Tinig ng Plaridel Zine by Tinig ng Plaridel

INSIDE 4 5

Foreword No, the coronavirus pandemic is not the planet’s way of ‘healing’ itself by Cristina Chi

QC Task Force allegedly trespasses into Batasan Hills compound, harasses residents

Mañanita 13 Grand by Bernadette Morales

by Geraldine Santos

We are not going back to normal by Ingrid Delgado

Arboretum residents face displacement, trapped inside barriers

10 by Cristina Chi

Arboretum resident bears brunt of demolition efforts amid lockdown

Illegal mass arrest of volunteers mark Labor Day 2020

14 by Cristina Chi

11 by Cristina Chi 7 8

Nurses still not paid P30K salary despite 17-year-old law by Ingrid Delgado

12 by Jezreel Ines and Aya Mance

Brgy. UP Campus resident dies after delay in emergency response by Cristina Chi

PHOTO | ARA EUGENIO

Police place unofficial checkpoints hours before ‘Grand Mañanita’

PAGE DESIGN | JASON SIGALES

UP construction workers wail uneven aid from contractors

15 by Agatha Gregorio

The Juan That Got Away: A Deeper Look on The Young Lefty’s ‘Slump’

Kabuhayan ng mga manininda sa main library, apektado ng renobasyon

16 ni Jezreel Ines at Luisa Sandoval

UPD struggles to meet students’ rising mental health demands

17 by Geraldine Santos

DOST scholars decry late stipend due to Form 5 delay, ‘long process’

18 by Liana Apostol and Jan Cuyco

Nowhere to Go: UP athletes lament lack of facilities, dorm slots

19 by Jillian Velasco

44 by Jedd Pagaduan

Molde takes charge as UP lands first win in the books

45 by John Mark Garcia

First Quarter Storm

26 by Bernadette Morales

Rookies Gamban, Lomibao lift UP past Ateneo in men’s volley opener

Students decry Marcos entry in campus, security ‘lock in’ response

27 by Cristina Chi

by Jillian Velasco

Bernarda Alba: The Master of the House

28 by Joker Manio

UP Badminton Team drops semis games, ends quest for title bid

Dukot: Faith is a raised fist

29 by Yumi Paras

by Jillian Velasco

down democracy 32 Striking by Tinig ng Plaridel Editorial Board

Maroon Paddlers, Lady Paddlers struggle in UAAP S82 debut

34 #JunkTerrorBill by Bernadette Morales

On Point: Rebuilding UP Women’s Fencing Team Wins Amid the Climb

by Carlos Laderas

47 by Andrew Mencias

Police take control of civilian vehicle during Pride protest by Cristina Chi

#UPFight: Iskos and Iskas don their Maroon pride in the 2019 SEA Games

48 by Sophia Lopez

50 UAAP 82 Recap 52 Athletes

Freedom Protest 20 Academic by Jaycen Agliway, Czarina Brozo ROTC Protest by Josh Avengoza, Bernadette Morales

Militarization Protest 22 Campus by Tatti Hermoso

Lack of funding after free tuition law paralyzes student publications

54 by Ingrid Delgado and Sofia Abrogar

Beauty at the Edges

36 by Agatha Gregorio

‘Flaw-ridden’ Campus Journalism Act burdens high school journos

Lumad Protest by Jaycen Agliway

jins strike bronze again in Poomsae 46 Maroon by Andrew Mencias

Pride 2019 38 UP by Deina Blancaflor, Jazrene Gonzales, Aya Mance

56 by Rhenzel Raymond Caling

Pride 2019 by Khim Raymundo

Pesquera on ending UPWBT’s 38-game losing streak

40 by Jillian Velasco SCHOOLS: A Battleground Between Safety and Danger for Women

23 by Alison Cruz

Bill penalizing campus press freedom violations refiled

It’s Over: UP’s #Atin82 ends on a semis exit

57 by Rhenzel Raymond Caling

41 by Andrew Mencias

Month 23 Women’s by Jazrene Gonzales Remembering the Fallen 58: The Continuous Struggle to Defend Press Freedom

58 by Luisa Sandoval

The Kingmaker: The harrowing documentary that shouldn’t even exist

24 by Bernadette Morales

Principal accused found guilty in Ampatuan massacre case

ML Commemoration

Eugenio, Sofia Abrogar, Jonathan Magsino, 25 byQuinAraAstillas, Bernadette Morales

59 by Hiraya Mance and Luisa Sandoval

UP Pep Squad misses podium for three straight years

40 by Jillian Velasco, Cristina Chi

PH journalists wade in ‘uncharted waters’ as COVID-19 shakes the country

60 by Cristina Chi and Jan Cuyco

of triumph for record-breaking UP VST 40 Pool by Andrew Mencias

61 #NoToABSCBNShutdown by Josh Avengoza

Not Kobe 42 I’m by Andrew Mencias Noah’s Arc: Undergod-turned-captain Noah Webb is UP’s glue guy

43 by Jillian Velasco and Cvristina Chi

PHOTO | ARA EUGENIO PAGE DESIGN | JASON SIGALES

TINIG NG PLARIDEL The Official Student Publication of the UP College of Mass Communication

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jefferson Losito

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Blanch Marie Ancla

MANAGING EDITOR Khim Joshua Raymundo

NEWS EDITOR Cristina Chi

FEATURES EDITOR Audrey Kho

SPORTS EDITOR Jillian Velasco

CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Jonathan David Magsino

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Geraldine Pearl Santos

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YEAR 41 ISSUE NO. 1

JUNE 2019 - JULY 2020

OPINION

BEYOND THE BUBBLE ART | ALY LAMPANO

THE PLANET IS NOT ‘HEALING’ ITSELF

“Remember: the only thing this planet needs to heal from is the current capitalist system. Any perceived environmental improvements during this pandemic is a result of its disruption.”

OPINION

p.5

NEWS

Nurses still not paid P70K despite 17-year-old law

“Our country produces the best nurses in the world, but the Philippines refuses to provide a conducive work environment for our nurses to stay and serve the country instead,” NEWS

p.7

EDITORIAL

Striking down democracy

“Everyone must call into question warantless arrests no matter whom it happens to and to thoroughly probe the ever-changing definition of “terrorists” under this administration.” EDITORIAL

p.34

tinigngplaridel.net

tinigngplaridel

DESIGN | FRANCHESCA TUAZON

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measures and quarantine protocols fall short of stringency, our vulnerability to the virus reaches its peak. With the lack of any proper medical response to the pandemic, we swim in a sea of deaths with waves rising like the curve we

only one half of the picture. We must hold our government accountable for their incompetence and inability to respond appropriately to the pleas of their constituents.

GRAPHICS EDITOR Renz Joshua Palalimpa PAGE DESIGNER Renz Joshua Palalimpa

NEWS WRITERS Ingrid Delgado

Rhenzel Raymond Mon Caling Caling

Jan Cuyco Sofia Abrogar Liana Apostol Jezreel Ines Luisa Sandoval Jewel Desipeda Hiraya Mance Agatha Gregorio

FEATURE WRITERS

Yumi Paras Sophia Angelica Lopez Jedd Pagaduan Mary Maragarette Crisostomo Angel Dale Marie Yabut Alison Caitlin Cruz

SPORTS WRITERS

Andrew Mencias Carlos Laderas John Mark Garcia Sophia Angelica Lopez

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jaycen Agliway Czarina Brozo Bernadette Anne Morales Ara Eugenio Quin Astilla Tatti Hermoso Jazrene Gonzales Josh Avengoza

GRAPHIC GRAPHIC ARTISTS ARTIST Alyka Lampano Alyka Lampano Francesca Tuazon

PAGE DESIGNERS Jason Sigales Alex Sambo

SystemwideAlliance Allianceof UPUP Systemwide of Student Publications Student Publications and Writers’ and Writers’ Organizations Organizations (Solidaridad) (SOLIDARIDAD) College Editors College EditorsGuild Guildofofthe the Philippines(CEGP) (CEGP) Philippines

OPINION

Remember: the only thing this planet needs to heal from is the current capitalist system. Any perceived environmental improvements during this pandemic is a result of its disruption.

In the event that humans would vanish from Earth, many imagine this would heal the planet. It is an intriguing thought, especially now when many people worldwide stay indoors to steer clear of the new coronavirus disease or COVID-19. In our country, people contend with a Luzon-wide lockdown that has rendered dailywage earners unable to feed their families and homeless people arrested for being homeless. Staying ‘indoors,’ in this case, is mere precaution for the rich and a punishment for the poor. But on social media, people staying indoors has been lauded as a blessing in disguise for the environment. Viral photos of the Venice canal waters have caught international attention for what is apparently a rare occurrence – the popular tourist attraction’s waters have allegedly become clearer thanks to the drop in visitor numbers. In reality, the clearer waters are merely due to decreased boat activity, leaving sediments to stay at the bottom. Yet the feel-good picture perfect photos of a cleaner Venice have led others to point out the ‘bright side’ of the pandemic. At a time when more than 200,000 people worldwide have been infected by COVID-19 (as of posting), some have asked: Maybe this is the planet’s way of healing itself. It is not. It’s true carbon emissions have been plummeting worldwide because of how the new coronavirus pandemic has put a pause on almost all human activities. This is temporary. Companies and industries that have skidded to a halt will soon fire its engines back to normal after the outbreak slows down. Roads in Metro Manila that are eerily empty today will soon be clogged again with

vehicles, adding again to the air pollution that kills commuters in the long run. This temporary respite from pollution does not mean the pandemic is a blessing in disguise. It’s irresponsible to believe there are environmental benefits to a pandemic that has caused major social upheavals, resulting in the deaths of many. As pollution levels all over the world drop amid several lockdowns, it’s important to realize that humans and our daily activities are not the problem. The bulk of the world’s most pressing environmental problems come from the capitalist system which encourages the exploitation of both human and natural resources. It is a system that enables mass production and consumption without regard for sustainability.

Not an individual problem To suggest uprooting people from their ordinary lives is the only way to deal with the climate crisis is to pursue something close to fascism. ‘Cleansing’ the planet of vast numbers of people achieves absolutely nothing, when more than one-third of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide come from only 20 companies. Blaming the environmental crisis on the general populace and imagining their disappearance as the solution takes away these companies’ accountability.

If we truly want to imagine a better world, we have to start by imagining we can replace the current system that, for so long, has enabled the exploitative few to destroy our planet and blame it on the majority. Such is the case in the Philippines, where the working class and the farmers make up for the majority of the population. They are those who suffer most from the current community quarantine in Luzon. To ‘imagine’ a world without them is impossible — we cannot live without them — as they are the ones we turn to for food security. Yet it is also them who will suffer the worst effects of climate change. Their livelihood depends on their crops and livestock, but without the support of climatesmart technologies or assistance from the government, even they will be forced to give up farming completely. When actress Iza Calzado commented on Lea Salonga’s Instagram photo that she agreed that the coronavirus was the “Universe’s way of making the planet a better place,” she had ignored the thousands of families left vulnerable to the virus because they had no home. When travel host Drew Arellano said that COVID-19 was the “cure” and that we were the “virus,” his pseudo-philosophical take had ignored that for some families, the virus has literally taken their loved one’s life because a

vaccine is still in the works. It is classist to believe a pandemic that continues to threaten society’s most vulnerable has any good side effects act all. For those without the privilege to protect themselves with a fullystocked refrigerator or money that can tide them over the next month, this pandemic has cost them endless anxiety about where to find their next meal, or who to turn to for help. If a climate crisis happens, it is the powerful who have the means to comfortably sit at home and pay their way out of starvation. They have the means to get access to limited resources first, the same way today’s celebrities and politicians can immediately get themselves tested even before the rest of the general populace. Their privileged position affords them an ignorant, elitist viewpoint of the world that ignores how all of us have to fight tooth and nail just to get this government to protect us. Climate crisis If anything, this pandemic has only highlighted how unprepared we are for natural disasters. The Philippine government’s inability to handle a crisis stems from its longheld tradition of ignoring experts, slashing the budget for health and science, and foolishly implementing blanket policies which ignore onground effects. And for the Philippines, this

THE PLANET IS NOT

“HEALING” ITSELF by CRISTINA CHI

7.3m

NUMBER OF JOBS LOST DUE TO COVID-19 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

17.7% APRIL 2020

5.1% 5.3% APRIL2019

JANUARY 2020

SOURCE: PHILIPPINE STATISTICS SOURCE: Philippine StatisticsAUTHORITY Authority

means trouble: as one of the countries most vulnerable to the climate crisis, we can expect more natural disasters to take place in the future. People will once again suffer not just from calamities, but also policies that ignore the majority of Filipinos’ access to resources and socio-economic realities. A government that lauds frontline workers as “heroes” during a press conference but leaves them to fend for themselves with lack of institutional support is not a government which can protect us from the worst effects of climate change. It should not take a pandemic for the government to realize that we are facing a climate emergency whose future effects will mirror the situation we have now. The Duterte administration, and all those who will follow, must center policies on climate urgency from the national to the local level. Among others, it must punish and hold accountable harmful industries, such as mining companies, for polluting our waters and destroying our rich biodiversity. As much as we want to believe the planet is healing itself right now with less people outside, it’s only through long-term policies and solutions that we can ensure the protection of the environment. Remember: the only thing this planet needs to heal from is the current capitalist system. Any perceived environmental improvements during this pandemic is a result of its disruption. If we want to change the system for good, we must go beyond imagining and do the radical act of looking out for each other.

GRAPHICS | RENZ PALALIMPA

TINIG NG PLARIDEL

OPINION

WE ARE NOT GOING BACK TO NORMAL by INGRID DELGADO In the middle of a crisis once unimaginable, going back to normal may be the only thing we ask for. Only this time, normal is not where we are headed, nor where we should be. As the COVID-19 pandemic put the world on halt, people stuck at home are beginning to feel the strains of isolation. With long days merely stretching into even longer weeks, plans for ‘when this is all over’ are already picking up steam. Many are gripping with anticipation to the day we finally return to our everyday routine. Experts all over the world have turned to history, science and statistics in an attempt to foresee the end of the pandemic. However, all answers point to a long-haul battle against the disease until a vaccine or a cure is found, which could be months or even years away. ‘Normal’ is a comforting thought when you’re living through a historical event, but it would be wrong to assume we could easily slip back to the way things were. If there is any consolation, the crisis will not last forever. The pandemic will end, but it will be marking its place in history, exposing the faults of the system that has been wrecking the world for so long. We have to ask ourselves: what normal are we trying to go back to? It certainly should not be the one where our nurses have to

8.6K 962

PEOPLE KILLED FROM THE DRUG WAR1

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION COMPLAINTS RECEIVED BY THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS SINCE QUARANTINE2

SOURCES: 1UNITED NVATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, 2COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE

GRAPHIC | RENZ PALALIMPA

wait 17 years just to get proper compensation. Nor should it be the one where we have sitting senators undermining the importance of research, nor where the daily-wage workers we deem essential in these trying times are bereft of laws to protect them. If this pandemic allows us some merit, it is that even in the face of the world’s greatest crisis, our government’s prevailing faults managed to be even more prevalent. Systemic faults During the month-long lockdown, people were quick to flock the internet and build communities online. Whether to join in collective rage for a senator breaching protocol or calling out influencers on their privilege, it became apparent the interruption in normalcy has forced many of us to face the ugly truths that have long been entrenched in our social system. The Philippine government managed to raise more questions than answers, and expose more of its flaws than offer urgent solutions. When the issue of VIP testing surfaced online, it painted a clear picture of how far politicians and people with power are willing to exploit their privilege. Senators getting expedited testing while a number of ordinary citizens died without even knowing their results revealed the faults of a system that has coddled the powerful with luxurious lives. Holding a position in public service has made them feel entitled to special treatment even at the expense of the constituents they have sworn to protect. For an administration fixated on harsh military intervention to punish rulebreakers, the delayed charges against COVID-positive senator Koko Pimentel for violating quarantine protocol reminds us impunity is alive and thriving in the country. While ordinary citizens are getting arrested daily f o r

violating the guidelines of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), Pimentel gets the benefit of ‘compassion.’ It sent a clear message that due process in this country is only for those who can afford it. When the ECQ was set into motion, the government paid little attention to its social repercussions, resulting in its early failure. The government demanded people simply follow despite the lack of social safety nets for daily wage earners, informal sectors and even frontline workers. Policies like the abrupt suspension of mass transportation for essential workers, the lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) for health workers and the painstakingly long red tapes between the local and national government exposed how sorely detached our government is from the reality of the very people they are mandated to lead. Their lack of foresight in dealing with the situation has made people even more vulnerable to the disease, defeating the purpose of ECQ in the first place. If anything, this tells us when policies are made without consideration to the marginalized and most vulnerable, everyone loses. The ‘new’ normal W h i l e marginalized sectors take the hardest blow during this crisis, we, as collective witnesses to history, carry the responsibility to remember. We must seek accountability for all the unnecessary deaths an incompetent government and a faulty system have caused. Should we ever celebrate normal again, we must remember the many people who would not. There should be no forgetting that lives were cut short —not only by the virus — but by poor

governance that has prospered even before this pandemic. The way the pandemic plays out in the country affirms the importance of social clamor and participatory politics if we are to demand the best from our government in the direst of times. After all, recent events have shown that the government still values public opinion, like when Health Secretary Francisco Duque retracted a publicized order to replace the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) director after the VIP testing issue was exposed online. The Department of Health (DOH) was also compelled to apologize after facing backlash for offering P500 to volunteer health professionals. This crisis also serves as a call to practice educated voting and engage in voter education. The actions, or lack thereof, of our elected officials in this time of crisis must serve as an indicator of their capability and commitment to the positions they are vying for. If there is one thing this crisis must leave with us, it is the importance of empathy. We must not let ourselves be desensitized from the plights of our countrymen. Should there be a new normal, it should be one that champions and protects our laborers and the ordinary Filipino. Lest we forget, in dire times when everyone is at their most vulnerable, it is the ordinary Filipino who stepped in to fill the gaps left by the government. And so there should be nothing normal after this crisis. To simply go back to the ‘normal’ we are accustomed to would be a deliberate ignorance to the very problems that led us here in the first place, especially when the sickening faults of our corrupt system have already been unmasked.

Should there be a new normal, it should be one that champions and protects our laborers and the ordinary Filipino.

NEWS

#SG15NOW

Nurses still not paid P70K 2 despite 17-year-old law by INGRID DELGADO After nine years of donning a nurse’s cap, Sarah Daño has seen it all. She used to handle 17 patients at once as a nurse trainee in a poorly-funded public hospital. She had to change diapers, wipe bums, and wash the clothes of her elderly patients when she shifted to private duty. She took jobs as a volunteer nurse, a school nurse and a dialysis nurse, each falling short in either pay or her professional growth. Daño also worked for the Department of Health (DOH) where she was paid a decent salary, but eventually had to resign after the Dengvaxia issue put her license at risk. As one of the nurses assigned to inject the vaccine, she wanted to limit her involvement with the institution in case the vaccine would prove illegal. For her, being a nurse in her own country had lost its luster, and the only thing left to do is to fulfill what she calls “every nurse’s dream” — that is, to leave the country. “Umasa ako nang malala doon

“Our country produces the best nurses in the world, but the Philippines refuses to provide a conducive work environment for our nurses to stay and serve the country instead,”

Sarah Daño Nurse

sa DOH kasi it’s one of the most exciting work plus good pay. I was shaping my future with that work, but God destroyed my plans. Siguro nga gusto niya ako mag-abroad. Kaya tuloy ngayon gustong-gusto ko nang umalis ng bansa,” she said. Daño put off migrating because she didn’t want to leave her family behind. However, an overseas job offered her twice her current salary with better benefits and superior working conditions. Saying no could not be more difficult. She is only one of the many nurses who find themselves at the crossroads of a profession that was once one of the country’s most in-demand jobs. As of 2016, the number of registered nurses in the country has depleted to less than a million, putting the nurse-to-patient ratio at up to an estimated 1:60, Ang Nars Party-list representative Leah Paquiz said. This is a far cry from DOH’s recommended ratio of 1:12 and even farther from neighboring ASEAN countries’ 1:4, Filipino Nurses United representative Maris Abenojar said. “Hindi ganoon kadali ‘yun eh. Kinukulang talaga sa taong mag-aalaga. Imagine-in mo ‘yung magpapainom ka ng gamot sa 40 o 50 [patients]. Sa National Center for Mental Health, ang ating mga nurse doon minsan 200, 250 patients ang isa,” Abenojar added. Burnout from understaffing Both public and private nurses in the Philippines borderline on severe stress due to understaffing and work overload. This has led to cases where lone school nurses like Myra Almario would have to look after more than 200 children and juggle administrative tasks, while taking care of her own health at the same time. With overlapping tasks at hand, she says stress inevitably takes a toll on her own well-being with only the students’ affection as her reward.

NURSING GROUPS LED a Day of Unity protest on November 8 to demand the immediate implementation of SG15 for nurses. Protestors marched to Liwasang Bonifacio wearing black armbands and button pins bearing the words “SG-15 now.”

“From all the workload, hindi ko minsan namamalayan [na] bumibigay rin yung katawan ko kasi sabay-sabay [yung trabaho] eh,” she said. According to the Philippine Heart Center, nurses subconsciously absorb negative energy when interacting with patients. This leads them to experiencing secondhand traumatic stress and eventually, burnout. A study shows that in UP Manila’s Philippine General Hospital (PGH) which sees 647,000 patients annually, almost half of the nurses report sick due to headaches, coughs and colds, back pain, leg cramps, and sleep disturbances. For Alexia Victoria, a BS Nursing graduate from UP, training under one of the busiest hospitals in the Philippines is an “abundant learning opportunity.” However, this implies a much darker reality. “Due to the increased workload of the actual nurses, they would be more than happy to delegate tasks to us,” says Victoria, “but once the student nurses are no longer around, the situation turns into an environment that is prone to unsafe clinical practice such as the wide nurse-to-patient ratio for the regular workers.” A 17-year fight coming to an end Since the Philippine Nursing Act (RA 9173) was passed in 2002, nursing groups have remained steadfast in lobbying for what is rightfully – and legally – theirs. The law states that government nurses are entitled to an entry-level Salary Grade (SG) 15 amounting

to P30,000. However, the salary mandate was never implemented due to a provision in the same law stating that the SG may be adjusted according to the financial capability of local government units (LGU). “During the first year, nagkocope na, magkakaroon na ng pagbabago yung sweldo ng mga nurses, tataas. Pero the following year hindi pa rin tumaas kasi unfunded daw,” Abenojar said. To add insult to injury, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Executive Order (EO) 811 in 2009 mandating that entry-level salary for nurses should only be at SG 11 or at most P20,754 – almost P10,000 less than what the law requires. There were attempts to amend the law and fix funding loopholes, but these were vetoed by thenpresident Benigno Aquino III after private and public hospital associations lobbied against the additional expense. However, the efforts of nursing groups are beginning to see fruition after years of lobbying. In December 2019, a new Salary Standardization Law (SSL) which sets the entrylevel pay of government nurses, including contractual and part-time workers, to P32,053 was approved on its second reading in Congress. This was after the Supreme Court favored Ang Nars party-list’s petition to acknowledge the provisions of RA 9173 in October. All eyes are now on President Duterte as the bill awaits its final approval. Once signed, the salary increase is expected to take effect as soon as January 2020.

Raise long overdue While the latest ruling is a monumental victory for nurses around the country, it is not the last of their hurdles. With private nurses excluded from the impending salary increase, nursing groups continue to lobby for just wages and humane labor practices, especially in the private sector. “Dapat pantay-pantay yan kasi pare-pareho naman ng ginagawa, pare-pareho din yung risk involved in taking care of our patients” said Bethel Villarta, a retired professor at the UP College of Nursing. However, Abenojar notes that legislators are taking great interest in improving the working conditions of privatelyemployed nurses. The Makabayan bloc in October 2019 filed The Magna Carta for Private Nurses (House Bill 5184) to bridge the disparity between the prescribed wage for public and private health workers. The bill also seeks to improve working conditions and protect the rights of private health workers. Kenny*, a nurse of three years in a private institution, only earns P16,000-P18,000 a month. The most he can take home is P20,000, but only after he works overtime for 24 hours. Despite continuous efforts to raise their wages, nurses like Kenny do not think a mere pay increase is enough to make them stay in the country, especially when job offers abroad offer more money for significantly less work. “Kahit taasan nila ang sahod namin, which is still low compared sa salary na nari-receive ng mga nurses abroad, hindi pa din fair yung nurse-patient ratio,” he said. According to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), the top destinations for registered Filipino emigrants in healthcare are the United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan consecutively. “Our country produces the best nurses in the world, but the Philippines refuses to provide a conducive work environment for our nurses to stay and serve the country instead,” she said. The new salary legislation is a welcome development in the country’s healthcare system. However, for nurses like Victoria, Daño, and Kenny, staying in the country merits more than receiving just wage. With prevailing concerns over their safety and workload, nurses have a long way to go, especially when their victories are few and far in between.

SOURCES: Philippine Overseas Employment Association (1) , Philippine Statistics Authority (2), Commission on Filipinos Overseas (3)

The name of the interviewee* has been changed at his request.

PHOTO | INGRID DELGADO INFOGRAPHIC | GERALDINE SANTOS, RENZ PALALIMPA

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Brgy. UP Campus resident dies after delay in emergency response by CRISTINA CHI A Barangay UP Campus resident suffering from a heart attack was pronounced dead April 8, after footage showed a delay in emergency response. Residents in the area reported calling the barangay coordinator who allegedly said an ambulance

“Walang lumalapit sa amin kasi akala nila ‘yung dinala naming pasyente may COVID-19… Kami na mismo naglagay sa kanya doon sa ambulance para maitakbo na sa ospital,”

MJ Smith

Brgy. UP Campus Resident

was waiting at the basketball court. “Pagdating sa court, wala doong ambulance... Pagdating sa barangay, sinabing kumakain pa daw po at walang driver,” said MJ Smith, the resident’s brother-in-law. After 30 minutes, family relatives went directly to the barangay to ask for help where they reported experiencing discrimination due to fears of the patient possibly contracting COVID-19. “Walang lumalapit sa amin kasi akala nila ‘yung dinala naming pasyente may COVID-19… Kami na mismo naglagay sa kanya doon sa ambulance para maitakbo na sa ospital,” Smith said. Barangay Kagawad Carlos Francisco, who personally knows the 32 year-old patient with the heart disease, said miscommunication over the patient’s information occured, which led to some delays. “[Sinabihan ko] ‘yung tumawag sa radyo, pakiclear mo kung buhay ba o patay na ‘yung tao. Na-clear out na buhay,” he recounted. Francisco said only one onduty official knew how to respond to medical emergencies. Before they went to the hospital, he instructed the ambulance driver to disinfect the ambulance and place a plastic barrier as a safety precaution. Francisco added due to panic

QC Task Force allegedly trespasses into Batasan Hills compound, harasses residents by CRISTINA CHI Residents in a Barangay Batasan Hills compound had their compound trespassed allegedly by a “Task Force” from the Quezon City hall on March 27. According to resident Diamond

Kalaw, uniformed men were heard outside their compound at around 11 AM. “Biglang gulat namin na biglang huminto ang mga Task Force sa tapat namin. May sumigaw na ‘Pasukan niyo na ‘yan, tapos hulihin niyo lahat ng tao diyan’,” Kalaw recounted. Members of the Task Force tried to forcefully arrest four residents, who were only doing chores near the door of their house.

from residents, two other barangay officials who were not wearing PPE went with the patient. They have since been placed under quarantine. “’Yung dalawang ‘di naka-suit ngayon ‘yung ika-quarantine. ‘Yun kasi ‘yung hindi siguro alam nung mga residente na hindi ganoon kadali ang pagresponde sa mga pasyente ngayon… Doon kami medyo nahihirapan, kasi gusto nila, pag itinawag, agad-agad [darating], pero itatanong sa desk officer kung anong oras ba talaga tumawag,” he said. Smith said they waited over an hour for an ambulance to take the patient to Quirino Memorial Medical Center. Francisco appealed for understanding as only four barangay officials are currently working. Barangay officials said that they will meet with the patient’s family on April 8. No such meeting has taken place.

Watch and read about this story on Tinig ng Plaridel’s Facebook page.

With only wood to use as fuel for cooking, Kalaw insisted to the personnel that cooking inside would cause fires. The uniformed men also verbally challenged some residents to engage in a fistfight, according to Kalaw. “Lalo na yung anak ko na bunso ‘yung nakasagot kanina, ‘yun ‘yung pinag-iinitan kasi sumagot, Sinasabi niya ang kanyang mga karapatan na bakit niyo kami huhulihin? Ano violation namin? Trespassing kayo. May harang yung compound namin, giniba niyo,” she said. Yet, the incident in Barangay Batasan is not an isolated case. On March 26, a Manila Police District (MPD) station commander was recorded to have threatened and cursed residents going outside Golden Mosque, despite having quarantine passes. There are also several incidents of human rights violations posted on social media, where a barangay official in Sta. Cruz, Manila was recorded slapping a resident, and another in Naic, Cavite who made a

curfew violator lie in a coffin. Human rights lawyer Antonio La Viña said in a text message that these incidents are an “abuse of power.” “Nobody can barge into a compound, force anyone into a coffin, or shout and curse at people. Quarantine is not an excuse for violating rights or the law,” La Viña added. With urban poor communities lacking space to observe social distancing and with frequent human rights abuses, the poor remain neglected and abused amid the quarantine. “Kaming mga mahihirap ang laging pinag-iinitan sa kahit anong pamamaraan. Bakit ‘yung mga may tungkulin na lumalabag sa batas ay di nila kayang damputin,” Kalaw said. Watch and read about this story on Tinig ng Plaridel’s Facebook page.

“Kaming mga mahihirap ang laging pinag-iinitan sa kahit anong pamamaraan. Bakit ‘yung mga may tungkulin na lumalabag sa batas ay di nila kayang damputin,”

Diamond Kalaw

Brgy. Batasan Hills resident

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VARIOUS SECTORAL GROUPS mobilized yesterday at UP Diliman, condemning the passage of the AntiTerror Law amidst the worsening coronavirus pandemic. The controversial act’s overly broad and vague definitions of ‘terrorism’ are feared to include expressions of dissent against the government and other freedoms of speech. The law also legalizes wiretapping, government surveillance of ‘suspected terrorists’, and warrantless arrest and detainment of up to 24 days.

