Philippine Collegian Issue 8

BALITA Miyerkules 27 Hunyo 2012

Opisyal na lingguhang pahayagan ng mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas - Diliman Tomo 90, Blg. 08 Agosto 01, 2012

Multiple choice

Maraming mga pangarap ang nakasalalay sa pagpili ng mga tamang sagot sa UPCAT. At sa likod ng karangalan ng pagiging Iskolar ng Bayan, umiiral ang isang makabuluhang sistema ng pagkatuto na inaasahang huhubog sa mga kritikal na kaisipang iaalay sa pag-unlad ng sambayanan.

Kultura

GRANDSTANDING Punong Patnugot Kapatnugot Panauhing Patnugot

Patnugot sa Balita Patnugot sa Lathalain Patnugot sa Grapix

Mga Kawani

OPINYON OPINYON BALITA Miyerkules Miyerkules 27Agosto Hunyo 01 Miyerkules 2012 2012 27 Hunyo 2012

Pinansya Tagapamahala ng Sirkulasyon Sirkulasyon

Mga Katuwang na Kawani

EARLIER THIS YEAR, USERS of social networking sites saw viral photos of “It’s more fun in the Philippines” tarpaulins covering a makeshift wall in Pasay. Erected at the time of the Asian Development Bank meeting, the wall hid a sprawling slum area along a creek black in dirt and stippled with garbage.

This government had resorted to a lame measure for a dilemma it cannot resolve: conceal poverty.

Hide the shanties, remove the eyesore and pretend that the problem does not exist. In fact, concealing the harsh truth is one of the overused strategies of President Benigno Aquino III’s administration. The third State of the Nation Address (SONA) is no exception.

In Aquino’s SONA, the president presented a misleading picture of the national situation using three tactics in general: omit data that do not fit in the rosy picture, make pleasant deductions from false indicators, and claim that it is only a matter of time before the dilemmas are fully addressed, when in fact the government is nowhere near resolving the long-standing crises.

The report was ridden with half-truths, particularly the statements purporting progress in the economic front.

It was true that the Philippines lent money to the International Monetary Fund, a fact that Aquino has taken pride on, but the president was careful not to mention that it was not the national government that lent the money but the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The title “creditor nation” is only a technical term that, in the case of the Philippines, does not mean that the country’s economy has grown so rich.

The truth is that the country has in fact sunk further in debt with the P564 billion increase in debt from 2010 to May 2012. But, of course, Aquino has taken great pains to omit such realities.

Aquino was also fond of weaving generalizations from arbitrarily picked indicators. For instance, he claimed that many families are now being lifted from poverty as the number of household beneficiaries of conditional cash transfers (CCTs) ballooned to three million.

Under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino program (4Ps), which was expanded and received a higher allocation, the poorest households will be given P6,000 to P15,000 to make ends meet and probably start a sustainable means of livelihood.

The declaration that the country is on its way to eliminating poverty through the expansion of 4Ps is problematic. The CCTs are only dole-outs that act as a temporary painkiller for the cancerous condition of poverty. Once the government cuts off the supply of dole-outs, there is no certainty that the families can cross to the other side of the poverty line given the failure of the government to generate stable jobs.

In last year’s SONA, Aquino regarded the increase in rice production as an achievement of his administration. This is not true, for it was the farmers’ own skills and efforts, and a bit of good luck, that brought about the increase, not the effectiveness, so to speak, of the administration’s programs.

Now, if this is not deception, then what is?

On top of it all, the president, sticking to his habit of appealing to emotions, had again invoked the legacy of his parents and stressed out the differences between his term and that of his predecessor Gloria Arroyo. Again falsely attributing poverty to corruption, Aquino highlighted his anti-corruption crusade, with a lengthy declaration of the decrease in kick-backs.

But the irony is that Arroyo,

whose crimes against the people may rival that of any dictator, was released through P1 million bail, which can be considered as only a drop of her wealth.

While Aquino has berated Arroyo countless times and banked on her infamy to win the presidency, the former president got out of jail, now sleeping soundly with her grandchildren, as hundreds of political prisoners under Aquino’s term yearned to see their own loved ones, as relatives long for their missing children who were reportedly abducted by the military.

Indeed, the Aquino administration, in the first place, was not sincere in holding Arroyo accountable. The conviction of former Chief Justice Renato Corona, a staunch Arroyo ally, should have been a stepping stone, but charges against Arroyo were dropped, and eventually, she was set free.

With the recent turn of events, it is only intelligent to surmise that all the promises Aquino had laid in his SONA are nothing more than lip service.

With the recent turn of events, it is only intelligent to expect the government building more walls covered with “It’s more fun in the Philippines” tarpaulins.

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

Editor’s Note

For as long as the causes of dissent remain untouched, there will always be protesters.

Arrested and harassed student leaders will alwaysfindreplacements from among the swelling ranks of dissatisfied students.

THE FACE OF FASCISM On student protests met by state violence during the Marcos regime.

Roberto Z. Coloma Hulyo 30, 1980 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.

‘Ikatlong SONA ni Aquino, puno ng panlilinlang’ KILOS-PROTESTA ANG isinalubong ng tinatayang 14,000 miyembro ng iba’t ibang sektor sa ikatlong State of the Nation Address (SONA) ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino III sa Batasang Pambansa noong Hulyo 23.

Salungat sa pag-unlad na ipinagmalaki ng pangulo sa kanyang taunang ulat, iginiit ng mga lumahok sa “SONA ng Bayan” na wala pa ring makabuluhang pagbabago sa kalagayan ng mga mamamayan sa ikalawang taon ng panunungkulan ni Aquino.

“Sumahol pa nga ang kahirapan, gutom, kawalan ng trabaho, kawalan ng pananagutan, at pagyurak sa soberanya ng bansa,” ayon sa Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), alyansa ng mga progresibong grupong nagsusulong sa kapakanan ng iba’t ibang sektor.

Kinundena rin ng Bayan ang marahas na dispersal ng tinatayang 6,000 pulis sa hanay ng mga raliyista. Mahigit 90 ang nasugatan sa nasabing engkwentro matapos tangkain ng mga raliyista na lagpasan ang barikada ng mga pulis sa bahagi ng Commonwealth Avenue patungong Batasan bandang alastres ng hapon.

“We have all the legal grounds to march to Congress. What was illegal that day were the police barricades, the violent dispersal of our

ranks, and the arrest and continued detention of [one of] our fellow activist[s],” ani Bayan - National Capital Region (NCR) Secretary General Paulo Quiza.

‘Hindi masaklaw na pag-unlad’ Tampok sa loob ng isa’t kalahating oras na SONA ni Aquino ang pag-unlad umano ng ekonomiya sa porma ng 6.4 bahagdang pagtaas ng gross domestic product, o ang kabuuang halaga ng mga produkto at serbisyo sa bansa, at 44 beses na pagtaas ng Philippine Stock Exchange Index na hindi bababa sa 5,000.

Ipinagmalaki din ng pangulo ang pagdagsa ng mga dayuhang namumuhunan, positibong credit rating ng bansa, at pagpapautang ng gobyerno sa International Monetary Fund ng $1 bilyon noong Hunyo.

Gayunman, walang binanggit na mga konkretong patunay na bumuti ang kalagayan ng mga ordinaryong Pilipino, ani Xandra Liza Bisenio, senior researcher ng IBON Foundation, organisasyong nagsusuri sa kalagayang pang-ekonomiya ng bansa.

Ayon sa huling tala ng IBON noong Abril, 10.9 bahagdan ng lakaspaggawa ng bansa, o 4.5 milyong Pilipino, ang nananatiling walang trabaho. Samantala, 19.4 bahagdan o 7.1 milyong Pilipino ang underemployed na patuloy sa paghahanap

ng pangmatagalang trabaho o mas mataas na sahod.

Hindi rin maituturing na pagsigla ng industriya ang sinasabing paglago ng Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sa Pilipinas dahil mas mababa pa rin ng 40 bahagdan ang sahod sa BPO sa Pilipinas kaysa ibang bansa, ani Bisenio.

“The president first invoked socalled indicators of economic development that are distant from the realities of workers and poor

people. When he got into indicators that are close to the situation of the people, he used half-truths, committed major omissions, and even refused to comment on the situation of Filipino workers,” ani KMU Chairperson Elmer Labog.

Paglakas ng industriya?

Inihayag din ni Aquino ang paglakas ng mga industriya sa bansa partikular ang agrikultura at pagmimina.

‘Piling datos’

UP begins construction of Global City campus Victor Gregor Limon and Lavilyn Malte THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE UP Professional Schools (UPPS) campus in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig has started on July 24, despite opposition from student leaders in UP who assert that the project seeks to serve the interests of the private sector.

The UPPS will initially offer postgraduate courses and programs for the College of Law (Law), College of Business Administration, College of Engineering, and School of Statistics. The first phase of the project, which involves the building for Law, is targeted to be completed by 2013. ”The UPPS will offer … programs needed for the professional development of personnel at the many corporate establishments [in BGC and Makati City],” said UP President Alfredo Pascual.

The campus is being constructed on a 4,300-square-meter lot donated by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), a government agency tasked to convert former military bases to civilian use.

The total cost of the construction of the campus has been estimated at

P400 million, with equipment and furniture requiring another P200 million. Currently, the university has an initial funding of P130 million, consisting of a P30-million outlay from the UP System and a P100-million allocation from the government, Pascual said.

“The latter funding requirement will be met through solicitation of donations from corporate and other sources,” Pascual explained.

Student leaders, however, maintain that a UP campus located in a business hub and funded by private companies will only serve corporate interests. “Nakita na natin na sa mga corporate tie-ups ng UP, gaya ng TechnoHub, laging interes ng mga kumpanya ang namamayani sa huli,” said UP Diliman University Student Council Student Rights and Welfare Committee Chair Aryanna Canacan.

