Philippine Collegian Issue 24

Opisyal na lingguhang pahayagan ng mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas - Diliman Tomo 90, Blg. 24 Pebrero 13, 2013

Ang pagbabagong-bihis ng UP Fair Kultura

Lupong tagapagpasya Punong Patnugot Kapatnugot

(on leave)

Patnugot sa Balita Patnugot sa Lathalain Patnugot sa Grapix

Mga Kawani

OPINYON Miyerkules 13 Pebrero 2012

(on leave) Pinansya Tagapamahala ng Sirkulasyon Sirkulasyon

Mga Katuwang na Kawani

Ang panganib na kinakaharap ng bansa ay panganib ding kinakaharap ng mga mag-aaral ng UP. Habang patuloy ang pagpapatupad sa Oplan Bayanihan, ang counter-insurgency program ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino III, lalong nanganganib ang kaligtasan ng sinumang pinaghihinalaang rebelde, kahit pa iyong mga nagnanais lamang magsulong ng panlipunang pagbabago. At bilang lunduyan ng kaisipang kritikal at mapagpalaya, isa ang UP sa naging tahanan ng mga estudyanteng may alam at pakialam sa mga isyung pampamantasan at pambansa.

Mahigit isang taon pagkatapos ng insidente ng pananaksak sa estudyante ng UP na si Lordei Hina, patuloy na nahaharap ang unibersidad sa isyu ng kawalan ng seguridad sa kampus at kung paano ito pinakamahusay na masosolusyunan.

Malinaw ang kawastuhan ng mga solusyong naging tampok sa security summit na idinaos noong nakaraang linggo: karagdagang tauhan para sa UP

Diliman Police at sapat na bilang ng makabagong mga kagamitang panseguridad.

Sa kasamaang palad, binibigo ang mga planong ito ng taunang krisis sa budget ng UP. Nitong nakaraang taon lamang, binawasan ng administrasyon ang bilang ng mga security guard na nagbabantay sa mga gusali ng pamantasan, mula 302 hanggang 234. Aabot sa P13 milyon ang tinatayang tinipid ng UP sa pasyang ito.

Wala ring natatanaw na makabuluhang pagbabago kung susuriin ang badyet ng UP ngayong taon. Sa mungkahing P18.4 bilyong badyet ng UP para sa taong 2013, P9.5 bilyon o halos 60 porsyento lamang ang inaprubahan ng gobyerno noong Oktubre ng nakaraang taon.

At upang punan ang mga pagkukulang, lumilikha ng siwang ang pamantasan sa posibleng panghihimasok ng mga ahente ng militar at kapulisan sa unibersidad—isang gawing mahigpit na ipinagbabawal ng mga memorandum of agreement na nilagdaan ng UP.

Dulot ng kawalan ng sapat na pasilidad upang pangasiwaan ang mabibigat na krimen, kinailangang pumasok ng mga tauhan ng Quezon City Police District sa UP para maimbestigahan ang pillbox na nahukay ng dalawang maintenance personnel malapit sa Palma Hall Annex. Noong nakaraang Disyembre din, kasabay ng taunang Lantern Parade, napabalitang nagsagawa ng land navigation exercises ang ilang mga miyembro ng militar sa mga komunidad ng UP malapit sa C. P. Garcia, ilang metro lamang ang layo mula sa College of Fine Arts, at ilan pang gusaling pang-akademiko ng UP. Ngunit liban sa panganib na kusang pahintulutan ng administrasyon ang presensya ng militar o anumang panlabas na puwersa upang “makatulong” sa pagpapaigting ng seguridad sa UP, marapat ding isipin na matagal nang target ng mga ahente ng militar, sa ilalim ng Oplan Bayanihan, ang mga karaniwang mag-aaral ng UP.

Higit anim na taon na ang nakararaan, dinukot ng mga hinihinalang miyembro ng militar ang dalawang estudyante ng UP na sina Karen Empeño at Sherlyn Cadapan, habang nagsasaliksik ang dalawa sa Hagonoy, Bulacan, ukol sa kalagayan ng mga magsasaka sa nasabing lalawigan. Hindi pa rin tiyak ang kalagayan o kinaroroonan ng dalawa hanggang sa ngayon, at hindi pa rin naaaresto ang mga suspek na sina dating Heneral Jovito Palparan at isa pang sundalo.

Sa ganitong banta sa kaligtasan ng mga iskolar ng bayan, dapat na kilalaning ang panganib na kinakaharap sa pamantasan ay panganib ding kinakaharap sa lipunan. Nangangailangang tumindig ang buong komunidad ng UP hindi lamang laban sa anumang maaaring panghihimasok ng militar o ibang yunit ng kapulisan, kundi laban din sa mas malawak na paglabag sa karapatang pantao ng mga ahente ng Oplan Bayanihan ni Aquino.

Visit us online at www.philippinecollegian.org

Pamuhatan Silid 401 Bulwagang Vinzons, Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Diliman, Lungsod Quezon Telefax 981-8500 lokal 4522 Email kule1213@gmail.com Website philippinecollegian.org Kasapi Solidaridad: UP Systemwide Alliance of Student Publications and Writers’ Organizations, College Editors Guild of the Philippines Ukol sa Pabalat Dibuho ni Marianne Rios at Janno Gonzales

Editor’s Note There is no other method to fight social injustice aside from a principled struggle which unites classes BOTH SIDES On “alternative“ student activism

Jayson D.P. Fajarda 28 February 2004

As the Philippine Collegian celebrates its 90th year, we revisit lines from prized editorials that defined the publication’s tradition of critical and fearless journalism.

SR slams proposed STFAP revisions Amidst proposed new reforms to the Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP), Student Regent ( SR ) Cleve Robert Arguelles maintained that a revised STFAP will only further turn the university away from its mandate to provide accessible quality education.

In a public consultation held at the College of Education Auditorium on February 5, the administration presented a 51-page proposal to revise the STFAP and the university’s other financial assistance programs.

Drafted by former Office of Scholarships and Student Services (OSSS) officer-in-charge Richard Gonzalo, the proposal primarily aims to revise the current bracketing criteria, provide more benefits to students, and streamline the application process.

“Reforming or revising STFAP [however] does not answer our main problem in UP and in other state universities and colleges (SUCS): the limited access to higher education because of low state funding pushing SUCs to raise its cost,” Arguelles said during the forum.

By subsidizing the UP education of less privileged students through revenue collected from more financially capable students, the STFAP reinforces the government’s policy of state abandonment of higher education, Arguelles explained.

“We are gradually reducing the subsidy to SUCs to push them toward becoming self-sufficient and financially independent,” President Benigno Aquino III said in his fist budget message in 2011.

First implemented in 1989 when UP tuition was hiked from P40 to a base tuition of P300 per unit, the

STFAP initially categorized students into nine numerical socio-economic brackets to determine how much a UP student has to pay for tuition and other fees.

Since then, the STFAP has been revised twice. In 2007, when UP tuition was hiked up to P1,500 per unit, the nine numerical brackets were collapsed into five alphabetical brackets. The administration further revised the STFAP in 2009 to classify students with free tuition into

those with stipend grants and those who don’t.

New bracketing criteria Under the proposed new STFAP, the administration seeks to implement a new bracketing scheme based on the new Philippine Socio-economic Classification endorsed by the Marketing and Opinion Research Society of the Philippines.

Instead of grouping STFAP applicants based on annual family income, the said criteria will categorize

UP students into nine clusters based on household spending. These nine clusters will then be collapsed into the five groups of the current alphabetical bracketing system.

While the proposed reform aims to more accurately group students based on their capacity to pay tuition, a new bracketing scheme will only continue to pit applicants against each other in the hopes of getting tuition discounts and benefits, said student council alliance Multiple Choice.

A student examines the campaign paraphernalia of each major political party in UP Diliman (UPD) posted on a bulletin board in Palma Hall.

Campaign season started on February 12 for the 2013 UPD University Student Council elections, which will be held on February 28.

Katipunan ng Sangguniang Magaaral sa UP (KASAMA sa UP) Chair Eduardo Gabral.

“Instead of democratizing access to UP, all STFAP did was replicate the unequal societal relations outside our university,” Arguelles said.

“Ang karapatang mag-aral ay hindi naman nag-iiba kasabay ng pagbabago ng katayuan sa lipunan ng pamilyang kinabibilangan ng isang kabataan sa ating lipunan,” Gabral added.

Additional benefits

STFAP Brackets

A

B

C

D

E

Socialized tuition

Diliman, Manila, Los Baños

P1,500/unit

P1,000/unit

P600/unit

300/unit

FREE

Pampanga, Baguio, Visayas, Cebu, Mindanao

P1,000/unit

P600/unit

P400/unit

200/unit

FREE

The STFAP reform proposal recognizes that STFAP benefits need to be modified to address the actual needs of UP students, Gonzalo said during the public consultation.

Under the proposed new STFAP, the same socialized tuition is retained for all five brackets but with a new stipend and allowance structure for Brackets C, D, and E (see side bar).

