KULĂŠ
Opisyal na lingguhang pahayagan ng mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, Diliman Huwebes 17 Marso 2016 Tomo 93 Blg 13
REQUIEM FOR A DREAM LATHALAIN 6
2 EDITORYAL
Huwebes 17 Marso 2016
SILENCED WARS
P L AY B A C K Dapat bang ibasura ang iskemang Socialized Tuition?
THE NUMBERS ARE AS TRAGIC as they come: 67 Lumad have been killed, more than 60,155 have forcibly fled their homes, 782 class suspensions were reported, and at least two evacuation centers have been torched to the ground. President Benigno Aquino III promised in 2011 that his government will strengthen policies for the right of indigenous peoples. Five years have passed yet the Lumad people remain to be one of the largest victims of human rights violations. This utter disregard for the indigenous people’s rights constitutes not just an attack against humanity, but a slap toward the long history of their struggles to defend their own lands and heritage. Abuses against the Lumad intensified over the past years. On September 2015, Lumad school director Emerlito Samarca and two others were brutally murdered in front of their students. The killing of a 15-year old Lumad student followed on January 18, and just a month after, suspected paramilitary agents burned down an evacuation center that housed Lumad in Davao City. Instead of standing up with the Lumad, the government has chosen to side with the multinational companies that have been exploiting the Lumad’s ancestral lands, which arguably hold the richest deposits of gold and other minerals in the country. The Indigenous People’s Rights Act of 1997, which supposedly protects the rights of the Lumad, has instead facilitated land grabbing by multinational companies. The introduction of the application process for land ownership only allowed the government to favor the claims of large mining companies over honoring ancestral domains. Moreover, the 20-year old Mining Act of 1995 has done
Tuition fees should be abolished in all SUCs. Access to tertiary education should not be gated according to capacity to pay. The government should provide broader access to tertiary education via tuition free SUCs. ... Education is the baseline service. Ancillary support services (book, lodging, living allowances) for relatively poorer students should be extended by the government on top of the baseline service. David Joseph Emmanuel B. Yap II
Instructor, Department of Economics Ateneo de Manila University
nothing but destroy the Lumad lands while raking in profit for large mining companies--- profits confined only to the rich and few elite members. Granting incentives to companies for conducting mining activities is also a waste, since the mining industry has contributed only 0.72 percent in our 2015 gross domestic product. These oppressive government policies thus heightened the resistance among the Lumad people. As response, thousands of military men were deployed in Mindanao to contain their forces, only to become the main culprits in perpetrating violence together with the Aquino-backed paramilitary groups. Lumad leaders have also been consistently tagged as members of the rebel group New People’s Army, and are effectively seen as targets in counterinsurgency programs, then called Oplan Bantay Laya during the Arroyo administration and now restructured as Oplan Bayanihan under Aquino. The Lumad’s calls to the government are simple: return
Instead of standing up with the Lumad, the government has chosen to side with the multinational companies that have been exploiting the Lumad’s ancestral lands
to them their ancestral lands and stop the militarization in their communities. But these calls have remained unheard, as those brave enough to stand up for their rights are silenced- a tactic reminiscent of the Martial law era where people who resisted the administration were killed, tortured, or forcibly disappeared. The protest caravan Manilakbayan in November last year showed the richness and diversity of the Lumad culture. Despite the countless deaths and military attacks that struck their areas, their campaign remains vigilant and strong. To bring justice to the fallen Lumad, Aquino must review his promise of ensuring the rights of all indigenous peoples, and turn his back on any entity that continues their exploitation.
Sasang-ayon ako na ibasura ang socialized tuition kung lilimitahan ang UP admission upang ang mga nasa mababang bracket ang matatanggap-- mga nasa middle at lower classes, kasama [ang] suporta upang maging sapat ang kanilang cultural capital upang makapantay sa kahandaan sa kolehiyo [ng] mga nasa upper bracket. Ma. Mercedes E. Arzadon
Assistant Professor College of Education, UP Diliman
Dapat nang i-junk ang STS. Walang lugar ang socialized tuition sa isang public university. Dapat ilaan ng gobyerno ang nararapat na badyet sa edukasyon dahil kaya naman itong pondohan. Ito ay karapatan na hindi binibili kundi dapat tinatamasa. Christopher Tejada Father of Kristel Tejada STS must be junked. Budget reports reveal that UP will not collapse and can continue to provide scholarships even if it stops amassing profits from students through the STS. Raoul Danniel A. Manuel National Chairperson KASAMA sa UP
UKOL SA PABALAT Dibuho ni Chester Higuit
PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN 2015-2016
Punong Patnugot Mary Joy Capistrano Kapatnugot Victor Gregor Limon Tagapamahalang Patnugot Jiru Rada Patnugot sa Balita Arra Francia Patnugot sa Grapiks Guia Abogado Tagapamahala ng Pinansiya Karen Ann Macalalad Kawani Kenneth Gutlay / Chester Higuit Pinansiya Amelyn Daga Tagapamahala sa Sirkulasyon Gary Gabales Sirkulasyon Amelito Jaena / Glenario Ommamalin Mga Katuwang na Kawani Trinidad Gabales / Gina Villas Kasapi UP Systemwide Alliance of Student Publications and Writers’ Organizations (Solidaridad) / College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) Pamuhatan Silid 401 Bulwagang Vinzons, Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, Diliman, Lungsod Quezon Telefax 981-8500 lokal 4522 Online kule1516@gmail.com / www.philippinecollegian.org / fb.com/philippinecollegian / twitter.com/phkule / instagram.com/phkule
Huwebes 17 Marso 2016
Deadline looms over full eUP operation
BALITA 3
z KAREN ANN MACALALAD
CORE SYSTEMS OF THE eUP PROJECT
HRIS
FMIS
For management of employee profiles, accomplishments, benefits, performance, and training
Consolidate all financial information generated across constituent universities
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM
HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEM
SPCMIS
EIS
SUPPLIES, PROCUREMENT, AND CAMPUS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM
EXECUTIVE INFORMATION SYSTEM Combines all information from all systems
Automates processes related to the procurement of goods and services
SAIS
STUDENT ACADEMIC INFORMATION SYSTEM
Covers admission application to graduation and alumni-tracking
IMPLEMENTATION STATUS OF THE eUP CORE SYSTEMS PER CU AS OF 9 FEBRUARY 2016 LIVE
PREPARING TO GO LIVE
DILIMAN
VISAYAS
BAGUIO
LOS BAÑOS
OPEN UNIVERSITY
CEBU
MANILA
MINDANAO
UP SYSTEM NA
EXISTING STUDENT ACADEMIC SYSTEMS PER UNIT For the CRS users, the CUs have developed/customized the database to address their particular needs.
CRS
Computerized Registration System DILIMAN, MANILA, VISAYAS, BAGUIO, CEBU
144.4 mbps
2015
1,237 mbps
2016
6,235 mbps
50+30+128
SYSTEMONE
OPEN UNIVERSITY
MINDANAO
LOS BAÑOS
TOTAL AMOUNT OF EXPENSES INCURRED FOR THE eUP PROJECT
TOTAL AMOUNT
P724.9 M
Infrastructure and Equipment P364.4 million Oracle-related Expenses P215.1 million Internet and Communications P90.7 million Other IT expenses P54.7 million
eUP TOTAL BUDGET
P752 M
SOURCE OF FUNDS FOR THE eUP PROJECT
P745 M*
REPROGRAMMED FUNDS
P547 million
ADDITIONAL BUDGET FROM CHED
P198 million
* - August 2012 Collegian report
CSRS
Computerized Student Records System
UP SYSTEM BANDWIDTH (MBPS) FROM 2010-2016 2010
AIMS
Academic Information and Managenent System, MyPortal
USAGE OF THE HRIS ACROSS UP SYSTEM AS OF 3 FEBRUARY 2016
5,682
5,948
Number of logged users Number of unlogged users
11,630
Total number of users
ANNUAL MAINTENANCE FEE OF ORACLE AND COMPUTERIZED REGISTRATION SYSTEM
P8 M
ORACLE CRS
P1.5 M
SOURCE OF FUNDS FORE THE COST OF ORACLE LICENSES AND IMPLEMENTATION
P166,254,069
Reprogrammed Funds
P23,574,504 General Fund
P189,828,573
TOTAL EXPENSES INCURRED FOR ORACLE AND IMPLEMENTATION UNDER ePLDT CONTRACT
P134.6 M P63.4 million
Deployment/Implementation
Others Oracle Software Perpetual License
P27.8 million P43.4 million
Sources: Roadshow presentation slides of the eUP Team dated 9 February 2016; slides provided by UP President Alfredo E. Pascual during an interview on 4 March 2016.
