The Chronicler Vol. 23 No. 3 November 2015-March 2016

The

TO BE FREE AND TO SET FREE

CHRONICLER

The Official Student Publication of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Taguig Branch

Established 1992

CIRCLES OF IRREGULARITY

It’s election once again. It’s another year for election problems to sprout once again. on page 4

Volume 23 No.3 | November 2015 to March 2016 KMP prevailed for another year page 2

Boto ng paninidigan

Para sa mga kabataan page 5

pages 6

Full list of Central Student Council officers for A.Y. 2016-2017 page 7

Presyo ng pwesto page 8

NEWS

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The CHRONICLER

Blue takeovers the Reds

KMP PREVAILED FOR ANOTHER YEAR Kent Garcia

KABALIKAT SA MAKABULUHANG PAGBABAGO (KMP) will lead next year’s PUP Taguig Central Student Council (CSC) after taking an overwhelming majority of the contested posts in the 2016 CSC Elections held last February 17 and 18.

KMP’s Rafael James Permaran will be the next CSC President, after garnering 748 votes against Sandigan ng Magaaral para sa Sambayanan (SAMASA) candidate John Dustin Santos with 680 votes.

Moreover, KMP won 16 out of 20 seats in the CSC, with four Higher Executive Committee (HEC) seats, six Lower Executive Committee (LEC) seats, and seven organizational representatives.

On the other hand, SAMASA took four seats in the coun-

cil, with one seat each in the HEC and LEC, and two organizational representatives.

KMP gained three more seats in the CSC this year, compared to the last year election where they obtained 13 seats. This also marked one of the largest majorities obtained in the CSC. LOWER VOTERS’ TURNOUT

However, this year’s CSC election marked a voter turnout of 67.73 percent, which is lower than last year’s 69.08 percent.

PUPT Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairperson Emman Enriquez pointed out to a number of factors on why the turnout became lower such as technical problems, poor campaign strategy by both parties, and the low number of fourth year students in the campus due to their IN OR OUT. Commission on Elections (COMELEC) officer checked a candidate’s requirements in order to pass the COMELEC screening before becoming an official candidate. | Phoebe Grace Gran

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Internship subjects.

Enriquez encouraged the students to be involved in the next CSC elections, saying that “ yung CSC ang magiging representative nila.” Moreover, he wished the council’s next officers good luck, stating that “sila ang hinalal ng mga mag-aaral, kaya galingan nila.”

PUP tops employers’ choice survey for fresh graduates Michelle Mendoza

FRESH GRADUATES FROM MAROON LINE are proven to be most prepared for being hired and taken upon work.

After giving a survey to 551 companies from February 22 to March 6, jobstreet.com.ph showed that fresh graduates from Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) are top choice of companies when looking for applicants.

Garnering 45 percent in the survey, PUP rose from fifth to first this year, replacing last year survey’s number one University of the Philippines (UP) which now went down to third.

According to the survey’s findings, graduates from PUP possess characteristics that companies find in their ideal employers.

Respondent-employers stated that PUP graduates tend to have great perseverance and skills in their respective fields of discipline. Moreover, they are more determined to finish their tasks rather than complaining.

The respondent-employers agreed that these graduates have great eagerness in learning new things and finding new ways in doing their work.

Based on the same survey, six out of ten companies said that their applicants were from the same school before they were hired in the business.

However, the companies still consider the applicants’ behavior and functions inside their business.

jobstreet.com.ph is the local branch of jobstreet.com, Asia’s leadinh online employment.

Founded in 1997, it aims to facilitate a better job matching for employers and jobseekers alike.

November2015-March 2016

Mga lider-estudyante, binatikos ang desisyon

De Guzman, pinagkalooban ng ikalawang termino bilang presidente ng PUP Kent Garcia

Binigyan ng ikalawang termino bilang presidente ng PUP si Dr. Emanuel C. de Guzman sa ginanap na Special Board of Regents (BOR) meeting noong Enero 20.

Sa botong 10-1, nagdesisyon ang BOR na dagdagan pa ng isang termino, katumbas ng apat na taon, ang panunungkulan ni de Guzman. Nagmula ang desisyon na palawigin ang kanyang termino sa rekomendasyon ng binuong Special Evaluation Committee (SEC) na pinamunuan ni Dr. Emerlinda Roman, dating pangulo ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (UP), at kinabilangan ng mga representante mula sa komunidad ng akademya at pribadong sektor. Ang SEC ang sumuri sa mga nagawa ni de Guzman sa kanyang unang apat na taon ng pamumuno, at inirekomenda nito na bigyan siya ng isa pang termino.

Umupo si de Guzman noong 2012, nang palitan niya si Dr. Dante Guevarra. Kanyang isinulong ang pagtatatag ng isang ‘epistemic community’ at ‘culture of research’ sa unibersidad.

Pagtutol ng mga mag-aaral Agaran naming binatikos ng mga lider-estudyante sa pangunguna ng Office of the Student Regent (OSR) at ng Sentral na Konseho ng mga Mag-aaral (SKM) ng PUP-Manila ang pinagkaloob na term extension kay de Guzman.

Ayon kay outgoing Student Regent

Jessica Ferrera na tanging bumoto ng ‘No’ sa pagpapalawig ng termino ni de Guzman, mas lumawak lamang ang komersyalisasyon at pagdagdag ng mga other school fees (OSF) sa kanyang administrasyon.

Ipinunto ni Ferrera ang umano’y anim na beses na pagtatangka ng administrasyon ni de Guzman na taasan ang tuition fee, kasama ang planong pagtataas sa tuition tungo sa Php 100 per unit sa lahat ng PUP branches at campuses noong 2014, at ang mungkahing Php 16,000 tuition fee para sa senior high school noong 2015.