Any additional subsidy or stipend under the STFAP, however, is unreliable in the long term, since the funds used for these new benefits will be sourced through the collection of tuition fees, said Gabral.

“Whenever the premier state university subsidizes the education of its scholars, it must not be through funds collected from the very pockets of its students. This institution and the government should invest on students and not the other way around,” Gabral said.

Laboratory and miscellaneous fee

At cost

At cost

At cost

At cost

FREE

Easier application process

Monthly stipend

None

None

None

P2,000

P4,000

UP Dorm resident (1)

None

None

Waiver of lodging fees

Non UP Dorm resident (2)

None

None

P2,500

P2,500

P2,500

Semestral book allowance

None

None

None

P4,000

P4,000

Semestral GWA based allowance

None

None

None

None

P1,250

Revised Tuition and Benefit Structure under the Proposed STFAP Reforms

Living Allowance

Academic Allowance

Monthly lodging allowance

In strengthening campus security

“This year’s proposal to revise STFAP answers most, if not all, the procedural issues [of] STFAP… It seeks to solve the long lines and application form, the slow appeal system, the mismatch in brackets, and many other procedural problems,” Arguelles said.

Continued on Page 4

UP sectoral leaders warn against military intervention Jelor Gallego While welcoming reforms detailed by UP Diliman (UPD) Chief Security Officer Edgardo Dagdag’s five-year strategic plan, sectoral leaders of the UP community said campus security efforts must not include intervention from the military and external police units.

“If [outside security forces are allowed] to enter the campus as a solution to the security problem, this would be dangerous as [many UP] students are activists,” said student council alliance Katipunan ng Sangguniang Mag-aaral sa UP National Chair Eduardo Gabral.

In a security summit held on February 5 at the School of Economics, Dagdag said many reforms are needed, such as hiring more security personnel and investment

on security equipment and infrastructure.

The UPD Police (UPDP) currently employs 39 personnel in securing more than 25,000 students and faculty in the 497-hectare campus.

With a total of 23,585 students and 1,539 faculty members, about 11 or 12 UPDP personnel are deployed every eight-hour shift, Dagdag reported.

In addition, 52 members of the Special Services Brigade (SSB) assist the UPDP in managing traffic and patrolling around the campus.

The number of security guards meanwhile went down, from 302 in 2011 to only 234 last year, a measure which was meant to save UP about P13 million.

Dagdag then said the university

needs to hire new UPDP personnel, including a replacement for retiring UPDP Chief Major Bernie Baltazar. Modernizing security equipment and a child and women desk in UPDP is also being planned.

According to Dagdag’s report, crimes on campus are mostly petty crimes, with 672 incidences of theft, or 56 percent of the total number of incidences logged by the UPDP. Other top crime incidences include robbery, holdup, and fraternity-related incidents.

Despite security reforms needed by UP, Dagdag however maintained that “there are no serious threats in the state of security of the campus,” saying the attack on Political Science student Lordei Hina in February 2012 was an iso-

lated case.

“Our biggest problem is actually illegal structures [built by informal settlers],” the CSO said.

Any security reform must be concerned with ensuring the safety of students and faculty rather than merely UP property, said All UP Worker’s Union Felix Pariñas.

“Beyond petty crimes, a [more serious] threat to our security would be the entry of subversive elements such as the military. [Their presence] represents a threat to [our] principles of academic freedom,” the union leader added.

“Dagdag and his security team should realize that the most dangerous source of insecurity on campus is the police and military and that increased military activ-

ity in any form must be out of the question,” said Student Regent Cleve Arguelles.

During the annual Lantern Parade last year, there were news of the military conducting Land Navigation exercises in communities near C. P. Garcia Avenue, said Gabral. “This is dangerous since this could set a precedent of [military intervention].”

In 2012, UP received a P69million budget for security, a P13million slash from the previous P82 million in 2011. “Just like any other needs of students and staff, safety should be prioritized and the failure of the government and UP administration to provide the appropriate budget forces us to compromise on safety,” said Arguelles.

BALITA Miyerkules 13 Pebrero 2013

USC elections campaigns kick off

USEB denies request of councilor bet to “re-file” candidacy

BALITA Miyerkules 13 Pebrero 2013

The official campaign period of the university-level UP Diliman (UPD) University Student Council (USC) elections officially started on February 12 with one less candidate running in the councilor race.

Major party Alyansa ng mga Mag-aaral para sa Panlipunang Katwiran at Kaunlaran (ALYANSA) is now down to 10 councilor bets, after the University Student Electoral Board (USEB) disapproved ALYANSA councilor candidate Edmund Tecson’s request to re-file his candidacy on February 11.

Tecson initially withdrew his candidacy on February 6 but eventually decided on the same day to request permission from the USEB to re-file his certificate of candidacy.

In a text message to the Collegian on February 7, ALYANSA Chair Ace Ligsay said Tecson withdrew his candidacy due to a “personal problem” he eventually resolved. Ligsay refused to disclose further details.

In a phone interview on February 11, however, Ligsay confirmed that ALYANSA has been notified of USEB’s decision but has not released any official

statement as of press time.

Tecson’s name has been omitted from the final list of approved candidates released by the USEB on February 8. All other candidates were approved, including Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (STAND UP) candidate for councilor Hilary Chelsea Chan, who was tagged as “pending” in the initial list of candidates released on February 5. The USEB approved Chan’s candidacy after she completed all her requirements on the same day.

Meanwhile, parties KAISA – Nagkakaisang Iskolar para sa Pamantasan at Sambayanan (KAISA) and Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (STAND UP) both retain full 12-member councilor slates.

The campaign period will run until February 27, the same day the Miting de Avance will be held.

POWER HIT. Maroons Softbelles first base Sofia Silvestre bats a triple on the third inning of their match against the UST Lady Tigresses on February 9 at Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium. The Lady Maroons won, 4-1, solidifying their bid for the semis at a 7-5 standing.

Erratum In the features article Teaching Love published in the Issue #23 (pg. 7) of the Philippine Collegian on February 8, 2013, the sidebar entitled Roll Call didn’t include a legend. For each human figure represents 100 UP faculty, the shades meanwhile, represent their age range, in which the darker the shade, the faculty are older. We apologize for the oversight. -Eds

NU Bulldogs nip Fighting Maroons in tight match, 3-0 Jelor Gallego

SPORTSCENE The UP Fighting Maroons delivered a tough fight against league-leader National University (NU) Bulldogs in a three-set squeaker, 27-25, 25-18, 25-22, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 75 Men’s Volleyball at The Arena in San Juan on February 2.

An early rally between both teams led to a 6-6 tie, one of the many deadlocks that graced the first set. Maroon skipper Lucindo Dominico and hitter

Frederick Abuda launched a series of kills that shifted the race to an 8-11 advantage for UP, but an array of unforced errors from the Maroons cushioned the Bulldogs’ aggressive attacks, bridging the early gap to another draw at 20-20.

State U’s setter Carlo Joshua Cabatingan aided Dominico towards a three-point advantage for UP, 20-23, but the Bulldogs clawed in with hostile spikes forcing a 24-24 tie. A block by Bulldog Reuben Inaudito was countered by a kill from Maroons Evan Cruz, retaining the tie at 25-25, but the next two consecutive attacks sealed the first set for NU, 27-25.

The Bulldogs maintained momentum in the second set, securing an early five-point bubble, 11-6. Maroon attackers rallied kills and strong hits which translated into reception

errors for the NU squad, narrowing the gap to16-3. UP’s service errors and bad blocks, however, gave the second set away to the Bulldogs, 25-18.

The third set witnessed UP’s determination in their swift spikes, most of which were killed by the Bulldog’s impenetrable blockers. An early fivepoint lead for NU at 11-6 was carried on until the 20-15 mark, pushing the Bulldogs to up their game with a barrage of quick hits that brought them to match point, 24-19.

The Maroons, however, showed no sign of backing down, as Abuda and Cruz bagged three more points, inching in to a closer 24-22 margin.

It was Bulldog attacker Edwin Tolentino who finally finished the match with a line ball, 25-22.

“The game was a good show of [the Maroons] skills, but it

just shows that NU is much more superior [in terms of skill],” said Maroons Coach Jerrico Hubalde.

“We’ll have to work on our fundamentals, back to basics as you can see,” he added.

The UP Fighting Maroons is currently seventh in the league with a 2-9 card and has only two games to go against current second placer Far Eastern University and current last place University of the East at 8 AM, on November 13 and 17, respectively.

SR slams proposed STFAP revisions Continued from Page 3 The urgency of such reforms only indicate the fact that many UP students could no longer afford to pay tuition and that the increasing number of applicants every year have posed procedural problems for the OSSS, Gabral said. “[W]e spend too much energy and resources just to hunt those who can pay, as if they are criminals because they don’t want to pay higher tuition to support those who cannot afford… In the long run, the real solution for UP is to [rollback] its tuition cost and dismantle its STFAP policy in the context of demanding greater state subsidy from the government,” Arguelles said.