Research by Karen Ann Macalalad
Infographic by John Reczon Calay
THE UP ADMINISTRATION EXPECTS its Electronic UP (eUP) project to be in full operation by early next year, but four in five core components of the information system have yet to begin implementation in the flagship campus in Diliman. A P752-million flagship program of UP President Alfredo Pascual, eUP was introduced in 2012 to computerize all transactions in the university and integrate online system operations. The project has since faced opposition from various groups of students and professors. Among the university's eight constituent units (CU), eUP has been implemented more extensively in four CUs where just one more component is expected to go live before the system is complete. Only the Human Resource Information System (HRIS) component that handles employees’ reports is functional across UP. (See sidebar) Seven CUs are now using the Financial Management Information System (FMIS) which automates financial transactions, and the Supplies, Procurement, and Campus Management Information System which computerizes the procurement process. The Student Academic Information System (SAIS), meanwhile, is set to replace the existing registration systems per campus. The SAIS has yet to go live in four CUs including UP Diliman, which currently uses the Computerized Registration System, a homegrown system that has been in use for nearly two decades. The Executive Information System will be the final component to go live as it combines all of the other four components. Pascual said the project would solve issues regarding “accountability problems” and “slow administrative processes.” “Each CU is operating autonomously [and] independently. There is no feeling of oneness as [a] UP system,” he explained. The eUP's “one-size-fits-all” solution, however, is at risk of being blind to the CUs’ specific processes and needs, said Ramon Guillermo, national president of the All-UP Academic Employees Union. “There is a need for standardization as much as there is a need for flexibility within UP,” he added. The eUP team stated that eUP implementation will continue even if it exceeds the deadline, as the Board of Regents already approved the project, the eUP team stated. System failure In 2014 to 2015, students have raised concerns over the project after glitches in the SAIS delayed the registration process in UP Manila and Cebu. The SAIS failed to provide the complete breakdown of fees of students and caused manual subject pre-registration, according to reports by the Collegian. Pascual defended the system. “Even if you have a perfect software, may mishaps na nangyayari. We’re coming from a system na manual, ‘yung information natin ‘di complete, kaya pag pinasok mo sa system, may gaps,” he said.
Employees aged 55 to 65 also have difficulty in using the HRIS and FMIS, said Staff Regent Alexis Mejia. “Lalo na yung mga manggagawang bukid [sa UPLB], nahihirapan silang maglagay ng information sa HRIS … hindi naman sila sanay gumamit ng computer,” he said. An administrative assistant at the UPLB Cashier’s Office, Mejia finds it difficult to adjust with the eUP technology due to lack of enough training. Low bandwidth internet connection has also become a problem for the employees, he said. The project is on a transition phase, and the problems include both technical glitches and misuse of the SAIS, said Sarah Salvio, team leader for Communications and Content Development of eUP. Several trainings have since been conducted with the employees in using the system, Salvio said. “The most important aspect in any large-scale computerization project should have been adequate consultation and constructive step-by-step involvement of the end-users,” Guillermo countered. Transparency on budget The eUP employs the US-made management software called Oracle, also used by top universities in Asia such as the National University of Singapore and University of Hongkong. Originally pegged at P1 billion, the software was offered to the university at a discounted price of P43 million. The telecommunications business Electronic Philippines Long Distance Telephone Company (ePLDT) will implement the information systems, software licenses, and project management with the eUP team. Companies like Globe Telecommunications Inc. considered joining the bidding process, but only ePLDT submitted requirements, Pascual said. Desperate to copy other universities, the administration implemented this project without rigorous comparison of the possible alternatives involving in-house development, open source software, and proprietary offthe-shelf software,” Guillermo said. Around P724.9 million has been spent for the project, but the administration has yet to release the total expenses incurred, the eUP team stated. Should the expenses exceed its allotted budget, UP can request the BOR for extra funding when it is for additional service or product, Pascual said. An independent body should be formed to create a yearly estimate cost of operating eUP, Guillermo said. “When [Pascual] is no longer connected with this university, we risk being left with a huge bill to be paid yearly through increased tuition fees and other income generating activities involving naming our buildings after wealthy tycoons,” he added. Guillermo slammed the administration for thinking of the large amounts used for eUP as mere “peanuts,” when it failed to allocate 50 to 80 percent of the maintenance and other operating expenses savings for the annual incentive of employees. Continued on page 11 y
4 BALITA
Huwebes 17 Marso 2016
1 in 10 students under STS applies for loans z KAREN ANN MACALALAD
NUMBER OF STUDENT BORROWERS WITH UNPAID LOAN AND AMOUNT TO BE COLLECTED SINCE A.Y. 2013-2014
NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO OBTAINED LOAN AND THE AMOUNT OF LOAN GRANTED (A.Y. 2013-2016) 3500
P35 M
2508
P30.8 M
2500
P35 M
2311
2160
P27.8 M
P30 M
1991
P26 M
P22.7 M
2000
P25 M P20 M
1500
P15 M
1000
91 126 5
1st Sem '13-'14
85 130 8
P1,073,023.00 2nd Sem '13-'14
P1,722,618.11 Summer 2014
P25,604.38 1S, '14-'15
8.33
P10 M
500 0
Amount of Loan Granted
Number of Students
P40 M
2769
3000
P30,141,931.74
P45 M
3006
P40.4 M
First Semester A.Y. 2013-2014
Second Semester A.Y. 2013-2014
First Semester A.Y. 2014-2015
Second Semester A.Y. 2014-2015
First Semester A.Y. 2015-2016
Second Semester A.Y. 2015-2016
STUDENT BORROWERS GROUPED BY TYPE OF TUITION LOAN THEY APPLIED FOR First Semester A.Y. 2014-2015
Second Semester A.Y. 2014-2015
442
1053
428
939
295
First Semester A.Y. 2015-2016
292
Second Semester A.Y. 2015-2016
0
240
230
879
249
777
500
238
1000
521
252
525
189
545
500
1500
192
184
2311
2500
300
First Semester A.Y. 2014-2015
Second Semester A.Y. 2014-2015
First Semester A.Y. 2015-2016
2160
2000
2nd Sem '14-'15
P1,431,741.50
70 PERCENT LOAN 80 PERCENT LOAN 85 PERCENT LOAN 100 PERCENT LOAN OTHER AMOUNT
Second Semester A.Y. 2015-2016
0
P2,148,523.35 2nd Sem '15-'16
P22,734,448.35
Midyear 2015
P24,152.25
7.36
14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
2S, '14-'15
1.42
12
11.33
1S, '13-'14
2S, '13-'14
9.76
9.67
1S, '14-'15
8.30 7.65
2S, '14-'15
1S, '15-'16
ESTIMATED PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO APPLY FOR TUITION LOANS
2S, '15-'16
633
276
571
260
437
265
399
871
348
813
708
500
383
402
685
379
1000
51 38 14 253
1500
8 4 13 243
28 26 14 285
6
257
2311
2160
1991
2000
2508
NO DISCOUNT (A) 33-40% DISCOUNT (B) 60% DISCOUNT (C) 80% DISCOUNT (D) FULL TUITION DISCOUNT (E1) FD+STIPEND (E2) STFAP B-9* GRADUATE 2500
* - STFAP B-9 are students who have 2006-XXXXX student number and below who experienced applying under the old Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program
Sources: ST System and OSSS data as of February 15, 2016
Research by Karen Ann Macalalad
MORE THAN ONE OUT OF 10 UP Diliman (UPD) students who applied for tuition discounts also requested for tuition loans during the second semester of academic year (AY) 2015 to 2016, according to data from the Office of Scholarships and Student Services (OSSS). A total of 1,728 out of 15,256 students under the Socialized Tuition System (STS) obtained loans in January, lower than the 1,861 recorded in the first semester, OSSS data revealed. Around 40 percent of the loan applicants or 685 students already have 60 percent tuition discounts under STS, which prompts a payment of P12,800 for an 18-unit load this semester. A total of 399 student borrowers have 33 to 40 percent STS discounts. STS grants tuition discounts ranging from the full cost of tuition with additional stipend to no discount, based on the socio economic background of each student’s family. The tuition scheme is a revamp of the 23-year old Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program implemented in the university until 2013.