Kasama rin sa mga kinasangkutan ng administrasyon ni de Guzman ang pagtatago ng mga nakolektang pondo mula sa OSFs sa mga high-yielding savings account sa bangko na nadiskubre sa 2015 audit report ng Commission on Audit (COA) sa unibersidad, at ang nagpapatuloy na represyon sa mga mga student organization at student publications. Ayon din kay Ferrera, hindi umano kinonsulta ang mga mag-aaral sa usapin ng term extension.

‘Gustong panatilihin ng gobyerno na pabor sa neoliberal na patakaran ng Malakanyang ang pangulo ng ating unibersidad,’ giit ni Ferrera. Mananatili pa rin ang tawag ng mga lider-estudyante na tutulan ang pag-extend ng termino ni de Guzman.

HALALANG PUPTIAN 2016 #FastTalk Rafael James Permaran CSC President-elect for 2016-2017

Boss or leader?

Leader RH Law or Same-sex marriage?

RH Law The person you wouls like to see as President of the Philippines?

[Davao City Mayor Rodrigo] Duterte What defines you?

Fear of God Check out the whole video at our official facebook page!

NEWS

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November 2015-March 2016

TCU, muling umariba

Collegiate Athletics Conference 2016, matagumpay na naisagawa Kent Garcia

SA PANGUNGUNA ng PUP-Taguig Central Student Council (CSC), muling ginanap ang Collegiate Athletics Conference (CAC) ngayong taon.

Nagtagisan ang mga atleta mula sa PUP-Taguig (PUP-T), Taguig City University (TCU), PUP-Binan (PUP-B), at Pateros Technological College (PTC) sa larangan ng men’s basketball, men’s volleyball at women’s volleyball.

Ginanap ang knockout semifinals nitong ika-4 ng Marso habang ang championship at third place games ay isinagawa nitong ika-11 sa Marso sa PUP-Taguig Gymnasium na napuno ng mga taga-suporta mula sa mga kasaling eskwelahan.

Muling nakuha ng TCU ang overall title matapos magkampeon sa lahat ng kategorya sa kompetisyon. Hindi naman nagpahuli ang mga pambato ng PUP-T nang masungkit nila ang ikala-

wang puwesto sa men’s basketball at women’s volleyball, at ikatlong puwesto sa men’s volleyball.

Ginulat naman ng PTC ang lahat nang tumapos ito ng pangalawa sa men’s volleyball, habang nakuha ng PUP-B ang ikatlong puwesto sa men’s basketball at women’s volleyball.

Ayon kina Joana Marie Ramos at Edgar Carlos Jr., project head at co-project head ng CAC, bagamat nagkaroon ng problema sa pagpo-pondo at pagpa-plano ng kompetisyon, ay nagawa itong maituloy. Dagdag pa nila, mahalaga ang CAC upang maitatag ang kooperasyon sa pagitan ng iba’t ibang paaralan at mabigyan ang mga atleta ng PUP-T ng exposure kalaban ang ibang mga koponan.

Hangad nila sa mas maraming kolehiyo ang sumali at mas marami ang sumuporta sa CAC sa mga susunod na edisyon nito.

CAF student leader elected new Student Regent Kent Garcia

GARNERING 18 out of 19 votes, Karl Paulie Anareta from the College of Accountancy and Finance (CAF)PUP Manila was elected as the new Student Regent and President of the Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Konseho Student Council Federation (ANAKPUP) in its 2016 Congress held last March 20-22 at the Hasmin Building, PUP Manila.

Joining Anareta in the Executive Board of the ANAKPUP are Rejhon Modesto (College of Education-PUP Manila) as Co-President; Karl Dianquinay (Open University) as Executive Vice President; Kenneth Silvestre (PUP-Pulilan) as Secretary-General; and Vallery Amador (College of Political Science and Public Administration-PUP Manila) as Treasurer.

According to official rules, the president of the federation will automatically be the Student Regent, which is the lone student representative to the Board of Regents (BoR), the university’s highest policy-making body.

Anareta, a current BS Ac-

countancy junior, will succeed BA Journalism student Jessica Ferrera at the Office of the Student Regent (OSR).

Prior to the election, he is the current President of the CAF Student Council. He is also a former editor-in-chief of The Paradigm, the official student publication of the college.

In an interview with The Chronicler, Anareta vows to continue the campaign to junk other school fees, which currently exist in the assessed fees every enrollment period.

He will also keep a close watch on repression of democratic rights of students and implementation of unjust academic requirements.

Anareta also urged the students to join the campaigns of the OSR. “Patuloy nating panatilihin ang prinsipyo ng pagiging palaban at militante ng PUP. Dahil dito, napatili natin ang Php 12 per unit na binabayaran natin,” he stated.

DEFENSE. PUPT Titans player Marc Gallano is seen in defense mode to stop his PTC counterpart from stealing the ball. PUPT won against PTC for Men’s Basketball on the first day of CAC with 101-99 in favor of the homecourt team.| John Dustin Santos

PUPTians on TOFI Labor and progressive groups slam “Ayoko magmahal!”

Aquino on SSS pension increase veto Jullia Nicole Herrera Algwen Sahijuan

LABOR GROUPS SLAMMED Pres. Benigno Aquino III as he vetoed House Bill No. 5842 or the proposed Php 2,000 increase in the monthly pension received by Social Security System (SSS) members last January 14.

In his veto message sent to the Senate and House of Representatives, Aquino vetoed the bill for he is worried about the financial stability of the entire SSS system once the bill would be signed into law.