Schedule of consultations on the proposed STFAP reforms UP Manila February 12 UP Visayas – Tacloban February 18 UP Cebu February 20 UP Baguio February 21 UP Mindanao February 21 UP Visayas – Iloilo February 22 UP Los Baños February 25 UP Diliman February 27 UP Visayas – Miag-ao February 27

Militant groups continue fight vs Cybercrime Law Progressive groups vowed to continue the campaign against Republic Act (RA) 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act, even as the Supreme Court (SC) unanimously decided on February 5 to indefinitely extend the temporary restraining order (TRO) against the controversial law.

After hearing the oral arguments by opposing camps, the high tribunal is now set to decide on whether to repeal or sustain the law touted by opponents as “e-Martial Law.” Signed into law by President Benigno Aquino III in September 2012, several groups assailed the law due to several provisions which can infringe upon basic civil rights, including freedom of speech, the right to privacy, and the right to due process.

A total of 15 petitions were filed against RA 10175 in the last week of September 2012, prompting the SC to take action on the issue and release an initial 120-day TRO on October 9.

“We are happy that the court has extended the TRO, but it would have been better if the [SC] had invalidated the law,” said Bayan Muna Partylist Representative Neri Colmenares, one of the primary signatories of one of the 15 SC petitions pending against RA 10175.

Labor partylist Anakpawis also hailed the TRO extension, crediting the strong lobbying efforts and mass actions against the law as reasons for the high tribunal’s favorable ruling. “The next step for the [SC] now is to declare RA 10175 as unconstitutional,” said Anakpawis Vice President Joel Maglungsod.

Online and offline campaigns will continue unless the high court repeals the Cybercrime Law once and for all, said College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) National President Pauline Gidget Estella.

Towards the end of the month, CEGP and other youth groups will launch a school caravan which features forums and roundtable discussions on the Cybercrime Law, the former Collegian editor-in-chief said.

Meanwhile, Kabataan Partylist also noted that even Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza said Section 19 of RA 10175 is unconstitutional because it authorizes the Department of Justice to restrict or block information posted online.

“[It] is an impermissible final restraint on the freedoms of speech and expression,” the government’s principal lawyer said in his comments during the hearing of oral arguments against the Cybercrime Law on January 29.

“The fight does not stop here. We must remain vigilant against all attempts to suppress BALITA freedom of speech, the right to privacy, and all rights protected Miyerkules and upheld in the Constitution,” 13 Pebrero Maglungsod said.

2013

Congratulations to Kule’s new Features writer, Klidel Fae Rellin, and layout artist, Jan Andrei Cobey.

Be one of them! Join the Philippine Collegian.

Finishing touches. Construction workers lay down the final structural refinements of the new UP Integrated School (UPIS) building where the Narra Residence Hall dormitory used to be. The old building, located along Katipunan Avenue, is being taken down to give way to the UP Town Center. According to the UPIS administration, their students will be using the new building come June next school year.

Go to Room 401 Vinzons Hall with a bluebook and portfolio (for Grapix).

Health groups oppose Ortho Center privatization Several health groups and anti-privatization organizations are set to launch protest actions to oppose the impending privatization of the 68-year old Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC), the Aquino administration’s first public-private partnership project (PPP) in the health sector.

Under the said scheme rolled out in November last year, the government plans to enter into a build-operate-transfer agreement with a private corporation which will build a new POC building and manage the hospital’s clinical services throughout a 25-year lease period.

In a pre-bid conference on January 25, nine private corporations have already expressed interest, including business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan’s Metro Pacific Investments and international health care firms Siemens Inc. and GE Health Care General Electric Phil. Inc. On February 14, various health groups will stage a “Black Hearts Day” multi-sectoral rally to protest against the privatization of health

units under the Aquino’s PPP program. Demonstrators will march from the National Kidney and Transplant Institute to the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) in Quezon City, where President Benigno Aquino III will be guesting in the PHC’s 38th founding anniversary program.

Meanwhile, the Health Alliance for Democracy (HAD) is drafting its “2013 Plan of Action against Privatization,” a calendar of actions the group will take against the privatization of government health units, said HAD Deputy Secretary General Gene Nisperos.

“The privatization of the POC will be a severe hindrance to its mandate to give medical assistance to the Filipino people,” said National Orthopedic Health Workers Union (NOHWU) President Sean Velchez.

According to a memorandum released by the PPP Center, the government agency which manages project partnerships with the private sector, the government cannot support the fully support modernization of the

POC due to budget constraints.

The lack of funding for hospitals like POC, however, does not stem from “budget constraints” but from “budget mispriority,” said Alliance of Health Workers National President and incumbent UP Staff Regent Jossel Ebesate.

“If the Government truly had budget problems, where did all of the supposed economic growth go? Nagpautang pa nga tayo.

The government even reported a surplus. This means that it’s not a matter of budget, but a matter of priorities,” Ebesete explained.

“Healthcare is an essential state service. Public interest siya na dapat pinaglalaanan ng pondo [ng gobyerno],” said HAD Deputy Secretary General Gene Nisperos.

If funded and managed by a private firm, however, the POC will be free to hike the cost of its services until poor patients can no longer afford to get treatment from the hospital, said Nisperos.

“Tignan mo na lang yung Kidney Institute [na naging Government Owned and Controlled Corporation.] Sobrang ganda na

[ng] facilities, kada galaw mo naman ay kailangang bayaran,” he added.

Even benefits under the state health insurance PhilHealth will not be enough to offset the expected hikes in POC’s service costs, Velchez said. While the most common cases of bone damage normally take months to completely heal, PhilHealth currently has a limited coverage of only up to 45 days, the union leader explained.

Patient and employee welfare may also be compromised under the privatization scheme, as the motive to maximize profit would mean spending less on patient care and employee benefits, said Ebesete.

The privatization of the POC is another case of the government’s continuing policy to model the country’s health care system after the United States, Ebesate added. “[The] US, which has privatized its health sector, has one of the least effective health care systems in the West.

Yet we continue to follow them.

Sumusunod tayo sa bulok na sistema,” he explained.

Klidel Rellin That night was a very memorable one.

You remember it do you? You were the one who made it special.

When I recalled how much I hated that day—I received a not-soappreciable grade in Math, I forgot my umbrella, and it was raining.

It was the perfect bad luck all in one day.

With the thought that the rain would stop in a while, I went to the library and started reading for my book report. The book was so good that I forgot the time. When I did notice it, it was half past nine.

And it was still raining.

I exited the library and just stood at the entrance thinking of what I should do. Would I walk in the rain? Would I wait for it to stop? Trust me that was probably the longest three minutes of my life. But I did what I didn’t think I’ll do. It took the courage to risk my health in doing it. My eyes stung as I sobbed all my pains and stresses out. I cried in public and never bothered to wipe my tears away. No one will notice.

No one will care.

Then, you came.

It was just like the movies that always had rainy scenes. I hated those parts, but I felt like I was in one right now. You shared your umbrella with me and you smiled as you did it. You handed me your jacket—it did not matter to you if it gets wet. I took it, happy that someone wanted to help me. But what made me happier was when you said “don’t cry.” You, of all people, noticed my tears.

When the curtains closed that day, I slept with a smile on my face, replaying the same scene over and over again. Deep inside, I secretly wish that God will let it rain again.

Rain

Habang papalapit ang paglayo, pinupunan natin ang mga puwang at siwang at lahat ng pagkukulang.

Nanalig tayo sa mga salita at sa wari’y nagwiwikang mga titig at pahiwatig.

Pinupuno natin ang espasyo sa pagitan ng ating mga daliri-guhit sa guhit, higpit sa higpit.

Palad nati’y tila dalawang mapa na naglalapat, tulad ng tanaw na bagong mundong para sa lahat.

“Words are never ‘only words’; they matter because they define the contours of what we can do.”

- Slavoj Zizek

Jared Co

Liham II

Bien Venido I’m turning her into myth. There are only a few details about her: a pale hand resting on a table, a fondness for the theatre, and, about half a year ago, the profile of her face framed by smooth dark hair.

Carefully, I reconstruct these barest of facts into fictions: her neat but cramped handwriting, the limits of her faith in romance, her cold fearful smile.

I recognise and indulge a need to create her flesh and bones out of the momentary glimpses I hoard like a madman. Yet my terrible fear of her power is what truly forms my idea of her soul. My fear lends her a web of manufactured histories, my artful inventions improvise a makeshift identity for her, until she becomes a semblance of reality.

Today, I finally met her at a coffee shop. She was wearing a dress that followed the round contours of her body. A modest diamond sparkled momentarily as she held her teacup to her lips. She looked at me once but not for more than a few seconds. She transferred notes from her mobile phone to her planner. She never smiled.

Then at once I realised why I wanted desperately for her to assume an alternative reality. I wanted her to be myth, because I was, in many ways, also merely fiction. The only difference was that I was made of words, rather than memories.

And the only way for us to live in the same plane of existence, to be equals, was if we both become dreams and symbols.

When she gathered her things, and her shadow fell on my table as she passed me by on her way out, at that precise instant, I knew that I have succeeded.

In small, dangerous ways

“Sapagkat iniibig kita.”