1st Sem '15-'16
NUMBER OF STUDENT BORROWERS GROUPED BY ST SYSTEM BRACKET AFTER APPEAL RESULTS WERE POSTED
2508
1991
PERCENTAGE OF STUDENT BORROWERS WITH ST SYSTEM APPEALS
188 1991
P981,820.80
1S, '15-'16
P5 M P0
1st Sem '14-'15
Infographic by John Reczon Calay
On the other hand, tuition loans of as much as 100 percent of a student’s total assessed fees are available to students upon approval of the chancellor. For the past three semesters, most of the student borrowers have applied for 80 percent loans, with 777 applicants for this semester. Meanwhile, a total of 500 students opted to loan 100 percent of their assessed fees in the previous registration period. The OSSS has cited lack of cash at hand, delayed remittances, emergency expenses, and pending scholarship result as reasons for why student apply for loans. “Ibig sabihin nito hindi makatarungan ang pagkakaroon ng mataas na tuition fee. May mga estudyante na hindi pa rin nakakapagbayad ng matrikula, walang kakayanan at kailangan magloan,” said Bryle Leaño, councillor of the UPD University Student Council. Wrong discount bracket One out of three STS applicants in UPD appealed for higher discounts during the first semester, while only
one out of 10 students are assigned to full tuition discounts. “Makikita sa mataas na bilang ng apela ang manipestasyon na hindi tumutugon ang ST System sa mga pangangailangan ng estudyante na abot-kayang edukasyon,” Leaño said. Meanwhile, the number of student borrowers decreased from 3,006 in the first semester of AY 2013 to 2014, down to 2,160 in the first semester of AY 2014 to 2015. Such decline effectively decreased the amount of loans granted, from P40.14 million in 2014 to P22.73 million this semester. The OSSS has been doing proactive measures to improve financial literacy among students beyond availing loans, such as improving their STS brackets and introducing scholarship programs to them, OSSS Officer-in-charge Niel Kenneth Jamandre told the Collegian in an earlier interview. This decrease however does not mean that the STS decreased the amount of tuition paid by the students, Leaño said. “Ang estudyante pinipili na maghanap ng ibang ways kaysa
pagloloan para makapagbayad ng tuition fee. Meron ding iba na napipilitan mag-[leave of absence] at mag-[absence without leave] na lang … dahil hindi nila kayang magbayad,” he explained. From AY 2013 to 2014 until the first semester of AY 2015 to 2016, a total of 633 students have yet to settle their loans to the OSSS. Failure to pay within four months from when the loans were granted will lead to a six percent annual interest. Students will be tagged ineligible to enrol for the next semester unless they have settled their loans. The chancellor may allow deferring payment of loans for a maximum of three semesters, as stated on the revised Article 431 of the University Code. Justifying tuition cost Base tuition in UP rose to P1,500 per unit in 2014 from P1,000 per unit in 2011, as students who chose not to apply for STS were effectively given no tuition discounts. With the implementation of socialized tuition schemes in UP, tuition fee collection
increased to P473.43 million in 2014 from P318.49 million in 2004, according to the latest report by the Commission on Audit. A regular UPD student usually pays P766.32 per unit, higher than the 2015 national average tuition rate among public and private universities which amount to P611.23 per unit. Moreover, UPD students pay at least P2000 worth of miscellaneous fees every semester, which includes athletic fee and library fee, among others. “Kung sa Bracket C at D almost onethird na yan ng binabayaran nila kada semester,” Leaño said. In an ideal situation, students need not apply for loans and tuition discounts under the ST System, the councilor said. “Ipinapakita ng administration na nakakatulong [ang loan] sa estudyante … ok lang na mataas ang tuition fee dahil may ST System at pwede ka naman mag-loan … I-register natin na gusto [nating] ipatanggal ang ganitong sistema [para sa] isang tunay na accessible education,” Leaño said. y
BALITA 5
Huwebes 17 Marso 2016
Mabagal na usad ng kaso laban sa Kentex, inalmahan z JONA CLAIRE TURALDE SAMPUNG BUWAN MATAPOS matupok ng apoy ang pabrika ng Kentex sa lungsod ng Valenzuela, ngayon pa lamang uusad ang kasong isinampa ng mga nakaligtas na kawani at pamilya ng mahigit 72 manggagawang nasawi sa trahedya. Nitong ika-22 ng Pebrero lamang sinimulang dinggin ang kasong “reckless imprudence resulting in homicide” at palsipikasyon ng dokumento laban kina Beato Ang at Ong King Guan, mga may-ari ng Kentex, na isinampa noong ika-17 ng Hunyo 2015 sa lokal na korte ng Valenzuela. Naantala ang pagdinig sa kaso dahil hindi umano nakatanggap ng anumang abiso ang Justice for Kentex Workers’ Alliance (JKWA) na inilipat na ang kaso sa Kagawaran ng Katarungan (DOJ). Pinagsama-sama ng korte ang mahigit 80 kasong nakabinbin laban sa Kentex, subalit nagdulot lamang ito ng aberya sa naging unang pagding nang hindi umano nabanggit ang lahat ng pangalan ng mga nagsampa ng kaso. Hindi natukoy ang pangalan nina Richard Mercado at Ria Pobocan, parehong nakaligtas sa sunog, at si Ammied Rada na namatayan ng dalawang kapatid sa insidente. Inipit at hindi inilabas ang mga pangalan ng nagsampa ng kaso at pinagpasapasahan ang mga ito, ani Myrna Pisaw, isa sa mga nakaligtas sa pagkasunog ng Kentex at coordinator ng JKWA. Sa ikalawang paglilitis lamang noong ika-7 ng Marso nakumpleto ang pangalan ng mga nagsasakdal, matapos muling kunin ni Atty. Remigio Saladero, abogado ng JKWA, ang pangalan ng lahat ng nagsampa ng indibidwal na kaso. “Malinaw na ang sistema ng katarungan sa bansa ay para lang sa iilang mayaman at makapangyarihan. [Hindi kami titigil] hangga’t hindi namin
nakakamit ang hustisya para sa mga manggagawa ng Kentex,” ayon sa isang pahayag ng JKWA. Ika-13 ng Mayo 2015 nang masunog ang Kentex, isang pabrika ng tsinelas, dahil umano sa mga kemikal na hindi naitabi ng maayos. Walang maayos na fire exit ang naturang pabrika at naharangan naman ng mga kable ng kuryente ang mga bintana kung kaya’t hindi na nakalabas ang mga manggagawa nito. Ayon sa mga naunang ulat, hindi binigyan ng lokal na gobyerno ng fire permit ang Kentex ngunit pinalabas ng Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) na nabigyan ang naturang kompanya. Maaaring sampahan ng kasong reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and physical injuries ang BFP pati na rin ang lokal na pamahalaan sakaling mapatunayan ito. Matapos ang insidente, binigyan ng pamunuan ng Kentex ng kompensasyon ang mga kamag-anak ng namatay na mga manggagawa. Nakatanggap ng P27,000 si Pisaw bilang danyos, na katumbas ng kabuuang sahod na natanggap niya sa anim na taong panunungkulan sa Kentex. “Kung hindi pa namin sila picketan hindi talaga sila kikilos, isa lang talaga ang ibig sabihin niyan e, kumakampi ang DOJ sa kabila, kailangan pa namin [magpicket] para gumawa sila ng hakbang, namatay na siguro ang kasong ito kung hindi kami gumawa ng aksyon,” pahayag ni Pisaw. Giit ng mga manggagawa ng Kentex, hindi sapat ang ibinigay na kompensasyon ng kumpanya. Kung tutuusin, katumbas lamang ito sa trabahong binigay namin, dagdag ni Pisaw. “Dapat may mapanagot sa pagkamatay ng napakaraming manggagawa. Mahalaga, hindi basura, ang buhay ng mga manggagawa,” ayon sa pahayag ng JKWA. y
Court grants bail to UPD Film student
z ARRA B. FRANCIA
DETAINED UP DILIMAN (UPD) FILM student Maricon Montajes has been allowed to post bail by the Rosario Regional Trial Court on March 2, after the court found no strong evidence of guilt to prosecute her and two other detainees. Maricon will be released upon payment of bail worth P400,000. With supposed witnesses against the film student’s case consistently failing to appear in scheduled hearings, the court granted the petition for lack of evidence. Maricon has been detained in the Batangas Provincial Jail since 2010 after being captured by military agents while researching for her thesis in a peasant community in Mabayabas, Taysan, Batangas. Dubbed the Taysan 3, Maricon’s petition has been granted alongside Anakbayan member Rommiel Canete and farmer Ronilo Baes, whose payments for bail are pegged at P500,000 and P400,000, respectively.
“This is a manifestation of the strength of the collective efforts of the iskolar ng bayan who since 2010 have been campaigning for their release. However, the bail seems too high, considering the fact that the three have merely been victims of numerous trumped-up charges filed against them,” said Raoul Danniel Manuel, KASAMA sa UP national chairperson. Amid the small victory for Maricon, Manuel explained that this does not end the campaign to free political prisoners in the country. For instance, UPD Extension Program in Pampanga alumni Guiller Martin Cadano and Gerald Salonga, have been detained since 2014 after being accused by military agents as members of the rebel group New People’s Army. “[T]he struggle continues until the Taysan 3 and all other political prisoners are freed, and until the time comes when no Filipino will be detained for their aspiration to effect genuine social change,” said Manuel. y
DAILY REMEMBRANCE Katrina Artiaga
Marilyn Yco stares at the drawings of her son, 24-year-old Frederick, who loved to draw in his pastime when he was still alive. Frederick is one of the 72 victims who perished in the Kentex factory fire in May 2015. He used to earn P202 daily by attaching straps to the slippers’ sole. A stay-at-home mother, Marilyn relied heavily on her eldest of four children to support the measly income her husband was getting from driving a tricycle. She vows to continue seeking justice for the victims and hopes the incident remains a wakeup call to improve the working conditions of Filipino workers.