Moreover, since the administration targets private employees as prospective students of the UPPS, it is also inevitable that these companies will benefit the most from the intellectual output generated

Noong 2010, nag-angkat ang pamahalaan ng dalawang milyong metric tons ng bigas. Ngayong taon, tanging 500,000 na lamang ang aangkating bigas ng pamahalaan, ani Aquino. “Huwag lang po tayong pagsungitan ng panahon ... sa susunod na taon ay pwede na tayong magexport ng bigas,” dagdag ng pangulo.

Pinasubalian naman ng IBON ang pahayag ng pangulo hinggil sa pagluluwas ng bigas ng Pilipinas.

Walang katiyakan ang nasabing pahayag dahil World Trade Organization ang nagtatakda ng quota ng maaaring iluwas na produkto ng isang bansa, ani Bisenio.

Kaugnay ng repormang agraryo, ihinayag ni Aquino na puspusan ang pagpapatupad ng kanyang administrasyon sa Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) na unang ipinatupad sa ilalim ng kanyang inang si dating Pangulo Corazon Aquino.

Sa kasalukuyan, tinatayang 11.3 bahagdan pa lamang o wala pa sa kalahati ng 961,979 ektaryang lupain na nakatakdang ipamahagi bago matapos ang termino ng pangulo ang naipapamahagi sa mga magsasaka, ayon sa Department of Agrarian Reform.

WANTED Nagsagawa ng noise barrage sa kahabaan ng Philcoa ang ilang kabataan mula sa mga progresibong organisasyon noong Hulyo 27, bilang pagkundena sa pansamantalang pagpapalaya kay Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo. Nanawagan ang grupo sa agarang pagpapakulong sa dating pangulo bilang paniningil sa mga nagawa niyang krimen, kabilang ang mga alegasyon ng korupsyon at daan-daang kaso ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao.

by the campus, Canacan said.

Instead of constructing a new campus, the administration should have focused on improving existing infrastructure and equipment in UP’s current 15 campuses, said UP Student Regent Cleve Robert Kevin Arguelles “Given our mandate to serve the underserved and underprivileged Filipino youth, there is no strong urgency to construct a UP school in BGC,” he said.

Since the UPPS is situated on a prime lot within a busy central business district, there is also a possibility that tuition fees will be relatively higher than in other UP units, said

Law Student Government President Benedict Nisperos.

“Nagpapakita lang ito na untiunting ginagawang negosyo ang edukasyon sa Pilipinas, partikular na sa UP. Hindi na nga abot-kaya ang pagpasok sa UP sa sobrang mahal ng tuition, [lalo] pa ang tuition sa UPPS [kung sakali]. Ipinahahayag lang nito na ang UP na dating para sa mahirap ay pagmamay-ari na ng mga mayayaman,” Arguelles said.

Samantala, ihinayag rin ni Aquino na napalakas ng kanyang administrasyon ang suporta sa mga batayang serbisyo, kabilang ang edukasyon at kalusugan.

Partikular na binanggit ng pangulo ang 44 porsyentong bahagdang pagtaas sa budget ng state universities and colleges (SUCs), mula P25.8 bilyon ngayong taon tungong P37.1 bilyon sa 2013. Tiniyak din ni Aquino ang pagtugon sa mga kakulangan sa imprastraktura at kagamitan para sa edukasyong primarya bago matapos ang kanyang termino.

“The increase in the budget for SUCs is a direct result of the nationwide clamor against budget cuts in the past two years. While it is indeed a significant increase, we have to emphasize that P37.1 billion is still not enough for the sustainable operations of SUCs,” ani Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raymond Palatino.

Ayon sa Department of Budget and Management, ang P37.1 bilyong pondo ng SUCs sa 2013 ay 68 porsyento lamang ng P54.6 bilyong orihinal na panukalang badyet ng SUCs para sa susunod na taon.

Samantala, nakapag-ambag din umano ang pinaigting pang Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) sa pagpapalawak ng serbisyong pangkalusugan sa bansa, ani Aquino. Pangunahing layunin ng programa ang mapabuti ang kalagayan ng mga benepisaryong pamilya sa pamamagitan ng buwanang Sundan sa pahina 5

BALITA Miyerkules 1 Agosto 2012

Bilang ng krimen sa UPD, tumataas kada taon 28 na krimen, naitala sa unang 3 buwan ng 2012 Iyanah Camille Brucal

BALITA Miyerkules 1 Agosto 2012

TUMATAAS NG HIGIT SA 10 bahagdan taun-taon ang bilang ng krimen sa loob ng kampus ng UP Diliman (UPD), ayon sa tala ng UPD Police (UPDP) sa nakaraang tatlong taon.

Mula 97, tumaas patungong 107 o 10.3 bahagdan ang mga kasong naitala mula 2009 hangang 2010.

Samantala, 126 na kaso ang naitala noong 2011, mas mataas ng 17.6 bahagdan kaysa noong 2010.

Pagnanakaw ang pangunahing kasong naitala, na umabot sa 271 sa nakaraang tatlong taon.

Samantala, simula Enero hanggang Marso ngayong taon, 28 krimen na ang naitala ng UPDP. Kabilang dito ang pagnanakaw at pananaksak kay Lordei Camille Anjuli Hina, estudyante ng Political Science, sa loob ng tanggapan ng UPD University Student Council (USC) noong Pebrero 1.

Hindi kasama sa mga talang nabanggit ang iba pang mga insidente ng karahasan sa ibang kampus ng UP, tulad ng mga kaso ng pagpaslang, pagpatay, at pagnanakaw sa mga mag-aaral ng UP Los Baños ngayong taon.

Kakulangan sa badyet Liban sa pagiging isyu lamang ng seguridad, ang dumaraming kaso ng karahasan sa kampus ay kaugnay ng usapin sa sapat na badyet para sa UP, ayon kay UP Student Regent (SR) Cleve Kevin Robert Arguelles.

Aniya, kung magiging sapat ang inilalaang badyet ng gobyerno sa UP, mabibigyan ng kakayahan ang unibersidad na magpatupad ng mas mabisang sistemang pangkaligtasan.

“The OSR is constantly pushing suggestions to make sure students are safe and secured. I also report to the BOR regarding different cases of security and safety issues to make sure policies are guided,” ani Arguelles.

Ani USC Chair Gabriel Paolo “Heart” Diño, kasalukuyan ding nakikiisa ang konseho sa pagsusuri at pagrepaso sa sistema ng seguridad sa UPD at pagsasagawa ng “gender-sensitivity training” para sa mga security personnel ng UPD. Panukala din umano ng USC na magdaos muli ng UPD Security Summit upang magkaroon ng paguusap sa pagitan ng administrasyon at mga lokal na konseho sa UPD. Noong nakaraang taon, binuo ng administrasyon ang Community Welfare and Security Committee (CWSC) upang magsilbing daluyan ng mga ideya sa paglutas ng mga isyung pangkomunidad at pangkaligtasan. Bagaman nagtitipon ang mga kasapi ng CWSC isang beses sa tatlong buwan, huling nakadalo sa pulong ng CWSC ang UPD USC noong Pebrero, ani Maj. Bernie Baltazar, officer-in-charge ng UPDP.

Batay sa tala ng UPDP, kasalukuyang may 339 security personnel ang UP, na binubuo ng 42 pulis, 246 guwardiya, at 51 opisyal ng Security Services Brigade. Napakaliit ng bilang na ito kung ihahambing sa mahigit 120,000 kataong labasmasok sa loob ng kampus arawaraw, ani Prop. Edgardo Dagdag, Chief Security Officer (CSO) ng UPD. “Mas mabuting magkaroon ng 25 pulis na nagbabantay kada shift, at may kabuuang bilang na 75 na pulis na nagbabantay araw-araw para mas mapaigting ang ‘’police visibility’’ sa loob ng campus” ani Baltazar.

Sa nakaraang mga taon, nananatiling kulang ang bilang ng pulis at kawani sa UPDP dahil hindi napapalitan ang mga nagreretirong empleyado. Wala naman umanong gustong pumalit dahil sa mababang sahod, paliwanag ni Dagdag.

Batay sa tala ng CSO, karamihan sa mga UPDP security personnel ay kumikita lamang ng P15,138 kada buwan. Samantala, tumatanggap ang isang police inspector ng Philippine National Police ng panimulang sahod na higit sa P30,000 kada buwan, ayon sa Philippine Information Agency.

Idinadaing din ng UPDP ang kakulangan ng mga kagamitan tulad ng mga radyo, at mga sasakyang lumilibot sa buong kampus.

Sapat na sana ang kasalukuyang bilang ng mga kagamitan at sasakyan kung maayos ang mga ito, subalit luma at malapit nang masira ang karamihan sa mga ito, ani Dagdag.

Panukalang reporma Magsasagawa ng “strategic planning” ang Office of the CSO mula 2012 hanggang 2016 upang palakasin ang seguridad sa loob ng campus, ani Dagdag.

“Our goal during the plan period is to hire at least nine new police officers during Year 1 and to fill up all the [36] vacant [positions] until 2016,” ayon sa CSO. Kasama rin aniya sa panukala ang pagpapabuti sa ugnayan ng UPDP sa komunidad ng UP at mas maigting na pagpapatupad ng mga patakarang pangkaligtasan sa kampus.

Kasalukuyan ding binabalak ang pagtatalaga ng sistema ng paggamit ng Radio Frequency Identification Card (RFID) at boom sa mga gate sa campus. Sa ganitong sistema, itatapik ng mga estudyante, faculty, staff, at ibang UP personnel ang kanilang mga RFID sa gate at saka pa lamang tataas ang boom para makadaan ang kanilang mga sasakyan, ani Baltazar.

“Maglalagay din ng mga Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) units sa iba’t-ibang lugar sa loob ng campus tulad ng entrance at exits,

academic oval, residential areas, at iba pa,” dagdag ni Baltazar.

Mahigit-kumulang P10 milyon ang gugugulin mula sa P190 milyong badyet para sa Capital Outlay ng UP para sa taong 2012 upang mabili ang mga makinang gagamitin sa mga proyektong ito, ani Dagdag.