With the proposed increase multiplied by the current number of SSS beneficiaries, it will result to a Php 56 billion payout every year. Moreover, he also pointed out the SSS "will be constrained to draw from and use its Investment Reserve Fund (IRF) to support the pension increase. Consequently, the IRF will diminish over the years, eventually reaching zero by the year 2029."

However, labor groups

that support the increase led by Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) point out that the payout could be funded, if the SSS would improve their collection efficiency which currently ranges from 35 percent to 38 percent, according to the data compiled by the bill’s principal author, Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares.

Moreover, they are also criticizing the high salaries and bonuses being received by top officials of the SSS even though they are not being effective in collecting dues from their members.

As of press time, a total of 65 congressmen has signed to override the veto, far from the 192 signatures (two-thirds of the 287-member House of Representatives) needed to pass the bill.

Rep. Colmenares is hoping that they will reach the required number once Congress would be reopened by May 23.

CATCH US. CONNECT WITH US. TALK TO US. facebook.com/puptchronicler @ChroniclerPUPT issuu.com/puptchronicler thechronicler.publication@gmail.com

HUGOT cards, white shirts and freedom wall to voice out the students’ anger against exhorbitant fees is how PUP-Taguig joined the National Day of Protest against another rise of tuition increases across the country.

The event was also a commemoration of the death of Kristel Tejada, a UP-Manila student who killed herself last 2013 due to pressure when she cannot enroll in UP as the university fees are too high for her family to afford.

League of Filipino Students (LFS) blamed the Aquino administration and the ‘anti-poor’ education system as the reason behind the death of Tejada and six others who were reported to do suicide due to the high cost of education.

According to LFS chairperson Charisse Banez, PNoy, CHEd memo No. 3 S.2012 and the continuous enactment of Education Act of 1982 were behind the reasons of such high price in education. She added that the tuition and other fees increased more than three folds from P30,000 in 2010 to P100,000 in 2015.

Meanwhile, outgoing-Council Assistant Secretary John Dustin Santos said though PUP is lucky not to feel a tuition increase in the recent years, still, there are other fees that ‘aren’t needed’ and additional burden for PUPians.

Santos, who is also the Deputy Secretary-General of the federaiton of student council in PUP system, envisions that every PUPTian be aware of the struggles majority of Filipino students face in order to learn and help to advance the right of all for free education.

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The CHRONICLER

First, launch your commercial. Second, go to different locations to get votes.

Third, get known in social media. Fourth, convince the voters. And fifth, win the election.

Every election, we encounter the same thing on social media. A certain candidate, a certain action that is suddenly blown up online, gets popular, and then that certain image is what the candidate is known for.

Yet we forget the history of every election in our country. We forget the flaws of our system and the flaws of the people, so we keep repeating them. Continuously forgetting the past and making a similar one in the process.

PAST EXAMPLES

From our century-old manual elections to the latest automated election, the Philippines seemed to be plagued with serious case of election fraud.

Election fraud rigs the voting system in favor of the candidate who is more influential than the other. One of which is vote buying that is an illegal action used in national or local elections. It is so prevalent in our country’s election that we created a term for it as “dagdag/bawas” or literally “subtract-add”, as stated at, “Election Fraud and Post-Election Conflict: Evidence from the Philippines”, a 2013 working paper of the Households in Conflict Network of the University of Sussex, UK.

In the 1986 Presidential fight beween Cory and Macoy (Pres. Marcos’ nickname) was marred by fraud that the two were in the lead in two different tallies, one by NAMFREL (Aquino-Laurel lead) and the other by Commission on Elections (Marcos-Tolentino lead the canvassing). US Senator Richard Lugar from the American observers claimed that 10-40% of the voting population were disenfranchised. This triggered the first EDSA movement in February 1986.

18 years after, the 2004 General Elections was “characterized by significant violence and allegations of wide scale fraud” according to a 2004 report of International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). IFES added these reasons: from failed automation plans, fiscal restraints, and poor management by the Election Commission and even the incumbent officials’ influences and the Presidential immunity in all criminal offenses even in election offense (as there were three cases cited in the report to disqualify Arroyo in running again as President due to the use of her influence as siting President and th use of government properties which was a violation of the election laws).

And even in the recent automated elections it did not escaped the heat of controversy in regards to this acts.

In 2014, lawyer Melchor Magdamo accused the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) of fraud in the 2013 Midterm General Elections. He said that 2013 senatoriables Aquilino Pimentel III and Eddie Villanueva were the victoms of election cheating. However, this and other allegations of cheating were later discharged.

THE PUNDITS AND OUR PERCEPTION

Such actions are not the only thing we should blame for a flawed system during elections.

written by Elaiza Eusebio | Graphic design by Lanz Christian Buyao

September-October 2015

In the social media such as in facebook or twitter, numerous pages sprung up that ‘meme-fied’ personalities based on their responses, actions or even their physique. In example, Vice President Jejomar Binay next to nationally known friendly alien ‘Kokey’, Mar Roxas’ body to a race track full of motorcycles, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s image holding a gun titled ‘The Punisher’, making puns out of Grace Poe’s name, and using Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s actions in signs of anger.

Camille de Asis, Ivan Lim, Mark Tare and Angela Poe of Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) quoted Dr. Clemente Camposano of the Institute of Political Economy in the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), saying Filipinos use political humors to converse “real problems ‘in a manner that does not create tension’” (see Joke the vote, pun the bets published online last May 17th, 2010).

Despite such enrgy, some people would argue that political humors create cynism, promote narrow-mindedness and isolate people. Though those may be true since some political humorists are liberals.

