August-September 2015

Mapagpalayang kaisipan sa malayang pahayagan AGOSTO-SETYEMBRE 2015

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Sugar, Spices, and Everything Priced An assessment of the STS’ implementation on UPB ANGELA VALERIO

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graphics by SAM SILVERIO

ith its new name and improvements, the main financial program for students of the premier university of the Philippines is implemented with the graces of the deciding body. However, despite

this, those under this system refused to remain under it.

The University of the Philippines (UP) is known as the premier university of the Philippines, being the SUC with the most allotted budget for

tertiary education. Despite the sum, students are made to pay large amount as a support for the university itself.

Pros of the Revision Being a fundamental part of the financial aids provided

by the university, the Socialized Tuition System (STS), the said upgraded version of the Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP), was applied by the Board of Regents (BOR) to help those who are not able to afford the raw tuition fee of the said university.

STFAP has been criticized for its tedious process, mismatch between the bracket and the actual financial capacity, and lastly an inadequate benefits for the bracket E2 students.

Imagine going through lengths and processes to get a certification to declare your annual Gross Family Income, Family’s Income Tax Return or Over-seas Filipino Workers (OFW) contract, and a vicinity map of the family residence.

All of this in the name of saying you are worthy of a certain bracket.

The STS, therefore, aims to shorten this long process of applying for the program by making it automated and simplified into a 2-page questionnaire asking about the paying capacity, the income and socio-economic characteristic of the applier’s household.

Another appealing part of this revision is the 30% upward adjustment of income cut-offs for brackets A, B, C, and D. This increase makes it so that there is a reduced number of Bracket A, otherwise known as the millionaire’s bracket.

And lastly, the increase of stipend for Bracket E2 students which now amounts to 3,500 pesos that may be in the form of a service or money.

Beneath the Surface Both the STS and STFAP were created to serve as financial assistance to the students of UP, especially those who may not be able to afford the full tuition fee, by giving tuition discounts. However, former student regent (SR), John Neil Macuha, dubs it as Social-

ized Tuition Scam, saying that it is flawed.

The STS makes it so that the applicant would state the annual income of your household. This determines the Bracket you are in while holding other things constant, meaning other liabilities are not considered. This makes for an insufficiency to determine the applicant’s exact socio-economic state In addition to the system’s deficiency, the Roadmap of Philippine Higher Education Reform (RPHER) by President Benigno Aquino III’s makes STS, a way for the SUCs to be self-sufficient through the maximization of tuition collection which leads to the systematized reduction of the SUCs’ subsidy.

Contradictions There is a total of 3, 185 students in UPB. According to the data from the Office of Scholarship and Financial Affairs (OSFA), 3.89% of the student population are from Bracket A; 24.91% are from Bracket B; 40.50% are from Bracket C; 17.18% are from Bracket D; 6.51% are from Bracket E1; And lastly, 7.02% from Bracket E2.

Even though there is a significant decrease of Bracket A students as compared to last academic year, 69.26% of the population are still in the three highest brackets- A, B, and C. While the lowest brackets - D, E1 and E2, comprises of only 30.35% of the population.

There are also 335 students who applied for a loan. Among them, 15.22% from Bracket A, 16.72% from Bracket B, 43.88% are from Bracket C, and 24.48% are from Bracket D. There is a total loaned amount of 2, 573, 959.60 pesos.

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2 | BALITA

UP BAGUIO OUTCROP TOMO 42 ISYU 1 AGOSTO-SETYEMBRE 2015

“2016 National Budget doubled in amount” -PNoy MELISSA PAQUIZ and ANGELICA ENCOMIENDA

RENZO KOUJI SURATOS

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resident Benigno Aquino III’s administration approved the P3.002 trillion proposed national budget for 2016 after allotting a 15.2% increase from last year’s national budget.

President Aquino said that the national budget has doubled in amount to lift people from poverty and for the sustenance of the country’s economic growth.

“This Budget was designed to dramatically boost revenue collections, reduce the debt burden, contain the fiscal deficit, and keep public spending within the authority set by Congress…” PNoy said on his statement release about the 2016 national budget.

Social services, which include education, healthcare, housing and social welfare and employment will receive most of the allocations, covering 36.8% of the national budget (P1, 105.9 trillion) while economic services will comprise of 27.6% of the budget (P829.6 billion).

