Rebel Kule Tomo 4 Isyu 9-10

TOMO IV / BLG IX-X / Linggo, 30 Hunyo 2019 email: phkule@gmail.com

@phkule

E D I T O R YA L

Hakbang pasulong Ang tunay na tagumpay ay nasa patuloy na pagpupunyagi.

Ngayong araw ng pagtatapos, kumakaway ang kasaysayan, nagdiriwang ang kasalukuyan, nagiisip, nagpaplano ang kinabukasan.

At sa pamantasang hirang, ihinaharap ka, iniaalay; humaharap at inaalay mo ang iyong sarili.

Ang iyong pagtatapos ay hindi lamang tungkol sa tagumpay ng pagkumpleto ng mga kahingian ng iyong pag-aaral, kundi pagtanggap sa hamon ng iyong edukasyon: pagtugon sa panawagan ng pakikibaka mula sa mga batayang sektor. Malaki ang nakaatang sa iyo, iskolar ng bayan, dahil malaki ang mawawala at higit, wala nang matitira sa bayang natitigmak sa samu’t saring krisis at katiwalian.

Sa iyong paglabas sa lilim ng akademya, sasambulat sa’yo ang lipunang patuloy na pinupuspos ng samu’t saring krisis at karahasan— ginugutom ng mga palisiyang katulad ng TRAIN, nililimitahan ang kalayaan tulad ng tangkang pagpapababa ng minimum age of criminal liability, at pinagkakaitan ng karapatang mamuhay nang matiwasay sa sariling bayan.

Ngunit ikaw, iskolar ng bayan, tangan mo ang mandatong maghawan ng daan tungo sa kalayaan. Bitbit ang mayamang kasaysayan ng pagaklas at paglaban, susi ang iyong lakas at tikas ng pakikisangkot upang makapanghalina ng iba pang kabataang nasasadlak sa kahirapan.

Pagkatapos ng iyong pagtatapos, nananatili pa rin ang mga mapaniil na mga patakaran sa loob ng pamantasan, bilang institusyong katambal ng estado sa pagsikil sa karapatan ng mga kabataan. At sa ilalim ng mapanaksil na rehimen, lalo lamang tumitindi at sumisidhi ang pagtapak sa batayang karapatan ng mamamayan, katulad

DIBUHO NI KIMBERLY ANNE YUTUC

Malaki ang nakaatang sa iyo, iskolar ng bayan, dahil malaki ang mawawala at higit, ng nararanasan ng mga sektor na nasa loob ng pamantasan. wala nang matitira Patuloy na ipinagkakait ang kaukulang proseso at katarungan sa sa bayang natitigmak ating mga iskolar ng bayan. Sunud- sa samu’t saring sunod ang mga isyung kinahaharap ng mga organisasyon sa UP at binubusalan krisis at katiwalian. ang mga publikasyon, tulad ng naging desisyon ng Executive Committee ng University Council ng UP Diliman na hatulang maysala ang patnugutan ng Rebel Kulê sa kabila ng inisyal na pagbabasura sa gawa-gawang kasong isinampa laban sa kanila.

Ito rin ang pamantasang ang administrasyon ay kimi pa rin sa isyu ng karahasan ng mga kapatiran, sa panawagan ng mga komunidad sa loob nito bunsod ng mga nakaambang pagkawala ng tahanan at kabuhayan upang bigyang-daan ang Master Development Plan.

At sa loob ng nakaraang isang taon, patuloy nating binitbit ang mga hamong isulong ang interes ng bawat sektor sa lipunan sa loob at labas ng ating pamantasan. Kasama tayo sa laban ng mga residente ng Pook Malinis at Sitio San Roque para sa kalidad at abot-kayang pabahay, ng mga manggagawa ng Sumifru at iba pang manggagawang nagpipiket upang ipanawagan ang regularisasyon sa trabaho at sapat na pasahod.

Sumisidhi ang mga kondisyong nagtutulak upang kumilos, kung kaya mahalagang balikan ang esensya ng dangal at husay—handang harapin ang lumalalang tunggalian, handang makipagkapit-bisig sa mas malawak na hanay ng mamamayan, buhay man ay ialay.

Sa ika-13 taong anibersaryo ng pagkawala nina Karen Empeño at Sherlyn Cadapan, mga kapwa iskolar ng bayan, mainam na kilalaning may mga pinagkaitan ng karapatang makapagtapos, hindi nakatapos ngunit ipinagpatuloy ang laban sa labas ng pamantasan—silang naghawan ng ibang landas, silang mga martir ng bayan.

Ang pagkilala sa iba’t ibang landas ng pakikibaka ay mahalaga dahil ang pagkakaiba nito ang siya ring makapagsusulong sa iisang sinumpaang tungkulin: ang paglingkuran ang s a m b a y a n a n .

Nagtatapos tayong ipinupunyagi ang tagumpay ng ating patuloy na paghakbang pasulong.

Kaya naman ang pagtatapos ay pagdiriwang ng lahat ng pinili, hindi pinili, at patuloy na pinipili sa ngalan ng matapang na pakikibaka para sa tunay na kalayaan. Maligaya ang pagtatapos dahil ito ay para sa lahat. Mapagpalayang pagtatapos, iskolar ng bayan!

NEWS /

‘Repressive bills pending in Senate may hurt PH legislation’

FEATS /

No Man’s Land

KULT /

Dangal at Husay

I PA S A PA G K A BA S A ! I PA S A PA G K A BA S A ! I PA S A PA G K A BA S A ! I PA S A PA G K A BA S A ! I PA S A A G K A BA S A ! I PA S A PA G K A BA S A ! I PA S A PA G K A BA S A ! I PA S A PA G K A BA S A ! I PA S A PA G K A BA S A ! I PA S A PA G K A BA S A ! I PA S A PA G K A BA S A !

REBELKULÊ

ANG PAHAYAGAN NG MGA MAG-AARAL NG UNIBERSIDAD NG PILIPINAS DILIMAN

REBEL KULÊ

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NEWS

‘Repressive bills pending in Senate may hurt PH legislation’ / JOSE MARTIN SINGH

The course that the country will take lies heavily in how the new set of senators will decide on pending bills touted by rights groups as ill-intentioned and inhumane.

These bills, when passed in Senate, may hurt Philippine legislation and policy-making, an academic said.

UP Diliman Political Science Professor Dennis Blanco said that passing pending bills such as lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR) and the revival of death penalty, among many other pet bills of President Rodrigo Duterte, can affect how life will be valued in the years to come.

“The passage of these bills can alter and affect the basic life and existence of the citizens and can facilitate the transition from a society that values life and takes care of their own children and citizens, towards a society that detests life and abandons its children and citizens,” said Blanco, who specializes in public policy and administration.

Lowering the MACR, for one, is considered detrimental to children who are treated as criminals rather than victims of circumstance, according to Child Rights Network (CRN), the largest alliance of groups advocating for children’s rights in the country. Otherwise known as House Bill (HB) 8858, the bill was passed through a 146-34-0 vote on January 28, just five days after the bill’s second reading.

Contrary to what the said bill imposes, the number of children in conflict with the law and crimes committed by minors have decreased significantly in the past three years, the latter far from heinous and comprising

only two percent of the total crimes committed nationwide, according to data collated by Vera Files.

“We call on the Senate to stop painting a picture of rampant criminality supposedly primarily instigated by children. This is a myopic view of the situation that utterly disregards the reasons why children are actually forced into situations where they commit wrongdoing,” CRN said in a statement in January.

As the 18th Congress begins its first session on July 22, it is now up to the new Senate, dominated by individuals from coalition parties supporting the Duterte administration, to determine how these pending bills will fare.

Fast lane / With a majority bloc in Senate as well as in the House of Representatives aligned with Duterte, Blanco said the independent legislative body might lose its integrity by merely approving bills the president wants passed.

Despite the reported assurance of incumbent senators like Franklin Drilon and Senate President Vicente Sotto III that the Senate will remain independent of the president and his allies’ whims, doubts run high on what members of the majority might intend to do given their track records.

“This Congress will be characterized with lack of discourses,

consolidation of power and resources, and a weaker opposition party, and will likely support the passage of legislative bills aligned with that of the president’s executive agenda such as [the bills on] Death Penalty, Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility, Anti-Terrorism, and Federalism,” he said.

The Duterte administration had successfully fast-tracked bills in Congress before. The Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion, for instance, was given great priority and urgency in 2017 to supplement the government’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.

Meanwhile, martial law in Mindanao was passed down and extended thrice without hesitation since 2017 despite protests from rights groups and Mindanaoans suffering from the measures’ effects.

Within rights / National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers Secretary-General Atty.

Ephraim Cortez said that policies such as the MACR and death penalty only build on the government’s twisted agenda to curtail rights and freedoms.

“These are repressive laws by which the government allocate powers unto itself that contravenes civil liberties,” Cortez said. “The passage of these bills will definitely

Children’s rights advocates oppose the proposal to change the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR) from 15 years old to nine as it could only serve to victimize children, one of the most vulnerable segments of the population, instead of curbing criminality. This bill, if passed, could mean reneging on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to which the Philippines is a signatory. Rights groups believe that children in conflict with the law would be better off under a restorative justice system that is reinforced by community-based intervention and a comprehensive poverty reduction framework.

/ PHOTO AND PAGE DESIGN BY JIRU NIKKO RADA

Age does matter. Because if we lower the MACR to 12, this translates to thousands of children who are made vulnerable by all the implementation failures in our social welfare system.

DR. LIANE ALAMPAY Developmental Psychologist

The poor, oppressed, and marginalized who cannot afford adequate legal representation will inevitably populate the death row, rather than the plunderers and human rights violators with deep pockets and a phalanx of lawyers at their disposal.

MAKABAYAN BLOC on House Bill No. 4724, restoring the death penalty

contribute to the prevailing climate of impunity,” he added.

Meanwhile, Karapatan Alliance for the Advancement of Human Rights Secretary General Cristina Palabay said that passing the mentioned bills pending in Senate would just compromise basic rights and freedoms. “Instead of these draconian measures, the Human Rights Defenders bill ... should be instead prioritized, to provide a domestic mechanism for the recognition and legal protection of human rights defenders,” said Palabay.

The Human Rights Defenders Bill or House Bill 9199 seeks to protect human rights workers and advocates from any form of intimidation and harassment. The bill was already approved by the House on June 3 and has its Senate counterpart pending at the committee level.

The Philippines is among the top six countries that account for 80 percent of deaths of human rights workers worldwide. Around 631 human rights defenders have been killed in the country since 2001 and over 134 of these deaths happened since Duterte’s ascent to office in 2016, according to Karapatan.

“We call on our legislators to defy President Duterte and to do what is in accordance to international and national human rights instruments,” said Palabay.

#UPTHEREV

NEWS

@phkule

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UC ExeComm overturns SDC ruling

Rebel Kulê editors to face suspension from UP The editors of Rebel Kule face suspension from the university after having been found guilty of charges of stealing, fraud, and disobedience. The Executive Committee (EC) of the University Council overturned on June 20 the earlier decision of the Student Disciplinary Council (SDC) to dismiss said charges and instead granted the appeal of admin-installed Collegian’s outgoing editorin-chief (EIC) Jayson Edward San Juan.

San Juan appealed through the Chancellor on April 10 to impose disciplinary actions on the respondents and to demand an official apology from the latter. UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan then passed it along for discussion to the EC, which comprises all deans and directors, the Vice Chancellors, the University Registrar, another three members-at-large, and Tan himself as the ex-officio chair.

In October 2018, together with then managing editor Redbert Maines, San Juan had filed the original complaint alleging members of the Rebel Kulê editorial board (EB) to have committed acts of misconduct in relation to the use of the Facebook and Twitter accounts that he claimed were among the Collegian’s digital assets.

While the SDC had found no sufficient basis to support the accusations, the EC ruled in favor of San Juan and informed the Rebel Kulê EB of their suspension for one semester and five weeks, in a twopage letter that carried neither explanation of the committee’s decision nor a report of its deliberations.

The EC also failed to mention in their ruling any resolution to the case of several respondents who are set to graduate this month and so can no longer serve the approximately six-month suspension. One of these respondents is Rebel Kulê News Editor Beatrice Puente, who is also supposed to assume the editorship of the Collegian as she plans to take another degree in the next academic year.