“Bakit?”

Hayaan, hayaan mong madarang at matupok ang aking kalamigan ang aking pag-iisa.

Halika, hawakan mo ako at siyang magpapaaalala at magpapaalala sa iyo ng sasabihin sa tanong na dapat natin sagutin:

Nang yakapin mo ako hindi ako nag-atubili o nagsadalawang isip na sumalubong, nang lumapat ang iyong dibdib sa akin, para akong dinarang ng liyab ng apoy.

Natutupok, paminsan-minsan sa kisap ng iyong pagpintig.

Nang ipinatong mo ang iyong kamay sa kabila kong balikat, naramdaman ko ang bigat na siyang nagbubuhat sa kalbaryo ng iyong buhay.

Idinantay mo ang iyong ulo sa aking balikat nung nais mong magpahinga, nasamyo ko ang isanlibo at isang palaisipan sa iyo nang mga sandaling iyon.

Patrick Alzona

Miyerkules 13 Pebrero 2012

KULTURA

pa g- ibig Ang Nagaganap

Mg a a k d a n g

Sa ngayon, kung kailan nakapinid ang mga daan at paraan tungo sa iyo, ang mga pasilyo’t siwang na dati’y daluyan ng mga hiwatig, tulad mo, tulad natin, mahal, saan ang daan tungo sa nakaraan?

Ano ang kahulugan ng malalamyang kumpas ng bulak sa malaon nang ikinandadong pintuan?

Tanda ko ang mabilis-mabagal na pag-ulan ng bulak sa Abril kasabay ng iyong tagubilin: “Ang susi ay nasa ilalim lamang ng marungis na paso sa ikatlong baitang.” Sa nais tuntunin ng mga ligaw na bulak sa hangin, animo’y walang bigat ang katawan, walang grabidad ang nahamugang lupain.

Ano ang kakatwang kahulugan ng paglipad ng bulak kung hindi ang kawalan nito ng pakpak? Kung hindi ang sandaling kalayaan mula sa napipintong paglapag.

Glenn L. Diaz

Ang Ibig Sabihin ng Lungkot

Klidel Rellin That night was a very memorable one.

You remember it do you? You were the one who made it special.

When I recalled how much I hated that day—I received a not-soappreciable grade in Math, I forgot my umbrella, and it was raining.

It was the perfect bad luck all in one day.

With the thought that the rain would stop in a while, I went to the library and started reading for my book report. The book was so good that I forgot the time. When I did notice it, it was half past nine.

And it was still raining.

I exited the library and just stood at the entrance thinking of what I should do. Would I walk in the rain? Would I wait for it to stop? Trust me that was probably the longest three minutes of my life. But I did what I didn’t think I’ll do. It took the courage to risk my health in doing it. My eyes stung as I sobbed all my pains and stresses out. I cried in public and never bothered to wipe my tears away. No one will notice.

No one will care.

Then, you came.

It was just like the movies that always had rainy scenes. I hated those parts, but I felt like I was in one right now. You shared your umbrella with me and you smiled as you did it. You handed me your jacket—it did not matter to you if it gets wet. I took it, happy that someone wanted to help me. But what made me happier was when you said “don’t cry.” You, of all people, noticed my tears.

When the curtains closed that day, I slept with a smile on my face, replaying the same scene over and over again. Deep inside, I secretly wish that God will let it rain again.

Rain

Habang papalapit ang paglayo, pinupunan natin ang mga puwang at siwang at lahat ng pagkukulang.

Nanalig tayo sa mga salita at sa wari’y nagwiwikang mga titig at pahiwatig.

Pinupuno natin ang espasyo sa pagitan ng ating mga daliri-guhit sa guhit, higpit sa higpit.

Palad nati’y tila dalawang mapa na naglalapat, tulad ng tanaw na bagong mundong para sa lahat.

“Words are never ‘only words’; they matter because they define the contours of what we can do.”

- Slavoj Zizek

Jared Co

Liham II

Bien Venido I’m turning her into myth. There are only a few details about her: a pale hand resting on a table, a fondness for the theatre, and, about half a year ago, the profile of her face framed by smooth dark hair.

Carefully, I reconstruct these barest of facts into fictions: her neat but cramped handwriting, the limits of her faith in romance, her cold fearful smile.

I recognise and indulge a need to create her flesh and bones out of the momentary glimpses I hoard like a madman. Yet my terrible fear of her power is what truly forms my idea of her soul. My fear lends her a web of manufactured histories, my artful inventions improvise a makeshift identity for her, until she becomes a semblance of reality.

Today, I finally met her at a coffee shop. She was wearing a dress that followed the round contours of her body. A modest diamond sparkled momentarily as she held her teacup to her lips. She looked at me once but not for more than a few seconds. She transferred notes from her mobile phone to her planner. She never smiled.

Then at once I realised why I wanted desperately for her to assume an alternative reality. I wanted her to be myth, because I was, in many ways, also merely fiction. The only difference was that I was made of words, rather than memories.

And the only way for us to live in the same plane of existence, to be equals, was if we both become dreams and symbols.

When she gathered her things, and her shadow fell on my table as she passed me by on her way out, at that precise instant, I knew that I have succeeded.

In small, dangerous ways

“Sapagkat iniibig kita.”

“Bakit?”

Hayaan, hayaan mong madarang at matupok ang aking kalamigan ang aking pag-iisa.

Halika, hawakan mo ako at siyang magpapaaalala at magpapaalala sa iyo ng sasabihin sa tanong na dapat natin sagutin:

Nang yakapin mo ako hindi ako nag-atubili o nagsadalawang isip na sumalubong, nang lumapat ang iyong dibdib sa akin, para akong dinarang ng liyab ng apoy.

Natutupok, paminsan-minsan sa kisap ng iyong pagpintig.

Nang ipinatong mo ang iyong kamay sa kabila kong balikat, naramdaman ko ang bigat na siyang nagbubuhat sa kalbaryo ng iyong buhay.

Idinantay mo ang iyong ulo sa aking balikat nung nais mong magpahinga, nasamyo ko ang isanlibo at isang palaisipan sa iyo nang mga sandaling iyon.

Patrick Alzona

Miyerkules 13 Pebrero 2012

KULTURA

pa g- ibig Ang Nagaganap

Mg a a k d a n g

Sa ngayon, kung kailan nakapinid ang mga daan at paraan tungo sa iyo, ang mga pasilyo’t siwang na dati’y daluyan ng mga hiwatig, tulad mo, tulad natin, mahal, saan ang daan tungo sa nakaraan?

Ano ang kahulugan ng malalamyang kumpas ng bulak sa malaon nang ikinandadong pintuan?

Tanda ko ang mabilis-mabagal na pag-ulan ng bulak sa Abril kasabay ng iyong tagubilin: “Ang susi ay nasa ilalim lamang ng marungis na paso sa ikatlong baitang.” Sa nais tuntunin ng mga ligaw na bulak sa hangin, animo’y walang bigat ang katawan, walang grabidad ang nahamugang lupain.

Ano ang kakatwang kahulugan ng paglipad ng bulak kung hindi ang kawalan nito ng pakpak? Kung hindi ang sandaling kalayaan mula sa napipintong paglapag.

Glenn L. Diaz

Ang Ibig Sabihin ng Lungkot

LATHALAIN Miyerkules 13 Pebrero 2013

N(in)akaw

na yam CO CO an LE V

TALA NG PAGB AW I SA

Y

FU

ND S

BANAYAD NA UMINDAYOG ANG mahahabang dahon ng mga punong niyog sa pag-ihip ng sariwang hangin sa Victoria, Laguna.

Sa tila ipinintang tanawing napaliligiran ng malawak na palayan, nakausap ko si Tatay Nestor Villanueva, 55, isang magniniyog at regional coordinator ng grupong Coco Levy Funds Ibalik Sa Amin (CLAIM) - Southern Tagalog.

Sa kalmado niyang boses at mahinahong pananalita, hindi agad aakalaing kasama si Tatay Nestor sa mahigit 200 magniniyog mula sa Bicol, Cagayan Valley, Quezon at Aurora, na lumusob sa tanggapan ng National Anti-Poverty Commission noong Enero 31. Nauwi sa karahasan ang payapang kilos-protesta, kaya’t may nasaktan sa parehong panig ng mga pulis at magsasaka.

Batay sa mga ulat ng media ukol sa insidente, tila nagiging madali na isisi lamang ang karahasan sa mga magsasaka, at isantabi ang pangunahing isyung nagtulak sa kanila doon mula sa kani-kanilang lugar—ang panawagang maibahagi sa kanila ang coco levy fund (sumangguni sa sidebar) o mga pondong nakolekta mula sa espesyal na buwis na ipinataw ng gobyernong Marcos sa maliliit na magniniyog.

Higit sa apat na dekada na ang nakararaan mula nang umusbong ang isyu hinggil sa coco levy, subalit nagpapatuloy hanggang sa kasalukuyan ang makatarungang laban ng mga magniniyog para sa pondong sapilitang kinuha mula sa kanila.