Gayunpaman, mas mabisa pa ring sistemang pangkaligtasan ang pagtatalaga ng sapat na dami ng pulis at guwardiya sa kampus, ani Prop. Ma. Olivia Domingo, guro sa National College of Public Administration and Governance.

Kakailanganin din aniya ng mga security personnel ang sapat na pagsasanay sa paghuli sa mga suspek, dahil kitang-kita ang kakulangan nito sa kasalukuyang sistema.

Halimbawa, maraming guwardiya ang hindi humihingi ng ID sa mga lumalabas at pumapasok sa mga gusali sa campus, paliwanag ng propesor.

Ayon naman kay dating SR Kristina Conti, kailangan ding tiyaking maayos ang mga organisasyon at institusyong pangmag-aaral upang makabuo at makapagpatupad ng mabisang mga reporma.

“The best policies are those that come from genuine consultation and multi-sectoral efforts; those that ensure safety, but not trade off freedoms; and those that address the roots of the problem, not just its symptoms,” paliwanag ng dating rehente.

OUTPLAYED Maroons Guard Mark Lopez fends off two Falcon defenders to score a lay-up in a basketball game against Adamson University at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on July 29. UP bounced back in the second half from Adamson’s 20-point lead in the first quarter, but the Falcons’ 11-point run and UP’s missed three-point clincher ended the match with a slim two-point lead by the Falcons, 69-67.

Falcons claw narrow victory from Maroons, 69-67 THE UP FIGHTING MAROONS lost by two points in a close fight against the Adamson Soaring Falcons on July 29, as the Falcons broke a 67-67 tie with only a few seconds left on the clock.

The narrow finish was a heroic comeback from a poor first quarter, which ended with the Maroons buried beneath a 20-point lead, 28-8.

Unable to break through the Falcons’ defense, the Maroons continued to trail behind during the first half of the second quarter.

They started to catch up after a timeout called by the UP team, when Maroons team captain Mark Lopez scored two consecutive shots and a free throw, bringing the score to 37-28 at the end of the second quarter.

In the third quarter, the Maroons continued to chip away at the Falcons’ lead. With 26 seconds

remaining, UP and Adamson were tied, 48-48, until Falcon Jericho Cruz landed two free throws.

The Maroons instantly closed the edge with a two-point shot from Henry Asilum.

“N’ung nahabol namin ang points, we adjusted [to counter] the strong offense of the Falcons,” said Lopez.

Entering the fourth quarter with a 50-50 tie score, both teams fought to break the deadlock. Falcons Eric Camson and Alexander Nuyles were the cornerstone of a solid defense strategy for their team, while Maroons Anjelo Montecastro, Cris Ball, and Lopez led a furious campaign to gain the lead.

With 18 seconds left on the clock, Falcon team captain John Brondial powered through the Maroons to sink a two-point shot, pushing Adamson narrowly to the lead, 69-67. Fighting

Maroon Alvin Padilla went for the win with a three-pointer, but fell short just as the clock ran out.

“Naging masyadong malaki ang lamang noong first quarter. Kung hindi umabot ng ganoon ang score, baka mas may chance pa sana kaming manalo,” said Lopez, who scored the highest among the Maroons, with 17 points under his belt.

In another game last July 26, the NU Bulldogs routed the Maroons, 67-50. On August 2, the Fighting Maroons will face UAAP Season 74 champion Ateneo Blue Eagles at the Araneta Coliseum.

“Right now we are observing how [the Ateneo Blue Eagles] play.

Hopefully, if we would have the same strength in character like we previously had, we will have a chance at winning,” said Maroons head coach Frederick Dandan.

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Mga bagong bayarin sa PGH, ipatutupad na SA KABILA NG PAGBATIKOS NG iba’t ibang sektor sa UP, inaprubahan ng Board of Regents (BOR), ang pinakamataas na lupong tagapagpasya ng UP, ang pagpapatupad ng mga bago at karagdagang bayarin sa mga serbisyo ng Philippine General Hospital (PGH).

Bagaman hindi pa naglalabas ang PGH ng pinal na listahan ng mga aprubadong bayarin, 40 na lamang sa dating 192 na serbisyo ang mananatiling libre para sa mga pinakamahihirap na pasyenteng nasa ilalim ng class D, ayon sa panukalang inaprubahan sa buwanang pulong ng BOR nitong Hulyo 26.

Ang natitirang 40 libreng serbisyo ay bahagi ng anim na karaniwang medikal na proseso, tulad ng urinalysis, at complete blood count (CBC). Gayunman, dadaan pa sa “screening” o pag-aaral ng Chief Resident at Office of the Deputy Director for Health Operations ang pag-apruba sa mga serbisyong ibibigay sa mga pasyente, Hindi naman umano maniningil ang ospital ng bayarin kung mapatunayan sa mga panayam ng mga social worker ng Department of Social Welfare and Development na wala talagang kakayahang magbayad ang pasyente.

“The screening is a control mechanism to make sure that no unnecessary costs are incurred. This is in line with good governance principles. The administrators of PGH are accountable for the efficient use of public funds,” ani UP President Alfredo Pascual.

Kakulangan sa badyet Hulyo 2011 nang unang nagpataw ang PGH ng mga bago at karagdagang bayarin na binawi rin noong Setyembre bunsod ng mga kilos-protesta. Gayunman, inaprubahan ng BOR ang panukala ng PGH nitong Hunyo 4 sa kabila ng pagtutol ni Staff Regent Jossel Ebesate.

Mula 2001, hindi pa nagbago ang halaga ng mga serbisyong medikal sa PGH, kaya nangailan nang iakma ang halaga ng mga bayarin sa kasalukuyang presyo ng nasabing mga serbisyo, paliwanag ni Dr. Felixberto Lukban, Coordinator for Public Affairs ng PGH. Sa chest x-ray, halimbawa, na dati ay libre sa pasyenteng class D, P35 ang sisingilin para sa gagamiting plate. Samakatuwid, mga kagamitan lamang ang babayaran at hindi kasama rito ang gagamiting kuryente at labor, paliwanag ni Lukban.

Sa pagbibigay ng angkop na halaga sa serbisyong ginagastos ng ospital, magkakaroon ng matibay na batayan sa pagbuo ng badyet ang PGH, ayon sa memorandum ni PGH Director Jose Gonzales noong Agosto 2011.

Ngayong taon, P1.77 bilyon ang badyet para sa PGH. Para sa

BUNTONG HININGA Nagprotesta ang ilang kawani ng Philippine General Hospital (PGH) kasama ang mga miyembro ng iba pang sektor habang nagpupulong ang UP Board of Regents (BOR) sa Quezon Hall noong Hulyo 26. Kinundena ng grupo ang desisyon ng BOR na bawasan ang pondo ng PGH na naging dahilan upang mabawasan din ang mga libreng serbisyong ibinibigay nito mula 192 tungong 40.

2013, P2.8 bilyon ang panukalang badyet ng ospital (sumangguni sa Table 1) ngunit P2.1 bilyon lamang ang inaprubahan sa National Expenditures Program ng Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Sa panukalang badyet ng DBM para sa susunod na taon, dumoble ang badyet para sa maintenance and other operating expenses

(MOOE), ngunit walang inilaan para sa capital outlay (CO), na sakop ang mga pagpapabuti ng pasilidad, imprasktraktura at kagamitan ng ospital.

Samantala ang karagdagang mahigit P220 milyon sa Personnel Services (PS), na sakop ang sahod ng mga kawani, ay alinsunod lamang sa ikaapat at huling pagtaas ng sahod ayon sa Salary

Standardization Law, ani Ebesate.

“Token lamang ang dagdag na iyan. Hindi pa rin natutugunan ang kailangang quality at quantity ng services. Nananawagan kaming ibigay nang libre ang serbisyong panlipunan lalo na sa mga mahihirap,” ani Dr. Julie Caguiat ng Health Alliance for Democracy.

Table 1. Philippine General Hospital budget PS

MOOE

CO

EO

Total

GAA 2012

P 1,277 M

P 305 M

P 190 M

NEP 2013

P1,497 M

P 616 M

0

2013 PGH proposed

P 523 M

P 988 M

0 P1,329 M

0 P 1,772 M 0 P 2,114 M P 2,840 M

Sanggunian: Department of Budget and Management, Office of the Vice President for Planning and Finance

‘Ikatlong SONA ni Aquino...’

Sagot ng Philhealth Para kay Aling Lydia, isang pasyenteng class D, “dagdag pahirap sa mga mahihirap” ang bagong mga bayarin. Mula Payatas hanggang PGH, mahigit P200 ang gastos sa pamasahe para sa check-up ng kanyang 12 taong gulang na anak na may problema sa pandinig. Subalit hindi naman niya kayang bilhin ang niresetang gamot dahil mahigit P50 lamang ang arawang kita ng magasawa bilang mga hardinero.

Hindi na rin kumuha ng Philhealth ang mag-asawa dahil hindi nila matutustusan ang buwanang hulog na P100. Nitong taon, dalawa sa kamag-anak ni Aling Lydia ang pumanaw nang hindi nakakapagpagamot.

Ang Philhealth, o Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, ay insurance company ng gobyerno na nagbibigay ng benepisyo at diskwento sa mga serbisyong pangkalusugan. Sa 2013, magiging P200 ang buwanang hulog upang matugunan ang “financial risk protection” na kaakibat ang Universal Health Care ng gobyerno, ayon kay Philhealth President Eduardo Banzon sa isang press release nitong Mayo.

“Malinaw na ang ganitong mga palisiya ay nakakawing sa pangkalahatang programa ng gobyernong Aquino na pagsasapribado ng mga pampublikong ospital dahil sa kakulangan sa badyet,” ani Benjamin Santos, pangulo ng All UP Workers Union-Manila.

Nararapat lamang na bantayan ang pagsasatupad ng palisiya at ipanawagan sa BOR na bawiin ang mga bago at karagdagang bayarin, ani Ebesate.