SENATE VOTES FOR ANTI-TERROR LAW

19 2

VOTED YES

VOTED NO

Lumad among Anti-Terror Lumad mobilize against Law indignation protesters Anti-Terror sumn headlineLaw eme by MON CALING Lumad marched along with sectoral groups in today’s indignation protest at UP Diliman with calls to junk the newly enacted Anti-Terror Law. President Duterte signed the Anti-Terrorism Act yesterday despite strong opposition, giving greater powers to authorities to act against suspected terrorists. Before Duterte signed the law, Mindanaoan lawmakers with firsthand experience in dealing with terror attacks denounced the proposed measure, saying it would only incite more violence against the Lumad and Moro

communities. “Kaming mga Moro at Lumad ang madalas na unang biktima ng tunay na terorismo… At sa pagpapatupad ng batas na ito, naniniwala kami na madadagdagan lang nito ang pagpapahirap at pang-aabuso sa katulad naming nahuhusgahan na mga terorista,” Anak Mindanao Rep. Amihilda Sangcopan said in her speech during the bill’s final reading. The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) earlier passed a resolution urging the president to veto the bill, noting it could lead to intensified discrimination and human rights violations against the Moro people, who suffered a long history of injustice and oppression in their struggle for greater autonomy.

The government’s counterinsurgency efforts have redtagged Lumad communities even before the Anti-Terror Law. The Department of Education (DepEd) ordered this year to shut down the Community Technical College of Southeastern Mindanao, the last Lumad school in Davao de Oro, over “regulatory violations and compliance issues.” The order came months after the provincial government accused the school of being a “training ground for rebels” and pressured parents to pull out their children, school officials reported. Lumad killings worsened following the 2017 declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao which caused many to flee their homes to escape state-sanctioned harassment.

“Extrajudicial killings, torture, abitrary unlawful arrest, judicial harrassment, at iba’t iba pang forms of harrassment--lahat po ‘yan ang normal o bahagi ng normal na pinanggalingan natin. At ‘yan ang normal na nagpapatuloy ngayon.” The Anti-Terrorism Act will take effect 15 days after its publication, marking the start of a legalized reign of terror.

Watch and read about this story on Tinig ng Plaridel’s Facebook page.

“Kaming mga Moro at Lumad ang madalas na unang biktima ng tunay na terorismo… At sa pagpapatupad ng batas na ito, naniniwala kami na madadagdagan lang nito ang pagpapahirap at pang-aabuso sa katulad naming nahuhusgahan na mga terorista,”

Amihilda Sangcopan

Anak Mindanao Representative

PHOTOS | BERNADETTE MORALES, ARA EUGENIO, SOFIA ABROGAR

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Arboretum residents face displacement, trapped inside barriers by CRISTINA CHI

must not be subject to “any invasive development or other activities that will undermine its environmental integrity.” Aside from being designated a PPZ, the Arboretum has also been named a Protected Forest Area in the 2012 Land Use Plan of UP Diliman. This mandates the forest ”…shall remain untouched and protected in accordance with law.” It can only be used for academic purposes with little to no negative intervention. Home to a number of tree species, most trees in Arboretum are short-lived and exotic. Today, long meters of cyclone wire stand out like a sore thumb amid the lush greenery. This is the daily bane of Pook Arboretum residents trapped inside, who are forced to crawl under the 2-feet

Residents of the University of the Philippines (UP)’ Arboretum, Quezon City’s remaining rainforest, are threatened with displacement as officials sent a notice December 2018 of the planned construction of Diliman’s Philippine General Hospital (PGH).

UP officials erected cyclone wire barriers January 2019 that cut through the middle of the 22-hectare forest. Trees were uprooted in the area UP certified as a Priority Protection Zone (PPZ) in 2003. The Arboretum, which makes up 4.46 percent of UP’s entire land,

REMEDIOS REYES has lived in Pook Arboretum since 2008. She sells various products for a living and has struggled with their day-to-day since the barrier was built.

A CONTRACTUAL WORKER constructs the barrier while guards roam in the vicinity.

PHOTO | JAZRENE GONZALES

LEOCADIO ALASAAS is a 79-year-old former gardener who is one of the oldest residents in Pook Arboretum. He is among the four families who first lived in the forest. gap between the fence and the soil to get to and from their houses. In the name of an advanced medical facility in Diliman, the forest is slowly being stripped off of trees that have been there since 1948, and its people are going, too. Residents at risk One of the oldest residents of Pook Arboretum is Leocadio Alasaas, 79, who has been living there since 1967. A former gardener, his knees now shake as he gets up and inspects the cage a few steps away from his house. Along with the other houses in the area, his house has been enclosed inside a cyclone wire barrier. Rolando Bantegui, one of the nearby residents, recalled having to negotiate with authorities in leaving one part of the barrier open so senior citizens like Alasaas can still leave. “Dapat iconsider yung karapatang pantao, secure yung kaligtasan ng mamamayan, hindi yung basta babakuran lang. Kasi ano ba to, kinulong mo na yung tao eh,” said Bantegui. But some residents have it harder. On the other side of the forest, the barrier has been erected completely with no openings. It left residents like Remedios Reyes, who has been living in the area for 11 years, with no choice but to dig the soil under. Reyes, a mother of six, said her son, a Grade 10 student at a nearby high school, crawls under the barrier every day to get to school. His uniform would get soiled when it rains and the land becomes muddy. They have no choice — walking around the other way would take too long. “Mahirap talaga. Alas singko, pagka-aalis, gagapang talaga. Kaysa umikot nang malayo,” said

Reyes. Every day, her son has to crouch near the ground to pass under the cyclone barrier and leave Arboretum. “Pag maulan, mapuputikan talaga. Minsan baha yan dito, hanggang sa tuhod, yung tubig hindi nakakalabas dahil sementado,” she added. Residents have signed a petition three times to clamor for an opening that will allow them to come and go, said Reyes. But this seems to have been ignored. “Pasalamat din kami dahil iniwas nila yung mga bakod sa mga bahay, pero ngayon ang gusto nila hanggang dito [cutting through the residents’ houses]. Paano naman yung mga matatanda na dati pa nagpatayo ng bahay?” said Reyes. The impact of the enclosement to the health of the residents are farreaching. Garbage pile up outside residents’ houses as the barrier doesn’t have a wide opening to fit garbage bags. The result is a massive stack of rotting trash that leaves many residents, including children, at risk of getting sick. Residents also agonize over bringing the sick or bedridden to the nearest hospital if an emergency arises. Some of the pregnant women in the area fear they may be forced to give birth in their own homes as they are unable to walk the long distance around the barrier to exit Pook Arboretum. Office of Community Relations Director Dr. Karen Jago-on last met with the residents March 6 notifying the residents to move out, according to Bantegui. She asked them a month after to submit a position paper and to conduct a dialogue with the office, to which the residents declined for fears of being backed into a corner. One said they cannot conduct a dialogue with the university unless the administration stops insisting

on moving them out. Amid threats of displacement from the administration, blue guards and armed military men regularly roam the forest. Some residents have expressed their fear of angering or catching the attention of these armed officials who accompany those constructing the barriers. “Ang mga blue guard ay madalas pumunta dito, sumisilip, pag nakakarinig ng nagpupukpok. Minsan pag nakakaramdam na may nagpupukpok, sumisilip yan,” added Reyes. A number of armed men in uniform are seen standing beside the barriers being constructed September. Alasaas as been residing in Pook Arboretum when the late UP botanist Dr. Jose Vera Santos assigned him to take care of the

“Dapat iconsider yung karapatang pantao, secure yung kaligtasan ng mamamayan, hindi yung basta babakuran lang. Kasi ano ba to, kinulong mo na yung tao eh,” Rolando Bantegui

Arboretum Resident

Tinig ng Plaridel contacted OCR Director Karen Jago-on for comment, but she has not responded as of press time.

View the full album at Tinig ng Plaridel’s Facebook page.

AMID HEAVY RA entry points, var Day through a " Protesters con Bill and poor h controversia become a la

Police place unofficial checkpoint by JEZREEL INES AND AYA MANCE Police and military Police and military attempted to block attempted to block protesters attending protesters attending today’s Day today’s Independence Independence Day mobilization with checkpoints mobilization with checkpoints erected erected around around UP UP Diliman. Diliman. Government officials earlier warned against attending the protest, alleging that it violated rules on mass gatherings in places under community quarantine. One protest-goer did not make it to the protest after police prohibited her from entering campus from CP

Garcia and Magsaysay Avenue. “They kept asking us why we were entering, what our business was. But I asked them also in return, why were they stopping us? And one of the officers even went past the gate… Parang nagpa-patintero na kami, e. He was moving to the side, trying to prevent us. Trying to make my way forward,” Meg Sandoval said. Armed men attempted to block Gabriela Youth members from entering UP Diliman through Commonwealth Avenue, but they could not enforce the rule without a law banning protests. Gabriela Youth SecretaryGeneral Clarice Palce said this show

AINFALL and presence of military personnel at campus rious groups commemorated the 122nd Indepedence "Grand Mañanita" protest action at Quezon Hall yesterday. ndemned the government's railroading of the Anti-Terrorism handling of the coronavirus pandemic in the country. The al bill only awaits President Rodrigo Duterte's signature to aw.

ts hours before “Grand Mañanita” of force is a form of power-tripping of the government to stop the people from fighting against the Anti-Terrorism Bill. “Ito ay malinaw na pasismo, malinaw na terorismo ng estado laban sa mamamayang Pilipino. Kaya ang panawagan natin, sa kababaihan ay enough is enough, women fight back, panahon na para lumaban sa pasistang atake ng administrasyong Duterte sa mamamayang Pilipino,” Palce said. Other people entering the campus reported being questioned by police and military personnel despite no law prohibiting them from attending the mobilization. Hashtags like #MobPH helped protest-goers consolidate the entry

points without checkpoints. This year’s celebration of Independence Day had a mañanita theme ⁠— a jab at NCRPO Chief Debold Sinas who breached quarantine protocols in May. Protesters brought creative placards that carried calls for various issues: unequal PH-China relations and the lack of mass testing, among others. Today’s mobilization followed the earlier protests held on June 3 and June 4 that succeeded in getting some lawmakers to retract their votes for the Anti-Terrorism Bill. The bill awaits President Duterte’s signature to be enforced as law, or it can lapse into law after 30 days if not signed.

PHOTO | BERNADETTE MORALES

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STRANDED CONSTRUCTION WORKERS in UP Diliman have to make do with limited food supplies since the lockdown.

UP construction workers wail uneven aid from contractors For donations, contact Katrin Maria Escay at 09178316922.

by AGATHA GREGORIO Once filled by the sounds of chatter from professors and students walking down busy hallways, an almost sullen silence has blanketed most buildings of UP Diliman.

Most areas of the campus have been deserted by its university regulars in the wake of a global pandemic — all but 17 construction sites now housing more than 400 stranded workers since quarantine began. Over a month has passed since the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) was implemented March 17 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hundreds of construction workers remain scattered around the university without the resources to travel to their homes, or for others, the means to survive on campus grounds. While some workers are given financial compensation by their contractors, others have gone over a month without food or monetary provisions. “Out of 433 [workers], 328 dito ‘yung halos wala o kung meron man, konting support na nakukuha

on quarantine extension

“Dapat talaga hindi na i-extend. Magugutom talaga ang tao. Magugutom ang pamilya.”

Sonny Gumana

Construction Worker

mula sa kanilang mga contractors. Yung iba, zero talaga. Wala,” All U.P. Workers Union (AUWU) Diliman President Buboy Cabrera said. The recent UPD COVID-19 Bulletin post condemned news circulating on social media implying the mishandling of the situation of stranded construction workers on campus, claiming the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development has investigated the matter. They found employers gave workers P4,000 on March 17 and P2,000 on April 14. The post also said that the workers had a supply of three 25-kilo sacks of rice, as well as canned goods from AUWU and other campus organizations. When asked about UP Diliman’s post, Cabrera responded, “Ginegeneralize yung hindi nagugutom. Kung ngayon tayo mag-uusap, pwede nating sabihin na hindi man sapat, pero meron nang nakakain […] Kasi kami maingat, sinasabi namin na totoo na may support ‘yung iba pero karamihan wala. ” He went on to say that before April 4, no donations or provisions had arrived, claiming workers had waited more than two weeks before they received support from donors. “Pwede nilang sabihin na sa ngayon, sa tulong ng ating mga alumni at estudyante ay nakakakain na ang ating mga construction workers. Pero noong panahon ng ganito may gutom sila,” Cabrera said. Inadequate goods Sonny Gumanas, a 38-year-old construction worker from ME Sicat Company has been staying with 30 other workers at the old Faculty Center (FC) of UP Diliman since the beginning of the ECQ. Since March 17, they were only given three sacks of rice and P1,000 by their subcontractor. “Nung na-trap kami, 47 po. Tapos ‘yung 47, unti unti nang nabawasan. 31 na lang. Yung iba kasi sa NCR lang po [nakatira]. Yung 47 na yun, pinaghatian namin yung tatlong sako. Kaming lahat, ”

PHOTO COURTESY OF | SINE SANYATA

Gumanas said. Groves of trees surround most areas of the campus, mainly serving the purpose of providing shade to passersby. But for many of the construction workers left on university grounds, these trees have provided them what most of their contractors couldn’t— food supply. Gumanas said that he, alongside other workers, have opted to reach high into the trees to pick mangoes they could eat with soy sauce as ulam. But getting by without enough food supply is not Gumanas’s main worry, as the “no work, no pay” scheme has led to his not being able to send money home for his family back in Zamboanga. Despite working seven days a week at P550 a day, his main concern is getting back to work once the ECQ is over to support his family. When asked about the possibility of a quarantine extension,

Gumanas said, “Dapat talaga hindi na i-extend. Magugutom talaga ang tao. Magugutom ang pamilya.” Community stepping in Due to the lack of financial and food support from employers, as mentioned in the UPD Bulletin post, various individuals and organizations have stepped forward to provide aid to the construction workers. A call for donations on the Facebook group Quezon City COVID-19 Food and Goods Donation led and handled by UP alumnae Teresita Ladanga and Katrin Maria Escay garnered a total of 45 sacks of rice, 100 packs of vegetables, 105 kilos of chicken and 100 kilos of pork being donated to the workers. “Gusto lang nating lahat na mapakain sila. Our first goal is [to give provisions until] April 30, tapos kung ma-extend, we hope to organize more para maka-survive sila,” Escay said. Recent donations have accounted for a total of

P150,404.63 to feed 284 people a week. Faculty members like UP Film Institute Professor Choy Pangilinan and film studio Sine Sanyata pledged to provide food to more or less than 100 of the construction workers after being informed by the UP Special Services Brigade (SSB) of the workers staying in the old FC who lacked food supply. Pangilinan took part in negotiations with the UP administration and contractors that led to the decision wherein no worker will be allowed to leave the campus premises without the assurance of the contractor that they will be brought home to their provinces safely with a just wage. These negotiations occured after construction workers residing in the old FC under the ME Sicat Construction Company were involved in an internal conflict. Contractors almost made them relocate outside UP Diliman, according to posts by Sine Sanyata and AUWU. After Pangilinan and AUWU were informed of this, Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo was approached to reach the decision to require the workers to stay on campus to ensure their safety. But following this incident, Cabrera and Pangilinan claimed that food donations are no longer being accepted at the construction site by the old FC, attributed to ME Sicat Company. “Mayroon na raw support ‘yung company na Sicat doon sa mga stranded na construction worker. May pagkain, kaya lang takal. Talagang kulang, hindi sapat,” Cabrera said. The construction workers’ food is rationed to one cup of rice and

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a piece of chicken, and security measures around the site remain tight to ensure that no more donations can enter the premises, according to Pangilinan. “Kaya yung pinapadala naming tulong pinapadala namin over the bakod. Kasi hindi pinapasok sa gate. Bakit mo pagkakaitan yung mga nagbibigay ng tulong eh wala ka namang nabibigay na sapat na tulong sa mga tao?” Cabrera said. Gumanas also claimed

the construction workers were provided with face masks and alcohol to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. But Pangilinan still doubts the safety of these workers. “Regarding COVID, wala ring nag-orient sa kanila kung paano siya napapasa, ‘yung ibang mga sites walang radyo […] Nandoon ka sa maraming tao, walang social distancing, tas may anak ka na two months tas taga-Southern Mindanao sila. All those things,

hindi naman siya inaalam ng UP at hindi ginagawang accountable ‘yung contractors,” Pangilinan said. “I think after the media reportage yesterday, ngayon palang pumapasok in a reactionary fashion ‘yung pagtulong ng UP sa kanila, dahil na-media na,” he added. [With reports from Maria Alyssa Bianca Calma]

NEWS

Illegal mass arrest of volunteers mark Labor Day 2020 by CRISTINA CHI A spate of arrests has marred this year’s Labor Day celebration as more than 70 individuals across the country, mostly relief operations volunteers, have been rounded up in just one day. Youth-led initiatives were not spared with three UP Diliman students and 15 other relief operations volunteers arrested earlier during a community kitchen program in Barangay Central, Quezon City. They were charged with a violation of the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases Act, a 2018 law that lays down policies for surveillance and response to epidemics, in relation to Bayanihan to Heal as One Act and the Public Assembly Act. Volunteers of Tulong Kabataan Network were reportedly preparing to launch “Kusinang Kabataan,” a feeding program led by Citizens’ Urgent Response to End COVID-19 (Cure COVID), when police in plain clothes escorted them to Camp Karingal. This came after they assisted 15 residents and jeepney drivers who the barangay accused of participating in Mayo Uno activities, according to Tulong Kabataan Network. Among those detained are two undergraduate students from the College of Social Science and Philosophy (CSSP) and one

graduate student from the College of Science (CS). The youth volunteers have been conducting relief work as early as March with the permission of the LGU, according to the National Union of the Students of the Philippines (NUSP). “Their arrest today, we believe, is part of a systemic attack on progressive groups,” said NUSP Deputy Secretary General Lilac Fameronag. Nationwide arrests Relief volunteers and labor leaders were also arrested in other parts of Luzon. Ten Cure COVID and Bayanihang Marikenya Marikenyo volunteers were rounded up while conducting a feeding program in Marikina City. Mayor Marcy Teodoro has since called the incident an “overreaction by the police” and ordered their release. Meanwhile, 42 were apprehended in Jaro Plaza, Iloilo City after 50 policemen blocked the indignation caravan for slain Bayan Muna leader Jory Porquia. Seven of the 42 are journalists, according to Bulatlat. Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said the arrests should serve as a wakeup call for people to speak out. “It is but just and it is but right to speak out and act for our people’s rights and wellbeing. What the police are doing is illegal, and they should be made to answer and be accountable,” Palabay said.

INFOGRAPHIC | DESIGN BY GERALDINE PEARL SANTOS , TEXT BY AGATHA GREGORIO

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NEWS APEKTADO NA ang kita ng mga manininda sa harap UPD Main Library dahil sa ginagawang renobasyon ng gusali.

Kabuhayan ng mga manininda sa main library, apektado ng renobasyon by JEZREEL INES AND LUISA SANDOVAL Hindi pa man tuluyang nagsasara ang main library ng University of the Philippines Diliman para sa gagawing renobasyon ay umaaray na ang mga manininda sa paligid ng nasabing gusali.

Apektado ng gagawing renobasyon ang kanilang kabuhayan, sapagkat kaalinsabay ng pansamantalang pagsasara ng main library ay ang pagbawas rin ng mga taong pumupunta rito na maaaring magdulot ng pagkalugi sa kabuhayan ng mga manininda sa paligid nito. Ayon kay Tintin, isa sa mga manininda sa paligid ng main library, mula sa dati niyang kita sa isang araw na umaabot ng P2,000 hanggang P3,000, ay kulangkulang P1,000 na lamang ang kanyang kinikita kada araw hindi pa man tuluyang nagsasara ang gusali. “Kaya nga po kami ngayon, magpupull out na talaga […] Hindi na [kami] dito sa UP [magtitinda]. Nag survey kasi ang amo ko, mahina na talaga [ang kita],” aniya.

“Kaya nga po kami ngayon, magpupull out na talaga […] Hindi na [kami] dito sa UP [magtitinda]. Nag survey kasi ang amo ko, mahina na talaga [ang kita],”

Tintin

Manininda

PHOTO | TATTI HERMOSO

Ganito rin ang dinaranas ng mga kasama ni Tintin na manininda sa paligid ng main library. Ayon kay Marivic na dalawang taon nang nagtitinda sa Diliman Brew, humina rin ang kanyang kabuhayan simula nang isaayos ang gusali. “Simula noong nag-renovate, humina na ‘yong pwesto namin. Dati kami malakas [ang kita] eh, alas otso [pa lang] nakabebenta na kami,” ani Marivic. Ayon naman sa paangulo ng Samahan ng mga Manininda sa UP Campus (SMUPC) na si Narry Hernandez, naabisuhan na sila ni Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development Dr. Raquel B. Florendo sa posibleng magiging epekto ng pagsasara ng library sa kanilang kabuhayan. Nabanggit ni Hernandez na inalok sila ng pamunuan ng unibersidad na lumipat sa ginagawang food hub malapit sa College of Fine Arts sa oras na maapektuhan sila ng renobasyon ng gusali. Ayon sa isang balita ukol dito, ang naturang food hub ay naglalayong gawing sentralisado ang lokasyon ng mga manininda at iba pang mga serbisyong naapektuhan ng nangyaring sunog sa Shopping Center (SC) noong nakaraang taon. Ngunit, iginiit ni Hernandez na hindi sila papayag sa alok na ito dahil magiging malaking dagok ito sa kanilang kabuhayan. “If I were the student, kunwari ikaw nandito subjects mo, do you think pupunta ka pa doon [sa food hub] para kumain,” ika niya. Nilinaw rin ni Hernandez na hindi sila pinupwersa na lumipat ng pwesto dahil sa renobasyon ng gusali. Maparaang gampanin ng mga mag-aaral Lubos na makaaapekto ang renobasyon ng main library para sa mag-aaral ng Civil Engineering na si Carlos dela Cruz. Para sa kanya, ang main library ang pinakamainam na lugar para mag-aral bukod sa iba pang serbisyong hatid nito. Sa napipintong pagsasara ng gusali ay magiging mahirap para sa kanya na

humanap ng lugar na pwede niyang pag-aralan hanggang madalingaraw. “Ilan lang dito ‘yung 24 oras na bukas, ‘yung CS lib, Melchor. Kapag pumunta ka doon, marami nang tao. Kapag nagsara itong main library, mapipilitan kaming mga students na maghanap pa ng iba. Siguro mapipilitan kaming magcoffee shop kaso cost din sa amin iyon,” ani niya. Sa pagsasara ng gusali, umaasa si dela Cruz na ang pansamantalang paglilipatan ng main library ay kaya pa ring tumugon sa mga pangangailangan ng mga katulad niyang laging gumagamit nito. Para naman sa mag-aaral ng Elementary Education na si Mieko Zabala, bagamat mayroong silidaklatan sa Kolehiyo ng Edukasyon ay pinipili pa rin niya ang main library upang mag-aral at magsaliksik. “Dito kasi for me ‘yong pinakacomfortable mag-aral, sa iba kasing library minsan maraming tao. Dito rin mas marami akong pwedeng gamiting sources sa mga requirements ko,” ani niya. Kung sakaling magiging malayo para kay Zabala ang paglilipatan ng main library ay mapipilitan na lamang siyang maghanap ng iba pang lugar na pwede niyang pag-aralan na malapit sa gusali ng kanyang kolehiyo. Sakripisyo mula sa mga empleyado Sakripisyo naman para sa mga empleyado ng main library ang gagawing renobasyon. Para kay Rhoel E. Rondilla, puno ng Filipiniana section ng main library, ang pagkakaroon ng hiwa-hiwalay na mga opisina ng mga nagtatrabaho sa main library ay isang malaking pagbabago na kanilang kahaharapin. Magiging mas mahirap ito para sa tulad niyang empleyado dahil maiiba ang daloy ng kanilang trabaho. Hatid din ng nagbabadyang renobasyon ang limitasyon ng kanilang magiging serbisyo sa mga mag-aaral dahil sa kakulangan ng espasyo ng gusaling kanilang pansamantalang paglilipatan. Sa

kasalukuyan, ang Information Services and Instruction Section (ISAIS), Filipiniana Section, Social Sciences and Philosophy Section, at ang Foreign Serials ay pansamantalang mapupunta sa Kolehiyo ng Arkitektura. Ang isa pang kumpirmadong lokasyon ng paglilipatan ng iba pang mga seksyon ay ang lumang gusali ng Chemical Engineering Laboratory sa Melchor Hall. Ayon kay Rondilla, nasasabik naman siya para sa pagbubukas ng bagong gawang main library sa taong 2022 kung saan ipagdiriwang nito ang ika-100 taon pagkakatatag. Renobasyon para sa kaligtasan at modernisasyon Ayon kay University Librarian Prof. Chito Angeles, pangunahing layunin ng renobasyon ng main library ang modernisasyon at kaligtasan ng gusali. Ika niya, magmula nang matupok ng sunog ang SC noong nakaraang taon, nangunguna na ang main library sa listahan ng mga pinaka fire-prone na gusali sa buong unibersidad. Bilang tugon dito, lalagyan ng gas-based fire suppressant system ang itatayong gusali mula sa dating water sprinkler system. Ang nasabing paggamit ng gas-based

fire suppressants, ayon kay Angeles, ay nararapat lamang na gamitin lalo na sa mga gusaling kagaya ng main library na tahanan ng mga sensitibo at mahahalagang dokumento na hindi maaaring mabasa ng tubig. Napansin din ng administrasyon na hindi na angkop ang mga pasilidad ng kasalukuyang main library sa paraan ng pag aaral ng mga mag-aaral. Aniya, isusulong ng bagong library ang collaborative learning style na makatutulong sa paraan ng pag-aaral ng mga estudyante. Nais ng administrasyon na magkaroon ng mga modernong pasilidad ang main library tulad ng mga discussion rooms, creative studios at mga modernong teknolohiya na hindi lamang para sa mga estudyante kundi pati na rin sa mga guro. Dagdag niya, maaasahan sa bagong main library ang pagkakaroon ng mga multipurpose hall na magiging paraan upang magamit nang husto at matiwasay ang lahat ng mga espasyo sa na kadalasa’y hindi mabisang nagagamit noong mga nakaraang taon. Bukod sa mga nabanggit, plano rin ng administrasyon na lagyan ng kainan ang itaas na palapag na gusali. [Karagdagang ulat mula kay Alison Caitlin A. Cruz]

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DOST scholars decry late stipend due to Form 5 delay, ‘long’ process by LIANA APOSTOL and JAN CUYCO Physics student Ajay Lagrimas has gotten used to the stipend delay since he entered the university in 2018. Lagrimas left his home in Camarines Sur to try his luck in Diliman, and now he owes his daily allowance to his scholarship stipend and the money his parents could manage to send him. But when his parents couldn’t, Lagrimas has to deal with the lack of financial assistance. Lagrimas is part of the thousands-strong DOST scholar community affected by the delayed stipend release in UP Diliman. While backgrounds vary and personal narratives differ, many of the scholars rely on DOST’s stipend to get by, which only began to pour into some scholars’ bank accounts around two months into the semester. “Minsan, kailangan mo munang umutang sa mga kaibigan and orgmates mo. Minsan din, di ka muna kakain for a meal para makatipid ka. Limited rin yung ginagastos mo kahit for acads na, kaya may effect din sa mga gamit mo sa acads,” said Lagrimas. When Lagrimas signed the contract for the undergraduate scholarship program under the Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI), he expected that at the very least, it would lessen his monthly expenditures in college. This led Lagrimas to believe that expenses for his education could be provided for. But now that it is crippling his daily allowance, the pent-up

“This country needs scientists. And we know that our scientists and engineers are not wellfunded. This reflects on DOST scholars – this is how the government treats its scientists,”

Ajay LagriIImas DOST Scholar

frustration is inching its way into his day-to-day living. Amidst studying on an empty stomach, paying bill after bill, and waiting on his parents’ padala, Lagrimas has to be a survivor before he is a scholar. “If pipiliin din namin na maghanap na muna ng part-time job para makatulong sa pang-arawaraw na gastos, maaapektuhan naman yung pag-aaral namin, which is not good especially if you’re maintaining the requirements for a DOST scholar,” he said. And, at the helm of complaints is a staff of four who sift through thousands of paperwork so that scholars like Lagrimas receive their financial aid. The UP DOST Core Group (CG) grinds through undergraduate scholarship matters inside a dim office with low-hanging cubicles, crammed in a portion of the Diliman Learning Resource Center (DLRC). When asked to comment on the delay, the CG staff let out a disgruntled sigh as they found the same pent-up frustration of a system that demands a gargantuan job from them. The thought of scholars struggling to make ends meet is gnawing away their dayto-day work too, but then again, when there are 2, 000 pending scholarships to attend to, there is only so much a four-member staff can do. A domino of delay Bridging the gap between the two parties is DOST Scholars’ Association (DOST-SA), a student organization which coordinates with the CG in relaying pertinent information to the scholars in the organization. DOST-SA head Joshua Versola identified several chokepoints that impeded the CG’s process of releasing stipends. As is the case every year, the late submission of requirements by some scholars can affect the release of stipend to their accounts. The CG only begins to process the scholars’ stipend once they submit their Form 5 (the students’ certificate of registration and enlistment) and Transcript of Grades for students 2nd year and higher. But when a scholar submits at a later date, their application is waived to the next batch of processing. While the CG does not set a cap on the number of scholars per batch, they only process those who pass the requirements on time.