Overturned / Neither the SDC nor the EC had formally notified the respondents about San Juan’s appeal until some of them requested clearance from the SDC as part of the graduation requirements. Both offices also failed to furnish the respondents with a copy of the appeal, which the latter

should have been given ample time to respond to and dispute.

“Stressful sa part [namin] na nagadhere sa due process at pagpasa ng sufficient evidence kasi hindi nakita ‘yung same effort sa part ng admin na makapaglabas ng decision within the supposed time frame,” said Rebel Kulê Graphics Editor John Kenneth Zapata, citing that the EC ruling dated June 20 exceeded the twomonth period required for the body to decide on the appeal, per the 2012 Code of Student Conduct.

“Nagulat na lang kami na right before grad, saka lilitaw ang ganitong klaseng problema. Umuwi pa ang nanay ko mula abroad para makita akong maka-graduate pero in the end, hindi pala,” added Zapata, who is set to graduate with a degree in Visual Communication.

Along with Zapata and Puente are two other graduating respondents, namely, former editor Mark Verndick Cabading and Associate Editor Richard Cornelio who both hail from the College of Engineering. Together with the rest of the EB, the four submitted letters of inquiry in May and June and received a copy of the EC decision a day after their last follow-up.

Having stood by Rebel Kulê since its inception, the University Student Council (USC) expresses concern and plans to release a statement on the sudden upset of the SDC’s ruling. “The Council will not let these students’ graduation be compromised by such.

In a wider scale, such attacks on pro-student institutions will not pass without dissent from the students, especially the USC,” said USC Chairperson Sean Thakur.

Irregularities / The Rebel Kulê EB denounced the anomalies in the adjudication of their case and questioned whether the decision of the EC, deliberated on in two separate meetings, was predicated on evidence or at least the

BACK TO WORK / John Thomas Trinidad Amidst appeals to overturn the dismissal of charges against Rebel Kulê, Jayson Edward San Juan shakes hands with Rebel Kulê news editor Beatrice Puente during the affirmation and turnover ceremony at Balay Kalinaw, June 25. Puente will serve as the editor-in-chief of the Philippine Collegian’s 97th year, vowing to continue the progressive and militant tradition of the publication. records culled from the proceedings before the SDC Ad Hoc Committee.

“Walang justifications ang decision ng EC, at wala kaming oportunidad na depensahan ang aming mga sarili,” said Rebel Kule EIC Sheila Abarra. “Ito ay direktang deprivation sa Rebel Kulê sa due process.”

The respondents cited these reasons, among others, in an appeal they submitted to the Office of the President on June 24. The Student Code, however, specifies no time period set for the UP President to arrive at a resolution on any student disciplinary case.

The respondents not only fear that the verdict might be issued after the graduation rites but also that it could derail the transition to the next Collegian term to be helmed by Puente.

“Higit sa nakaambang parusa na hindi pag-graduate, malaki rin ang epekto nito sa kinabukasan ng pahayagan,” Puente said. “Bilang susunod na punong patnugot ng Philippine Collegian, mabigat ang nakaatang na responsibilidad sa’kin na pwede kong hindi

magampanan kung sakaling manatili ang ganitong desisyon.”

Puente, who bested five other candidates in the Collegian editorial examinations on May 11, might not be able to ascend to office if she fails to secure admission to an undergraduate program due to the pending case. Should this happen, the Chancellor will appoint the examinee with the next highest score in the selection process, per the Collegian Rules.

Beyond its implications on the administrative operations of the publication, the respondents believe the EC decision also sets a dangerous precedent that could paralyze critical student publications.

“What happened to Rebel Kulê is very unfortunate given the current political situation,” said Student Regent Ivy Taroma. “Now more than ever, we need our alternative media to further expose the fascist Duterte administration. Despite the current case of the publication, the Office of the Student Regent is hopeful the President’s decision will be favorable to the members of Rebel Kulê.”

Sa susunod na taon, mananatili tayong rebelde - matapang at matalas sa pagtugon sa mga isyu sa loob at labas ng pamantasan. Dahil anong klaseng publikasyon ang Kulê kung hindi ito rebelde?

Muling magbubukas ang mga pahina ng Collegian bilang espasyo kung saan matatagpuan ang kwento ng ordinaryong mamamayan, ang Collegian na handang magpahayag ng tindig na matibay.

BEATRICE PUENTE Editor-in-chief Philippine Collegian 97

REBEL KULÊ

REBEL KULÊ

4

30 JUNE 2019 SUNDAY

NEWS

Groups slam recurring teaching woes as classes open in June For teachers like Maricel Herrera, the month of June would usually brings excitement as a new academic year kicks off. But as much as she would like to look forward to a supposed fresh start, the unfavorable working conditions she and her co-teachers have to experience yet again turn her delight into disappointment.

It is something she could no longer bear.

On May 31, Herrera expressed her disappointment on Facebook, posting photos of comfort-roomturned-faculty-area in Bacoor National High School (BNHS) in Cavite where teachers can stay during breaks.

What was supposed to be a conducive space for work turned out to be a place of discomfort.

Faculty members even had to use their own money to have the premises prepared, said Herrera in a text message to Rebel Kulê.

While this situation has been publicized only lately, some teachers in BNHS have been forced to endure this setup since 2014. But however badly they want to break with this condition, the limited space available in the school gives them no other choice but to make do with the area provided to them.

“Kung seryoso ang Department of Education (DepEd) sa kalagayan ng mga teacher sa usapin ng faculty rooms at teaching facilities, dapat noon pa ay tinugunan na nila ito,” Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Chairperson Joselyn Ramirez said.

Teaching woes / The lack of decent space available for faculty members, however, is just one aspect of the larger scheme of problems that teachers in the country are facing.

The meager salary that teachers get is another major issue they have long had to confront.

Some private school teachers earn a measly pay of as low as P6,000 to P8,000, which falls way below the minimum wage rate.

Entry-level public school teachers, on the other hand, receive P20,179.

To address the low salary that teachers receive, ACT partylist, along with other partylists from the Makabayan bloc, filed House Bill (HB) 7211 in February 2018 seeking to increase the base monthly salary of public school teachers to P30,000, which is close to the P33,750 living wage for a family of six, based on independent think tank IBON Foundation’s estimate when the bill was filed. HB 7211 is still pending at the Committee on Appropriations up to date.

“Kaya lang naman napipilitan ang mga teacher na [magtiis sa ganyang kaliit na sweldo] ay dahil kailangan nila ng background experience,” said ACT SecretaryGeneral Raymond Basilio.

Aside from having to deal with a non-livable wage, private school teachers have also long been subjected to contractualization. Prior to becoming regular employees, teachers in private schools would have to render three years of service, as stipulated in the DepEd manual of regulations for private school teachers. ACT has long questioned the legal basis of the rule, considering how this provision works to the detriment of teachers.

The list of recurring problems, however, does not end there yet.

Teachers are even asked to perform functions of non-teaching personnel such as that of the librarian, registrar and school nurse, even if the job description lies beyond the scope of the teacher’s specialization.

“Lugi si teacher eh, kasi under the law, exigency of service lagi yung sinasabi nila, na you can’t say no [sa trabahong binibigay]… ‘Pag

The 26th of June marks the 13th year since the state forces decided to wield their power by abducting two progressive youth leaders back in 2006.

Because of their indomitable commitment to study Bulacan farmers’ plight and to expose anti-peasant policies, UP Diliman students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan were forcefully taken from their Hagonoy rental house, never to be seen again.

di mo ginawa, masa-sanctionan ka pa,” Basilio said.

Amid all these challenges confronting teachers, Education Secretary Leonor Briones dismissed these legitimate concerns as mere “drama” instead of heeding the teachers’ clamor for better working conditions. “‘Yung mga teachers na lang talaga ang gumagawa ng paraan para mapaayos [‘yung working conditions] nila,” Ramirez said, recalling how she and her colleagues had endured the everyday struggles they experienced brought about by the state’s continued neglect of teachers’ rights.

Quality education / To ensure quality education, Basilio said the state must provide the following: quality curriculum, quality learning environment, quality learning materials, and quality teachers.

Producing competent teachers, he added, can be achieved by recognizing and providing their basic human rights.

In the long run, ACT said that they will continue forwarding bills in the Congress to advance teachers’ concerns and rights.

But apart from constitutional proceedings, the alliance also recognizes that these concerns need to be supplemented with organized mass movements.

Given this, ACT plans to continue conducting meetings in order to engage teachers to take part in collective action.

“Hindi natin kinakalimutan na ‘yung gobyerno, kailangang kalampagin tungkol sa usapin ng sahod, trabaho, at karapatan…

‘Yung sama-samang pagkilos pa rin ang priority natin [para ipaglaban ang karapatan ng mga guro],” said Ramirez.

/ CATHRYNE ENRIQUEZ

FAST FACTS ON THE SITUATION OF FILIPINO PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS • There were 880,000 public school teachers at the start of AY 2018-2019.

• Entry-level teachers (Teacher I) with Salary Grade 11 receive P20,179 monthly (or P242,148 annually), and earn P74,358 in bonuses and allowances per year for a total of P26,375 monthly.

• A Teacher I undergoes eight steps before becoming a Teacher II and III, and before moving up as a Head Teacher, Master Teacher, or Principal.

• More than 1,000 students and educators in the southern Philippines, particularly those working in indigenous community schools, reportedly experienced threats, harassment, and intimidation • The Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC) documented 64 attacks on schools in 2014.

• SOS reported 84 attacks on 57 schools between January 2014 and September 2015. The group alleged that paramilitary and military forces were responsible for most of these incidents, which displaced more than 3,000 Lumad children.

• At least 13 cases of harassment, attempted and actual killings occurred in 2013, while cases of abduction targeted 57 teachers and other education personnel.

• SOS and media sources documented 31 incidents of threats, harassment, and intimidation against 36 teachers in 2016.

SOURCES Rappler, CNN Philippines, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Save our Schools Network, Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack

What lingers on is the notion that even life imprisonment of then local infantry commander Major General Jovito Palparan can never equal the bloody days spent by the two women at Camp Tecson. Most importantly, what endures in the face of government-sponsored military oppression is the resolve to serve the marginalized, and to call for justice for those like Empeño and Cadapan.

SURFACE KAREN AND SHE! SURFACE ALL DESAPARECIDOS! STOP ALL FORMS OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS!

PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN

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EDITORIAL EX AMINATIONS 2019

1ST PLACE • BEATRICE PUENTE

TOPIC

SANDIGAN NG KATOTOHANAN Umiinog ang lipunan sa siklo ng paglikha at pagwasak. Sa panahon kung kailan maging ang halaga ng katotohanan ay pilit na binabali, tungkulin ng bawat isang lumikha ng sariling tinig na maghahawan ng kaunawaan.

Bilang mga alagad ng midya, mulat ang mga mamamahayag sa kanilang tungkuling ilantad ang katotohanan, gaano man katindi ang pagnanais ng ilan na ikubli ito.

Tahasan man ang pagpapalaganap ng maling impormasyon, ipinagpapatuloy ng mga peryodista ang pag-uulat tungkol sa mga isyu na dapat malaman ng mamamayan.

Ngunit ang pagpapamalas ng kritikal na pagbabalita ay sinasalubong ng pagtuligsa mula sa iba, kabilang na ang pamahalaan. Higit sa pagtuligsa, tila itinuturing na ring kalaban ng gobyerno ang mismong mga mamamahayag na siyang nagbibigay ng balanse sa kapangyarihang tinatamasa ng pamahalaan.

Naglabas ang Malacañang ng matrix na nagsasangkot sa ilang grupo at indibidwal na nasa likod umano ng planong pagpapatalsik kay Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte. Nakilala ito bilang Oust Duterte Matrix na dinadawit ang Rappler, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), Vera Files at maging ang National Union of People’s Lawyers sa nasabing plano na direkta umanong konektado kay “Bikoy” na nasa likod ng “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos na kumalat sa internet kamakailan. Sinundan pa ito ng isang mas pinalawak na “matrix” na ipinakita ni Spokesperson Salvador Panelo sa midya ngayong linggo.

Dalawang bagay ang winawasak ng nasabing matrix: ang halaga ang katotohanan at ang integridad ng propesyon ng pamamahayag.

Nakababahala na naglalabas ng ganito kasensitibong impormasyon

ang pamahalaan kahit na sila mismo ay hindi kayang depensahan nang buo ang katotohanan ng nasabing matrix. Sa pagsasabi ni Panelo na dapat itong paniwalaan dahil galing umano ang impormasyon sa pangulo, lumilitaw ang kanilang pagnanais na tuldukan ang kritikal na katangian ng pamamahayag.