Binhi ng panlilinlang Nagmula sa pamilya ng mga magsasaka sa Kalayaan, Laguna si Tatay Nestor. Kabilang siya at ang kanyang pamilya sa tinatayang 3.5 milyong magniniyog sa buong bansa, ayon sa ahensiyang Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).

Hunyo 1971 nang unang maningil ang pamahalaan ng coco levy mula sa mga magniniyog sa pamamagitan ng Republic Act 6260 o Coconut Investment Act, na nagtakdang magkaltas ng P0.55 kada 100 kilo sa maibebentang kopra o anumang produkto ng niyog sa loob ng 10 taon. Layunin umano nitong paunlarin ang industriya ng pagniniyog, at maging ang pamumuhay ng mga magniniyog.

Napupunta ang bawat kaltas sa CoconutInvestmentFund(Cocofund), Philippine Coconut Producers Federation, Inc. (COCOFED), at Philippine Coconut Administration na kinalauna’y naging PCA. Kwento ni Tatay Nestor, hindi kaagad nila napansin ng mga kapwa magniniyog ang mga naunang pagkaltas. Inakala rin nilang iyon lamang mga magniniyog na nabibigyan ng resibo o coupon galing sa COCOFED ang nasisingil ng coco levy. Lingid sa kanilang kaalaman,

nasisingil din sila ng espesyal na buwis ng mga establisyimentong bumibili ng kanilang kopra o iba pang produkto, sa pamamagitan ng iba’t ibang paraan ng pagsasamantala tulad ng mababang pagpepresyo o pagbabawas ng timbang.

Matapos ang dalawang taon, muling nagpataw ng panibagong buwis ang pamahalaan sa maliliit na magniniyog sa bisa ng Presidential Decree 272 na bumuo ng Coconut Consumers Stabilization Fund (CCSF).

Simula Agosto 1973, sapilitan itong nagpataw ng P15 singil kada 100 kilo ng tuyong kopra o katumbas na produktong niyog, sa bawat unang pagbebenta.

Tumaas pa kinalaunan ang singil tungong P100 kada 100 kilo ng kopra, na tumagal ng siyam na taon hanggang Agosto 1982, ayon sa pambansang alyansang Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP).

Nagsimulang umangal ang mga magniniyog noong kapansin-pansin nang malaki ang nawawala sa kanilang kabuhayan, ani Tatay Nestor.

Sa ilang taong siningil ng coco levy ang mga magniniyog, ni minsa’y hindi raw nila naramdamang umunlad ang kanilang kabuhayan, at sa halip ay lalo pa itong lumala.

Bagamat kilala ang Pilipinas dahil sa mga produkto nitong niyog, kumikita lamang ang karaniwang magniniyog ng P30,000 kada taon, ayon sa ulat ng organisasyong Center for Strategy, Enterprise and Intelligence (CenSEI).

Bansot na pananim Sa halip na magamit para sa ikabubuti ng mga magniniyog, pinaniniwalaang ginamit para sa personal na interes ang coco levy fund ng mga malapit na personalidad kay Pangulong Marcos. Gamit ang CCSF, halimbawa, binili ang bangkong United Coconut Planters Bank “para sa mga magniniyog,” at naging katuwang ng PCA at COCOFED sa paghawak sa coco levy.

“Ang tatlong institusyong ito ay may ‘interlocking directorate’ o direktang pinatakbo at pinangasiwaan ng mga crony ni Marcos sa pangunguna ni [Eduardo] “Danding” Cojuangco, Jr., [kasalukuyang Senate President] Juan Ponce Enrile at [dating COCOFED President] Maria Clara Lobregat. Sila ang mga patuloy na nakikinabang sa pondo ng coco levy hanggang sa kasalukuyan,” ayon sa KMP. Maliban sa kabiguang maiahon ang mga magniniyog mula sa kahirapan, nanganganib ring tuluyang mamatay ang industriya ng pagniniyog. Dito nanggagaling ang kabuhayan ng halos 20 milyong Pilipino, ayon sa CenSEI Report ng Abril 2012.

Malinaw na hindi umunlad ang industriya ng pagniniyog, dahil hindi naman nagkaroon ng malawak na pagtatanim habang marami nang punong pinutol, marami ring oil mills na nagsara, ani TatayNestor.

Ayon sa PCA, 44 milyon sa 230 milyong punong niyog sa bansa ang itinuturing ng “matanda” at wala nang kakayahang magbunga pa.

Sa kabila nito, napapabilang pa rin ang niyog sa mga pangunahing produktong agrikultural kasama ng palay, asukal, at mais. Nanatili ring malaki ang ambag ng industriya sa agrikultura, na tinatayang kumikita

ng $760 milyon kada taon mula sa mga produktong ini-eksport.

Bunga ng paglaban Kasalukuyang nakabinbin sa Sandiganbayan ang mga kaso hinggil sa isyu ng coco levy (Sandiganbayan Civil Case No. 33), na nahahati sa walong kasong kinasasangkutan ng iba’t ibang grupo at personalidad. Nakapaloob sa Sandiganbayan Civil Case No.33-F ang kaso laban kay Danding Cojuangco, Jr. na diumano’y ginamit ang coco levy para bilhin ang 51 bahagdan ng shares sa kumpanyang San Miguel Corporation (SMC).

Sa magkakahiwalay na paglilitis, ipinagkaloob na ng Korte Suprema ang 4 na bahagdan at 24 bahagdang shares (mula sa dating 27 bahagdan, subalit napababa) sa pamahalaan.

“Sa ilang taong siningil ng coco levy ang mga magniniyog, ni minsa’y hindi raw nila naramdamang umunlad ang kanilang kabuhayan” Samantala, napunta kay Cojuangco ang 20 bahagdan ng nasabing 51 bahagdang shares.

Nitong Oktubre 5, 2012, binili na ng SMC ang 24 bahagdang shares na pagmamay-ari ng pamahalaan sa halagang P56.5 bilyon. Kasalukuyang nasa Bureau of Treasury ang halagang ito na kinatatakutan ng mga magniniyog na maari umanong gamitin ng pamahalaan ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino III. Sa pamamagitan ng Poverty Reduction Roadmap for the Coconut Industry, nais gamitin ng pamahalaang Aquino ang mga nabawing coco levy para sa mga programa nito tulad ng Conditional Cash Transfer at Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with Extension and Reforms.

Gusto naming ibalik ang pera sa aming mga magniniyog na siyang tunay na nagmamay-ari ng coco levy, at walang sinumang opisyal ng pamahalaan ang maaaring gumalaw nito, ani Tatay Nestor. Iminungkahi ng CLAIM ang paggamit sa House Bill 3443 o Coconut Levy Funds Administration and Management Act of 2010 ng Anakpawis Partylist bilang batayan ng pamamahagi.

Sa halip na pamahalaan ang gumamit, bubuo ng mga konseho ng mga maliliit na magniniyog sa bawat sangay sa bansa, na siyang mamahala at magpapasya sa kung paano gagamitin ang mga pondong ilegal na kinuha mula sa mga magniniyog.

Ilang dekada rin ang itinagal ng pag-uusig ng mga magniniyog at iba pang mga magsasaka upang mabawi ang nararapat para sa kanila. Patuloy nilang igigiit ang kanilang karapatan hanggang sa ganap na matamasa ang mga bunga ng kanilang paggawa, at araw-araw na pagsusumikap.

r i a F P U g n s i h i b g n o g a b a b g a Ang p NAGSIMULA NA ANG RAKRAKAN. Ngayong linggo, gabi-gabing mag-iingay ang UP Diliman (UPD). Darating ang kilalang mga banda, papalamutian ng hile-hilerang stalls ang Sunken Garden, at magdaragsaan sa UP ang lahat ng gustong makiisa sa kasiyahan.

Bilang patunay na UP ang pamantasan ng sambayanan, imbitado ang lahat sa pinakatanyag na college fair sa bansa. Isko man o hindi, may kinalaman man sa UP o wala, pwedeng-pwedeng lumahok— ‘wag lang magdadala ng patalim, at siguruhing may pambili ka ng tiket para makapasok.

TULAD NG DATI Walang tiyak na pinagugatan ang UP Fair, ang taunang serye ng mga concert sa UP na inoorganisa ng UPD University Student Council (USC).

Kahit isa itong

tradisyon na laging matatagpuan sa mga glossary ng bawat freshie kit, walang itong iisang beripikadong kasaysayan.

May mga nagsasabing nagsimula raw ito matapos ang sigalot noong panahon ni Marcos, at ito ang nagsilbing testimonya na hindi nalusaw ng diktadurya ang kilusang kabataan sa UP. May bersyon ding nagsasabi na isang simpleng cultural night lamang umano ang UP Fair noon—nagtitipon ang mga mag-aaral sa Sunken Garden kasama ang iba pang mga nais sumali, at tumutugtog ng mga awiting may mga bitbit na panawagan laban sa iba’t ibang krisis sa lipunan.