Debt services remain to be the top priority in the 2016 budget and the total debt service expenditure is amounted at P740.5 billion. This allocation is higher than the budget for education which is amount-

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STOP CIVIL WAR. As a part of the commemoration of the Lacub, Abra incident, Randy Malayao, consultant to the peace talks, discusses the International Humanitarian Law’s role in the rule of war in most countries. photo by PAUL SORIANO ed to P504.6 billion only.

In addition to this, 59 state universities and colleges will receive less funding from the government. Budget cuts for state universities will lead to fewer scholarships for poor and deserving students according to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) University of the Philippines (UP) will receive a budget of P10.9 billion, a P2 billion decrease

AUPWA calls to End Contractualization FRANCIS BAUTISTA To make the benefits equal for all employees of UPB, the All UP Workers Alliance (AUPWA) of University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB) calls for regularization of contractual and project-based workers (job orders).

Based on the academic year 2014- 2015 list of faculty staff in UPB, 25 are contractual workers and 23 are project based workers.

Highlighting Differences Mrs. Jocelyn Dagusen, President of All UP Workers Union (AUPWU), emphasized that there is a big gap between the three sector of workers- permanent, contractual, and project based workers in terms of benefits and privileges. Permanent workers are entitled to all benefits, contractual workers have only limited, and project based workers have none.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Julie Tuguinay, President of All UP Academic Employees Union (AUPAEU), added that there is

UPD runs out of dorm and class slots

a different treatment among the three sectors of workers, and that project based workers have the worst treatment of all given the fact that they don’t receive any benefits. “They are more vulnerable to insecurity and a victim of bully,” she even added.

“Equality must reign” According to Mrs. Dagusen, permanent workers have benefits of step increment and loyalty pay every three years of their service, retirement pay and Collective Negotiation Argument (CNA) Merit Incentivean incentive granted to employees and officials as an act of good will and in recognition of joint efforts in accomplishing performance targets.

On the other hand, contractual workers has only CNA merit incentive and that every three years of their service is not counted making them unprivileged to have the loyalty

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from the P13.14 billion budget that was given to the university last year due to the university’s projects that are set to be finished this year.

National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) P32.7 billion budget has received attention due to its budget distribution.

Approximately 40.1% of the irrigation budget will be given to the National Capital Region (NCR), while Central Luzon, the country’s agricultural granary will only receive 18.3% of the NIA’s budget.

Kabataan Partylist representative, Terry Ridon, questioned the reason why NCR will get higher budget allocation from the NIA compared to Central Luzon. According to him, these irrigation projects lack details and that this may be subjects of “under-the-table” negotiations and corruption.

After PNoy’s approval for the 2016 national budget, it is expected that the 2016 national budget will be signed into law before this year ends.

MUSIC THAT BINDS US. On September 10, various freshmen blocs presented their original compositions in line with Freshie Week 2015. photo by LEAH PEREZ

ue to the sudden increase of students, 500 students of the University of the Philippines Dilliman (UPD) ran out of dorm slots while other students found themselves with no available class slots.

The students of UPD are forced to reside in dormitories with higher rent and fees due to the late release of appeals by the Dormitory Oversight and Admission Commission (DOAC) on August 4, 2015, , when the it should have been released 4 days earlier prior to it.

On August 5, 2015, as a sign of protest, students assembled at the Kalayaan Residence Halls due to the lack of dorm slots and very slow process of dorm applications in the campus.

In the 2010 Guidelines on Accommodation in the UPD Residence Halls, the basis for qualification are: place of origin (45%) and the Socialized Tuition System (STS) Bracket (55%). Nonetheless, this year, DOAC did not include STS. According to a letter that was given to the Philippine Collegian, the Office Student Regent, Chancellor Michael Tan, that the only requirement was to give the Income Tax Return (ITR) of the student’s parents, together with their true copy of grades. It was not stated furthermore, why they did not include the STS bracket as the basis for such qualification.

The students that come in yearly is about 24,000 and 2,100 in faculty, in spite of now, it increased by 800 as stated

by UPD Chancellor Michael Tan. Around 1,000 Degree Program with Available Slots (DPWAS) was accepted.

According to Matt Vince Cruz, a student from UPD, “BS CE talaga gusto ko, kaso sa Home Economics ako napunta.

Halos lahat nga nang kaklase at kaibigan ko dito DPWAS lahat, and halos lahat din magshishift. Napilitan lang talaga kami.”

As resolution, according to a BAA student of UPD, Kristine Del Moral, that the class slot crisis was solved by opening more classes after a week of registration and professors offered more time slots for underload students.