Sinasabi nitong ang katotohanan ay nasa kamay lamang ng pamahalaan at anumang sabihin nila ay dapat paniwalaan at ibalita. Ngunit sa katunayan, ang katotohanan ay mas malalim pa sa mga salitang binibitawan ng mga opisyal.Hindi natatapos ang trabaho ng mga peryodista sa pagbabalita lamang ng kung anong sinabi ng isang panig ukol sa isyu – lagi itong nagsusuri at naghahanap ng ebidensya upang ungkatin ang katotohanan.

Pinalilitaw nito ang pagnanais ng pamahalaang lumikha ng midya na kaya nitong paikutin at diktahan.

Ngunit hindi ganito ang tunay na midya.

Kilala ang Vera Files halimbawa sa pagkakaroon nito ng factchecking initiative na inaalam kung totoo nga ba ang mga impormasyong nilalabas ng pamahalaan at iba pang organisasyon hinggil sa iba’t ibang isyu.

Sa kabilang banda, ang PCIJ naman ay naglalathala ng mga ulat na malalimang sinusuri ang mga palisiya at programa ng pamahalaan.

Matatandaan na isa ang PCIJ sa mga masugid na sinundan ang isyu ng pork barrel na mainit na pinagusapan ilang taon na ang nakaraan.

Sa pagsasangkot sa midya sa isyu ng pagpapatalsik sa pangulo, nais lamang paralisahin ng pamahalaan ang mapanuring tindig ng midya sa mga isyung panlipunan. Paraan ito upang palabnawin ang konsepto ng katotohanan na pinanghahawakan ng bawat isang peryodista sa pagtupad ng kaniyang tungkulin.

“Oust Duterte” matrix and its implications on disinformation Naglalayon din itong wasakin ang tiwala ng mga mamamayan sa larangan ng pamamahayag at lumikha ng kaisipang hindi midya ang sandigan ng katotohanan.

Mapanganib ang sitwasyon na nais likhain ng pamahalaan. Sa mabilis at tahasang pagkalat ng maling impormasyon lalo na sa social media, kailangan ng mamamayan ng midyang handang hawiin ang tabing na maglalantad ng katotohanan sa likod ng mga isyung pilit inilalayo sa ating kamalayan.

Kung tuluyang masisira ang tiwala ng bayan sa midya, magiging mas mahirap ang paglikha ng matalino at kritikal na mamamayan. Ngunit sa ganitong lagay higit na nagiging mas mahalaga ang lalo pang pagpapalakas ng tinig na mayroon ang midya.

Katotohanan ang isa sa mga pangunahing salik upang mapalaya ang bayan. Hangga’t buhay ang pagnanais na lumikha ng kalituhan, lalong paiigtingin ng mga peryodista ang paglaban para sa katotohanan.

Anumang pagtatangka ng pamahalaan na lumikha ng sarili nitong bersyon ng katotohanan ay dapat tapatan ng mga mamamahayag ng mas masugid na paglalantad ng tunay na lagay ng lipunan.

Hawak ng midyang malaya ang kakayahang basagin ang kasinungalingang sumasagka sa pagpapalaya ng lipunan. Sa gitna ng anumang pagwasak, layunin ng midya na ilantad ang katotohanan para sa mga mamamayan na pangunahin nitong dapat pagsilbihan.

TOTAL

Editorial (70%)

News (20%)

Layout (10%)

PUENTE, Beatrice

80.5

62.0

15.6

2.9

GANDIA, John Irving

75.0

54.8

14.2

6.0

YUTUC, Kimberly Anne

73.4

58.0

11.6

3.8

CERVALES, Rex Menard

73.2

55.6

11.6

6.0

ANG, Marvin Joseph

69.1

51.4

14.8

2.9

ENRIQUEZ, Cathryne Rona

67.3

50.6

14.4

2.3

2ND PLACE • JOHN IRVING GANDIA

TAKE TO THE OARS Destitus ventis, admos rehibe. If the wind does not serve, take to the oars.

This is the challenge that confronts the nation as the release of the Oust Duterte Matrix continues to contribute to the culture of disinformation. If the administration – the gale force that should push its constituents into active nationbuilding – fails to fulfill such a duty, we must chart a way forward to proper knowledge on the real issues of our country.

This will not only give us the understanding to deal with the current ills of society, but also the tools – the oars – to collectively steer toward national development.

However, we must carefully navigate this sea of false information looking to prevent us from reaching our goal of genuine change.

The release of the matrix reflects how unverified information hinders the promotion of democracy.

During the past weeks, the Palace has constantly updated its list of people and organizations they claim to be destabilizers of the state. Human rights advocates, alternative media organizations, and even progressive lawyers have been accused of deliberately planning to oust the administration.

Without verified sources, labelling such figures as subversives instead of as critics represses their right to freely express their thoughts on how effective the administration acts as a captain of the Philippines.

Democracy, the ship they should remain steadfast in guiding, cannot function if a constitutional provision is violated by the captains themselves.

Being able to provide insights into the policies and actions of public leaders is one of the effective ways citizens can improve the country. If this is taken away from us, we become more susceptible to forces that seek to throw us off our desired course.

Disinformation further distracts us from analyzing the real issues of the country. Higher prices of goods, inaccessible public services, and prevalent poverty continue to plague the people, especially those from the poorest sectors of society.

Constantly and falsely bringing up potential destabilizers delays the provision of basic social services to those who need it the most. Farmers, fishermen, workers, and children who struggle on a daily basis just to survive are prevented from receiving resources that can turn their lives around.

While the government is focused on discrediting their critics through fallacious claims, ordinary Filipinos will continue to suffer. Their problems need to be addressed first before we can reach our destination. This is why disinformation should be constantly called out by the people and the organizations that have the responsibility of providing its audience with factual information.

This includes the Philippine Collegian which has a mandate of upholding itself as a reliable and ethical journalistic institution for its readers.

The official publication of UP Diliman must not sink to the current culture of disinformation, but instead help its audience, especially the youth, be knowledgeable of the unaddressed and unreported problems drowning every corner of the Philippines.

By reflecting the true state of our society, the paper provides the UP community with the drive to include the people in their collective struggle in steering toward positive change.

The path toward this idealistic situation will not be an easy one.

Strong winds and ineffective captains will continually try to prevent us from reaching our goal.

However, our resolve to weather the storm of disinformation must remain strong as we map our way toward a better Philippines.

REBEL KULE

3RD PLACE • KIMBERLY ANNE YUTUC

A SPECTACLE OF DECEIT A tragedy is unfolding right before our eyes.

The administration recently released a matrix linking “Bikoy,” an alleged former member of a drug syndicate, to various media institutions, lawyer groups, and candidates from the opposition in what they claimed to be a plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte. Any evidence to substantiate the matrix, however, was not released to the public, and the president merely stated that it came from reliable intelligence.

The narrative of the country’s theater of politics has thus morphed into a stage play of disinformation and deceit. In a sociopolitical paradigm wherein people consume information at a rapid pace, whoever has the power to influence, manipulate, and limit the spread of information has the power to shape not only the public’s perceptions of politics but of reality itself.

Disinformation, therefore, has been key for those in power to keep control of the narrative and maintain their hegemony.

With their influence over the spread of information, Duterte, his

allies, and his sponsored candidates are painted as the protagonists on a noble crusade against whatever it is that suits their story. On the other hand, senatorial candidates from the opposition, people from progressive groups, and journalists are either relegated to the sidelines or outright depicted as antagonists hell-bent on destabilization.

Without any substantial evidence of its source, the Oust Duterte Matrix is yet another attempt of the administration to curtail any opposition and keep control over the narrative. The media institutions, lawyers, and opposition candidates included in the matrix are those who have been staunchly vocal against the current administration’s campaigns and policies.

According to the Human Rights Watch, more than 20,000 alleged drug pushers and dealers were killed between 2016 and 2018 under the administration’s war against drugs.

That, alongside the continuous attacks to indigenous peoples, the rising inflation rate, and the West Philippine Sea debacle, are just

several of the numerous issues under Duterte’s term that have caused criticism against him.

In spite of these, however, the current president managed to maintain a high satisfaction rating of 74 percent based on a survey by the Social Weather Stations last December. Even the administrationsponsored candidates, characters whose platforms mostly consist of the mere continuation of Duterte’s plans and policies, have consistently ranked high in mock polls around the country.

With the midterm elections coming in fast, it becomes more significant than ever for those in power to ensure the continuity of their plans and policies.

The presence of certain opposition candidates in the matrix subsequently paints them as villains who aim to hinder the protagonists’ goals, with their criticisms of current policies portrayed as disruptive and detrimental to the country’s progress.

Even journalists themselves, those expected to put a spotlight on issues left unsaid and unaddressed,

are under siege. Before the release of the matrix, various media institutions have already been discredited by the administration. Through this, the mere act of reporting the truth is framed as a deliberate attack on the state. The proliferation of fake news from those allied with the administration comes hand-in-hand with these attacks, a showcase of how they strive to maintain hegemony not just over politics but over information itself.

The matrix, therefore, is representative of how those in power ensure that they are both the main characters and the playwrights themselves of the country’s theater of politics. Rehearsed lines and memorized verses are sung to the public by these actors while hiding acts of terror behind the curtains and relegating all those who oppose them to the sidelines.

Power, after all, is not just maintained through force: equally important to the iron fist is the spectacle of it all. In this tragic story, any critique is subversive, and truth itself has become radical.

4TH PLACE • REX MENARD CERVALES

TYING UP LOOSE ENDS The strands of our unyielding resistance unfold the tapestry of our nation.

When the government is becoming a loom weaving a narrative made out of lies crisscrossing and differences overlapping, we are being called to disentangle the complexities of the present.

Days before the midterm elections, The Manila Times editor and President Rodrigo Duterte ally Dante Ang unfolded a supposed destabilization plot. The Oust Duterte Matrix is a stitching that patched up journalists and lawyers of Rappler, Vera Files, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, National Union of People’s Lawyer — the radical critics of the present administration — to a plan that aims to discredit the president. They were linked to “Bikoy,” who later revealed himself as Peter Advincula, as the hooded man behind the videos of “Ang Totoong Narcolist” that linked Duterte to several drug lords.

The Oust Duterte Matrix, among other ambiguous claims of the administration, is yet to be defended and verified. The matrix is evidently a fact-challenged political stunt fabricated out of a whole new cloth

to downplay the role of the press. It is therefore a manifestation of our democracy in decline, unraveled through prevalent disinformation that attempts to not just deceive the public but also stifle radicalism.

This nation is being clothed in the language of fear and violence.

The main peddler of disinformation is the government itself, the supposed bastion of democracy. Because of this, the Filipinos continue to be ignorant of facts. A recent survey showed that the Philippines is one of the most ignorant countries in the world, following South Africa and Brazil. Amid persistence of government-sponsored satirical blogs and profit-oriented media companies, disinformation becomes an effective tool to rake in more profits and to deceive the public.

Ignorance endangers our democracy as it makes us turn a blind eye to policies and challenges that confront Filipinos, especially to the struggles of those in the fringes of our society. Ignorance is also passiveness that tolerates the government’s malevolent works sidelined by the efforts to disenfranchise democratic institutions. It tangles our nation,

/ ILLUSTRATION BY JOHN KENNETH ZAPATA

so we remain stagnant on the loose ends of the status quo.

Amid skyrocketing prices of basic commodities and the jeopardization of our sovereignty, the government is hell-bent on dismantling a destabilization plot from an unknown source. Disinformation tells us of the government’s skewed priorities Truly, disinformation remains a slug that imperils our future. With the midterm elections nearing, disinformation becomes an even more powerful challenge to the traditional bulwark of truth.

Disinformation can shape the voters’ consciousness through tainting a person’s credibility and putting another person or institution in eminence and good faith, and through sugarcoating the malevolent works of this administration.

The Oust Duterte matrix can weave an illusion that sees radicalism as a threat to democracy.

Though merely a conspiracy theory, it also involved people and institutions who are mostly members of the opposition, like the Makabayan bloc and the Otso Diretso. The opposition candidates’ quest in grabbing senate seats are put in limbo since they are portrayed

as antagonists who refuse to cooperate with the administration.

The democracy in decline is evident in the decay of democratic institutions and practices. The prevalence of disinformation imperils elections as a platform to choose leaders through their informed choices rather than the deceptions imposed by disinformation.