SC junks TRO on K-12
z MEGAN AGLAUA
FOURTH YEAR HIGH SCHOOL students will be barred from enrolling in college in the first semester of academic year 2016 to 2017, after the Supreme Court junked on March 15 petitions for a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the implementation of the K-12 program. Various groups filed separate petitions from March to July 2015 calling on the SC to place TRO on K-12. These groups include the United Petitioners Against K-12 (UPAK), Suspend K-12 Alliance (SUSPENDK12), Alyansa ng Mga Tagapagtanggol ng Wikang Filipino, Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), and Parent’s Advocacy for Children’s Education. The decision comes less than three months before the full implementation of the K-12 program, which the groups slammed for its unconstitutionality. “The government is not prepared to implement a 12-year Basic Education Cycle… as manifested by the actual insufficiency of classrooms, libraries…textbooks, modules, teachers, non-teaching staff and other education sector personnel in the old 10year basic education cycle,” according to the ACT in a statement. K-12 adds two years of senior high school to the current 10-year basic education curriculum, in accordance with the Enhanced Basic Education Program enacted in 2013. In 2015, the Department of Education (DepEd) received P68.2 billion for the construction and repair of 41, 228 classrooms, creation of 40,500 teaching and non-teaching positions, and the purchase of 70.5 million textbooks. Of around two million students set to enter senior high in school year 2016 to
2017, only 800,000 to 1.1 million students can be accommodated by the country’s 7,917 public high schools, according to a DepEd report in 2015. “Hindi naming alam kung ano ang mangyayari next school year. Hindi pa nailalatag ang mga plano. Walang bagong classroom. Clueless kami kung saan ilalagay ang eight sections [ng mga estudyante] na maiiwan since di sila gagraduate,” said Isaac Tapar, a teacher from the MSHS English Department and a member of ACT. The groups also pointed out the additional costs of the two-year extension which could amount to P100,000 to P200,000 for every student, according to Kabataan Party List. Marinel Manumbale, a Grade 10 student of Manuel Roxas High School in Paco, Manila, fears that she might not be able to attend school next year because of the additional expenses brought by K-12. “Hindi ako sure na makakatuloy ng Senior High School. Ang problema, iisa lang si mama na nagtatrabaho para sa amin. Nakikita kong nahihirapan siya. Maraming gastusin na dapat pang-college kaso sa K-12, dumagdag nanaman,” Manumbale said. To address the lack of public high schools with a K-12 program, DepEd has established a P12 billion voucher program that grants incoming senior high students vouchers of as much as P22,500 should they choose to enrol in private high schools or state universities and colleges. Around 7000 students are expected to be beneficiaries of the said program. The effects of the government for
being ill-prepared for the new curriculum would result to the massive displacement of college teachers and the immense dropping out of students who cannot afford private education, explained Severo Brillantes, legal counsel of the MSHS petitioners. Aside from the inadequate preparations, petitioners also emphasized the curriculum’s failure to provide full labor protection for teachers. Around 25,000 to 78,000 teachers and non-teaching staff are expected to be displaced with the implementation of K-12. “In the implementation of this law, education workers face the risk of early separation, forced retirement, constructive dismissal, diminution of salaries and benefits, labor contractualization and a general threat to self-organization,” the petition mentioned. Moreover, the K-12 courses offered in the senior high school curriculum are suitable only to overseas jobs, and/or foreign businesses, such as Housekeeping, Caregiving, and Medical Transcription, thus the K-12 has no nationalist or pro-Filipino orientation, according to ACT. The absence of massive democratic consultation within educational stakeholders has made the preparation of K-12 problematic, making the TRO necessary, said Tapar. “We will continue our fight wherever we are until this K to 12 program -- which is disastrous to the teachers, the students and parents – will be suspended,” David San Juan of UPAK said. y
6 LATHALAIN
IF KRISTEL TEJADA WERE ALIVE today, she would have been a graduating behavioral sciences student in UP Manila. She would also be on her way to medical school, as she dreamed of being a doctor, of bringing medical assistance to people in far-flung places. All that remains of Kristel's dreams now are memories, though so much has happened to her family since her passing. Tatay Chris now has a job at the Manila City Hall, and Nanay Blessie busies herself with caring for her children and activities at her local church. So much has happened to UP as well since Kristel ended her own life three years ago, after she was forced to quit college due to unpaid tuition— the new Socialized Tuition System (STS), budget cuts, the academic calendar shift. Yet these changes have not been for the better, there would be no guarantee the story would have been any different if Kristel were still alive today. Dreaming big Nanay Blessie describes her daughter as a sweet and kind girl who cared deeply about other people’s welfare and had a lot of friends. Kristel was particularly close to her younger brother, Khristof. “Kung papansinin mo, magkamukha nga sila,” she laughs. Kristel was an outstanding student. She finished elementary and high school with excellent marks at a Catholic school, though she had to rely on scholarship grants to stay in school. Even in college, she showed as much enthusiasm for learning. One of her professors in UP Manila, Professor Andrea Martinez, recalls her as a student who took her studies seriously, but was also sweet and friendly to her classmates. The professor would often let Kristel attend her classes even when she was barred from enrolling, because she knew how much the girl wanted to study. Kristel once gave her a rose as a token of her gratitude. Kristel's humble background did not stop her from dreaming big. When Kristel entered UP, the Tejadas thought that her future was bright and full of promise. They never knew dreams had a price and would cost them their daughter's life.
Illustration by Chester Higuit Page Design by Kenneth Gutlay
Huwebes 17 Marso 2016
Oppressive policies Three years were not enough to make Tatay Chris and Nanay Blessie forget how difficult it was to send Kristel to UP. Back then, Tatay Chris worked as a part-time taxi driver, while Nanay Blessie stayed at home to mind the house and their three younger children. It was a struggle for them to make ends meet, especially since Kristel’s younger siblings were studying as well. “Iyon ‘yung panahon na talagang bagsak kami,” said Nanay Blessie. When she entered UP in 2012, Kristel’s matriculation fees were assessed under the Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP). Kristel was assigned a P300-per-unit tuition under Bracket D, but her family could even hardly afford their daughter's school allowance. Their appeals for a lower bracket were denied, so all Kristel and her parents could do at the time was to rely on tuition loans from UP to finance her schooling. There were days when Kristel had to skip meals or sell snacks to her classmates just to cover the costs of her daily expenses. But loans were only a temporary solution—deferring only the payments that the Tejadas are still obliged to settle. Tatay Chris laments that if only there were more subsidy for state universities like UP, if education truly were considered a right of all youth, there would be no need for students to shoulder the costs of their education. It could have gone a long way in helping Kristel and other youth achieve their dreams. In recent years, the government has allotted funds to UP which fall short to what it needs. This resulted to staggering budget cuts: P1.43 billion in 2014 and P2.2 billion in 2015. Many other individuals and progressive groups have rallied behind the call for an increase in state subsidy for UP, but the national government would not hear any of it. In December 2013, just months after Kristel’s death, the UP administration
implemented the Socialized Tuition System (STS), its proposed solution to the now infamous STFAP. However, STS also falls short of addressing the problems STFAP had. While STS did away with much of the long lines and the paper work, it has been fundamentally the same. Tatay Chris points out that UP tuition remains as expensive as ever, an observation that is consistent with the official figures from the Office of Scholarships and Student Services. As of the second semester of the current academic year, only eight percent, or less than one out of ten UP students receive free tuition under the STS. Continuing struggles Nowadays, the Tejadas are slowly coming to terms with their loss. “Noong ipinanganak ko ‘yung bunso naming si Kristal, parang ipinanganak ko ulit si Kristel.” Kristal even looks like Kristel, Nanay Blessie notes, and this was why they chose for her a similar name to Kristel. Little by little, she and Tatay Chris have begun to raise their younger children to know and remember Kristel. Yet the family is not alone in remembering Kristel. “Kahit ngayon, may mga close friends siya na dumadalaw sa puntod niya,” shares Nanay Blessie. They have also met a lot of other friends since Kristel’s death—friends who have promised to continue fighting against the oppressive student policies and conditions that led to her death. “Sapat na ‘yung isang Kristel,” Tatay Chris says. Nothing will ever replace Kristel in their lives, but Tatay Chris and Nanay Blessie still hopes their children would be able to get into UP like their sister Kristel, and they are determined not to let the past repeat itself. Like Kristel's friends, they vow to continue to lend their voice to the fight for the right to an accessible and quality education.
Requiem for a Dream A N D R E A J O YC E LU C A S
LATHALAIN 7
Huwebes 17 Marso 2016
How Money Runs in Philippine Elections z DANIEL BOONE BASED ON FIGURES FROM THE Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), the sum of all the expenses paid for and by all presidential and vice-presidential candidates this elections is already a whopping P4.47 billion, an amount equal to the total annual salaries of more than 25,000 minimum wage earners in Metro Manila. Such a huge spending of money and resources casts doubt on the democratic aspirations of the elections, for how can the people choose the next leaders of their government when only the rich and already powerful seem destined to prevail? Money talk No one can ever totally blame voters for thinking that the elections is a frustrating exercise. Though held regularly, there is little to no change in the lives of ordinary Filipinos even as regimes come and go, leaving people to choose only among the same old family names. In fact, the Philippines is dubbed as the capital of political dynasties with more than 270 families dominating the elections, according to watchdog Center for People Empowerment in Governance. Among these are names that are already too familiar: Aquino, Roxas, Marcos, Binay, Recto, Singson, and Romualdez among others. Both old and new families, these clans form the political elite of the Philippines, with vast lands, wealth, and power at their disposal.
All these resources are crucial during the election season, especially in funding massive campaigns. In a game like this, the candidates who spend more are more likely to win. For instance, if surveys are to be believed, presidential candidate Miriam Defensor-Santiago who does not spend much is likely to lose. On the other hand, candidates like Jejomar Binay and Grace Poe, who already spent more than a billion even before the official day of campaigning, are topping the most recent surveys. Launching a national campaign means capturing the public's attention, including broadcasting commercials in all forms of media. The cost of a single 30-second political advertisement on major television networks ranges from P200,000 to P500,000. Even the wealthiest candidates cannot possibly afford such a huge amount. No wonder most candidates accept or even solicit donations from businessmen and landlords like Danding Cojuangco and other Chinese entrepreneurs. Historically, the candidates who spend too much for their campaigns tend to recover their expenses when they are already in the position. For example, ex-president Joseph Estrada spent approximately P117.4 million in his 1998 campaign. Three years later, he was ousted after plundering more than P500 million worth of kickbacks from jueteng.
