Philippine Collegian Issue 8

Number of students applying for tuition loans highest in 21 years—Page 4 Breaking down reality

Philippine Collegian Opisyal na lingguhang pahayagan ng mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas - Diliman 3 Agosto 2011 Tomo 89, Blg. 8

Terminal Cases Delfin Mercado

DBM slashes P11.5B from proposed 2012 UP budget 50 SUCs to sustain cuts in gov’t subsidy next year Marjohara Tucay UP deserves only a third of the actual needs of its seven constituent units and the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) for next year, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

In its National Expenditure Program (NEP) submitted to Congress last July 26, DBM slashed UP’s P17-billion budget proposal for 2012 by P11.5 billion or almost 68 percent, bringing the total allocation for UP next

year down to P5.54 billion.

This is a 3.6 percent or P208.2 million decrease from the current P5.75 billion budget of the university.

“UP submitted a proposal that contained 47 priority projects which reflect the university’s urgent needs, such as additional funding for operating expenses and construction of buildings. But DBM did not approve even one of the projects and instead even cut the budget for next year,” UP Student Regent Kristina Conti said.

Apart from UP, 49 other state universities and colleges (SUCs) in the country will also sustain cuts in their budget next year. The total budget for the 110 SUCs next year has also decreased by P142.4 million, to P21.89 billion from the current P22.04 billion.

“Strike two na ito ng rehimeng Aquino. Noong nakaraang taon, kinaltasan na nila ang badyet ng SUCs, at ngayon, ang maliit na ngang subsidyo ay babawasan pa ulit,” said Vanessa Faye Bolibol, secretary general of the National Union of Students of the Philippines.

News Artwork by Marianne Rios

Pagbisita sa mga lunan ng tunggalian Lathalain Pahina 8-9

Sa bingit ng kamatayan Editoryal Pahina 2

Mga bagay na ipinagbabawal ngunit minamahal Kultura Pahina 6-7

3

world is not real, a top British has revealed recently.

Thescientist According to Professor Bruce

Hood, what we perceive as real is an illusion crafted by our brains. We are fooled by our minds to believe that we see a vast array of things, but at any given time, Hood explains, we only see a fraction of the world, and our minds compensate and fill in the part we cannot see.

He just confirmed what I believed in for so long. Everything is an illusion, and there is no single reality. What we have, rather, are negotiated truths – we confirm the validity of our perceived realities by comparing it with what other people believe in. If we are foolish enough to believe only what our minds conjure for us, well, then we’re only fooling ourselves.

Take President Benigno Aquino III. His state of the nation address is a blown-up illusion of the country’s condition – it is his own version of truth, a feel-good story to compensate for what he cannot see, or rather, what he dared not look at. He speaks of progress and development, a Philippines veering away from poverty due to his efforts in governance. He looks at destitution in the face, and tells us that what he sees are grateful faces. When he picks up his gaming console in the morning, he thinks that he’s working for the future of the Filipino people.

Take Gloria Arroyo. She looks in the mirror at night and tells herself, “I served my country well,” and sleeps soundly.

Though she is aware of the spate of anomalies she has left behind and the country that she left in shambles, she wakes up every day with a clean conscience. Because in her reality, she did the Philippines a great favor when she sidestepped in Edsa a decade ago and took over the presidency. In her reality, she did nothing wrong, it was all for the betterment of the country.

When she opens the newspapers in the morning, most of the time she could not understand why the papers scream of “untruthful” headlines. “A bunch of ingrates,” she would murmur, and would start styling her hair.

Take Jovito Palparan. He walks into the Department of Justice and proclaims that he would speak of the truth and nothing but the truth. He then denies involvement in the spate of extrajudicial killings and human rights violations committed under the counterinsurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya. He would look at the mothers of missing UP students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan in the eye and would deny all their allegations.

For Palparan, all he did was serve the country to which he dedicated his life as a soldier. If serving the country meant killing innocent civilians, it didn’t matter. He was just doing his job. When asked what the recent cases filed against him were doing to him, he would respond, in the most lugubrious manner, “Disturbance.”

When people fail to negotiate their realities with others, they remain trapped in their self-created worlds and distorted realities. ●

2 • Kulê Editoryal

Miyerkules 3 Agosto 2011

Sa bingit ng kamatayan Puspos ng pag-asa ang huling mga salita ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino III sa kanyang ikalawang ulat sa bayan: buhay na buhay ang Pilipinas at ang mga Pilipino.

Ngunit hungkag ang retorikang binitiwan ni Aquino. Mas malapit sa katotohanang sabihing ang sambayanan ay nasa bingit ng kamatayan. Habang patuloy ang pagsirit ng presyo ng mga bilihin, halos hindi makabuhay ang sahod ng mga manggagawa. Lugmok ang ekonomiya at sadlak sa papalalang krisis ang bansa.

Walang kawala ang mga estudyante ng mga pampublikong pamantasan sa bingit ng kapahamakan. Sa State of the Nation Address (SONA) pa lang ng pangulo, mahihinuhang walang balak ang pamahalaan na isalba ang naghihingalong sektor ng edukasyon. At nang ihapag ng administrasyon ang panukalang pambansang badyet para sa taong 2012, tila hinatulan na ng tiyak na kamatayan ang state universities and colleges (SUCs).

Para sa susunod na taon, nakaambang bawasan ng mahigit P200 milyon ang pondo ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, at mahigit P140 milyon naman sa pondo ng 110 pampublikong pamantasan sa bansa.

Bukod sa UP, 49 na SUCs pa ang binawasan ng pondo para sa susunod na taon.

Matapos ang walang patumanggang pagbawas ng halos isang bilyong piso sa pondo ng SUCs noong nakaraang taon, itinakda ng pamahalaan na lalo pang masadlak sa kawalan ng pondo ang mga pamantasan.

Sa UP, lalo pang umigting ang tulak ng gobyerno tungo sa pagkawala ng subsidyo ng pamahalaan at pagkakaroon ng sariling kitang panloob. Sa loob ng nakaraang dekada, wala pa sa kalahati ng pangangailangan ng UP ang naibibigay ng pamahalaan.

Gayong sapat lamang ang kasalukuyang maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE),

QUOTED “Sabi nung mga vendors dun sa SONA kahapon, yung nagpo-protesta raw kumonti…Siguro naman may ginagawa kaming tama.”

—Pres. Benigno Aquino III, when asked to prove that the lives of Filipinos have improved during his term, July 30

RD Aliposa

na pinagkukunan ng panustos sa mga pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan gaya ng pambayad ng tubig at kuryente, para sa kalahating taong gastos ng pamantasan, babawasan pa ito ng mahigit 20 porsyento sa susunod na taon.

Tuwing binabawasan ng gobyerno ang subsidyo ng SUCs, tinataningan nito ang buhay ng mga institusyong nakaasa sa pondong mula sa buwis ng mamamayan.

Sa iskemang zerobased budgeting ng administrasyong Aquino, nangangailangan pang patunayan sa pamahalaan ang pangangailangan para sa pondong hihingin ng mga pampublikong pamantasan.

Sa diwang kontra-korupsyon, tinanggal ng pamahalaan sa badyet ng SUCs ang pondong laan para sa pagpapasuweldo na hindi naman nagagamit ng mga pamantasan.

Hindi alintana ng gobyerno na iniipon ng SUCs ang nasabing mga pondo upang ipangpuno sa kakulangan sa subsidyo.

Editoryal

Samantalang pinangangalandakan ng administrasyong Aquino ang pagpapataas nito ng pondo para sa basic education, itinatatwa naman nito ang kanyang responsibilidad sa edukasyong tersyaryo. Walang pagpapanggap na itinatakwil ng gobyerno ang atas nitong magkaloob ng abot-kayang edukasyon sa lahat ng antas. Sa tanaw ng rehimeng Aquino, kailangang lumikom ng kita at magsarili ng mga pampublikong pamantasan sa pamamagitan ng pagsingil ng mas mataas na matrikula at iba pang bayarin at pagpapaigting ng pagpasok ng pribadong negosyo sa kanilang mga lupain.