During the most stifling of times, the media should not be a gasolinesoaked cloth that will succumb to waste after attempts to downplay it. The media is called to not just report facts; it should also curtail disinformation through fearless reportage. It should provoke the public to be equally critical and to call for accountability from the government.

Our discernment therefore should not end in elections. We should also learn how to discern truth from lies. The media, and likewise the public, should tie up loose ends, and it begins in simply questioning the veracity of the ouster plot.

The strands of our unyielding resistance unfold the tapestry of our nation. The colorful threads of our everyday struggle should not allow any kind of disinformation to blanket our nation in fear and violence.

5TH PLACE • MARVIN JOSEPH ANG

KUMPAS NG KASAYSAYAN Huwad ang kasaysayang bulag sa kasaysayan ng mamamayan. At sa panahong naisasantabi ang kwento ng taumbayan, nawawalan ng kwenta ang kasaysayan.

Ang kasaysayan ng bayan ay naratibo ng pagsiil at pagbalikwas — mula sa mga dayuhang nanghimasok sa bansa hanggang sa panahon ng batas militar, napatunayan ang talas at talab ng nagkakaisang tinig ng mamamayang yanigin ang pundasyon ng lipunang kaniyang ginagalawan.

At bilang mga tagapagtala ng kasaysayan, mahalaga ang papel ng midya sa demokrasya ng bansa. Saksi ang midya sa sandaling panahong nagawang ihugos sa puwesto ng sambayanan ang diktador na si Ferdinand Marcos. Lumikha ito ng ingay sa buong mundo, at naging mitsa rin ng pag-aaklas sa iba pang bansa.

Pinupuspos muli ang kasaysayan ng bansa ng mga naratibong sagka sa kaniyang interes. Kamakailan lamang, inilabas ng Malacañang ang matrix na nag-uugnay sa ilang media organization katulad ng Rappler, Vera Files, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, ang grupong National Union of People’s Lawyers, at si Bikoy na nasa likod ng video na nag-uugnay sa mga kaanak

at kaalyado ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa ilegal na droga.

Napatunayang ang papel ng midya sa kasalukuyang panahon ay magkabilang talas ng punyal — ang isa’y armas sa pagsisiwalat ng katotohanan, at ang kabila’y sa lalong pagkukubli rito. Napatunayan ito nang ilathala ng The Manila Times ang matrix sa pahayagan nito.

Hindi katulad ng matrix, malinaw ang ugnayan ng pangulo at ng mayari ng The Manila Times. Makikita dito ang nagtutunggaling interes ng mamamahayag at may-ari ng Manila Times, dahilan upang bumaba sa puwesto ang tagapamahalang patnugot makalipas ang ilang araw.

Lalong hamon sa mga mamamahayag, kung gayon, ang katapatan nito sa etika ng pagbabalita.

Makinarya ng kasalukuyang administrasyon ang mga maling impormasyon upang pagtakpan ang tunay na suliraning kinahaharap ng bansa. Kung kaya’t lalong hamon sa midya at sa mamamayan na, sa gabay ng kanilang mayamang kasaysayan, sila ang manguna sa paghawan ng landas tungong katotohanan.

Inianak ng kasaysayan ang kasalukuyan; subalit ang kasalukuyan din ang magtatakda ng direksyon ng

pag-inog ng kasaysayan.

Bilang institusyong ang trabaho ay magbalita at magpalaganap ng impormasyon, ang pangunahing katapatan ng midya ay nasa katotohanan. Subalit higit sa simpleng paglalathala nito, lalong hamon sa midya sa kasalukuyan ang maglabas ng matalas na pagtatasa sa mga isyung panlipunan. Sa ganitong paraan, ang midya ay hindi na lamang simpleng tagapagsiwalat ng katotohanan kundi bukal ng mga ideyang magiging kapaki-pakinabang sa politikal na proseso sa bansa.

Ang laban sa pagsugpo sa disimpormasyon, kung gayon, ay hindi lamang nakaatang sa midya kundi sa bawat isa. Sa pamamagitan ng matamang pagsisiwalat ng katotohanan, nagagawa ng mamamayang lalo pang makilala ang lipunang kaniyang ginagalawan, at masuri ang problemang kaniyang kinahaharap. Sa ganitong paraan, lalo niyang nakikilala ang kaniyang sarili, at nagiging malay siyang suriin ang bawat impormasyong kaniyang natatanggap o nababasa.

Kaya’t mahalaga ang pagtutulungan ng midya at mamamayan upang sugpuin ang patuloy na paglaganap ng maling

6-7

impormasyon. Mula sa pahayagang print hanggang online, hindi na lamang simpleng tagapagsiwalat ng katotohanan bagkus ay kaisa ng mamamayan sa muling pagkatha sa naratibo ng bayan.

Sinasabing buhay ang demokrasya sa isang bansa kung aktibong nakikisangkot ang mamamayan sa mga usaping pampolitika. Ang midya ang siyang maghahawi ng tabing sa katotohanang pilit ikinukubli ng kasalukuyang administrasyon. Sa ganitong paraan, hindi lamang simpleng tagatanggap ng impormasyon ang taumbayan kundi malay at matibay ang sandigang tinutuntungan.

Midya mismo ang siyang nagukit sa pahina ng kasaysayan kung papaano pumaimbulog sa gitna ng nagsasalimbayang ingay sa bansa ang nakapangyayaring tinig ng mamamayan. At sa kumpas ng nagpapatuloy na kasaysayan, nagagawa nitong mabago ang mundong kaniyang ginagalawan.

Pagkat hindi na lamang ang mga nagwagi ang siyang may tangan sa naratibo ng kasaysayan; kundi silang pangahas at nangangahas na sumalungat.

6TH PLACE • CATHRYNE RONA ENRIQUEZ

KAPIT SA KAPANGYARIHAN Hawak ang kapangyarihan ng may hawak sa impormasyon.

Kung sino mang may hawak at may kakayahang magpakalat ng impormasyon ay may malaking responsibilidad upang siguraduhin na tama at makakatotohang impormasyon lamang ang kanilang inilalabas.

Madalas makatanggap ang midya ng pag-atake. Bilang institusyong may mandatong magpakalat ng katotohanan, makapangyarihan din ito sa paghubog ng kaalaman ng mamamayan. Para sa mga may gustong humawak ng kapangyarihan, kung hindi nila makontrol ang midya at magamit ito para sa kanilang pangmamanipula, sinusubukan naman nila itong tanggalan ng kredibilidad at gawin ang kabaligtaran sa trabaho ng midya sa pamamagitan ng pagkalat ng maling impormasyon.

Manipestasyon ang “Oust Duterte Matrix” na inilabas ng kasalukuyang administrasyon sa mga pag-atake sa midya na nabanggit.

Ayon sa administrasyon, may balak diumano ang mga kasama sa matrix na i-destabilize ang gobyerno at tanggalin si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa kaniyang puwesto.

Mga pahayagan at organisayong gaya ng Vera Files, Rappler, National Union of People’s Lawyers, at iba pang indibidwal na kritiko ng gobyerno ang mga kasama sa matrix. Nang tinanong kung kanino nanggaling ito at kung paano ito mapapatunayan, ni hindi makapag-paliwanag ang administrasyon. Bagkus, sinabi na lang ng tagapagsalita ng Palasyo na galing daw ang matrix sa pangulo kaya dapat paniwalaan ito.

Pinapakita ng ganitong klase ng paliwanag na hindi binibigyang halaga ng administrasyon ang katotohanan.

Sa paglalabas ng isang matrix na naglalaman ng dikumpirmadong impormasyon, nagiging tagapagpakalat din ang administrasyon ng maling impormasyon — na magagamit upang manipulahin ang mamamayan at tanggalin ang kredibilidad ng mga kritiko nito.

Malaki ang pagkakadawit ng midya at mga mamamahayag sa matrix bilang mga kritiko ng administrasyon. Kung magpapatuloy ang ganitong klase ng pag-atake, tila tinatanggalan ng administrasyon

ng kapangyarihan ang midya upang ilabas ang katotohanan. Tila inaagaw naman ng administrasyon ang kapangyarihan upang gawin ang kabaligtaran.

Hawak ang kapangyarihan ng may hawak sa impormasyon kaya kumakapit ang administrasyon sa mga kaalamang madalas ay taliwas sa katotohanan upang manipulahin ang kaisipan ng mamamayan.

Naglabas pa muli ang administrasyon ng bagong anyo ng matrix nang ilang linggo matapos nilang ilabas ang una. Ngayon, hindi lang mga mamamahayag, organisasyon, at indibidwal na nagbibigay kritisismo sa administrasyon ang laman ng bagong matrix, kasama din dito ang ilang inosente at walang kamalay-malay na indibidwal.

Bukod sa pinapakita ng matrix kung gaano kabilis at kalawak ang nagiging epekto ng hindi tiyak na impormasyon, inaalis din nito ang atensyon ng mamamayan sa iba pang isyu sa bansa na dapat mas binibigyang pansin tulad ng eleksyon.

Hindi dapat matuon ang atensyon ng mamamayan sa mga bagay tulad ng hindi tiyak na “Oust Duterte Matrix”

ngayong nalalapit na ang eleksyon.

Dapat ding nakatuon ang gobyerno sa paniniguradong ligtas, maayos, at patas ang magiging eleksyon kaysa ipagpilitan nila na may komplikadong plano ang mga kritiko nito sa pagpapatalsik sa pangulo.

Dahil sa pinakita ng administrasyon na kawalang-respeto sa tamang impormasyon, mas lalong nagkakaroon ang midya ng rason upang tuparin at paghusayan pa ang kanilang mandato kahit pa tila tinatanggalan sila ng administrasyon ng kapangyarihan at kakayahan gawin ang kanilang trabaho.

Kailangan ng midya na ilabas ang katotohanan at labanan ang paglaganap ng maling impormasyon ngayong sa gobyerno na mismo nagmumula ang maling impormasyong ito. Mas lalong tumitindi ang tungkulin ng midya ngayon higit kailanman.

Hawak ang kapangyarihan ng may hawak sa impormasyon. Sa layunin nito na higpitan ang kapit sa kapangyarihan, pinipili ng gobyerno na manipulahin ang kaalamang lumalaganap sa pagpapakalat ng maling impormasyon.

REBEL KULÊ

DANGAL AT HUSAY //

Panibagong mundo ang s ang iba’t ibang uri ng pa ng silid-aralan kundi sa

Talim ng Talino

Tunay na Aral / MARVIN JOSEPH ANG Laging may bitbit na mensahe ng pag-asa ang bawat pagtatapos.

Sa tono ring ito uminog ang programa ng pagtatapos ng higit 70 mag-aaral ng Lumad Bakwit School sa UP Diliman noong Marso. Suot ang kanilang mga tradisyunal na kasuotan, tangan nila ang pag-asang makabalik na sa kanilang yutang kabilin at makapamuhay nang matiwasay sa kanilang pamayanan.

Para sa ating mga tagalunsod, ang pagtatapos ay hudyat ng pagsara ng isang parte sa ating buhay at pagbuklat ng panibagong kabanata. May hibla ng katotohanan na tunay ngang magkaiba ang buhay sa loob at labas ng pamantasan.

Matapos gugulin ang sangkatlo ng iyong buhay sa loob ng pamantasan, tangan ang lapis o bolpen, taimtim na nakikinig sa guro, sasambulat sa’yo paglabas ng pamantasan ang isang mundong kating-kati kang pagkakitaan. Pagaagawan ka ng mga kumpanya sa pag-aakalang bilib sila sa angkin mong galing, ngunit sa katotohanan, ang tangi nilang pamantayan ay kung papaano ka nila mamanipulahin para sa kanilang sariling ganansya.

Malaon nang naging lugar ng ligalig ang kapuluan ng Mindanao, partikular ang mga kabundukan dito. Dahil sagana sa likas na yaman, samu’t saring interes ang siyang nagtutunggali para rito.

Dahas ang tugon ng pamahalaan sa mga lehitimong panawagan para sa buhay at kabuhayan ng mga mamamayan kung kaya’t mailap dito ang tanglaw ng kapayapaan.

Ngunit sa kabila ng lahat ng panggigipit, ang mga paaralan ng mga katutubong Lumad, katulad

ng Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV) at Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation, Inc. (MISFI) Academy, ay nakagawa ng sariling sistematiko at makabansang paaralan.