BALITA Miyerkules 1 Agosto 2012

PRESSURED In a dialogue with UP President Alfredo Pascual, students and faculty of the College of Home Economics (CHE) aired concerns and questions about the appointment to the position of CHE Dean of Dr. Ma Lourdes Catral, set to retire on January 2013, over former dean Adelaida Mayo.

Pascual expressed dismay over the “lack of trust” in his administration.

mula sa pahina 3 tulong pinansyal kapalit ng ilang mga kondisyon gaya ng regular na pagkonsulta sa ospital.

“Pangmatagalan po ang impact ng [4Ps]. [N]gayon pa lang, maganda na ang ipinapakita ng numero: may 1,672,977 na mga inang regular nang nagpapacheck-up, 1,672,814 na mga batang napabakunahan laban sa diarrhea, polio, tigdas, at iba pa, [at] 4.57 million na estudyanteng hindi na napipilitang mag-absent dahil sa kahirapan,” ani Aquino.

Hindi masosolusyunan ang kahirapan sa pamamagitan ng pamimigay lamang ng pera sa mga mahihirap na pamilya sa ilalim ng 4Ps, ani Bisenio. Paliwanag niya, dalawang milyong benepisaryo ng 4Ps ang nakatakdang magtapos sa programa sa 2013 ngunit walang katiyakan kung maiaahon sila nang tuluyan sa kahirapan o magbabago ang kalagayan ng kanilang pamumuhay.

Sa SONA ng pangulo, hindi nabanggit ang ilan sa mga pangunahing isyu kabilang ang pagpasa sa Freedom of Information (FOI)

Isabella Borlaza

Bill at ang patuloy na paglabag sa mga karapang pantao sa ilalim ni Aquino.

Una nang inihain sa Kongreso ang FOI noong 2010 ngunit hindi ito naipasa sa Kamara matapos hindi sumipot ang karamihan sa mga mambabatas sa ikatlo at pinal na pagbasa ng panukalang batas.

“With two years of presidency and three SONAs, Aquino has only peddled lies on the human rights

situation in the Philippines. He has been, in fact, inflicting terror and violence against the Filipino people,” ayon sa Karapatan, grupong nagsusulong ng karapatang pantao sa bansa.

Sa tala ng Karapatan, may 99 na kaso na ng pulitikal na pamamaslang, 107 pulititikal na pagkakabilanggo at 231 ilegal na pagdukot at pag-aresto na ang naitala sa ilalim ng panunungkulan ni Aquino.

“Aquino’s third SONA is designed to deceive the people that there is change, growth and development under his administration. However, it is important to point out that Aquino used old statistics, omitted some facts and failed to discuss substantial reforms needed by the country,” ani UP Student Regent Cleve Kevin Robert Arguelles.

On the road COMMUTING IS PART OF PEOPLE’S EVERYDAY LIFE. HOWEVER, BEHIND THIS SEEMINGLY ORDINARY AFFAIR BETWEEN COMMUTERS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ARE IRONIES AND SOCIAL INEQUITIES THAT THE ROAD ENCAPSULATES. JUST BEFORE DAWN, PEOPLE CAN ALREADY HEAR LOUD HORNS AND screeching tires from the city roads. Barkers and conductors call out to students and workers who huddle in waiting sheds and terminals. Long queues and cramped train stations await commuters during rush hour.

When buses, trains, or jeepneys cannot accommodate more passengers, some commuters will ride cabs just to reach their destination on time. This has become an everyday cycle for Filipino commuters.

Going the distance

KULTURA Miyerkules 1 Agosto 2012

Commuting refers to any form of travel done regularly. Even before public vehicles became widely used, early Filipinos were already mobile as they walked, rode carabaos, and sailed boats to get to their destinations.

Through time, as urbanization took place in different parts of the world, modern modes of transportation soon developed and began to include buses, cabs, and trains.

In the Philippines, public utility vehicles such as buses, jeepneys, and trains are some of the primary means of travel. People frequently ride these vehicles to go to work and to school, and also to reach other places such as markets, malls, and other urban centers that are important to social and economic mobility, particularly in the city.

Urban productivity is highly reliant on the capability of the public transportation system to transfer people from one place to another and to regulate the flow of goods by bringing a range of resources to various places. Truly, commuting is a vital investment for everyone because of the the money it saves for commuters.

Public transport is also a vital tool in ensuring economic productivity.

Commuters, the majority of which are members of the work force, need access to employment, community resources, medical care, and recreational opportunities. Without a transport system, a country’s economy will be paralyzed—the production and movement of goods will stop and it will severely limit people’s mobility in the city. It is therefore necessary for the State to ensure the welfare of its people and encourage economic productivity by providing its citizens with an efficient public transport system.

Aside from being a means to regulate the flow of goods and mobility, commuting also brings disparate people together. Through commuting, people are able to build connections with each other, no matter how fleeting, through the casual sharing of seats in a bus or even by assisting fellow passengers in giving their fares to jeepney drivers.

As a universal experience, commuting provides a sense of equality and solidarity with fellow commuters. A restaurant waiter and a manager seemingly stand on equal footing inside a public vehicle. A corporate executive is not entitled to skip the long queues at train stations. However, this equality is temporal because there exists a long-standing hierarchy on who should rule the roads of the city.

Opposing lanes On the long and winding thoroughfares of the city, one can easily spot the differences between public and private vehicles.

With the sky-high prices of purchasing and maintaining private vehicles, it is assumed that their owners are of higher social class. Private vehicles allow their owners the luxury of speed without needing to stop every now and then for other passengers. They provide the luxury of space while commuters in buses and trains struggle to fit into cramped spaces. Moreover, safety is less compromised in

private cars while public transit has become notorious for petty criminals.

Truly, owning a private vehicle offers more comfort and convenience than commuting.

However, having a car is a luxury that not everyone can afford. This is not because most people do not work hard enough, but because of the worsening state of poverty in the country, where the wages of those who work hard every day are insufficient in providing their children with a decent tertiary education. The same people must resign themselves to the risks and inconveniences of commuting under inefficient traffic schemes and policies.

One of the trademarks of a developed country is an efficient public transportation system. In countries like Japan and the USA, public vehicles such as buses and trains are interconnected, making it more efficient for commuters to transfer from one ride to another. Public vehicles in these countries are also well-regulated, setting a definite time for when a certain ride will pass a certain route.

Full regulation of the public transportation system is possible in places where all public vehicles are state-owned. In contrast, most of the popular modes of public transport in the Philippines are owned by private entities.

Government regulation, consequently, is limited to assigning areas where jeepneys and buses can load and unload passengers and giving penalties for traffic violations. The enforcement of these rules, however, do not hinder drivers from getting as many passengers even in non-loading areas, to meet their target profit.

In the Philippines, this trend wherein the private sector provides for public needs is not confined in the transportation system. Hospitals, schools, and many other important agencies and institutions are also privatized. This in turn creates a business culture where profit accumulation becomes more important than providing basic social services.

Tangled spaces Improper enforcement of traffic rules complicates road use especially in the city. With all the policies that are biased towards private vehicles, both public vehicles and the welfare of commuters are affected.

One example is the recent policy that prohibits buses from using flyovers, tunnels, and underpasses in EDSA because of a string of recent bus accidents. However, the policy only exacerbates the problem as it causes traffic deadlock along the highway, particularly during the rush hour.

The flow of private vehicles is seldom affected by such policies. In contrast, public vehicles are always under scrutiny. While drivers face difficulties in dealing with traffic rules, commuters and pedestrians are always the least priority and are often at the mercy of reckless road use.

For instance, sidewalks are supposed to prevent vehicles from colliding with pedestrians. However, these little spaces no longer serve their purpose as some are now being illegally used as parking spaces for private vehicles, and violators are not even reprimanded. Pedestrian lanes are areas also meant to guide people in crossing streets. However, drivers seldom stop to allow people to pass. Such schemes may make people feel less safe to use the streets as they get exposed to risks of crimes and accidents.

Commuting may be an ordinary everyday activity. However, it is evidence of the repercussions of a negligent state and the reality of a fragmented society. Development in the transport system remains far-fetched if we turn a blind eye to improper road use and flawed traffic schemes. In a state of worsening urban sprawl, a better public transportation system is needed to ensure the welfare of ordinary Filipinos and promote healthy urban economic progress.

PARA SA MARAMING magtatapos ng hayskul, simple lang ang panuto sa pag-abot ng pangarap: piliin ang tamang titik at itiman ang bilog na tutumbas sa pinaka-akmang kasagutan.

Sa araw ng UP College Admission Test (UPCAT), muling magdaragsaan sa iba’t ibang testing center sa buong bansa ang mga nangangarap na makapasok sa nangungunang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas. Taon-taon, mahigit 60,000 estudyante ang kumukuha nito ngunit may 2,000 lamang ang pinapalad na pumasa.

Armas ang dalawang Mongol No.2, isang pambura, at mga kinabisadong kaalaman, libo-libong mag-aaral na naman ang magbabakasakaling maisakatuparan ang hiling ng maraming kabataan —ang mataguriang “iskolar ng bayan.”

Tatak UP Hindi biro ang pagkuha ng UPCAT. Maraming kalaban sa limitadong bilang ng slot sa unibersidad ngunit — kumbaga sa pelikula — taon-taon pa rin itong blockbuster hit kumpara sa ibang college entrance exam sa bansa.

May karangalan kasing hatid ang maituring na taga-UP. Sa oras na makapasa sa UPCAT, tiyak na maraming mga positibong salitang maaaring ikabit sa iyong pangalan—matalino, matapang, at iba pa.

Ang pinakamahuhusay na propesor at eksperto ang humuhubog sa kaalaman at kakayahan ng mga Isko at Iska. Sa isang tipikal na klase sa UP, mapapansin ang ilang kasanayang hindi karaniwan sa ibang pamantasan.