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BALITA | 3

UP BAGUIO OUTCROP TOMO 42 ISYU 1 AGOSTO-SETYEMBRE 2015

Amidst K12 transition,

UP to administer next year’s UPCAT Quimberlyn Ranchez

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espite the decrease of graduating high school students this year due to k-12 implementation, the University of the Philippines (UP) still pushes on with the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) nationwide on August 30, 2015.

Permission granted The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) stated in a memorandum, that the said high schools gained a permit from the Department of Education (DepEd) to administer senior high school earlier than the 2016 nationwide imple-

mentation of K to 12 as pilot testers of the said curriculum.

UP Vice President for Public Affairs, Prospero De Vera, added that there has to be a certification that the UPCAT taker is graduating in 2016.

Less than supposed According to CHED, there are 391 high schools with accelerated program; 57 are public schools while the other 334 are private schools.

An estimated number of 20000 students will take the UPCAT this year, which is 77.01% less than last year’s examinees because of the reduced number of high school graduates expected next academic year.

LIGHT AND JUSTICE. Sulong Katribu Partylist together with other organizations lit their candles to condemn the murder of two Manobos and the executive director of an alternative lumad school in Surigao del Sur by paramilitary agents, last September 1. photo by DANNA RUIZ

DepEd inaaral ang ‘beki language’ sa kurikulum ALYANNA QUINTO

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nihayag ni Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Armin Luistro na may posibilidad na gamitin ang “beki” language bilang opisyal na lenggwahe sa pagtuturo.

Pagbuklat ng usapin “Ang paggamit ng mga bagong nabubuong kolokyal na kagaya ng ‘beki’ ay kasama sa pagbabago ng mga wika at hindi natin mapipigilan.”, sabi ni DepEd Sec. Luistro, Ikinatwiran rin niya na kapag ito ay natanggap na ng

mayoridad saka pa lamang ito makakapagbibigay daan sa pagiging bahagi sa opisyal na komunikasyon.

Kritisismong pagsusuri Ngunit sa pahayag nito ni Luistro, iba’t-ibang reaksyon ang nagsulputan.. Isa na dito ang pahayag ni Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda na nabanggit sa isang artikulo noong Agosto ika-sampu na hindi aniya batid kung sinabi nga ng kalihim ang bagay na ito kaya’t hinahayaan niya si Sec. Luistro na magpaliwanang ng kanyang posisyon tungkol sa isyu.

Sinabi rin niyang sinusupor-

tahan niya si Sec. Luistro sa kanyang punto ngunit sa kabilang banda, idinidiin niya ang ideyang ito ay mas tanggap sa ‘layman’s point of view’ o sa karaniwang mamamayan kaysa ng isang edukadong mamamayan.

Pagbalik sa “mayoridad” Makalipas lamang ang ilang araw, pinarangatanan agad ni Sec. Luistro na ang kanyang pahayag ay pawang ‘maling interpretasyon’ lamang ng mga reporters. Pinupunto niyang hindi ito magiging bahagi ng opisyal na komunikasyon sa pagtuturo lalo pa’t hindi pa ito nalilinang nang husto.

AUPWA calls to End Contractualization from page 2 pay and step increment as well as retirement pay. Meanwhile, project based workers have none at all.

Mrs. Dagusen mentioned that the alliance was created to fight for the welfare of all the employees of UPB. She added that the alliance has already made a request to the local administration to regularize the qualified contractual workers and job orders that is now in the hands of the UP President, Alfredo Pascual, and waiting for his approval.

CHED implements Iskolar ng Bayan Law Jose Maria Ibardaloza

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Kaliwang Sulok: Ako ay may lobo

s assistance to public high school students, the Iskolar ng Bayan Law, was approved on November 27, 2014 and had recipients starting this S/Y 2015-2016.

In Section 3 of Republic Act No. 10648 or Iskolar ng Bayan Law, it is stated that students should still meet the admission requirements, such as entrance exams, that their chosen universities have set.

Also, the student should have graduated high school within 2 years prior to the year of his application under this program.

A certificate containing the student’s name and rank, the school’s address and location conveyed by an administrator or the principal should also be submitted.

Also under this section that state universities and colleges (SUCs) have the capability to designate a minimum grade in order for a student to qualify for the said law.

Slot Allocation Public high schools with more than 500 graduates will be given another slot for every 500 more graduates they have.

These slots will automatically be given to those students whose ranks quickly follow after that of the top 10.