Hindi katulad ng edukasyong natatamasa natin dito sa lungsod, partikular na tuon sa kanilang kurikulum ang mga araling may kinalaman sa kanilang kabuhayan, katulad ng agrikultura. Hindi katulad ng edukasyon dito sa siyudad, ang kanilang kapaligiran ang kanilang laboratoryo, kung saan sila nakakalikha ng kani-kanilang pamamaraan kung papaano pauunlarin ang kanilang sarili.

Ang mga unibersidad sa lungsod, na may kaibang danas kumpara sa mga Lumad ay marapat makaguhit ng linyang kasing pambansa at laya ng sa ALCADEV. Habang may mga sumusubok at nagsisimula sa mga klase, nakapaloob pa rin ito sa institusyunal na karakter ng edukasyon.

Kung nakagawang makahulagpos ng mga paaralang katulad ng ALCADEV sa karaniwang katangian ng paaralan, hindi lang ito sa antas na pagbabagong-anyo bagkus, lumikha sila ng panibago mula sa labi ng bulok na sistema ng edukasyon.

Ang lunsod bilang sentro at nagpapaloob sa mga makakapangyarihan ay may kaniyang kahirapan sa pagbuwag at paglikha ng bagong edukasyong para sa ordinaryong mamamayan.

Ngunit gaya ng komunidad ng Lumad na may kanila ring kahirapan, kaya rin itong matukoy ng mga tagalunsod.

Alang-alang sa tunay na edukasyon na karapat-dapat pagpugayan, ipagmalaki at ipaglaban.

Pagkaraan ng iyong pagtatapos, madali mong matatagpuan ang sarili sa dati’y guni-guni mo lang: nagtatrabaho sa malamig na opisina, suot ang magarang uniporme, at hayahay na nagkakape sa harap ng kompyuter at mga papeles. Panatag ang loob mo na ito ang kahahantungan mo dahil ang imaheng ito ay hindi mo lang hinugot sa hangin. Sa loob ng ilang taong pagpasok sa eskwela ay pinaniwala ka na ang matalinong gaya mo ay marapat na magkaroon ng komportableng kinalalagyan sa tunay na mundo.

Ngunit gaano man kataas ang narating mo bilang mag-aaral, nananatiling walang puwang ang pagkakamali at pag-aalinlangan sa mekanikal na mundong ginagalawan mo. Hindi rin ang hinasang talino at lakas mo lang ang kailangan para baguhin ang sistema. Nakakasakal man kung iisipin, ngunit ganito na iniukit ng edukasyon sa ating kamalayan ang iskema ng buhay—magtapos ka sa pag-aaral at agad ipain ang sarili sa umiiral na kaayusang panlipunan.

Kaya naman hindi nakakapagtaka kung may mga tao na sumunod sa ganitong hulma.

Sa laot ng mapaniil na estado ay nariyan ang mga kagaya ni David Yap—tinuturing ang sarili na intelektwal habang tinatanggap

at pinahihintulutan lahat ng kabalukturan ng administrasyong ito na sa kabila ng kanyang talinong hinasa ng mga institusyon ng Pisay, UP, at Ateneo ay malabo pa rin ang konsepto ng tama o mali.

Kung titimbangin, mahirap ibaling ang bigat ng sisi sa kaniya gayong ganito tayong hinuhubog sa loob ng paaralan; hindi para maging kritikal, kundi maging pasibo na lalahok sa paggiit ng namamayaning kaayusan.

Bilang aparatong ideolohikal ng estado, nirereprodyus at nilelehitimo ng paaralan ang nananaig na hindi pagkakapantaypantay sa lipunan, ayon kay Louis Althusser. Ginagampanan ng mga institusyong pang-edukasyon ang pagiging kasangkapan ng estado sa pagpapalaganap ng mga ideya at kultural na kaisipan nito sa magaaral para panatilihin ang nais na kaayusan sa lipunan.

Sa pagsasailalim ng mga paaralan sa wisyo ng estado ay napapasakamay ito sa mga tinutukoy na top 1%. Dinudulot nito ang pagsasapribatisa ng edukasyon na magluluwal ng mamamayang angkop sa interes nila. Tinuturing din nitong waring negosyo ang edukasyon, sa gayon ay nagiging eksklusibo ang pag-aaral para sa iilang may kakayanang magbayad.

Samakatuwid, binabansot

/ SAM DEL CASTILLO

ng kasalukuyang kalakaran ng edukasyon ang kritikal na pangangatuwiran ng mga Pilipino.

Hinahadlangan ang paglikha ng mamamayan na nag-iisip at kumikilos para sa makabayang adhikain.

Sa ganitong lagay na hayag ang kabalukturan ng sistema ay nabibigyang diin ang pangangailangan para sa mapagpalayang edukasyon. Sa ganitong uri ng edukasyon, walang konsepto ng tunay na mundo na iba pa sa mundong ginagawalan mo. Inilalapit ng ganitong praktika ang mga mag-aaral sa kondisyon ng lipunan, sa gayon ay makita nila ang mga pagkukulang at marealisa ang mga tungkuling dapat nilang gampanan bilang mamamayan o intelektwal. Sila ay kontra-agos na lalahok sa patuloy na proseso ng pagbabago ng lipunan.

Kaya sa iyong pagtatapos ay marapat na pagnilayan mo ang esensiya ng iyong natamong edukasyon. Na ang ilang taong pagpapanday sa kaalaman mo ay hindi lang para itaas ang antas ng iyong karunungan bagkus ay ihanda ka para sa paglingkod sa kapwa pinagsasamantalahan ng lipunan.

Dahil ang matalinong gaya mo ay hindi dapat natatagpuan sa loob ng malamig na opisina, kundi sa lansangan—ang tunay na mundo.

K U LT U R A

sasalubong sa mga magsisipipagtapos ngayong araw. Ating tunghayan at tuklasin agkatuto — pagkat ang tunay na aral ng buhay ay hindi limitado sa apat na sulok lipunang atin ding ginagalawan.

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STP:

Serve to Protect?

Bawal ang Tamad / ALLAN DEE “Please wait for our confirmation if you’re accepted or not.”

At alam ko na ang ibig sabihin nun. Parang lahat naman yata ng kumpanyang sinubukan kong pasukan, ito ang sinasabi kapag hindi tanggap sa trabaho. Hindi na lang direktang “pasensya, hindi ka tanggap sa posisyong ito, makakaalis ka na,” para hindi na ako pinapaasa pa. Kung nakakaangat lang siguro kami, nakapagtapos ako’t mabilis na nakahanap ng maayos na trabaho.

Malamlam ang titig ng mga mata ng nanay ko nang ibalita ko sa kaniyang hindi pa rin ako natatanggap sa trabaho. Hindi ko alam kung napagod na siyang magalit sa akin, kaya’t ipinagpatuloy niya na lang ang paglilista sa maliit niyang notebook ang mga pinagkakautangan namin at hindi na ako pinansin. Umakyat na lang ako sa kwarto.

Pagkalapag ko ng gamit sa kama, kumalat ang gutay-gutay ko nang folder na naglalaman ng samu’t saring sertipikong posibleng makapagpatunay na hindi ako tanga.

Ngunit hindi mapagtakpan ng mga sertipikong ito ang katotohanang hindi naman talaga ako tapos ng pag-aaral. At sa bansang ilusyon ang pagkakapantay-pantay pagdating sa oportunidad, lagi akong nasa laylayan sa mga prospektibang

tanggapin sa trabaho.

Mataas noon ang pangarap sa akin ng Nanay—ang gusto niya, maging abogado ako. Ngunit unti-unting nalusaw ito sa pag-angat ko ng baitang, habang pamahal nang pamahal ang bilihin. Dagdag pa ang dalas ng pagtaas ng matrikula, kaya’t nauwi ang pangarap na ‘yon sa pamumuhay na lamang nang matiwasay.

Hanggang sa ipinasok ako ng tiyuhin ko sa isang pabrika. Nakailang tango at pagsang-ayon din ako sa mga tanong na “kaya mo bang magtrabaho rito?” “Hindi pwede tamad dito, kaya tibayan mo ‘yang buto mo,” huwag lang nila akong tanggihan. At hindi nga sila nagbibiro--araw-araw akong lupaypay sa pagod para sa kakarampot na arawang sahod.

Bawat araw, tinitiis ko ang hirap na dulot ng trabaho. Hindi dapat mangalay pagkat wala pang pupwedeng papalit sa ginagawa, at kasalanan ang makaramdam ng ngawit dahil tanda raw ito ng pagkabatugan.

Kung talagang nangangailangan ka ng pera, hindi mo alintana ang sakit ng katawan, dahil puwede naman itong ipahinga sa susunod na araw.

Kung tutuusin, lahat naman kami’y masisipag. Pinagtitiisan namin ang araw-araw na trabahong katumbas yata’y isang buwan, habang hindi

sigurado kung sa susunod na buwan ay mananatili pa. Kulang na nga lang, ituring kaming makina na hindi nakakaramdam ng pagkalam ng sikmura sa mga panahong napapahaba ang oras ng trabaho.

Biro ng Tatay isang madaling araw pag-uwi ko, mag-pulitiko na lang daw ako, hindi naman daw kailangan doon ng diploma. Basta’t magaling kang mambola, malayo ang mararating mo. Hindi nga ba’t ganoon na ang kalakaran ngayon—hindi na mahalaga kung magsinungaling ka tungkol sa pinag-aralan mo, basta’t matamis ang mga pangakong ibulalas mo sa panahon ng kampanya.

Saka ko makikita si Imee Marcos— katulad ko ring hindi nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral, pero di hamak namang maalwan sa buhay. Nangungusap ang kaniyang larawan suot ang pulang bestida, na para bang ang tanging mahalaga’y kung ano ang napagmamasdan, hindi yaong hindi nakikita. Baka kako, katulad niya, puwede ko ring matamasa ang ganoong klase ng buhay.

Nagdaan ang eleksyon, nahalal na siyang senador. Habang ako, nagtitiis pa ring magtrabaho sa pabrika. Saka ko mapagtatantong mula nga pala siya sa mayamang angkan, habang ako’y galing sa isang hamak lang na pamilya.

Mag-aral, maglingkod—ito ang lagi’t laging sambit sa pagtatapos.

Matapos palipasin ang gutom dahil sa mataas na matrikula, matapos mawalan ng tulog upang pag-aralan ang magulong kurikulum, piliin mong maglingkod. Matapos mong unawain ang lipunan, humayo ka, hindi bilang tanging tagapagligtas, kundi bilang kasama—sa piket, sa bukid, at sa komunidad.

Nakita sa nakaraang eleksyon ang pag-usbong ng mga progresibo, gayon din ang pagkapanalo ng nagpapakilalang solusyon at sagot, “itaga pa nila sa Bato.” Isang malaking dagok sa malayang senado ang pagkapanalo ng dating PNP Chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, na kilala bilang malapit na tagasuporta ni Duterte. Mas pinuruhan pa ang mamamayan nang aminin ni Bato na siya ay naghahanap ng seminar sa paggawa ng mga batas. Higit na naapektuhan dito ay ang mga kabataang botante na may pagkiling sa mga kandidatong may pinagaralan at may ilang taong kasanayan na sa pampublikong opisina.

Ngunit sa katunayan, nakakuha ng digri sa masters sa Public Administration at doctorate sa Development Administration si Bato. Sapat na ang kanyang mga napag-aralan upang gumawa at mag-implementa ng mga polisiya, bagaman walang kasiguraduhan na ang mga ito ay makamasa.

Matatandaan na si Bato ang utak ng giyera kontra-droga na walang habas na kumitil ng libong buhay sa loob ng higit dalawang taon.

Pinapalabnaw ni Bato ang imahe mula sa marahas na utak ng giyera kontra-droga sa pamamagitan ng komedya—isang pulis na maluha-luha sa imbestigasyon ng Extrajudicial Killings, isang payasong kandidato na nagpapasaya sa kinakampanyahan.

Inilapit ni Bato ang sarili sa masa bilang ordinaryong tao, hindi mayaman, at walang maipagmamayabang kundi ang “malinis na puso.”

Ang istratehiyang ginamit ni Bato sa kampanya ay minana mula kay Duterte noong eleksyon

/ POLYNNE DIRA

2016: binigyang-diin ang pagrerepresenta sa kagustuhan ng masa at ang pagtunggali nito sa mga makapangyarihan. Ayon sa propesor mula sa Princeton University na si Jan-Werner Müller, ipinaplaka ng mga kandidato ang sarili bilang tanging boses ng masa, na nagsasara ng tainga sa oposisyon, at nagkakaroon ng kapangyarihan na diktahan ang mga tao.