In 2004, then incumbent candidate Gloria Macapaga-Arroyo was embroiled in the controversial “Hello Garci” scandal which questioned the legitimacy of her presidency. In the now infamous recording of her tapped call to then Commission on Elections (COMELEC) commissioner Virgilio Garciliano, Arroyo was ordering “Garci” to rig the election results so she could gain a million votes ahead of her closest rival, Fernando Poe, Jr. Arroyo and Marcos are thus both reincarnations of the archetypal Filipino politician: their positions give them unlimited access to funds and unlimited control over the country’s democratic institutions, and they do not think twice to exploit them if it means remaining in power. In other words, money is used not only to fuel campaigns but to buy actual votes as well. On average, a vote “costs” P1,500” according to 2013 data gathered by the PCIJ. Single votes each cost around P500 in Manila and around P10,000 in some parts of Mindanao. Buying votes, however, cannot guarantee success as the opposing candidate can always offer an even larger amount. Elections can also turn bloody when patronage money and plundered funds are used to buy arms and maintain private armies. Election-related violence is common, notably, in political hotspots where rivalries are intense. In 2006, Abra Representative Chito Bersamin was shot in the head by his political nemesis, Vicente Valeria. The Ampatuan Massacre, dubbed as the single most violent election-related incident in the country, took the lives of 58 people in 2009. Among those killed was the wife of then gubernatorial candidate Esmael Mangudadatu. These families, also among the wealthiest and most powerful in their provinces, are voted into power because of
At all costs These traditional politicians, or “trapos,” will do everything to win, get back, or retain their privileged positions in government— even fraud is hardly beneath them. In 1969, incumbent president Ferdinand Marcos used $56 million from the Philippine Treasury to finance his campaign and buy votes, according to Marvin Bionat in his book “How to Win (or Lose) in Philippine Elections.”
a culture of impunity where justice is merely an idea as elusive as democracy. Call for action Political dynasties, however, may also set aside their rivalries and support each other to ensure their survival. For instance, three decades after the People Power Revolution, Santiago picked Bongbong Marcos, son of the ousted dictator, as her running-mate. On the one hand, wealthy businessmen and landlords like the Cojuangcos and the members of the Makati Business Club routinely collaborate with and finance candidates to form a de facto partnership. Chinese entrepreneurs, on the other hand, are among the most active participants in funding campaign expenses for candidates, according to PCIJ. They are also among the most involved in large-scale smuggling in the country. In the past, the candidate’s financier directly affects the candidate’s political and economic policies. President Benigno Aquino III, for instance, received almost a quarter of his presidential campaign funds from landlord Tony Boy Cojuangco. Aquino is also an ally of the Ayalas. Without a doubt, no genuine agrarian reform was achieved during his six-year term in Malacanang. Several public services were privatized and awarded to the Ayalas, like the recently opened Manila-Cavite Expressway. But despite these gloomy prospects, or perhaps precisely because of these, every election should be seen as a challenge to all Filipinos to exercise their right to vote and their right to be rid of money politics. For there are also progressive candidates who must be given a chance to institute reforms that would provide much-needed relief for the Filipino people. It is our duty to make sure they get a fighting chance. y
PRE-CAMPAIGN PERIOD EXPENSES OF NATIONAL CANDIDATES
JEJOMAR BINAY
MIRIAM DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO
2010 Elections (Vice-president)
2010 Elections (Senator)
TOP CONTRIBUTORS P10 M Darlene Webb Zshornack P7.98 M Binay Clan
2016 Elections (President)*
P217.94 M
P117.5 M
P0
RODRIGO DUTERTE 2016 Elections (President)*
GRACE POE
TOP CONTRIBUTOR Apollo Quiboloy
2016 Elections (President)*
2004 Elections (Senator)
TOP CONTRIBUTORS P10 M Michael Escaler Edwin Lee Uy
TOP CONTRIBUTORS P20 M Judy Araneta 2010 Elections (Vice-president)
P129.1 M
P146.35 M
2016 Elections (President)*
P1.05 B
P1.02 B
TOP CONTRIBUTOR Danding Cojuangco
ALAN PETER CAYETANO
FRANCIS ESCUDERO
GREGORIO HONASAN
FERDINAND MARCOS, JR.
P37.21 M
P64.95 M
P10.3 M
P109.4 M
2007 Elections (Senator)
2007 Elections (Senator)
2007 Elections (Senator)
2010 Elections (Senator)
TOP CONTRIBUTORS P8 M Juan Bondoc P3 M Lino Cayetano
TOP CONTRIBUTORS P13 M Nationalist People's Coalition P9 M Ramon Ang
TOP CONTRIBUTORS P2.5 M Jaime Uy P3.1 M Honasan Clan
TOP CONTRIBUTORS P20 M Ernest Escaler P20 M Jose Singson, Jr.
2016 Elections (VP)*
2016 Elections (VP)*
2016 Elections (VP)*
2016 Elections (VP)*
P419 M
P2.78 M
* - From 1 January 2015 - 1 January 2016
P29.67 M
P252.5 M
MAR ROXAS
2013 Elections (Senator)
LENI ROBREDO 2016 Elections (VP)*
P273.9 M
P94.73 M
P279.35 M
2016 Elections (President)*
P969.17 M
ANTONIO TRILLANES, IV 2007 Elections (Senator)
P9.9 M
TOP CONTRIBUTORS P4.9 M Jamby Madrigal
2016 Elections (VP)*
P8.95 M
Illustration by Joshua Rioja Page Design by John Reczon Calay
8 KULTURA
Huwebes 17 Marso 2016
Kung Mangarap Ka't Magising
*
SHEILA ABARRA MISTERYO KUNG ITURING ANG bulubundukin ng Cordillera sapagkat dito matatagpuan ang mga tanawing hindi pangkaraniwan: mga hubad na mangangaso at magsasaka, mga kagubatang nababalot ng hamog, at mga hagdan-hagdang palayan. Kaya siguro manghang-mangha ang lahat kina Carrot, Cabbage, at Chicharon Man na naging laman ng social media nitong nakaraang buwan. Para sa marami, tila taglay ng mga binatang Igorot na ito ang kaakit-akit na ganda ng Cordillera. Canao (Pagtitipon) Mula pa noon, inihihiwalay na sa mga taga-lungsod ang mga pangkatetniko ng bansa, o iyong mga etnolinggwistikong grupo na may sariling wika, relihiyon, at kaugalian. Nagsimula na ito noong panahon pa ng Espanyol dahil itinuturing ang sinumang hindi Katoliko na hindi sibilisado. Nagpatuloy ito sa panahon ng Amerikano hanggang ngayon. Malaki ang interes ng mga Amerikano sa Cordillera dahil narito ang malaking porsyento ng ginto at mineral. Ayon sa librong The Oppression of the Indigenous People of the Philippines nina Felix Razon at Richard Hensman ng International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGA), nagsimula noong panahon ng Amerikano ang pagpapatayo ng malalaking minahan, pagtotroso, at plantasyon ng mga dayuhang korporasyon. Igorot ang karamihan sa mga trabahador sa ganitong mga kompanya. Sa isang sanaysay ni Victor Segalen na Essay on Exoticism: An Aesthetics of Diversity, imperyalismo ang kaakibat ng eksotisismo o pagturing sa mga katutubo bilang k a k a i b a , barbaro, at hindi
sibilisado. Isa ang kultura ng mga Igorot sa hindi nalupig ng mga mananakop na dumaan sa bansa. Dahil hindi sila masakop, itnuring silang mga barbaro at pinakinabangan ang likas na yaman ng kanilang mga lupain. Tinatawag na “othering” ang ganitong proseso na, ayon kay Edward Said, isang Palestinong kritiko at manunulat, natural sa tao na ituring na naiiba ang lahat ng katangiang wala sa sarili. Nangyayari ito hanggang ngayon kina Carrot, Cabbage, at Chicharon Man dahil itinuturing silang iba at tila kagulat-gulat. Tanging kagwapuhan lang ng mga Igorot na ito ang naging usapan ng mga tao sa social media, at walang nakapansin sa hirap ng trabaho nila sa sarili nilang lupain. Tulad ng hindi napapansing kalagayan ng mga katutubo, at pagkaangat ng pagkakakilanlan sa kanila bilang mga barbaro, hindi rin maipakilala sina Carrot, Cabbage at Chicharon Man bilang mga manggagawa sa sarili nilang lupain at ni hindi sila matawag sa sarili nilang pangalan. Solibao (Tambol) Bukod sa pagkuha ng likas na yaman, ginaganapan din ang Cordillera ng mga pelikula at teleseryeng tinatangkilik nang marami. Sumikat ang Sitio La Presa sa Tuba, Benguet sa Baguio matapos ganapan ng isang teleserye ng ABS-CBN na tungkol sa pag-iibigan ng isang tagaMaynila at isang dalaga na tubongBenguet. Bagaman ginanap sa lugar ng mga katutubo ang teleserye, nakapokus lang ito sa pag-iibigan ng dalawa, hindi tulad sa pelikulang Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising ni Mike De Leon na mayroong kabatirang naroroon ang dalawang nag-iibigan sa Baguio dahil nilalarawan ang pagkakaiba ng
lugar na iyon sa Maynila at naipakita pa ang ilang Igorot sa kanilang kasuotan. Ginanap sa Baguio at Mountain Province ang pelikula ni Antoinette Jadaone na That Thing Called Tadhana na sa pagpunta ng isang kagagaling lamang sa hiwalayan at isang pintor, sa Baguio at doon naglabas ng sakit dulot ng pag-ibig. Nagsilbing payo ang pelikula na kung gustong maglabas ng saloobin o kung sawi sa pag-ibig, magtungo lang sa Sagada. Dumagsa ang turista sa mga lugar, dahilan upang pasukin ng komersyal na mga institusyon ang Baguio at pagkakitaan. Ayon kay Ramon Guillermo Ph.D., manunulat at propesor ng kursong Araling Pilipino sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Diliman, ang pagpupugay, pagpapahalaga at pagtatanghal ay hindi naman kinakailangang maging "romanticized”–hindi realistikong pagpapakilala sa mga katutubo. Ang mahalaga lamang maalala ay maaari lamang magkaroon ng makatotohanan at makataong ugnayan kapag may tunay na batayan ang mga ugnayang ito. Patunay nito ang kalagayan nina Carrot Man at Cabbage Man na mga manggagawa para sa mga dayuhang korporasyon ngunit dapat sila ang pangunahing kumikita sa kanilang lugar. Dahil sa hindi hindi totoong pagpapakilala sa lugar ng mga katutubo ng mga ganitong mga pelikula at palabas, naisasantabi ang tunay na kalagayan ng mga katutubo na dapat mas binibigyangpansin kaysa sa mga hugot at pag-ibig.
