before they could file the case, according to AMGL. “These corporations have no interest but to kill us, threaten us or imprison us so they can grab

our land,” said Mario Franco, chairperson of AMC. Even before the January 12 shooting, there had been an ongoing tension between the farmers of Hacienda Dolores and land developers LLL and FL stemming out from an agrarian dispute, according to AMGL. Farmers in Hacienda Dolores continuously receive harassments from the imposing presence of the corporation’s security forces in the farmlands, with 26 unresolved cases of destruction and divestment of properties and 12 cases of illegal detention of farmers that are yet to be resolved, said Joseph Canlas, chairperson of AMGL. The local farmers, according to KMP, have been growing sugarcane and rice crops at Hacienda Dolores since 1835. LLL and FL started to claim the lands in 2004 after the Continued on page 11

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Instead, Saloma has, in fact, toed WHENEVER HEAVY RAINS START to fall, everyone in UP Diliman knows the Pascual administration’s stand on the “new” Socialized Tuition who to call. Gracing internet memes about System, despite telling student school suspensions, Chancellor Caesar leaders that students must not bear Saloma is fondly remembered by most expensive tuition. “Aminado naman UPD students and employees as a siya na dapat labanan ang pagpapasa more approachable and charismatic ng burden [ng kawalang-badyet] sa chancellor than his predecessor estudyante,” says University Student Sergio Cao. Although he would firmly Council Councilor Erra Zabat. avoid suspending classes as much as possible, his popularity does not come Budget woes For the faculty and workers, from being the resident weatherman meanwhile, Saloma’s term in office but from his constant involvement in bordered to inaction. campus events and his consultative Since 2007, the All UP Academic style of work. Employees Union (AUPAEU) has However, as his term ends this demanded representation in the March 1, a review of the past three Diliman Academic Personnel and years shows gaps and fissures in Saloma’s stint as UPD’s chief executive – awkward silences in Stepping up at a time pressing issues beleaguering the national university and promises of when the 300 percent change that have yet to materialize.

Missed chances Assessing UPD Chancellor Caesar Saloma’s three years in power Ronn Joshua C. Bautista

Although the funds for the said project would be sourced from the Commission of Higher Education’s capital outlay, UP Vice President for Development Elvira Zamora revealed that it has been UP’s policy to not begin relocation if projects have not yet received any budget to start with.