(the students’ unofficial proof of enlistment) in the meantime, but still had to verify students’ standing using the Form 5. The assessment and printing of Form 5 took almost a month after registration, since the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) had to finalize matters regarding the billing and reporting of Tuition and Other School Fees (TOSF). The delay of Form 5 caused a “domino effect” in the processing of stipend. Since the CG had to verify the eligibility of students through Form 5, latter steps in the processing such as CG’s report-making and DOST’s budget-finalizing were on standby. The DOST-SEI earlier released an official statement August 27 as a response to a scholar’s post calling out the stipend delay. “As we are very much aware of the day-to-day needs of our scholars, we ensure that enough funds are made available for timely disbursement by the University,” the statement read. The Rise for Education Alliance (R4E), an alliance of different youth organizations that calls for accessible education, also issued a statement four days later, holding a Twitter rally to call for the release of the stipends. “The delay of the monthly DOST stipend has been a recurring issue since 2015. Years later, the delay continues to burden scholars as they struggle to pay for school and living expenses,” the statement read. Scholars plunged in debt with late stipend BS Psychology scholar Anna* relies on the stipend to pay her rent. As her parents living in Albay

are unable to pay for her food, she resorts to borrowing money from her friends. “Kung naubusan ako ng pera, mangungutang. Kung maniningil na yung landlord, mangungutang,” she lamented. As a graduate of Philippine Science High School, she wonders why her college stipend is given late, especially since both scholarships are under the same department. “2 months delayed. 40, 000 yung kabuuan per sem, 7, 000 per month. Tapos mayroon pang book allowance na importante sana sa start ng sem makuha, kasi, you know start ng sem. Kaso ayun… wala. ‘Di ako nakabili nung books na kailangan sa majors,” she said. Fast tracking the stipend release As scholars like Lagrimas attributed the stipend delay to the long processes involved, they also asked the DOST to ease the processes, especially since the institution in-charge is capable of producing the technology needed. “The DOST core group is very advanced, lalo na at nandito na sila sa UP Diliman where technology is at hand. Maybe they can create a system na pwedeng magconnect sa CRS info ng student and other data since Form 5 din naman ang basehan,” he pointed out. In order to alleviate the problem, DOST-SA has talked with the College of Science’s Office of the Associate Dean for Student, Alumni, and Public Affairs (ADSAPA) on possible steps to address the grievances of the scholars. Although Versola admitted the accounting side is beyond his expertise, he assured that the ADSAPA will strive to fix the choke

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points in accounting. Meanwhile, DOST-SA is eyeing a collaboration with the UP Diliman OUR and Computer Registration System (CRS) team to fast track the process of generating reports for scholars. “Nagrequest kami sa ADSAPA if may mahanap ba silang way to validate lahat ng scholars at once na enrolled sila para ‘di na namin sila kailangang hintayin,” Versola said. At the same time, the DOST-SA plans to help the CG in verifying the scholars’ eligibility through the CRS module. “What if bigyan natin ng specific module yung DOST Core Group para maccheck nila kung enrolled or valid pa yung student scholars?” Versola proposed. Shrinking DOST budget However, the DOST faces an even bigger challenge that could trample over the scholars’ stipends. With almost 80 million slashed from its 2020 budget, the DOST suffers from one of the smallest shares in the national expenditure. To add insult to injury, the DOST budget has shrunk yearly since 2018. Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto expressed the need for more scientists to address the country’s problems, saying that scholars are “no doubt more important for the country’s future” than members of the Congress. Recto added the financial aid provided by the DOST scholarships “should attract the best and the brightest to pursue STEM courses”. But for undergraduate scholars like Lagrimas, the late monthly stipend has forced him to claw his way through college with quickly dwindling cash. He can’t get a parttime job since he has to maintain his grades as part of their contract. “This country needs scientists. And we know that our scientists and engineers are not well-funded. This reflects on DOST scholars – this is how the government treats its scientists,” he said.

Late Form 5 printing delays stipend release Versola shared that the lag in printing UP students’ Form 5 for the first semester worsened the stipend delay. Without the scholars’ official proof of enrollment, the CG resorted to accept the Form 5a

SOURCE: Department of Science and Technology

INFOGRAPHIC | DESIGN BY GERALDINE SANTOS, RENZ PALALIMPA , TEXT BY AGATHA GREGORIO

UPD struggles to meet students’ rising mental health demands by GERALDINE SANTOS It took UP Diliman Journalism student Pia Tuan approximately 10 hours of waiting and a missed class before she could see the university psychiatrist.

On an early morning in March 2019, Tuan went to the University Health Service (UHS) to see a psychiatrist, only to be told hours later the slots were already full. “It’s a first come, first served basis. I went for the first time at around 7:00 or 8:00 in the morning during a weekday…The staff told me na 12 noon pa mamimigay ng slots so I should just come back. When I did, ubos na ‘yung slots,” Tuan said. The next day, Tuan tried securing a slot again at the UHS despite having an afternoon class and waited for almost five hours, to almost no avail. “May nauna pa rin sa’kin, kasi may biglang magke-claim na sila yung nauna. Ang daming nakasingit. I had a class din nung afternoon pero nag-absent na lang ako just to get checked. Kaso kahit nung binigyan na kami ng number, nagkagulo pa rin sa pila,” Tuan said. The university’s sole resident psychiatrist, Dr. Dinah Nadera, is intended to work for only 20 hours a week, according to UHS Acting Director Dr. Jesusa Catabui. But for a health service that caters to an average of 40 patients weekly, the surge of students seeking psychiatric help forces her to stay much longer. “Usually ‘pag psychiatric patient, about an hour ‘yun (sessions) kasi titingnan mo lahat, pero on the average, she sees one patient per 30 minutes. Ang dami niyang overtime,” Catabui said. Aside from the long queue, the UHS acting director sees an increasing trend of students admitted to the emergency room (ER) due to mental health concerns. “’Yung mga patients with mental issues, or students in distress sa ER , once in a blue moon [dati] ‘yung mga ganon. Pero to [now] see ‘yung mga suicidal patients, one to two patients once a week is already frequent for us,” she said. Catabui emphasized the shortage of mental health professionals for UP students, considering the university’s lone resident psychiatrist serves over 24,000 enrolled students.

GRAPHIC | RENZ PALALIMPA

Other UPD mental health services To address the increasing psychosocial needs of the university, Chancellor Michael Tan formed the UP Diliman Psychosocial Services (UPD PsycServ) in 2017. UPD PsycServ, which provides mental and psychosocial wellbeing services, has already catered to more than 1,200 students since its conception. With 12 Psychological Support Specialists (PSSs) who work parttime, there is currently a two- to three-month waiting list. The duration of the waiting period was different from when Journalism student Blanch Ancla signed up in 2017. “I filled out a form. A week later, they got back to me through a text telling me I am to attend an in-take session,” she said. Ancla was able to take six free sessions from October 2017 to May 2018. “We had mindfulness sessions and ranting sessions and I had someone helped me navigate my thoughts and emotions. The sessions helped me catch myself, especially when I’m spiraling or when I was spiraling,” she added. UPD PsycServ Clinic Manager Claudine Tecson noted that from a waiting list of one week that has now turned into at least two months, the demand has significantly increased. “Despite the lacking resources and facilities, we believe that we are still able to offer the same high level of quality. But with the growing demand, it is the timeliness of providing these services that suffers… If this situation continues, a dip in quality might be inevitable,” Tecson said. While UPD PsycServ has been receiving support from the UP administration in terms of approval and endorsement of proposals, budget requests, and space requirements, Tecson said that such aid is limited. The need for more resources pushed the PSSs to submit two proposals for the institutionalization of UPD PsycServ as an office. Meanwhile, the UP Diliman Office of Counseling and Guidance (OCG) observed a 14 percent decline in students availing of their services from 2017 to 2018. “Kung makikita mo, bumaba yung rate niya kasi we already have PsycServ, we already have the UHS, our psychiatrist which is Dr. Nadera,” OCG Guidance Specialist Monica de Asis said. Unlike the system at UHS and

UPD PsycServ, de Asis said that the OCG welcomes students with no scheduled appointments. “Kung available ‘yung counselor, we can accommodate, ‘di na natin kailangan by appointment, so [we] voluntarily talk to them… during the time they are here,” she added. Mental health issue in the Philippines Dr. Catabui believes that the issue of mental health should be a national concern. “So kailangan lahat magcocontribute, not just the hospital, not just health providers para maging holistic ang approach sa isang batang may mental health issue,” she said. In the Philippines, mental health professionals are lacking, with the Department of Health (DOH) stating there are only 1,000 psychologists and 600 psychiatrists catering to 107 million people. This is amid the Philippine Mental Health Law, which aims to improve mental healthcare in the country, taking effect since July 2018. With mental health service providers still scarce, people with similar experiences to Tuan have to struggle with both their mental health issues and the difficulty of seeking help. The long queues in the UHS, exacerbated by the scarcity in psychiatric personnel, discouraged Tuan from returning. “I only went there twice or thrice I think kasi nahirapan talaga ako sa queue,” she said. With the months-long waiting list in PsycServ, the scarcity of mental health professionals in the UHS, and the overall unmet mental health needs of the university, Tuan lost hope in seeking help. “Until now, wala pa rin akong nakikitang therapist na good enough for me so I just gave up,” Tuan said. A step forward With the surge of students with mental health concerns, the UP administration seeks to address the issues regarding mental health services on campus. The UP Presidential Advisory Council discussed in September the Mental Health Program of the university. The Health and Wellness program, one of its initial steps, includes the

following: hiring/training of mental health professionals, organizing and training teams to respond to mental health cases and crisis, administrative and logistics support for health assessment, database management, documentation of cases, and monitoring system, among others. The UHS is planning to allot a position for an additional part-time psychiatrist once a slot is vacated, Catabui said. “Kasi ‘pag mga consultants, it’s hard to get them full-time… they also have their own private practice, so it would be good to have two part-time psychiatrists. At least meron tayong dalawang mapag-re-

refer-an na hindi kailangang magbayad ang estudyante,” she added. The UHS Acting Director also said that Nadera plans to train staff physicians in becoming lifelines who can handle patients in distress. Nadera believes that, despite deficiencies in resources, the overall mental health climate is promising. “There is more awareness, increase in acceptance, and slowly better academic accommodations for persons with mental health problems,” she said.

HOTLINES National Center for Mental Health 7989-8727, 0917-899-8727

Hopeline Philippines 8804-4673 09175584673 & 2919 (toll-free for Globe and TM) UPD University Health Service 8981-8500 loc. 111/2703 UPD PsychServ 8981-8500 loc. 2496 UPD Office of Counselling and Guidance 8981-8500 loc. 4501/4502 GRAPHICS

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Nowhere to Go: UP athletes lament lack of facilities, dorm slots by JILLIAN VELASCO Still under-equipped and underfunded, there is no rest for the weary UP athletes bracing another UAAP season. Many teams are burdened by inadequate training spaces and equipment, as well as insufficient dormitory slots brought by ongoing renovations.

For the past seasons, UP Softball Varsity Team Captain Catherine de Luna witnessed how her team had to occupy the Sunken Garden. “We are training everywhere we could… We would go to Marikina, Pasig, Rizal to train, but transportation and reservation of venues are kind of pricey,” she said. Meanwhile, UP Baseball Team Captain Marc Mercado referred to budget deficiencies that have depleted their recruitment and training quality. “Halimbawa, sa pagpunta sa Palarong Pambansa, wala kami masyadong budget so hindi kami makapag-recuit doon,” he said. The baseball team has also been training in the Sunken Garden in lieu of a proper field. Yet, even the 5-hectare field, which sees year-round activities of various community members, is no longer fit for the team’s training needs as its quality declines. The same problem haunts the UP Track and Field team, according to captain Marc Alaurin. The team trains mostly at PhilSports Arena (ULTRA) in Pasig. However, they fail to meet the training demanded by the sport because the arena is undergoing renovations. “We actually need a throwing

“The problem with finances is, if we don’t have the money to find a house for them, then it is harder for the athletes since they have to get the money themselves,” Catherine de Luna

Softball Varsity Team Captain

GRAPHIC | RENZ PALALIMPA

area for the throwers… We usually do functional, cross training, sprints but we can’t actually train what we are supposed to do. In terms of the weights area naman, minsan the stuff gets stolen, the gym is too crowded,” he said. The UP administration prides the millions-worth construction of a football field, which recently received a FIFA Quality Certification Seal for its quality materials and wider buffer area. Unfortunately, the oval track has yet to be finished, leaving the Track and Field Team with no proper training site. “We are looking for other places like Vanguard area, doon na lang ilalagay yung throwing circles namin. Yung mga runners, sprinters, and jumpers may problema now kasi ginagamit nga ng football team so sisingit-singit lang kami,” Alaurin said. Dorm slot woes Team captains stressed that many student-athletes lack dormitory slots, the foremost concern of those from the provinces. The UP administration has simultaneously closed Kamia, Molave, and Yakal dormitories earlier this year for renovations. This has forced student-athletes to look for alternative housing inside and outside the campus, which usually charge higher fees. Around half of the UP Baseball Team are among the 281 students without a dormitory slot this semester, according to Mercado. Few recruits of the UP Men’s Volleyball Team from distant provinces were able to secure dormitory slots around the campus. Members left without housing options found refuge in senior members’ own homes in Quezon City, team captain Mac Millete said. De Luna also explained how the Softball Team funds are used to help members without accommodations. “The problem with finances is, if we don’t have the money to find a house for them, then it is harder for the athletes since they have to get the money themselves,” she said. Addressing concerns USC Sports, Fitness, and Health (SpoFiH) Committee Head Enzo Espinosa claimed the UP administration’s inadequate response to athletes’ concerns on dormitory slots and training venue. “Totoo na hindi nareremedyo ng admin ng UP ang mga kakulangan sa dorms, training venues, at iba pang mga pangangailangan ng athletes natin,” he said. Resorting to corporate sponsors to cover the athletes’

training and living expenses when the UP administration fails to provide might result to commodification of athletes, Espinosa explained. Under the Student-Athlete Protection Act (RA 10676), benefits that should be given to studentathletes include full board and lodging, monthly living allowance, and athletic supplies. Giving incentives beyond those enumerated in RA 10676 which may result to commercialization of student-athletes is strictly prohibited. The SpoFiH committee plans to convene the League of Varsity Leader in UP (LVL UP) in order to alleviate the athletes’ woes, attend to their urgent concerns, and identify other possibly overlooked issues. The committee also intends to form a team that will review and amend the existing loopholes in the Student-Athlete Protection Act, Varsity Athletic Admission System (VAAS) contract, and existing laws protecting national athletes. This is to hold accountable the institutions responsible for athletes’ welfare. “Kamakailan lang binago muli [ang VAAS contract], from four years of service naging five, at alam naman natin na ang 5th playing year ay dapat nasa discretion ng athlete, not the institution,” Espinosa said. Athletes, alumni, and running enthusiasts also united for the Great UP Run, a benefit run organized by RUNRIO Events, Inc. and NowheretogobutUP Foundation, Inc. (NWTGBU) on August 11 to support underfunded UP varsity teams. “Yung beneficiary nito ay yung mga teams na may pangangailangan. Yung priority ay yung wala masyadong support na nakukuha from other sponsors,” RUNRIO founder and UP Diliman alumnus Rio de la Cruz said. Through the efforts of the event organizers, Alaurin believes that the process of releasing the athletes’ equipment and gear during tournaments would be faster and easier. Student-athletes have brought glory for the UP community with their podium finishes over the years. Despite training in a poorlyequipped environment, the UP Men’s Track and Field Team concluded UAAP Season 81 with a championship. The women’s chess, badminton, swimming, and judo teams, and men’s badminton and basketball squads posted a silver finish. Meanwhile, the poomsae, women’s table tennis, beach volleyball, and track and field teams, and men’s judo and fencing teams clinched bronze.

NEWS

TRAINING FACILITIES IN UP DILIMAN

DEF

ACAD

FREE

FEND

DEMIC

EDOM STUDENTS WALKED OUT of classrooms in protest of the motion to revive the mandatory ROTC policy and the recent amendments to the Human Security Act. Earlier reports showed the Civil Service Training Corps (CTSC) plans to have its pilot implementation in UP Diliman. Meanwhile, the Anti-Terrorism Bill is now on its third and final reading, aiming to legalize wiretapping and extend imprisonment without warrant of arrest from three days to a span of 30 to 60 days. Progressive and militant groups also renewed their calls to defend the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s academic freedom, junk the Anti-Terrorism Bill and oust the current administration. View the full album at Tinig ng Plaridelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Facebook page.

PHOTOS | JAYCEN AGLIWAY, CZARINA BROZO

View the full album at Tinig ng Plaridel’s Facebook page.

THE UP DILIMAN GENDER OFFICE led the celebration of Global Women’s Day March 6 to mark the beginning of National Women’s Month activities in UP Diliman with the theme, “KKK 2020: Isulong ang Kalusugan, Kalayaan, at Kaginhawaan ng Kababaihan at ng Bayan.” Students and administrative staff marched from Palma Hall to Quezon Hall calling for gender equality, women empowerment, social justice, and national development.

PHOTOS | JAZRENE GONZALES

The plight of gender-based violence and harassment seems to be a perpetual war fought on an invisible battleground where justice struggles to prevail. From the murder of transwoman Jennifer Laude in 2014 to the rape and slay of Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Jeanelyn Villavende in Kuwait earlier this year, the cases of abuse in between have been countless. Meanwhile, harassers and abusers in the Philippines are undaunted because President Rodrigo Duterte is a perpetrator himself— carelessly making sexist remarks and jokes about rape. Regardless of one’s place in society, no one should be excused for such behavior, nor should be tolerated. This is exactly why the One Billion Rising (OBR) movement continues to forward its calls: to cease brutalities committed against women. Marching inside the academic oval, the campaign did not miss this year’s opportunity to unite progressive organizations in UP Diliman. Among these groups were Gabriela Youth UPD, League of Filipino Students, and Education Network (E-Net) Philippines, with each speaking their advocacies. A single message stood out in all of their speeches as most of them condemned school-related harassment cases; an irony that lays

SCHOOLS: A BATTLE

DANGER AND SAF

by ALISON CA

heavy a burden on institutions that are supposedly safe spaces for all. Mitzi Chan of E-Net Philippines took the platform to emphasize the uncertainty of female students’ welfare and safety inside their schools. “Bilang isang education network na pushing for educational reforms, ang panawagan namin ay for ensuring safe schools for girls and women,” she said. (“As an education network for educational reforms, we call to ensure safe schools for girls and women,” she said.) This concern referred to a handful of school-related sexual harassment cases. Among them was the case involving a University of Santo Tomas (UST) Fine Arts student who was allegedly sexually harassed by an engineering student in 2017.

The school’s administration added insult to injury in sanctioning the victim and giving her parents a notice of resolution. Such treatment mirrors the current condition of our society, where the victim becomes the suspect, silenced by other people’s judgments and scoldings. A similar case occurred in 2019 when a professor from Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) was accused of sexually harassing his students on separate occasions. The case appalled enough people – both students and teachers – to protest for his resignation. However, the school’s initial lack of response further angered the aggrieved. The inaction of the institution was said to be one of the reasons why victims shy away from telling their stories. Such cases could have been covered by the Safe Spaces Act or

THE LUMAD BAKWIT SCHOOL in UP Diliman officially opened with a flag ceremony at the AS Steps. Students from the Salugpongan schools, an initiative by their tribal leaders due to lack of access to education, rendered performances calling for solidarity to defend ancestral lands and end martial law in Mindanao. They formed the temporary ‘Bakwit’ school months after the Department of Education ordered the closure of 54 Lumad schools in the Davao region.

PHOTOS | JAYCEN AGLIWAY

E GROUND BETWEEN

FETY FOR WOMEN

AITLIN CRUZ

the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) Equality bill, but having seen that most senators opposed it only proves the current Philippine government sees no urgency in fighting genderbased violence and inequality. Members of the UP Diliman community were outraged when an anonymous twitter user leaked screenshots of conversations and photos of women engaging in sexual acts last year. The scandal was linked to the Sigma Rho Fraternity. Despite the existence of the Safe Spaces Act or the “Bawal Bastos” law where catcalling, staring or stalking are punishable by law, harassers seem to be unfazed as women continue to be taunted anywhere. Social media is still rife with posts of girls ranting about being catcalled or abused on their way to or while inside their schools. Since

most victims become too shocked to speak out in fear of being either ignored or victim-blamed, they turn to video recording to expose harassers and abusers. The circulation of these videos may not always put the perpetrators behind bars, but they serve as warnings to other women. While there is ongoing frustration with how complacent the justice system is on gender-based harassment and violence in schools, there remains a spark of hope for women to pursue empowerment and justice nonetheless. In a statement, Gabriela Youth (GY) UPD condemned the feudal-patriarchal system being propagated under President Duterte´s administration. They also emphasized how macho-fascist attacks worsen everyday, especially with the targeting of women-leader activists. On February 7 this year,

five activists were illegally arrested in Tacloban, two of whom used to be GY members. “GY UPD challenges our university not just to take a stand but to manifest that stand through pro-actively serving justice where it is due as well as listening and acting upon the calls against impunity,” they said. Dancing to the OBR Anthem, women showcased their grace, strength and bravery. With the words “Bangon, Babae, Bangon”, all are encouraged to rise despite the atrocities one has faced. With a smile of fulfillment, Tourism student Sophia Jose joined the movement at the Palma Hall steps as a way of supporting victims of gender-based violence. “Until today, we women have been struggling to fight for our rights and equality. And this has been hard especially in this time when those who are in power are the ones who have been showing misogynistic acts and remarks,” she stated. “OBR for me is an avenue to call out these people to stop and end the abuse against women. What women need is to feel safe and to be treated equally in this society,” Jose added. With the growing alliances formed under the OBR, the fight to instill feminism in the patriarchal society pushes through. And because of this, safety and awareness seem to have a fighting chance on the battleground.

View the full album at Tinig ng Plaridel’s Facebook page.

PHOTOS | JAYCEN AGLIWAY

24 TINIG NG PLARIDEL

FEATURE

THE KINGMAKER THE HARROWING DOCUMENTARY THAT SHOULDN’T EVEN EXIST

February 25, 2020. It’s been 34 years since the EDSA revolution of 1986—the event that changed the modern history of the Philippines forever. Decades later, it is deeply ironic that the family overthrown by the worldfamous “bloodless revolution” remains influential and powerful. Their matriarch Imelda Marcos is even the subject of an internationallyacclaimed documentary film, The Kingmaker. On its premiere night in the UP Film Center January 29, I noticed older fighters and activists reuniting, chatting and welcoming each arriving companion with hugs. Suddenly, in a striking scream that echoed through the laughter, one of the elders tried to start a classic chant —“Marcos, Hitler, Diktador, Tuta!” I chimed in, and to my surprise, the response was quite silent from the number of activists in the event. I thought that maybe some of them were too weak to shout at the top of their lungs anymore. One of the elders I was in line with said, “Huwag na si Marcos, patay na ‘yon e. Dapat si Duterte naman.” I recalled the newer chants we younger activists use nowadays and responded, “Duterte, Marcos walang pinag-iba! ‘Yan na po ang bago ngayon e ano?” She smiled and said, “‘Yan ganyan na dapat.” Little did I know that this simple interaction would fit quite well into the theme of the harrowing documentary we were about to watch. The Kingmaker, directed by multi-awarded filmmaker Laura Greenfield, focused on the Marcos family’s efforts to re-establish their image among Filipinos and to regain their political stronghold,

GRAPHIC | RENZ PALALIMPA

including Imelda’s dreams of seeing her son Bongbong become the president of the Philippines and the connection her children Bongbong and Imee have established with now President Rodrigo Duterte. The film debuted internationally in August 2019 at the 76th Venice Film Festival, and was only screened in the Philippines this year. Deserving of international praise There’s no doubt that Greenfield did a good job with The Kingmaker. The years of effort, financing, and research put into its production are definitely commendable and has garnered positive responses since its premiere. Artistically speaking, The Kingmaker’s aesthetics were okay. There was the clever use of juxtaposition in its cinematography and wordplay. For example, the word impoverished was spoken by Imelda as she was sitting comfortably in her limousine, clutching a bunch of crisp, 20-peso bills. One of the most jarring scenes was when Imelda, in a voiceover, praised the Martial Law years as the best years for Filipino sovereignty, justice, and human rights, as footage of abuse from that same era were visualized on screen. The stark contrast between Imelda’s grandiosity and the landscape of Filipino slums also made for great poverty porn material. The EnglishFilipino translation of the subtitles, courtesy of Martial Law activist Susan Tagle, helped a great deal in making the film more direct and concise. The entirety of the piece was coherent enough and was worth watching even if it was over two hours long. The Kingmaker was engaging and alive, and wasn’t dreary or dragging at all.

by BERNADETTE ANNE MORALES

A foreign perspective on the Marcoses However, the ideological aspects of “The Kingmaker” were somewhat double-edged. Many foreign award-giving bodies wouldn’t have cared about any negative implications set by the film. In the eyes of a Filipino— whose country is so dangerously tormented by the subject of the documentary—what does The Kingmaker as a piece of art and popular media convey? The Kingmaker was made through a foreign lens; an outsider’s perspective on the monstrosity that is Imelda Marcos. Because of this, Greenfield had an obvious upper hand when it came to covering figures like Imelda due to her stellar background and name in the film scene. She also happens to be a white woman herself, one that Imelda would most likely reveal herself to considering that she has an affinity for anything Western and would love any prospect of being glorified. Thus, the access to having the Marcoses at much ease and confidence in her recordings was available. That opportunity to catch her in her raw moments is unavailable to local filmmakers who don’t strike Imelda as anything special or too dangerous in her eyes. History professor Xiao Chua joked in the panel discussion that he too sat in a long, 15-hour interview with Imelda. “Matindi…” he described it. The documentary, though, showed him new things he said he

hadn’t heard from Imelda before. She had moments of sadness and vulnerability; she said she gets depressed by seeing Manila in such a poor state; she talked about her depression and discontent with her life and how she was cured by a psychologist. It all contributes to representing humanity in Imelda, if she has any to spare— perhaps it would only be for Western media. It was also a good thing that The Kingmaker tried to retell the story through a periodical basis. It connected the past, the present and the future and showed the extent of the Marcoses’ powers throughout the years. There were scenes depicting the ongoing mentality of Imelda’s projects as utang na loob through many Filipinos warmly accommodating her visits, viewing Imelda with gratitude and reverence; and the most important and glaring of all examples being their alliance with the current Duterte administration – being a pivotal part in his 2016 presidential bid and funding his campaign. The Kingmaker presented a timeline, coming off as some sort of a primer for someone who may want to know why the Marcoses remain relevant. However, as the earlier interaction goes, it’s Duterte’s turn to be criticized and penalized. A disadvantage that came with the film was that only the most prominent voices were available. The Philippines was portrayed as a nation ruled solely by giant oligarchs such as the Marcoses and the Aquinos, which is an understandable viewpoint especially based on a foreigner’s perspective. In the panel discussion, martial law activist Susan Tagle recommended watching Ramona Diaz’s critically acclaimed 2003

documentary film on Imelda Marcos entitled “Imelda” to provide further context to viewers about the matriarch. Tagle also mentioned that Greenfield may have just been trying to avoid repetitive content. The activist in me might have liked to present the activists as more than just victims, but as Filipinos who fought for what was right in the midst of the ruling elite’s greed and violence. Greenfield had also mentioned in past interviews that she initially thought her film would be a sort of “redemption story,” but discerned she needed other sources upon realizing how much of an ‘unreliable narrator’ Imelda was. To be fair, she made a noble attempt to compare and contrast Imelda’s delusions to the actual horrors their family had cast upon the country. However, the facts were laid out pretty ambiguously, even with Greenfield’s use of juxtaposition, a dialectic approach and Cinema Verite– a style of documentary filmmaking that improvises to unveil truth or highlight subjects hidden behind crude reality. The equations only made sense to me since I was an activist myself. What I saw only added up with what I already knew to be enough for me to discern how evil and bad the Marcos regime really was, and that the matriarch’s grandiose personality was just a glittery cover-up for their atrocities. Greenfield said that she chose Imelda Marcos as a ‘natural’ subject because of her being an ‘iconic reference point’ of wealth, consumerism and materialism. It’s evident here that Greenfield’s knowledge of Imelda is limited to her cultural impact, despite the intersection with political and socioeconomic impacts. It was only later on that she discovered how the Marcoses powers transcend through time, making some other

FEATURE

aspects of Imelda’s identity seem like an afterthought. Rewriting narrative? The why’s aren’t as thoroughly fleshed out; and with that I didn’t fully grasp the essence of a Kingmaker as the documentary was trying to say. I am curious as to why Imelda’s edifice complex wasn’t given more focus, and why anomalies surrounding the Film Center and her other projects weren’t mentioned at all. The Manila Film Center brouhaha could’ve been discussed for proof of blood blatantly visible in Imelda’s hands. She’s not just some innocent woman clad in glittery dresses and sparkly shoes prancing around Malacañang 24/7. She herself has been responsible for violence and abuse, and sadly that is not what you get from the film. It scares me to think that if The Kingmaker wasn’t contextualized properly, a viewer may even sympathize with the Marcoses. A viewer can easily fall in love with Imelda’s character, even with the activists’ horrifying narratives placed right beside Imelda’s image; and that’s even more damaging. It’s deeply infuriating that a documentary such as The Kingmaker could exist. And no, I’m not berating Greenfield for choosing Imelda as her subject; I’m mad that people as dark and shameless as the Marcoses are still glorified and given the chance to control their narrative in this day and age. At the same time, historical revisionism is rampant, and the youth of today are sorely affected. The scenes depicting junior high school students around Metro Manila all giving off positive comments about the Martial Law era and the Marcoses show how effective their narrative has been propagating. Even the panelists in the postviewing discussion—Chua, UP Student Regent Isaac Punzalan, Faculty Regent Bomen Guillermo, and Tagle—admitted there have been gaps that are hard to fill in the education of Philippine history. All the crimes and lawsuits mentioned in the documentary that resulted in the Marcoses’ acquittal and the very existence of the documentary show we haven’t been doing enough. Imelda likes the attention she gets, that she’s yet again the star of a movie. ”A star in the dark of the night”, as she likes to call herself. She’s depicted with glamour and even given reverence by many. In her haunting last lines in the film, Imelda even says, “Perception is real, and the truth is not… so the past is the past. There are so many things in the past that we should forget. In fact, it’s no longer there.” There are so many questions lingering inside of my head: why do we allow her to parade around like this? Why do we still allow her to live and speak like this? Why can their family do so much damage and just experience a slap on the wrist? In a just society, The Kingmaker shouldn’t even exist. And if it did, it should be shot inside a jail, not in the comfort of their mansions and ill-gotten wealth.

ORGANIZATIONS FROM DIFFERENT UNIVERSITIES in Metro Manila came together in Morayta and marched to Luneta to commemorate the 47th anniversary of the declaration of martial law.

View the full album at Tinig ng Plaridel’s Facebook page.

PHOTOS | SOFIA ABROGAR AND BERNADETTE MORALES

PHOTOS | SOFIA ABROGAR AND BERNADETTE ANNE MORALES

The UP commun ika-50 Taon” hel 50th anniversary of civil unrest du his re-election in

Students decry Marcos entry in campus, security ‘lock in’ response by CRISTINA CHI

UP Diliman (UPD) students protested the entry of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ daughter, Irene Marcos-Araneta, in

the Palma Hall where she attended a Dulaang UP play, Friday evening. Marcos-Araneta went to see Frederico Garcia Lorca’s ‘The House of / Ang Tahanan ni Bernarda Alba,’ a play that centered on a grieving mother who forbids her children from entering romantic relationships. Director Alexander Cortez chose the Marcoses’

hometown of Ilocos as the setting of the play. As she was about to leave the building, security forces under the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs (OVCCA) known as the Special Services Brigade (SSB) locked the gates at the lobby and the Rizal Garden to prevent student protesters from getting out. The gates remained barred twenty minutes after she left. Art Studies student Apol Demigillo recalled being surrounded by security forces while the student protesters, who split up to wait for Marcos-Araneta, were locked behind gates. When he asked one of the security heads the reason for bolting the gates, he said he received “vague answers.” “I was told that there was a

certain ‘threat’ in which the person I was talking to refuses to explain, usually responding in frustration as to why I have so many questions, and that I should just leave,” he said in an online interview. Demigillo added that his questions were dismissed by the security who claimed to not know who was in the building at the time. One of those locked inside was senior Speech Communication student Caylie Franco, who said he and two other students discussed their reason for protesting with some SSB personnel while behind gates. “Yung mga SSB na nakaassign sa amin was nadidiscussan namin kung bakit namin ginagawa iyon while them saying na trabaho lang or else matatanggal sila,” Franco

nity braved the inclement weather during the “Konsyertong Bayan sa ld by UP Symphony Orchestra at Palma Hall in commemoration of the y of the First Quarter Storm (FQS) and its martyrs. The FQS was a time uring the Marcos regime, caused by the broadening economic gap and n 1969.