Sa patuloy na pag-abandona ng gobyerno sa kanyang tungkulin, untiunti ring kinikitil ang pampublikong karakter ng SUCs. Isang malaking sagka sa mga mag-aaral na salat sa buhay ang papataas na singil sa matrikula at iba pang bayarin.

Patunay rito ang napakataas na bilang ng mga estudyanteng nangungutang para sa matrikula ngayong taon.

Ngayong nahaharap ang mga

pamantasan sa bingit ng kamatayan, marapat buhayin ang mga protesta at pagkilos. Panahon nang bumalikwas at utasin ang mga palisiyang sumisikil sa karapatan ng mamamayang magaral at bumangon mula sa kahirapan.

Napatunayan na natin na may kakayahan ang ating kolektibong pagkilos na lumikha ng pagbabago.

Noong nakaraang taon, niyanig ng libu-libong mga estudyanteng nagdaos ng strike ang Kongreso, at umalingawngaw ang panawagan para sa mas mataas na subsidyo sa edukasyon. Nagmarka ang ating protesta, at nag-iwan tayo ng bantang pagsalubong sa bawat kapangahasan ng gobyerno na lalong isara ang pintuan ng mga pamantasan sa mamamayan.

At ngayon, sa harap ng muling pagtatangkang kitlin ang mga pampublikong pamantasan, hinihingi sa ating tumindig at lumaban. Sapagkat tiyak lamang ang kamatayan ng mga pamantasan kung pipiliin nating manahimik at magkibit-balikat. ●

Philippine Collegian www.philippinecollegian.org Punong Patnugot Marjohara S. Tucay Kapatnugot Pauline Gidget R. Estella Tagapamahalang Patnugot Dianne Marah E. Sayaman Panauhing Patnugot Jayson D. Fajarda Patnugot Sa Lathalain Mila Anna Estrella S. Polinar Patnugot Sa Grapiks Nicolo Renzo T. Villarete, Chris Martin T. Imperial Tagapamahala Ng Pinansiya Richard Jacob N. Dy Kawani Ruth Danielle R. Aliposa Pinansiya Amelyn J. Daga Tagapamahala sa Sirkulasyon Paul John Alix Sirkulasyon Gary Gabales, Amelito Jaena, Glenario Ommalin Mga Katuwang Na Kawani Trinidad Gabales, Gina Villas Pamuhatan Silid 401 Bulwagang Vinzons, Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Diliman, Lungsod Quezon Telefax 981-8500 lokal 4522 Email kule1112@gmail.com Website philippinecollegian.org Kasapi Solidaridad: UP Systemwide Alliance of Student Publications and Writers Organizations, College Editors Guild of the Philippines

“The conversation I had with the former president was 10 days after the elections. So paano kami magtsecheat kung after the elections na?”

—former COMELEC Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano in a press conference in Bukidnon, July 31

“Lahat sa inyo na nagiging dahilan ng kahirapan ng mga Pilipino kahit gaano magsumikap, kahit gaano kami magbayad ng buwis dapat sa inyo, ipasok sa septic tank.”

—Eugene Domingo, star of ang Babae sa Septic Tank in an interview in the Buzz, July 31

“All we can do is adapt the way we view this condition, not as a crime or a romantic affectation but as a disease that will kill.

We need to review the way society treats addicts, not as criminals but as sick people in need of care.”

—British Actor Russell Brand, in his tribute to Amy Winehouse,

July 29

3 • Kulê Balita

Miyerkules 3 Agosto 2011

DBM slashes P11.5B from proposed 2012 UP budget 50 SUCs to sustain cuts in gov’t subsidy next year <<from page 1

Approved appropriations* (in billion pesos) 4.78

Percent of proposed budget approved 59.16

2008

11.25

5.72

50.84

2009

15.35

7.06

45.99

18.24

6.91

37.88

18.53

5.75

31.03

17.07

5.54**

32.45

2012

UNDER SCRUTINY. Budget Secretary Florencio Abad answers questions on automatic appropriations and the use of intelligence funds from the House Committee on Appropriations during the first day of the 2012 national budget deliberations in Congress on August 1. The P1.8-trillion proposed budget alloted P2. 7 billion for intelligence funds, which are not subject to auditing. Photo by Richard Jacob Dy

REMARKS ITEM

Personal Services

1. General administration & support

Decreased by P75.9 million

Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses

Increased million

by

P16.3

2. Support to operations a. Medical services

Increased by P12.5 million

No net change

b. Auxiliary services

Decreased by P25.8 million

-

Decreased by P25.8 million

Decreased by P361,000

Increased by P88.4 million

Increased million

3. Operations

by

P2.4

4. Projects

NET DIFFERENCE

UP System’s proposed budget (in billion pesos) 8.08

*Does not include the automatic appropriations for Retirement and Life Insurance Premium for UP employees **To be deliberated by Congress on August 4 Source: General Appropriations Act 2007-2011 and 2012 National Expenditure Program

Table 1: DETAILED CUTS: Comparison of 2011 and 2012 UP Budget

b. Philippine General Hospital

2007

2011

Cuts in operating expenses

a. Advanced & Highert Education/Research/ Extension

Year

2010

Last year, DBM decreased the allocation for SUCs by P800 million, which prompted several large-scale student demonstrations throughout the country last November and December.

Under the P5.54 billion DBMapproved budget for 2012, UP will sustain a 20.6 percent decrease in allocation for maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE), to P698.4 million from the current P880.1 million.

MOOE decreased due to the noninclusion of funds for the Engineering Research and Development for Technology (ERDT) next year, which

Table 2. DIMINISHING SUBSIDY

There is a P200 million fund for MOOE allotted for Engineering Research and Development for Technology (ERDT) projects this year which is not included anymore in the 2012 budget.

Decrease of P26.5 million

Decrease million

of

P181.7

Source: 2011 General Appropriations Act and 2012 National Expenditure Program

was given a P200 million allotment this year. Even though UP proposed another P980 million for ERDT for 2012, DBM gave no allocation for the said project.

DBM also cut the MOOE for research and extension activities by P361,000 or 13 percent, to P276.02 million from the current P276.39 million.

Decreasing the “already insufficient” subsidy for MOOE will have debilitating effects on the operations and upkeep of services such as dormitories and faculty housing, said UP Diliman Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Ma. Corazon Tan. “In my experience as an administrator, kalahating taon pa lang, nauubos na ang MOOE pambayad pa lang ng utilities gaya ng kuryente at tubig. Madalas, kami mismong administrators, we have to shell out our own money para patuloy ang pagtakbo ng offices,” Tan added.

For the third consecutive year, UP along with all other SUCs did not receive any allocation for capital outlay (CO), the fund for equipment and infrastructure development.

DBM disapproved UP’s P7.2 billion proposal for CO, which included funds for the continued construction of the National Science Complex, new laboratories, dormitories and school buildings.

Despite the full implementation of the Salary Standardization Law 3 next year, UP will also sustain a 0.5 percent budget deduction for personal services (PS), which covers the salary of UP’s 14,000 employees.

The allocation for PS decreased nominally to P4.845 billion from this year’s P4.872 billion.

Meanwhile, the allocation for PGH increased by almost seven percent or P90.8 million, to P1.48 billion from the

current P1.39 billion.

However, DBM cut several items in the PS component of the UP budget: P75.9 million from general administration; P25.8 million from auxiliary services, which is the fund for dormitories, canteens, hostels and housing in the UP System; and P25.8 million cut from research and extension activities. (See Table 1) “The lack of appropriate funding sources for urgent projects will compel the university to seek other sources of income,” said Conti.

In the past decade, the approved appropriation for UP covered less than half of the university’s actual needs. In the past two years alone, the government granted only around a third of UP’s proposed budget. (See Table 2) To augment the decreasing government subsidy, the university sources up to 20 percent of its annual budgetary requirement from its internal income. (See Table 3) Based on DBM’s computations, UP will need to collect P1.55 billion next year from internal sources such as land leases, grants, donations, and fees collected from students to meet the projected P7.8 billion expenditure for 2012. DBM projects that the university needs to collect P415.2 million from tuition and P25 million from miscellaneous fees.

“Hindi malayong lalo pang dumami ang iparentang lupa ng UP at mas nakatatakot, na magkaroon pa ng dagdag na mga bayarin ang mga estudyante,” Conti said.