Upang mapanatili sa pwesto ang mga kandidato tulad ni Duterte at Bato, isinasangkalan ang edukasyon—pinoprotektahan nila ang kasalukuyang bulok na kalagayan ng lipunan.

Kinakailangang maledukado ang mga Pilipino upang mawalan sila ng kaalaman at oportunidad na kolektibong ipagtanggol ang kanilang karapatan at tuloy mapilitang umasa sa pangako ng mga tumatakbo.

Kinakaakibat ng paggiit sa sarili bilang natatanging representante ang pagsugpo sa mga kumokontra sa pinapaniwalaan ng mga kandidatong ito. Itinuturing silang kalaban ng masa. Makikita ang ganitong aksyon noong binantaan ni Duterte na patalsikin ang mga estudyante ng UP at palitan ng mga Lumad. Pinagbabangga ang may oportunidad mag-aral sa wala, at mas pinapalawak ang pagitan ng dalawa na magtutulak lamang sa mga tao na mas tangkilikin ang populismo—doon sa mga nagmimistulang kasama ng masa, kaysa sa iba. Sa ganitong paraan naiipon sa itaas at iilan ang kapangyarihan at kaalaman upang imaniobra ang estado.

Ang paglakas ng anyo ng politika na gamit ni Bato at Duterte—kung saan sa pamamagitan ng huwad na representasyon ay pinapawalang kapangyarihan ang kolektibong kakayahan ng masa na patakbuhin ang kanilang sariling kapalaran—ay lalong paghina ng edukasyon. Ang pagtatapos na ipinagkait sa iba dahil nangangailangan ang estado ng maledukadong Pilipino ay hamon.

Ang pagtatapos ay pag-aaklas para sa edukasyong nagsisilbi sa masa.

REBEL KULÊ

REBEL KULÊ

10

&

F E AT U R E S

It was a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. This is no longer necessarily the case. Now, a single man may be in want of a husband, or a single woman of a wife, but this truth is unfortunately not so universally acknowledged.

Shane* knows this all too well. It was the night before Christmas when Jesh* asked to go for a bike ride with her.

Jesh had drunk enough alcohol — just the right amount to muster the courage to ask her to be her girlfriend.

Living in a devout Christian family, Shane admits feeling guilty after her family rejected her for choosing to stay with Jesh, who repacks products for baby bottles for a living. Shane, however, does not at all regret her now 14 years with Jesh.

“One time, sinama ko pa si Jesh sa church, ‘yung pastor pa mismo yung nagsabi sa kaniya [na bawal ang relasyon namin]. Siyempre para sa’kin, masakit ‘yun na ganyan,” said Shane. “Pilit kaming pinaghihiwalay dahil parehas nga daw kaming babae.

Eh ang iniisip ko naman ay ‘di namin kasalanang parehas naming mahal ang isa’t isa.”

Marriage, at the same time, seems an elusive promise for couples like them. Much to their surprise, the online poll recently launched by the Congress for the potential legislation of same-sex

/ ILLUSTRATION BY KIMBERLY ANNE YUTUC / PAGE DESIGN BY REX MENARD CERVALES

union in the country is a glimmer of hope for them who want to own a child.

After all, with the proposal, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI) couples will get to exercise their civil rights to legal partnership status that will in turn grant them rights to adoption, property, and custody over children.

While it is true the Filipino society is largely heteronormative, marriage equality is not at all an all-out assault on conventionally considered sacred principles. Rather, its potential legislation assails nothing but the intervention of the church in policymaking and the use of religious dissent to perpetuate prejudice disguised only in clerical garb.

Prejudice / Since the first attempt to legally recognize same -sex couples in 2013, the Philippine parliament has made no significant headway in pushing for marriage equality despite a public discussion spurred by the recent online poll and the Supreme Court oral arguments on samesex marriage in June 2018.

The passage of the Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity or Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill that seeks to protect the community against gender discrimination also proves a tedious process, if not painfully stagnant at Senate level.

“For two decades now, LGBTQI organizations

30 JUNE 2019 SUNDAY

Pride Prejudice / REX MENARD CERVALES in the country have been lobbying for a national policy that will… promote genderresponsive actions,” said Xavier Bilon, former president of UP Babaylan, the first LGBTQ+ student organization in the country. He cited in one of his studies that about 80 million Filipinos in fact remain unprotected from SOGIEbased discrimination, according to latest estimates.

“The Philippines is long overdue for legal recognition that hate and violence have no place in our society,” Bilon added.

That already many members of the community have fallen victim to murder, sexual abuse, and other hate crimes does not deter conservative religions from opposing pro-equality legislation. They argue, for one, that all such bills are out to realize marriage equality, which they claim degrades the sanctity of marriage.

While religious dissenters in the Philippines are dead set against LGBTQI rights, 28 other countries have already recognized same-sex marriage, with Taiwan being the first Asian nation to join the list. In the Philippines, though the constitution guarantees the separation of church and state, for Danielle Ochoa of the UP Diliman Department of Psychology, this principle is yet to become a reality in a country where same-sex marriage is often discussed as a moral issue.

“There are many ways by which [church groups] can influence people. Pwedeng formally — let’s say homilies,” said Ochoa. “Pero ngayon, lumalawak din ang means of communication. They can spread their clout through that.”

Shane and Jesh themselves believe that, were it not for their wish to adopt, marriage holds no purchase

in their relationship. “Kahit hindi na lang, kasi marami pang ipo-process, marami pang issues, marami pang maririnig,” Jesh said. “Wala naman kasing [nilikha] ang Diyos [maliban sa] babae at lalaki.”

This kind of response to marriage among LGBTQI couples may be rooted in attempts to relate religiosity with homonegativity, the negative attitude to gayness. Even in the community, these sentiments abound and often stem from unawareness of the civil and political dimensions of marriage beyond religion.

“The institution we’re talking about is the granting of rights to couples,” said Amber Quiban, director for policy and campaigns of the Philippine Anti-Discrimination Alliance of Youth Leaders (PANTAY), a coalition of youth organizations campaigning for anti-discrimination agenda in the Congress.

“We’re not talking about the sacrament, the walking down the aisle, the throwing of flowers after marriage.

It’s not about that — marriage for us is a civil matter,” Quiban added.

Pride / In the absence of marriage equality in the country, Ranley and Clyde Jackett, a gay couple of five years now, resorted to a wedding ceremony with no legal bearing. They were married last April by LGBTs Christian Church, a progressive congregation. They were granted a certificate which they could supposedly use as a proof of togetherness in countries where there is a marriage equality law. Yet the couple found the document unavailing in United Kingdom where Ranley works as a nurse.

“Basically, it is frustrating knowing some countries have accepted it,” said Ranley.

“But knowing our country’s history, I know it will be hard to pass. It would be a struggle and a hard fight soon.”

Several other progressive LGBTQI-affirming churches strive to reconcile religiosity with gender inclusivity. Since 2006, the Open Table Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) has been holding regular worship services and educational seminars and officiated LGBTQ weddings, which number 68 in last year alone.

“I choose to remain with MCC because of the next young person who comes to the door trying to [fight] the confusion na sinasabi sa kanya na ‘mapupunta sa impyerno, ‘yang nararamdaman mo ay mali, pwede mo naman ‘yang pigilan’ — all this pain of that young child who comes to MCC,” said Joseph San Jose, administrative pastor of Open Table MCC. It is an uneasy task to maintain a church for those with internalized homophobia, transphobia, stigma, and religious baggage, San Jose added. His group, however, believes that equality, in marriage and otherwise, can be had — not in spite of, but even alongside religion.

Both camps, after all, hold as an ideal an equal shot at happiness for all.

The rift starts when one does not only undermine the other’s rights but also denies them their humanity through a language of bigotry. The defect is not only the propensity to hate a subsection of society, but also to willfully misunderstand them. * not their real names

F E AT U R E S

11

NO MAN’S LAND

REBEL KULÊ

/ PHOTOS BY SHERNIELYN DELA CRUZ / PAGE DESIGN BY ADRIAN KENNETH GUTLAY

/ KIMBERLY ANNE YUTUC

“Habang may lupa, kikilos tayo,” said Toto, gazing at the plots of vegetables backdropped by mountain-like heaps of rubble from construction materials. The pile of junk, according to him, had been dumped by the UP administration shortly after the death of the farmer who tilled the area. Toto had just finished planting root crops and was taking a break in a makeshift hut nearby.

Because while, for most everyone, Saturdays are meant for sleeping in after a week’s work, for these farmers, it is but another day of plodding away at the fields. Waking up early, they water and maintain the plots, pull out weeds, and gather what can be harvested for the day.

The farmers on this patch of land in UP Diliman work on their own terms, unlike the majority of peasants in large plantations elsewhere. Yet they are no strangers to the threats of displacement that Toto fears would befall them anytime.

Every seed planted amid the highrise giants of the urban landscape reflects a political assertion — one that speaks of both the urban-dweller’s need for space in a congested city and the farmers’ need for land in a semifeudal society.

Scorched Earth / Because of the intensifying militarization of rural communities in Negros in the 80s, Toto sought refuge in the city, where he and his children lived a hardscrabble life tilling an inbetween space on the campus yet to be seized by urbanization then.

The land occupation efforts of Toto reflect those of peasants elsewhere in the country, whether in azucareras in Luzon, fields in Visayas, or plantations in Mindanao. Bungkalan, the act of cultivating idle lands, has been done for years by farmers beleaguered by both landlessness and state violence.

For the farmers near UP, this threat comes in the form of businesses that seek to convert lands for capital-intensive projects, even though the Department of Agrarian Reform has declared the

area to be under its coverage for redistribution to tillers. The farmers themselves claimed that, historically, the farmlands in UP spanned numerous areas in Quezon City, even reaching up to 500 hectares.

“Pag puro building ang itatanim, ano ang kakainin natin?” Toto said, graying hair and the crow’s feet around his eyes. Bungkalan is thus a movement that highlights not only the importance of the land rights, but also of food security and agroecology.

The farmers on the campus demonstrate this, as they decide for themselves what to grow and work with one another to cultivate crops like rice and corn to feed their families and send their children to school. Smallholder farmers like them develop self-sustaining rural economies, like how Toto sells his extra yield to provide locals cheaper alternatives to produce that are usually imported in the market.

The access to arable land not only provides people with food and income. Small-scale farming also fosters environmental advantages like soil fertility, as opposed to practices dependent on petrochemicals in large holdings often controlled by landlords, agribusinesses, usurers, and traders.

Such agroecological production has become one of the campaigns of volunteers from Sama-samang Artista para sa Kilusang Agraryo (SAKA), who devote their Saturdays to working the land alongside the UP farmers. “Artists are interested in the new. Sa Pilipinas na semi-feudal, ang itsura ng bago ay demokrasya kung saan may kontrol ang magsasaka sa lupa,“ said Donna Miranda, one of the members of SAKA.

Critical Terrain / Toto and the rest of the farmers have been growing crops in the city’s peri-urban fringes for decades. Their ways of living, however, are now being threatened by the UP Master Development Plan (MDP), an incomegenerating scheme framed as an innocuous beautification project.

The MDP seeks to transform buildings and transportation, akin to the UP Town Center leased to the real estate firm Ayala Land, Inc., to which the development policy has alleged links. The privatization of the campus that comes with the plan contrasts with the supposed public character of UP. While the public has been left in the dark about the MDP’s specifics, its beginnings have already manifested.

Toto and the farmers near the university themselves face passive aggressive threats. Even some small huts they set up near the farmlands have been taken down. “Dito na kami tumubo, at ang mga ninuno namin may mga cedula,” one of the farmers said.

“Pero ngayon ang hirap na kumilos.”

The presence of agency-hired security personnel known as “blue guards” who hover around the area, sometimes along with private helicopters, are further signs of the undisclosed prospects of their lands being grabbed. Despite the refusal of the UP Administration to engage in a dialogue with them, the farmers heard of Ayala’s plans to convert their fields into a mall.

Earlier this year, Pook Malinis, a community along C.P. Garcia Avenue, also became the target of demolition when blue guards tore down houses in the area. Already wanting in utilities and access to services, many other

communities around UP face the same perils of eviction.