The SUCs may limit the number of admitted Iskolars ng Bayan given that the number of applicants exceeds 5% of the number of freshman applicants from the last 2 years preceding the entry.

UP’s Inclusion Due to its autonomous state, the University of the Philippines was initially exempted from this program.

Nevertheless, according to Mr. Prospero De Vera, UP Vice President of Student Affairs, UP was never invited to any public hearings regarding its inclusion in this law. During the bicameral conference committee, the initial exemption of UP in this program was removed.

As of this S/Y 2015-2016, there are 510 UP students who benefit from this program, 61 of which are from UP Baguio.

Transition Period It is indicated in Section 4 that for the next six years, the top 10 students are automatically admitted into their chosen universities as long as it is within their region and that the slots for this program is not yet full.

CHED will be assessing the impact and performance of this law every 5 years starting from the year of its implementation.

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UP BAGUIO OUTCROP TOMO 42 ISYU 1 AGOSTO-SETYEMBRE 2015

KULTURA | 5

UP BAGUIO OUTCROP TOMO 42 ISYU 1 AGOSTO-SETYEMBRE 2015

Libre mo naman ako PAUL NICHOLAS SORIANO

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“Gusto ko sa ibang bansa”

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s a child, we would always be questioned and asked regarding what we want to be when we grow up, what our ambitions and goals would be when we grow older. We would always answer in two categories: whether the professional careers such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, or architects or go with easily- thought and innocent jobs like parloristas, food tasters, singers, dancers, or simply, television artists.

Our mom or dad usually pushes us for the first option, then with the media and titos and titas surrounding us, we would come up with detailed carreers, not in the Philippines but in foreign countries. It seems like the road to a better future relies outside one’s country.

Not only the very much-used colonial mentality affects this phenomenon, but also most programs during the Aquino Administration, in particular for students like us- the K-12 program.

The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education, six years of primary education, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior High School

[SHS]). Under the K to 12 program, trumpeted as the “greatest key reform initiative of the Aquino government,” students are given options to pursue specialized tracks that will be fully implemented by next year, 2016; specifically: academic, technical-vocational, sports and arts and design.

“We don’t think that every student really should go to college. There are very good programs in the technical and vocational areas or in the area of middle-level skills, and you get jobs when you finish these programs,” Dr. Patricia Licuanan of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said.

She also stated that “middle-level jobs is attractive, but in our culture, we have that notion that everyone should get a college diploma. I don’t think that’s necessary,” K to 12 has redesigned the curriculum, not to discard the perennial problems of the education sector, but instead, address the demands of the international market. Even CHED said it.

The said program follows the lucrative business of exporting cheap labor which in the past year, has earned the country a total of US$20B

in remittances. K to 12 is expected to sustain the remittance industry with steady supply semi-skilled workers exported to other countries. With a massive reserve labor force of almost the same competencies in the technical-vocational track.

This track acquiring 48.7%, it is given how the program focuses on

It seems like the road to a better future relies outside one’s country.

molding semi-skilled and skilled workers such as call center agents, caregivers, and welders. These jobs, are not only jobs that offers low wages but mostly seen not in our country but outside the Philippines. The dissent against K to 12 is spreading its way into across schools, communities, labor unions and factories, among parent-teacher engagements, across cities, provinces in the country.

For the Filipino people, K to 12 is a deluge to the lives, livelihood, to the future of the Filipino people. It is clear for most of us, that it is true to his character, Aquino along with CHED has once again proven to be a lapdog of foreign big businesses and giant financial institutions to the detriment of the Filipino people. It is a mere cover-up for all the things that the government cannot provide.

The K-12 program just leads nothing further but for the Filipino students to work abroad suffering both from being away with their families and from unjust low wages, then following the phenomenon of labor export and maintaining the ideology of “Gusto kong mangibang bansa.”

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Opisyal na Pahayagan ng mga Mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas-Baguio

Punong Patnugot Leah Perez Kawaksing Patnugot Ellainemor San Pascual Tagapamahalang Patnugot Divine Loraine Penaflor Patnugot sa Balita Angela Valerio Patnugot sa Lathalain Danna Llaine Ruiz

Miyembro ng College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) at Solidaridad, Alyansa ng mga Pahayagang Pangkampus sa UP

upboutcrop@gmail.com Facebookpage: UP Baguio OutcroP Unang Palapag ng Alumni Center Building, UP Baguio, Gov. Pack Road

onor student mula sa pampublikong paaralan, tsek. UPCAT passer, tsek. Hindi kayang tustusan ang kolehiyo, dahil sa tatlo kaming magkakapatid na nasa kolehiyo, tsek! Kung nagkataong nasa unang taon pa lang ako ngayon, kabilang pala sana ako sa iilang mapapalad na mga magaaral na libreng makakapasok sa State University Colleges (SUCs) dahil sa Iskolar ng Bayan Act na naipasa kamakailan lamang.