However, in an article by Columbia Journalism Review, tells us that political satirists may even help the common people understand the news better. The author took two most famous American satirists Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert as example. Despite joking political issue in their shows, both artists were sometimes asked to give their opinion about certain events in mainstream media such as CNN and Fox News. Also, the article tells us that fans of these political satirists or their shows (such as fans of the defunct The Tonight Show with Jon Stewart) have exceptional healthy democratic characteristics than those who don’t watch their shows. The fans join political conversaiton with people more, vote more, read news online or watch it on TV more and they have the confidence that they have the ability to understand and participate in politics (see Lighten up: How satire will make American politics relevant again written by Dannagal G. Young).

TIME TO CHANGE

We blame the excessive media play and the frauds that cause mistrust between the people and the congress but we do not realize that we are doing is worse.

Blaming a candidate does not resolve a nation conflict, blaming a community does not make us better one, and blaming the system does not make it disappear.

In the end, even if we blame the media, the system we believed to be right is wrong and the fraud we believed that other people started include us. It will come down to ourselves for standing for the same system and getting fooled by the fraud they have made.

As a citizen of a democratic country, we have the right to do just things that is to be equally placed between every innocent, blamed, and the guilty. The right to be concerned in every election. And the right to start a new system to rot the past.

VIEWS

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September-October 2015

EDITORIAL BOTO NG PANININDIGAN

Ngayong ika-9 ng Mayo, mamimili ang 54.3 milyong botanteng Pilipino ng bagong pangulo at pangalawang pangulo na mamumuno sa ating bansa sa susunod na anim na taon. Muling masusubukan ang pulitikal na pagsuri ng mamamayan sa mga botong kanilang mamarkahan sa balota, kasabay nito ang hangad ng pagbabago na dadalhin ng panibagong mahahalal sa pinakamataas na posisyon sa ating pamahalaan.

Sa isang demokratikong lipunan tulad nang sa atin, ang halalan ay nagrerepresenta ng lakas at pagkakapantay-pantay ng nakararami sa pagpili ng mga pinuno na maglilingkod tungo sa kanilang interes. Higit pa rito, ang halalan din ang nagpapahiwatig na pagbabago at progreso na dadalhin ng mga bagong mapipili na mamumuno sa pamahalaan.

Ngunit sa kabila ng halalan na palagiang ginaganap, hindi maikakaila na imbes na kaunlaran at pagsulong ng bansa, ay walang nangyayaring pagbabago, kahit sinumang pangulo ang umupo. Nagpapalit man ng pangalan at itsura nito, parehong bulok na sistema pa rin ang ipinapairal at ipinagpapatuloy ng mga ito.

Naghalal tayo ng mga pangulong diktador, sukdulan ang pagpapakatuta sa mga imperyalistang bayan, at pangulong nagpasidhi ng mga anti-mamamayan at neoliberal na polisiya. Imbes na mamamayan ang kanilang pinagsisilbihan, tila ba’y mas pinaboran lang nila ang iilan na gumastos at sumuporta sa kanilang mga matagumpay na kampanya tulad ng mga malalaking negosyante, mayayamang asendero, at mga imperyalistang bansa.

Sa patapos nang termino ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino III, mas sumidhi ang pagpapatupad ng mga neoliberal na polisiyang nagpahirap sa masa, tulad ng malawakang contractualization sa mga manggagawa, programang K-12 na nagsusulong ng kolonyal at komersyalisadong edukasyon, at public-private partnership (PPP) kung saan tinakasan ng pamahalaan ang trabaho nitong magbigay ng serbisyo publiko at ipinagkatiwala ito sa pribadong sektor.

Iilan lang ang nakinabang sa diumano’y kaunlaran sa ilalim ng kanyang “daang matuwid”. Hindi rin siya nakaligtas sa mga kontrobersiya ng katiwalian, tulad ng Pork Barrel Scam, at sa kanyang pagpapabaya sa usapin ng Mamasapano at mga magsasaka na biktima ng El Nino sa Mindanao. Pinatunayan lamang ng termino niya na ang iilan lang sa pinakatuktok ng lipunan ang sumalo ng lahat ng kaunlaran na ipinagmamayabang ng kanyang “daang matuwid”.

Salamin lang ang naging panunungkulan ni Aquino sa kung anong puwedeng mangyari sa ating bansa sa susunod na anim na taon kung hindi mauupo ang isang tunay na nagseserbisyo sa bayan bilang pangulo. Bilang hawak natin ang napakalaking kapangyarihan na magluklok ng ating mga pinuno, ay kunin na natin ang pagkakataon upang piliin ang totoo, matapang, at maka-mamamayang pinuno na hindi kailanman isasangkalan ang interes ng nakakararami para lang sa iilan.

Bilang mga botante, dapat maiwasan ang pagpapaloko sa mga kandidato, may kaakibat mang pera o wala, mula nasyonal hanggang lokal na posisyon. Higit pa rito, ay dapat na magkaroon tayo ng pinakamataas na lebel ng pagsusuri sa lahat ng ating mga iboboto. Dapat nating masiguro na walang ibang interes na kasama sa kanilang ipinapangakong “pagbabago” sa bansa kapag sila ang pinalad na maupo sa puwesto.

Dapat ring mabantayan ng mamamayan ang magiging resulta, sapagkat hindi tayo nakakasiguro sa magiging resulta nito, o kung maapektuhan ito ng mga mangyayaring iregularidad sa araw mismo ng halalan.