Lump-sums removed

The reduction in the PS component of the UP budget is partly due to the government’s zero-based budgeting scheme, which removed lump-sum amounts in the budget of government agencies, including funds for unfilled positions.

DBM explained that in past years, the government releases funds to pay for the salary of employees that do not even exist. By the end of the year, the said funds become part of the savings of agencies such as UP, which can in turn be realigned or “converted” for other uses. From such practice arise “anomalous” practices, DBM added.

“To minimize conversions… we have funded personal services in the agency budgets only to the extent of filled positions to close avenues for abuse in the use of savings from unfilled positions,” Aquino explained in his 2012 budget message.

Discrepancies

In his 2012 budget message, Aquino said that the allocation for 110 SUCs next year is P23.8 billion.

According to the NEP, however, SUCs will receive only P21.8 billion.

Bulk of the discrepancy can be explained by the transfer of funds for 5,569 unfilled positions for all SUCs, which amounts to over P2 billion, from the PS component of the SUCs budget to the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund, which includes all other funds for all unfilled government positions, DBM explained. >>continue to page 11

Table 3: Financing UP’s needs Expenditures from internallygenerated income (in billion pesos)

Total

Part of total expenditure covered by internal income

Year

Gov’t subsidy for UP (in billion pesos)

2007 2008

4.78 5.72

1.19 1.18

5.97 6.91

20 17

2009 2010

7.06 6.92

1.35 1.83

8.41 8.75

16 21

2011 2012*

5.75 5.54

1.21 1.21

6.96 6.75

17 18

*As projected by the Departme nt of Budget and Management Source: Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing

4 • Kulê Balita

Miyerkules 3 Agosto 2011

Number of students applying for tuition loans highest in 21 years Keith Richard D. Mariano One in every 10 UP Diliman students or around 2,300 applied for tuition loans this semester, the largest number of student borrowers recorded in the past two decades.

From academic years (AY) 19911992 to 2010-2011, an average of 1,300 students applied for tuition loan amounting to around P6.8 million per semester, according to the data obtained from the Office of Scholarships and Student Services (OSSS).

This semester, almost 2,300 students applied for tuition loans, a 12 percent increase from the 2,044 student borrowers in the first semester of AY 2010-2011. Meanwhile, the loaned amount rose to P28.5 million from P23.9 million last year.

All undergraduate and graduate UP students can apply for tuition loans by accomplishing a form and having a parent or guardian as co-debtor.

Freshman and sophomore students may borrow 70 percent of their total fees per semester, while juniors and seniors can loan up to 80 percent of their fees. Graduate students can loan up to 85 percent of their assessed fees.

Tuition loans have a six percent monthly interest and must be paid before the final examinations.

Students who fail to pay their loans are barred from enrolling in the succeeding semester.

The continuing increase in the

number of students applying for loans clearly shows that UP education has become unaffordable because of tuition and other fee increases (TFI), said Student Regent Kristina Conti.

‘TFI culprit in rising loans’

Before the tuition increase in 2007, the number of student borrowers decreased at an average of 10 percent every year since AY 20012003. Meanwhile, tuition loan grants constantly decreased at eight percent or almost P4 million pesos on average yearly (see sidebar).

However, after the implementation of the 300 percent TFI in 2007, the number of students applying for tuition loan increased by an average of 22 percent annually. The tuition loan grants also started to increase at an average of 52 percent or P4.9 million every year.

The same trend was observed after UP tuition was increased from P40 to P300 per unit in AY 1989-1980.

From AY 1990-1991 to 1993-1994, the number of student-borrowers rose by 19 percent annually, while the total amount of tuition loans went up by an average of 64 percent every year.

The increase in the number of borrowers proves that access to the university is becoming increasingly difficult due to unaffordable tuition rates, said Conti. However, UP Diliman Chancellor Caesar Saloma earlier told the Collegian that the administration could not consider a tuition rollback, and would rather “strengthen” the university’s Socialized Tuition and

Financial (STFAP).

Assistance

Tuition loan trend (AY 1991-2011) Program

Flawed STFAP

The STFAP works as a mechanism of determining tuition rates where students are classified into five brackets based on their family income and other socio-economic indicators. However, an ongoing STFAP review being conducted by the Office of the Student Regent revealed that most of respondents who applied for lower brackets were assigned to higher brackets.

In UP Diliman, 32 percent of the 1,808 respondents said they applied for Bracket C (P600 per unit), 29 percent for Bracket D (P300 per unit) and 21 percent for Bracket E (free tuition). However, 90 percent of the respondents were classified in higher brackets.

Thea, a first year student of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, applied for Bracket D but was assigned to Bracket A. “There is no way I can pay 1,500 per unit [so I applied] for a loan. We only paid [the remaining] P5,000 which my mother just borrowed from her friend,” said Thea.

If students would be asked to pay more than what they can afford, they will really have to apply for tuition loan, Conti explained. In the second semester last AY, for instance, most of the student borrowers belonged to Brackets B, C and D respectively.

“May problema talaga sa STFAP [because it is] not reflective of the real socio-economic status of students,” said Conti. ●

DOMINATED. Fighting Maroon Anjelo Montecastro tries to drive past a strong defense by the powerhouse Blue Eagles during a clumsy final quarter for the UP team at Araneta Coliseum on July 30. UP suffered its third straight loss for the season, 77-57. Photo by Richard Jacob Dy

Source: Office of Scholarships and Student Services

Eagles slams Maroons with 20-point lead SPORTSCENE Isabella Patricia Borlaza UP Fighting Maroons suffered its third loss for the 74th season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) against three-time defending champion Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles.

Although the Maroons was able to propel a two-point lead in the first quarter, the Eagles was swift to reign over the next three quarters with a strengthened defense, locking the end of the game with a 20-point lead at 7757 on July 30 at the Araneta Coliseum.

The first quarter was a heated sprint for both teams to take on the lead. The Maroons and the Eagles were tied at 19 until Maroons center Ifeanyi Mbah easily scored a buzzer beater which broke the tie, 19-21.

All fired up with the two-point lead, the Maroons were off to a neck to neck game until halfway into the second quarter, when Eagles guard Emman Monfort scored a three-point shot giving the Eagles a one-point lead.

Keen to secure their lead, the Eagles capped the end of half-time, 42-31.

In the third quarter, the Eagles continued to dominate the court, blocking the Maroons from making any points.

Standing at 6 foot 11, Eagles center Greg Slaughter easily passed rebounds to Monfort, forward Nico Salva, and forward Kirk Long, who closed the third quarter with 57-43 with a total of 15 points.

Halfway into the fourth quarter, Maroons forward Carlo Gomez scored

a three-point shot, inching in at 62-52, which Maroons Anjelo Montecastro followed with a two-point shot, giving the Eagles only an eight point lead at 62-54.

However, Gomez was disqualified at the last three minutes for punching Eagles Salva in the midsection. The Eagles were granted free throw shots, sealing the lead at 75-55.

With the remaining two minutes, the Maroons vied for three-point shots but kept missing. The Maroons scored a two-point shot at the last 30 seconds of the quarter, but it was still not enough to bridge the 20-point gap.

“I thought that UP played really well in the first quarter. They kept making their shots. That was probably the reason why the score was so close.

In the last three quarters we checked up on our defense a little bit. We were able to get out and run,” said Eagles coach Norman Black.

UP Head Coach Ricky Dandan said they were “out-played and outcoached”. Coming from an earlier defeat in the July 23 game with the De La Salle University Green Archers at 79-67, the Maroons slid down to a one win and three losses slate, and will face the Far Eastern University Tamaraws on August 4.

“We played hard, but fell short.

We just have to be positive. We have three more games to get into the championships,” said forward Michael Silungan, who scored 16 points in the last game but was only able to secure 8 points in this game.

The previous year was a winless season for the Maroons, who went through two different coaches at that time. Newly appointed Coach Dandan is challenged to veer the Maroons from their only 10 wins in the last five seasons. ●

5 • Kulê Balita

Miyerkules 3 Agosto 2011

‘Aquino distorted state of nation’

Keith Richard D. Mariano Pauline Gidget R. Estella President Benigno Aquino III’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) was “full of half-truths” and did not provide concrete plans for the country’s next five years, according to several lawmakers and progressive groups.