“Hindi exempted si Irene Marcos-Araneta sa ginawa ng kanyang pamilya dahil siya mismo ay nagbenefit doon sa pagnanakaw at pamasista ng kanyang pamilya dito sa Pilipinas,”

Sean Thakur

UPD Univeristy Student Council Chairperson

said. He also mentioned that some of the SSB personnel agreed with the students’ indignation over a Marcos entering the university premises. UPD University Student Council Chairperson Sean Thakur said he invited students and organizations to conduct a quick mobilization after learning of a Marcos’ presence in UP. “Hindi exempted si Irene Marcos-Araneta sa ginawa ng kanyang pamilya dahil siya mismo ay nagbenefit doon sa pagnanakaw at pamasista ng kanyang pamilya dito sa Pilipinas,” he said. Thakur said the student protesters aimed to cover all possible exits to register their calls with the third Marcos sibling in person. Her presence in UP loomed

weeks before the UP community would celebrate the September 21st Day of Remembrance, a day in honor of those at the helm of resistance against the Marcos dictatorship. In 1971, students and faculty members of UPD formed the historic Diliman Commune in protest of the worsening economic conditions under the Marcos regime. The Diliman Commune saw the UP community barricading against military intrusion for nine days along the University Avenue at the time. The AS steps in Palma Hall, wherein Marcos-Areneta trailed upon leaving the building, bore witness to many historical demonstrations that condemned human rights violations during the

late dictator’s martial rule. When Marcos set foot in Ateneo De Manila University’s (ADMU) Areté museum in April 2019, ADMU President Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ issued a statement of apology. Areté Executive Director Yael Buencamino also resigned over the incident. [With reports from Hannah Embile and Mikee Garcia]

View the full album at Tinig ng Plaridel’s Facebook page.

PHOTOS | BERNADETTE MORALES

PHOTOS | BERNADETTE ANNE MORALES

TINIG NG PLARIDEL

FEATURE

Bernarda Alba THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE by Joker Manio In every house, a master always reigns. For most, it is a patriarch. For some, it is a matriarch. For the theatre, it is always the director. Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (DUP) opens its 44th season with an enthralling adaptation of Federico Garcia Lorca’s La Casa de Bernarda Alba, translated to English by Daisy Lopez and to Filipino by Alexander Cortez. Cortez also serves as the production’s director. But unbeknownst to most, Cortez also brought with him during the show’s premiere a personality that would draw the ire of the UP community. The House of Bernarda Alba / Ang Tahanan ni Bernarda Alba is a taut ensemble drama depicting how individual tragedies affect close-knit families. Five daughters are shut off from the world, only to remain within the confines of their house as their mother imposes on them an eight-year mourning period for her second husband. This matriarch is Bernarda Alba, a conservative old woman more concerned with what her neighbors think of her and her household than what her own daughters feel. Every character feels whole with the fiery anguish that the actresses paint their personas. The enclosed set design heightens

DESIGN | RENZ PALALIMPA GRAPHIC | RENZ PALALIMPA

the onstage tension. When two characters interact, passion fills the stage, getting more heated as another character enters. In this play, two is a crowd, and three is an insurrection. The play deals with hidden secrets, forlorn feelings and aching frustrations as members of the family lash out at each other. In the bleakest attempt to escape the household, the daughters fight among themselves for a shot to be with an unseen bachelor. In here, the production has twisted the typical imaginings of a patriarchal tyrant, showing instead how tyranny comes from any place, personified by anyone. So imagine the surprise of both production crew and audience as an icon of tyranny appeared during the show’s gala night. Irene Marcos-Araneta, the third child of conjugal dictators Ferdinand Marcos and Imelda Marcos, has reportedly attended the show after being invited by Cortez. Not long after, students flocked directly outside of the Wilfredo Guerrero Theatre, demanding that she leave the university, after showing up just two weeks before UP’s Day of Remembrance, a day dedicated in commemoration of those at the forefront of resistance during the 1972 martial law. It also wasn’t the first time this year that the late dictator’s third child appeared

unannounced on campus grounds – she was invited last April to the opening of Ateneo de Manila University’s (ADMU) Areté outdoor art installation program. But while Ateneo’s incident resulted in the resignation of the university’s Executive Director for the Center for Creativity and Arts, the incident with DUP resulted in Director Alex Cortez condemning the student protesters, citing how ‘UP is a democratic society’ in defense of Irene’s appearance. Cortez also probed the protesters to respect the play, who actually protested only during the intermission and after it was finished. Moreover, it is ironic for the director of The House of Bernarda Alba / Ang Tahanan ni Bernarda Alba to invite a non-apologetic Marcos and to include her in his acknowledgements in the program, as this disrespects the legacy of the original play’s writer, who was a desaparecido and victim himself of Spanish tyrants during the country’s Civil War. Criticism against DUP emerged because of the incident. On their Facebook page, the theater organization released a statement of apology quoting how DUP ‘have not forgotten the atrocities of Martial Law and are one with the community in protest against

human rights violations’, but also mentioned how they will merely be ‘more discerning in its actions in the future’ because ‘individuals in DUP may have differences in political leanings’. A rift within the company has inadvertently surfaced due to the incident. Student staffers have since expressed discontent as to how the situation was handled. Through individual statements posted on their Facebook accounts, they mentioned how directors and alumni have always controlled and regulated their actions up to the point of abuse. They have always remained silent for fear of incurring failing grades and offending higherups. With this, a history of silencing and abuse within the country’s premiere academic theater organization has been exposed. Tradition and culture reinforce power dynamics that installs and holds masters of the house. Like Bernarda Alba who holds authority over her daughters’ wills, the director in the theatre always has the final say. Thus, it does not ring true anymore that our priorities lie in keeping traditions alive; instead, our task is to hold those who propagate tyranny accountable. It is indeed the task of art to raise questions and to enliven discourse. To democratize art is to gauge every idea under equal scrutiny. However, to criticize

something, one must first clean his own backyard. The bravery of the five daughters saw themselves stepping up to their matriarch and to each other; similarly, the conviction of these student staffers to finally voice out their grievances may result in a new start for internal change in DUP. Individuals must answer to consequences, but it does not mean that everyone in the company has to suffer – Irene Marcos is reported to have bought her ticket, and is not a sponsor for the production. To mount a production, multiple personalities have to work tirelessly who may be kept in the dark regarding the issue. To call for a boycott of DUP is to shrug off the hardships of those sincere in pulling off a theatrical piece that condemns tyranny like Bernarda Alba. But still, those accountable do have to be accounted for. With enough bravery and conviction, we may one day run a house without a master. Tinig ng Plaridel has exhausted all efforts to contact some of the student and alumni staffers who worked for the production and was present at the incident but they refrained from giving out additional information past their public statements as they wish to resolve the situation internally.

DUKOT FAITH IS A RAISED FIST

by YUMI PARAS It’s easy, to something.

believe

Be it principles or higher beings, we choose to believe in a variety of things each day whether they are visible to the eye or not. It may be argued that it is this faith that propels us forward; that pushes and drives our every choice and action — it’s this action itself that does not come easy. We are often told that faith entails sacrifice — and in some cases, suffering. Set in the 2000s during the time of former President Gloria Arroyo, Joel Lamangan’s Dukot tells the story of the abduction and subsequent torture of couple Junix (Allen Dizon), an activist, and Maricel (Iza Calzado), a former student leader who chose to “lie low” after university, alongside their families’ attempts at seeking justice against the culture of impunity and inequity that befell their children. Written by 2019 Gawad Plaridel recipient Bonifacio P. Ilagan, who was also a political prisoner during former president Ferdinand Marcos’ martial law, Dukot weaves a narrative of loss and suffering at the hands of those in power. Junix and Maricel are examples

of student leaders and activists who went missing after being tagged as “high-ranking leaders in the New People’s Army.” Their parents’ desire to find them and expose the military’s wrongdoings, however, were thwarted by the administration’s utilization of both power and violence, going so far as to killing the photojournalist covering their wrongdoing. Dukot also speaks of the hardships of student activists and the sacrifices that accompany their faith. Halfway through the film, it is revealed that Maricel decided to declare “inactivity” from her organization, as her work as an activist had rendered her unable to help her mother provide for her two younger siblings. Even more evident an example is the way Maricel’s relationship with Junix suffers, as she claims that the latter would always prioritise the movement and the cause over their future together. There is no happy ending in Dukot; no family is reunited, nor is any blood spared. Scenes of torture and abuse inflicted upon Junix and Maricel are both too horrendous to behold and impossible to look away from, and the audience is left infuriated as they witness the military’s ceaseless attempts to cover their own tracks. In what is almost a triumphant escape, all hope is dashed when the two main

protagonists are shot and killed at the hands of people who have sworn to protect them — but in reality only serve the higher echelons of power. But there is the kindling of a flame, evidenced by Maricel’s mother, Aling Sonia (Gina Alajar), speaking at a demonstration for the very first time. The crowd of people, placards, and banners and calls of action in tow, represent the promise that Maricel and Junix and the thousands of victims of impunity did not die in vain. Impunity is not a foreign concept in our present society, with numerous cases of activists being “red-tagged” and wrongfully imprisoned for mere expression of dissent against the dictatorial rule of the current administration. But in the face of persecution and adversary, only when we truly believe in something do we have the strength to stand and overcome it — to give up what means most to us, to fight, and even to die for the promise of a better tomorrow. Albeit fictional, Dukot is far from unrealistic. Thousands of Filipinos have become victims of abduction, torture, and abuse, due to simply expressing their dissent against the administration –– many of whom remain missing to this day. One scene in the film has Aling Sonia expressing her own

disbelief that such instances still occur in spite of how much time has passed since martial law, where many Filipino student leaders were wrongly imprisoned, abducted, and remained missing under the inhumane rule of then dictator Marcos. These days, however, it is clearer how martial rule need not be declared as the threat against activists and the Filipino masses remains as present and rampant as ever before. In his speech before the film started, Lamangan reflected upon the ten years that have passed since it was first premiered, as well as the disappointing reality that near nothing has truly changed –– only the person sitting at the head of power. “Dukot mirrors Arroyo’s time as president,” he stated, “pero makikita naman natin na wala namang pagbabago” [nv]. Despite the lip service of “change is coming,” the Philippines has not seen any fundamental difference – only a heightened tyrannical rule and a worsening record of human rights violations. If the casualties of a war the government has waged on its people have proven anything, it’s that our nation’s troubles are far from over.

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30 TINIG NG PLARIDEL

FEATURE

Inclusive education Inclusive education an enduring dream for SPED an enduring dream for teachers, students SPED teachers, students by CRISTINA CHI

by CRISTINA CHI Persistence is a timehoned quality for students is a timelikePersistence Bless Adriano, 22, honed quality for students whose college experience like Bless so far has Adriano, been one22, bigwhose test.

college experience so far has It one is not, a test been big however, test.

of her intelligence. Academic pressure takes a backseat in It is not, however, a test of her the life of thisAcademic Dean’s Lister. No, intelligence. pressure the test goes far in beyond takes a backseat the lifethat. of this ForLister. this third year Dean’s No, the teststudent goes far with a that. visual disability that beyond has For rendered her totally blind, this third year student college has so far been a with a visual disability thattest has for the education and rendered her totally system blind, college its capacity to include students has so far been a test for the like her. education system and its capacity It has been failing.

to include students like her. It has been failing.in higher Lack of inclusivity

education Lack of inclusivity in Persistence is a timehigher honed education skill that gets finePersistence is aAdriano time-honed tuned every time has skill that gets fine-tuned to remind her professors every she time Adriano cannot see. has to remind her professors she cannot see. at A Psychology student A Psychology student Trinity University of Asia (TUA),at Adriano recounts particular instances when she felt excluded after some professors would ‘forget’ about her visual disability. With one professor, she had to repeatedly clarify she could not write every time they had a quiz. “Ang bilis ng kada dictation na ramdam po na hassle sa

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Trinity University of Asia (TUA), Adriano recounts kanya every time I particular request instances when excluded her to repeat she thefelt question,” after some professors would she says. In another instance, ‘forget’ about her visual disability. a professor had repeatedly With one professor, she had to to forgotten he had agreed repeatedly clarify she could not give a special midterm exam. write every time had aasked quiz. In the end, hethey merely “Ang bilis ng kada dictation her to answer five random questions. na ramdam po na hassle sa Studying alongside sighted kanya every time I request her classmates helped she Adriano to repeat thehas question,” says. to another bridge the accessibility gap In instance, a professor in most of her classes where had repeatedly forgotten he the had learning are catered agreed tomaterials give a special midterm to those Adriano’s exam. In with the sight. end, he merely classmates would five volunteer asked her to answer random to write her answers during questions. exams and hold study sessions Studying alongside sighted to help her understand classmates has helped lessons Adriano in chemistry, human anatomy to bridge the accessibility gap in and more. most of her classes where the But as virtual learning learning materials are catered comes for a country deadto those with sight.education Adriano’s set on continuing classmates would volunteer to amid a pandemic, she worries write during exams abouther theanswers prospects of relying and hold study sessions on online resources in the to help school her understand coming year. lessons in The lack chemistry, of tactile human anatomy and study materials for more. most of her classes as her virtual has But made rely on someone to hold her hand or to create improved materials so she could picture what w a s being

learning comes for a country dead-set continuing described. on education amid a pandemic, She cannot do these she in worries about the prospects of virtual learning. relying on online resources in the Armed with a 6-yearcoming school year. old phone and a laptop that lack of tactile study hasThe an outdated Windows 7 materials for most of her classes interface, she believes the has madeschool her rely on could someone coming year be even more forto hercreate than to hold herdifficult hand or usual. improved materials so she could “Kung po extra effort picture whatdati was being described. na talaga sincedo ako langinpo ang She cannot these virtual blind sa block namin, ngayon learning. po, Armed kakaibang ulit yung witheffort a 6-year-old pag-iisip paraan kung phone and ng a laptop that has an papaano Windows ako makakasabay outdated 7 interface, sa kanila nga po school lahat she believesdahil the coming ay mababago,” Adriano, who year could be even more difficult relies on her screen-reader to for her than usual. read online materials, says. “Kung dati po extra effort But she makes it na talaga since ako lang po ang clear: education has been blind sa block namin, ngayon po, inaccessible and exclusive kakaibang even before the

effort ulit yung pag-iisip ng paraan kung papaano ako makakasabay pandemic. sa kanila nga po lahat po ay “Bagodahil pa man mababago,” Adriano, who relies magkaroon nitong pandemic, on her beses screen-reader ilang ko na to rin read po online materials, says. naisipang huminto eh. Lalo na she kaming makes mahanap it clear: po But pag wala education has been inaccessible na guide na sasama sa akin sa and exclusive before the school or pag even nagma-manifest po yung systemic lupus,” she pandemic. says. “Bago pa man po magkaroon nitong pandemic, ilang beses SPED educators’ woes ko na rin po naisipang huminto While special education eh. Lalo na po pag wala kaming (SPED) teachers hold half of mahanap na guide naupsasama the skysain providing sa akin school or paginclusive nagmaeducation,potheyung other systemic half has manifest been falling with systemic lupus,” she says. funding and facility issues thatSPED leaveeducators’ students running woes for cover long before the While special education pandemic. (SPED) teachers hold up half The sudden, forceful ofshift the to skyremote in providing inclusive learning has education, the other has been compounded theirhalf problems. fallingInwith systemic funding and the Philippine National facility Schoolissues for that the leave Blind students (PNSB), running for cover long the considered as “the before country’s pandemic. pioneer exponent in the The sudden, forceful education of visuallyshift to remote learning impaired Filipino has compounded children,” students their and problems. make do teachers with poor teaching technology and lack of appropriate equipment. R o n a l d Manguiat of PNSB says they have asked the Department of Education (DepEd)

In the Philippine National School thedonations Blind (PNSB), to makefortheir more considered as “the country’s appropriate for those with pioneer exponent Through in the visual impairment. education the years, of theyvisually-impaired have received Filipino children,” and donations such asstudents blackboards teachers make do with poor and printed materials with teaching technology and lack of small fonts —materials that appropriate equipment. are far from “inclusive” for the Ronald Manguiat of PNSB blind, he says. learning says Virtual they have asked may the leave even of more Education visuallyDepartment impaired students if (DepEd) to make their behind donations not supported the right more appropriatewith for those with technology. Most of theThrough classes visual impairment. in PNSB teachers to the years, require they have received teach with a hand-over-hand donations such as blackboards approach tactilewith surfaces and printed on materials small — an activity that fonts —materials that cannot are far be replicated through online from “inclusive” for the blind, he classes. says. Manguiat also laments the Virtual learning may leave DepEd’s decision to rely on even more visually-impaired their school for modules on students not supported teachingbehind blind ifstudents. This with the right technology. Most has resulted in added workload offorthe classesoverworked in PNSB require already PNSB teachers to teach with a handteachers. over-hand approach on “Nanghihingi sila tactile ng surfaces — an activity sample ng module that na cannot be sa replicated through gagamitin blind, eh diba online dapatclasses. sa kanila nanggagaling Manguiat also be laments the yun? It should opposite – dapat galing sa DepEd at ibababa sa schools. Dahil ang mga experts galing sakanila eh. Kaya nga sila nandoon sa higher position,” he says. Students that heavily depend on face-to-face interactions for their development have also lost their precious classroom time

FEATURE

due to the need for physical distancing. This is the case DepEd’s decision rely on their for students at toLaro, Lapis, school Libro, for Inc.modules (Laro), on a teaching private blind students. This has resulted SPED transition school in added workload for where most students already with overworked PNSB(SWANs) teachers.have additional needs “Nanghihingi sila ng learning disabilities andsample are ng module na gagamitin sa immunocompromised. blind, eh diba dapat sa kanila Leah Buenaventura of nanggagaling yun? Itchose should to be Laro says they continue–the school out opposite dapat galingyear sa DepEd of ibababa a sense responsibility at sa of schools. Dahil ang for the students. and her mga experts galingShe sakanila eh.

Kaya nga sila nandoon sa higher position,” he says. Students that heavily depend on face-to-face interactions for their development have also lost their“[Inclusive precious classroom time education] due to the need for physical is This not issupposed distancing. the case for cut Lapis, corners. It studentsto at Laro, Libro, Inc. (Laro), a private SPED transition makes things easier school where most students for Students with with additional needs (SWANs) Additional Needs, have learning disabilities and are immunocompromised. but that does not mean Leah Buenaventura of Laro there lesstocourses says theyare chose continue to the school yearorout a sense learn, thatof there areof responsibility for standards.” the students. lower She and her colleagues “voluntarily chose” to take pay cuts amid a heavier workload due to remoteCristina learning. Aligada“There were families Halal na sila SPED Educator

colleagues “voluntarily chose” to take pay cuts amid a heavier na mismo nagri-reach to us, workload due to out remote because learning. they needed so to say “help” on how to families handle their “There were na children at home. […] Thatoutis sila na mismo nagri-reach what is forthey – toneeded really take to us,Laro because so hold of our vision and mission na to say “help” on how to handle we advocate for our students,” their children at home. […] That Buenaventura is what Laro says. is for – to really classes would and be takeOnline hold of our vision missionfor nastudents we advocate our difficult if notfor guided students,” Buenaventura by a parent or relative says. — a Online would privilege thatclasses is afforded onlybeto difficult where for students if not families one parent can guided by a parent or relative stay at home. —a privilege is afforded The school,that however, has only to home-based families where one created programs parent can stay ator home. where parents guardians The school, however, has could teach their students based created home-based programs on their own schedule, says where parents or guardians Buenaventura. could teach their students based on their own schedule, Inclusive ‘new normal’ says Buenaventura.

of education What used to be considered Inclusive ‘new normal’ of “accomodations” before the education COVID-19 pandemic should What used to be considered be considered part of the new “accomodations” before the normal, says Cristina AligadaCOVID-19 pandemic should Halal who haspart been teaching be considered of the new SPED for 16 years. normal, says Cristina Aligada“Atwho this point, we cannot not Halal has been teaching be inclusive. We don’t just think SPED for 16 years. about student “Atthe this point,with weadditional cannot not be or inclusive. We don’t just needs, those with disabilities. think about the student We think of everyone. Thosewith with additional needs, or those

with disabilities. We think of everyone. Those with access access the internet, access to thetointernet, access to to gadgets.Now Nowwe wehave havetoto be be gadgets. inclusive,” she says. inclusive,” she says. Persistence not enough enough Persistence isis not to give an overnight fix to an an to give an overnight fix to education system, especially to education system, especially one where years-long exclusion of to one where years-long SWANs has rendered government exclusion of SWANs has policies indifferent to students’ rendered government policies indifferent to students’ different circumstances. different After circumstances. teachers’ groups After groups raised alarmteachers’ bells in May over raised alarm bellsofinEducation’s May over the Department the Department of Education’s (DepED) ‘insubstantial’ plans to (DepED)technology ‘insubstantial’ provide for distance plans to the provide technology learning, department has for distance learning, the conceded only 80% of last year’s department has thisconceded students will return year. onlyAs80% of last students of writing,year’s a catastrophic return this year. 6will million students from last year As of writing, a catastrophic failed to enroll. 6 million students from last Child advocacy group Save year failed to enroll. The Child Children Philippines found advocacy group Save that COVID-19 restrictionsfound have The Children Philippines “affected children with disabilities that COVID-19 restrictions and their families through thewith lack have “affected children of access to education services, disabilities and their families child centers throughdevelopment the lack of access or supervised neighborhood to education services, child programs.” development centers or In these scenarios, perhaps supervised neighborhood mere persistence is no longer programs.” enough, youth In especially these when scenarios, perhaps mere persistence with disabilities continue is to no one longer especially be of enough, the country’s most when youth with disabilities

continue to be one of the country’s most marginalized marginalized groups in education. groups in education. For Aligada-Halal, inclusive inclusive For Aligada-Halal, education is one that can education is one that—and can should be held—upbe by held both —and —should teachers administrators. up by and both teachers and Policies coming from the top administrators. should allow for more options Policies coming from the intop learning. As in Adriano’s case, should allow for more default on examinations optionspolicies in learning. As in Adriano’s policies are just onecase, of thedefault first roadblocks onSWANs. examinations are just one of for theWhat first roadblocks for SWANs. Aligada-Halal believes What should change is Aligada-Halal the people’s believes should is outlook towards change inclusive the people’s outlook towards education. inclusive education. “[Inclusive education] is not “[Inclusive education] is supposed to cut corners. It makes not supposed to cut corners. things easier for Students with It makesNeeds, thingsbuteasier for Additional that does Students with Additional not mean there are less courses but that does not toNeeds, learn, or that there are lower mean there are less courses to standards,” Aligada-Halal says. learn, or that there are lower SPED teachers’ years-long standards,” Aligada-Halal says. experience in keeping a pulse SPED teachers’ years-long on their students’ specific experience in keeping a needs pulse can a valuable model specific to other on betheir students’ educators the needs cannowbe entering a valuable uncharted territory of remote model to other educators learning. now entering the uncharted “Students with learning. Additional territory of remote Needs learn differently and it is “Students with Additional impossible to be successful in Needs learn differently and it is teaching them if you will stick impossible to be successful in toteaching just onethem method way of if youorwill stick to just one method orsays. way of teaching,” Buenaventura teaching,” Buenaventura says.

Adriano relayed her concerns to TUA in a survey Adriano herinconcerns form they relayed released June to togauge TUA students’ in a survey form they preparedness released in June to before gauge for remote learning students’ preparedness for classes begin August 24. remote learning before classes The university’s website begin August shows 24. currently that its The university’s website learning cloud will “leave no currently shows that its learning student behind.” cloud“Hopefully, will “leave no student completely behind.” accessible and compatible ang interface ng learning cloud “Hopefully, completely na gagamitin namin sa mga accessible and compatible ang screen readers na ginagamit interface ng learning cloud na ko. Kasi napakalaking problema gagamitin namin sa mga screen po ito na pagginagamit nagkataon,” she readers ko. Kasi says. napakalaking problema po ito The pandemic pag nagkataon,” she has says.ushered in The questions on how remote pandemic has ushered learning will radically change in questions on how remote the face of education for learning will radically change the better or for worse. Others face of education for better or have believed the compromise for worse. Others have believed to be necessary, with even the the compromise to be necessary, president himself declaring it with even the so during his president fifth Statehimself of the declaring it so Nation Address.during his fifth StateBut of theforNation Address.SPED embattled But for embattled educators and students,SPED the educators and students, the question has always been when question has always been when they can be truly supported they be right truly supported withcan the facilities with and the right facilities and learning learning equipment as equipment in a truly promised as in promised a truly inclusive inclusive education. education. ItItisis left this left unanswered unanswered to this day. day.

INFOGRAPHIC | CRISTINA CHI DESIGN PALALIMPACHI INFOGRAPHIC | DESIGN BYTEXT RENZ PALALIMPA, TEXT| RENZ BY CRISTINA

32 TINIG NG PLARIDEL 29

EDITORIAL

Striking down

democracy

Indulging in fantasies of dictatorship is usually done in the dark, but we know President Rodrigo Duterte is a showman. In broad daylight, with millions of Filipinos looking to him for solutions during a pandemic, he orders a crackdown on critics through the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 – a law meant to intimidate people into silence under the guise of counter-insurgency. Among its most insidious provisions include life imprisonment for those found guilty of participating in “terrorist” activities. State forces can now serve warrantless arrests against deemed ‘terrorists’ or anyone found associating with ‘terrorist’ organizations and detain them for 10 more days than what was previously allowed. Heavily criticized by rights groups, the draconian “Terror Bill” allows for the easy abuse of authority due to the loose definition of ‘terrorism,’ with law enforcements now authorized to arrest anyone at will. Through the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC), the government will now be able to catch a wider net in its years-long pursuit of progressive groups and other organizations it has baselessly accused of having ties with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). Make no mistake: the law merely legalizes what this administration has long been carrying out in the dark. It has never hidden its bloody record of harassment, and killing of activists, lawyers, peasant leaders, and anyone it assumes to be associated with such progressive groups.

Just the existence of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC) and their constant redbaiting of progressive communities and organizations through malicious propaganda are enough proof of the dangers of a looselydefined bill. But the time for sleight of hands has long passed. Without fear of retribution, the administration now trains its eyes on criminalizing dissent at a time when the free flow of information is crucial. This is right out of a dictator’s playbook. We must remember the late President Marcos went after journalists, activists and progressive groups first, a day after martial law’s declaration. If this administration truly wishes to go after those who terrorize the people, perhaps it should count its own tally of human rights violations that have quickly been stacking up in the midst of a pandemic. Its justification of an excessive use of force to implement quarantine rules remind us all too well of the drug war narrative where the police became emboldened to kill upon the President’s order. Instead of solving the prevalence of drugs in the country, the government has relentlessly used its people as pawns in their own sick games. Worse, they have shown no remorse to the victims’ families at all. How can this administration call to stop ‘the menace of terrorist acts’ while it has been failing the people during a pandemic in a more perilous and more

blatant manner? Duterte and all his cohorts have failed to provide people with the safety net they need to survive what has become the world’s longest lockdown. With insufficient aid, this government has plunged people far deeper into poverty all while clamoring for them to hold out just a little longer. Instead of putting their heads together to create sound transportation policies in this new normal, and listen to the grievances of the Filipino people, they choose to focus on anti-terrorism efforts. They ignored the urgent needs of thousands of workers squeezing themselves into one broken transportation system. The railroading of the AntiTerrorism Act — certified as urgent by the President himself — means to stop the growing uproar of the people over the government’s incompetence. With this new law, just the mere act of pointing out an ineffective policy, criticizing the government’s selective application of the law, or questioning the lack of transparency can be considered as criminal acts. Those that speak truth to power may find themselves behind bars soon. In a Duterte-led Philippines, this means the law can be used to tag

journalists and media workers as ‘terrorists’ causing ‘interference.’ Despite the constitutional right to a free press, the media will be put in grave danger of being controlled by the government as its essential ‘watchdog’ function can be constituted as “terrorism” in the proposed bill. This government has long been painting an imaginary enemy through lies, baseless accusations and outright disinformation. It distorts the act of truth-telling with rebellion. It attempts to shift the blame for all the country’s current problems to anyone but itself. Enough is enough. The government’s misplaced priorities during a pandemic speak for itself. It cannot hide its real fear of seeing the people take up arms after months of blatant negligence. Its attempts to weaponize the law and silence the people will not work. It cannot place a blanket ban on free speech with a feeble strike of a pen. The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, railroaded by Congress at a time when the country is reeling from the rising number of COVID-19 cases, is the most glaring symbol of President

Duterte’s inability to lead. It is high time for the President and all his lackeys in his rubber stamp Congress to step down and answer for all their crimes committed while in power, the approval of the law among these. The Duterte administration has unleashed nothing but terror towards Filipinos, materializing conditions for a dictatorial rule at the expense of our basic rights and liberties. At the height of an eroding human rights situation, holding government officials to account and scrutinizing the actions of state forces becomes vital. Everyone must call into question warrantless arrests no matter whom it happens to and to thoroughly probe the everchanging definition of “terrorists” under this administration. The absurdity of having to fight for one’s rights while trying to survive a global pandemic is now a reality. The dictator responsible should not be allowed to get away scot-free.

OPINION EDITORIAL

Balatkayong Tagapagligtas Malutong ang naging banat ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte laban sa mga oligarko, o ang iilang tao at pamilyang may malaking kontrol sa bansa. Bansag ito sa grupo ng mga politiko, negosyante o elit na bagamat kaunti at pili lamang, ay gahum sa kapangyarihan. Malaki ang hawak nila sa bansa at buháy sila sa kani-kanilang larangan – politika man o sa negosyo.