Higit pa rito, hindi natin dapat balewalain ang ating boto, dahil hindi lang ito usapin ng ating karapatan sa demokratikong sistema, kundi ng magiging kinabukasan ng ating bayan. Bawat isang boto na mabibilang ay magiging mahalaga at magiging salamin ng ating pagtingin sa kung sino at kung ano ang hangad natin, hindi lang para sa ating sarili, kundi pati na rin sa mga bansang kinabibilangan natin.

Hindi matatapos sa halalan ang pagbabantay ng mamamayan.

Kahit na matapos na ang proseso, at maideklara na ang mga napili ng taumbayan, dapat ay manatili tayong nakatuon sa paniniguro na ang mga uupo ay tunay na magsisilbi sa taumbayan, at wala nang iba.

Nakalatag na ang balota. Panahon na ng pagpili. Huwag sayangin ang iyong karapatan. Makialam at bumoto.

ERRATA

If you have seen some errors in this issue, message our editorial board thru: thechronicler.publication@gmail.com

REFLECTOR’S PLUME

MEN RIGHTS Elaiza Marie Eusebio

PNR (Philippines National Railways) is one of the most used transportation systems of our country, where we get to travel quickly, at a cheap fare.

But the consequence of riding the PNR trains is that we are squeezed up into a space with hundreds of people into a long time. Women and men are separated to prevent any misunderstandings or some may say that ‘boys can be boys.’

Unlikely, there will be some to be quite possessive to a certain space, most likely the whole train car where there is one gender to be held in.

I was able to witness such thing. I was going home from Sta. Mesa, where my friend was taking a test and I was her guide, we were able to squeeze into the last train car where there are a large amount of women. But by the 3rd stop, there was a man who was quietly secluded in the corner who squeezed through the crowd to go out. Of course, his journey out wasn’t peaceful. Some women sent glares and hushed curses his way when he bumped into them.

We were caught up in the idea of raising women in their titles and statuses, believing what we are doing are just, we forgot the true idea of feminism.

But one thing stuck on to me and that was when one woman said aloud, slightly pissed when the man brushed past her, “Bakit ba may lalaki dito?”

It may be a small and quick phrase. But it struck me.

As a woman, who is quite a believer in the rights of women, was quite mad at a certain right.

What if there were no men here in our world? What if we discriminated men like women were discriminated before? What if society favored women compared to men?

What if we lose respect in men? What has our society become?

We were so caught up in gaining respect and rights for

women; we are unknowingly taking men of theirs. We continue to raise awareness for the love for women, but we don’t show men theirs. We were caught up in the idea of raising women in their titles and statuses, believing what we are doing are just, we forgot the true idea of feminism. It is to raise the status of women same as men, equality of all genders, not degraded one to raise the other.

Even I, myself was caught up in the idea of women having a high place in our community. Disregarding opinions of men, believing that their opinion was favored more. Not knowing, the present is different, people change and opinions are swayed.

So now, my view of the world is something different. In a world where there is favoritism and prejudices. One may raise and the other may fall behind. Mediocre points and the word ‘middle’ don’t exist. Chaos keeps ensuing and danger is vivid. But people do change and there will be the word ‘equal.’ And that will be the word I will keep regarding.

EDITORIAL BOARD: KENT GARCIA, acting Editor-in-Chief | BLANCES

The

to be free and to set free

CHRONICLER

The Official Student Publication of the PUP-Taguig Established 1992

SANCHEZ, Managing Editor | MARICEL MOLO, Assistant Managing Editor | DANNETTE GRACE EJERTIMA, Board Secretary

SECTION EDITORS: KRISTIN LOUISE OMIZ, News Editor | John David

Laureta, acting Literary Editor | ELLA VALDEHUEZA, Opinion Editor | ROSELLE GERONIMO, Creatives Editor

WRITERS: SENIOR: Jullia Nicole Herrera, Neil Daryl Sulit, Shela Mae Montinola | JUNIOR: Michelle Angelika Mendoza, Elaiza Marie Eusebio Franchesca Nicole Mozo, Melody Condeza, Danielle Angela Inobio, Noah Giray, Mary Madel Colango, Lovely Anne Solano, Algwen Sahijuan, Diana Jarogon ARTISTS: SENIOR: Andrew Velarde | JUNIOR: Lanz Christian Buyao, Regine Benavidez, Allely Salamanca, Luisa Sullivan, Rykkashayne Asumbra, Phoebe Grace Gran, Angelica Cainag, Jonalyn Garcia CONTRIBUTOR: Jeffern Dave Ando

TECHINAL ADVISER: PROF. FELIX ERANO UY OFFICE: Ground Floor, Building A, Polytechnic University of the Philippines - Taguig Branch, Gen. Santos Avenue, Lower Bicutan, Taguig City

MEMBER: College Editors Guild of the Philippines, Alyansa ng mga Kabataang Mamahayag-PUP

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September-October 2015

SOFT SPOKEN

UGONG

PARA SA MGA KABATAAN

PAGLAYA

Irish Providal

Kabataan,

Alam kong may angking talino kayong taglay, isang regalo mula kay Bathala, at marapat lamang na gamitin niyo ito lalo na’t paparating na ang itinakdang panahon ng ating Konstitusyon upang pumili ng naaayon at karapat-dapat na kandidato na siyang dapat iluklok sa pwesto. May mga katangian na dapat kilatisin upang masabing sila ay karapat-dapat at ito ay ang mga sumusunod: Una, pagiging totoo sa sarili.