Middle ground During his inauguration as the ninth UPD chancellor in 2011, Saloma revealed a lot of big plans for UPD, which mostly consisted of infrastructure projects. Some would materialize and are now part of the campus landscape, including several buildings in the National Science Complex. However, some would remain unfinished and construction halted until more funds pour in, such as the new School of Statistics building. Other projects, like the Olympic-sized swimming pool tuition hike was in full stadium, remained on paper. Like his predecessors, Saloma’s Mixed signals administration has also been Stepping up at a time when swing and students’ restricted by UP’s perennial lack the 300 percent tuition hike was rights hanged on a of budget. But what defined in full swing and students’ rights hanged on a precarious cliff, precarious cliff, Saloma Saloma’s chancellorship is the way he resolved this predicament: by Saloma would see through the would see through striking a middle ground. slow reversal of the harsh student For the past years, Saloma environment in UPD. the slow reversal of has openly called for greater Following the furious clash state subsidy along with the UP between students and the the harsh student community. Although he would administration on the revision environment in UPD postpone projects and continued of the Code of Student Conduct to hire non-UP contractuals to (CSC) – a set of rules governing student conduct and discipline Fellowships Committee (APFC) which make ends meet, Saloma also actively – during the waning months of oversees the hiring, tenure, and took part in the fight for greater Chancellor Cao’s administration, promotion of all academic personnel state subsidy, occasionally releasing Saloma immediately formed a in UPD. Yet Saloma’s administration statements when budget cuts loom for UP. Student Review Committee of the has yet to address this call. While expressing his sentiments “Many recent disputes regarding CSC upon assuming office. The new chancellor heeded the call for student tenure could have been avoided had against state abandonment and the representation in the drafting of the this provision been implemented,” commercialization of UP education, CSC, a move commended by many argues AUPAEU President Ramon Saloma at the same time allowed the use of UP’s land assets for income. Guillermo. student leaders. On part of UP workers, talks on When the construction of the UP Town Saloma insisted, however, on one highly contested provision in the extension of benefits enjoyed by Center began in 2012, the chancellor the CSC which barred freshmen permanent UP employees such as 13th neither agreed nor disagreed – he just from joining organizations. Even month pays to non-UP contractuals – let it happen. Now, the university’s with such disputed set up, the or workers who are hired on temporary own UP Integrated School has been UPD administration has passed three-month or six-month contracts essentially kicked out of their own lot the CSC, and now the document is – have practically stalled. All UP along Katipunan Avenue, where yet only awaiting UP President Alfredo Workers Union (AUPWU) President another AyalaMall stands today. “Dahil hindi siya outright Pascual’s endorsement to the Board Felix Pariñas recalls that Saloma has enthusiastically entertained their tumututol, pinapalaganap niya pa rin of Regents. Meanwhile, the chancellor from the proposal last year, yet the workers’ ang pagtingin na kailangan ng UP na College of Science has also been vocal union has not heard any update since. mag-raise ng sariling income,” Student Pariñas fears that the proposal Regent Krista Melgarejo notes. about relaxing UP’s codal provisions Indeed, Saloma has effectively on matriculation and enrolment. would not prosper due to UPD’s limited In the aftermath of the suicide of a budget. Worse, the administration treaded the line between the BOR’s UP Manila freshman due to unpaid might even resort to hiring more non- commands and the demands of his tuition last year, Saloma joined the call UP contractuals in the coming years to constituents. Yet in his effort to please everyone, Saloma has oftentimes to amend UP Code provisions barring save funds. Budget limitations have also engaged in doublespeak and thus unpaid students from enrolling and weakened the university’s stand in lobbied to have those students be stalled Saloma’s other plans. Last year, Saloma announced several pressing issues. able to attend class instead. Saloma Saloma’s three-year term will also pushed for interest-free loans for three new housing facilities for faculty and staff members in Village C and soon draw to a close. Should he students in need. Despite voicing sentiments on C.P. Garcia Avenue, yet construction commit himself to another three UP’s admission policies, however, has still not begun after negotiations years of service to the university, Saloma has ironically remained mum between UPD and the informal Saloma must realize that what on the revision of the Socialized communities on the site reached an UPD needs is a chancellor who not only executes plans into concrete Tuition and Financial Assistance impasse. “Tinanong namin sila kung anong action, but a chancellor who will be Program (STFAP), which student councils all over the UP System plano nila sa mga apektado ng housing. fearlessly decisive and unwavering in has called to scrap for being a Hanggang ngayon nakalutang pa rin his dedication to the principles of a “smokescreen to tuition increase” ‘yung [paglipat sa amin] kasi wala pa university for the people. ∞ and a mechanism to further hinder ring kongkretong plano,” says C.P. Photo : Keithley Difuntorum access to the university for less Garcia Neighborhood Association Page design : Jerome Tagaro President Rolando Racuya. fortunate students.

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Next in line

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MIYERKULES, PEBRERO 5, 2014

The nominees for the 10th UPD Chancellor

The winds of change are here. In a few weeks, the BOR will proclaim the next UPD Chancellor from six nominees from the UP community. Although selection is exclusively limited to President Pascual and the BOR, the thrust of the new Chancellor will certainly affect not only the university’s policies but also the lives of its constituents.

Dr. Caesar Saloma Saloma is a professor in the National Institute of Physics and the incumbent UPD Chancellor. While he was still dean of the College of Science, he oversaw the construction of the National Science Complex until his chancellorship. Should Saloma be reselected, he aims to continue his agenda from 2011 in order to “evaluate and enhance the various programs that are already in their various stages of implementation.” He aims to build a dedicated university based on competence, transparency and predictability.