Halimbawa, hindi kailangang tumayo ng estudyante sa tuwing sumasagot o nagtatanong siya sa propesor.

Kinikilala sa UP ang pagiging pantay na antas ng propesor at mag-aaral sa loob ng klasrum.

May karangalan kasing hatid ang maituring na taga-UP. Sa oras na makapasa sa UPCAT, tiyak na maraming mga positibong salitang maaaring ikabit sa iyong pangalan tulad ng matalino o matapang Kung may partikular na katangian man ang sistema ng pagkatuto sa UP, ito ay ang paghubog ng mga estudyanteng kritikal at hindi basta-basta umaayon sa idinidikta sa kanila, kahit pa ng mga guro.

Naglalatag din ang UP ng lunan kung saan hindi takot ang mga mag-aaral na ipahayag ang kanilang opinyon. Dahil nonsectarian ang UP, wala itong ipinagbabawal na tanong ukol sa relihiyon. At kahit pa pinopondohan ito ng pamahalaan, wala sa panuntunan ng UP na ipagbawal ang pagkuwestyon sa mga palisiya ng estado.

Marami nang prestihiyosong alumni ng pamantasan ang

nakilala sa kani-kanilang larangan na nagpapatunay sa pagiging epektibo ng ganitong espasyo para sa pagkatuto. Dahil dito, hindi na kataka-takang marami rin ang nagaasam na mapabilang sa hanay ng mga tinitingalang UP alumni.

UP or nothing Dahil sa kaakibat na karangalan ng pagiging taga-UP, nagkaroon ng oportunidad ang ilang negosyante na pagkakitaan ito. Mabenta ang mga produktong may tatak ng UP, gaya ng jacket, baso, at iba pang produkto. Mayroon ding mga pambatang t-shirt na nagsasabing “UPCAT review starts now.”

Sinasamantala rin ng mga paaralan ang pagpasa ng mga estudyante sa UPCAT. Nagpapagawa pa ang ilan ng tarpaulin kung saan nakalista ang mga pangalan ng mga UPCAT passer— tila isang patalastas ng kanilang kahusayan upang lalo pang makapang-akit ng mga estudyante.

Waring sinasalamin ng mga nabanggit na iskema ang pagbabagong-hubog ng kultura ng edukasyon kung saan prayoridad ang mga kursong mapagkakakitaan.

Sa halip na humubog ng mga

Gayunpaman, hindi sa lahat ng panahon ay ikinatutuwa ng lipunan ang kritikal na pag-iisip na itinuturo sa UP ekspertong makaaambag sa pagunlad ng bayan, tila umaayon na lamang ang edukasyon ng Pilipinas sa dikta ng internasyunal na pamilihan.

Tuwing bakasyon, naglipana ang mga review center para sa mga naghahangad pumasa sa UPCAT. Ipinapahiwatig nito ang mistulang kawalang tiwala ng mga magulang sa tatlong taong kasanayang nakukuha ng mga anak nila sa hayskul. Madalas nagkakaroon ng bentahe ang mga nakapagenroll sa review center, patunay na mayroon ngang pagkukulang ang kasalukuyang edukasyong primarya ng bansa.

Bukod sa muling pagkabisa sa mga aralin ng nakaraang tatlong taon ng hayskul, inaasahan din ng mga nasa review center na makakuha ng iba’t ibang “tips” sa pagpasa sa UPCAT. Iba’t ibang taktika ang napaguusapan, kagaya ng pagpili sa letrang C kapag hindi tiyak ang sagot. Taliwas sa ideyal na tunguhin ng edukasyon sa UP, hindi karunungan ang ipinalalaganap sa mga review center— itinuturo nito kung paano pumasa, ngunit hindi ang kabuuang pag-unlad ng kaisipan at kakayahan ng mga mag-aaral.

Maging sa mismong mga hayskul, nakukulong ang pagkatuto sa pagiging mabait sa titser at pagkabisado sa lahat ng nakasulat sa pisara. Dahil tinitimbang sa pagpasok sa UP ang grado sa hayskul, nagpupursigi ang mga mag-aaral na makakuha ng matataas na marka.

Ngunit hindi nangangahulugan ng katalinuhan ang kahusayan sa pagkabisa at pagkamit ng matataas na marka. Sa pagpasok ng mga mag-aaral sa UP, matutunan nilang hindi pagiging “grade conscious” o pagiging sunud-sunuran sa itinuturo ng guro ang binibigyang-diin ng akademya.

Hindi rin maituturing na sukatan ng talino ang pagpasa sa UPCAT. Sa isang pagsusulit kung saan iisa ang tamang kasagutan, ipinahihiwatig lamang ng pagpili sa tamang titik ang husay ng isang estudyante sa pagsagot, sa pagkabisa, at marahil sa pagsisipag na makinig at magbasa. Pagpasok sa UP, matutunan ng mga magaaral na hindi dito nagtatapos ang kahulugan ng pag-aaral.

“Walang takot kahit kanino” Gayunpaman, hindi sa lahat ng panahon ay ikinatutuwa ng lipunan ang kritikal na pag-iisip na itinuturo sa UP. Marami nang mga radikal na ideya ang ibinunga ng edukasyon sa unibersidad, kaya rin natagurian ang UP bilang “kuta ng mga aktibista.”

Bago pumasok sa UP, marahil marami ang nakatanggap ng babala mula sa kanilang mga magulang na huwag kailanman sumama sa rali. Ngunit sinasalungat ng babalang ito ang mismong diwa ng pagiging taga-UP— ang kasanayang magtanong at maghanap ng mga solusyon sa mga natukoy na pagkukulang.

Sa kabila ng pananahimik ng marami noong dekada ’70, pinili ng mga taga-UP na manguna sa mga pagkilos laban sa diktaduryang Marcos. Pinatutuyan nito hindi lamang ang tapang ng mga Iskolar ng Bayan, kundi maging ang kahandaan ng mga Isko na panindigan ang kanilang mga ideyang halaw sa lohikal na pagsusuri at hindi lang basta pagrereklamo o pagrerebelde.

Kaya ang pagpasa sa UPCAT ay higit pa sa pag-ani ng “bragging rights.”

Kung isasabuhay ang kritikal na pag-iisip, mahihinuha ng bagong Isko na karapatan ng lahat ng Pilipino ang magtanong, magpahayag ng sariling saloobin, at makatanggap ng kaledad ng edukasyon tulad ng ipinalalaganap ng unibersidad.

Sa huli, isang ilusyon lamang ang pagiging mataas ng mga UPCAT passer sa ibang estudyante.

Pinili lang nila ang tamang letra at nakakuha ng pinakamaraming tama.

Mapatutunayan lamang ang pagiging espesyal at makabuluhan ng Iskolar ng Bayan kung tatanganan nila ang hamon ng Oblation na manilbihan sa bayan gamit ang edukasyong ihahain sa kanila ng pamantasan.

KULTURA BALITA Miyerkules Miyerkules 01 27 Agosto Hunyo 2012 2012

Multiple choice

DR. ADELAIDA MAYO, OR DEAN Lady as colleagues and students fondly call her, has the composure and apparent style for fashion that could not be more fitting for the highest leadership position of the College of Home Economics (CHE).

But more than what meets the eye is her valuable contribution to UP’s campaign against the cutbacks on the budget for state universities and colleges.

Dean Lady graduated cum laude from UP CHE with a degree in BS Interior Design. In 2009, the Board of Regents (BOR) appointed her as dean of UP CHE, and hence served the college for three years.

Dean Mayo’s deanship was marked with improvements in student, faculty and staff welfare.

Among these include the awarding of the CHE Student Council Office in the college’s newly rehabilitated OPINYON LATHALAIN BALITA Miyerkules Gusali 2, extension of library 27 Hunyo hours to lunchtime and Saturdays, Miyerkules Miyerkules 2012 and improvement of various 01Hunyo Agosto 27 2012 facilities and laboratories.

2012 “Dean Mayo was also deeply and genuinely concerned about students and was quick to offer help whenever and in any way possible. Just two weeks ago, she played gracious host for the fundraiser for Lordei [Hina],”says former Student Regent Ma. Kristina Conti.

Also, the development of CHE faculty and staff were not neglected. For instance, various research and extension services rendered by faculty were accomplished under her term.

Dean Mayo was also keen in responding to staff requests, mostly related to enhancing working spaces and conditions.

Despite her track record, the BOR did not reappoint her as CHE Dean when her term ended last May 2012. Instead, the BOR

appointed Dr. Maria Lourdes Catral, a faculty in the CHE Department of Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management. Catral only has six months to serve as CHE dean as she will be forced to retire on January 2013.

Demanding an explanation for the non-reappointment of Dr. Mayo, CHE students, faculty and staff staged a mobilization in front of Quezon Hall last June 27.

In the end, the CHE community was dismayed over the decision of UP President Alfredo Pascual and other university officials to never disclose the reasons behind

I felt it was my responsibility to go out for a benefit that will redound to all. It was an honor for the CHE students, faculty and staff to be counted among those who stood up for a just cause. the appointment of Dr. Catral.

Instead, Pascual encouraged the protesting constituents of CHE to trust the BOR’s selection process, which was “objectively” done.

Clearly, Dean Mayo’s leadership was well received by the CHE community, as the support she received in demanding an explanation from UP officials for her non-reappointment indicates.

Dr. Mayo’s case illustrates how responsive leadership draws broad support from constituents at times of necessity. For these harsh times require not only an intensified alliance among different stakeholders such as administrators

and students, but also a principled unity in forwarding genuine social change.

Philippine Collegian (PC): How would you assess your 3-year stint as CHE Dean?

Dr. Adelaida Mayo (AM): My vision for the UP College of Home Economics (CHE) when I was appointed to the deanship three years ago was to further strengthen the College as a well-grounded (in terms of its philosophy, uniqueness and role in the University and country) and well-rounded (in terms of meeting the demands of the New UP Charter) institution. These were demonstrated by initiatives in public service and social advocacy, research and development, faculty mentoring, staff and student leadership training, involvement in national, intercampus and university-wide issues, participation in legislative matters related to the discipline of home economics and linkages at the national, university and campus levels.