Bunsod ng makabagong teknolohiya at sa kasalukuyang “Age of Information” na inyong tinatamasa at nadarama ngayon, kayo ay nakakasagap ng samu’t-saring mga kaalaman sa pamamagitan ng Internet. Nagiging sandata at panangga niyo ito sa kasalukuyang takbo ng panahon ng mundo kung saan ang mga mangmang ay napag-iiwanan at bagkus ay nagdadanas ng paghihirap at diskriminasyon na tila bagang, ang mga numerong inyong nakakamit ay isang palatandaan ng isang magandang kinabukasan samantalang ang mas maraming may alam ang siyang umaaangat sa lipunan at bayan.

Hindi lahat ng impormasyong ating nakukuha ay tama.

Marami sa mga ito ay tila sibat na ibinato sa inyo upang kayo ay mapunta sa maling landas. Hindi ibig sabihin nang pagiging malaya sa impormasyon ay ang pagiging malaya sa katotohanan. Inyo nalamang tinatanggap ang inihain sa inyong kaalaman nang hindi man

Ang pamumuno ay hindi isinasagawa para sa sarili, bagkus, isinasagawa ito para sa nakakarami. lamang kinikilatis kung ito ba ay isang mabangis na lason sa inyong mga pag-iisip.

Pakaisipin kung ang mga salitang bumabalot sa isang kandidato ay ang pawang katotohanan at katotohanan lamang dahil kung ang mamumuno ay nabuo ng mga kasinungalingan lamang, isang mapagkunwaring magandang katayuan ng bansa ang ating malalaman—hindi ang katotohanan.

Pangalawa, hindi maibigin sa salapi.

Laganap rin ang mga kandidatong nangunguna ang pagmamahal sa kayamanan at hindi sa bayan. Sila ay nagnanais na makuha ang kaban ng bayan para sa pansarili nilang kagustuhan.

Madalas, ang pagtakbo upang maging isa sa mga kinauukulan ay para na ring pagpapatakbo ng negosyo. Kailangan ng mga sumusunod: Capital—kapal ng mukha at masidhing kawalan ng kaluluwa, Investment—pagsasagawa ng vote buying at pagsasagawa ng mga proclamation rally upang ipamudmod sa mga mamamayan ang kanilang mga pagmumukha na may mga ngiting aso kaakibat ang mga tagline nila para

EPIGRAM

SHIFTING COLOR Mary Madel Colanco

Are the Reds becoming Blue?

Our campus politics has been ruled by two political parties: Sandigan ng mga Mag-aaral para sa Sambayanan (SAMASA) and Kabalikat sa Makabuluhang Pagbabago (KMP).

To be more vivid, SAMASA’s color is red, while KMP’s blue.

It was always a bloody fight every election, I heard stories from our previous editors that some candidates often cry in response to the opponent’s mudslinging. Until the recent years that we have experienced truce between the two powers.

But should we worried?

Apparently, the truce looks like a winning ticket for the

Ella Valdehueza sa isang “pagbabago”, Assets— ang bulag na pagsuporta ng ilan nating kababayan dahil sa paniniwalang kaya ng mga kandidato na maiangat tayo tungo sa kaunlaran na siyang desperadong aksyon na isinasagawa ng mga naghihirap kung saan kanilang pinaglilingkuran ang mismong mga nagnanakaw sa kanila, at Liabilities na siyang hindi mabaya-bayaran dahil kanilang paulit-ulit na mga pangako na tila sa bato na lamang naitaga at hindi na talaga naisagawa.

At pangatlo, may pagmamahal sa bayan.

Ang pamumuno ay hindi isinasagawa para sa sarili, bagkus, isinasagawa ito para sa nakakarami. Ang pag-aatim na makapamuno sa humigit-kumulang na isandaang milyong katao ay hindi biro. May sinumpaan siyang pangako na kanyang paglilingkuran ang taumbayan at aaksyunan ang mga problemang kinakaharap ng bansa. Marapat na hindi siya magpadaig sa desisyon ng mga nakakataas at bagkus ay ipaglaban kung ano ang nararapat.

Kaya naman sa darating na halalan, alalahanin na may utak kayo at gamitin niyo ito ng wasto.

Darating na ang ating eleksyon, at bagkus na pakialaman natin ang Amerika sa kanilang pangangantiyaw kay Donald Trump, pakialaman natin ang sarili nating eleksyon at maging matalino tayong botante.

If they can’t preserve their party’s ideology, how can we be assure they will preserve our calls for the advancement of our rights?

Blues and a blindfold for the Reds.

If to be based on their recent actions, SAMASA is losing their grounds, their belief. The fiesty leadership we all expect from the oldest and militant-inclined party has become a soft-voiced leaders, one of tatak KMP. The result? both parties have same platforms and same style of leadership. It was like we are only