The old saying, indeed, of UP being a microcosm of the country could not resonate more through the university’s increasingly pro-businesses policies that mirror so-called development projects, particularly under “Build, Build, Build,” that the national government bankrolls.

Zone of Action / The drawbacks experienced by the farmers in UP are no different from the plight of peasants from across the country, who grapple with the reality of land grabbing, regardless of whether they toil in urban or rural communities.

“Binawi ni Duterte ‘yung sinabi niya na mamamahagi raw siya ng lupa.

Lalong lalala ang gutom natin dyan,” Toto lamented.

Despite the thirty years of socalled land reform through the tranches of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), most farmers in our country remain landless as the monopoly of the nation’s big families remain.

Unlike CARP, the genuine agrarian reform that the peasant movement in the Philippines advocate covers the redistribution of all agricultural lands, with no exemptions or exclusions, regardless of their legal classifications.

It aims to reallocate land, even those reclassified as development or commercial zones or, in the case of Toto, categorized as properties of state universities.

Toward this goal, the defense of rights to land and resources thus enkindles the resistance of farmers across the nation. “Kaming mga magsasaka tulungan lang, di nagkakanya-kanya,” Toto said, discussing their collective efforts through land occupation and cultivation. “‘Yung lupang nakatiwangwang, kung titingnan lang walang mangyayari.

‘Di lang naman magsasaka ang nabubuhay diyan, pero lahat tayo,” Toto reflected.

Despite what looms ahead, he remains hopeful, believing that life will prosper so long as there is land to till.

REBEL KULÊ

12

13 PEBRERO 2019 MIYERKULES

NEWS

Residents weigh in on Senate Bill granting KNL land from UP

/ JOSE MARTIN SINGH

Mylene Manggaba, 46, goes about her work like it is second nature.

A mother of four, she tends to washing machines and dryers at an inconspicuous laundry shop in the middle of a cramped street, contented knowing that she can help provide for her family’s sustenance.

Originally from Quezon province, she and her husband Leopoldo went to Metro Manila seeking for jobs to secure stability. They have been living in Barangay Krus Na Ligas (KNL), Quezon City for over 10 years. “[A]yaw ko tumira dun [sa probinsya] kasi mahirap ang buhay eh,” said Manggaba.

But as a renter in a residential home in KNL, the length of her stay might have been a little too short to keep her in the area.

On June 3, the Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill (SB) 2234, an act authorizing the University of the Philippines (UP) to sell 22.647 out of the 42 hectares of KNL land to the Quezon City Government for a fair market price yet to be ascertained. Once signed into law, around 25,000 residents are expected to benefit from this, according to previous reports.

Bargain for land / The said act looks to allot the KNL land for sale to “legitimate” residents who have lived in KNL for upwards of 30 years, leaving others to opt for a relocation site to be provided for by a technical working group (TWG), according to Section 3 of SB 2234.

The TWG would determine the residents’ qualifications and account

for the resident’s legitimacy of staying in the area through documentary and oral evidence. UP and KNL authorities, on the other hand, shall assist “in resettling those found to be excluded from the scope of SB 2234.

A short-time resident in KNL, Manggaba flinches at the idea of resettling. Indeed, she describes her stay in KNL as similar to a carousel ride.

“Paikot-ikot,” she said. ‘Tas naglipat na naman kami kamakailan lang. Hindi naman kami makabayad [dahil sa taas ng upa]. Siguro mga limang lipat ng bahay bago kami nagkaroon ng sariling [tirahan] noong isang taon.”

While her family may have already settled in a residence, they still need to pay a certain amount to fulfill the requisites for obtaining the property.

“May binabayaran pa rin [kaming renta] pero ‘pag natapos yun, sa amin na [ang bahay],” Manggaba said, adding that it might take more than a year to obtain the said property from a long-time KNL resident.

But there seems to be a gray area on whether what Manggaba said will be true since the land title would nevertheless be granted only to longtime residents.

“Yung mga nagre-rent hindi makakasama sa mga maaawardan [ng titulo],” said Barangay KNL Chief of Staff Wilfredo Fulgencio. “Yung mga nagre-rent, mapapangalan yung title dun pa rin sa may-ari mismo. Yung sa lahat ng renting, hindi sila qualified.”

Fulgencio, however, said that the 30-year residency rule and relocation of illegitimate residents provided for in SB 2234 would only be applied to

an extent. As much as they could, Fulgencio said the barangay officials would like every resident, regardless of their length of stay, to keep their respective properties in KNL. The turmoil that awaits / Susan Serano, 49, a KNL resident since 1994 recounted how construction of houses suddenly boomed in the past decade, especially after typhoon Ondoy devastated Metro Manila in 2009. Serano said that SB 2234 would benefit large families like hers.

But she doubts that KNL newbies would benefit from the act. “Magulo ‘pag [ire-relocate sila],” she said. “Magkakagulo sila…

Syempre hindi mo rin masabi kung papayag sila na hindi sila mabigyan ng right dito na maging kanila yung pinatayuan nila ng bahay dahil binili nga nila.”

KNL looms with high-rise apartments and bungalows, making for maze-like streets of novelties and livelihood.

The washing machine before Manggaba buzzes. She opens its lid and pauses, staring at the dark through an open door behind a nook.

“Ayaw ko nang mapalipat kami kasi mahirap,” she said. “Andito yung mga trabaho namin eh. Lalo’t baka hindi makapag-aral yung anak ko dun [sa lilipatan] kasi wala naman dun trabahong maganda [tulad nito].”

Nakaupo sina Lucilla Antiqueno at Rufino Castro sa labas ng kanilang tirahan sa Krus na Ligas (KNL) habang abala naman sa pagpapatakbo ng karinderyang malapit sa arko ng KNL si Alice Saldi. Sila ay ilan sa mga maaaring makakuha ng titulo sa KNL kung maisabatas ang Senate Bill 2234 dahil sa higit 30 taong paninirahan nila rito.

Gayunpaman, iginigiit nilang walang karapatan ang UP na ibenta ang mga lupaing ito. / PHOTOS BY ANDRIE CORTEZ

/ PAGE DESIGN BY ADRIAN KENNETH GUTLAY

S S E L D N W A L : L A T O T A SUM

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REBEL KULÊ

REBEL KULÊ

14

30 JUNE 2019 SUNDAY

OPINION

Recalibrating Reportage In a time when authorities dictate the course of public discussion, the media must fulfill its role — recalibrate its reportage for the people.

The Recto Bank incident where a Chinese vessel rammed into a small Filipino fishing boat, and the consequent response taken

by Philippine officials, cannot be overlooked. However, the government deliberately limits the scope of the issue, and the media has unfortunately followed suit, mainly echoing the administration’s opinions on the incident.

Beyond the mere exposition of facts, beyond the quotes of public figures, beyond capitalizing on online sentiments, journalism must go beyond the boundaries of supposed objectivity and stand opposite the enablers and perpetrators of injustice that it shall strive to lay bare and resist.

“He said, she said” has become a recurring theme of articles on the situation, with most sources cited coming from Malacañang. The overreliance on the prominence of

administrative officials has led to the publication of numerous reports on the President and his Cabinet’s insights, or lack thereof.

The government’s efforts to downplay the 22 fishermen’s experiences should not be an excuse for the mainstream media’s hollow reportage. It does not paint a clear picture of what happened and hardly highlights the FB Gem-Vir 1 crew’s narratives.

It took an incident with a Chinese vessel for the media to pay notice to the fisherfolk’s plight, but even their coverage fails to do the former any justice. These fishermen have struggled even before what happened on June 9. They have been living through a daily tragedy — being victims of an enduring system that denies them the means to improve their quality of life.

Even before their meeting with Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol, the fishing sector has remained one of the poorest divisions of Philippine society, persevering in the face of government policies, such as hikes in fuel excise

tax that cripple their ability to go out to sea for their catch. What should have been news coverage of the issue turned into a PR stunt, punctuated by the fishermen having to pose with Duterte’s trademark fists on camera.

The media fails to realize this, and it manifests in the absence of reports focusing on their everyday struggles just to earn a measly amount for their families.

And yet dominant media organizations continue to be enamored of identity politics. This has led them to bank on the “cowardice” of the President for not immediately speaking up on the issue. Still, this kind of rhetoric fails to call out the true character of Duterte – not just a coward, but a traitor.

His flawed sense of nationalism by remaining passive supposedly because of the perils of warring with China frames himself as a benevolent realist, always keeping in mind the wellbeing of his people.

Yet, if anything, his approval of a joint investigation with China and his secretaries’ insistence on the

VINNI GANDIA illegitimacy of the victims’ accounts only prove that the President values his relations with said country more than the welfare of the fishermen.

Despite many past opportunities, the media has yet to unmask the administration’s eagerness to do anything to please the Chinese

These fishermen have struggled even before what happened on June 9 ... being victims of an enduring system that denies them the means to improve their quality of life

Hamon sa pagbangon Tapang, talas, talab – tatlong salitang sumasalamin sa tunay na esensya ng Philippine Collegian; mga salitang nagpapahayag ng tradisyong matibay nitong pinanghawakan sa loob ng halos sandaang taong pamamahayag. Kilala ang Collegian sa walang mintis na pagpapamalas ng solidong tindig at kritikal na suri hinggil sa mga isyung kinahaharap ng lipunan. Hindi natinag ng anumang atake sa kalayaan sa pamamahayag ang mandato ng Collegian na magsilbi para sa interes ng mga estudyante at ng bayan.

Sa tradisyon din ng tapang, talas, talab din nakasalalay ang pagbangon ng institusyon – pagbangon mula sa lusak na kinasadlakan nito nitong nakalipas na taon.

Nitong nakalipas na taon, nasaksihan natin kung paano isinantabi ang tradisyong ito, kung paanong sinira ng makasariling interes ang pahayagang dapat sana’y kumakatawan sa kolektibong tindig ng mga kabataan at mamamayan. Ang Collegian na inaasahang magbibigayespasyo sa hinaing ng mga inaapi ay naging kimi sa panahong pinakakailangan nitong palakasin ang tinig ng mga iskolar ng bayan at ng mamamayan. Nabigo nitong tuparin ang pangakong lagi itong titindig

para sa pagsulong ng karapatan at katarungan.

Sa ilalim ng isang patnugutang walang kakayahang manindigan, malinaw kung paano nasadlak sa lusak ang Collegian.

Bukod sa kakaunting bilang ng inilabas na print issues – na umabot lamang sa isang special at

Muling magbubukas ang mga pahina ng Collegian bilang espasyo kung saan matatagpuan ang kwento ng ordinaryong mamamayan, ang Collegian na handang magpahayag ng tindig na matibay

limang regular issues – higit ding nakababahala ang makailang beses nitong pag-commit ng plagiarism at marami pang ibang ethical lapses. Tila binitawan ng nakaraang patnugutan ang anumang pamantayan sa pamamahayag, maging ang minimum na kahingian ng dangal at husay bilang mga iskolar ng bayan, kasabay ng kanilang pagtalikod sa mandatong dapat gampanan ng Collegian sa sambayanan.

Kung may napatunayan man ang nakalipas na termino, ito ay ang katotohanang hindi prestihiyo o kapangyarihan ang nagbibigaykahulugan sa pahayagan. Dahil ang Collegian na kilala at kinikilala ko ay hindi maaaring ilayo sa mga tagapaglathala nito.

Sa ganitong pagkakataon higit na nagiging malinaw kung bakit matindi ang naging kahingian ng panahon upang itatag at ipagpatuloy ang Rebel Kule. Sa loob ng isang taon, sinagupa ng buong kasapian ang hirap ng kawalan ng pondo at kawalan ng sariling opisina; ipinagpatuloy nitong maglathala ng kwento ng mga Lumad, manggagawa, at mga kabataan na biktima ng panunupil ng estado. Patuloy itong nagsiwalat ng katotohanan at nagdala ng naratibong dapat malaman ng lahat.

government, including repressing the voices of the people they are mandated to heed.

The media must thus dispense with surface-level reportage of marginalized sectors, and instead develop a critique of how the Duterte regime trivializes his constituents’ predicaments. It should spur the public to reject the president’s brand of nationalism, which disguises the state’s submission to quasi-Chinese imperialism. What patriotic values the media should promote must instead be geared toward the struggle for justice that the powers that be deprive us of.

Fostering this sense of nationalism in the public conscience begins with featuring the struggles of the very sectors that make up this nation. They should not be reduced to mere sensationalized stories of tragedy, only appearing on the headlines when their lives have been endangered.