In his 55-minute SONA in the Batasang Pambansa last July 25, Aquino said his administration was able to reduce poverty, create more jobs and succeed in its anti-corruption campaign in his first year in office.

However, Aquino’s speech writers used figures “carelessly,” taking them out of context or misinterpreting them to create a “bright picture of the national situation,” said Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr. “The speech was basically peppered with populist rhetoric which has become tiresome and overused. It was underwhelming in its litany of socalled achievements, and disturbing in its glaring omission of pressing people’s issues,” said Reyes.

Aquino failed to present concrete manifestations of his claims and did not even present specific plans on improving the country’s dire social and economic situation, said Makabayan Coalition President Satur Ocampo.

‘Namuhunan tayo sa pinakamahalaga nating yaman: ang taumbayan’

In his SONA, Aquino cited the Social Weather Station’s (SWS) report on the decrease of self-rated hunger in the whole country from 20.5 percent in March to 15.1 percent in June.

The decrease, however, only reflects the situation in Luzon because in Visayas and Mindanao, hunger incidence rose by 5.5 percent on average, according to SWS. Aquino earlier discredited the SWS survey on self-rated hunger for the first quarter of 2010, which revealed that more people were experiencing hunger and poverty under his administration.

The president also highlighted the government’s poverty alleviation program in the form of conditional cash transfers (CCT) or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino, which former President Gloria Arroyo initiated. The budget for the CCT program increased from P21 billion this year to the P39 billion proposed by the Department of Budget and Management for 2012.

“Tinatayang may mahigit isandaang libong pamilya ang naiaahon natin mula sa kahirapan kada buwan. Simula pa lang po ito, umaasa ako sa suporta ng bawat Pilipino, lalo na ng lehislatura, sa mungkahi nating salinan pa ng pondo ang [programa],” said Aquino.

“President Aquino must waken to the fact that prominent economists who used to support neoliberal economic doctrines now point to their disastrous effects on the world economy, especially on poor

nations. He must realize that even his supporters among economists and in the academe are worried that his PPPcum-CCT approach to boosting the economy and eradicating poverty falls short of what is needed to achieve the goals,” Ocampo said.

‘Dagdag-trabaho ang unang panata natin sa Pilipino’

The unemployment rate went down from eight percent in April 2010 to 7.2 percent in April this year, Aquino reported. “Ang resulta po natin: [1.4 milyong] trabahong nalikha nitong nakaraang taon,” he added.

However, the 1.4 million jobs created in Aquino’s first year in office were offset by the 1.2 million fresh graduates from college and the 800,000 increase in the number of underemployed, according to independent think-tank IBON Foundation.

Clearly, Aquino’s speech writers have tried to distort facts to “paint an illusion of national development,” said Reyes. For example, Aquino also claimed in his SONA that the increased rice production was due to the initiatives of the current administration.

The increase in the production of rice should be attributed to the efforts of the farmers and favorable weather conditions, and has nothing to do with the initiatives of Aquino’s administration, said Sonny Africa, head researcher of IBON Foundation.

‘Ang pagkakamit ng ganap na katarungan ay hindi natatapos sa pagsasakdal kundi sa pagkukulong ng maysala’

More than 1,600 cases of human rights violations including extra-judicial killings were reported under the Arroyo administration and 53 more were added during Aquino’s first year in office, according to Karapatan Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights.

“Buo ang kumpiyansa ko na tinutupad ng Department of Justice (DOJ) ang malaki nilang bahagi upang maipiit ang mga salarin, lalo na sa mga kaso ukol sa extrajudicial killings,” said Aquino.

However, throughout Aquino’s first year in office, he did not issue any statement on the enforced disappearance of UP students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan, who have been missing for five years now, said Reyes. The students were finishing a social investigation project for their thesis in Bulacan when they were abducted by alleged military elements.

Though Aquino repeatedly promised to prosecute Arroyo and investigate the anomalies of the past administration, the government has yet to file cases against the former president and her cohorts, Ocampo added.

“The reality is that the current government has not shown much difference from Arroyo in terms of economic policies, foreign policies, human rights and governance,” said Reyes. ●

PANININGIL. Naghain ng urgent motion to resolve sina Erlinda Cadapan at Raymond Manalo sa tanggapan ng Ombudsman upang muling dinggin ang kasong kriminal at administratibo laban sa mga kasapi ng Armed Forces of the Philippines na sangkot sa pagkawala ng mga estudyante ng UP na sina Karen Empeño at Sherlyn Cadapan noong Hulyo 29. Hinamon nina Manalo ang bagong hirang na Ombudsman at dating Supreme Court Justice na si Conchita CarpioMorales na aksyunan ang nabinbing kaso at parusahan ang mga maysala, kabilang na si Ret. Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan.

Kuha ni Airnel T. Abarra

PGH ADJUSTS RATES, CHARGES NEW AND HIGHER FEES Isabella Patricia Borlaza The Philippine General Hospital (PGH) recently revised its schedule of fees, increasing the rate paid by certain patient groups and charging lowerincome patients who used to avail of healthcare services in the hospital for free, following two memoranda released by PGH Director Jose Gonzales on June 15.

PGH implements a fee scheme that classifies patients based on their family’s monthly income. In the old system used until 2001, Class A patients or “pay patients,” who have a family income above P20,000 per month, pay full expenses.

Patients whose families earn P10,000 to P20,000 are placed under class B, and pay up to P380 for clinical examinations. Meanwhile, patients with a family income of P7,500 to P10,000 belong to class C are charged up to P285 for the same medical service.

Meanwhile, class D or “charity case” patients, whose family income is

below P7,500 per month, are entitled to an 80 to 100 percent discount for clinical examinations and are exempted from paying for diagnostic x-rays.

In the new scheme, laboratory examination fees for class B patients ranging from P0 to P380 rose to P35

Sample New rates for Class D Diagnostic X-ray

X-ray

Chest* (poster anterior) Entire Spines (Lateral, axial projection) Shoulder unilateral Skull

2011 55 Urinalysis (manual) 45 Fecalysis 115 Semenalysis 125 Pregnancy Test *rates have remained unchanged since 2001

New Rates 35 170 35 50

*First x-ray is free. Subsequent x-rays are charged.

to P400, while class C patients’ fees of P0 to P285 increased to P30 to P395.

Class D patients are now charged with fees ranging from P15 to P390 for clinical examinations and P20 to P340 for diagnostic x-rays.

Fees for class D patients account for the medical paraphernalia, equipment, human labor and utilities expended in the treatment of the patient, said Dr. Ireneo Luis Querol, PGH Coordinator for Hospital Rates

laboratory exam], uuwi na lang ang [lower-income patients] at titiisin ang kanilang karamdaman,” said All UP Workers Union (AUPWU)-Manila Chapter Treasurer Eliseo Estropigan.

Accounting for expenses

Gonzales explained that the administration imposed new fees and increases to monitor the hospital’s expenditures, and determine the actual amount of budgetary items that the hospital needs. continue to page 11 >>

Sample New Rates for Clinical Microscopy Procedures and Examinations Examination/Procedure

and Equipment.

Health and labor groups slammed the revisions in the schedule of fees, saying that the revision of fee scheme may deprive lower-income patients of quality medical services.

“Dahil kasinghalaga lamang ng pamasahe ang pambayad [for the

B

Charity Case Patients C 2010* 2011 2010 40 50 35 40 35 30 30 110 NC 115 120 110 **No charge

2011 45 30 100 115

D

2010 NC** NC NC 115

‘Pay patients A 2011 240 205 400 360

8 • Kulê Lathalain

Miyerkules 3 Agosto 2011

Kawalan at karahasan: Ang pasanin ng maralitang tagalungsod

Brgy. Corazon de Jesus, San Juan City

Enero nang kumalat ang video ng nag-iiyakang mga bata at nateargas na mga nanay sa marahas na demolisyon na naganap sa Brgy.

Corazon de Jesus. Mahigit apatnapu sa mga residente ang nasaktan nang pilit na gibain ng mga pulis ang mga kabahayan doon.