Pinangarap mo amayan. Pero ba’ng lumaya? ano’ng aktwal

I b a ’ t Ang masa ang tagapaglikha na nangyayari? ng kasaysayan. iba ang konWalang sarili’t septo ng tao sa Tayo ang magtatakda ng permanenteng salitang “pangtirahan ang kaating kalayaan. arap”. Karamilakhan sa atin, han sa mga tao mataas ang ay sa mga mapresyo ng mga teryal na bagay nakatuon ang mga bilihin, tubig at kuryente. Patupangarap. Iyong tipong ayos lang loy ang pagbaba ng government na barung-barong ang tahanan subsidy sa mga SUC’s na nagtubasta may flat screen TV! Marami tulak upang magtaas ng matrikula ang naghahangad na magkaroon ang mga pamantasan. Ang lahat ng limpak-limpak na pera upang ay may nakakabit na presyo. Ang ipanggastos sa taas ng presyo ng bawat batayang serbisyo ay pinagmga serbisyo at bilihin. Naka- kakakitaan. kalungkot isipin na umiikot ang Masarap maghangad na pangarap ng karamihan sa karang- lumaya sa kahirapan. Ang sarap yaan at kayamanan. Naisip mo na sa pakiramdam na lumaya sa ba na hindi naman talaga natin korapsyon, kawalang hustisya at kailangan ng pera upang mabu- pang-aalipin. Masarap mabuhay hay? ngayng walang takot at pangam Namulat kasi tayo Nam- ba. Iyong hindi na tayo mag-aaulat kasi tayo na salapi ang susi lala kung may makakain ba ang upang mabuhay nang matiwasay. pamilya natin bukas—kung paano Kung sabagay, paano nga naman pagkakasyahin ang kakarampot tayo kakain kung ‘di tayo bibili nating kinikita. Iyong tipong iing makakain? Paano tayo maka- sipin mo na lang kung paano pakapag-aral kung wala tayong nanatilihin o pauunlarin ang kung pambayad ng matrikula? Paano anumang mayroon ka. Ang sarap tayo magkakaroon ng matiwasay maging malaya. na pamumuhay kung mananatili Ang masa ang tagapagtayong alipin ng kahirapan? Kaya likha ng kasaysayan. Tayo ang ganito tayo ngay on-- nag-aaral ng magtatakda ng ating kalayaan. Tumabuti tapos maghahanap ng ma- lad ng pagsasaing sa bigas upang gandang trabaho upang kumita ng maging kanin, kailangan nating kumita ng pera. kumilos upang palayain ang ating

Ang tunay na kailangan mga sarili. Kalayaan at tagumpay lang naman natin ay lupang tira- na makakamit sa sama-samang han, maayosat libreng batayang pagkilos. Kailan ka kikilos? serbisyo, libre atde-kalidad na Kailan nga ba tunay tayedukasyon, at matatagna kabu- ong lalaya? Bukas? Ilang bukas pa? hayan. Samakatuwid, mga “basic Sabi nga ni Heneral Luna, “Kung necessities”. Kung tutuusin ang ang maghangad ng kalayaan ay mga kabilang sa basic necessities isang panaginip, managinip tayo ay dapat na libreng ipinagkaka- hanggang kamatayan”. loob ng pamahalaan sa mga mampicking who’s candidate has a better proposition on where to put a mirror or garbage bins in campus.

We are PUPians. It is our blood to be socially and politically aware. If the Reds has become a lighter Blue, what is the point of political parties, nonetheless, voting?

Both parties must revisit their ideologies, then, their members. The reason why we have parties is to duly represent an idea

from a group of people. If we have a ‘unifying’ belief, then just abolish the party system. It is useless, then.

We love that both parties are not as rowdy as there were before.

But, what is the price? Losing their beliefs that forms their collective action?

Truce is good, but only if our unified action is only to advance the student rights in campus. Are they?

COMMUNITY AND CULTURE September-October 2015

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PUPT once again hailed as one of the Top Performing Schools in the recent September 2015 Licensure Examination of Teachers (LET) for Secondary Level.

PUP-T garnered 87.37% which landed our alma matter at 6th place.

This is the highest place and the second time that our Bachelor in Secondary Education graduates place as one of the best performing schools in LET. The last time was 2013.

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Five schools participated in this year’s Clash of the Brains initiated by Association of Electrical Engineering Students-PUPT (AEcES-PUPT) last March 11 at PUPT. FEU-Institute of Technology (FEU-ITech), TUP-Manila, TUP-Taguig, RTU and DLSU participated in the event.

FEU ITech was declared team champion and Mark Eullysis Alzaga of the same school was the individual category champion.

REPLAY To celebrate The CHRONICLER’s 23 years of committed journalism, let’s look back to some qoutable qoutes from our feature articles in the past.

“Sana’y maisip natin na hindi porke sikat, may maidudulot nang maganda ang isang personalidad sa politika.”* -- Election 2013, Vol. 20 No.1, June-Ocober 2012 *author not cited

The CHRONICLER

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The CHRONICLER

PRESYO NG PWESTO

Panulat ni Kent Garcia | Dibuho ni Lanz Christian Buyao

Ang karera ng mga kandidato sa halalan ng ating bansa ay hindi na lamang nakasentro sa pagiging kilala o sikat.

Sa nagbabagong daloy ng kultura ng eleksyon, hindi lang ang track record at ang intelektuwal na galing at abilidad ng mga tumatakbo ang nagiging susi sa kanilang pagkapanalo. Nagiging basehan na rin ang lalim ng bulsa ng bawat isang naghahangad ng puwesto upang magtagumpay.

Bagama’t paniniwala ng karamihan na ang posisyon sa pamahalaan ay hindi mabibili ng salapi, ang lumalaking kahalagahan ng pera tuwing halalan ang unti-unting bumubura dito.

REALIDAD NG KAMPANYA

Hindi biro ang kalakaran ng kampanya.

Higit pa sa kasikatang taglay, isa na ring esensyal na dapat mayroon ang kandidatong tatakbo, mapa-nasyonal o lokal na posisyon, ay ang kanyang campaign war chest o pondong gagamitin sa pangangampanya. Palakihan ng pondo ang labanan. Ang may mas malaking halaga ay magkakaroon ng mas malawak at komprehensibo na makinarya, na hahantong sa mas malaking tsansa ng pagkapanalo sa halalan. Mahalaga ang pagkakaroon nito dahil lahat ng gastusin sa kampanya ay kukunin rito, mula sa mga materyal na pang-propaganda, tarpaulin posters, patalastas sa telebisyon at radio, hanggang sa mga personal na kailangan ng kandidato at pati na rin ang mga

maruruming taktika na posible nilang ihanda tulad ng black propaganda sa mga kalaban at pagbili ng mga boto.