Sapo (Kulam) Itinatampok din ang ating mga katutubo sa mga eksibit sa labas ng bansa. Sa halip na ilahad ang kasalukuyang kalagayan ginagawang katawa-tawa kadalasan ang ating mga katutubo na nagpapatuloy hanggang ngayon. Inihanay kasama ng mga hayop at halaman, at ginawang katawa-tawa ang mga Igorot sa isang eksibit sa Zoological Garden sa Madrid noong 1887 na Exposicion de las Islas Filipinas na labis na ikinagalit ni Jose Rizal sa liham niya para kay Ferdinand Blumentritt. Ayon kay Dr. Ramon Guillermo, mukhang walang natutunan ang maraming Pilipino kay Rizal dahil noong 2011, nakita niya kung paano pinagkakatuwaan at binastos ang kultura ng mga katutubo, partikular na ang mga Aeta sa ‘Aeta Trail’ sa Zoobic Safari sa Subic sa Zambales. Matapos ang marangal at propesyunal na pagtatanghal ng dalawang Aeta ng kanilang mga sayaw at tugtog, sumayaw ang ilan at nagsisigaw na parang mga hayop na tila "ginagaya" ang mga Aeta. Patuloy pa rin ang ganitong trato sa ating mga katutubo hanggang ngayon.
Noong ikasiyam ng Pebrero, naglabas ng pahayag ang Katribu Partylist–isa sa tumututol sa pag-aalis ng Commission on Elections o Comelec sa KATRIBU Partylist o Indigenous Peoples Sectoral Party para sa nalalapit na halalan ngayong 2016. Tutol sila sa diskwalipikasyon ng KATRIBU Partylist dahil patunay lang ito ng pag-aalis sa karapatan ng mga katutubo. Hindi pa rin natatapos ang karahasan sa ating mga katutubo. Hanggang ngayo’y hindi pa rin nahahanap ang pumaslang kay William Bugatti, isang Tuwali ng Ifugao at miyembro ng Ifugao Peasant Movement (IPM) noong Pebrero 2014. Matagal na umanong target ng 86th Infantry Battalion si Bugatti dahil ito raw ang utak ng New People’s Army (NPA). Halos walang pinagkaiba sa karahasan sa mga Lumad ng Mindanao dahil hanggang ngayon, sinusunog pa rin ang kanilang mga paaralan at komunidad. Hindi lamang pagpatay ang ginagawa sa ating mga katutubo, nariyan din ang pagsira sa kanilang mga pinagkukunang-yaman. Isang halimbawa ay ang operasyon ng pagmimina ng Oceana Gold, isang kompanya ng Australia at New Zealand sa Brgy. Didipio sa Nueva Vizcaya, na nakaaapekto sa kapaligiran, pamumuhay at kultura ng mga katutubo natin doon. Higit pa sa paghanga sa ganda ng lugar ng ating mga katutubo, pakinggan natin ang musikang likha ng kanilang sining at awit nilang panawagan na wakasan ang opresyon, diskriminasyon, maling representasyon, at pananamantala sa kanilang kultura't kabihasnan. *pasintabi kay Mike De Leon
Dibuho ni John Kenneth Zapata Disenyo ng Pahina ni Kenneth Gutlay
KULTURA 9
Huwebes 17 Marso 2016
Tanghalan ng Bayan MARY JOY CAPISTRANO SA GILID, GITNA O UNAHAN, SAAN mang sulok naisasagawa ng UP Repertory Company (UP Rep) ang kanilang tuladula gamit ang mismong mga aktor na nakasuot ng simpleng puting t-shirt at pantalon. Hindi binibigong mapatawa ng maikling palabas ng UP Rep ang mga manonood. Bilang isang uri ng pagtatanghal sa lansangan, madalas na isinasagawa ng UP Rep ang kanilang tula-dula sa mga kilos-protesta at pagtitipon sa loob at labas ng unibersidad.
Lunsaran ng tanghalan Tumampok ang ganitong porma ng dulaan noong panahon ng Batas Militar nang dalumatin ng mga artista ng bayan ang pagbabawal ni dating Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos sa mga gawaing tumutuligsa sa pamahalaan. Taong 1972 nang itatag ni Propesor Benjamin Cervantes ang UP Rep na pinanghahawakan ang linyang “Repleksyon ng mga Pangangailangan ng Nakararami” (RPN). Naging bahagi ng UP Rep ang mga beteranong artista na sina Jonee Gamboa at Boots Anson Roa. “UP Rep has a rich history. The productions directed by the late Behn Cervantes are major contributions to Philippine Theater and society. Now headed by the students, I am happy that the organization is continuing the company's vision,” ani Dexter Santos, propesor sa teatro at direktor ng Dulaang UP. Mula sa mga iskong walang kamalaymalay sa lipunan, malaking papel ang ginampanan ng UP Rep upang hubugin ang bawat miyembro na nauunawaan ang danas ng mamamayang Pilipino. Bukod sa naririnig na nila ang mga isyu sa serye ng mga talakayan sa unibersidad, nagagawa din umano nilang makahalubilo ang mamayang direktang nakararanas ng pandarahas at kahirapan. Sila ang direkta naming source kaya sila ang tinatanghal namin, dahilan para higit naming maunawaan ang kanilang mga danas, ani Gio Potes, pangulo ng UP Rep. Lumalabas ang UP Rep sa unibersidad upang makisalamuha sa mamamayan at magtanghal. “Kaya ang main thrust ng UP Rep ay RPN [dahil] gusto namin siyang ilapat sa masa hindi lang sa mga may kakayahang manood o makabili ng tiket,” ani Jake. Mula sa UP narating na rin nila ang Cobatato nang itanghal nila ang kanilang tatlong dula ukol sa mga Moro. Sa loob ng unibersidad, nabubuhay ang mga miyembro ng UP Rep sa isang maliit na sulok na kwarto sa baba ng Vinzons Hall. Sa simula ng klase maayos na opisina ang tambayan nila, sa panahon ng produksyon nagiging tila tambakan ito ng basura. Kulang ang bilang ng kasalukuyang miyembro para sa layunin nitong makapagpalabas ng dalawang dula
kada semestre. Kaya malaking problema ang pagpapatakbo ng isang produksyon dahil sa kakulangan ng mga tao. “Mahalaga na masanay ka sa iba’t ibang aspeto ng teatro. Hindi pwedeng kapag artista ka, artista ka lang. Kahit saang production or venture ang puntahan mo, kailangan mong matutunang sumalo lalo na kapag may nagkasakit, mapilayan o madulas,” paliwanag ni Gio. Kaya umano bumaba ang bilang ng aplikante sa UP Rep ay dahil sa pagtingin ng ilang mga estudyante na mga aktibista at kapanalig ng isang pulitikal na grupo ang organisasyon. Ngunit bukas lamang ang UP Rep sa lahat ng estudyante, anuman ang kanilang kurso at grupong kinabibilangan. “Minsan nagtatalo-talo din naman ang miyembro ng kumpanya sa kung ano ba ang gusto naming iparating,” ani Gio.
Diwa ng paglaban Matumal man ang pagdating ng mga bagong aplikante tuluy-tuloy ang aplikasyon ng UP Rep kada semestre. Bahagi ng proseso ng pagtanggap nila ng bagong miyembro ang tinatawag na “work, integration, workshop, interview, challenge week, induction” o WIWICHI. Isang porma ng pagsasanay para sa mga aplikante sa kung paano tumatakbo ang buhay ng isang miyembro ng UP Rep. Nagsisilbi itong pundasyon ng matatag na samahan ng bawat aplikante at mga miyembro. Mabigat ang gampanin ng isang miyembro ng UP Rep dahil nakapokus sila sa pagpapagana ng organisasyon na mahirap gawin kung kakaunti ang miyembro. “Kapag aplikante ka, ang pokus mo ay ‘yung road mo lang papunta sa membership,” ani Joyce Baclili ng UP Rep. Liban sa bilang ng miyembro, suliranin din ng UP Rep ang pagpapatigil ng ilang institusyon sa kanilang produksyon dahil sa maling pagsasalarawan sa mga isyu. Noong nakaraang taon lamang ng maudlot ang dulang “Mas Mabigat ang Liwanag sa Kalungkutan.” Hindi sinang-ayunan ng United Nations Children's Emergency Fund o UNICEF ang pagpapakita ng isyu. Naudlot man, iginaod nila ang produksyon na walang tulong mula sa kahit anong institusyon. Umaabot ng tatlo hanggang apat na buwan ang preparasyon para sa isang pagtatanghal na nangangailangan ng sapat na badyet at partisipasyon ng mga miyembro. Ngunit bilang isang non-stock, non-profit student organization, may maliit na pondo ang UP Rep na galing sa kinita ng mga nakaraang produksyon. “Very limited lang kasi hindi naman lahat ng mga estudyante nanonood ng teatro ngayon. Hindi rin kami masyadong nakakakuha ng financial aid from the admin,” paliwanag ni Gio. Upang maging matagumpay ang isang produksyon, kumukuha sila ng direktor
mula sa hanay ng mga alumni ng UP Rep na maaaring may bayad o wala. May faculty adviser din sila na siyang humahawak sa mga legal na usapin at kabahagi sa pagpaplano sa buong semestre.