Mababatid sa parehong bersyon ng panimula kung paano sinasalamin ng UP Fair ang radikal na kasaysayan ng pamantasan. Noon pa man, kilala na ang mga iskolar ng bayan bilang mga

kabataang nangunguna sa mga makabuluhang laban, gaya ng pagpapatalsik sa diktaduryang Marcos at pagtutol sa kakarampot na badyet na ipinagkakaloob ng gobyerno sa sektor ng edukasyon.

“The UP fair is not a profitmaking venture for the USC. It is an alternative venue to educate the youth and the students on various issues,” ani dating USC Vice Chairperson Amme Agudo sa isang panayam sa Collegian.

Mababatid sa mga tema ng UP Fair noong mga nakaraang taon ang tunguhin at mga isyung nais patampukin ng nasabing okasyon. Halimbawa sa mga naging pamagat ng fair ang “No FAIRmeet, No Rally,” isang tugon sa Calibrated Pre-emptive Response na ipinatupad ni dating Pangulong Gloria Arroyo noong 2005, at “Rebokultura” na nananawagan laban sa pananahimik ng kabataan.

Patunay ang UP Fair sa kung paanong nagsasalimbayan ang musika at sining sa pagpapalaganap ng panlipunang kamulatan. na hindi lamang limitado sa mga mag-aaral ng pamantasan. Sa pamamagitan ng UP Fair, “namumutawi ang katotohanang ang sining, anumang porma nito, ay

maaaring makaambag sa inaasam nating panlipunang pagbabago,” ani Gabral.

ANG HIMIG NATIN Bukod sa tunguhing makapagmulat ng mga manonood, noon pa ma’y kilala na ang UP Fair bilang isang kaganapang pangkomunidad na hindi lamang limitado sa mga mag-aaral ng UP—kaya hindi lamang limitado sa mga mag-aaral, at sa usapin ng edukasyon ang mga isyung ipinatatampok dito.

Noong 1984, halimbawa, ay nagsilbing fundraising ang UP Fair para sa mga biktima ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao noong Martial Law. Madalas ding tumugtog sa fair noon ang mga bandang kilala sa pagkakaroon ng mga awit ukol sa mga isyung panlipunang kinahaharap ng bansa, katulad ng The Wuds, Juan De La Cruz Band, Asin at Buklod.

Ngayong taon, mga usaping partikular sa mga estudyante ng UP ang nais bigyang-pansin ng UP Fair. Ang temang “Live It UP” ay pagkilala umano sa kaibahan ng mga taga-UP, at pagkahanap nila ng kaisahan sa kabila ng mga ito, ani Eds Gabral USC College of Arts Representative Eds Gabral. Sa mga dormer at mga varsity player naman mapupunta ang kikitain ng USC, upang matugunan ang pangangailangan.

Bagaman isang lehitimong hangarin, mapupunang kaiba ito sa mga nakaraang tema ng fair na inilulugar ang pamantasan at mga isko at iska sa isang mas malawak na lipunan. Isa kasi ang UP Fair sa nagpapatunay sa pampublikong katangian ng Unibersidad dahil bukas ito sa lahat ng nais dumalo, kahit sa mga “taga-labas.”

Noong 2009, nang maputol ang isang gabi ng fair dahil nagpumilit pumasok ang isang mob ng mga lalaking hindi nakabili ng ticket.

Bagamat hindi sila taga-UP, at may ilang nasugatan dahil sa hindi inaasahang insidente, hindi pa rin ito naging dahilan upang gawing eksklusibo ang tarangkahan ng

pamantasan sa mga iskolar ng bayan.

MAMATAY SA INGAY Nagsimula man bilang isang simpleng pagtitipon, kalauna’y napilitan ang mga organisador ng UP Fair upang maghanap ng popondo rito. Maraming gastos sa paglunsad ng nasabing event, mula sa sound system hanggang sa pagtatayo ng entablado, ani Gabral.

Kumpara sa UP Fair ngayon na gabi-gabi’y may sikat na mga bandang tumugtog sa entablado, ang UP Fair noong 80s at early 90s ang naging lunan ng pagyabong ng underground music scene sa pamantasan.

Hindi pa platinum artists ang Eraserheads noon, pero isa na sila sa mga pinakaaabangang musikero sa UP. Boluntaryo ang pagtugtog ng mga banda noon—hindi sila kailangang bayaran o pakiusapan na tumugtog. At dahil hindi isinasara ng UP Fair ang bakuran nito para sa mga baguhang musikero, umayon ito sa tunguhin ng UP na maghawan ng panibagong landas at magpanday ng alternatiba, kahit sa usapin ng musika.

Hindi rin makakaligtaan ang mga naglalakihang mga tarpaulin ng UP Fair sa mga nagdaang taon, kung saan nakapaskil ang logo ng malalaking kumpanya.

Kaya bagamat may pagtatangkang gawing makabuluhan ang UP Fair, hindi maitatangging nabahiran na ng komersyal na interes ang okasyong ito.

Dahil primaryang layunin ang pagbawi sa puhunang ginastos ng organizer, nakukubli sa likod ng mga tarpaulin at sa gitna ng biniling kasiyahan ang diwa’t panlipunang saysay na dati’y bidang-bida sa mga nakaraang UP Fair. At habang nananatili ang pangangailangan sa komersyal na suporta, mahihirapang muling magbida rito ang diwa ng malaya’t makabuluhang kultura.

KULTURA Miyerkules 13 Pebrero 2013

Ukol sa pagre-resign

OPINYON Miyerkules 13 Pebrero 2012

Matagal ko nang gustong umalis. Ilang beses na rin akong nagpaalam pero, hindi naman nila ako pinapayagang umalis. Siguro nga, kahit paano, may silbi pa naman ako sa pahayagan, kahit na halos isang buwan na akong hindi nagagawi sa opisina.

May bahid ng kahihiyan ang pagre-resign: isa din kasi itong uri ng pagsuko, isang tahasang pag-amin na hindi mo na kayang gampanan ang mga tungkuling naatas sa iyo. Inisip ko, kung ang Santo Papa nga pwedeng magresign, ordinaryong tao pa kaya?

Bago pa man kasi magtapos ang buwan, magre-resign na pala bilang Santo Papa si Joseph Ratzinger, na mas kilala ng mga Katoliko sa buong mundo bilang si Pope Benedict XVI. Hindi ko nga alam na pwede palang magresign ang isang Santo Papa. Akala ko, isa itong posisyon na panghahawakan nila hanggang sa kanilang kamatayan. Kung sa bagay, dalawang Santo Papa pa lang naman ang naabutan ko sa buong buhay ko kaya siguro hindi ko rin alam.

Ayon sa mga balitang nabasa ko, isa sa mga pangunahing dahilan ng pagbaba niya sa puwesto ang kanyang nanghihinang pangangatawan at isipan. Madali namang

intindihin ang dahilang ito.

Matanda na rin siya, at marami ding tungkuling kailangang gampanan ang isang Santo Papa. May mga dokumentong kailangang basahin, mga misang kailangang idaos, mga pagtitipong kailangang puntahan. Baka nga hindi na ito kakayanin ng kanyang matandang

Kung ang Santo Papa nga pwedeng magresign, ordinaryong tao pa kaya? pangangatawan. Siya man ang basalyo ng Panginoon dito sa lupa, tao pa rin naman siyang tumatanda at nanghihina.

May bahid man ng kahihiyan, lalo na sa komunidad ng mga nananampalataya, minarapat niyang magbitiw upang bigyan ng pagkakataon ang ibang mas may kakayahang gumampan sa mga tungkulin ng isang Santo Papa. Maliban sa pagiging presidente ng Estados Unidos, ang

Basted* Huwag mong isipin na ikaw ang Ser Chief ng buhay ko dahil, una sa lahat, hindi ka mukhang amo.

Paumanhin kung magiging negatibo ako ngayon. Gusto ko lang sumuway sa agos. At sa halip na magpanggap na kulay kendi ang mundo at may bahaghari sa bawat kanto, magsasabi na lang ako ng totoo (pasintabi sa mga editor na umasa para sa good vibes).

Paumanhin din sa ‘yo, dahil kinailangan ko pang ilathala rito ang pagtanggi ko—na sana, sa pagkakataong ito, ay tanggapin mo na bilang tiyak at absoluto.

Ilang beses ko na rin namang

May mga bagay lang talaga na hindi pwedeng pilit na gawing hinog— kumbaga sa mangga, ayaw kong ikulob sa kalburo ang puso ko. nalinaw sa ‘yo ang tugon sa perenyal mong katanungan; ilang bersyon pa ba ng “hindi” ang gusto mong marinig?

Wala akong problema sa ‘yo noong unang beses kang lumapit.

Kakilala ka naman ng kaibigan ko, at hindi niya naman ako inabisuhan

pagiging Santo Papa raw ang isa sa mga pinakaaasam na posisyon sa buong mundo. Matapos ngang kumalat ang balitang ito, marami nang inihain na kandidato para maging susunod na Santo Papa, kabilang na si Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle ng Pilipinas.