Mahigit 400 pamilya ang pinaalis sa kanilang tirahan sa Brgy. Corazon De Jesus, kapalit ng pagpapatayo ng city hall, na nagkakahalagang P500 milyon. Matagal na diumano itong proyekto ni JV Ejercito, anak ni dating Pangulong Joseph Estrada na naninilbihang mayor ng lungsod sa loob ng 17 taon. Bagaman ipinagkaloob ni Corazon Aquino ang lupa sa mga residente, pinawalang-bisa ito sa panunungkulan ni Estrada.

Joan C. Cordero

Laperal Compound, Makati City

Bunsod ng sunod-sunod na sunog sa Makati City nitong mga nakaraang buwan, idineklarang danger zone ng lokal na pamahalaan ang Laperal Compound. Noong Abril 28, tuluyan nang giniba ng demolition teams ang mga tirahan dito.

Walang relocation site na inihanda para sa mga apektadong residente, isang paglabag sa RA 7279, ayon sa Center on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE). Hindi rin basehan ang sunog, na maaaring sinadya, upang sabihing danger zone ito, ayon sa COHRE. Nanatili sa evacuation centers ang mahigit 2,000 residente bago tuluyang makalipat sa Rizal matapos ang isang buwan.

North Triangle, Quezon City

Napalilibutan ng mga eskwelahan, ospital, simbahan, negosyo, at institusyon ng gobyerno gaya ng Office of the Ombudsman ang North Triangle, na may sukat na 29.1 ektarya at tirahan ng humigit-kumulang 9,000 pamilya.

Noong Setyembre ng nakaraang taon, nakipaggitgitan ang mga residente sa demolition teams at pulis na ipinadala upang gibain ang mga kabahayan sa lugar. Ipinatigil ni Pangulong Aquino ang demolisyon matapos ang insidente, subalit patuloy pa rin ang panaka-nakang demolisyon ng lugar para sa pagtatayo ng Quezon City Central Business District (QCCBD).

Nagkasundo ang National Housing Authority (NHA) at AyalaLand Corporation noong 2009 na magtayo ng offices, hotels at businesses sa QCCBD, na bahagi ng programang public-private partnerships (PPPs) ni Aquino.

Tambalan raw ng gobyerno at pribadong sektor ang PPPs para sa mga proyektong pangkaunlaran subalit hindi ito maasahan sa pag-unlad ng kabuhayan ng mga tao, ani Carlo Badion, ng Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap, samahan ng mga maralita sa kalunsuran.

Sa halip na mga batayang industriya, malls at call center agencies ang itatayo, dagdag niya.

Sa higit isang taong panunungkulan ni Benigno Aquino III, sunod-sunod ang banta at aktwal na demolisyon upang bigyang-daan ang pagpapalawak ng mga kalsada, pagpapatayo ng mga parke, mall at iba pang negosyo.

At tuwing may demolisyon, teargas, batuta, serye ng sunog at maging maruming tubig ang kadalasang kinahaharap ng mga residente. Tila hindikasamaangmgamaralitangtagalungsodsasinasabiniAquino na maginhawang byahe sa kanyang tuwid na daan.

San Isidro, Montalban, Rizal

Relocatees mula sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng Rizal at Metro Manila ang mga residente sa San Isidro, isa sa 18 relocation sites ng NHA na may laking 7,000 ektarya at malapit sa kabundukan at sapa.

Tuwing 6:30 ng gabi hanggang 3:00 ng madaling araw lamang may kuryente. Limitado ang suplay ng tubig kaya kailangan pang umigib sa poso.

Humigit kumulang dalawang oras ang biyahe mula Quezon City papuntang San Isidro na aabot sa P200 ang pamasahe, balikan.

Sa layo nito sa lungsod, nagdudulot ito ng pagkakahiwalay ng mga pamilya. “Isang beses sa dalawang linggo na lamang umuwi ang mga naghahanapbuhay tapos kakaunti pa ang naiuuwing kita dahil sa mahal ng pamasahe,” ani Mang Ramil, relocatee mula sa Navotas.

Pangarap Village, North Caloocan

Putok ng baril ang bumasag sa katahimikan ng umaga nang paputukan ng diumano’y private army ni Gregorio Araneta ang mga residenteng nakabantay sa tarangkahan ng village noong Hulyo 23. Dalawang lider ng Bayan Muna, sina Sol Gomez at Romel Fortades, ang namatay sa insidente.

Itinayo ng mga residente ang tarangkahan matapos ang tangkang demolisyon ng Carmel Development Inc. (CDI) ni Araneta. Taong 1973 nang angkinin ng CDI ang 156-ektaryang lupain sa Pangarap na ipinagkaloob sa mga maralitang pamilya at empleyado ng gobyerno nang taong din iyon.

Sinampahan ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources ng kaso ang mga Araneta bunsod ng kanilang pangangamkam sa lupa.

Bagaman walang permiso mula sa Korte Suprema ang demolisyon, nagpapakalat na ang mga Araneta ng notices to vacate ngayong taon, ani Mang Roni*. Aniya, naaapektuhan na umano ang pamumuhay ng halos 40,000 residente lalo pa’t kinukuhaan sila ng video at pinagbabantaan.

Nagsara na nga ng tindahan si Aling Cely* sa takot na muling takutin ng private army. *hindi tunay na pangalan

Dibuho ni Nico Villarete Disenyo ng pahina ni Kel Almazan

Diosdado Macapagal Tenement, Vitas, Tondo

Creekside, Brgy. West Kamias, Quezon City

Dahil malapit ang ilang bahagi ng Brgy. West Kamias sa Diliman Creek, pinalipat ang 300 pamilya roon tungo sa relocation site sa Rizal. Walang pinakitang memo at sinabihan lang umano sila nitong Hunyo ng mga opisyal ng barangay na kailangang lumipat dahil nasa danger zone ang kanilang lugar.

Pagmamay-ari umano ng gobyerno ang lupang kinatitirikan ng kanilang mga bahay. Hindi kailangan ng opisyal na sulat dahil pambansang palisiya ang relocation project, ani Emily Algabre, barangay captain.

Ngunit, “mas malapit kami sa danger zone sa Rizal [dahil] mukhang minadali ang pagkakagawa ng mga bahay doon,” ani Aling Beth, residente ng 30 taon.

Marami diumanong depekto ang mga itinayong bahay sa relocation site, ayon sa ulat ng Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor.

Nasa panganib umano ang mahigit 56 pamilya na nakatira sa tenement dahil luma na ang gusali at marami nang bitak ang mga dingding, ayon sa lokal na pamahalaan. Mahigit 100 pamilya ang nakaambang mawalan ng tirahan matapos mapagpasyahan ng gobyerno na gibain ang gusali at ilipat ang mga residente sa ibang lugar.

Proyektong pabahay ni Pangulong Manuel Quezon ang tenement.

Bagaman may titulo ng lupa ang ilang mga residente, balak pa rin ng gobyerno na sirain ang gusali.

Kung matuloy ang demolisyon, responsibilidad ng gobyerno na ilipat ang mga residente sa relokasyon sa loob ng lungsod gaya ng pagpapatayo ng Medium Rise Buildings na higit na matipid kaysa ilipat ang mga residente sa malayong lugar, ayon sa NHA. Pauupahan diumano sa shipping companies ang lupa bilang bahagi ng Manila North Harbor Privatization kung saan magpapatayo ng mga terminal, pasilidad, at kumpanyang tutulong sa pagpapaunlad ng shipping industry. ●

9 • Kulê Lathalain

Miyerkules 3 Agosto 2011

Jeremy Pancho Malayo pa lang, makikita na ang mga nakabukas na bisig ni Oble sa University Avenue, na animo’y simbolo ng malugod na pagtanggap ng UP sa mga nais pumasok dito. Tila sinasabi nito na bukas ang UP para sa lahat.

Sakasalukuyan, limang barangay ang ngayo’y nasa loob ng lupain ng UP: ang mga barangay ng Krus na Ligas, San Vicente, UP Campus, Old Capitol Site at Botocan, na bumubuo sa ikaapat na distrito ng Lungsod ng Quezon. Mga empleyado o mga naging empleyado ng UP ang karamihan sa mga nakatira rito, o kung hindi man, mga pamilyang nagmula sa probinsya na nakipagsapalaran sa siyudad.