Sa talumpati ng pangulo noong Hulyo 13, ipinagyabang niya na sa kanyang pagpapasara ng ABS-CBN ay tila napilayan ang mga naghaharing pamilyang ito. “‘Yun namang ABS-CBN, binaboy ako. Pero sinabi ko ‘pag ako nanalo, bubuwagin ko ang oligarchy ng Pilipinas. Ginawa ko,” saad niya sa mga sundalo sa Jolo, Sulu. Tinangka man ng palasyo na itago ang bahaging ito ng kanyang pahayag, nailantad pa rin ito ng midya nang mapasakamay nila ang buong audio recording ng nasabing talumpati. Agad itong klinaro ni Tagapagsalita ng Pangulo Harry Roque na hindi ang mga Lopez ang tinutukoy ng pangulo, kundi sina Lucio Tan, ang mga Ayala, at si Manuel V. Pangilinan, na nakasalungat din niya. Subalit kahit aling pamilya o tao man ang ituro niya, hindi maikakaila ang kanyang pagkukunwari. Malinaw man ang kanyang galit laban sa ganitong sistema, malabo ito kung iisiping mabuti. Matatandaang si Duterte mismo ay ulo ng isang makapangyarihang oligarkiya sa Davao. Ang kanyang anak na si Sara Duterte-Carpio ay ang alkalde ng Davao City at si Sebastian “Baste” Duterte naman ang bise-alkalde. Ang panganay naman na si Paolo “Pulong” Duterte ay kinatawan ng unang distrito ng Davao City. Isang munting kalabit lamang ang aniyang “pagbuwag” sa sistemang ito, at marahil upang tuluyang mabura ang oligarkiya ay dapat umpisahan natin sa pangulo. Sa halip na buwagin niya ang oligarkiya ay binalutan niya ang sarili niya ng mga negosyante’t politiko. Lalo niyang iniluklok sa kapangyarihan ang mga taong pinangako niyang sisirain. Isa si Dennis Uy sa pinakamalaking nagsuhay sa kampanya ni Duterte sa pagkapresidente noong Halalan 2016. Si Uy ay isang Chinese-Filipino mula sa Davao del Norte, at anak ng negosyante ng copra, mais at saging. Una niyang nakilala si Duterte noong alkalde pa siya ng Davao City. “He is a mentor in life [and] in leadership,” kwento ni Uy tungkol sa pangulo sa isang panayam sa Nikkei Asian Review. Tinatag ni Uy ang Phoenix Petroleum Philippines at pinalago niya ito upang maging isa sa pinakamalalaki sa industriya ng petrolyo at pagproseso ng langis sa bansa. Pinalawak pa niya ang kanyang negosyo tungo sa shipping,

telecommunications at pagpapatakbo ng mga casino. Mula noon, nawili si Uy sa pagbili ng mga kompanya —convenience store, casino, bakery chain, Ferrari dealership at iba pa. Patuloy ang kanyang pamamayagpag, at tila walang magtatangkang bumuwag sa kanya ngayong terminong ito. “Kaugnay sa ABS-CBN, hindi totoo na tagumpay na binuwag ni Duterte ang oligarkiya dahil sa katunayan, namamayagpag sila sa ilalim ng kanyang administrasyon,” banggit ni Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas. “Record-high ang bilang ng Filipino oligarchs, ayon sa listahan ng Forbes’ top billionaires,” dagdag niya. Masasabing si House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano ay isa rin sa mga oligarkong kinukumutan ni Duterte. At tulad ng kanyang idolo, isa rin siyang mapagkunwari. “This is our chance na baguhin ang oligarchic system. Anyway, ilang henerasyon na din naman nakinabang ‘yung mga pamilyang ito,” giit niya sa isang House hearing noong Hulyo 16. Ang mga Cayetano ay nasa kapangyarihan na mula pa noong 1986 – nang mahalal si Renato “Rene” Cayetano bilang kinatawan ng Taguig-PaterosMuntinlupa. Mula noon, hindi na nawala ang kanilang apelyido sa Kongreso. Ang panganay niyang anak na si Pia Cayetano ay naging kinatawan ng ikalawang distrito ng Taguig. Siya ay 12taon nang senador – dalawang taon lamang ang higit sa kanyang nakababatang kapatid na si House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano na isang dekadang naging miyembro ng senado. Ang misis niyang si Maria Laarni “Lani” Cayetano ay naging alkalde na din ng Taguig. Natapos lamang ang sampungtaong panunugkulan ni Lani Cayetano sa posisyong ito nang napalitan siya ng kanyang kapatid-sa-kasal na si Lino Cayetano, ang alkalde ng lungsod ngayon. Marahil ay dapat umpisahan ni House Speaker Cayetano ang pagwawalis sa sarili niyang bakuran. Hindi na rin bagong peste ang political dynasty sa bansa. Sa pananaliksik ni Pablo Querubin ng New York University, nakasaad na halos 70% ng mga politiko ay sangkot sa isang dinastiya. Dagdag pa niya, 77% ng mga mambabatas sa edad 26 hanggang 40 ay miyembro ng isang pamilyang politikal. Mahihinuha rito na karamihan sa kanila ay nasa ikatlong henerasyon na ng kani-kanilang pamilya. Lumalabas sa pananaliksik na ito na ang karamihan sa mga politikong nakaluklok ngayon ay mga apo ng mga naunang lider at mambabatas. Sila ay bunga ng limampung taong pagpapasa-pasahan ng pwesto, at kahit kalahating-siglo na ang lumipas ay apelyido pa rin nila ang umaalingawngaw sa politika. S a simpleng pagbabalikt a n a w lamang sa

mukha ng Malacañang sa limampung taon na na nakalipas, makikitang ang datos sa pananaliksik ni Querubin ay tumuturo sa nangungunang promotor ng lahat ng ito: ang dating pangulo at diktador na si Ferdinand Marcos. Sa pamamagitan niya at ng kanyang mga crony ay lumaganap ang dinastiya sa iba’t ibang lalawigan ng bansa. Sa kabila ng pagpapatalsik ng sambayanan sa mga Marcos, sila’y nakabalik sa kapangyarihan. Isa sa pinakakilalang produkto ng angkang ito sina Sen. Imee at Bongbong Marcos na parehas naging miyembro ng Kamara at Senado. Nag-umpisa si Imee bilang kinatawan ng ikalawang distrito ng Ilocos Norte noong 1998. Matapos ay sampung-taon siyang nanunungkulan bilang gobernador ng lalawigan. Dati na ring gobernador ng Ilocos Norte ang kapatid niyang si Bongbong mula noong 1998 hanggang 2007. Nang matapos ang halos isang dekadang pagupo niya sa pwestong ito ay lumipat naman siya sa Kamara bilang kinatawan ng parehas na distritong pinaglingkuran ng kanyang ate. Noong 2016, sinubukan ni Bongbong na umangat ng ranggo, at tumakbo siya bilang bise-presidente ng bansa. Natalo siya ni Leni Robredo – anak ng dating presiding justice ng Pangrehiyong Hukuman sa Camarines Sur na si Antonio Gerona at asawa ng dating kalihim ng Department of Interior and Local Government na si Jesse Robredo. Sa kandidatura ni Bongbong Marcos ay hindi naiwasang itanong sa kanya ang isyu ng kanyang pagiging miyembro ng political dynasty. Tinanong siya noong 2016 Vice-Presidential Debates kung paano niya babantayan ang mga dinastiyang ito sa kabila ng kawalan ng batas na nagbabawal sa kanila. Bilang tugon, pinakiusapan ng senador na tumingin ang madla lagpas sa kanilang mga apelyido. “Kung sino man dito ang kasama sa isang political dynasty, kalimutan niyo na po ang mga pangalan namin [at] ang mga apelyido namin, at tingnan ninyo ano ang record namin sa pagtulong sa taumbayan. Tignan ninyo kung gaano kahaba ang ating karanasan. Tignan po ninyo kung sino ang may talagang ginawa.” Pinabayaang lunas Hindi sapat ang ganitong pag-iisip ni Bongbong Marcos para mabura ang mapang-abusong mga dinastiya sa bansa. Hindi paglimot sa mga “pangalan at apelyido” ang bubuwag sa oligarkiya, kundi isang matatag at maayos na panukalang batas. Diretsahang nang nakalahad sa Article II, section 26 ng Saligang Bataas 1987 na hindi dapat magkaroon ng political dynasty sa bansa. Dagdag pa rito, inakda at inihain ng dating ikalawangpangulong Teofisto Guingona, Jr. sa Ikawalong Kongreso ang Senate Bill no. 82 noong 1987. Kung naisatupad, ito sana ang unang naging anti-political dynasty bill sa bansa. Subalit, hindi ito sinuportahan ng mababang kapulungan. Mula noon ay napakaraming beses nang naghain ang mga mambabatas ng mga panukalang batas na naglalayong wakasan ang mga political dynasty

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ni Renz Palalimpa

. Subalit, ngayon ay nasa ika-18 Kongreso na, at isang dekada nang walang usad ang batas na ito. Nakasaad ng opisyal na website ng Senado na noong May 4, 2020 ay naghain si Senador Grace Poe ng isang bersyon ng anti-political dynasty bill. Ito na ang ikaapat na Senate Bill na naglalayong pabagsakin ang sistemang ito. Kabilang sa apat na ito ang SB no. 11 ni Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, SB no. 30 ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson at ang SB no. 264 ni Sen. Franklin “Kiko” Pangilinan. Sabay-sabay silang nabubulok ngayon sa senado, patunay lamang na ayaw buwagin ni Duterte ang sistemang nagluklok sa kanya. Kamukha ng pagpalya ng senadong magpatupad ng anti-political dynasty bill ang kapalpakan ng mababang kapulungang magpanukala ng ganitong batas. Parehas na usad-pagong ang House Bill no. 110 ni Rep. Lawrence Fortun at HB no. 145 ng kinatawan ng SAGIP Partylist na si Rodante Marcoleta. Noong Hulyo pa ng nakaraang taon inihain ang mga ito, subalit “pending” pa rin ang estado ng dalawa. “While House Bill 110, the anti-political dynasty bill I authored, is languishing in the Committee, I am still hoping the measure will eventually merit the approval of our colleagues. Data shows, however, that the prospects are not very bright. No less than 70 percent of our members come from political dynasties,” pag-aalala ng kinatawan ng unang distrito ng Agusan del Norte na si Fortun. Bukod sa paghain ng panibagong mga panukalang batas, noong Enero ay sinubukang amyendahan ang 1987 Constitution upang magdagdag ng probisyong magbabawal sa political dynasties. Subalit, mariing pagtanggi lamang ang tinamo nito kina Isabela Rep. Antonio Albano, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, at North Cotabato Rep. Jose Tejada, na pawang mga miyembro ng mga political dynasty. Diin nila, karapatan daw ng lahat ng mamamayan na tumakbo sa kahit anong posisyon sa gobyerno. “In a democracy, it is an inherent right of a person – be it relative of incumbent official or not – to run for public office. If you bar a certain person from running that is unfair and anti-democratic,” giit ni Albano. Tila napakahirap paniwalaan na ang gobyernong nagpapatupad ng Anti-Terror Law ay siya ring nagsasabing “anti-democratic” ang pagharang sa mga miyembro ng dinastiyang tumatakbo sa politika. Kung patuloy nilang babaluktutin ang demokrasiya sa kanilang pakinabang, patuloy na iiling si Cleisthenes sa ilalim ng lupa. Matabang dinastiya, nagugutom na Pilipino Ayon sa dekano ng Ateneo School of Government na si Ronald Mendoza, ang ‘matabang’ dinastiya ang nagdudulot ng kahirapan at dapat itong tutukan ng AntiPolitical Dynasty Bill. “’Yung pinakamasamang epekto, nandoon sa lugar kung saan mataba ‘yung dynasty. Ibig sabihin, maraming sabaysabay na tumatakbo. The fat dynasty variable was a significant predictor of poverty.” Dagdag pa niya, nagdudulot ng abuso ang hindi makatarungang pamamalakad ng mga dinastiyang ito. “Doon sa fat dynasty jurisdictions, maiisip natin na hindi na democratic ang kanilang pamumuno at malamang na impunity na ang nangyayari sa lugar na ‘yan,”

banggit niya. Binigyang-pansin niya na may malinaw na koneksyon ang pinakamahihirap na lalawigan at ang dami ng mga dinastiya roon. Ginamit niyang halimbawa ang Maguindanao, ang ikalawang pinakamahirap na lalawigan sa bansa ayon sa Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) noong 2015. Ang Maguindanao ay ikalawa sa talaan ng pinakamatataas na poverty incidence, tinalo lamang ng Lanao del Sur na matatagpuan din sa Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Ayon kay Mendoza, ang resultang ito ay dulot ng mga fat dynasty na naghahari sa rehiyong ito. Sa Maguindanao, halimbawa, nagsangay-sangay na ang mga Ampatuan sa iba’t ibang posisyon sa lokal na pamahalaan. Matatandaan na ang mga Ampatuan din ang pangunahing sangkot sa Ampatuan massacre, na pumaslang sa 58 na mga mamamahayag, abogado at sibilyan. Disyembre noong nakaraang taon ay hinatulan na ang mga suspek sa pagpatay maliban sa mga hindi pa nahuhuli. Ang hamon Bilang pagtugon sa talumpati ng pangulo, humiling si Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon na aralin ang sistema ng mga dinastiya. Aniya, ang kakulangan ng anti-dynasty system o probisyon ang ugat ng oligarkiya. “We must review the whole structure, because the structure may in fact make oligarchy easy to achieve… The lack of an anti-dynasty system or provision in our system allows oligarchy to continue,” ani Drilon sa isang online forum noong July 19. Madaling isipin na ang wawakas sa oligarkiya ay ang Anti-dynasty Bill. Ngunit mapasa man ito o hindi, tataob ito kung patuloy na magkikibit-balikat ang mga nakaluklok sa pwesto. Sa katunayan, napatunayan na ng administrasyon ang kakaibang kapangyarihan nitong baluktutin ang batas gamit ang isang pilantik ng daliri. Kung mapasa man ang anti-dynasty bill, sinong pipigil sa kanilang salamangkahin din ito? Matagal nang palpak ang gobyerno sa pagtupad ng kanilang tungkulin. Marahil ay nakalimutan na nilang ang politika ay lagpas pa sa naglalabang pamilya, nagpapasakimang negosyante at nagpapatagalang apelyido. Nakaligtaan na nila na ang Malacañang ay hindi isang kwarto sa kanilang bahay. Ang politika ay tungkol sa paglilingkod sa bayan, wala nang iba. Makikita sa magkasalungat na kilos ni Duterte na ang pagpapasara ng ABS-CBN ay hindi tulak ng pagnanais niyang burahin ang mga oligarko mula sa bansa. Ito’y hindi lamang isang marahas na pagsalakay sa kalayaan ng midya, kundi isang naratibong nagbibigay-puri sa balatkayong tagapagligtas ng masa. Marahil tulad ng kanyang palpak na giyera laban sa droga, ay palpak din ang kanyang digma laban sa dinastiya. Malinaw na ang pagbuwag ng sistemang oligarko ay hindi kailanman magmumula sa isa pang oligarko. Huwag tayong magpalinlang sa pagpapakitanggilas ng pangulo, sapagkat walang ibang winakasan si Duterte kundi ang kalayaan at karapatan ng bawat Pilipino. Kasabay ng plano niyang pagbuwag sa isang malaking oligarko ng bansa ay siyang pagpapatibay ng sarili niyang dinastiya. Ang pagluklok niya sa kanyang mga kamag-anak, mga kasosyo sa negosyo at mga kaalyado sa politika ay isa lamang taktika upang mapanitili niya sa kaniyang mga kamay ang kapangyarihan sa bansa. Ang pagpapasara niya sa ABS-CBN ay isa lamang tunggalian sa pagitan ng mga elit na habang ang tuluyang nasasadlak ay ang kabuhayan, karapatan at kalayaan ng mga ordinaryong Pilipino.

Progressive groups marched to the University Avenue today in protest of the controversial Anti-Terror Bill. The Duterte administration and its allies in the Senate railroaded the bill despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, ignoring peoples’ calls for mass-testing. The Anti-Terror Bill, which many regard as unconstitutional, expands the already vague definition of “terrorist” and those suspected can be dealt an unbailable life sentence. Critics voiced their concerns on the bill’s constitutionality and its potential to be weaponized against dissenters.

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PHOTOS | ARA EUGENIO, BERNADETTE MORALES

36 TINIG NG PLARIDEL

FEATURE

ROLAND BAUTISTA, a 28-year-old Pangasinan native working as a stay-in timekeeper and truck driver for a builders corporation at a subdivision in Calumpit, Bulacan.

by MARY MARGARETTE CRISOSTOMO and ANGEL DALE MARIE YABUT

Voices blast from the radio tucked in the corner shelf of the salon stall, droning on about traffic updates. In front of the salton’s only mirror, a tiny Sto. Niño statue rests next to a bottle of talc powder and a set of old hair brushes. Blue plyboards divide the two-by-two meters square floor space, just enough for one salon chair and a sofa. Salon all-rounder Ronald Canlas, 39, stands by the chair, hair pulled tight into a low ponytail, bangs secured underneath a white headband glinting beneath the only

fluorescent light in the small stall. He waits for a customer. Ronald works at his own salon in a local market Bacolor, Pampanga, a jeepney ride away from his home. At six years old, Ronald knew he was gay. “Beking-beki na ako,” he chuckled, insisting it would not take a genius to figure him out even in his early years. (I was already gay.) However, his father did not accept his sexual orientation well. Coming from a religious family, Ronald suffered his father’s rage through the razor-edge slurs thrown at him. He had to learn to ignore all that; but the harshest one still snips the reminiscent smile away from his face – when his father said he does not set a good example for his three younger siblings just because he is gay.

RONALD CANLAS’ salon.

PHOTOS | MARY MARGARETTE CRISOSTOMO

BEAUTY AT THE EDGES “Sinasabi lagi ng tatay ko sa akin na ayaw niya ng anak na bakla, pero ganito na ako, ano pa magagawa niya?” he said. (My dad would always say that he doesn’t want a gay child, but this is who I am, what can he do?) In the past, Ronald used to freely express himself as a woman, but stopped due to public ridicule. “Kasi magdedress ka sa daan, lalo na yung mga hindi talaga alam yung pinagdadaanan mo, o kaya yung mga taong hindi nakapag-aral, [mga] hindi nakakaintindi. Tatawagin ka [nila ng] ‘bakla’,” he recalls. Since then, he never wore dresses again. (Because you would be in a dress on the street, especially to those who don’t know what you’re going through, or those who have no education, those who don’t understand. They would call you ‘gay’.) Amid being cast out, he deems himself lucky that his mother and siblings did not cut ties with him. They continued to help him and see him as family. Ronald eventually wore down his father’s conservative and religious heart. “Matatanggap ka rin nila, at the end of the day, kasi anak ka nila,” he remarks. “Basta pakita mo lang ano yung talent mo at yung kaya mong gawin. Yung hindi ka namemerwisyo, nang-aapak ng ibang tao. Basta bigay mo lang yung love [at] caring sa kanila, matatanggap ka naman nila.” (They would accept you, at the

end of the day, because you are their child. As long as you show your talent and what you can do. That you don’t engage in vices, step on other people. Just give your love and caring to them, they would accept you.) Ronald’s experience with his father reflects society’s tendency to deprive the LGBTQIA+ community of their rights. It demands that they “prove” they are equal to heterosexuals first, thus painting them in a bad light; as if they are only social parasites, mooching off other people’s lives to gain leverage. Moreover, the judgments

Discrimination Bill, seeks to address. The SOGIE Equality Bill aims to protect people from different public and economic acts of discrimination anchored on one’s sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. It safeguards individuals from insults and mistreatment from the public. For the LGBTQIA+ community, the passage of the bill means a step closer towards full acceptance and protection from discrimination. The contested bill aroused many arguments and protests from the public, primarily from the

“Sinasabi lagi ng tatay ko sa akin na ayaw niya ng anak na bakla, pero ganito na ako, ano pa magagawa niya?” show the internalized homophobia rampant in many Filipinos even today. It also disenchants some of the LGBTQIA+ members themselves, leading them to settle for tolerance rather than to fight for acceptance. In fear of discrimination, many members of the LGBTQIA+ community are compelled to adhere to societal norms instead of freely expressing themselves. This fear is what the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill, or the Anti-

conservative Christians, despite the established support of leading institutions for its passage. Ronald, inspired by the support of influential societal figures, hopes for the passage of the bill, anticipating that with it comes the equality that he and his community yearns for. However, he realizes this will take some time. “Pilipinas ‘to, nasa banal na country tayo. Marami talagang processing yung pagdadaanan ng SOGIE Bill,” he said.

FEATURE

(This is the Philippines, we are in a devout country. The SOGIE bill will really go through a lot of processing.) Ronald perks up as a customer approaches the stall. He smiles and gestures to the salon chair, motioning for the customer to sit. He reaches for his scissors as the nearby radio chatter switches to the SOGIE Bill debacle. The same radio waves fall upon another’s ears in a different place. While waiting for the materials he needs to deliver, he listens to the radio on his phone. Sweat travels down his skin, feet propped up on the steering wheel, as he listens to both the noise of people in Bayan and the commercial jingle from the radio. He patiently waits. He is Roland Bautista, a 28-yearold Pangasinan native working as a stay-in timekeeper and truck driver for a builders corporation at a subdivision in Calumpit, Bulacan. Roland had to come to Manila for a chance at a better life. He has nine siblings, and because of this, their parents cannot support them all. Growing up, he never really realized he was gay. But when Roland was around 13 or 14, he felt that he never truly liked the things he used to do. Unlike others from the LGBTQIA+ community, telling his family who he really was did not prove difficult. “Basta naman daw

nag-aaral ako nang mabuti, okay na. Ta’s tulad ngayon, tinutustusan ko sarili ko, wala silang masasabi tungkol sa’kin,” he said. (They said that as long as I’m studying well, it’s okay. And now, I support myself, they can’t say anything about me.) Although his family was nothing but accepting, the situation became vastly different when he tried applying for jobs. Unfortunately, his options were limited because he only finished at the high school level; and with companies unaccepting of members of the LGBTQIA+, opportunities for people like him are few. Roland vividly remembers one of his attempts to look for jobs, even if it happened years ago. While he was on his way to buy groceries , he caught a glimpse of a tarpaulin that indicated an opening for construction workers. The moment he saw it, he immediately stopped and tried his luck. Roland approached the foreman to apply, but was rejected right there and then without any hesitation. “‘Di pwede ang bakla eh. Baka kasi maging magulo lang habang nagtra-trabaho,” he recalled the foreman saying. (‘Gay people aren’t allowed. It might become troublesome during work.’) In the hopes of being accepted, both in society and in jobs, Roland

Police take control of civilian vehicle during Pride protest by CRISTINA CHI

thought he might be able to help his family. Yet, it seemed impossible. “Gusto ko lang naman magtrabaho. Ano bang masama dun? Narinig lang nila na malambot ako magsalita, hindi na ako tinanggap. [Ang] unfair naman n’un,”

decent standard of living is difficult for him to achieve. He earns only P400 a day, including holidays. “Kinailangan ko nga i-sangla ‘yung ATM card ko para lang magkapera ‘ko. Kulang talaga,” he lamented. (I had to pawn my ATM card just

he said. “‘Saka baka raw mahirapan mag-adjust yung ibang trabahador. Sa’kin naman, sa kanila[ng kasalanan] na y’un.” (I just want to work. What’s wrong with that? They just heard I have a feminine way of talking, then I wasn’t accepted. That is unfair. Also, they said that the other workers might have a hard time adjusting. For me, that’s on them already.) Everyday, the LGBTQIA+ community faces the awful familiarity of being discriminated, teased, and depicted as “salot sa lipunan.” On top of that, being “different” throws them off the game despite their skills and experience. Although Roland’s current employer accepted him, a

so I could get money. It was really inadequate.) Just as they thought they could finally have a taste of acceptance, the country takes another step backwards from change, leaving the LGBTQIA+ with disappointment and pain. “Hindi ka pupuwedeng maglegislate for a particular class lang, [eh] nagdi-discriminate ka,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo’s voice drones from the stereo tuned in to Radio Pilipinas Uno, clarifying Duterte’s misunderstood September 10, 2019 statement of certifying a different Anti-Discrimination Act as urgent, and not the SOGIE Bill. (You can’t legislate for

only a particular class, you are discriminating.) “He [President Duterte] is a lawyer so he will not certify a bill that will appear to be or is a class legislation,” Panelo explains further, casting the SOGIE Bill as beneficial only for the LGBTQIA+ Community and not for the entire nation. Roland wishes that the SOGIE Bill be implemented so that instances like this can be prevented from happening. The LGBTQIA+ has been suffering for too long, and Roland, as part of the community, is waiting to put an end to discrimination. “Si President Duterte, sana ‘wag na n’ya pagsalitaan nang masama ang LGBT dahil dapat hayaan na lang na maging malaya dahil may nagagawa namang tama. ‘Di naman talaga pabigat,” he pointed out. (President Duterte, I hope he doesn’t speak bad about the LGBT anymore because he should just allow them to be free because they do good things. They aren’t burdens.) As the legislation for the SOGIE Equality Bill prolongs, the entire LGBTQIA+ community stands still. Still, the pride flags float gracefully under the sun as hollers for acceptance and equality emanate, then echo. Pride marches may come to an end, but the fight still has a long way to go. Ronald Canlas refused to have his picture taken and published for this article.

Police forcibly took control of a private vehicle owned by Gabriela National Office yesterday to take illegally arrested Pride protesters to the Manila Police District Headquarters. The arrest of #Pride20 came after police violently dispersed groups at the protest in Mendiola, Manila despite observing standard health protocols. Several policemen dragged one of the protesting drivers off a van without legal basis, violating social distancing measures themselves. This maneuvering sets a dangerous precedent for future protests amid intensified police harassment in the country. "Without valid basis stated

during the time of the arrest of the Pride 20, the forced take-over [of] their vehicle is, like their arrest, arbitrary and may be considered illegal,” said Karapatan SecretaryGeneral Cristina Palabay. They also attempted to arrest an intern of media outfit Manila Today covering the protest after identifying him as a student from UP, a university often red-tagged by the police. Bahaghari Metro Manila Campaign Spokesperson Rey Salinas said they were protesting peacefully and observing social distancing until the cops arrived. “Nagkagulo po noong sumipot ang dose-dosenang kapulisan na naka-full riot gear kahit wala naman kaming dala na kahit anong

panlaban sa kanila” Four of the community relief volunteers arrested in Marikina in May were among those detained today. Protesters were charged with illegal assembly (BP 880) and disobedience (Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code) in relation to RA 11332. But neither the defunct Bayanihan to Heal as One Act nor RA 1132 prohibits peaceful protests. They are forced to spend the weekend in detention over delayed inquest proceedings. The peaceful Pride protest called for increased mass testing and the junking of the Anti-Terror Bill, which will lapse into law July 9 if not vetoed by President Duterte.

“Gusto ko lang naman magtrabaho. Ano bang masama dun? Narinig lang nila na malambot ako magsalita, hindi na ako tinanggap. [Ang] unfair naman n’un,”

INFOGRAPHIC DESIGN | ALY LAMPANO, TEXT | JAN CUYCO, ANNA CAPISTRANO CAPISTRANO

UP Pride 2019 ended its week-long celebration with a Pride March around the Diliman campus Academic Oval starting in Quezon Hall. Participants called for the passing of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity or Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill, defending trans lives, and embracing diversity towards equality.

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PHOTOS | JAZ GONZALES, DEINA BLANCAFLOR, AYA MANCE

40 TINIG NG PLARIDEL

1:53.19

SPORTS

Women’s Freestyle Relay Record set by the UP VST

1:55.28

Old Freestyle Relay Record

Poolful of triumph for record-breaking UP VST

by ANDREW MENCIAS

Emotions refused to halt for the University of the Philippines Varsity Swim Team (UP VST) after their recordbreaking finish today, in Day 3 of the UAAP Season 82 Swimming Tournament Finals at the Trace Aquatic Sports Center, Laguna. The VST led by Women’s Captain Yssa Pogiongko, Ariana Canaya, Angela Villamil and Kayla Taguibao broke the Women’s Freestyle Relay record with a time of 1:53.19, 2.9 seconds shaved from the previous record set in 2013. “[It was] super surreal,” said Canaya, who noted the relay team

was initially confused at their time blinking on the scoreboard, until they realized they broke the record. According to Canaya, they “really were just aiming for the gold.” The relay win was one of UP’s six podium finishes for the third day. Apart from the relay team, Erin Castrillo won gold in both the Women’s Backstroke and Butterfly events. Cindy Fernandez added a silver in the Women’s Individual Butterfly. Nadine Tee Ten and Chesca Joves also added two bronzes to the count in Women’s Individual Freestyle and Backstroke, respectively. Team captain Pogiongko noted that amid all of UP’s wins, the relay

win was particularly sweet, with Canaya and Taguibao graduating. According to her, the team wanted to give Canaya and Taguibao the send-off they deserve. Canaya even described her final UAAP season as a “special episode,” describing the record break as a peak in a topsy-turvy season — one that began with the VST losing their pool. The loss of the pool is something all of UP’s Day 3 medalists agreed upon as their biggest obstacle. Pogiongko, Castrillo and Tee Ten all noted at how the irregular training schedules and venues took a toll on their mental toughness. “It’s been a very difficult

Emotions refused to halt for the UPVST - University of the Philippines Varsity Swim Team after their record-breaking finish today, in Day 3 of the #UAAPSeason82 Swimming Tournament Finals at the Trace Aquatic Sports Center, Laguna. process,” said Tee Ten on the loss of the pool. She also noted how losing the pool meant that oftentimes, the team couldn’t train together. “Our schedules are very different,” said Tee Ten. “Sometimes we start at 10 instead of the usual 6, and sometimes we train at 7pm [until 9pm].” Castrillo added to this saying in spite of the disadvantage, what pulled the team together was just the desire to win. “We want to

succeed. Pipilitin namin talaga,” she said. As for Pogiongko, she hopes everyone can see and respect the difficulty of being, almost literally, fish out of water. “What people, and the other schools don’t see is the struggle we went through,” said Pogiongko. “That’s why sobrang saya namin, kahit isang gold lang. Di nila alam anong pinagdadaanan namin – palipat-lipat, nagpapakahirap – pero worth it lahat.”

Pesquera on ending UPWBT’s 38game losing streak: It’s about time by JILLIAN VELASCO Emotions ran high after the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Lady Maroons notched their biggest win in the last three years as they finally snapped their 38-game losing skid against the University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors, 55-52, in the second round of the UAAP Season 82 Women’s Basketball Tournament today at MOA Arena. With the game tied at 52 in the fourth quarter, a halfcourt buzzer beater shot from team captain Pesky Pesquera sent the Lady Maroons to their first victory in three seasons. “Sobrang saya, understatement yun, sobrang saya. It’s about time. Chineck ko yung time, three seconds left, sabi ko kaya pa naman. I knew kaya ko ibato yung bola. I hoped for the best but until now, hindi ako makapaniwala na nashoot yun,” she shared. Pesquera topped UP in victory with 13 points and nine rebounds – all in the second half – while Rei Sanchez, Jona Lebico and Stiff

Larrosa combined for 27 points and 20 rebounds. All game-long, UP was trailing as they failed to properly execute their defensive strategies resulting to 20 turnovers in halftime. The Lady Maroons came within striking distance come second half after a 17-10 run to end the third frame, 42-44. State U came alive in the fourth canto with an inspired energy from the Maroons as they limited the Lady Warriors to only eight baskets while riding the shoulders of Pesquera’s game-winning shot to end the regulation, 55-52.