Dr. Patrick Alain T. Azanza Azanza is the Vice President for Business Operations of the management firm Eclaro Group of Companies. A UP Los Baños (UPLB) Sociology graduate, Azanza received his masters and doctorate degrees in UPD. As a student, Azanza chaired both the UPLB University Student Council and KASAMA sa UP in 1987. Azanza aims to set up incentive-based programs for students and faculty and implement a “democratic” matriculation system for UPD. He rejects the current STFAP.

Dr. Sylvia Estrada-Claudio Claudio is the current director of the UP Center for Women’s Studies. She graduated cum laude in BS Psychology in 1977. Claudio co-founded Likhaan Women's Center Inc., an organization that provides health education and reproductive health services to urban poor women. She was Akbayan Party-list’s 4th nominee in the 2013 national elections. Claudio believes that students must be instilled with the core values of love for country and service to the people.

The nominees were asked the following questions: 1. How should we address the STFAP’s failure to solve the high cost of tuition in UP?

2. Should UP lease lands to private companies to augment state subsidy?

Pagkaka-intindi ko po, mayroong bagong assistance program ang BOR na tawag ay STS, so wala nang STFAP, STS na. Ang pagkakaiba ay ni-redefine ‘yung bracketing. Una ang konteksto nito ay mayroong polisiya ang BOR na walang estudyante na hindi makapag-aaral dahil hindi makapagbayad ng tuition kasi pwede namang i-allow natin na mag-attend ng klase kahit hindi pa enrolled. Ngunit ngayon po, ina-allow na natin ang 100 percent tuition fee loan, so given that new development I think dapat wala nang hindi makaka-enrol dahil sa tuition.

Ang lupa ng unibersidad ay isang mahalagang asset, so mayroon tayong UP Diliman Land Use Plan. Ito naman ay approved din ng BOR. With regards to income from our land assets, ito ay gagamitin para maaccomplish ng unibersidad ‘yung purpose niya bilang national university, ‘yung income natin ay karamihan gagamitin sa student services, dormitories, maintenance ng roads, equipment. Ang kritikal siguro ay kung mayroon ng income, alamin na natin kung magkano. Kung ipapagamit man sa third party, ay batay pa rin sa government rules and regulations.

Panahon na para palitan ng mas demokratikong sistema ng pagtanggap sa mga estudyante. After so many years, it's really not working. Gawin nating ehemplo ang PUP, na since 1979 ay P12 per unit lang, kailanman ay hindi nagtaas. Dahil dito, kahit mas malaki pa ang lupain natin at 493 hectares, mas marami ang estudyante nila. Mas naaabot nila ang masa. Dapat ay hindi natin tinitingnan kung saang economic factors, kundi kung qualified ang estudyante na pumasok.

Noon pa man ay isa na akong kritiko sa usaping ito. Hindi ganoon kaganda ang kontrata kung susumahin. Nadedehado ang mga estudyante. Dapat ay reserved ito for research and development. Kagaya ng National Chaeotung University sa Taiwan, na umusbong at tinawag na Silicon Valley of Asia. They have exposure to reality. So okay lang na paupahan, as long as for research and development, at ang sharing ng proceeds, hindi nadedehado ang UP.

Ang understanding ko ay may bagong reglamento. ‘Yung STS. And whether we like it or not, nakapasa na siya. Tignan muna ito kung may benefits ba o wala. Kung may magandang nangyari, then okay. Kung na-monitor at palpak, then pwede na lang ibasura na. Dapat rin naman nag-rarationalize tayo, we should be measuring who are most deserving in two ways: intelligence and willingness na maglingkod sa bayan. We can't be financing students who will in the end just work abroad at iiwan lang tayo. I see the STFAP as a "pwede na " measure. Pwede na in the sense na we're making do with the policy while we're doing more important long-term solutions.

Kung ang tanong ay tungkol sa commercialization ng UP, oo naman. Talagang binigyan tayo ng malaking lupa para magkaroon tayo ng financial independency. Ang dapat na tinatanong ay kung tama ba ang mga naging kontrata. These contracts should be maximized for our academic needs. Dapat ay tinatanong kung ang mga nag-locate ba sa lupa natin ay handang mag-first hiring o i-prioritize ang UP students. We can look at the contracts thoroughly, and bargain harder for the students.