Walang binabayaran na upa ang mga residente kaya naman itinuring ng UP ang mga residente bilang ‘professional squatters’ o ‘informal settlers.’ Bunsod nito, madaling napapaalis ng UP ang mga residente kung may nakaproyektong itayo sa mga lugar na kinatitirikan ng mga komunidad.

Sa tuwing babawiin ng pamantasan ang lupa nito mula sa mga maralitang walang ibang mapuntahan, tila napasisinungalingan ang sinísimbolong pagyakap ni Oble sa lahat ng nais pumasok sa unibersidad.

Pook RIPADA (Ricarte, Palaris, Dagohoy) at Pook Amorsolo

1

Matatagpuan malapit sa Ilang-Ilang Residence Hall at Balay Kalinaw, taong 1960 nang napaunlad ang RIPADA bilang isang relocation site ng m g a residenteng napalayas mula sa dating tirahan na ngayo’y kinatatayuan na

TAHANAN SA LAYLAYAN: Sulyap sa mga komunidad sa unibersidad

ng School of Economics, Romulo Hall at UP Integrated School.

Maraming beses na tinangka ng administrasyon ng UP na paalisin ang 1,500 pamilya sa Pook Ricarte na maaapektuhan ng pagpapalawak ng Circumferential Road 5 kaugnay ng proyekto ng Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) at Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Tinutulan na ito ng mga residente mula pa noong 1985, at noong 2007, hinarang ng 200 residente ang tangkang pagpasok ng technical team ng MMDA na magsusukat umano ng lupa.

Sa kabila ng pagtutol ng mga residente, 18 kabahayan ang giniba sa Zone C Pook Ricarte noong Enero 2011. Bagaman pinangakuan ng DPWH ang mga residente na babayaran ang kabuuang halaga ng mga ginibang bahay, tinatayang 70 porsyento lamang nito ang natanggap ng mga pamilya, ani Leonardo Cruz, tagapangulo ng Ugnayan Kapitbahayan sa Pook Ricarte.

Pook Arboretum

2

Nanirahan nang walang pahintulot ang 400 pamilyang Muslim noong Pebrero 2003 sa Pook Arboretum, ang magubat na komunidad sa likod ng UP Ayala Technohub Center, ayon sa Office of the Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs (OVCAA).

Lumikas ang mga residente mula sa all-out war ng gobyerno sa Mindanao kung kaya idineklara silang nagsasagawa ng ‘professional squatting syndicate operation’ ng Presidential Task Force on AntiSquatting and Squatter Syndicates, isang multi-agency task force ng pamahalaan. Ilegal na ibinenta ng isang negosyanteng Maranao ang Arboretum gamit ang isang pekeng titulo sa isa pang Maranao na siya namang nagpamahagi ng lupain sa kanyang mga kababayan.

Dibuho ni Nico Villarete Disenyo ng pahina ni Kel Almazan

Tuluyang napaalis ang mga Muslim noong Hulyo 3, 2003 nang makatanggap ang UP Task Force on Squatting, Community Housing, and Utilities noong Abril 22 ng pahintulot mula sa Quezon City Regional Trial Court.

Gayunpaman, matatagpuan pa rin hanggang ngayon ang isang komunidad na may basketball court at maliit na chapel sa loob ng Arboretum.

Area 14 at 17

3

Area 11

4

Barangay Krus na Ligas (KNL)

5

Para magbigay-daan sa itatayong gusali ng College of Engineering, tinatayang higit 48 pamilya ang pinaalis mula sa Area 14 at 17 sa may Science and Engineering Complex malapit sa Executive House. Nilipat ang mga residenteng hindi empleyado ng UP sa Pook Libis habang pinatira naman sa UP Housing, Pook Amorsolo at Executive House ang mga empleyado ng UP. “Wala pang tubig at kuryente sa Pook Libis nang ilipat ang ilang residente,” ayon kay Noli Anoos, pangulo ng All UP Workers Union.

Inilipat ang 57 pamilya mula Area 11 patungong Pook Libis noong 2010 kasabay ng pagpapatayo ng bagong gusali para sa Institute of Chemistry.

Matatagpuan ang Area 11 malapit sa National Institute of Physics, sa kahabaan ng Katipunan.

Nakatanggap ang mga residente ng abiso mula sa administrasyon ng UP anim na buwan bago ang demolisyon. May nakahanda na raw na lupang magsisilbing relocation site ng mga residente, ani Mang Alex, isang manininda na 27 taon nang residente ng Area 11.

Subalit tanging 25 metro kwadradong lupain lamang ang natanggap ng bawat pamilya at kanya-kanya na ang pagpapatayo ng mismong bahay nang walang danyos mula sa UP. Mahigit P150,000 ang ginastos ni Mang Alex sa kanyang bahay. Aniya, mas naging mahirap ang pagtitinda dulot ng kalayuan ng UP mula sa kanyang kasalukuyang tirahan. “Yung iba kong kapitbahay doon na lang naghanapbuhay sa Libis, pero mas maliit ang kita nila kumpara nung nagtitinda sila dito sa UP,” aniya.

Maraming murang boarding house, inuman at kainan sa KNL, isang 394-ektaryang lupaing ibinenta ni dating pangulong Elpidio Quirino sa UP sa halagang P1 noong Abril 1949. Kasalukuyang 43 ektarya na lamang ng KNL ang pagmamayari ng UP matapos maipagkaloob sa mga residente ng Barangay KNL ang kalakhan ng lupain noong 1979.

Nakaamba ang banta ng demolisyon sa lugar lalo na’t gusto umanong paalisin ng UP ang mga taong namamalagi rito upang mabigyan ng tirahan ang mga kawani at guro ng UP. Gayunpaman, walang ibibigay na relocation site o tulong pinansyal ang UP para sa mga residente na madadamay sa demolisyon, ayon kay Ida Lao, Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs noong 2005. ●

10 • Kulê Opinyon

Miyerkules 3 Agosto 2011

GIDGET ESTELLA

NEWSCAN

Spinmeisters* Spin•meis•ter (sp n m st r) n.

Slang a public relations person who tries to forestall negative publicity by publicizing a favorable interpretation of the words or actions of a political party or famous person (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language) It must have been the test of a lifetime for all the political advisers and the presidential communications group. This was one of the reasons their cunning and literary prowess were purchased for such a price.

They must have spent days, weeks, or even months, huddling together, brainstorming, trying to exhaust everything they have just to put together a report on the state of the nation. It must have been legendarily hard, when they had to make castles out of thin air, grand accomplishments when there are absolutely none.

But of course, somehow, they managed. In President Benigno Aquino III’s second state of the nation address (SONA), he claimed that the Philippines is on the road to prosperity. He boasted of increased rice production, better employment rate, successful attempts to eliminate incompetence in the government.

This was the output of Aquino’s hardworking spinmeisters. Clearly, they were good enough to give Aquino

something to say in front of the lawmakers and the millions of Filipino people. But clearly not good enough to conceal a glaring fact: there was no real improvement in the first year of Aquino’s presidency.

To paint a picture of a robust economy, the spin doctors carelessly plucked figures from government data, gave it a twist, and used them to support their “all is well” thesis.

First, government data in itself is dubious, for the administration has been notorious in recalibrating methodologies to come up with acceptable results. For instance, as per government definition, a person is living below the poverty line if his family income is P46 per day.

Everyone knows that only a 1.5 liter of Coke can be bought with P46.

Second, the nuances of the data were omitted, especially if they make a difference. The spinmeisters were skillfully selective in this process.

According to the SONA, 1.4 million new jobs were generated but never mentioned that 1.2 million people were also added to the labor force, and that around 829,000 people were added to the underemployed statistics. The people do not need to know that the additional jobs were more than offset by the surge in the unemployment and underemployment.

For a chief executive reporting the state of the nation to the people, lying is unforgivable

Figures were taken out of context, small accomplishments were blown out of proportions. Add more paragraphs in establishing Aquino’s moral ascendancy through the badly thought-out metaphor of “wang-wang.”