Sining ng pag-aalsa Ang mga karahasan noong panahon ng diktaduryang Marcos ang nagbigay inspirasyon sa UP Rep na panghawakan ang RPN at kritikal na tumugon sa mga isyu ng lipunan katulad ng diskriminasyon, kahirapan at militarisasyon sa pamamagitan ng teatro. Hindi lamang palabas ang teatro na naglalahad ng iba’t ibang kwento o pangyayari. Isa itong lunsaran ng ideya upang makapanghikayat ng mga manonood na tumanggap ng panibagong kaalaman upang makibahagi sa mga isyung hinahapag sa dulaan. Inilalatag ng UP Rep sa bawat palabas ang mga kwentong paghahalawan ng aral ng mga manonood. Sa bawat linya ng mga aktor maririnig ang kritikal na pag-atake sa mga isyu, kaya nababalot man ng katatawanan ang tanghalan hindi ito bumabalikwas sa tunguhing magmulat ng mga manonood. Sa balangkas na "The Theatre of the Oppressed," itinuturing ang teatro na pagsasanay sa mga mamamayan na sumalungat sa kalupitan at pagmamalabis na kanilang dinaranas sa lipunan. Isa itong kolektibong paglalahad ng sitwasyon at pagbibigay ng solusyon sa wakas ng bawat tanghalan. Magiging mabisa lamang ito kung bibigyang pagkakataon ang mga manonood na maging bahagi ng palabas, paliwanag ni Augusto Boal, kilalang direktor at pangkultural na aktibista sa Brazil. Layuning basagin ni Boal ang pangkaraniwang relasyon ng mga aktor bilang tagaganap at mga manonood na tagatanggap ng mensahe. Sa The Theatre of the Oppressed may pagkakataon ang mga manonood na gumanap sa mismong tanghalan at ilatag ang sarili nilang ideya. Sa tula-dula ng UP Rep, hindi lamang tagatanggap ng mensahe ang mga manonood. Matapos ang palabas dumidiretso ang mga manonood sa pagsasagawa ng kilos-protesta. Kaiba sa pangkaraniwang teatro na tila nasa loob ng isang kahon. Mas malawak ang sakop na manonood ng UP Rep dahil bukas ito sa lansangan at higit na nakakatawag-pansin sa mga tao. “Bilang mga estudyante, artista at tao, ganyan namin hinaharap ang lahat: creative, fierce at may paninindigan,” ani Gio. Subok na ng kasaysayan ang danas ng mamamayang Pilipino. Kaya malaki ang gampanin ng teatro upang magmulat at magbigay ng kritikal na suri sa mga isyu na siyang pangunahing lunsaran ng pagpapakilos sa mas malaking bilang ng mamamayan.
Mga kuha nina Kenneth Gutlay, Chester Higuit, Jiru Rada at Tony Reyes
10 OPINYON
Huwebes 17 Marso 2016
Larger than Life
Something to Fear JIRU RADA
IT DOESN’T TAKE A GENIUS TO know what Marcos Jr. and exes have in common. They both make you forget the past only to screw the present. While forgetting the time you and your ex spent together will not scar you for life, Marcos Jr.’s fleeting memory is a disservice to the martyrs of EDSA. As cliché as it may sound, we learn from history to avoid repeating mistakes. The next heartbroken person can drunkenly argue with me, but that's the truth. However, many Filipinos seem to have skipped their history classes only to be fooled by Marcos Jr. In a vice-presidential survey taken during the 30th commemoration of the EDSA revolution, the son of the dictator disturbingly topped the list. Ferdinand would probably be laughing in his grave—or in this case his glass coffin. It was probably his use of the phrases ‘my father’s legacy’ and ‘golden age of Philippine history’ that made him a viable choice as VP. People tend to be blindsided with glittering generalities like these, often promising the return to an intangible golden past. But for whatever reason, what he’s promising us is fool’s gold; the 70,000 documented cases of political imprisonments and more than 30,000
Reason is scarce in social media, and the right to free speech gets brandished like a flag, rallying troops to an unseen clash of thinking and "unthinking"
recorded incidents of torture would not pass as good criteria for a golden legacy. Marcos Jr. has been sweeping his father’s dirt far too much in his attempts to reclaim the family’s old throne inside Malacañang. More so, the Marcos loyalists are as myopic as Marcos Jr.’s political ads that even a bottle of that ill-flavored vodka wouldn’t start an acceptable discourse. With more than a million followers on his official Facebook page and millions spent on television commercials, Marcos Jr. is capable of reaching a great chunk of the voting population to tell his own version of history. No wonder a lot of anti-Marcos groups are trying to level the debate and remind the Filipino people about the horrors of Martial Law. And these aren’t bored housewives, unemployed men, or students looking to kill time; the very same victims of human rights violation during the dictatorship, their relatives, and press freedom advocates are raising their voices and taking their stand against historical revisionism. That’s the only appropriate response here. Leaving Marcos Jr. and the loyalists alone will cause more damage. Ignorance reigns supreme on the Internet, with social media being
used more as tools of propaganda than self-expression during election season. This ignorance must never be met with silence. Reason is scarce in social media, and the right to free speech gets brandished like a flag, rallying troops to an unseen clash of thinking and “unthinking.” The two-decade Marcos regime will definitely not go down as one of the precious times in this country’s history. This collective blindness and confusion about the events that transpired in the Martial Law era, events already proven time and again by first-hand accounts, and countless government documents and news articles, come at a close second. Don't be fooled: Marcos Jr. was no child during the Martial Law era. Rather, he was a consenting adult at the time, benefiting from the ill gains his family amassed. Remember, an ex should stay an ex. They are an example of everything false in this world and the reason why we need to choose someone better.
Samahang Pinagtibay MARY JOY CAPISTRANO
NABABALOT ANG UNANG TAON ko sa UP ng takot at hiya na mag-isa sa paglalakad, sa pagkain sa kantina na punung-puno ng mga estranghero at pagharap sa mga aralin o pagpunta sa library nang walang kasama. Tamang pagkakataon para sa kaliwa’t kanang imbitasyon mula sa iba’t ibang organisasyon. May kanya-kanyang forte ang bawat organisasyon, mga grupo ng mga estudyanteng sumasayaw, kumanta, at nagsusulat, ngunit karamihan ay organisasyong pangakademiko. Umaabot sa loob ng isang semestre ang aplikasyon ng pagsali sa isang org. Pangunahing rekisito ang sigsheet at tambay hours upang makilala at makapalagayang loob ang mga miyembro. Sa unang semestre ko sa UP natutunan ang mga salita tulad ng tambay hours, buddy date, final interview at final rites—mga prosesong pinagdaanan ko sa pagsali sa aking unang org. Sa totoo lang, walang masama sa pagsali sa organisasyon kahit nasa unang taon ka pa lamang sa unibersidad. Binibigyang pagkakataon nito ang bawat estudyante na kilalanin ang kanilang sarili at mabilis na makibagay sa bagong komunidad. Hindi maitatanggi na malaki
Malaki ang gampanin ng isang organisasyon sa paghubog ng pagkakakilanlan at paniniwala ng mga estudyante
ang kaibahan ng kultura sa kolehiyo kumpara sa kinagisnang buhay ng mga kabataan sa elementarya at sekundarya. Nang minsang may nagyaya sa akin na umupo sa isang educational discussion sumama agad ako. Walang nasayang na oras dahil marami akong natutunan—mga bagay na hindi ko narinig noong hayskul lalo sa usapin ng kahirapan ng mga Pilipino. Malaki ang gampanin ng isang organisasyon sa paghubog ng pagkakakilanlan at paniniwala ng mga estudyante. Ang makabuluhang diskusyon na nagaganap sa loob at labas ng unibersidad ay magandang lunsaran ng mas malalim na pag-unawa sa danas hindi lamang ng mga estudyante kundi ng mamamayan. Naging madali para sa akin ang sumali sa org kasabay ang mga batchmate ko. Ni hindi ko kinailangang dumaan sa proseso ng kalupitan katulad ng paggawa ng mga nakakahiyang gawain, pagpapahiya sa harap ng maraming tao, at higit sa lahat ang pisikal na pananakit. Hindi ko rin naranasan ang sigawsigawan sa harap ng maraming tao na parang hindi tao. Mga kwentong katulad ng naranasan ni Billie dela Paz sa aplikasyon niya ng pagsali sa isang org. Siguro boring para sa iba
ang pinagdaanan kong aplikasyon pero naniniwala akong kailanma’y hindi naging o magiging batayan ang kalupitan bilang sukatan ng pagiging bahagi sa isang organisasyon. Kaiba sa mga narinig kong kwento, hindi naman naging mahirap ang proseso ng pinasok kong org. Simpleng pag-upo sa mga workshop at pagsusulat ng akda ang ipinagawa sa amin. May ibang mga gawain na ipinagawa sa amin para sukatin ang tatag ng samahan naming mga aplikante. Malaki ang potensyal ng mga organisasyon lalo na sa pagpapatibay ng samahan ng mga estudyante sa unibersidad. Isa itong instrumento ng pag-oorganisa sa mga kabataan na higit na kilalanin ang kanilang mga sarili at hubugin ang diwang makabayan ng bawat iskolar ng bayan. Kahit isang semestre lang akong naging aktibo sa aking org, malaki ang naitulong nito sa pinili kong larangan sa kasalukuyan. Sa unibersidad na hinihikayat ang kalayaang pangakademiko, walang lugar ang karahasan hindi lamang para sa mga estudyante kundi sa mamamayan.