This can happen if the media recalibrates its mandate toward reporting the underreported.

BEATRICE PUENTE Ngunit hindi lamang ito ang kinahaharap na pagsubok ng publikasyon. Hindi lingid sa ating kaalaman ang kasong isinampa laban sa amin ng outgoing editorin-chief ng Collegian. Apat sana kaming nakatakdang magmamartsa sa Linggo, ngunit hanggang ngayon, limang araw bago ang graduation, nananatiling walang kasiguraduhan ito.

Matindi ang naging epekto nito sa disposisyon ng bawat isa sa amin, lalo na nitong mga nakaraang araw. Walang salitang kayang maglarawan sa bigat na dinama ng bawat isa pagbaba sa amin ng desisyon. Maraming plano ang nasira, maraming tao ang nabigo.

Halimbawa na lang ang kaso ni Kenneth, graphics editor ng Rebel Kulê. Ngayong taon lang muling umuwi ang kanyang ina mula Saudi para sana saksihan ang kanyang pagtatapos, ngunit nanganganib na walang masaksihang martsa ang kanyang ina.

Ngunit hindi lamang ang aming pagtatapos ang nakasalalay rito.

Malaki rin ang epekto ng kaso sa hinaharap ng publikasyon, lalo na sa susunod na patnugutan nito.

Ngunit hindi ito tungkol sa akin bilang indibidwal, kundi sa panibagong hirap

na maaaring danasin ng institusyon, sakaling manatili ang hatol na kami’y nagkasala.

Sa kabila ng lahat, makakaasa kayong hindi kailanman magiging sapat ang mga kondisyong gaya nito upang tuluyang pigilan ang operasyon ng pahayagang tapat sa kanyang tungkulin.

Ngayon, sa pagpasok ng ika-97 taon ng Collegian, pananatilihin nito ang matapang na pamamahayag na handang magsiwalat ng katotohanan, ilang beses man ito subukang busalan ng mapaniil na kondisyong umiiral sa lipunan. Muling magbubukas ang mga pahina ng Collegian bilang espasyo kung saan matatagpuan ang kwento ng ordinaryong mamamayan, ang Collegian na handang magpahayag ng tindig na matibay.

Sa susunod na taon, mananatiling mapangahas ang Kule sa harap ng samu’t saring suliranin sa loob at labas ng pamantasan. Dahil sa huli, anong klaseng publikasyon ang Kule kung hindi ito rebelde?

Talumpati ng pagtanggap sa katungkulan bilang punong patnugot ng Philippine Collegian. Ipinahayag sa Affirmation at Turnover Ceremony noong Hunyo 25, 2019, Balay Kalinaw Conference Hall, UP Diliman.

UNIVERSITY

#UpTheRev Numerous challenges looked to deprive the student body of a university-wide publication unwavering in its mandate to deliver critical reportage. No matter the efforts of an incompetent admin-installed paper and of those holding administrative power, the willingness to heed the voices of various sectors could not be daunted.

Without you, our true publishers that helped us especially through the most challenging of times, the people’s narratives that go unnoticed, unexplored, and unreported would have remained so. Today, Rebel Kulê successfully closes its last chapter, looking forward to uphold its campaign for advocacy journalism in the coming year with the hopefully undying support of its readers.

₱104,500.00 Donations (September to June) ₱11,514.00 donations Room-to-room campaign Competition prize ₱10,000.00 ₱126,014.00 TOTAL

Printing ₱25,900.00 Issue 1 (8 pages • 3,000 pcs) ₱19,300.00 Issue 2 (8 pages • 3,000 pcs) ₱18,900.00 Issue 3-4 (12 pages • 2.000 pcs) ₱18,900.00 Issue 5-6 (12 pages • 2,000 pcs) ₱1,890.00

overtime fee for printing ₱17,600.00 Issue 7-8 (16 pages • 1,000 pcs) ₱22,800.00 Issue 9-10 (16 pages • 1,200 pcs) ₱125,290.00 SUBTOTAL Logistical Expenses Food

a. Issues 1-6

b. Issues 7-10

₱1,350.00 ₱428.00

UP DILIMAN UNIVERSITY STUDENT COUNCIL Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows For the Academic Term Ended 23 May 2019 Cash Inflows

₱25,220.00 Income-Generating Projects ₱9,150.00 Internally Generated Remittances ₱303,660.73 Other Inflows ₱338,030.73

Cash Outflows ₱19,397.98 Ways and Means Committee ₱1,976.00 Gender Committe ₱10,450.00 Sports, Fitness & Health ₱3,736.50 Mass Media Committee ₱1,692.50 Student w/ addtl Needs Committee ₱1,350.00 Career Assistance Committee ₱8,000.00 Education & Research Committee ₱222,164.50 University Freshie Month ₱268,767.48

TOTAL OUTFLOWS

Net Cash Flow Add: Beginning Cash Balance (Aug 1,2018) Ending Cash Balance (May 23, 2019) Cash Breakdown Cash-on-hand Cash-in-bank Cash Balance (May 23, 2019)

₱69,263.25 ₱7,366.50 ₱76,629.75 ₱14,672.02 ₱61,957.73 ₱76,629.75

₱1,993.00 Transportation ₱1,824.00 Circulation (Issues 1-8) ₱1,800.00

Boosting of online content Internet and other ₱1,850.00 operating expenses #Transparency ₱9,245.00

SUBTOTAL In the pursuit of financial transparency and accountability,

you may view the consolidated statement of cash flows of ₱134,535.00 TOTAL EXPENSES USC 1819 at tinyurl.com/USC1819FinStatement. ₱8,521.00

LIABILITIES

PUNONG PATNUGOT Sheila Ann Abarra KAPATNUGOT Richard Cornelio

TAGAPAMAHALANG PATNUGOT Marvin Joseph Ang PATNUGOT SA BALITA Beatrice Puente

REBEL KULÊ

UKAY-UKAY

TOTAL INFLOWS

FINANCIAL STATEMENT Academic Year • AY 18-19

15

For any concerns, you may contact Finance Councilor Jedd Ong at 09178550118.

PATNUGOT SA GRAPIX John Kenneth Zapata MGA PANAUHING PATNUGOT Sanny Boy Afable Adrian Kenneth Gutlay Jiru Nikko Rada

MGA KAWANI Rex Menard Cervales Andrie Karl Cortez Samantha del Castillo Shernielyn Dela Cruz Lucky Dela Rosa Polynne Dira Cathryne Enriquez

ni Alana Dineros

Time first / Parang joke. Yung pagiging sabik sa pagpasok sa klase, pareho kong naaalala at nalilimutan.

Ganoon siguro kapag delayed ka nang matagal.

Hindi naman nawawala yung kagustuhan kong matuto pero yung pag-asam sa ibang tipo ng pagkatuto, sumasagka rito. E, paano ba naman: parang hindi ka karapatdapat sa kahit na anong klase. Hindi ka natatawa sa biro ng mga kaklase mo, hindi rin sila natatawa sa’yo.

Hindi ka na rin natutuwa sa sarili mo.

Kung hindi iisa ang natitirang semestre ko sa pag-aaral, wala na talaga ako sa UP. Masayang isipin na parang tatakdaan ko ang sarili kong pag-graduate. Parang kaya ko ng takdaan ang lahat ng bagay: kailan ako uuwi, anong oras ako gigising.

Pero hindi, at syempre, mali.

Madalas ka namang magkakamali pag palagi ka nang nagkakamali dahil sanay ka na. Sanay ka nang kainisan, sanay ka nang mainis sa sarili mo. May sapat dapat na batayan ang bawat desisyon. Kung kaya sa tuwing nagkukumpol-kumpol ang mga bagay at nagbubuhul-buhol ang mga salita sa aking isipan, iniisip ko kung bakit ako delayed.

Hindi patas ang mundo at hindi ibig sabihin na kapag di mo piniling basagin ang sarili mo para lang umayon sa pamantayan ay ikaw na ang marangal; at hindi ibig sabihin na kapag nag-rebelde ka sa pamantayan nang walang tinatanaw at pinaplanong bago ay ikaw na ang dapat tingalain.

Rebelde kami sa Rebel Kule at may tinatanaw kaming malayang pamamahayag at pinaplanong matapang at hindi takot na peryodismo. Hindi patas ang mundo kung kaya kahit pagbali-baligtarin man ito at kahit ilang artikulo man ang i-publish ko, ilang pag-absent man ang takdaan ko, delayed pa rin ako.

Parang joke. Yung pagiging angsty sa nakakapagod na bahagi ng buhay mo, pareho mong naaalala at nalilimutan. Ganoon siguro kapag tanggap mo nang matagal ka’ng delayed.

John Irving Gandia Marcy Lioanag Fernando Montejo Patricia Louise Pobre Karla Faith Santamaria Jose Martin Singh Kimberly Anne Yutuc

KASAPI UP Systemwide Alliance of Student Publications and Writers’ Organizations (Solidaridad), College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP)

O PIN I O N /

REBEL KULÊ / 30 JUNE 2019 / SUNDAY

Damage report / RICHARD CORNELIO

The test of the resilience of a critical press lies not in shoring its walls up for defense, but in building a fortress back up from the rubble it has been reduced to. Such is the task that awaits the Collegian’s next editor-in-chief: to reestablish relevance and integrity, to rescue what shred of trust the students still have in the publication, out of the wreckage left behind by the outgoing editorial term.

For, at last, we bid farewell to a man who has done so little to deserve deference and so much to debase journalistic ethics and dismantle the institution.

Jayson Edward San Juan assumed power in the wake of protests against an anomalous editor selection process. It is only fitting, then, that in a last ditch effort to save face, he will descend in disgrace and drag with him all those he claims have sabotaged his leadership.

There is no overstating the damage dealt by San Juan’s appeal, which the University Council Executive Committee upheld to order the suspension from UP of the editors of Rebel Kulê on charges of theft, fraud, and disobedience. To be fair, nobody expected San Juan to carry out his duties with any iota of dignity or decorum. But nobody imagined either that he would prove to be spectacularly spiteful and shameless.

He could not have cared less about legitimacy, anyway. First, he scoffed at the student body’s clamor for a more inclusive exam and went on to erect a monument to a yearlong colossal failure. Under his watch, regular presswork has suffered.

Organizational development has been stunted. He has extinguished any pretense of professionalism, depth of thought, and respect for the mandate he is sworn to insure.

Where once stood a vanguard of editorial authority, a tombstone now looms. When San Juan decided to file a disciplinary case against the editors of Rebel Kulê — but in the same breath plagiarized articles more often than his staff released any content — how could we react with anything less than revulsion?

When he dismissed demands for his leave of absence following

incidents of violence involving his own fraternity, could any man demonstrate a more flagrant display of hypocrisy and arrogance?

That San Juan will go down in history as the Collegian’s worst editorin-chief is a foregone conclusion, but still a disproportionately mild rebuke for the havoc he has wreaked on the publication.

He will have nothing to show for his stint, save for an inventory of his errors and the inestimable price his self-interest has exacted. The biggest casualty of this editorship turned into a demolition job is, no doubt, the student body, whose confidence in the Collegian has been eroded a little more with every campus and national news that has gone unreported, every dangerous idea left unchallenged in his term’s indifference.

Yet, if this year’s Collegian had taught us anything, it is that even the sturdiest-seeming structures could be flattened in a heartbeat. History smashes any illusion of permanence.

One man of dismal qualities in

power could steamroll the earnest public service of his predecessors, unless resisted — unless rendered a sobering yet short-lived episode in the unfolding history of militancy and struggle for democratic renewal.

The prospect of more struggling, after so vicious a setback, daunts even those of us who have persevered this long. But despair is no answer. The denial of our rights, the rejection of our autonomy, the capitulation to the powers-that-be, and even the slightest intrusion on the bounds of what is just and right shall not define our future — we cannot let them do so — but these surely set perilous precedents if left unchecked.

The urgent political task, then, is at once to consolidate ranks and to grapple with the many ways we can regain public trust. Such an

The urgent political task is, at once, to consolidate undertaking requires a resurgence of ranks and to sense, discipline, and rigor to fulfill the publication’s mandate — to combat grapple with lies with facts, to quell the wave of the many ways injustices sweeping the nation, and to found the Collegian so deep in the we can regain greater truths of equality, fairness, and solidarity that it will never again public trust. be toppled.

That is what is left to do. That is how we rebuild the institution from the ground up.