Steer away from waterloo issues such as land reform. And so we have 55 minutes of the second SONA. Aquino’s spinmeisters must have also twisted the meaning of truth. For them, stating part of the truth and omission of the rest would still pass as honesty. They have forgotten that selective honesty is equivalent to lying in this context. And for a chief executive reporting the state of the nation to the people, lying is unforgivable.

If Aquino stubbornly refuses to change his policy direction, then his spinmeisters will have another year to create something from nothing, to create a pro-people president from an inutile chief executive, to give Aquino something to report to his “bosses.”

They will have to do this or they will lose their lucrative jobs.

Unless, of course, Aquino’s bosses choose to sack him first. *For all the writers and wishing to be spinmeisters. ●

PAUL TURERO

Suicide note Dear world, I am dead. I was shot twice in the head and left to rot where I fell. I pulled the trigger myself. Now I mourn my unplanned death. I expected everyone to do the same. No one buys it.

I am in limbo. My body is shackled, my senses are numb and everything seems to be pointless right now. I stare at nothing and it stares back at me with fading faces I couldn’t quite make out. Nothing makes sense anymore. My brain is well past its expiration. I’m still here though. Trying to cope with the unpleasant past.

Trying to live with the unpleasant present. I should probably be thinking about what happens next. But my mind is too clogged up with unimportant things. I still try to set them aside but the thoughts keep returning. The faces stare at me. They seem to think I have answers. Please leave me alone, I am being devoured by oblivion here.

I am in hell. The buzzing sounds of Beelzebub, the moustached bastard, rings in the distance. He bellows my name with pure disdain and hatred in his heart. And I fear him for he is king and the one being I am afraid of. He hunts me down to feed on my sanity.

So I hide in the bowels of this inferno, willing to be scorched rather than allow his bloodlust be satisfied.

I am in heaven. Served to me are ambrosia and nectar, fed to me by God herself. The angels frown at my presence for I am the devil’s kin. The nectar robs me of my strength and the ambrosia, my will. Before long, only a lifeless corpse is left. God sneered as I conceded to the torture. It was all a ploy after all. A deceptive dream.

I awake in limbo and the numbness returns. Fuck you God. I am in paradise, a blank canvass of a world. I hold in my hand a brush

A symposium on the RH Bill

Around 4,500 women in the Philippines die annually due to prenatal and neonatal complications. These deaths could have been prevented easily if only proper maternal care were given. More than any poverty reduction agenda, there is an urgent need today for an enabling law that will make comprehensive reproductive health care and general medical services accessible to everyone especially women from the marginalized sector. UP Sigma Alpha Nu Sorority and GABRIELA Youth in cooperation with STAND-UP CMC present “BEYOND CONTRACEPTION AND POPULATION CONTROL: A symposium on the RH Bill” on August 3, 9am-12nn, at the College of Mass Communication Auditorium. Get involved. See you! For inquiries, text Abi @09152272102 or Nikki @ 09174970200.

The 25th Annual Stat-Is-Eeks!

The UP Statistical Society presents the 25th annual Stat-Is-Eeks, an inter-university quiz show for non-statistics majors. Just form a group of 3 members and submit official registration form with photocopies of members’ enrolment form. Registration fee is Php 600.00 per team. Deadline of submission is on August 19, 2011 at the UP StatSoc tambayan, School of Statistics Building. Prizes are Php 4000.00 + Gift Packs for the 3rd place, Php 7,000 + Gift Packs for the 2nd place and Php 12,000.00 + Gift Packs for the 1st place. For inquiries, please contact Cla 09056942465.

UP Lingua Franca’s lecture details

Dear world, I am dead

dipped in a bucket of paint. In my head are the most beautiful landscapes and sceneries that put John Avon to shame. It eggs me to fill the void. I drop the bucket and throw the brush away. This is true enlightenment. What my countless failures have taught me.

Striving is as pointless as excellence is overrated. I will fail even in death.

I am on earth. I feel the rocky ground piercing my bare feet.

Before me are the faces, which I now see clearly. I try to read their lips. They’re mouthing, “Stop being so melodramatic.” I shook my head.

I replied that this is the emoshit portion of the Opinion page. And I was struck by lightning. And thus ends the journey of the melodramatic self-indulgent dead man. ●

In celebration of our 15th anniversary, UP Lingua Franca will hold three lectures next week open to all students. “Is the Book dying as we swipe?” by Dr. Patricia May Jurilla on July 26, Tuesday at CAL 212, 2:30-4:00 pm. “Where Do We Go Now?” A Career Talk and Orientation with Dr. Jose Wendell Capili on July 27, Wednesday at CAL AVR, 2nd floor FC, 4:00-5:30pm.

“In Translation: Literature to Different Media”, by Prof. Emil Flores (CAL) and Prof. Patrick Campos (CMC). July 28, Thursday at CAL 312, 4:00-5:30pm. Text Jazz at 09066638127 for inquiries.

Official selection of films for the 3rd Pandayang Lino Brocka released

This year’s selection is a collection of documentary, shadow play, experimental and short films. The films were selected based on the entries’ quality and content in relation to the theme. The jury for the final film selection was composed of film critics and representatives from different sectors. Festival dates are on August 10 to 11, 2011 at the UP Film Center, Cine Adarna in the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. Call Sam Montuya @09489287063 or Chantal Eco @09308498497.

11 • Kulê Opinyon DBM slashes

Miyerkules 3 Agosto 2011

PGH adjusts

TEXTBACK <<from page 3

<<from page 5

Though the funds for unfilled positions are not reflected in the 2012 budget for SUCs, the said amount is still considered as part of the budget for SUCs, DBM added. “These funds will be released upon the submission of sufficient proof that personnel have been hired for these positions,” Aquino explained.

“The danger with this budgeting scheme is that there is a burden of proof for UP before it gets the funds. Kaysa ibigay na lang agad ang pondo dahil kulang naman talaga ang natatanggap natin in the first place, what happens is that we need to strive harder to justify each proposal,” Conti said.

The rest of the difference between Aquino’s reported SUCs budget and the amount stated in the NEP is accounted for by the automatic appropriations for Retirement and Life Insurance Premium, which is worth P1.7 billion.

Aquino’s computation of the P25.8 billion SUCs allocation included the P500 million allocation given to the Commission on Higher Education, “to make sure that the curricula of SUCs are focused on the priority areas for economic development [such as] business process outsourcing, tourism, agriculture and fisheries, and infrastructure development,” DBM explained.

Bolibol said Aquino “deceives” students by saying that his administration allocated P25.8 billion, when the NEP only indicated P21.8 billion. She added that there is no certainty that the funds DBM placed in other agencies will be released to SUCs.

The old fee scheme gave way to “ghost expenses” on the actual operating expenses of the hospital which hindered PGH from asking for the actual amount it needs for its continued operation, said Querol.

He added that this is the reason why PGH receives less than its needed budget.

If the PGH administrators only need to know the budgetary needs of the hospital, they should just compute actual costs, not charge patients with new and higher fees, said Estropigan.

AUPWU, Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) and Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) say the root of the budget problems of PGH lie with the government’s disregard for basic services.

“While it is true that the budget cuts are hurting the service agencies like the PGH, the burden of keeping these agencies operational should not be passed on to the patients.

Service fee hikes will only make the public health services more inaccessible to patients,” said Geneve Rivera-Reyes, Secretary General of HEAD. The PGH proposed P4.7 billion for its 2012 budget but the Department of Budget and Management approved only P1.48 billion, slightly higher than this year’s budget of P1.39 billion. (See related article) AHW National President Jossel Ebesate said that the budget increase went to personal services, or the salary of health workers in PGH, as mandated by the third tranche of the salary standardization law. Thus, “there has really been no increase,” he added.

‘State abandonment’

Excluding funds for SUCs which the DBM placed in other agencies or items, the DBM-approved budget for the 110 SUCs stands at P21.9 billion, a 0.64 percent decrease from the current P22 billion.