PC: What are the greatest achievements of your deanship?

AM: In sum, the greatest achievement during my deanship is highlighting the character and uniqueness of the discipline of Home Economics and the College.

Few are aware of the fact that there is an international re-emergence of the discipline of home economics as shown in the Phi Kappa Phi Forum (2012) and in international journals such as the Journal of American Medical Association.

PC: You’re one of the well-

renowned personalities in UP’s campaign against budget cuts on state universities and colleges.

What do you have to say?

AM: I did not think twice about leading the College in its first ever participation, linking with many others in fighting for greater state subsidy for UP. I felt it was my responsibility to go out for a benefit that will redound to all. It was an honor for the CHE students, faculty and staff to be counted among those who stood up for a just cause. The CHE-based student organization namely Association of Clothing Technology Students (ACTS), who facilitated the fashion show titled BUDGET CUTtoure, was given recognition during the Parangal sa Mag-aaral in UP Diliman in February 2012 as the Natatanging Samahang Pang Mag-aral for their impactful contribution in the campaign against budget cuts on SUCs. PC: What do you think are the possible reasons why you were not reinstated for a second term?

AM: Honestly, I do not know. It seems to me that those with vested interests ‘will move heaven and earth’ to get what they want.

In the spirit of transparency, accountability and academic governance, I think it is best that those who were involved in the decision that was made come forward and discuss this matter in a University Council meeting and in a forum open to all students, faculty, staff and alumni from all campuses.

As one dean said, “Kung nagawa ito sa CHE, magagawa rin nila ito sa ibang kolehiyo.” To quote a former faculty regent, “Anong malaking kasalanan o kakulangan ang nagawa o di nagawa ni Dean Lady para palitan siya ng isang faculty an anim na buwan lang makakaupo at magreretiro na!”

PC: Would you run for a second term when the appointed dean retires next year?

AM: What makes us certain that the power holders will not re-appoint the same person for a longer term?

PC: What can the CHE and UP Community expect from you now that you are no longer dean?

AM: The CHE and the UP Community privileged me with much support – overwhelmingly much more than I could ask for. It is my turn to pay forward. I hope what happened to CHE will be a matter of much interest to all.

Fighting in style Gelina Rose Bongon

Airnel Abarra

Security threat CLAD IN HIS BLACK UNIFORM WITH AN EMBLAZONED “FSR” IN ITS SLEEVES, JOEY DUA IS ENTRUSTED WITH PROTECTING THE PHYSICAL SECURITY OF THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE SUBDIVISION. YET, HE IS AMONG THE LEAST PROTECTED, BEING A WORKER WHO EARNS BELOW MINIMUM WAGE. ALTHOUGH SUCH CONDITIONS ARE ALREADY DEPLORABLE, WORKERS LIKE DUA ARE BOUND TO EXPERIENCE WORSE.

Being a security guard at a subdivision in Imus, Cavite, part of Joey Dua’s everyday routine includes asking IDs from visitors, handing out visitors’ passes, and maintaining safety and order in their community.

BEFORE THE DAY UNFOLDS, JOEY Dua, 36, already mans the front gate post of Greenside Homes in Imus, Cavite. Sipping his morning coffee, he clears his throat at the sight of the first vehicle or individual intending to enter the subdivision. “Sino pong homeowner?” he asks.

Performing this job for four years has accustomed Dua in dealing with at least two kinds of people: those he knew and unconditionally allowed passage, and those he did not and temporarily denied entrance until provided with an identification card.

After all, Dua is entrusted with the security of the people who live in Greenside Homes. Unfortunately for him, however, his P270 daily wage could not afford to secure his own family’s welfare.

Such insecurity is even bound to escalate with the implementation of the Two-Tiered Wage System (2TWS) that will effectively lower the basic pay which workers like Dua receive. As if the current dismal state of workers in the Philippines is not enough, the government drives the labor force into further exploitation, revealing the true interests it serves.

Unfulfilled duty Dua’s job officially ends at 7 PM. He goes home to his three grade school kids, and routinely asks them about their studies, wincing whenever a new expense is mentioned. At times after dinner, he would talk to his wife about their finances, knowing that she’ll eventually mutter, “kulang.”

Indeed, Dua’s P270 daily wage is P687 short from the P957 daily minimum cost of living for a family of five set by the National Wage and Productivity Commission.

Research institution IBON Foundation even estimates a higher living cost at P1017. On top of this, his salary is clearly lower than the P337 daily minimum wage set for Region IV-A, which includes Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon (CALABARZON).

“Tinatantsa na lang. Pagkain, transportasyon, allowance, bayarin [ng mga bata] sa school, lahat sa P270. Minsan nagsa-sideline ako sa welding at nagpapart-time si misis sa Avon,” says Dua. Having multiple jobs, however, does not spell stability for Dua’s family, as opportunities outside his regular work are often seasonal. Dua, then, belongs to the estimated 7.3 million Filipinos that IBON classifies as underemployed, or those with work but still seek other jobs due to insufficient wages.

Seemingly unfazed that the minimum salary couldn’t afford workers a decent living, the government implements a new scheme meant to further depress their wages, intensifying the rate of exploitation experienced by workers.

according to their circumstances while at the same time satisfying both the social and economic functions of minimum wage…lead[ing] to improved competitiveness of the Philippines in labor market efficiency,” says Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz.

RTWPBs determine the floor wage in their respective regions.

Under the 2TWS however, only the regional poverty threshold and cheapest food bundle available are factored in the determination

employers, although the decision largely remains on the latter. “[Sa 2TWS] highly prone [ang mga manggagawa] sa mga kapitalista.

Dahil na nga voluntary ang pagbibigay ng productivity incentives, ‘di tayo sure kung ibibigay talaga nila dahil nga ito ay voluntary,” says Carlos Maningat, research head of independent think-tank Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research (EILER).

The 2TWS includes a 5-year transition period, allowing workers who receive salaries below set floor wages to experience gradual salary increases ranging from P2 to P90 every year. Meanwhile, those earning more than the first tier will receive a P12.50 Conditional Temporary Productivity Allowance until a company has established its Productivity Committee, which would facilitate the implementation of the second tier.

As the 2TWS passes the ball to

Off guard On April 27, the Region IV-A Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board (RTWPB) issued Wage Order No. 15 that implemented the 2TWS to CALABARZON. Last June, the RTWPBs in the National Capital Region and Cordillera Administrative Region adopted the same scheme, while its counterparts in Regions II, V, VI, and XII have also expressed plans to implement the 2TWS in the future.

The 2TWS sets a two-tier basis for wages – a fixed “floor wage” that serves as the workers’ basic pay, and a flexible productivitybased wage that depends on worker productivity and industry performance. “[T]his policy reform allows enterprises to determine wages

of a specific region’s floor wage, unlike in the previous wage system which considers various factors such as commodity prices, family spending, and enterprise capability.

For Region IV-A, the floor wage is pegged at P255.

However, according to IBON, the actual experience of poor Filipinos is the strongest argument that the new poverty line is detached from everyday realities and does not take into account inflation and the real needs of a family.

The second tier, meanwhile, may be negotiated by workers with their

the courtside of private companies, Dua’s chances for a justified wage increase is entirely left at the whims of his employer.

“Bawal maghinaing kasi may mga kakumpetensyang agency.

‘Di makahirit kasi kung tataas sahod namin mawawalan ng [kliyente iyong agency],” says Dua. In Cavite where various subdivisions exist, security agencies compete for clients, which prefer bidders who offer cheap services.

In the race for attracting clients, security agencies are more than willing to reduce the cost they

could afford to lose—the cost spent for their workers’ salaries.

Fostering insecurity

LATHALAIN

With overwhelming support from both local and interna- Miyerkules Agosto BALITA tional business groups such as 01 2012 the Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines and Joint Foreign Miyerkules Chamber, DOLE plans on imple- 27 Hunyo 2012 menting the 2TWS nationwide.

“The Philippines is definitely in transition to a two-tiered wage system, which offers better protection to minimum wage earners” added Baldoz. By 2016, the entire labor force is expected to earn at least P255.

Although the 2TWS gives a semblance of wage increase, its ultimate goal is to lower the minimum wage and make it flexible under the guise of productivity, says Maningat.

In fact, a comparison of Region IV-A’s P255 floor wage with the current minimum wage imposed across the country, reveals that the 2TWS would actually lower the minimum wage in 12 of the Philippine’s 17 regions.

“Sa 2TWS, ipapako ang wage sa P255, puro allowances na lang, wala nang mga wage hikes. Kung gusto [ng mga manggagawang] magtaas ng sweldo, sa kumpanya na sila kailangan umapela,” says Maningat.

If Dua’s situation is any indication, the prospects of a wage increase for workers are dim.

The case of the P125 across-theboard legislated wage hike, for instance, clearly illustrates how the government downplays the workers’ clamor for a substantial wage increase. “[Palagi] kami sinasabihan na laging magsipag para tumaas ang sahod, pero hanggang ngayon wala naman [nangyayari],” Dua laments.

With the implementation of the 2TWS, workers are clearly exempted from the “change” trumpeted by President Benigno Aquino III, and instead are bound to further suffer. In the face of global competitiveness and economic turmoil, the government has clearly shown which side it chooses.

Thus, it is for workers like Dua, along with the people, to deny the government from breaching their social and economic security.

HAVE YOU NO SENSE OF DECENCY, SIR?*

OPINYON BALITA Miyerkules Miyerkules 01 27 Agosto Hunyo 2012 2012

THE MEDIA AND THE PRESS are teeming with contradictions.

Everyone agrees on the elements of news – prominence, conflict, significance, oddity – but there are always differences on what qualifies as news. Values clash in the debate arena; what is and what should be, what deserves space in the front page, what is the function of the media. However, there is a broad unity that ties all journalists together, a broad unity that lies on two central concepts: truth and freedom of speech.