Kahit umuusbong na ang pangangampanya gamit ang social media, hindi pa ito gaanong epektibo sapagkat malaking bahagdan pa rin ng populasyon ang wala o limitado ang access sa Internet. Higit pa rito, mas nakikilala pa rin ng normal na mamamayan ang mga tatakbo sa mga patalastas nito sa mass media kaya nangingibabaw pa rin ang pangangailangan ng malaking paggasta upang mas masuyod at masuyo ang malaking bahagdan ng mga botanteng Pilipino.

KAPIT SA PATALIM

Dahil sa realidad ng pangangailangan ng napalaking pera sa kampanya, iilang mga pulitiko lamang na galing sa mga mayayamang negosyante, asendero, at tradisyonal na pulitiko ang tumatakbo sa ating halalan. Kaya hindi nakapagtataka na paulit-ulit at magkakapareho lang ang mga mukha o ang apelyido ng mga kandidatong tumatakbo dahil sila lang ang may sapat na pera upang magkaroon ng makinarya sa kampanya.

Nahihirapan naman ang mga bagong-sabak o bagitong kandidato na makipagsabayan sa kampanya, lalo na kung wala o hindi sapat ang campaign war chest nila.

At sa ganitong kalagayan ay napipilitan sila na kumapit sa mga malalaking negosyante, panginoong maylupa, at maging sa mga dayuhang mamumuhunan, mas kilala bilang mga campaign financer, upang tulungang mapondohan ang kanilang kampanya.

Sa porma ng mga lobbyist o mga pulitikal na ahente ng mga financer, ay nilalapitan at inaalok nila ng suporta ang mga kandidato. Ngunit hindi ito tutulong nang walang kapalit. Ang kapalit ng pagsuporta nila: ang pagsusulong ng kandidato sa mga polisiyang pabor sa kanyang mga financer, kapag pinalad siyang manalo sa eleksyon at maupo sa puwesto.

UTANG NA LOOB

Madalas na ang kinalalabasan ng ganitong sitwasyon ay ang pagkakaroon ng isang pamahalaan na maaaring inihalal ng karamihan, ngunit pag-upo sa kasamaang-palad, ay pumapanig sa iilan. Nakakalimutan ang konsepto ng paglilingkod sa sambayanan at napapalitan ng pagyukod at pagyakap sa anumang gustuhin ng kanyang mga kamag-anak o financer dahil sa utang na loob nito sa kanila.

Isang halimbawa nito ay ang naging matagumpay na kampanya ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino III noong 2010 presidential elections. Maliban sa katotohanang galing siya sa pamilyang Cojuangco-Aquino na puno ng mga tradisyonal na pulitiko at asendero, malalaking negosyante rin ang pumondo sa kanya, tulad nina Henry Sy, Lucio Tan, Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala at Manny V. Pangilinan. Nakuha din niya ang suporta ng Estados Unidos na pangunahing imperyalistang bansang kaalyado ng Pilipinas. Ang malaking suporta na hatid ng mga ito ang naging susi sa kanya upang dominahin ang halalan, pagbilang pa lang ng unang balota.

Ngunit nang umupo na si Aquino, imbes na itaguyod niya ang interes ng mama-

mayang nagtiwala sa kanya, mga polisiya at batas na pabor sa mga kaibigan at financer niya sa kampanya ang kanyang inuna. Hindi mabilang ang mga neoliberal na programa na mas nagpahirap lang sa mga Pilipino at mas nagpayaman sa isang porsiyento na nasa tuktok ng lipunan na ipinatupad ng kanyang administrasyon, tulad ng lumawak na pribatisasyon at deregulasyon ng mga serbisyo publiko tulad ng MRT at LRT, kontraktwalisasyon sa paggawa, pagpapatupad ng K-12 program, pagtaas ng matrikula sa kolehiyo, at demolisyon ng mga pamayanan upang bigyang-daan ang mga proyekto ng mga malalaking kompanya.

PANININGIL NG TAUMBAYAN

Hindi na maitatanggi na hindi lang susi ang pera upang manalo sa halalan, kundi ginagamit na ring paraan ng mga nakatataas sa lipunan upang maitakda nila ang pagpabor ng mga susunod na pinuno ng ating bansa sa kanila. Nawawala ang esensya ng pagbabago na dinadala ng ating pagboto sa ginagawa nilang pagkontrol sa mga kandidato at sa diskurso ng kampanya.

Ang pagkakaroon ng mga mayayamang nagpapayuko at kandidatong handang yumuko sa kanila ang dahilan kung bakit sa kabila ng pagpapalit ng mga administrasyon, nananatili ang bulok na sistema ng lipunang Pilipino kung saan isang porsiyento lamang ang nakikinabang sa yamang nililikha ng siyamnapu’t siyam na porsiyento.

Nasa kamay natin ang susi upang putulin ang tanikalang ito na matagal nang hadlang sa pagkakaroon ng tunay, matapang, matalino at makabayang mga pinuno ng bansa.

Sa ating gagawing pagpili ngayong Mayo at mga susunod pang mga pagpili, itakda natin sa pamamagitan ng ating mga boto ang tuluyang pagkatalo ng mga kandidatong kontrolado ng mga nasa tuktok ng lipunan at idikta ang pagbabago sa ilalim ng pamahalaan na totoong magseserbisyo sa sambayanan, hindi sa iilan.