BREAKING THE LOSING STREAK The Lady Maroons’ last victory was still in season 79 against the Far Eastern University courtesy of Pesquera’s late three-point dagger. However, State U closed that season at 2-12, and remained winless until today. Pesquera recalled the frustrations looming the team, where she experienced the struggle of being winless all season long. “I keep on thinking about the struggles along the way tsaka yung journey. Mas meaningful ‘to sakin kasi hindi lang naman para

dito sa grupo namin pati yung mga previous teammates ko, para sa amin to lahat kasi ito yung common struggle namin lahat na manalo,” she said. Head Coach Paul Ramos was also on cloud nine as he finally won his first game this season and broke the ‘curse’ haunting the Lady Maroons. “The players and the team needs to feel this winning experience again because it’s so hard for them to overcome the fears, the doubts every time they lose. That is my hope na matanggal na yung mga barrier sa ulo namin, doubts namin na we can win, we deserve to win and we are capable of winning,” he shared. This win, according to Ramos, is dedicated to the communities that have been continuously supporting the team in triumphs and defeats. “Pat, together with all the community that have supported us and even the previous coaches, previous players, they deserve this win. The [UP] community deserves this win,” Ramos said. The Lady Maroons hope that this win will be their first of many, as they face the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses on October 16 at QPAV, UST.

PHOTOS | BERNADETTE ANNE MORALES, QUIN ASTILLA

SPORTS

It’s Over: UP’s #Atin82 ends on a semis exit by ANDREW MENCIAS

UST Growling Tigers

68 65

UP Fighting Maroons

The Fighting Maroons have fought their last.

Meet the UP Men’s Basketball Team by watching on Tinig ng Plaridel’s Facebook page.

After a rollercoaster season with a historic second seed placement, the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons ended their Season 82 Men’s Basketball journey with a 65-68 loss to the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers, today at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena. The loss is UP’s fourth season loss to UST, following their last game where the Maroons squandered their twice-to-beat seeding advantage. The outcome also stops UP from reaching a Finals rematch against the defending champion Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles. The game came down to two

crucial events — an injury to team captain Noah Webb with 2:16 left; and a trey by UST guard Renzo Subido with 23.6 seconds left. Subido’s three, and followup free throws by new UAAP MVP Soulemane Chabi Yo, pushed back a two-point lead UP spent four quarters to claim. Foul trouble also hampered the Maroons as Jun Manzo fouled out with 2:33 left in his final game in the UAAP. Mythical Five forward Kobe Paras also picked up three fouls as early as the second quarter. “At one point,” said head coach Bo Perasol. “It became bigger than us.” Perasol came into the game with not just UP’s season to protect, but his own. He was under fire by many netizens for UP’s lopsided

UP Pep Squad misses podium for three straight years by CRISTINA CHI and JILLIAN VELASCO Despite holding 20 podium finishes, most in the UAAP history, the University of the Philippines (UP) Pep Squad’s glory days seem to fade as they struggle to return to the podium. Clad in maroon and black, the squad went on full blast with the theme ‘MaMaWaTaKK’ — an embodiment of UP’s cheer Matatapang, Matatalino, Walang Takot Kahit Kanino which was attributed to every iskolar ng bayan. “MaMaWaTaKK is UP. Ito kami, ito yung characteristics na

nagde-describe sa UP na gustong mapakita ng UP Pep Squad,” team captain Meanne Ignacio said. However, this year’s performance of a squad hungry for redemption failed to propel them to victory. The former powerhouse found themselves at a 6th place finish for the third straight year since their return from their 2016 boycott, despite the vastly improved stunts, creative pyramid mountings and challenging tosses. Nonetheless, team captains Ignacio, Julianne De Vera, and Chloe Lacsamana had no regrets with what they described as a ‘perfect run’, citing the team’s effort at best. “Masaya naman po kami kahit hindi kami nakabalik sa podium kasi binigay ng bawat isa sa team namin

yung best na kaya nilang ibigay,” Ignacio shared. “What’s important is it was really a good routine and no regrets talaga,” Lacsamana added. The Fighting Maroons scored an overall total of 622.5 points — 54 more points than their last year’s record — built from 339.5 points in dancing, 86.5 in pyramids, 73.5 in tosses, 63 in tumbling and 62 in stunts while earning only two deduction points.Despite another dismal finish, the captains believe they still have what it takes to return to their powerhouse status, but it takes one day at a time. “Every year kasi, tina-try namin na lumevel [at] pumantay sa mga teams na gumagaling. At the same time, hindi namin minamadali yung

proseso,” Lacsamana said. “In time, darating din kami doon basta ngayon ang iniisip lang namin is maging better in terms of skills, techniques [at] mas maging confident kami kahit sa training pa lang,” De Verra added. Meanwhile, National University (NU) kept the crown at Sampaloc as they bagged their sixth gold in seven years with a #MabuhayPilipinas routine, followed by second placer Far Eastern University (FEU) who moonwalked through the MOA arena with a Michael Jacksoninspired performance. Adamson University (AdU) completed the podium finishers at third, gracing the crowd with a Carribean routine. – Reports from Luisa Morales

defeats. Yet, amid questions over his future, Perasol believes the season wasn’t for naught. “We needed to put a ceiling,” he said, “na sana hindi na bumaba.” When asked about his future, Perasol said the decision is up to the UP admin and team management, who appoint the head coach annually. Some silver linings for the Maroons included Bright Akhuetie, whose hustle led to a 13-2 run in the second quarter that allowed UP to cut the lead UST built from the get-go. The former UAAP MVP still has one more year of eligibility in the UAAP. Akhuetie led the team with 16 points and 17 rebounds. Jun Manzo and Ricci Rivero followed with 12 apiece. The loss put UP at a bronze finish to close out UAAP Season 82.

UP Pep Squad finishes in the past three years

622.5

Season 82 (2019)

pts.

568.5 pts. Season 81 (2018)

575.5

pts.

Season 80 (2017)

PHOTOS | ARA EUGENIO, SUMMER PADILLA, QUIN ASTILLA

42 TINIG NG PLARIDEL

SPORTS

I’M NOT

KOBE by ANDREW MENCIAS

Six days before his long-awaited UAAP debut, Kobe Paras sits. It’s a little gangly and awkward, the way you’d expect a six-foot-eight, twenty-something to maneuver a bench a third of his height. To most people, it’s a sight that would make it difficult to imagine how someone like him could have possibly been a kid; but Kobe insists that he once was, too. “My favorite cartoon growing up was The Simpsons,” he says with a laugh. There’s a tinge of defensive embarrassment. He points out that, in retrospect, maybe his choice of cartoons wasn’t the best television exposure for a child. But he’s a different, older Kobe Paras – one who’s seen things change; change that’s been much more than just swapping out The Simpsons and Beavis and Butthead for The Good Place and Friends reruns. It’s the kind of change that pushed him across an ocean, a journey that still inconceivably ended with him back home. While Kobe may finally be home, gearing up for a new chance at life with the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, he’s also seven years — and several thousand miles — older. He is back in the Philippines, and everyone knows his name. He, obvious as he is, is Kobe Paras. He insists that he was a child once, too. It’s one thing for a kid to grow up on their own, and another for a kid to grow up on their own in a different country. Yet both of those are completely different things from growing up alone in a different country while carrying the insurmountable expectations of a basketball-crazy nation. That is a story only Kobe Paras can claim. He was fourteen. “I think [America] was a big move for me, because I didn’t really think about myself when I moved. I thought about going to the States and getting better for the country. I was playing basketball to be the first Filipino to play in NCAA Division 1, and in the NBA.” They say it takes a village to raise a child. In Kobe’s case, he was a child pushed to raise a village of millions of Filipinos hoping for the first homegrown Filipino NBA player. He was tasked to do this alone, with his only physically present adult figure being his coach that housed him. “I think [my time in America] was the start of my mental health [problems], because there were times after practice where I would just be sad and lonely for no reason,” he says. “And what I realized is that – not in a selfish way – I never really did things I wanted to do. And that kinda messed with

PHOTOS | ARA EUGENIO

m y head, because I kept doing stuff for other people, instead of doing it for my pleasure or my sake.” Mental health is something Kobe Paras has talked about before on social media. He isn’t shy about having dark days; if anything, he wishes he had addressed it with professional therapists as early as his teen years. “Before, I thought that needing a therapist or needing help was a sign of weakness, ‘cause you know us men, we’re raised to be people like – ‘boys don’t cry,’ ‘boys gotta be tough,” he says. According to him, it’s this kind of demand for masculinity that makes it specifically hard to deal with personal demons when all the cameras are turned towards you. However, for someone born the son of a Philippine basketball legend and a famous actress, and told he was destined for greatness as early as twelve, how could the cameras not be on Kobe? Especially now as a member of a revamped UP Fighting Maroons fresh off a Season 81 Finals run, Kobe Paras knows the cameras aren’t going to stop rolling. So while there might have been a wide-eyed fourteen-year-old that wanted the cameras once upon a time, this one that sits gangly on a bench is a different Kobe – one that wants to play without a name. “I’m way different now, and honestly, last year was the toughest year of my life,” he says, noting how UP is his fourth school in five years. Kobe initially started his college journey in the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), before he moved to Creighton University, and finally to California State Northridge (CSUN). “Because of that, there are a lot of people who make fun of me and say a lot of things.” Kobe initially committed to UCLA – a historic school when it comes to talent. It produced the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and MVPs almost forty years apart in Bill Walton and Russell Westbrook; and for a brief moment, UCLA also had Kobe Paras, until it didn’t. Seemingly out of nowhere, UCLA announced Paras wouldn’t be playing for a team that sported future NBA players Lonzo Ball and TJ Leaf. Then, upon his transfer to Creighton, he averaged less than 2 points a game. This led to his next transfer to CSUN, where after a few public appearances, he never played a game. After this, people started saying he lost his chance at the NBA as a whole, that he failed the Philippines. YouTube videos popped up asking, “What Ever Happened to Kobe Paras?” Thousands of people were willing to give him the kind of labels that would scar; the kind of names that most people would never understand. The talk continued upon his transfer

to UP, which saw its first UAAP Finals since Kobe’s dad led them there. Last year, UP was led by a ragtag group with Paul Desiderio, Bright Akhuetie, and Juan Gomez de Liaño, reflecting UP’s identity as the underdog in the basketball world. So to many Maroon fans, the addition of a name like Paras and his new teammate Ricci Rivero meant an end to that fairytale. To Kobe, it just meant more talk. It’s this sort of talk that has plagued Kobe since before he could understand it. It’s chatter that wrongly assumes six-footeight of muscle can somehow carry more hurt than most people – because to the outside, it’s easy to question how anyone born with that kind of pedigree can feel sad. “I wish people knew I’m not just a basketball player, or whatever you wanna call me. I’m Kobe Paras, and I’m a human being.” With UP, he’s given that opportunity – a fourth chance at life. “No disrespect to all my old teammates, but this is the first time I’ve felt like I can just be myself on a team; where I can just be myself and people accept me; where I can just be myself, and no one will judge,” he says. In coming back from America, Kobe says the first step to adjustment was admitting that something was wrong. It’s a step he’d recommend to anyone. “[Honesty] doesn’t make you weak or stupid. If you know that you’re insecure, just accept it. If you know you’re weak at something, or you’re shy, just accept it. The first thing [that needs] change is acceptance. And I had to change,” he shares. Kobe says that if one were to watch footage of him in the NCAA, they would see him as a “hothead.” He says he was always angry, and that his bottled-up feelings manifested negatively on the court. The anger always overshadowed his hard work, and ultimately confused him. Now Kobe realizes it was all the things he needed to fix off the court. He believes he wore a mask, a little too long and a little too often. “Every time I tried to practice, or every time I went to school, I tried to be someone I’m not. And I think that’s why I’m happy [in UP], and I’m more grateful for my life now. I’m not worried about what I don’t have.” The topic of mental health among athletes has become a budding conversation. For Kobe, he contributes to it by showing people how mental health affects anyone of any background. In his words, “We all still

need help.” According to him, the help he needed was found by simply looking inwards. “There’s more to life than just how I feel. I just needed to open up to someone, open up to my friends. And I just had to be more honest and modest. That’s one thing that actually kinda sucks in the Philippines. If you’re too honest, people think you’re an asshole or mayabang or kupal,” he laments. “But I figured out I had to go over the fence – the fence of the people who talk – and live my own life. When it’s all said and done, I’m the only person who’s gonna be by myself. Who’s with you in the bathroom? Who’s with you when you sleep? It’s just yourself. You do have family and friends, but you spend all of your time with yourself.” This, to Kobe, is key – the breaking of masks, the letting go of a mindset that pressures you to cross bridges other people have set down for you. Kobe doesn’t believe in crossing those bridges anymore. He believes people should build their own, with themselves and with each other. Kobe admits that outside the court, he still has issues to fix. Although, according to him, there’s nothing particularly special about his bad days. He says, “Everyone has issues. Everyone has some problems. And that’s what’s crazy you know? You make fun of someone. You judge someone.” But Kobe is past the point of letting strangers’ judgments get to him, and that starts with claiming his growth – insecurities and all. “If you keep chasing the things that you don’t have in your life, you’re never gonna be complete,” Kobe says. In changing himself, he believes he became a better person, and therefore, a better player. Kobe says he’s progressed well. It’s trusting his confidants and himself that has allowed him to be better, and it’s those little things like messaging your loved ones or being a little nicer to yourself each day that he thinks add up.

“People will never know the real you, and that’s what I keep telling people,” he says “Even when people don’t know you, at the end of the day, it matters what you feel about yourself.” Seeing and learning how to do just this is what Kobe credits his personal progress to. For the first time in a long time, his bad days are manageable. “I’ve been doing a lot better! I don’t really get mad anymore when it comes to basketball. I don’t get mad at my friends anymore. I have a sense of being right now. I feel more like Kobe, you know?” And for someone who’s never felt like he was what his name entailed, that’s all he’s ever wanted. Kobe stands up from the bench. He doesn’t know it yet, but in six days, he will lead the Fighting Maroons to a win over Adamson despite trailing by 16 after the first half, scoring 20 points and making the crucial assist to send the game to overtime. But for now, he stands. He’s tall, obviously. It’s how everyone knows him apart from his name. But when Kobe Paras first left to pursue his NBA dreams, he went under a different username on social media – @Im_Not_ Kobe. Most might assume the old handle was a clear nod to how he isn’t his namesake, the future Hall-of-Famer Kobe Bryant – a tall expectation for a kid like him to meet. But Kobe says that was never the case. “The truth is, I just couldn’t register my name online.” He laughs, saying he couldn’t sign up under his real name due to a plethora of fake accounts that got there first. Kobe laughs at the memory, and how he couldn’t claim something as simple as his name. And if there’s anything Kobe can admit, it’s that he’s still trying to do just that. “I’m not Kobe.” He laughs under his breath, and smiles. It’s the smile of someone learning that maybe there was truth to the old username – because perhaps he isn’t Kobe, at least in the ways everyone thought he would be. But maybe it’s enough to just be himself.

SPORTS

Underdog-turned-captain Noah Webb is UP’s glue guy by SOPHIA ANGELICA LOPEZ Last year, a roaring crowd of Iskos and Iskas stood in awe as the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons defeated their semifinals rival Adamson University (AdU), entering the UAAP Season 81 Men’s Basketball Finals in 32 years. Stunning fans and critics alike, State U entered its first gold medal match after a three-decade drought. This momentous feat gave Iskos and Iskas hope that their team can defeat the Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles in the championship. Even though the Dilimanbased squad did not come home with a victory, fans remained optimistic that UP’s historic run last season could be replicated, especially with Kobe Paras and Ricci Rivero in the roster. Despite this loaded lineup, UP still lacked a new skipper that could fill the shoes of former King Maroon Paul Desiderio. Just a week before Season 82 started, State U found a captain in Noah Webb. The 6-foot-3 small forward sits confidently, yet exudes a humble demeanor. He appears in remarkably vibrant shape, undeterred by the

noise from critics and fans. Though the stat sheets don’t show it, Noah has opened up the court for UP with his transition offense. Screening his team’s toughest opponents, the grit-and-grind player never fails to deliver. In a competition where the league’s sharpshooters steal the spotlight, Noah’s small victories have gone unnoticed. That is why his efforts are underappreciated by the public. Overlooked by many sports enthusiasts, the gunner has admitted that what he lacks in skill, he more than makes up for in leadership. “I’m not the best player on the floor. I’m not even the best player at my five, but I guess I lead by example. I try to keep guys in order,” the skipper divulged. He set foot in the collegiate sports league in 2015 all thanks to UP, the only squad that gave him a shot at UAAP basketball. This opportunity encouraged him to immerse himself into the team. Sparking energy off the bench and blocking opponents any chance he got, the young athlete soon became one of UP’s most t a l e n t e d rebounders.

Webb endured a 3-11 finish back in his rookie days, when UP placed last in the Season 79 eliminations round. This trial by fire pushed him to promise his batchmate Janjan Jaboneta that he would pull the Maroons out of the cellar. “I was talking to him like, ‘Remember this: when we’re seniors, this […] not gonna happen again. I’m tired of losing,’ ” Webb shared. Although he had been consistently motivating the Maroons through their ups and downs, Noah never considered becoming their leader. That all changed when his fellow cagers entrusted the position to him this August. At first, the demanding responsibility daunted Webb. He was afraid that he would not effectively guide a revamped roster packed with unfamiliar faces. “[Being a] team captain’s a lot of responsibility. Coming into this year, there were so many guys that I didn’t really even know,” the senior admitted. “I didn’t really know James, David, Kobe, Ricci. I was okay with Bright, but I didn’t really know him at the time. And I don’t know how to lead people that I don’t know.” he added. But the skipper went out of his way to connect with everyone in his lineup. Not long after, Noah built a

tight-knit relationship with the Maroons, one that forged a bond with newbies and veterans. His constant communication inside the team instilled a winning culture in his squad that helped them bag a twice-tobeat advantage for the league’s semifinals – an achievement UP has not seen in 26 years until Oct. 27. Surpassing many obstacles to help land UP in second place, Noah has come a long way from being in the league’s lowest-ranking lineup. This remarkable journey has strengthened his teammates’ respect for him. Before leading the Maroons to an astonishing 9-5 run this 2019, Noah endured excruciating ankle injuries that recurred for three straight years. The numerous health scares riddled him with fear, and even drove him to skip Season 81 due to physical trauma caused by bone spurs. “[The] doctor said I was cleared to play [for Season 81], but I chose to listen to my body. My body told me, ‘If you play, there’s a chance that you might get injured again,’ ” said Webb. On top of these personal restraints, he faced demotivating defeats as a freshman studentathlete in 2015 that discouraged him from playing basketball. He even considered leaving the sport when he initially failed to see the fruits of his labor. “I don’t like losing. No one likes losing. It sucks. Coming from a winning school, I couldn’t take it,” stated the promising gunner. But these tribulations later helped him see his growing love for the game. “I thought of quitting basketball many times, but it’s only beneficial for me if I stay in it. The pros outweigh the cons and I wanna play basketball while I still can,” shared the loyal Isko cager. He continues to remain

optimistic about his athletic career and even h i s teammates, both of which have made the menacing captain post a little bit easier for him. “I’m lucky I’m blessed with a team that’s rational. No one’s really got such a big ego so that they don’t listen. So I can talk to them. I can talk to my guys,” iterated Webb. The skipper always puts his squad first upon realizing he plays a role bigger than himself. Noah has sacrificed so much, and poured his heart and soul into basketball, for UP to have a shot at redemption this season. But the small forward knew that passion alone cannot earn a championship. “Strong kami mag-start tapos binibitawan namin [‘yun] sa dulo. Kung magiging consistent kami through the whole game, for sure may chance kami every game that we play,” imparted the captain. (We start strong, but we let go of that in the end. If we’re consistent throughout the whole game, then we’ll have a big chance of winning every game that we play.) The King Maroon also pointed out the Maroons have to be in-sync if they want to win the championship. “The challenge is getting the personnel to work together. Thankfully, we do it sometimes. Most of the time. We still have a lot of work to do,” shared the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) D-League baller. The selfless leader is looking to address this problem by encouraging his teammates to connect with one another on and off the court. He hopes to synergize the squad before its do-or-die semifinals game against the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers, Wednesday. No matter the outcome of this rubber match, Noah Webb has proven naysayers wrong by steering his team into the playoffs. He will stop at nothing to strike gold with the UP Fighting Maroons at the UAAP Season 82 Men’s Basketball Finals.

PHOTOS | ARA EUGENIO

by JEDD PAGADUAN

The Fighting Fighting Maroons The Maroons are are considered one one of of the considered the titletitlecontendingteams teams in the UAAP, contending in the UAAP, led ledreigning by reigning MVPAkhuetie, Bright by MVP Bright Akhuetie, Kobe newcomers newcomers Paras and Kobe Ricci Paras and Rivero,de and the Rivero, andRicci the Gomez Liano Gómez de Liaño Juan brothers, Juan and brothers, Javi. and Javi. Despite a 5-1 start entering Sunday’s clash against the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles, the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons have lots of strides to make to solidify their standing as one of the league’s best. A closer look at the team shows they still have tons of room to improve after four consecutive unsatisfying victories with late game drama, especially if a certain scoring lefty’s heroics against the De La Salle University Green Archers prove to be a sign of better things to come.

JUAN GAME WINNER In a night where the Fighting Maroons had to scrap and claw for every bucket, it was the homegrown bucket-getter Juan Gómez de Liaño who delivered for the team in the clutch. Coming off a season where Juan was named to the Mythical Team, averaging 16.5 points per game (ppg) and 22.5 in the playoffs, with 6.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists en route to a fourth-place finish in the MVP race, he has scuffled out of the gates to the minimal tune of 6.0 ppg and 2.7 assists in UP’s first six games. What has gone wrong for the Fighting Maroons’ third-year budding star? Is the Fighting Maroons’ glut of backcourt talent to blame, shortening Juan’s leash to the point that simple mistakes get him benched? Has Juan only struggled to get accustomed to his new reality as more of a supporting star, causing him to transition to more off-ball duties? Has the coaching staff focused too much

PHOTO | SUMMER PADILLA

on integrating their two ballyhooed newcomers, Paras and Rivero, that they’ve set aside Juan’s shotcreating ability and neglected to put him in optimal positions to succeed? Or are the multiple injuries he sustained during pre-season still bothering him, causing him to shoot an ice-cold 23% from the field? Even Juan has something to say about his struggles. Last season, he had free reign, domineering the offense and initiating it as a pick-and-roll ball handler. It only makes sense to keep giving him the keys to the offense because last season, when Juan had the ball in his hands more often, he had more rhythm to drain pull-up jumpers. And easier catch-and-shoot looks. The team’s reliance on his playmaking and slashing led to aggressive drives to the hoop, making tough floaters in the process. And gorgeous layups off a spread-out floor. In the plays above, the floor is spread and Juan can go either to his left or right hand as a solid attacker. When UP maintains optimal spacing, Juan is at his most dangerous, highlighting his acrobatic finishing ability. His court vision is also sublime, as he can see the openings created by his dribble penetration, making great reads off the pick-and-roll. Juan displays advanced court vision for his age with these skip passes towards the open shooter at the corner: What’s apparent when watching Juan play is his volume shooting and playmaking ways, as

he needs the ball in his hands to be at his best. He is a three-level threat on offense as he can carve up the defense with his great finishing ability, good shooting stroke and advanced court vision. He is the Fighting Maroons’ best offensive threat when the ball is in his hands. Then why is he being relegated to more of an off-ball role this

what looks like overthinking on his jumpers forces some shots to go wild. You can also excuse Juan, being a volume shooter, for taking contested stepback jumpers in an attempt to build rhythm. In Juan’s liked tweets, one was about defensive substitutions, pointing to a lack of trust by the coaching staff in his defense. Against the Red Warriors, Juan was subbed out after giving up two straight threes to his man. In the first clip, he overhelped from the corner, leading to an open three. The following possession, Juan loses his man but recovers in time to be in proper position to contest, however, he fails to get a hand up. He has similar defensive lapses off the ball. However, these off-ball lapses are easily correctable, as proper defensive communication and positioning are coachable traits Juan could improve upon. Lost in the shuffle has been his on-ball defense, as he’s displayed an ability to shut down ball handlers. His help defense is usually onpoint as well, being in good position to help out when other defenders get beat. His above-average lateral quickness and on-ball defensive IQ are apparent, as he isn’t beaten on the dribble drive, and he doesn’t overextend on closeouts. He is a good defensive player, as he isn’t very foul-prone, either. His offensive slump has stemmed largely from a reduced role in the offense, coupled with his inability to make defenses pay on the catch and shoot. The flow of the

HOWEVER, JUAN’S GREAT COURT VISION, EXPLOSIVE SCORING EXPLOITS BOTH ON THE DRIVE AND FROM DEEP, AND HIS UNDERRATED ON-BALL DEFENDING AND REBOUNDING SHOULD MAKE HIM ONE OF UP’S MOST FEATURED PLAYERS.

season? Whenever he has the ball in his hands in the pick-and-roll, he’s still making the right passes. However, there are times when it feels like he’s pressing to score, as less time with the ball in his hands have prompted him to drive recklessly. He’s also hoisting up bad shots at times. His three-point shooting this season has deserted him as well, maybe due to his nagging injuries causing a lack of rhythm. His catch and shoot shots have mostly come on good looks, but

Maroon offense is better when he is on the floor, however, as he usually makes the right reads off the pickand-roll. Juan needs to curb his habit of forcing the issue and let the game come to him, so he can maximize his reduced minutes. His lack of production arguably results from his overlap with other ball handlers, with UP being a guard-heavy team: Jaydee Tungcab’s emergence as a capable ball handler, the balldominance of Paras and Rivero have relegated Juan to more spotup duty—not to mention Jun Manzo’s steady hand at the 1-spot. However, Juan’s great court vision, explosive scoring exploits both on the drive and from deep, and his underrated onball defending and rebounding should make him one of UP’s most featured players. During these slate of games where he’s been banged up, he’s still displayed solid on-ball defense and creativity out of the pick-androll. How much better could he be when he recovers his form and gains more control of the offense? The question now is how the Fighting Maroons can re-integrate Juan’s high-volume scoring in a way that incorporates fellow balldominant players like Paras and Rivero. It’d be a massive disappointment if, even after an efficient and clutch shooting night against the Green Archers where Juan showed flashes of improved rhythm and consistency, he’d still be utilized as more of a role player rather than a go-to-guy. Juan must accustom himself to playing more off-ball as UP’s other ball handlers are given chances to create, but his offense must be utilized as the primary weapon and not just as a secondary option. His work out of the pick-androll and dribble drive game, after all, propelled UP to their first Final Four berth since 1997.

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Molde takes charge as UP lands first win in the books by JOHN MARK GARCIA After a sluggish defensive performance in the third set, returning veteran Isa Molde rallied the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons past the rookie-laden University of the East (UE) Lady Red Warriors en route to its first win in the UAAP Season 82 Women’s Volleyball Tournament, 25-23, 25-20, 1825, 25-17, today at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena.

Molde led all scorers with 24 points in a career-high offensive performance alongside Tots Carlos’ 15 markers. Both teams went back and forth with scoring run exchanges in a highly contested opening frame, capped off by a strong attack from rookie Euricka Eslapor in favor of the Diliman-based squad, 25-23. Blocking was the name of the game for State U in the second set as the Fighting Maroons successfully neutralized UE skipper Mean Mendrez and rookie Janeca Lana’s offensive firepower. Returning setter Rem Cailing, who missed the entirety of Season 81 to an injury, sealed the deal for the Fighting Maroons to take a

commanding two-set lead, 25-20. With their backs against the wall, UE took matters in their own hands and pummeled 17 attacks against UP’s vulnerable and errorplagued defense. State U had no answers to Lana and Mendrez’s one-two punch with 11 combined points in the third frame for an 18-25 victory. Experience came to play for State U as the veteran trio of Carlos, Molde, and team captain Roselyn Rosier spearheaded the Maroons’ unstoppable run. UP came out swinging with an early eight-point run and never looked back to give the Maroons its first win of the season, 25-17.

BOUNCING BACK FROM DEFEAT Following tough loss

from being swept in their seasonopener in the hands of defending champions Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Lady Eagles, the Fighting Maroons only had one thing in mind heading into their next match – redemption. “What we did was train – that’s what people do when they lose a game, they train. Second, we talked about it. As I said, we only played 10 percent of the game we know, we couldn’t pass, we couldn’t spike… It wasn’t easy for the team but I hope we continue to recover and move on strong,” said UP tactician Godfrey Okumu. “Actually ni-

remind kami ni coach na it’s a wakeup call for us. Binigay na lang talaga namin sa Ateneo and nag-move on kami,” Molde explained after a sorry loss in their recent match. The Fighting Maroons will seek to start a win streak as they take on the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Spikers, one of the two teams they swept in the elimination round last season, on March 10, 3:30 p.m., at the MOA Arena.

UP Fighting Maroons UE Lady Red Warriors

3 1

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UP Fighting Maroons

Ateneo Blue Spikers

Rookies Gamban, Lomibao lift UP past Ateneo in men’s volley opener by JILLIAN VELASCO

The University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons shocked powerhouse Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Spikers in straight-set fashion, 25-21, 2520, 25-22, to open their UAAP Season 82 campaign with a bang earlier today at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena. After a disappointing 1-13 finish in Season 81, the Maroon Spikers pulled an upset over thirdplacers Ateneo, led by rookies Louis Gamban and John Lomibao, who finished with 10 and 11 markers

apiece in their UAAP debut. Errors plagued both teams in the first set before the Blue Spikers committed consecutive errors to put the Diliman-based squad on top, 25-21. State U seemed to found their groove to open the second set, 129, before the Blue Spikers crafted a 5-2 run to tie the match at 14. Open spiker Lomibao exploded and dropped five points to give UP the lead two sets to none, 25-20. After reaching numerous deadlocks in the third set, both teams fired offensive kills and exchanged leads point after point before Gamban scored four of Maroon’s last five points to seal the match, 25-21. Gamban, who earned his first

Player of the Game honors, built from eight attacks, one block, one ace and six excellent receptions shrugged off his oncourt swag that sent the UP crowd wild as “part of the plan” “Kasama po ‘yun, nasa plano po ‘yun… “ Gamban admitted. “Masaya po kami sa training, masaya kami pagpunta namin dito. Parang normal day lang, wala naman kaming ano last year eh. Parang ito yung rebound, ito na kami. Kami naman.”