Sa unang dinig, malaking bagay ito para sa mga honor students na tulad ko. Biro mo, libre ang unang taon mo sa kolehiyo, at sa wakas, hindi sayang ang pinaghirapan ko sa hayskul. Tinatayang 80, 000 estudyante ang makikinabang sa batas na ito taun-taon. Ngunit, maliit na maliit na porsyento lamang ito ng 1.1 milyong estudyante mula sa 110 na SUCs sa bansa.

Pero kasabay ng pagiisip ko sa katotohanang nakakapasok na nang libre sa kolehiyo ang mga mag-aaral na nagtapos ng may karangalan, sumasagi rin sa isip ko ang isang kaklase noong hayskul na itatago ko sa pangalang Punsoy.

Tatahi-tahimik, madalang kumain,

laging naka-tsinelas, payak manamit, ngunit malusog ang utak. Subalit kahit lagi niyang nasasagot ang mga mahihirap na tanong ng guro namin sa Kasaysayan, at nakakuha ng GSA na 99+ sa NCAE, hindi siya nakapasok sa honor roll namin. Dahil tulad ng maraming sitwasyon ng mga estudyante sa probinsya, hindi siya araw-araw na nakakapasok sa mga dahilang walang pambaon o baon, o di kaya’y kailangan niyang tumulong sa mga magulang niya tuwing panahon ng pagtatanim at anihan. Ang mas masaklap, hindi siya agad na nakapasok sa kolehiyo. Kinailangan niyang magpaliban ng isang taon bago makapagaral ulit.

Sa ganitong senaryo lalabas ang kaisipang habang libreng nakakapasok ang mga top students sa kolehiyo, ay tila hindi nabibigyan ng pantay na pagkakataon ang mga katulad ni Punsoy, na hindi man kabilang sa honor roll, ay kaya ring ipasa ang mga entrance exams.

Dahil, mapatunayan man ng isang Punsoy na sapat ang intelektwal niyang kakayahan para sa SUC, ay malamang, hindi pa rin siya makapasok dahil hindi naman siya honor

graduate at walang ‘libre’ na naghihintay para sa kanya.

Ang usapin nga ng edukasyon ‘para sa lahat’ ang pinaka-pinagmulan ng batas na ito. Pero kung titignan ang tunay na gampanin ng SUC: by definition, a state university

tila hindi nabibigyan ng pantay na pagkakataon ang mga katulad ni Punsoy, na hindi man kabilang sa honor roll, ay kaya ring ipasa ang mga entrance exams.

is an institution that is financially supported by a state government.

Malinaw na ang mga SUCs na ito ang mga pangunahing instrumento para maihatid ang libreng edukasyon sa bawat mamamayan.

Makikinabang ang mga top graduates, pero mananatiling salat sa pagkakataon ang mga katulad ni Punsoy. May batas ngang nagbibigay ng libreng edukasyon, pero tila hindi naman para sa benepisyo ng lahat.

Higit na marami ang makinabang, yun ang nais ko at ni Punsoy. Hindi ba dapat na mas pagtuunang-pansin ang paglalaan ng tamang pondo para sa kolehiyo na hatid ng SUCs kaysa magbigay ng libreng edukasyon sa mga magtatapos ng may karangalan mula sa mga pampublikong paaralan na ‘pang-isang taon’ lamang.

Malaya sanang matamasa ng bawat Punsoy ang karapatang makapagaral sa pamamagitan ng mga batayang: una, siya ay isang mamamayang Pilipino, tsek. at ikalawa, karapatan niyang makapagaral tungo sa maunlad na pamumuhay, tsek!

tion System (SAIS) and how will it change the enlistment process.

Since we know that manually enlisting subjects were tedious. When I got to the enlistment part, where SAIS will be utilized, I was submitted to another line waiting for an appointment. SAIS was supposed to be accessible given that you have an internet connection. But for now, an appointment from one of the authorized persons were required. All of the computers show a website, which was the SAIS itself.