Kailangan i-review ang STFAP, tignan ang brackets, implementation, ayusin ang consultation with the students who are our primary stakeholders. Ipagpapatuloy natin ang STFAP, pero ‘yung bracketing ay naka-bias sa mahihirap.

Sang-ayon naman ako, pero hindi ‘yung parang mga malls. Parang ‘yung gaya ng Stanford University, kung saan umusbong ang Silicon Valley. Magtayo ng technology parks para ma-engganyo ang mga pribadong kumpanya, para maka-earn ng income para sa unibersidad. Pero depende kung ano ang objective ng mga kumpanyang ito. Dapat ay may relevance sa pag-develop ng mga academic programs natin.

Unang-una, tayo naman dito sa UP ay iskolar ng bayan, we are already very highly subsidized. Ang tingin ko diyan, para makuha natin ang mga poor but deserving students dapat tignan kung paano sila mas ma-aattract. Hindi naman lahat mahirap sa UP. Ang sinasabi lang natin fair. Siguro ngayon, make it more efficient, makuha talaga natin ang mga more deserving na ma-take advantage ang STFAP, pero as a whole dapat talaga magkaroon ng socialized.

Dahil sa Republic Act 9500, binibigyan na tayo ng oportunidad para mag-generate ng sariling income dahil ang premise is later on in the future we will have a university who will not be dependent on the national government. Marami kasing resources ang unibersidad na idle na kung gagamitin for productive use magagamit natin to finance STFAP, to improve facilities at to be selfsufficient. So actually wala akong nakikitang something wrong. I would like to see the university as a corporate university, corporate in the sense that you’re running very efficiently, all the students are happy, they are given the best learning experience at ‘yung mga faculty, they are also happy because they can do what they love.

I agree na marami pang kailangang i-revise sa STFAP. But it's the best we can do right now. Ang demand ay i-rollback to P40 per unit ang tuition. But statistics tell us that 60 percent ng mga nakakapasok, nakapasa ngayon sa UP ay from private schools. If we rollback the tuition, we would be subsidizing the rich. What we have to do is increase democratic access. Start at the high school level. We have to identify with high schools and encourage tutoring in public high schools.

Sang-ayon, pero dapat sa terms natin. Sa totoo lang, nakakalungkot ‘yung bagong UP Town Center na puno ng mahal na mga kainan. Sana naman maging science parks ang lupa natin, Magtayo ng research-based na mga kumpanya. Put up development centers for science and technology.

Dr. Roger Posadas Posadas organized the College of Science in UPD and became its first dean in 1983. He graduated with a degree in physics in 1964 in UPD, and pursued a doctorate in the University of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Posadas is the current president of a foundation that undertakes consultancy, research and training projects in technology management and served as UPD Chancellor from 1993 to 1996. For his vision for UP, Posadas uses the acronym WISER (worldclass, innovative and incubator, solicitous and service-oriented, ethical, and research productive). He sees UP as a model and benchmark for academic programs and policies for other universities and colleges in the country.

Prof. Nestor Rañeses Rañeses hails from the College of Engineering in UPD and obtained a master’s degree in the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1981. Before his stint as the director of the UP Institute of Small Scale Industries, Rañeses served as a senior director for Quality Asia where he won various awards on quality management. In his eight-point agenda for UPD, Rañeses seeks to ensure the on-time graduation of students and implement a technologyenabled service delivery system with e-UP.

Dr. Michael Tan Aside from being the Dean of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, Tan is also an affiliate faculty member in two other colleges: the College of Science and the College of Medicine in UP Manila. Entitled “Pride of Place, Boldness of Spirit,” Tan’s vision paper aims to nurture and cultivate UP’s spaces to instill a sense of pride to the students. These spaces, Tan says, will foster collegiality, a sense of justice, fairness and ethics that will bring about a “shared culture of academic citizenship.”

*There were originally seven nominees for the chancellor position. Dr. Prospero de Vera of the National College of Public Administration and Governance was removed from the official roster after declining the nomination.