Bagamat isang nakagugulat na desisyon, lalo na para sa mga debotong Katoliko, hindi hamak na mas mapagkumbaba ang pasyang ito kumpara sa patuloy na pagkapit ng ibang tao sa kanilang posisyon kahit matagal na nilang hindi nagagampanan ang kanilang mga tungkulin.

Pukulin man ng mga puna at kritisismo ang kanilang panunungkulan, tila hindi ito sasapat upang mapabitiw sila sa puwesto.

Bagamat Katoliko din naman at sumasandig daw sa mga turo ng Santo Papa, tila salat sila sa uri ng pagpapakumbabang ipinamalas ni Pope Benedict XVI. Naipit ang anunsyong ito mula sa Roma sa gitna ng kampanya ng mga kandidato sa telebisyon.

Eleksyon na naman pala, pero tila wala naman akong nakikitang mga bagong mukha. Inisip ko, kung ang Santo Papa nga kayang bitiwan ang kanyang kapangyarihan, ordinaryong tao pa kaya?

Miss Uy na masama kang tao. Hindi niya rin inaamin pero sa kanya mo yata nakuha ang number ko.

Hindi ako nagdamot ng reply sa ‘yo noong una. Saktong ka-text lang, wala namang masama— tsaka noon, wala ring malisya.

Nagkaroon lang ng malisya nang magsimula kang mag-text ng mga love quotes. Uma-umaga, gabi-gabi mo rin ako kung i-text ng “gud morning” at “gud evening.”

Nagreply ako sa ‘yo ng “lipas na ang GM koya, ‘wag mo na akng i-text ng gnyan haha,” pero sinagot mo lang ako ng “di GM ‘yun, para sau lang un.” Mukha mo.

Pero dahil hindi naman ako masama, at bahagya lang ang pagiging feelingera ko, hinayaan na lang kita at hindi na ako nagreply.

Noong niyaya mo akong kumain ng hapunan, ginawa ko ang lahat para tumanggi—nagpalusot, nagsinungaling, nanlibre ng mga kaibigan para lang magkaroon ng totoong lakad.

Hindi naman sa ayaw ko sa ‘yo bilang tao. Hindi naman kita kilala, hindi rin tayo close. May mga bagay lang talaga na hindi pwedeng pilit na gawing hinog— kumbaga sa mangga, ayaw kong ikulob sa kalburo ang puso ko.

Nalaman ko rin, mula sa common friend natin, na noong mga panahong nagti-text pa tayo, hindi pa pala kayo break ng

girlfriend mo. At nang ipatanong ko kung bakit ba ipinipilit mo ang sarili mo sa akin, sumagot ka raw ng “type ko siya, kasi siya ang target market ng mga lalaking gaya ko.” Pati ba naman pag-ibig, parang palengke na kung saan ang diwa ng kalakaran ay palakihan ng kita? Kung pwede lang kitang pingutin sa magkabilang tenga, ginawa ko na.

Nito lang, nagpadala ka sa akin ng mensahe sa Facebook. Sinabi mong nababasa mo ang blog ko, at na hindi dapat ako mahiyang aminin ang mga hindi ko masabi.

Minsan talaga, nakikita natin ang mga bagay na gusto nating makita, na para bang may kakayahan tayong hulmahin ang katotohanan upang umayon ito sa pinaniniwalaan nating realidad.

Pero sa totoo, alam mo, kung may katumbas lang na piso ang bawat pagkakataon na sumasagi ka sa utak ko, siguro mas madalas kitang iniisip.

Kaya pakiusap, sana tigilan mo na ako pagkabasa mo sa kolum na ito. Kung target market lang ang hanap mo, maraming iba d’yan.

Kung naging mala-pamilihan na nga ang isang konseptong sindalisay ng pag-ibig, tiyak na hindi ka mauubusan. *para kay JMDC

LAKAS TAMA Sa Valentine’s Day Tanaw ko mula rito sa ikaapat na palapag ng Vinzons ang lawas ng Sunken Garden. Nakaamba na ang pagbabagong-anyo nito, sinisimulan na ang pagtatayo ng harang na babakod sa darating na UP Fair. At sa oras na mailathala ang kolum na ito, darami na rin ang mga estudyante sa Acad Oval na nakasuot ng asuldilaw-pulang damit para sa eleksyon.

Sa mahabang panahon, iyon ang mga naging palatandaan ko sa pagdating ng Pebrero. Noon pa man, sadya kong kinakaligtaan at iwinawaglit sa isip ang espesyal na pagturing sa ika-14 na araw nito. Hindi ako ang tipong nagpapatianod sa mapagpanggap na mga tradisyon—wala akong amor para sa itinakda ng greeting card companies at high-end restaurants sa Araw ng mga Puso.

Pero iba ngayon taon. Ngayon ang miminsang pagkakataon na handa akong hubarin ang lahat ng agam-agam, at makiisa sa milyon-milyong taong lango sa ideya ng iisang araw ng pagmamahalan.

Ngunit hindi ko pa maidedeklarang tunay nga akong umiibig—hindi pa sa ngayon. Marami pa akong tanong, at gusto kong masagot iyon sa mga susunod na araw na hahayaan kong ang mga kondisyon ang magpapakalma sa kung ano mang giyerang nagaganap sa dibdib ko.

Sa iisang bagay lang ako tiyak: na sa dami ng taong lumapit, dumating, at dumaan sa buhay ko, ngayon lang ako napanatag. Hindi dahil sa seguridad — kailan ba tayo naging tunay na matibay? — o sa kawalan ng pag-aalinlangan. Higit sa ano mang panahon, ngayon ako pinakabulnerable, pinakamahina, pinakamarupok. Sa halos dalawang dekada kong inilagi sa mundo, ngayon ko lang tunay na ibinukas ang sarili sa ibang tao.

Sa araw ng mga puso, malamang nasa UP Fair ako. Makikinig ako sa mga banda, kakain ng footlong habang nakaupo sa damuhang huwag naman sanang lumangoy sa putik. Sa unang beses, hindi ko kasama ang mga kaibigan ko, o ang mga taga-Kule. Hindi rin ako mag-isa, dahil naipangako ko na ang araw na iyon sa kanya.

Napag-usapan na namin ang araw ng mga puso, at ang kawalan ko ng pakialam dito. Sinabi ko sa kanyang kahit sa iba ko pang mga nakaugnayan, hindi ako lumabas para sa isang Valentine’s date. Hindi rin ako pumapayag kahit sabihin pang “ordinaryong lakad lang” ang lahat, na hindi namin isasaisip ang okasyon. Nagtakda ako ng pansariling panuntunan na ayaw kong baliin.

Tinanong niya ako kung bakit ganoon na lang ang pagkamuhi ko sa ika-14 na Pebrero. Ni hindi ko man lang ito basta lang kinakalimutan—sadya kong iniiwasan ang lahat ng may kinalaman dito, na parang mas apektado pa ako sa mga may nobya’t nobyo.

Saka niya ako niyayang lumabas. “’Yung totoong date talaga,” paglilinaw niya, diretso sa punto.

Nagtagpo ang kilay ko, pero matapos ang hindi ko na nabilang na segundo, napa-oo rin ako.

Masyado yata akong nabagahe ng purismo, at nakaligtaan kong may mga nakalakhan tayong gawi na sadyang mahirap iwasan. Katulad na rin ako ng mga nagsasabing hindi pwedeng maging peminista ang nakikipagrelasyon sa lalaki, o hindi pwedeng maging tibak ang mga kumakain sa McDo. Iba ang pag-ayon sa pagsang-ayon—at sa darating na araw ng mga puso, handa akong makisabay sa agos.

Newscan

One Love: Tumibok dahil tibak Handa ka na ba sa hamon ng pag-ibig? Congress of Teachers/Educators for Nationalism and Democracy (CONTEND) brings you “One Love: Tumibok dahil tibak” at the CM Rector Hall, College of Arts and Letters, 1pm – 4pm on February 14. The event is part of CONTEND’s Critical Pedagogy Lecture Series. The speakers are professors Sarah Raymundo, Gerry Lanuza and Roland Tolentino.

Dulaang UP’s Collection What happens to a society that is overrun by greed and materialism? Dulaang UP brings you Collection, a play directed and choreographed by Dexter M. Santos and written by Floy Quintos. The play will run from February 13 to March 3, at the Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater, Palma Hall, UP Diliman.

For inquiries, please contact SAMANTA CLARIN or CAMILLE GUEVARA at 0927-7406124/0917-823-9531.

UP ASTERISK turns 7, brings you “Home Sick Home“ Welcome to a place where wallpapers begin to peel off and contradictions ring through cracked ceilings. In the endless cycle of canned emotions,

Textback

we subscribe to a facade of freedom. Ambition is bound by consumption and possessions validate our pretensions. As the remote control rests in the hand of power, our daily lives simultaneously run on autopilot.

Home Sick Home is the break from regular programming. Let art tip the scale of apathy and empathy. Channel your senses and switch back to reality. The |exhibit opens on February 12, 6:00 PM and will run from February 12-15. See you there!

UP Chinese Student Association’s CULTURAL WEEK 2013!