The first thing that I have observed with SAIS is that it functions closely as CRS – enlisting using electronic devices. The only difference is that it is not as straightforward as before. There are printed manuals on every computer so there were no problems in navigating it. There are also options that lets the use view his unofficial grades and request important documents – although these options

are not present yet. Although, one of the frustrating parts of SAIS is the lack of capability of the site to fit into the browser window – wasting big spaces.

During the time I was enlisting, I saw the line outside waiting for their own appointments. That was the time I compared this system to the previous one. This ‘new’ system involves students in lines and professors assigned to authorize them to enlist their names to subjects.

This is like the previous system except that you get to write your own name under the subject. In a nutshell, the interface is different and engaging but the framework behind it remains the same.

With the lack of orientation to the system, the fact that SAIS was half-baked, and that I was sweating too much even in Baguio, I can conclude that this “new” system adds nothing but dis to our appointments.

Dis-Appointments SAMUEL HARRISON CERRUDO

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ack when I was a kid, like most of us before, I didn’t get the purpose of appointments. The long travel just to get to offices, the time consumed when processing documents, the bothersome temperatures in lines, the delays the offices give – these were the experiences I unfortunately reminisced.

As I grew older, I came to learn that adults make their own appointments and do these kinds of things themselves. Thankfully, the experiences I had won’t happen again this time around. In our generation, these processes became easier and more efficient – thanks to technology. The times where documents take days in processing are already gone. Unfortunately, there was this one time that I was having déjà vu where I was having the same experience as last time. As I have received my “appointment”, I was subjected to the new enrolment system of the UP system called SAIS.

As usual, during the enrolment day, many students are already present at three in the morning due to the limited slots present.

As we wait and as we proceed on the enrolment process, we talked about Student Academic Informa-

the interface is different and engaging but the framework behind it remains the same.

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UP BAGUIO OUTCROP TOMO 42 ISYU 1 AGOSTO-SETYEMBRE 2015

Nagsimula na ang sampalan at digmaan DANNA RUIZ

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ang-aagaw! Malandi!” Sabay sampal sa mukha ni Jolina Magdangal sa isang eksena sa pelikulang ‘Home Alone da Riber’ kung saan umaarte siya bilang isang dobol ng kaklase niyang artista na umagaw sa karelasyon ng ibang babae.

Hindi na bago ang ganitong eksena sa sa atin. Sa bawat pelikula at palabas, meron at meron ding pag-aagawan. Mula sa maliliit na bagay tulad ng agawan ng isang laruan, agawan sa atensyon ng mga magulang, hanggang sa agawan ng posisyon, agawan ng mana at kung anu-ano pa. Ngunit hindi lamang sa mga ganitong paraan lumalabas ang mga ganoong eksena kundimaging sa tunay na buhay natin ay mayroong ganito.

Kayo ang boss ko “Asia’s Rising Tiger,” “Asia’s Rising Star,” at “Asia’s Bright Spot”, iyan daw ang mga bagong bansag sa ating bansa ayon na rin sa State of the Nation Address (SONA) ni Presidente Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III o PNoy. Sulit na daw ang pamumuhunan sa atin dahil “mas mababa na ang interes at mas mahaba pa ang panahon ng pagbabayad ng utang.”

Nguinit, tignanin natin ang usapin ng K-to-12 dahil ayon na rin sa ating pangulo, “hindi praktikal ang pagsiksik ng kaalaman sa sampung taong basic education cycle. Bago pa man ito maipatupad ay batid na ang labis na kakulangan natin sa mga klasrum, libro, upuan at mga guro.

Karamihan sa mga pampublikong paaralan, nagkakaroon ng shifting ng mga klase para lamang

makapagklase ang libu-libo nilang mag-aaral. At kumakailan lamang, aking napanood sa isang dokumentaryo ang isang paaralan kung saan siksikan ang mga mag-aaral sa klasrum. Ayon na rin sa Kagawaran ng Edukasyon, ang standard ratio ng estudyante at mag-aaral ay 1 is to 30. Pero sa mismong pagpunta ko sa iba’t ibang pampubiklong paaralan, umabot na sa singkwenta ang tinuturuan ng titser sa klase.

Ang ibang mga bata ay sa lapag na umuupo. Sobrang init na nga, siksikan pa sila. Idagdag pa ang madaliang pagkalat ng sakit dahil na rin sa dikit-dikit sila. Minsan, magaaway-away pa sila at mag-aagawan sa nag-iisang librong natira.