The concept of truth still merits a thorny debate, but when everyone sees a dog biting a person’s leg, everyone knows that the truth is that a dog has bitten a person’s leg. If someone says that a person has bitten the dog, or that the dog did not bite the person’s leg, that is not true (providing, of course, that he is sane and that we are talking about the same dog-bitesperson’s-leg scenario). But there is always a way to re-construct the truth according to one’s own motives. No, my dog could not possibly harm a person. My dog did not bite that guy’s leg, it is a nice dog.

Likewise, as far as the president of the republic is concerned, there exists a plethora of means by which he can report the “truth” and at the same time conceal the

ugliness of it. Take, for instance, the past State of the Nation Addresses (SONAs), which abounded with reports of progress, portending a golden age (and both contemptuous of detractors). But the Palace spinmeisters, also known as the presidential communications group, were so good in covering the cracks with turnip wallpapers.

For any person who values the truth, a president trying to mislead the nation is nothing less than revolting

Aquino apparently thought that nobody can punch holes on his addresses, and he made one outrageous claim after another. For example, the Philippines has now turned into a creditor nation after lending money to the International Monetary Fund, said the proud president. He never mentioned that it was the Bangko Sentral

Gidget Estella

that lent the money (not the government) and that it does not mean that the economy has developed dramatically. Never mention that the country has in fact become more indebted than ever.

For any journalist, or any person who values the truth, a president trying to mislead the nation is nothing less than revolting. This is the same president who lambasted the news program TV Patrol for its negative commentary days after the SONA. Aquino could not distinguish between a news article and a press release, probably because he had been so busy blurring the line between the truth and the lie.

Aquino’s mindset, in this case, is similar to that which shut off the press under the Marcos dictatorship. Ironically, the icons of the anti-Marcos movement were Aquino’s parents, whose reputation catapulted him to the presidency.

With such a sick mindset, what right does Aquino have to claim that his administration respects truth and freedom of speech?

What right does he have when he, the onion-skinned president, is slamming the media every time they report the harsh reality?

Aquino’s words made it clear: this is no place for a critical journalist.

*Apologies to Joseph Welch

SSSHH MAY ISANG LUNES NOONG UMUWI akong mamula-mula. Sumakay ako ng jeep at nagbayad ng walong piso. “Isa pong Kalayaan.”

Sana ganoon nga lang kadali. Sana abot-kaya ang kalayaan. Minasdan ko ang lansangan na aking nilisan. Puno pa rin ito ng mga banderang pula at mga taong pinaparatangan ng katamaran. Dahil sa halip na kumayod at magtrabaho, mas pinili nilang gambalain ang trapiko.

Ang hatol ng karamihan ay “Sigawan. Sigawan. Puro na lang sigawan. Masama bang humingi

May mga bagay na ‘di mabibigyang hustisya ng simpleng addition kung umpisa pa lang, may mali na sa ginagamit na equation ng kaunting katahimikan?”

Ang ingay sa kalsada ay sinasabayan ng ingay ng Internet.

Naglipana ang mga hashtag, comment threads, at status updates. Pagbigyan naman daw ng pagkakataon ang pangulo at iwaksi ang kultura ng negati-

bismo. Kaya hindi umuunlad ang bayan ay dahil sa mga nagkakalat at nag-iingay sa kalsada.

Sabay-sabay hinusgahan ng mamamayan ang midterms ng termino ni Aquino. Ayon sa ikatlong SONA ng pangulo, winaksi ang mga wang-wang at patuloy na pinapatag ang tuwid na daan. Ngunit, sa kabila ng mga mabulaklak na salita, kailangan natin maging kritikal sa mga palisiyang isinusulong at hindi naisusulong. Baka kailangan natin ng remedial class sa kasaysayan nang hindi maligaw sa daan.

Kung sa usapin rin lang ng addition, nadadagdagan ang bilang ng mga tanong na walang kasagutan. Tila nag-mumultiply ang bilang ng mga biktima ng mga paglabag sa karapatang pantao.

At kung tunay ngang dinagdagan ang budget para sa edukasyon, bakit kailangan pang mag-divide ng sariling lupain?

Sana’y hindi pawang imaginary numbers ang pinag-uusapan nang maramdaman ng mga tao ang real value ng sinasabing kaunlaran. Minsan kasi, may mga bagay na hindi mabibigyang hustisya ng simpleng addition kung sa umpisa pa lang may mali na sa ginagamit na equation.

Para saan pa ang edukasyon kung hindi isasapraktika ang pinag-aralan? Para saan pa ang

pinag- aralan kung hindi rin naman para sa lipunan?

May isang Lunes noong umuwi akong mamula-mula. Taliwas sa inaasahang bagyo, walang nagawa ang payong ko laban sa sikat ng araw. “Rebolusyonaryo siguro ang Panginoon,” sabi ng mga kasama ko.

Sabay-sabay kaming naglakad at sumigaw sa kalsada. Kasama ko sa hanay ang mga mukha ng aking matatalik na kaibigan.

Kasabay ko rin sa paghakbang ang mga mukhang walang pangalan.

Kahit noon lang kami nagkakilala, kami’y pinagbuklod ng aming paniniwala.

Sa totoo lang, nakakapaos din.

Nakakapaos sumigaw kapag walang nakikinig. Ngunit, ang katahimikan ba talaga ng lansangan ang sagot sa nawawalang kapayapaan?

Pare-pareho lang naman tayo ng gusto. Pangarap ko ring gumising sa isang Pilipinas na libre ang kalayaan. Sana’y huwag mong isipin na hinihila ka namin pababa para lang manggulo o maging sanhi ng trapiko. Bumaba ka. Bumaba ka nang maramdaman mo ang klima dito.

Hindi naman kita pinipilit sumabay sa aking hanay, lalong hindi magbunsod ng malawakang kampihan. Ang karapatan ko ay karapatan mo rin at ang sigaw ng kahapon ang nagluwal ng katahimikan ngayon.

LAKAS TAMA Youtube, Olympics, at kung ano-ano pang sh*t BIHIRA AKONG MAGFacebook at wala akong Twitter account.

Tumatambay lang ako sa internet dahil sa Youtube.

Sa Youtube ko unang nalalaman ang mga pinakabagong balitang pinag-uusapan ng bayan.

Sa Youtube ko nga unang napanood ang buong SONA speech ni Noynoy Aquino. Dahil nakipaggitgitan ako sa mga pulis noong araw na iyon, wala akong kaide-ideya sa mga pag-iinarte ng pangulo hanggang nakauwi ako’t nakapag-internet.

Sa Youtube ko rin napanood ang eulogy ng iba’t ibang celebrity para kay Dolphy. Sa Youtube ko nahahanap ang magagandang kanta (There’s A Lonely Road to Sunday Night ng Ciudad ang paborito ko ngayon), at sa Youtube din ako dumadalaw kapag gusto kong tumawa (timeless para sa akin ang “Laglag Pustiso ni Ate” at “Wow Mali conyo drivers”).

Naiinis lang ako nitong nakaraan kasi hindi ko mahanap ang malinaw na video ng opening ceremony ng London Olympics. Maraming troll ang nanloloko’t nagpo-post ng “official video” kuno, pero pictures lang naman ang nakalagay. May ilang video na pwede sana, pero “not available in your country” naman. Nakakairita.

Wala akong kahilig-hilig sa sports, pero natutuwa ako ngayon sa mga Olympics-related video. May mga natutunan akong bago, gaya ng naganap sa Munich Massacre (nagtataka nga ako kung bakit hindi ko pinanood dati ang pelikula ni Spielberg ukol dito). Naging fan din ako ni Larisa Latynina, ang Russian gymnast na may pinakaraming gold medal sa Olympics.

Pinanood ko rin ang mga nagdaang opening ceremony. Pinakamagarbo pa rin ang sa Beijing, pero nalungkot ako nang malaman kong maraming migrant workers ang pinaalis sa lungsod dahil hindi umano sila maganda para sa imahen ng China. Pinakamalupit na torch lighting naman iyong sa Spain noong 1992— sinindihan ni Antonio Rebollo, isang archer, ang higanteng cauldron gamit ang pana. Pinakanakakainis naman iyong sa Seoul, Korea noong 1988. Natusta kasi ang mga dove na pinakawalan nila habang sinisindihan ang torch—kawawang mga ibon.

Nagbakasakali akong nasa website ng London Olympics ang pinakabagong opening ceremony, pero hindi ko rin nakita. Pinuntahan ko na lang tuloy ang profile ng mga Pinoy na kalahok sa Olympics ngayon. Labing-isa lang pala sila— mas marami lang ng siyam sa dalawang atletang ipinadala ng Timor Leste, ang bansang may pinakamaliit na bilang ng mga representante.

Nalaman kong ang weightlifter na si Hidilyn Diaz ang flag bearer ng Pilipinas sa nakaraang opening ceremony. Noong Beijing Olympics, si Manny Pacquiao ang nanguna sa parada natin.

Sa pagbabasa, nalaman kong si Gloria Arroyo pala ang nagpasya na si Pacquiao dapat ang maging flag bearer ng bansa noon. Si Miguel Molina, isang swimmer na may apat na gold medal mula sa 2007 Southeast Asian Games, ang nais sana ng Philippine Olympic Committee na maging flag bearer. Unang beses na may pangulong nakialam sa kanilang desisyon.

Napunta tuloy ako sa link ukol sa pagpiyansa ni Arroyo ng P1 milyon. Nakauwi na siya sa bahay nila sa Quezon City. Hindi na siya naka-house arrest. Kahit na may kaso siyang electoral sabotage, kahit marami siyang ipinapatay, kahit mandurugas siya. (Pasensya na’t ayokong sabihing “alleged” o “umano,” kasi para sa akin, guilty talaga siya).

Nairita ulit ako—parang ‘yung pagkairita ko n’ung hindi ko mahanap ang malinaw na video ng opening ceremony ng London Olympics. Sa sobrang inis, pinatay ko na lang computer. Kung pwede lang sakalin si Arroyo online, buhay pa kaya siya?