Join us as we celebrate this year’s Spring Festival or Chinese New Year to welcome the Year of the Water Snake! This will be a one-week event with many cultural showcases for everyone!

Watch out for these events: Feb. 12-15: Culweek Exhibit AS Lobby Feb. 12: Chibugan Eating Contest - ASCAL, 4-5:30PM Feb. 13: Siomai Showdown ASCAL, 11-6PM Feb. 15: The Grand Celebration: Grand Pakain & Lion Dance AS Steps, 4-5:30PM Our annual cultural week always culminates with FREE FOOD and a free Lion Dance show. Don’t miss this!

Eksenang Peyups

Kung gagawa ka ng sarili mong

time. I heard they rented the most expensive

sentorial ticket, sino-sino ang isasama mo rito

sound system din, the one being used in pop

at ano ang itatawag mo

concerts.

Haha.

Excited

sa kanila?

mainlab.

Baka

dun

Presenting The ATATers!(wala pang campaign period nakakasawa n ang mukha)-aquino, villar, ejercito, cayetano, binay, hontiveros, etc. 2012-xxxxx kung

gagawa

po

independent

ako

ng

senato-

at

3rd

party

candi-

dates tulad nina alcantara at belgica. ngunit

kong makita

si Destiny. Yeee! 2006-58955 CORqueror Speech Comm Inaabangan ko yung love of my life ko hihi. Sana magpakita na siya sa ‘kin sa UP

rial ticket, isasama ko po ang lahat ng

na ko

dahil

kulang

silang

la-

hat kung aalisin mo ang mga guest

Fair. Para naman may kasama ako manuod, di ba? :D 2012-17277 Red BS Math FRANCO 2012-78398 Power UP wall climb at parokya! 20009 81555 inaabangan

ko

si

ramon

bau-

candidate, isama na din natin si gordon.

tista sa u.p fair roots!!!!! 2009-40311

ang itatawag ko po sa coalisyong ito ay CAMA

oxiean

- Christian And Muslim Alliance. kaya sa

Si ABRA at ang iba pang pinoy hiphop

susunod na eleksyon, mag-CAMA na kayo!

artists at rapper! Sa Feb 16 sila at sa kasa-

sa CAMA, maraming magagawa! BA Hist

maang palad ay wala ako sa nun sa Maynila

2012-21271

>.< kaya sa 12 nalang, si Idol GLOC9! 12-59974

Gusto

kong

isama

sa

sari-

PaulaLINGUISTICS

li kong senatorial ticket ang lahat ng

Ung Imago na kumakanta pa ng Rainsong

naging prof ko sa GEs at MAJORs. Astig ‘yun!

at Hiwaga. Kaso pop na sila. Mas magical mu-

Magiging diverse ang Senado natin, ‘di ba?!?

sic mix dati... Ung e-echo ang drums tapos

Hi pala kay OJAM. :) 2011-****7

nakakakilabot na vocals.

Sino/ano ang inaabangan mo sa UP Fair

Demography

2004-11599 MA

Aabangan ko ang mga frat na ga-

2013? gusto at

ko

ng

maraming

napakakulay maiingay

na

gawing ang

altercation UP

Fair.No

venue to

ulit

Frat-related

FIREWOOORKSSSS! 2012-21223 Bles BS

Violence! CRUSH,UMATTEND KA NA :”>

Mat Engg

1101517

Fliptop day!

battle

Walang

saturday bo

ang

Giniling

kaya mga

sa

battle

satur-

Festival

sana MC

ng

sa

Inaabangan tutugtog

sa

ko

ung

arawa

mga na

banda

iyon

at

magpabi-

inaabangan ko rin ung mga taong sabog

Fliptop.

kinabukasan..unng tipong maluluwa na ang

2011-**252 Si Yeng, Paolo Santos at Jimmy Bondoc

mga mata nila..eheheh... 201278217 Comments

inaabangan ko. Well actually lahat ng perform-

Benta ang backpage! Magandang sama-

ers on Wednesday. 2.13.13. Normally rakrakan

han si C. :) Pabati sa G6 2011. 11-***14, ck

kasi, but they’re making UP Fair sweeter this

Engg.

Inbox THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES COMMUNITY RISES! WE CALL FOR AN END TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN One in three women on earth will be raped or beaten. That is one billion women too many. One Billion Rising (OBR) is a global invitation to women and men, calling for global solidarity to end violence against women.

We, members of the UP Community in Diliman - students, faculty, REPS, administrative staff, contractual workers, and other members of this community - bond together in support of the call of OBR to end violence against women. We call ourselves, One Billion Rising—UP Community.

UP in its “Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995” affirmed “ its commitments to provide a secure and conducive learning and working environments for students, faculty members and employees free from sexual harassment and all forms of sexual intimidation and exploitation.”

Beyond the policy declaration of our University, however, is the stark reality of violence that women suffer in our society.

Lordei Hina, UP Diliman student, was robbed and brutally stabbed last February 1, 2012 inside Vinzons Hall. Given Grace Cebanico, UP Los Baños student was raped and killed last October 11, 2011. UP Diliman students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan were abducted on June 26, 2006 and remain missing to this day.

Maricon

Montajes, a Film student, was arrested on June 3, 2010 and suffered mental torture and interrogation.

At the national level, the Center for Women’s Resources, a research institution for women, reports the trend for a decade (2001-2010) that “every hour, a mother or her child is beaten. Every two hours, a woman or child is raped. Every five hours, a woman or child is sexually harassed.”

Victim blaming, fear of reprisal from perpetrators, and lack of family and community support are some of the factors which prevent women victims from coming out to seek justice. Violence against women thrives under an economic situation characterized by pervasive poverty, a political climate of impunity, and a dominant culture that privileges patriarchal views and practices, according to Gabriela, the Filipino women’s alliance.

One Billion Rising—UP Community will rise, strike and dance to call for an end to violence against women! One Billion Rising-UP Community will rise, strike and dance to call for an end to the economic, politicalandculturalconditionsthatgiveriseto such violence.

CONVENORS: UP Diliman Gender Office (UPDGO) Department of Women and Development Studies, CSWCD All-UP Women Solidarity GABRIELA-Youth

Ze Valentayms edishun!

Hey hey hey mga koya at atey.

Akey muna ang papalit sa ating resident echoserang chismosera okey?

Anyway subway, itech na ang mga nahigop kong mga chika para sa yong pleasure ooooh.

Chika #1 While the grand mameshka ng mga kulutera was talking in English az inn streyyyt Eeenglish like ze arreneyow, everyone in the toreng garing was nahawa din. But one kulutera broke the arreneyow atmosphere and said “yuck cookrooch.”

Ahahaha. Anong cookrooch? At kaano ano niya si Cooch Friddie Rooch ni Manny Pacquiao teh.

Charooot.

Chika #2 Meanwhile pedophile, may isang former kulutera na gumawa ng pubmat na nakakalerky!

Hay nako ‘te alam mo itsura?

Sinulid ‘teh! As in ze sinulid that you use to make tahi! At yung sinulid, tinutusok yung balat ng tao! Injection ang peg?! Tapos ang caption, ‘Natusok ka na ba.’

HOGGORD! Anyway highway, the kuluteras tried to tell the bruha na ang panget, chaka, kill it! Pero ang responds ni ate: “uso naman tuwing February ang blood drives eh.” Hay nako, push mo ‘yan. Or should I say, itusok mo yan (Itusok saan?

Hoggord).

Chika #3 And to kick off our Binibining Unibersidad ng Pilipinas pageant this year, daig pa si Angeline from ze Temptation of Wife ang isang bruha na ito from ze College of pagkain, mas maraming pagkain! Kasi itech student na itey, paney agaw daw sa mga projects ni other council member kasi daw mga beks “mas appropriate” daw sa kanya. Lolwhut? Twist: Magkaiba sila ng partido! Juskres, mga echoserang talipandas! CHAREZMA. O ‘yan na lang muna ha. Paalam and stay safe diz valentayms...if you know what I mean!

Get free publicity! Send us your press release, invitations, etc. DON’T TYPE IN ALL CAPS. And go easy on the…punctuations?! dOn’t uSe tXt LanGuage pLs. Provide a short title. 100 words max.

Email us at kule1213@gmail.com CONTACT US! Write to us via snail mail or submit a soft copy to Rm. 401, Vinzons Hall, UP Diliman, Quezon City. Email us kule1213@gmail.com.

Save Word attachments in Rich Text Format, with INBOX, NEWSCAN or CONTRIB in the subject.

Always include your full name, address and contact details.

Next week’s questions: 1. Matapos ang Santo Papa, sino ang gusto mong sumunod na mag-resign sa kanyang posisyon?

2. Anong kanta ang sasalamin sa assessment mo sa kasalukuyang USC? Key in KULE <space> MESSAGE <space> STUDENT NUMBER <required> NAME AND COURSE (optional) and send to

Non-UP students must indicate any school, organizational or sectorial affiliation.

OPINYON Miyerkules 13 Pebrero 2013

SIPAT

Langit, Lupa