Pero ayon na nga rin kay PNoy, unti-unti na daw natugunan ng gobyerno ang mga kakulangan ng sector ng edukasyon. Sa tinatayang 118, 000 na klasrum na kakailanganin, 33, 608 na daw ang naipatayo at bago matapos ang kaniyang termino ay inaasahang natapos na rin ang 41, 000 na nakasalang na.

Sa usapin naman ng kaguruan, ngayong taon, ang target naman na makuhang guro ay 39, 000 habang noong 2014, 29, 444 na daw ang mga gurong nadagdag sa serbisyo.

Naipamahagi na rin daw ang karagdagang 73.9 milyong mga libro at 1.6 milyong mga upuan at madaragdagan pa daw bago matapos ngayong taon. Ang ibang kakulangan pa ay inaasahan niyang tutugunan ng susunod na liderato.

Ngunit, marami man ang natuwa sa mga numerong ito, hindi pa rin ito nakalampas mula sa kritisimo ng sambayan at isa na rito ay mula kay Bise Presidente Jejomar “Jojo”

Binay.

Ang totoong daan Agosto 4, 2015 ng ihayag ni BP Binay ang kaniyang kontra SONA o mas kilala bilang True State of the Nation Address (TSONA). Dito, kaniyang inilabas ang mga “tunay” na pangyayari sa administrasyon.

Kaniyang pinuntirya ang mga kapalpakan di-umano ng pangulo sa pagtugon sa mga kailangan ng kaniyang nasasakupan.

Bagaman sumasang-ayon siya na tunay ngang gumaganda ang mga numero ng Gross National Product (GDP) at Gross Domestic Product (GDP) maging ng For-

Isa itong digmaan, agawan ng glorya at sampalan ng listahan ng kanilang mga nagawa

eign Domestic Investments o FDI at credit ratings, ngunit hnidi raw dapat pagsawalang-bahala ang mga naunang reporma ng mga nakaraang liderato.

Totoo namang marami pa ring Pinoy ang naghihirap. Sa pinakahuling surbey ng Social Weather Stations, lima mula sa sampung Pilipino ang nagsasabing sila ay mahirap pero dahil sa mababang batayan ng gobyerno kung sino ang nasa poverty line, mababa lamang ang porsyento ng mga naghihirap ng ating mga kababayan. Sino nga naman kasi ang mabubuhay lamang sa limampu’t walong piso sa maghapon? Sa kanila kasi, basta’t higit sa P 58.00 ang nagagastos mo sa isang araw, ikaw ay mayaman na.

Sa dinami-rami ng ating kinakaharap na problema sa ngayon, bakit patuloy na nagpapatutsadahan ang dalawang pinakamataas na pinuno natin?

Isa itong digmaan, agawan ng glorya at sampalan ng listahan ng kanilang mga nagawa – iyan na naman tayo dito. Paparating na naman kasi ang eleksyon. Pabanguhan ng pangalan, pasikatan ng mga nagawa, at laganap na naman ang paninira sa mga kaaway sa pulitika.

Hindi na bago sa atin ang ganitong senaryo pero hindi ibig sabihin ay patuloy pa rin nating hahayaan na ganito ang mangyari.

Sa araw-araw na agawang eksena ng buhay, minsan nakakasawa makinig pero kailangan. Kailangan kasi kung mananatili ka sa gitna ng isang digmaan, ikaw ang unang masasaktan kapag nagsimula ng magbarilan, ikaw ang unang masasaktan sa sampalan.

KULTURA | 7

UP BAGUIO OUTCROP TOMO 42 ISYU 1 AGOSTO-SETYEMBRE 2015

Sa inyong pagdating, ading

Sugar, Spices, and Everything Priced

UPB-USC Freshmen Desk, Dodot Orbon

from page 1

A

ng unang taon sa kolehiyo ay isa sa pinakakrusyal na parte ng buhay ng isang tao. Dito mo malalaman, kung seswertihin, ang iyong mapapangasawa, ang mga magiging kaibigan mo sa pagtanda at higit sa lahat ang iyong sarili mula sa iyong paniniwala, kakayahan at mga ipaglalaban.

Sa inyong pagdating sa pinaka-prestihiyosong unibersidad sa Pilipinas, aaminin ko, hindi magiging madali ang mga pagsubok na darating sa inyo, maraming taong huhusga, maraming pagsusulit ang inyong maaaring mabagsak at maraming kaganapang gugulat sa inyo ngunit, huwag na huwag niyong kakalimutang magtiwala. Magtiwala sa iyong sarili. At dagdagan mo na din ng sipag at tiyaga, lilipas ang mga taon at makakamit mo din ang pagsablay na lahat tayo’y hinahangad.