Fifty SUCs will be sustaining cuts in their budget for 2012, with UP getting the highest deduction at P208.2 million, followed by Mariano Marcos State University with a P45.4 million cut. Fiftyeight SUCs will suffer cuts in the PS component of their budget, while 45 SUCs will have diminished allocation for MOOE. The slash in the budget for SUCs is an “outrageous” proposal considering the worsening state of schools and narrowing access to higher education in the country, said Anakbayan National Chair Vencer Crisostomo.

Congress will begin deliberating DBM’s proposed 2012 budget for SUCs on August 4. Once the proposed budget is passed as law by the plenary of the House of Representatives and the Senate, both houses will meet in a bicameral conference to finalize their versions of the GAA, which will then be submitted to President Aquino for approval.

“We are calling on our legislators to increase the budget of SUCs and fight for the people’s right to education. We call on President Aquino to withdraw the budget cuts and allot sufficient funding for our SUCs. We are prepared to back these calls with determined actions: campus strikes, mass demonstrations will be our weapon,” Crisostomo added. ●

Kung ulam ang pangalawang SONA ni Aquino, ano ito at bakit?

Palabok! Puro palabok na lang alam ni AbNoy. Palabok na binudburan ng samu’t-saring kababawan, sinahugan ng malulutong na kasinungalingan, pinasarap ng katakam-takam na pangako ng komersyalismo. Puro pampalasa, wala naming sustansya.

Rhyming lang talaga? HaHaHa! O812288 Syempre isaw. Tadtad ng kabaluktutan e. 11-40694 Lechon. Nakakataas kasi ng blood pressure! Pero buti na lang hindi ako kumakain ng lechon, hindi ako kakagat sa mga sinabi nya.

Wahaha. 11.43293 UP MANILA ang 2nd SONA ni aquino ay KILAWING seafood. malansa at maaring mgdulot ng food poisoning s tiyang di-sanay! Tapos kulang s lasa.>:) 1101517 BA POLSC CRISPY PATA, malulutong na salita masarap man pakinggan, ang katotohana’y wla naman itong magagawang mabuti sa mga mamamayan. 2011-49881, CMBC PEETEE Para sa akin, ang sona ni p-not ay pagpag. murang-mura, ang layunin ay akitin ang madla. Di lang nila alam na ang pagpag ay gawa sa tinga at kinalkal na basura, niluto lang ulit para maibenta. tsk3 1033290 bexbsme Ang sona ni PNoy nde ulam kundi tsitsirya, walang sustansya. Akala mo porke’t masarap masustansya.

11-42913 mr.kgt Ampalaya ang SONA dahil

EKSENANG PEYUPS

isusuka ko lamang ito.mapait at mapakla. 11-30294.

Comments

Mychal Chase Sia Peralta. Crush na crush kita. Kegwapo! Kal-kunsama~<3 Hello rinkay Papa Lucho Ayala! See you in Film class :D 0865052 Pichi, Maskom Ang ganda ng editi0n ng dyaryo nyo ngaun nakarelate aku and n2wa pko.. -ien of icct -ab natl. hi 2 kule ur so brave nla2bas nyo mga totoo concdring ur only studnts.

I wish our school paper staf r as brave as u are..oliver of Lyceum of northern luzon.

Next week’s questions:

1. Anong kanta ang magsasalarawan sa budget cut sa SUCs? 2.

Anong meron sa kape ng PAGCOR at sobrang mahal nito?

Send in your opinions and feedback via SMS! Type KULE <space> YOUR MESSAGE <space> STUDENT NUMBER (required), NAME and COURSE (optional) and send to:

091 5854 1 6 3 9 Non-UP students must indicate school, organization or sectoral afffiliation.

‘Worsening health crisis’

In the Aquino government’s health care financing plan, public hospitals like the PGH are being pushed to be fully corporatized and self-sufficient by 2020. The burden of providing free or subsidized health care for lower-income classes, meanwhile, is being passed on to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth).

Philhealth is a governmentowned social insurance company that provides its members with hospital and medical care benefits such as financial support for room and lodging, medication, and laboratory testing, according to its official website.

Republic Act 7875, or the National Health Insurance Act of 1995, stipulates that the government “shall provide health insurance coverage and ensure affordable, acceptable, available and accessible health care services for all citizens of the Philippines.”

The government aimed to

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Magdala ng 2 blue book, bolpen, at portfolio ng sample works.

Para sa karagdagang katanungan, kontakin si Richard sa 09054596893

accommodate at least 85 percent of the population with Philhealth insurances in 2010 but only 54 percent of the population had been provided or registered for Philhealth, according to a survey by the government. However, only 42 percent of these cardholders have access to benefits.

Ebesate said that Philhealth is not enough to answer the ballooning health crisis in the Philippines. While Philhealth covers certain diseases

and cases, “lots of other cases are not covered, especially out-patient services”.

“All hospitals require [the] patient to pay first before [they can be admitted or treated]. Philhealth only reimburses after two to three months. So, kung wala kang pera, wala kang serbisyo,” Ebesate added. ●

Hello mga tehng, kuyas and everyone in between! Muli, at your service, fresh, wet and wild (kamusta naman ang mga nagdaang bagyo these last few days, like there’s no tomorrow kung mambasa si mother nature) para ihatid ang latest chismis that’s happening in the country and our university.

Sawri naman sa medyo late nang 3 idiots mode ng lola niyo, agree maganda naman siya kaso so petty b niya lang keri? Hemingways, I think okera pa rin naman bilang hindi naman nawawala ang mga idiots sa mundo like them: Idiot #1: Like grabe na talaga ang kabobohan of the panggulo of the Pilipenis like so unbearable na ha. Hindi pa nakuntento si koyang sa pagiispread ng lies and rhetorics sa kanyang pangalawang Super Overrated Narrations and Anecdotes.

When asked kung feeling ni mother kung pumoprosper with love and grace ang ating country, aba sumagot ang bugok ng like yes because kumonti daw mga nagpoprotest at nagrerage sa kanyang regime. Binilang mo kuya?

Binilang mo? Eh di ikaw na, I doubt you can do that, eh you can’t think for your own nga. Plus your policies are all bulok, you bugok, and ples lang, stop blaming mother Gloria na for her crimes against humanity (like yeah, we already know she’s supreme evil, but at least she’s not bobo). Like there’s only one sound in your head: wang-wang.

Idiot #2: Eh sino kaya itey na hindi pa rin yata ready for school even after two months at medyo lost in love pa rin. Like kuya was always contacting his group leader so that they could orgynize their sexual encounters.

Nagmaganda pa itong si kuya, plus angas angas telling he’s naazar na and all when he received a text, “wrong number po, matagal na po akong nag[insert subject].” Naluka ang beauty ni student at bumalik sa propesorang may sala, “ay sorry, those groupings were from my previous classes.” Heller!

Alam po natin yung pagtatapon ng kalat.

Idiot #3: Talk about basaan, aminin niyo namang winish niyo Tuesday night last week na wala ng pasok kinabukasan until the end of time. Like we were all waiting for the announcement that will set us free.

Eh kasi naman ang Chansinglord mej mabagal magpalabas ng juice na gustong-gustong malasap ng madla kaya ayan, somebody made a fake account to satisfy the needs of the people. Ayan, lesson learned para sa ating admin: pakibilisan ang info dissemination kei nang hindi tayo napapatrollin’ That’s all for this issue kaya if I were you, ayus-ayusin natin ang buhay nang hindi tayo nababrand as idiots keri? Ano mang problema, just say “Aal iz well,” at marerealize mong the problem is still there. Pants down!

Taingang kawali

Habang patuloy ang pag-iingay ng â&#x20AC;&#x153;wang-wangâ&#x20AC;? ni Aquino sa kanyang ikalawang State of the Nation Address, patuloy rin ang pag-iingay ng taumbayan sa pagrehistro ng kanilang galit sa administrasyong inutil. Bitbit ang bandila, streamer, props, pati na rin ang sari-saring pasanin, dumagsa ang taumbayan sa lansangan upang basagin ang ilusyon ng kaunlaran at busalan ang bibig na nag-iingay sa Batasan. Sa gitna ng protesta, inaasahan ang pagbibingibingihan ng pamahalaan. Kuha nina Chris Martin Imperial, Richard Jacob Dy, Airnel T. Abarra, Gillian Salvador at Pauline Balba

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