Eksenang Peyups

Textback

Sa loob ng tatlong salita, ilarawan ang nakaraang SONA ni Aquino.

3 words for past aquin0’s sona’s: tagalog (positive yan in sense na naiintindihan ng marami), mabatikos (esp cgma admin), and mapalakpak (well lahatata ng s0na ganun) 201235115 allanine bs chemistry Papogi. Paasa. Kulang! 11X09003 Next comedy king (daming joke na sinabi sa SONA eh) 10-24127 BSGE “Hindi sana kulang-kulang,” ‘yan siguro masasabi ko sa nakaraang SONA ni PNoy. Galingan na lang niya kung ayaw niyang magalit ang masa. Good luck. 09112** Mech Eng’g.

Tinimbang ngunit kulang. Mahaba at malaman ang naging SONA ni P-Noy subalit hindi pa rin nai-address ang ilang isyu gaya ng mataas na presyo ng bilihin at langis, unemployment, etc.

201078818 SONA ni PNoy in three words: “Ansave? Anyare teh?” 2011-42913 mrpogi P-noy is doing good as a traditional politician, despite having graduated as an economist. For progressives, that is bad really, but i always believe that there is no perfect president. That’s why if you’re so much far out, gawing bakante ang presidency. Ah, minsan talaga pangit ang perfection. :)))) 2012-21271 Arius Raposas BA Hist mahaba, kulang, nakakatawa 201221271 Arius Raposas BA Hist SONA’f-a-bitch, man! MINAMI LFS-PUP sona ni pnoy? TANG INA THIS! 09-31237 Kulang na kulang. Ganyan ang SONA ni Pnoy. Parang buhok niya. Parang pagmamahal sa akin ni GERWIN TACADENA. Hi Gerwin. Pansinin mo ko. Huhu.

2012-65*** lying president aquin0! 0805209 panakip butas sa problema 1100806 nonup student,pamantasan ng montalban Kasinungalingan, Panlilinlang, Pa-twitams. 2012-78807

Natuwa ka ba sa Batman: The Dark Knight Rises?

Oo natuwa kasi ang hot lang ni Anne Hathaway at Gordon-Levitt. Hindi, kasi naging predictable yung part na naging traydor yung babaeng akala nya eh kakampi nya. Lecheng pag-ibig talaga.

Tsaka sa ocean na naman nagpasabog ng bomba, kawawa mga sea creatures. Magkakatsunami pa after non. Haha overanalyze. 08-41707 oo natuwa ako s Batman: The Dark Knight Rises, may free kcng food & drinks, may limited edition n baso at Colt45 pa,san k pa? 2012-60698 TREVOR BS CoE Ang hot ni anne hathaway! At nakakaantig ang role ni alfred ze butler..at ang hot ni anne hathaway..as in.. *drools* 0836690 sino ba nmn ang hindi matutuwa sa hotness ni Catwoman? Pagpapalit na ko ng GF ko sa kanya e, haha. Pero tlagang nkkgulat si Anne Hathaway. Sleek! 1179023 Astig ang DARK KNIGHT RISES.!!!With its excellence,it’ll surely be imm0rtal in the hist0ry of film.Batman remains unbeatable so d0es his film.l0ng live BATMAN.0618068.fr. Batb0y. natuwa naman kahit papano! kahit na wala pa rin talagang tatalo kay heath ledger as joker. ang ngongo ni bane eh. pero bawing bawi naman ng hotness ni catwoman! :”) 2012-15350 nelle

Comments Mahuhusay ang mga manunulat ng kule sa pag lalarawan ng mga pagkukulang ng administrasyon. Yun nga lang, kapansin-pansin ang matinding negatibong bias nito. Ano po ang nangyari sa objectiv journalism? Bakit po may halong opinion parati ang mga article? Hindi po ba’t mas matibay ang argumentong self-explenatory sa datos, kung saan hahanguin ng mambabasa ang kanyang sariling, inpormadong, at intelihenteng opinyon? Ayaw kong maniwala na propaganda ang kule! 2012-70572

Lol di ko inexpect na kikiligin ako sa sinulat ni Marjohara Tucay. Hahahaha k.

09-33264 SaLi BS ChE hi Kule! yay! binalik mo ang Lucida Sky. hehehe. ang galing, ang awesome nung ginawa nya na hinagis nya ng gitara ang speaker. hahaha. katak kasi nang katak yung speaker, ba’t di tumigil, wala namang nagagawang matino. hehe. umaasa pa ako sa mga susunod na issue ng kule with lucida sky :) 201149*6* naku aukong manood ng Dark Knight Rises. Di ko nga nakayang tapusin ung nkaraang Batman movie. Nagiba na ang Batman, di kagaya dati nang c george clooney pa. Ang Batman ngaun di na c Batman ang inaabangan kundi ang mga magaganda at mas gwapong villains. 05-64061 -dakilang housewife Papa Marjohara truthfully bang vaklush ka rin? Kalerqui! Noseline ketch na utaw itey, inispluk ng chenelyn key. Wiz ko vetchikola na kafederasyon ka! Charlotte! 2011-15807

Sagutan kay 2012-65*** : Sino ka? Magpakilala ka. :P 2011-42913 mrpogi

Next week’s questions: 1. Kung ikaw si Noli de Castro, anong isasagot mo kay Noynoy Aquino?

2. Ano ang mensahe mo para sa UP Men’s Basketball Team?

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 sectoral affiliation.

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Like, the Dalagang Lambak Edishun!

LIKE, OH MY GOD, THE MIDTERMS are so malapit na, diba! Supposed to be we’re all making aral like Arrhneans, but it’s so nakakatamad, eh! It’s so halata that everyone is tinatamad also, because they’re all, like, so galawgaw. Come make tingin at these yucky sumbongs!

Yuck #1: So my kaibigan’s kaibigan told me about her kaibigan who was totally made sipa from his org because daw he came out of the cabinet! He was so homoerotic, like, you know, like gaaay? The org is so conservationist kasi, and they don’t like homoerotic peoples making laro with them. Haaaay. I thought pa naman we were tapos na with bigamy in our society!

Yuck #2: So, like, there was this group study and the leader was making subok to be Ingglisero, so he said, “Any reclaims?” Every ne was nalilito, and some guy was like, “Reclaims?” And this Ingglisero leader was like, “Reclaims? Reklamo?” Everyone was so tawa nang tawa! I have a reclaim about his Ingles! It’s so pangit unlike my perfect grammars.

Yuck #3: So I made dinig some posers near AS who were speaking like Singlish. It was tongue-incheck humor lang so they were exacerbating their accents. They were ending their pangungusaps with “lah” and “leh.” So cheeky, ‘noh? It was soooo corny laaah! I know I shouldn’t make basag their trip lah, but so nakakarindi lang sa tenga laaah! Kakahawa laaah, este, kakaloka palaaah.

Okay, friends, rowmen and cunt tree men, I have to make takas na! It’s time to make aral for midterms, and don’t be pasaway like these yucks! Or else maybe baka maaari, you’ll find yourself on the next Eksenang Peyups… laaaa! XOXOXO

Pass the RH Bill Now! The University Student Council (USC) invites everyone to Rock the HOUSE for the RH BILL! On August 1, all concerned individuals are encouraged to join the ff events: 2:00PM - March to the CHR (assembly at the AS Steps) 3:00PM - Dialogue with Etta Rosales at the Commission on Human Rights 5:00PM - March to the House of Representatives

UP Asterisk Freelikula Walang tubig. Walang pagkain.

Sumayaw na lang tayo!

Watch Joey Gosiengfiao’s masterpiece Temptation Island on August 1, 4pm, at CAL 312. This free film showing is brought to you by UP Asosasyon ng Kabataang Artista, Kritiko, at Iskolar ng Sining at Kultura.

OPINYON Miyerkules 1 Agosto 2012

TEFAG Enjoy performances from Talahib, Dap-ayan Ti Kultura Iti Kordilyera and many others in TEFAG: Cultural Night for Indigenous Peoples’ Land, Life, and Rights. Just go to CHAC Engineering Covered Court on August 6, 6 - 10 pm. Tickets are only for P100. This event is brought to you by the USC, Tunay na Alyansa ng Bayan Alay sa Katutubo (TABAK), Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP) and Katribu Indigenous People’s Sectoral Party.

The VIDYOU Blog Awards UP SAMASKOM brings you THE VIDYOU BLOG AWARDS, a video blogging competition which encourages students to express themselves in a witty and entertaining way. Tell the world why it’s more fun in UP in 5-7 minutes through a video blog and get a chance to win cash prizes and special awards. The competition is open to all enrolled UP students for AY 2012-2013.

Submissions will be accepted from July 30-August 18.

CONTACT US! Write to us via snail mail or email us at kule1213@gmail.com with INBOX (letter to the editor), NEWSCAN (100-word UP event advertisement) or CONTRIB (article contribution) as subject.

LEYAWT BEDSPACERS WANTED Magdala ng portfolio, bluebook at panulat. Akyat lang sa Room 401 Vinzons Hall. Kitakits!

DOBLE KARA ANG DALAWANG MUKHA NG TUNAY NA KALAGAYAN NG BANSA Habang inilalahad ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino III sa loob ng Batasan ang mga tala ng pag-unlad na nakapalamuti sa mabubulaklak na retorika, ipinipinta naman sa kahabaan ng kalsada ang imahen ng patuloy na paghihirap ng mamamayang Pilipino. Nananatiling matingkad ang pinagkaiba ng larawan ng Pilipinas para kay Aquino at para sa mamamayan. At sa kabila ng mga pangako ng pagbabago ni Aquino, ipinagpapatuloy pa rin niya ang nakagawianâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; karahasan pa rin ang sagot ng estado sa lahat ng mga makabuluhang panawagan ng taumbayan.

Tata Yap

Richard Dy