Bilang mga Iskolar ng Bayan, huwag rin sana kayong magpapakulong sa apat na sulok ng silid-aralan at maglingkod din sa mahal nating bayan. Matutong makialam sa mga isyung kinakaharap ng unibersidad, ciudad at ng bansa. Makisama sa makabuluhang proyektong makakatulong sa ating pag-unlad at Maging parte ng pagbabagong lahat natin hinahangad.

Bago ko tapusin itong maikling mensahe sa inyo, nais ko lang sana kayong bigyan ng ilang mga protips na makakatulong sa inyong

panunuluyan sa unibersidad. Protip 1: laging pabasbasan ang bluebook. Pro-tip 2: huwag paparty lalo na kapag day before exam. Pro-tip 3: diskate. Pro-tip 4: acads before lakads at 5: mag isip ng paraan kung paano mo ii-enjoy ang iyong panunuluyan sa unibersidad.

Pagbutihin niyo sana ang inyong pag-aaral at huwag niyo sanang kakalimutan kung para saan niyo ginagawa ito. Para sa inyong sarili, sa inyong magulang, sa inyong mga pangarap at para na rin sa ikauunlad ng ating bayan. Maligayang pagdating mga anak!

Pahayag Ito ay isang bahagi ng seksyon ng kultura kung saan malayang maglathala angsino mang indibidwal o grupo.

While Bracket A students comprises of only 15.22% of those who applied for the loan, it is still a very valuable data. Some students of the highest bracket are still applying for loans considering that those in that bracket are most likely to be the students whose paying capacity, household income, and socio-economic characteristic are well-off, compared to the other brackets.

On a side note, if the student who applied for a loan doesn’t pay the amount within 4 months, there will be a 6% interest.

Deception of Something ‘New’ While there is an improvement in terms of the shorten span of the application, adjustment of income cut-off, and the increase of stipend, the mismatch between the bracket and actual financial capacity has yet to be solved, the recent bracket A students being the proof of it.

There are still a lot of students who still have to pay for a greater amount of the tuition fee when education should be a right and not for the privileged only.

The commercialization of education comes as a food served on a silver platter with the dish covered with a thick layer of spices and sparkles. However, the main purpose of that product remains the same which is the consumer’s pockets rather than the consumer’s satisfaction.

BUWANANG DALAW: Hindi lahat ng mahaba, masarap

by Divine Loraine Penaflor

Alingawngaw 1. May nakikita ka na bang mga porma ng pangangampanya ng mga pulitiko para sa Election 2016? Ano ang masasabi mo dito?

Mga “paid advertisements”! Buti pa doon, may budget sila! 201444603 Yeah I hate them, pabango ng pabango ng pangalan. Para silang baboy. -Jojo INC -Neng Hindi ba halata, PABEBE nga ang ilan 2015-03652 2. Noong nakaraang taon, nalagdaan na ni Pangulong Aquino ang Iskolar ng Bayan Law kung saan ang Top 10 na gumraduate sa public high school ay pasado na sa ‘State Universities and Colleges’ o SUCs. Sila ay makakakuha ng ‘full state subsidy’ sa kanilang pinasukang eskwelahan. Ano ang pagtingin mo dito?

Bakit?

Okay lang, hindi naman pagpasa kundi pagtagal xxxx-00110 “Full state subsidy”, first year lang naman 2014-4698 Disagree, di porket private mayaman na. Di ba pwedeng may scholarship din kami noon kaya namin mag-aral sa private -Jam May kabuluhan pero sa tingin ko may maidadagdag pa sa batas na ito na mas makatutulong sa nakararami -Tyzone 3. Ano ang Bracket mo? Nag-appeal ka ba? Bakit o bakit hindi?

A, Hindi rich kami e :P -Pogi Mas rich kami -Ganda E2, oo nagappeal wala bang E-infinite? -KatyRo A, hindi. Cuz I’m... -Batman 4. Kailangan mong pumili. Kathniel, Jadine, Aldub, o Lizquen?

Oble at Inang Laya 11-11111 Aldub 2015-03204 Jadine -Buong UP ALDUB! -Nene Like us on facebook: fb.com/pages/ UP-Baguio-OutcroP

8 | GRAPIKS

UP BAGUIO OUTCROP TOMO 42 ISYU 1 AGOSTO-SETYEMBRE 2015