ON PLAYING VS ATENEO Head tactician Rald Ricafort only wanted one thing – to start the season on the right foot and let the team translate their training effort in games. “Ang goal talaga namin is simulan nang maayos yung season, so kahit sino yung maging unang kalaban mahihirapan talaga kasi

PHOTOS | JD MAGSINO

Ateneo yung simula agad. Sabi ko naman sa kanila, lahat ng adjustments – offense, defense – execute lang. Tsaka yung sa mental part namin maayos. Today, nag-execute sila nang maayos” he said. Despite their first victory against Ateneo in six years, Ricafort only looks to take one game at a time to rebuild State U’s campaign. “Hindi naman sa inaral namin sila, pero talagang nakabase lang kami na one game at a time.. Sabi ko naman nung presscon ta-try naming i-challenge per team,” the tactician said. “Hindi ko na iniisip ‘yon na may history pa na ‘di pa nanalo basta kung sino man kalaban namin, kailangan ready kami mentally tsaka physically.” The Maroon Spikers look to record their second win of the season as they collide with the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors 9am on Saturday, March 7, at MOA Arena. Meet the UP Men’s Volleyball Team by watching on Tinig ng Plaridel’s Facebook page.

46 TINIG NG PLARIDEL

SPORTS

Maroon jins strike bronze again in Poomsae by ANDREW MENCIAS After a year of grueling training backed by improved financial support, the University of the Philippines (UP) Taekwondo Poomsae Varsity Team basked in triumph as they placed third overall, behind a bronze medal for the men’s team and a gold medal for the women’s, in the UAAP Season 82 Taekwondo Tournament today at the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym. The Women’s Team, composed of Patricia Jubelag, Gretel Delos Martirez and Kate Castillo, clinched the championship with a final round average of 8.035. The team scored 8.00 and 8.07 in the first and second forms respectively, effectively sweeping the women’s finals. On the other side, the Men’s Team took home third place,

despite leading the field at the end of the semifinals. The team, led by Juanito Sandoy, Lyan Joseph Llanto, and Jayboy Buenavista, scored 7.90 in the first form and 7.83 in the second, giving them an average of 7.865 in the final round. Along with the team victories, Jubelag and Llanto placed silver and bronze in the women’s and men’s individual categories, respectively. Jubelag had a score of 8.030, while Llanto had a score of 7.900. In the final moments before the podium awarding, the team shed tears in a bittersweet moment, as all of the players except for Castillo are in their graduating year at the university. Alongside this, despite being graduating students, it was also Delos Martirez’s first poomsae tournament in the UAAP – one that she capped off with a gold medal. The bronze placement is a repeat finish for the Poomsae Team, and one that Coach Janice Lizardo credits to the team’s hard work. She said that despite the challenge of

Meet the UP Badminton Team by watching on Tinig ng Plaridel’s Facebook page.

being pit against National Teamlevel players, her squads showed up. Lizardo also credited the victory to an improved training system implemented by her and Coach Nikki Oliva. The new training scheme involved upgraded body weights, such as ankle and wrist weights, and other kinds of equipment care of key sponsors from the UP community. “I think [the improved training] paid off this year,” she said. “But we aim for the first place every year, so we’re not going to stop.” Lizardo said that she hopes the victory shows just why more people should come to support the poomsae team. “Sometimes people might think [Poomsae] is easy, because there’s no contact, but it’s really hard,” she said. “Training is hard, and the pressure of performing in front of people. It’s a different feeling, so I hope people can keep supporting and respecting these athletes.”

UP Badminton Team drops semis games, ends quest for title bid by JILLIAN VELASCO A pressure-packed semis match up saw the Maroon Smashers square-off against the top-seeded National University (NU) but failed to close the tight match, 2-3, while the Lady Shuttlers succumbed to ranked two De La Salle University (DLSU), 1-3, in the UAAP Season 82 badminton tournament, October 2, at Centro Atletico. With the Maroon Samshers leading the team-tie standing at 2-1, the duo of Vinci Manuel and Jason Vanzuela almost erased NU’s twice-to-beat advantage and forced game two against Bulldogs Keeyan Gabuelo and Solomon Padiz Jr. after mounting a six-point lead in the third set, 16-10. However, costly errors from the Manuel-Vanzuela tandem helped the NU Shuttlers stand at striking distance and establish an 11-1 run to eventually grab the third set, 1721, equalizing the team-tie at 2-2. Emotions ran high as Michael Clemente face NU’s Estarco Bacalso for the third and deciding singles. Clemente faltered as offensive errors piled leading to Bacalso’s commanding finish, 16-21, 10-21, ending the Maroons’ two-year finals

PHOTOS | MIKEE GARCIA, JILLIAN VELASCO

appearance. It was team captain JM Bernardo who steered State U’s two wins as he dealt with Gabuelo in three sets in the first singles, 13-21, 22-20, 21-16, before pairing with Harvey Tungul for the first doubles to contain NU’s James Villarante and Julius Villabrille in another three-setter match, 21-17, 13-21, 21-10. Despite falling short of their season 82 goal for a gold, Bernardo still applauds the Maroons’ seasonlong performance and looks forward to a shot for a bronze finish. “Maganda naman pinerform namin eh, talagang siguro mas naglevel-up lang sila… Sinabi sa amin [ng coaches] na kalimutan na namin yung kanina, focus na lang kami [sa Friday] kasi pwede pa rin kami mag third place,” he said. Likewise, the Lady Maroons mirrored the same defeat as they eventually conceded to the DLSU Lady Shuttlers after four matches, 1-3. Rookie Aldreen Concepcion was spotless in her singles record as she scored the lone win of the UP Lady Shuttlers against Mia Manguilimotan in a thriller, 21-16, 14-21, 21-13. Jaja Andres almost feathered out prized player Iyah Sevilla, but eventually collapsed in three sets, 11-21, 24-22, 11-21. However, the green and white overpowered the Lady Maroons in

all doubles matches. Andres and Tricia Opon was limited by DLSU’s Sevilla and Kanna Baba in singledigit scores in only 21 minutes of play, 9-21, 2-21. Similarly, Maria Lopez and Andrea Abalos was no match for DLSU’s Shaynne Boloron and Palma Cruz as the latter swept the former, 10-21, 9-21. A podium finish is still possible for the UP Badminton Varsity Team as they battle for third on Friday, October 4 at Centro Atletico,

“MAGANDA NAMAN PINERFORM NAMIN EH, TALAGANG SIGURO MAS NAGLEVELUP LANG SILA… SINABI SA AMIN [NG COACHES] NA KALIMUTAN NA NAMIN YUNG KANINA, FOCUS NA LANG KAMI [SA FRIDAY] KASI PWEDE PA RIN KAMI MAG THIRD PLACE.”

SPORTS

ON POINT: REBUILDING UP WOMEN’S FENCING TEAM WINS AMID THE CLIMB by ANDREW MENCIAS The University of the Philippines (UP) Fencing Team ended the UAAP Season 82 Fencing Tournament with three bronze medals, and an overflow of relief and surprise for a team still finding its footing, yesterday at Paco Arena. The expected scene for a team dealing with a loss is that of athletes huddled, flushing out tears of anger, sadness, humiliation, and disappointment.

all the support they received from everyone who watched the fourday tournament. “Honestly, on my part, I really didn’t expect how my game went,” said Dueñas, “there were so many people screaming my name. There were so much people cheering for me. It was unexpected.” The foursome hope that their wins set the tone for an even brighter future and inspire more young girls to try out for the Fencing Team. They said that regardless of the level of training, anyone can come into the sport and learn it.

Captain’s Chair The victory of the Women’s Sabre Team wasn’t the only victory of the UP Women’s Fencing Team. Also winning bronze were the Women’s Foil Team and the Women’s Epee Team, something that Women’s Captain Austine Cui couldn’t be more proud of. “I feel accomplished with the women’s team performance. This year, we have a lot of fresh faces joining the UAAP tournament,” Cui

said. “This proves a lot on where we can be in the coming seasons.” Despite the rebuild and influx of rookies, Cui believes that the success of the Maroon Fencers this season showed that the team is gaining more experience and awareness. This, she believes, was also true for her, as Cui herself was the x-factor that secured the Women’s Epee Team’s bronze. Cui scored a comeback victory with the final eight points against the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU). On the victory, Cui said “the only thing that was running on my mind was scoring one point at a time and putting all the fear away. This helped me focus in our bout as Coach Allan guides me all throughout.” Like the Women’s Sabre Team, Cui believes that the wins of the Women’s Teams can further inspire people to support and even join the Fencing Team that is slowly proving its capability against the best in the country. “At the pace of our progress,

But there was none of that for the UP Women’s Sabre Team, after the final match of the day where they lost, 10-45, to the dominant University of the East (UE). Instead, the sight following the loss was a calm, collected quartet of Alyssa Dueñas, Joj Gonzales, Reb Reyno, and Poala Andres, grateful to pick up the bronze. Nowhere was the predictable outcome of tears a telling sight from a UP Fencing Team that was anything but predictable. “Unexpected, honestly. Kasi parang our first prediction ng mga magiging sa Finals, nag-iba talaga siya,” said Andres who, along with the rest of the Women’s Sabre

Team, expected the Men’s Team to be UP’s best bet for success this year. “Sobrang turning point siya for the Women’s Team,” Gonzales said. “It shows kaya naman pala bumawi yung Women’s Team.” Their 45-41 win against De La Salle University (DLSU) that sealed their podium finish was especially sweet. Andres noted how the win felt like vindication, as it came at the expense of DLSU, which knocked them out from the tournament in Season 81. But amid all the joy of winning, the biggest victory for the Women’s Sabre Team was seeing

the future of the UP Fencing Team is bright, everyone has something to prove for themselves and collectively as a team. This is because I can see that anyone can really go head to head against our national players with the proper mindset and preparation,” she said.

Larger Plans Amid UP’s success, Coach Allan Dator believes the team should still focus on its goal– rebuilding a better program. “We’re rebuilding,” admitted Dator, whose strategy over the year was to develop the rookies and younger players to prepare for future seasons. “This gives them exposure, and strengthens their core in competitions.” More than half of the Maroon Fencers are rookies. And under the assumption that they all return for next season, the team only has less than a year to prepare as Fencing will likely be moved back to being a first semester sport once Season 83 rolls around. Dator, however, isn’t worried

about this. “The rookies will have more experience under their belt to handle the competition. Kasi personally, nakita ko nabigla talaga. So minsan nalilito kasi pag rookie ka lang, nao-overwhelm ka sa atmosphere. Pero hopefully next year, magiging stable sila,” he said. The NowhereToGoButUP Foundation, Dator says, has been a massive help. According to him, it’s the Foundation’s effort that has allowed the Fencing Team to buy competition-level equipment– lighter blades with better flexibility and point control, and for the first time, the team’s very own fencing scoreboard. It’s these things that Dator believes contributed greatly to the wins of the Women’s Team, and

even the losses of the Men’s Team that often ended by single-digit deficits. To him, all the team needs to further the rebuilding is just a little push. “With the right amount of support and preparation, aangat kami. Sigurado ako diyan,” Dator said. “Ngayon pa lang, rookies and sophomores lang, by one or two points lang natatalo. So with the right amount of exposure, mananalo ulit kami.” Meet the UP Fencing UP Men’sTeam by watchingTeam Volleyball on watching Tinig ng on by Plaridel's Tinig ng Plaridel’s Facebookpage. Facebook page.

PHOTOS | JD MAGSINO

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SPORTS

#UPFIGHT ISKOS AND ISKAS DON THEIR MAROON PRIDE IN THE 2019 SEA GAMES by SOPHIA LOPEZ

1,115 FILIPINO ATHLETES COMPETED IN THE 2019 SEA GAMES

387

NUMBER OF MEDALS WON BY PHILIPPINES IN THE 2019 SEA GAMES

MEDAL TALLY

149 117 121 GOLD MEDALS

SILVER MEDALS

BRONZE MEDALS

With the Philippines dominating the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Filipinos could not be more proud of their homeland. Concluding the biennial event with 149 gold, 117 silver and 121 bronze titles, the nation won the conference’s overall champion plum after 14 years– all thanks to homegrown athletes who surpassed daunting obstacles for a shot at glory. Several University of the Philippines (UP) students and alumni played a pivotal role in this historic run. GOLD RUSH WITH THE MAROONS One of the gold medalists is College of Science summa cum laude graduate Jamie Lim, who won the Women’s Individual Above-61 kilogram (kg) Kumite division. UP’s Sonny Montalvo continued the national Karate confederation’s winning streak with a Men’s Under-55 kg Kumite silver. In step with many local athletes, ex-UP varsity swimmer Joy Rodgers made Philippine history by putting up a cool 33.09 seconds during the Women’s 50 meters breaststroke course. However, the momentous feat *came up short for a shot of gold. Earning her second SEA Games trophy in the 2019 triathlon mixed relay race, Sports Science graduate Claire Adorna reigned supreme as well. She scored her first victory in 2015 when she claimed the individual triathlon crown. In a similar sport, CHK alum and duathlon queen Monica Torres lived up to high expectations and clutched two awards. The women’s duathlon victor connected with iska Pawie Fornea and other participants to nab the Mixed Team Relay second runner-up medal. Diliman-based pitcher

Vladimir Eguia was another vital addition to the SEA Games as he and other ballplayers took the men’s baseball finals. Completing the top dog roster is Dustin Mella, who is no stranger to dominating the Recognized Male Team Poomsae competition as he uncorked a four-peat championship this year. On top of the pivotal achievement, the 2014 UPTVT captain also placed second during the Recognized Mixed Pair segment of the martial art. His fellow ex-skipper Nikki Oliva went on a silver streak of her own in the Poomsae Freestyle Individual Female and Freestyle Mixed Team section. Exiting a different division with flying colors, UP Track and Field Team’s Mariano Masano became the Athletics 1500-m dash’s first runner-up with a time of four minutes, eight seconds and 27 milliseconds. Ines Templo produced a silver during the Women’s Underwater Hockey 4×4 and 6×6 round, where Mary Bridget Josef only joined the latter. This was achieved under the headship of UP-based co-captains Chari Ongyango and Nadja Buenafe. On the other hand, 54-year old Men’s Underwater Hockey skipper and UPD product Alex Colet successfully motivated isko Ram Jorge into the Men’s 4×4 finals of the event. Paying homage to another sport, former UP Lady Woodpusher Catherine Pereña Secopito placed first runner-up in the Women’s Chess Team Problem Solving conference. Similar to his schoolmates, UAAP Season 78-80 UP Fighting Maroons captain Andrew Harris made State U proud after reaching the men’s beach handball semifinals. He has UP professor and national handball coach Jana Franquelli to thank for convincing him to seek a new athletic path and lead her squad. Maroon tanker Ra

Agtarap joined Franquelli’s lineup as well. By the same token, Short Track Speed Skating Captain Anna Cruz had a positive impact on teammate Marc Gonzales, who snatched bronze in the Men’s 1000-m race of the sport. Men’s Ice Hockey second runner-up titlist and College of Human Kinetics (CHK) graduate Miguel Relampagos also landed a podium finish. Women’s Water Polo third placers Bea Grabador and Christine Hipol added to the pool of wins. UP Varsity Swim Team dealt a hand in shaping the two into the athletes they are today. *Uniformly paving a semifinals run, iska karatekas Ricca and Nadene Torres concluded the female team Kata competition strong. Completing the victor’s circle is Jayvee Ferrer and Carl Dave Aseneta, who nabbed a bronze in the Men’s Under-100 kg Judo and the -90 kg section of the martial art, respectively. Both are members of the UP Men’s Judo Team. LEADING THE PATH TOWARDS TRIUMPH Former UPTVT member and National Team Coach Rani Ortega and UP alumnus Patrick Aquino. Photo from Facebook. Like Lim and Montalvo, retired UP Taekwondo Varsity Team (UPTVT) phenom Rani Ortega contributed to the Philippines’ martial arts medals haul. Unlike the two karatekas, she stayed at the sidelines, steering her players into four championships and four bridesmaids finishes. Ortega would not have been able to do this would the help of assistant mentor Edrick Galing, another UPTVT product. CHK professor and national dancesport lead instructor Alberto Dimarucut also empowered local athletes by helping them bag 10 golds and two silvers from the Cha-cha-cha, Waltz and Tango competition, among many

NO MATTER THE OUTCOME, THESE PHENOMENAL ATHLETES HAVE EXHIBITED HONOR AND EXCELLENCE BY SACRIFICING THEIR BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS TO BE A PART OF HISTORY. others. UP alumnus Patrick Aquino replicated his colleagues’ successes by imparting a winning culture on the Gilas Pilipinas Women, as he led the cagers to a historic victory after a 42-year drought. Hauling in more hoops titles, Gilas Men’s 3×3 lineup Head Coach and former Fighting Maroon Ronnie Magsanoc guided his squad to a crown, while fellow State U graduate Moriah Gingerich was his assistant mentor. Likewise, CHK’s Jamel Pangandaman orchestrated an Obstacle Course Racing competition sweep that saw

SPORTS

his athletes earn six golds. He even shaped a winner in UP’s Mhik Tejares, who secured the Women’s Individual 100-m x 10 Obstacle silver trophy. *National triathlon coach Ani De Leon-Brown comparably brought out the best in her delegates. Three of them reigned supreme while two became finalists in the triathlon event. Hailing from the same academic institution, RP Blu Boys Pitching Coach Ronilon Pagkaliwagan created first-runner ups out of his players as well. PLAYING WITH PASSION Apart from the *38 State U-based players and coaches, *15 other iskos and iskas graced the multinational meet. Azkals Amani Aguinaldo, Marco Casambre and JB Borlongan hustled with heart during the football elimination round but were two goals short of experiencing the playoffs. UPTFT’s Marisol Amarga donned the state’s flag with pride as she ran the athletics 800-m track. Meanwhile, national footballer Eloiza Fagsao showed her Pinoy spirit through her love of the game. Netball delegates Sae-Ann Gallegos and Nana Espina had a time of their lives playing for the Philippines as well. Local floorball participants Ralph Andrew Ramos, Luis Manila III, Sarah Samonte, Jestine Mariano and Candy Pellejera revitalized the conference in their own way too. On the other hand, gamers Jia Dee and Justin Santos brought a different type of enthusiasm to the Hearthstone and Starcraft II contest, respectively. Men’s shooting competition bet Binggy Lopez also left the SEA Games winless but undeniably represented his country well through his unparalleled skills. Despite similarly bowing out of the quarterfinals, Tennis player Khim Iglupas exited the tournament with her head held high. No matter the outcome, these phenomenal athletes have exhibited honor and excellence by sacrificing their blood, sweat and tears to be a part of history. Some may have walked away empty-handed, but their efforts were not made in vain as they gave pride to the Philippines and the UP community.

Maroon Paddlers, Lady Paddlers struggle in UAAP S82 debut byAGATHA CARLOSGREGORIO LADERAS by The opening day of the UAAP Season 82 Table Tennis Tournament witnessed a struggling University of the Philippines (UP) Table Tennis Team as the Maroon Paddlers bow down in their two games putting them in a 0-2 slate while the Lady Paddlers fall into a 1-1 record. Rough start Both State U teams opened their season 82 campaign with sorry-losses against the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) and University of Santo Tomas (UST), respectively. The Maroon Paddlers were swept by ADMU, 0-3, as Riley Lim’s late hustle versus Ateneo was

unable to secure the first singles game 1-3, while Judah Cagas dropped the next match, 1-3. The tandem of Cagas and Carl Ruelo tried to extend the game but fell short, 2-3. Meanwhile in the Women’s Division, the defending champions UST Lady Paddlers made quick work of UP’s Fellane Labian, 0-3, MC Capatan, 1-3, and the Pauline Cabrera-Lyra Duro duo,1-3. Hustle despite struggle The Lady Paddlers snatched their first win in a tight match against the National University (NU) Lady Paddlers, 3-1. Despite Cabrera and Duro losing the doubles match in close fashion, 11-9, 6-11, 11-5, 5-11, 5-11, Capatan, Jely Dayrit and Anna Royeca secured their singles matches – all through a decider. Capatan escaped NU’s Guanco, 11-6,

8-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-6, in the first singles match followed by Dayrit’s come-from-behind win versus NU’s Garcia, 7-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-6. After dropping the doubles match, Royeca bounced back as she sealed the game and defeated NU’s Pacquiao, 11-8, 10-12, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7. However, the Maroon Paddlers still can’t find their rhythm as they squander against the NU Bulldogs. UP’s Christian Victorio failed to secure his battle, 1-3, as Al Salloman was also defeated, 0-3. The Cagas-Ruelo tandem, again, tried to save the match but was unsuccessful in winning the deciding set, 2-3. The UP Lady Paddlers will attempt to collect more wins against DLSU and AdU while the Maroon Paddlers will search for their first win versus UE and UST, tomorrow at the ADMU Blue Eagles Gym.

PHOTOS | JAZRENE GONZALES

GRAPHIC AND PAGE DESIGN | ALEX SAMBO

MEN'S BADMINTON

MEN'S CHESS

BERNARDO, John Matthew C. CLEMENTE, Michael Adrian T. GA-AN, Reignheart Kim C. LEGASPI, Kyle Justine M. MANUEL, Vincent Rafael G. TERCIAS, Justin Jacob C. TUNGUL, Dean Harvey T. VANZUELA, Jason O.

ALANAN, Brent Lenard B. GALPO, Gabriel Angelo M. GAN, Shaun Benedict A. RESURRECCION, Joemarie P. ROSARDA, Joshov Alekhine A. VITO CRUZ, John Edward P.

WOMEN'S BADMINTON

ABLANG, Danica Alexis V. AGRA, Jallen Herzchelle C. BARRY, Jee-Ann Faye Q. GUYO, Geraldine B. LUCERO, Lyra M. MACAPUNO, Justnin B.

WOMEN'S CHESS

ABALOS, Andrea Y. ANDRES, Janelle Anne CARLOS, Rasmine Jane V. CONCEPCION, Aldreen Rae D. LOPEZ, Maria Virginia R. MACALINO, Airish Ann I. OPON, Tricia Merced F. SANTOS, Joyce Pauline V.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL MEN'S CONSUELO, Nicolo Brylle A. PITOGO, Christian C. GAMBAN, Louis Gaspar C.

WOMEN'S ESLAPOR, Euricka D. ESTRELLANES, Gabrelle Noreen A. ROSIER, Roselyn

MEN'S BASKETBALL AKHUETIE, Bright Osagie GOB, John Winifred II P. GOMEZ DE LIAÑO, Javier Joaquin S. GOMEZ DE LIAÑO, Juan Gerardo S. GOZUM, Will Allen A. JABONETA, Felixberto IV G. LONGA, Jose Piero Dominic S. MANTILLA, Jaybie B. MANZO, Jun Kent III B. MURRELL, David Michael L. PARAS, Kobe Lorenzo F. PRADO, Jerson Alexander M. RIVERO, Ricci Paolo U. SPENCER, James Daniel C. TUNGCAB, Frederick James Jr. C. WEBB, Noah Gabriel A.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL AMAR, Gene C. BASCON, Carmela Iris D. CRUZ, Noella Joy B. DE GUZMAN, Danielle Alyanna G. DE LEON, Mikaella Grace C. FERRER, John Andrea G. GONZALES, Cindi Joyce D. HIDALGO, Katrina Ysabelle C. LARROSA, Stiffany LEBICO, Jonalyn P. MEDINA, Maria Therese L. MOA, Jewel Patricia Y. ORDOVEZA, Christine Nicole M. ORDOVEZA, Lourdes Lucille M. PESQUERA, Maria Patricia O. RIVERA, Sophia Faye S. RODAS, Maria Patricia E. DESIGN | RENZ PALALIMPA

CHEERDANCE BAJA, Kobe R. BANTOG, Joaquin Alfrae V. BARRIOS, Gianne Marize Y. BENJAMIN, Cyrus Illiad S. BRINGEL, Monn Robin L. CANAPE, Walter Stephen C. CRUZ, Arnon Christian P. DE VERA, Julianne Y. DEL ROSARIO, Kristine Moira D.r. ELMOSHILI, Omar Mahamed Elamin S. GONZALVO, Alyssa Nicole L. IGNACIO, Mary Anne C. JAYONA, Amando III B. LACSAMANA, Ma. Chloe Anne C. LUMABAO, Pray Heart R. MAMENTA, Patricia Mae S. MANALO, Rod Vincent P. MANUEL, Frenz Carlo B. MARANAN, Jamil Shad R. MARENTES, Apple Joy A. RILLERA, Kenneth James S. ROCAMORA, Gerry A. SAN PEDRO, Jules Moller C. SANCHEZ, Jonna Mae SUNGA, Mikaela Raissa Y. TRISTE, Norberto Jr. B. VILLAMOR, May Ann Joy B. VIVAR, Dana C.

MEN'S TABLE TENNIS

WOMEN'S TAEKWONDO

CAGAS, Judah Elishah M. CAGAS, Judah Elijah M. CUA, Timothy Jed W. LIM, Riley Leroy T. RUELO, Earl Benjamin T. SANTELICES, Juan Miguel T. SALLOMAN, Al Einstein Q. VICTORIO, Christian Jorge R.

ACOSTA Amber Emilia T. BALINGIT, Ezra D. CHAVEZ, Florence Mae S. DE LAZA, Marc Genicah M. FLORENCIO, Cassandra P. GAERLAN, Beatrice Kassandra M. MUNGCAL, Melyka S. PONGYAN, Kristine Joy B. OMER, Naureen D.

WOMEN'S TABLE TENNIS

MEN'S TAEKWONDO

CABRERA, Anna Pauline G. CAMACHO, Nina Mariel B. CAPATAN, Mary Ruth H. DAYRIT, Jely Joyce C. DURO, Lyra S. LABIAN, Fellanne Nicolette S. ROYECA, Anna Fatima B. VIDALLO, Beatriz Anne C.

ALOMBRO, Raymundo III S. AÃ&#x2018;ONUEVO, Dan Wilson S. BOOL, John Carl P. CAMBAS, John Clarence D. LAMARCA, Gabriel Elpidio M. LAZARO, Joshua Daniel C. MAPALO, John Christian L. OMER, Muhammad D. RAMOS, Yman Jhiro P.

MEN'S SWIMMING ABANILLA, Lorenzo F. ARCILLA, Jose Mari Sebastian C. BAGUSTO, Kyle Enrico R. CHUA, Hans N. CUSING, Paul Christian C. DE GUZMAN, Daniel Gabriel R. DILLA, Lanz Medric S. DONATO, Lans Rawlin G. GALVEZ, Patrick G. GUERRERO, Gabriel D.F. LARA, William Thomas C. LIBADIA, Derek Izac I. MARTIN, Michael Gabriel B. POGIONGKO, Andrae Miguel P. SAMSON, Gerard Emiliani S. TAN, Samuel Ryan Christopher D. TING, Keane Cedric O. VIOVICENTE, Enrico Raphael P. VIOVICENTE, Emilio Jose P. VITANGCOL, Joshua O.

WOMEN'S SWIMMING AQUINO, Pricila Loren CANAYA, Ariana Mikaela L. CASTRILLO, Regina Maria Paz, D. CHOY, Sharmaine D'BAYAN, Alliyah Marie FERNANDEZ, Cindy B. JAUDIAN, Kelsey Claire M. JOVES, Franchesca Ezzabella G. LOZADA, Keona Marie V. OLEGARIO, Maria Magdalena R. POGIONGKO, Alyssa Nicole P. REYES, Bianca Antoinette R. TAGUIBAO Janna Mikayla I. TEE TEN, Winona Nadine C. TORRES, Ma. Gabriela Noelle C. VILLAMIL, Ma. Angela Paula B.

POOMSAE ANICETE, Faustina Marie BUENAVISTA, Jayboy G. CASTILLO, Kate Ardelaine M. DELOS MARTIREZ, Gretel G. GARA, Athena Jon JUBELAG, Jeanisse Patricia C. LLANTO, Lyan Joseph S. ORANTING, Reynante R. SANDOY, Juanito Jr. V. SORIANO, Alyssa DESIGN | RENZ PALALIMPA

54 TINIG NG PLARIDEL

NEWS

Lack of funding after free tuition law paralyzes student publications BY INGRID INGRID DELGADO AND by DELGADO SOFIA ABROGAR

Student publications in state universities and colleges (SUCs) in the Philippines face one of their greatest operational hurdles yet: a funding loophole in the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (RA 10931). Signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte in August 2017, the free tuition law prohibits SUCs from collecting matriculation and other school fees, including publication fees. With the law in effect, student publications which previously operated on miscellaneous fees are now scouring for funds to cover their operational expenses. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has yet to provide alternative sources of funding, paralyzing campus press operations in SUCs all over the country. Disruption in operations Bicol University’s Budyong cried foul over this sudden retraction of funds. From an allotment of P30 per student in miscellaneous fees, the publication now receives nothing.

GRAPHIC | RENZ PALALIMPA

With their funds maxed out, Budyong’s editors have resorted to loaning their personal money which are yet to be fully reimbursed. Budyong used to produce eight issues in an academic year, but last year they were only able to produce three. From a 1:1 newspaper to student ratio, Budyong can now only release 500 copies to a college of 938 students divided among seven departments. The College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) condemned the act as “a blatant attack to the practice of independent and free journalism of the campus press, while the Duterte regime is boasting of its free education.” Budyong editor-in-chief (EIC) Kristhel Dalanon said many local publications in Bicol University have been financially struggling for years. With the defunding, most have either gone defunct or are struggling to revive and sustain their publications. “Minsan hindi rin alam ng students kung ano ang nangyayari, though may social media naman, iba pa rin ang impact kapag may publication sa loob ng college,” said Dalanon. Of the supposed 15 student publications in Bicol University, only eight remain active. A number of college publications at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) are also starting to “dissolve” due to lack of funding, according to PUP’s The Catalyst EIC Regina Tolentino. “The effect was rippling kasi, although retained or at least funded ng CHED ang The Catalyst, other publications were stripped off funding,” Tolentino said. Tolentino also said that the

defunding directly attacks the reporting capacities of individual college papers. “Mahirap ‘yun kasi malaki ang PUP at malawak ang sakop niya systemwide. Kailangan ng PUP yung college and department publications to ensure na maibabalita niya yung nangyayari sa bawat kolehiyo,” she added. Eryn Añonuevo, EIC of the UPD College of Arts and Letters (CAL) official student publication Kalasag, said funds used to be sufficient for the publication to produce “printing press quality” issues regularly before the law was implemented. Kalasag had to release an issue in back-to-back bond paper for this year’s September issue. UP Baguio’s sole student publication, Outcrop, is currently running on remaining funds accumulated before the RA’s implementation. EIC Adrianne Aniban cites major adjustments in their operation in anticipation of the inevitable loss of funds.. “As of this year, we still have enough accumulated funds to publish our issues once every two months. However, because of the limited funds, we are forced to ration our expenditure. For example, instead of planning to publish six issues and folios, we are forced to publish just four issues,” Aniban said. Publications had to resort to creative ways and innovative tactics to sustain their operational expenses. Advertisers, alumni solicitations, merchandise selling, fundraising activities, call donations and contributions from staffers (patak) are some of the w a y s

identified by publications in which they plan to recoup their funds. They have also resorted to online reporting. However, its drawbacks don’t go unnoticed. One of its flaws is its inaccessibility to some students and distractions from social media, thus physical copies are still preferred and strived for despite the lack of funds. Systematic threats Bureaucratic and ambiguous processes in acquiring funds add to the already taxing financial obstacles faced by student publications as in the case of UPD College of Social Sciences and Philosophy’s Sinag. Sinag former officer-in-charge Aniceto Martinez cites the lack of transparency offered in their college’s administration when asked to view the status of Sinag’s trust account. “Yung problem is lack of transparency. Mabagal. ‘Di namin malaman exactly kung ilan na lang exactly ‘ y u n g natitira,” Martinez said.