Polo F. Imperial
ALL IN THE FAMILY THIS MONTH MARKS THE THIRD DEATH anniversary of Kristel Tejada. She was only sixteen, the eldest of five siblings, when she was driven to despair and took her own life after the UP Manila administration forced her to quit college because of unpaid loans. I never knew Kristel personally, but I cannot help but think of how similar yet also how unlike we are. We are both “scholars” at the country’s only national university. We wanted to be doctors, to help save lives and make a difference. Only this dream is much closer to my reach than it ever was for Kristel—and all because I was born into a wealthier family. When I was admitted to UP a year after her death, the university's socialized tuition scheme has just been reformed anew. My dad's upper middle class guilt decided then that I will never apply for a discount. My father seemed convinced that by refusing to apply for a subsidy, we are doing our part in helping prevent another student from being forced to drop out because she couldn't get the subsidy she needs. But while my father was determined to “contribute” as much money as he can through my tuition, my mom is of an entirely different persuasion. Next semester, she seemed determine to convince my father by applying for a discount under the Socialized Tuition System (STS). We were having dinner and I just told them about the Collegian's report that less than 1 out of ten students receive free tuition under STS. My mom couldn't stop herself and went on a rant. “If we were like Kristel's family, we wouldn't have this conversation, because we wouldn't have any choice but to beg for a discount. Nothing good has come out of this socialized tuition project. Why should we continue to support it? When I was a UP student, we didn't have any of this nonsense, and we were just fine. Of course we weren't fine—the labs looked like torture rooms and the dormitories were a little more than army barracks—but you all get what I mean.” Surprisingly, even the twins chimed in, saying it was enough they opted for Ateneo so their slots could go to others who need them more. Of course, they just wanted to congratulate themselves, but it isn't every day they had an opinion that even remotely resembles other people's opinions. “And isn't anybody going to ask me what I think? Everybody seems to forget I'm involved here,” I said, but by that time, my mother was already far away, alternately reminiscing the best years years of her youth in UP Baguio and ranting about how UP's principles have gone down the drain. My father meanwhile had finished his meal and finally noticed me. “We decide what to do with your tuition, while you do all the protesting in the streets for the rest of us,” he said, smirking, with only a stern glance at me that lasted approximately 1.5 seconds. I took it as a message that I have to wash his car for at least the next couple of months.
OPINYON 11
Huwebes 17 Marso 2016
AN OPEN LETTER OF REQUEST FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT UP LOS BAÑOS STUDENT HAS THE RIGHT TO FROM CONCERNED MEMBERS OF THE CMC COMMUNITY QUESTION DUTERTE ANAKBAYAN
TASK FORCE FREEDOM ONE OF OUR STUDENTS, MS. MARICON MONTAJES of the UP Film Institute, is among the 555 political prisoners in the country, based on September 2015 data from human rights group Karapatan. She is said to be the youngest political prisoner at the time of her detention. Together with Ramiel Cañete and Ronilo Baes, Maricon is part of the Taysan 3 charged with, among others, illegal possession of firearms and explosives. The three of them were arrested on June 3, 2010 in what the military claimed was an encounter with rebels in Sitio Tagusay, Barangay Mabayabas in Taysan, Batangas. Nothing could be further from the truth. Maricon was integrating with the rural poor at that time, something that we expect from our students to better depict in media (in Maricon’s case, film) the plight of the marginalized sectors of our society. As an iskolar ng bayan, we take Maricon’s word that her two other companions are also innocent. The good news is that the Regional Trial Court Branch 87 of Rosario, Batangas decided to grant bail to the Taysan 3. In a decision dated February 12, 2016 (but released to the public only last March 2), Executive/Presiding Judge Rose
Deadline looms ...
Marie J. Manalang-Austria wrote that the “presumption of guilt is not strong as the elements necessary to prove the commission of the crime have not yet been fully established.” Right now, the total amount that needs to be raised for the three of them to post bail is P2.1 million. We hope that you could donate any amount to ensure that the Taysan 3 would be finally free after more than five years in detention. Through your help, Maricon and his two other companions would be able to gain temporary liberty and hopefully resume their normal life (including the possibility of Maricon resuming her studies at the UP Film Institute). For your donations, please feel free to deposit directly to the account of Maricon’s mother. Here are the account details: Name: Maria Concepcion Montajes Bank: Banco de Oro (BDO) Account Number: 003760012293 If you have any questions, please feel free to send an email to taskforcefreedom2016@ gmail.com or contact Josiah Hiponia at 09357720960 or Mrs. Maria Concepcion Montajes at 09209022369. Thank you for your attention.
ANAKBAYAN CONDEMNS IN NO uncertain terms the cyberbullying and death threats against Stephen Villena, a student from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), who was falsely accused of “raising his voice” when he asked Mayor Rodrigo Duterte about his budgetary priorities if he is elected president. Villena and other young Filipinos always welcome opportunities to meet and ask candidates, while aspirants attend or hold public events to reach and convince more voters. Forums such as the one held in UPLB are thus important, and attendees should always be free from all sorts of intimidation and threats. What happened after the UPLB forum -- the cyberbullying and death threats by trolls and hooligans, arising from the grossly-inaccurate and fact-free retelling of the event -should not happen again. We call on Mayor Duterte, who is portrayed as a disciplinarian, to control and restrain some of his most ardent supporters. All candidates and their supporters should welcome the freest and widest-possible discussions and debates. For the record, Villena was not impolite at all, as all eyewitness accounts point out. He was merely reminding Mayor Duterte of his own
desire to soon finish the forum as he asked the candidate to provide him a straight answer to his question. We must join Villena in asking Duterte and all presidential candidates the “impolite” and “stupid” question about their plans for education. That’s the least we could do on behalf of the likes of Kristel Tejada and Jessaven Lagatic -- state scholars who ended their lives due to the rising cost of education. For in reality, questions about education are neither impolite or stupid. They are life-and-death questions. Young Filipinos should emulate Villena and continue to ask questions about the many important issues facing the sector and the nation -- issues that have largely been ignored in the circus that is the 2016 campaign. Our elders and the majority look up to young Filipinos, especially the educated, to participate in the process. But not as trolls, hooligans or thugs loyal to any candidate and allergic to any hint of criticism. Their expectation is that we would use our knowledge and freedoms to raise the issues, discuss solutions and challenge the powerful. And there are many other questions that beg to be asked by Filipinos and waiting to be answered
inbox by candidates. We thus find it absurd and unacceptable that candidates’ fanatical supporters wish to control and undercut public discussions through threats and intimidation. Let the election campaign be a breakthrough moment for campuses nationwide, especially those where students are not free to express themselves and to air their grievances. We urge the candidates to meet with more young people and show them in words and in deeds the value of free speech and free expression whether in or out of election season. May there be millions more Stephens willing and ready to get involved in politics and to ask questions. Anakbayan is committed to making sure they are free to do so, without fear or favor.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN! Arjay Ivan Gorospe News Writer
Sanny Boy Afable Kultura Writer
From p. 3
The All-UP Workers Alliance staged a demonstration on February 26 to call for performance-based bonus as stated in Memorandum 2015-2 of the Department of Budget and Management, which discusses the guidelines on the grant of incentives by UP. Meanwhile, the Computerized Registration System (CRS) will be developed and deployed to universities for a fee. UP and Pamantasang Lungsod ng Maynila signed a Memorandum of Agreement on September 8 last year, allowing PLM to use the system. The functionalities of SAIS can project the long term study plan of each student unlike in CRS where the planning horizon is short, Pascual said. “CRS is a product of salient minds, we develop it as a UP product,” he said. “All the sectors in this university urgently demand a fully itemized disclosure of all the expenses incurred by the eUP project… I think [the administration] forgot they are dealing with public money and that any such information on eUP is public information,” Guillermo said. CONTACT US! E-mail us at kule1516@gmail.com. Save Word attachment in Rich Text Format, with INBOX, NEWSCAN or CONTRIB in the subject. Always include your full name, address and contact details.
SIPAT
ONE MAN’S TREASURE Kenneth Gutlay
Payatas, Quezon City Setyembre 2014
JUSTICE DELAYED. At the age of 90, Hilaria Bustamante’s memories of war-torn Manila are still lucid. She and thousands of other Asian women were forced into state-sanctioned sex slavery by the Japanese military during World War II. With her horrific and painful past, one can understand her deeplyrooted resentment against the Japanese government. Lola Hilaria is one of the remaining ‘comfort women’ in the Philippines. There are 174 documented cases of Filipino comfort women but around 100 have already died according to women’s group Lila Pilipina. Those who were not able to tell their stories did not survive the war or were ostracized by their communities. No more than 10 are still able and actively calling for justice. The story of Lola Hilaria includes experiences common with other victims of Japanese sexual slavery. She was kidnapped at the age of 16
and was held hostage for a year inside a military garrison together with three other teenage girls. Japanese soldiers took turns and repeatedly raped them every day after sundown. Each of them had to serve two to four men every night leaving them with little time to rest. The suffering was far beyond comprehension and no one heard their countless calls for help according to Lola Hilaria. In the context of a postWorld War II society, the lolas are only asking for three specific things – public apology from the Japanese government, inclusion of their stories in history books, and just compensation for their families. While the government remains mum in achieving justice for the Filipino comfort women, the lola's dwindling numbers and old age make it difficult for their voices to be heard. Photo by Jiru Rada