“We cannot fail our audience just because we are being silenced,” Jefferson Losito

Tinig ng Plaridel Editor-in-Chief

Sinag owns a separate trust account where funds allocated from collected miscellaneous fees were deposited. Upon inquiry with the administration, Sinag discovered the original Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for their trust account could no longer be found. Martinez also pointed out that even the Office of the Dean was uninformed about the publication’s funding process. Alternatively, the publication was given the option to submit a budget proposal to the Office of Student Activities (OSA) instead of being funded directly from the college. “Parang we’re bargaining just to get our budget,” Martinez said. Student publications have also been coerced to convert from being a student institution to a student organization to solve the problem of funding. Being recognized as a student organization would allow the publication to collect organization fees and conduct income generating projects as needed to continue operations.

NEWS

This conversion, however, would strip publications of their autonomy as independent student institutions as organizations are

“Sa ngayon, motivation namin ang lumaban bilang mga peryodista ng bayan dahil hindi kami papayag na ang hibo ng repression na ito ang s’yang maging hindrance sa’min to write.”

Eryn Añonuevo

Kalasag Editor-in-Chief

subject to various accreditation and recognition processes under college or university administrations. Even UPD College of Mass Communication’s (CMC) own student publication, Tinig ng Plaridel (TNP), remains unrecognized by its college administration despite its 41 years of existence. Current EIC Jefferson Losito cites “policies that aim to constrict operations” as a major deterrent in accepting organization status. TNP, which has been relying on the CMC Student Council (CMCSC) for funding, is in an even tighter position financially, with student funds being optional as per the new law. However, the publication strives to maintain their presence in online real-time coverages, multimedia outputs, and web technology, if not able to produce physical copies. “We cannot fail our audience just because we are being silenced,” Losito avowed. “Alam naman natin ‘yung strenuous org recognition process dito sa UP, […] trade-off ba na

dapat magpa-recognize pa kami na dapat may certain number of members with executive board or ‘yung dapat mayroon kaming mga requirements na dapat i-fulfill bago kami ma-recognize as the official student publication,” Martinez adds. Sed Latoja, EIC of The PUP Psychology Department’s student publication Trident, shares the school administration only funds the school’s official university publication. College publications like Trident are left to their own devices. Latoja affirms, however, that Trident will fight to maintain their autonomy as a student publication. “Trident will resort to planned sponsorships and the selling of original literary works printed by economical resources,” he said, when asked about Trident’s longterm plans to maintain operations despite the defunding. Dalanon meanwhile expressed similar sentiments, reasserting Budyong’s position to defend their status as an independent student publication.

“You can’t deliver good news if you are under an administration,” she said. Looking ahead Editors remain steadfast and undivided in affirming their journalistic right and freedom. Tolentino reports of plans to reconvene the Alyansa ng Kabataang Mamamahayag to help further the fight for funding and eventually raise concerns to CHED. The issue at hand also prompted Kabataan Partylist Representative Sarah Elago to raise the urgency of repealing the Campus Journalism Act of 1991 which she describes as “insufficient and lacking in material aspects to fully maintain the existence of campus press, and protect the rights and welfare of student journalists.” Añonuevo remarks that student publications are still exhausting all possible means to retain operations and uphold students’ rights to a free press as the issue awaits resolve.

“Sa ngayon, motivation namin ang lumaban bilang mga peryodista ng bayan dahil hindi kami papayag na ang hibo ng repression na ito ang s’yang maging hindrance sa’min to write,” she said.

Read a copy of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (RA 10931) here.

PHOTOS

Media practitioners and progressive groups condemned the government's efforts to revoke ABSCBN's franchise renewal in a Black Friday protest earlier at Boy Scout Circle, Quezon City. The National Union of the Journalists of the Philippines led the signing of the petition, calling for Congress to act on the pending bill before ABS-CBN's franchise ends in March. With 11,000 media workers set to lose their jobs, groups decry the government's continued harassment and censorship against media workers.

PHOTOS | JOSH AVENGOZA

56 TINIG NG PLARIDEL

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NEWS

Bill penalizing campus press freedom violations refiled by MON CALING

elementary and secondary levels. Both measures intend to repeal the enforced Campus Journalism Act.

A nine-year-old bill seeking to uphold campus press freedom is again kept at bay at the House of Representatives after its first reading in February.

Improvements sought The CPF Bill, in both the House and Senate versions, aims to place protective measures for students through penalizing its offenders, either imposing fines or imprisonment. A fine ranging from P100,000 to P200,000, imprisonment of one to five years, or both, shall be charged on violators, as determined by courts. The law’s implementing agencies will also provide legal assistance to student journalists if the need arises. However, the House and Senate versions of the CPF bill have different takes on the role of its moderators. In the House version, the role of advisers will be limited to a defined concept of “technical guidance.” Moderators can no longer weaponize their authority, especially on secondary school publications where their assistance is required. “Ang sinusulong ng CPF ay bigyan nang malinaw na depinisyon ang technical guidance, tiyakin na talagang ang role ng adviser ay hanggang doon lamang at siguraduhin din na mananagot sa ilalim ng ating batas ang lalabag sa campus press freedom,” Elago said in a statement. Meanwhile, the Senate version allows school authorities to prevent the publication of materials they deem libelous, oppressive, or against the accepted ethical standards of journalism. It also subjects school administrators to account for and monitor the publication’s expenses. The senate bill also proposes campus press activities should not affect the regular schooling of student journalists on the basic education level.

Sponsored by Kabataan Partylist representative Sarah Elago, House Bill 319, or the Campus Press Freedom (CPF) Act, seeks to address reported loopholes in the current Campus Journalism Act (CJA) of 1991 that allow threats against the campus press to fly under the radar. The technical working group (TWG), which is tasked to review the bill before its second reading, initially planned to conduct consultations with stakeholders before Congress resumed session this May. However, discussions on the bill have been stalled as the House realigned its agenda to cope with the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Campus Press Freedom Act has not appeared on the House’s calendar as of writing. With the chance of getting shelved again, Sen. Leila de Lima filed a counterpart bill in the Senate on May 12. Senate Bill 1524 carries the same objectives and penalty provisions found in Elago’s version apart from differences on independence and funding of student publications in the

“Napakamakapangyarihan ng campus press kung magagamit ang kanyang potensiyal sa pagtataas ng awareness tungkol sa mahahalagang isyung panlipunan,”

Rep. Sarah Elago

Kabataan Partylist Rep.

used against campus journalists instead of protecting their rights as members of an independent working press,” CEGP said in its position paper. This weakness of the CJA hinders more on the operations of high school student publications, Elago said, due to publication advisers overstepping their role of providing technical guidance. Its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) allow technical moderators to determine the editorial policies of the publication. A special parental authority found in the IRR makes them fully responsible for the contents of the publication that are written by students, most of whom are minors. This has led to a hold order on publication materials that reportedly do not align with school policies and their administrations’ beliefs. According to CEGP, repressive actions and policies like this are a

common problem for the campus press in the country. “School administrators almost always want to prevent student publications to publish critical news and analysis on school policies. The aim of these violations is to tame the progressive and critical nature of student publications,” the group said. A bill long overdue Kabataan Partylist first filed the Campus Press Freedom Act in 2011, but was left pending at the committee level. They refiled the bill in 2013 and 2016, only to suffer the same fate. Sen. De Lima’s senate version of the CPF bill filed in 2018 was also stalled after its first reading. Asked on the bill’s chances of finally lapsing into law, Elago said that numerous social issues plaguing our country signal the necessity and urgency for the bill’s passage. “Napakamakapangyarihan ng

Replacing an ineffective law The College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) has been consistently advocating for the repeal of CJA since 1996 “The CJA of 1991 has serious flaws that jeopardize campus press freedom. The law is usually

INFOGRAPHIC | DESIGN BY RENZ PALALIMPA, TEXT BY MON CALING

PHOTO| RENZ PALALIMPA

campus press kung magagamit ang kanyang potensiyal sa pagtataas ng awareness tungkol sa mahahalagang isyung panlipunan,” Elago added. Meanwhile, De Lima said that the recent passage of Republic Act 11440 declaring July 29 as National Campus Press Freedom Day is rather ironic as attacks on the campus press are still allowed to exist. “By repealing the present law, and replacing with a law that genuinely upholds campus freedom, we can once again reclaim campus journalism as it once were—an unbiased, untainted avenue of self-expression, critical and creative thinking, and a beacon of nationalism and democracy,” De Lima added. Marred with funding loopholes and conflicting provisions, the 29-year-old Campus Journalism Act continues to stifle high school publications as their editorial independence remains at gunpoint.

NEWS

‘Flaw-ridden’ Campus Journalism Act burdens high school journos by MON CALING Once envisioned to uphold the integrity of the campus press, the Campus Journalism Act (CJA) has done more harm than good in almost three decades of its implementation. The law has been used against the freedom and welfare of campus journalists, said Kabataan partylist representative Sarah Elago. The College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) has recorded more than 800 cases of campus press freedom violations in both high school and college levels since 2010. “322 of those cases are related to inconsistencies and suppression of funds while censorship, administrative intervention, and harassment are of significance,” CEGP said in a statement. More campus press freedom violations go unreported as the CJA lacks a mechanism for the creation of an agency that monitors its implementation and investigates suspected offenses. High school student publications face a more difficult situation, with attacks kept under wraps by the very law meant to protect their rights. With the CJA’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR) allowing moderators to determine editorial policies and making them responsible for the publication’s contents, Elago said publication advisers tend to go beyond their duty of providing technical assistance. This has compromised the editorial independence of high school publications under the control of their school administrators. Suppressed content University of Santo Tomas Senior High School’s La Stampa was not able to publish their pioneer issue in 2018 because of an editorial that criticized the university’s policy of using e-books as primary learning materials. Former Editor-in-Chief Mary Joy Abalos recalled they already finished the whole paper by May of that year, just in time before graduation. However, things did not go as planned when the writeup caught the ire of their principal. They were told they would not get published unless they would change, among many things, their editorial piece. “Our principal specifically told us to change the editorial because she said that ‘it would not be good for the incoming students to see

such negative news,” Abalos said. La Stampa refused to heed to the administration’s request as toning down their write-up would go against the interest of the students. “The editorial was supported by the interviews we did with the students. Toning it down would mean we had to censor the voices of the students, and labag ‘yun sa kalooban namin,” Abalos added. Barred from publishing, La Stampa had no choice but to publish parts of their first-ever issue online. To this day, Abalos says they are now limited to online publication.. A provision on independence in the proposed Campus Press Freedom (CPF) bill intends to prevent outright attempts of censorship. The measure seeks to grant the editorial board the power to freely determine its own policies regarding the content it chooses to publish and the selection of its members and staff. Members shall also not incur administrative sanctions through the articles they have written, so long as it does not violate any law or the school’s “reasonable” regulations. Budget woes The CJA does not impose mandatory collection of publication fees. This leaves public school publications like Banyuhay of Quezon City Science High School to depend on voluntary contributions from students since the law does not provide for them a part in the school’s appropriations. Editor-in-Chief Christianneil Ocampo said they are forced to rely on a 90-peso fraction from every 500-peso PTA donation a student gives. However the principal handles all this money, including their allotment and is only used for the printing of the newspaper. “The workshops and trainings we fund ourselves are, a lot of the time, under budget and our adviser usually pays for remaining balances which she directly sources from her own income,” Ocampo said. As a consequence, Banyuhay had no option but to resort to alternative sources of funding like selling t-shirts, lanyards and other merchandise. Still, the funds they generate from this endeavor is small, compared to the one from the students’ voluntary contributions.” Some editorial boards from private schools which require students to pay publication fees are often forbidden access to their finances. This occurs despite the IRR mandate to automatically release all publication funds to the editorial board a month after

enrollment. Aaron*, a student journalist from La Consolacion University Philippines (LCUP), said they were not allowed to freely manage their student publication’s expenses. Members of the publication became concerned when an issue remained unpublished despite sufficient funds. Aaron said the administration did not disclose any details on that matter. “I don’t really know what they did with [the funds] dahil wala nga pinapakita sa amin at ‘di transparent… Hindi [naman] pwede na kakulangan ng budget ang dahilan kaya walang output. Alloted na iyan eh,” he said. The CPF bill strives to achieve the mandatory collection of publication fees and the subsequent turnover of these funds to the editorial board for their handling. The senate proposal also requires public schools to provide their respective publications sufficient funds from a portion of their annual budget. Missing offices CJA’s inability to guarantee spaces for publications is yet another hurdle the CPF bill seeks to resolve. Banyuhay is compelled to utilize an abandoned speech laboratory as their office. Ocampo said its deteriorating conditions make it an unsafe and improper workplace. “What Banyuhay has in terms of resources and venues to train ourselves and produce our yearly newspaper is the bare minimum,” Ocampo said.

“We don’t even have a permanent room to use. There are even times when we literally have to beg our school librarian just for her to lend at least a few hours in using the library,” he added. Ocampo and his co-staffers have no choice but to look for other places, like vacant rooms, where they could hold trainings and meetings. This leaves them to compete with other school organizations that are also vying for a place to stay. Regular training is essential for student journalists to hone their skills, as the law mandates the Department of Education to sponsor periodic competitions that culminate with the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC), which schools are required to join. New breed of culture The NSPC, originally intended to promote responsible and free journalism, has made some school administrators focus entirely on joining in the competition and neglect campus journalists’ duty of being a platform for the students’ voices. A member of LCUP’s student publication disclosed how an issue was submitted by school administrators to the organizers of the Regional Schools Press Conferences despite not being released to the students, just so their participants would be allowed in the contest. This contest-centric view has also scrapped attempts of a biannual release as there is no more reason for the administration to fund another one, Aaron said. “Since first sem halos lahat ng

contest, nasaan ang incentive sa kanila na mag-second sem pa?” he said. CEGP Deputy Secretary General Ryan Martinez said the implementation of the flawridden law has perpetuated a practice encouraging only the ability to write articles rather than the responsibility of being critical and active in reporting student concerns. “Nakikita naman natin yung implementation nito na tila nagiging pangkompetisyon, parang pwersa lamang para makita kung sinong mas creative gumawa ng mga artikulo. ‘Yung mga isyu sa mga press conventions na ito ay hindi nilalaman yung mga issues ng students,” Martinez added. Turning the next page Through the Kabataan Partylist, the CEGP filed the CPF bill to replace the ‘outdated’ law with one that protects the student press as they become more critical of social issues. “There is just cause in passing the Campus Press Freedom Bill, as it is imperative to uphold institutional autonomy and press freedom in campus,” Martinez said in the February 17 hearing on the bill. Abalos hopes the bill would lapse into law. For her, it is high time to pass the CPF especially when media organizations are under systematic attacks from the state. “Now more than ever, when mainstream media is shut down, we are in danger of being met with the same fate. Sama-sama tayong lalaban para lahat ng mamamahayag may kalayaan,” she said.

INFOGRAPHIC | DESIGN BY RENZ PALALIMPA, TEXT BY MON CALING

58 TINIG NG PLARIDEL

FEATURE

REMEMBERING THE

FALLEN 58 by LUISA SANDOVAL It’s that time of the year again. November lies in the transition from the normal days to the holiday season. In a month where horrific decorations are hung on stores and paranormal movies are shown in cinemas, something else makes this month truly horrifying – the annual grudge of remembering the gruesome fate that befell the 32 journalists who were among the 58 people slain in the Ampatuan Massacre in 2009. The tragic fate of these journalists remains as one of the worst cases of human rights violations among media practitioners. It is also a horrid reminder of the existing press repression journalists experience today. A decade after the Ampatuan Massacre, progressive organizations and individuals continue to demand justice. Yearly, journalists organize events and protests to commemorate the incident. A photojournalist for almost four decades, UP Diliman professor Jimmy Domingo shared his experiences from when he first started as a journalist. At the height of martial law during the 1980s, Domingo was a first-year college student studying

Civil Engineering at the National University. The spirit of student activism was strong, and he boldly participated in activities to fight for students’ rights and for the restoration of the student council in his university. Because of his active participation in these protests, he, along with his fellow student activists, were suspended from the university in 1982 – and that was when his love for photography slowly came into place. His fellow activists would lend him their cameras, and as he was learning his way into the art of photojournalism, he slowly mastered the craft and found passion in it. “Ang importante na pinaguusapan lagi noon ay yung safety. Nire-recognize namin noon na nandiyan yung danger, na ang threat sa citizens ay nandiyan at ang threat sa journalists ay nandiyan [rin],” Domingo said. “So hindi lang precaution yung pagtanggap na may threat to kailangan may safety measures.” (Safety has always been an important matter for us back then. We have always recognized the presence of danger; that the threat to citizens is present and so is the threat to journalists. So, it was not only about acknowledging the presence of threat but was also about safety measures.) Domingo further stressed

that the fight for press freedom has never grown weak through time in fact, it has only intensified especially in today’s context where technology has allowed for a variety of platforms for the media to utilize. He also said that while there is a continuing fight for press freedom, the repression towards journalists also remains rampant. “I would say na malala in terms yung dami kasi pag repressive ang isang regime, kailangan niyang patayin ang press freedom eh. […] Hindi [ito] nawala, bagkus lalong tumingkad yung repression ng press freedom at sa maraming paraan,” he stated. (I would say that press oppression today has gotten worse in terms of quantity, because if a regime is repressive, it needs to suppress its press freedom. That is why for me, press oppression never was gone, in fact, it even grew stronger in various ways.) And while it is true there is a continuing battle for the freedom of the press in the country, campus journalists who write about issues inside and outside the campus for the studentry also share the same plight. According to Adrianne Paul Aniban, editor-in-chief of Outcrop, the official student publication of UP Baguio, school publications experience press repression in the form of the insufficient funds.

“Ang primaryang kinakaharap naming balakid sa kasalukuyan ay yung kawalan ng pondo para sa mga institusyon tulad ng Outcrop na nagsisilbi na ‘ding porma ng campus press repression dahil direktang naaapektuhan ng kawalan ng pondo yung paglalabas namin ng printed issues,” Aniban explained. (The primary challenge that we are currently facing right now is having no funds for institutions such as Outcrop, which serves as press repression because it directly affects how we release our printed issues.) For Aniban, the need for genuine journalism is what journalists strive for. However, he said it becomes challenging to attain when the media and publications are being oppressed. He further stressed that it is the mandate of journalists to expose the truth, and the presence of press repression hinders them from fully upholding their mandate. “The truth must be told, not censored nor manipulated according to anyone’s interests,” Aniban stressed. Two individuals shared their insights toward press freedom in the country one is a journalist who witnessed and experienced the dangers during the Martial Law period, and the other is a

student journalist who represents the youth today. But as Domingo said, the fight for press freedom has never stopped and never will stop, especially in today’s political situation. Progressive alliances and institutions such as Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), Vera Files and Rappler are being red-tagged as “Leftists” who aim to oust the current administration for writing about the truth. The number of journalists being blatantly killed also continue to rise. According to Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR), a total number of 12 journalists have been slain from the beginning of Duterte’s presidency until November 2018. The number continues to add up. It is clear that the struggle for press freedom still exists. The walls built to defend the press in the country is wearing thin, growing weaker little by little. But the fight does not end there; the walls may be deteriorating, but in the long run, it still stands firm. For if journalists are held under threat and suppressed from delivering the truth, that is where the horror of it all lies.

number of journalists killed under President Duterte’s term

It is clear that the struggle for press freedom still exists. The walls built to defend the press in the country is wearing thin, growing weaker little by little.

PHOTOS| JD MAGSINO SOURCE: Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility

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A TIMELINE OF EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE AMPATUAN MASSACRE VERDICT. Caepellupta voluptatur, occae sum harchictes veleniet re dolum sim fuga. Ut essus il moluptiossi volo beriam dolest ad quiasperis nonsequid quis moluptus sae renduci liciate eum verum soluptio. Ut ut quati necernam aut illiquam dis sum, sit postias modis deligenim ant. Net porera qui cum quis sollant vendusci cusamus es porruptatus sequo modit ea cum imus molupta tatur,

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Principal accused found guilty in Ampatuan massacre case by HIRAYA MANCE and LUISA SANDOVAL After a decade-long run of the Ampatuan massacre case, members of the Ampatuan clan Datu Andal “Unsay” Ampatuan Jr., Zaldy “Puti” Ampatuan, Anwar Ampatuan Sr., Anwar “Ipi” Ampatuan Jr. and Anwar Sajid “Ulo” Ampatuan are found guilty of 57 counts of murder beyond reasonable doubt. Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 221 handed down the long-awaited decision, convicting the Ampatuans responsible for the Nov. 23, 2009 slaughter of 58 people, 32 of whom were media workers. The 23 others who are found guilty as principal actors face a maximum of 40 years behind bars for each count of murder. The Revised Penal Code provides that when convicts have to serve more than two sentences, they will do so simultaneously. Meanwhile, the 15 accused as “accessories” to the massacre were convicted guilty and were sentenced to a minimum of six years imprisonment and a maximum of 10 years and eight months. The Quezon City RTC, meanwhile, acquitted Sajid Islam Ampatuan, Datu Akmad “Tato” Ampatuan and other police officers due to reasonable doubt while three others were acquitted as the prosecution failed to prove their guilt. Sajid Islam Ampatuan, who ditched the court proceedings, has been issued a warrant of arrest with five days to explain his absence during the

SOURCES: Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, MindaNews

arraignment. If not, he will be “cited in contempt,” Judge Solis-Reyes said. Legal counsels of Datu Andal Jr. and Zaldy Ampatuan said they will file motions for reconsideration after the verdict. After a decade of waiting and numerous extensions in what many saw as delayed justice for the victims, trial proceedings in Camp Bagong Diwa began more than an hour later than scheduled as it was supposed to begin at 9 a.m. Of the 197 originally accused, 80 still remain at large including 15 members of the Ampatuan clan. Zaldy Ampatuan was hospitalized last October, but was ordered by Judge Solis-Reyes to return to Camp Bagong Diwa ahead of the arraignment, since the “procedure during rehabilitation session can be done to him as an out-patient.” The Ampatuan patriarch Datu Andal Sr., who allegedly ordered the massacre, died 2015 of liver cancer. The decade awaiting the decision witnessed annual commemorations and protests launched by media-related organizations such as the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines to call for justice for the victims of the Ampatuan Massacre. A total of 58 people were killed in the said massacre but only 57 counts of murder were filed as one body remains missing. The unfound body belongs to photojournalist Reynaldo Momay whose dentures were only found in the crime scene. Judge Solis-Reyes acquitted all the suspects for the murder of Momay on reasonable doubt, and the claims for the damages of the heirs of Momay were dismissed.

INFOGRAPHIC | RENZ PALALIMPA

60 TINIG NG PLARIDEL

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PH journalists wade in ‘uncharted waters’ as COVID-19 shakes the country by JAN CUYCO and CRISTINA CHI As the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spreads across the country, people contend with a Luzonwide ‘enhanced community quarantine’ (ECQ) that orders them to stay inside to quell the spread of the virus. Reporters now carry the burden of both informing and keeping a check on the powers that be while taking care of their own health amid the crisis. At a time when there is a lack of transparency from the government, media practitioners are seeking to clarify policies that have upended the lives of millions in the country. Lack of transparency Journalists play a crucial role in keeping people informed, as they are hard-pressed to deliver information about COVID-19 from government officials reluctant to answer questions. Since most government press conferences are now held online, journalists working remotely are ordered to send in their questions prior to briefings. Most of these questions are left unanswered. “There is also no opportunity for follow-ups and clarifications, unless officials reply or return your calls which these days are a rarity,” Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) health reporter Jovic Yee said. For instance, Yee cited how the Department of Health (DOH) failed to mention the reason behind the Philippines raising the COVID-19 crisis to Code Red Sub-Level 2, March 12. The public was left uninformed as to why the COVID-19 crisis was escalating amid class suspensions and travel restrictions. The DOH only announced five days later the evidence of community transmission. This means there is an increasing number of local cases — that can no longer be traced — through chains of transmission.

GRAPHIC | RENZ PALALIMPA

Yee added the presence of community transmission could have been a crucial piece of information which could have clarified reasons behind enacting lockdowns and stricter social distancing measures. As most reporters work from home, they are unable to quickly probe disorganized government officials while the crisis happens. Newsroom contingencies in place Major Philippine media networks adjusted to the pandemic to protect the safety of their reporters without compromising their coverage. PDI transportation reporter Krixia Subingsubing said having an employee union helped them adjust almost immediately to the ECQ guidelines. This includes a work-fromhome option and shuttle services that pick up and drop

their families because of the risk of contracting COVID-19 in the field were accommodated in hotels,” she added. The bulk of their reportage is now done online, which includes interviewing officials, gathering information and monitoring social media pulse. This has rendered them struggling to ‘disconnect’ from the constant barrage of COVID19-

Prior to the ECQ, reporters who were exposed to people who tested positive for COVID-19 feared they had caught the virus too. Rappler reporter Mara Cepeda was covering a hearing at the House of Representatives on March 11 when one of the resource persons had tested positive for the new coronavirus. However, Cepeda and other reporters only got the information the evening of March 17. “The risk for us reporters is that we don’t know, if in the course of our work, we were exposed to some with the virus,” she said. Though Cepeda has been on self-quarantine for more than a week, she continues to report about the COVID-19 crisis from morning until evening at home. Even with field work suspended, covering the pandemic has been nowhere near comforting for her. Cepeda said she had

When you see people suffering – from workers forced to walk several hours just to get home through the lockdown to health workers dying because of the lack of PPEs – you simply choose to help out the best way you could. And for journalists like me, that is by digging for and writing about the truth.” off employees at their office. “It’s during such times that I’m thankful to be in an employee union that looks out for your best interest, especially knowing that most other Filipinos—even fellow media people—do not have the luxury of being able to [work from home] or do not have safety nets amid the possible loss of a month’s wages,” Subingsubing said. Other media companies have implemented similar working arrangements that allow journalists to work from home. ABS-CBN science and environment reporter Kristine Sabillo said their newsroom had set out guidelines that specifically prohibit hospital coverage for their protection. “Those who decided to still pursue field reporting but did not want to come home to

related updates. Reporters are still expected to go online beyond their working hours in case something needs to be covered. This was observed in recent press briefings which took place late at night or in the wee hours. Such is the case when President Rodrigo Duterte held a briefing past midnight of March 20, wherein he warned local government units (LGUs) to follow the national government’s orders in handling the COVID-19 crisis. Journalists covering Malacañang have to endure long hours of waiting for these press briefings to start. These often go beyond schedule, with Duterte’s latest address aired to the public at 11 pm instead of 4 pm last March 30. Heightened fears reporters on the frontline

for

cried many times out of fear she might have brought the virus to her parents who were more vulnerable. “I know we tell people to stay calm, but it’s different when you’re there. There’s an extra conscious effort to be calm. You’re looked up to as the person who should know about the information firsthand,” she added. National Union of Journalists of the Philippines Chairperson Nonoy Espina cautions working from home “does not insulate you from stress and trauma.” Round the clock coverage, Espina added, could expose reporters to even more stressors since they are likely more exposed to social media. Filipino journalists like Cepeda are stretched thinly due to the COVID-19 crisis, requiring them to constantly monitor updates from the

government while keeping tabs on social media. Despite the heightened fears that come with the job, Cepeda believes doing stories about the plight of the less fortunate in a time of a pandemic is what she is ought to do as a journalist. “Wala naman kaming choice kahit mahirapan pa kami. Hahanap at hahanap kami ng paraan para makapagsulat, makapag-record, at makapag-produce ng balita. Because that’s what the people need: clear, accurate news so they’ll know the things they need to prepare for,” she said. Why the news should not stop for the pandemic People depend on the media to know about the quickly-changing situation brought by the pandemic. When the pandemic and the lockdown present new problems every day, journalists are game changers in keeping the public informed in crucial times. “The swift delivery of accurate information to the people is vital not only in informing them about the quickly-changing situation but also in providing them the knowledge to cope with the crisis,” Espina said. When the Lung Center of the Philippines sounded the alarm on a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPEs), Sabillo helped amplify their call with an online article and tweets that have since gathered more than a thousand retweets. Perhaps this is only the beginning of a series of events that journalists have to stay on top of, amid thousands of struggling Filipinos during a lockdown enforced without stable government support. “When this started, we weren’t asking too many questions about how the government is preparing for this. Now we are seeing negative effects of our lack of preparation and we are able to ask more questions,” Sabillo said. The pandemic is far from over as DOH experts say cases are expected to peak in two to three months if not quelled. Still, for journalists like Sabillo, even the bad days the pandemic has caused are enough to fuel them. “When you see people suffering – from workers forced to walk several hours just to get home through the lockdown to health workers dying because of the lack of PPEs – you simply choose to help out the best way you could. And for journalists like me, that is by digging for and writing about the truth,” Sabillo said.

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#IbalikAngABSCBN

Different sectors gathered at Liwasang Diokno to denounce the passage of the controversial Anti-Terror Law and the recent denial of ABS-CBN's congressional franchise, citing these as blatant attacks against the citizenry and their basic human rights provided by the constitution. On July 19, the Anti-Terror Law will officially take effect. However, progressive groups have already filed a petition to the Supreme Court to suspend the implementation of the law due to its unconstitutional provisions. Progressive groups invite everyone to bring anew the calls on the streets on July 27 and demand accountability from the government as Pres. Rodrigo Duterte delivers his 5th State of the Nation Address.

PHOTOS KHIM RAYMUNDO