UPLB Perspective Vol. 47, Issue 5 (October 29, 2021)

O CTO BE R 29, 202 1 | 2 021 BDC P AWAR DEE, MEDALLIO N O F V ISU A L & CREATIVE EXCELLENCE

EDITORIAL

BAYANG MINASAKER Parang magnanakaw sa gabi, walang kapatawarang tinangay ng pinagsanib-pwersang pasistang militar at kapulisan sa siyam na marangal na lider-aktibista sa Timog Katagalugan. BACK PAGE

EXPLAINER

How the new org guidelines work Among of these changes include the lifting of the freshman recruitment ban. P. 3

F E AT U R E

Special Report: Agriculture on crossroads An 11-page report on issues affecting the agricultural industry and the Filipino farmers. P. 27-38

C U LT U R E

I-para ang Jeepney Phaseout!

Unmasking the facade of the deceitful and destructive jeepney modernization program. P. 54-55

OPINION

The four horsemen of UPLB LMS A freshie narrates his experiences on using UPLB learning management systems for the first time. P. 58

Full index P. 2

2 | BR I EFI NG

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W H AT YO U M U S T K N O W BLA ST FROM THE PA ST

Lone USC slate bags complete win Leading the new roster of leaders as USC chair and vice-chair are Severino and Daludado, respectively. P. 4

KWARADO: A year into Lockdown A year has passed and the canvass remain dark with the never-ending cycle of despotism, deeply rooted neoliberal traditions, hinging precariousness and disparaged unseen enemy. P. 7-10

PHOTO FROM UPLB KI LOS N A!

#LigtasNaBalikEskwela Online classes will continue, but are students ready to go back?

BY TAJ L AGUL AO STA FF WR I TE R

Understanding the timeless relevance of trade unionism As we commemorate Labor Day, let us be reminded of how trade unionists and workers collectively struggle for better working conditions P. 52

A week into the second semester for A.Y. 2020-2021, following another First Day Rage protest to call once again for a safe return to physical classes, students air out their

frustrations over the sins of the past semester.

Fresh from the break, many students still harbored baggage from the first ever complete online semester in UPLB – be it academic workloads or emotional frustrations.

In the Carabao Park mobilization last March 1, College of Development Communication Student Council (CDCSC) slammed the ineffectiveness of the online

learning setup inside the college and in the university as a whole.

“Sa synthesis ng konseho ng mag-aaral, kitang kita kung gaano kabulok at ‘di effective ang online learning sa ating magaaral at unibersidad. CDC ang natatanging kolehiyong ‘di nagparticipate sa malawakang welga. Napakasahol ng manipestasyon ng output-based education sa aming kolehiyo at sa iba pa,” CDCSC councilor Rich

W H AT YO U M U S T R E A D

Adriel de Guzman loudly proclaimed.

The League of Filipino Students found the irony of businesses like amusement parks opening up while the university remained closed insulting.

ONLINE uplbperspective.org Read the whole story here

bit.ly/Ligtas-Na-Balik-Eskwela

NOTE

NEWS

FEATURES

CULTURE

OPINION

PA G ES 3 - 2 4

PA G E S 2 5 - 4 8

PA G ES 4 9 - 5 4

PA G ES 5 5 - 6 0

Find out how the new organization guidelines work

No child’s play

Victims of ‘Love’

The four horsemen of LMS

Here’s how the state robs our youth, through oppression and exploitative child labor. P. 41-44

Paano nananamantala ng buhay ang bulok na ‘pagmamahal’ ng administrasyon? P. 53

Since the shift to online learning, educators started to use various LMS to continue facilitating knowledge to students. P. 56-57

Why can’t we make our own vaccines?

i-Para ang Phaseout

Devil in blue

» This edition is comprised of 60 pages. » While the issue was published on October 29, 2021, the contents of the news articles span from May to August 2021. » All stories can be read full on our website: uplbperspective.org » The folio for PANANAW XIV was launched last July 16, 2021.

The contributors responded to the question “How do we perform intimacy in resistance?” through different mediums of art. The folio can be read here: tinyurl.com/Pananaw14

Unmask the facade of the deceitful and destructive jeepney modernization program P. 54-55

Shakespeare said that “hell is empty, and all the devils are here.” Three incidents in one night. P. 58

CORRECTIONS

SKETCHPAD ................................. 59 EDITORIALS ................................ 60

We take measures to ensure that our stories are factual. However, to report an inaccuracy, please contact the Editor via our e-mail: perspective.uplb@up.edu.ph

Among these changes include the lifting of the freshman recruitment ban. P. 3

Justice delayed is justice denied Families, friends reiterate demand for justice a month after COPLAN ASVAL’s Bloody Sunday, which claimed the lives of some of the region’s activists. P. 12

High local demand and costs entail the mandate for a potential solution: locally manufactured vaccines. P. 45-48

INDEX CAMPUS AND KWARADO ............ 3-10 SOUTHERN TAGALOG ..................... 14-25

AGRICULTURE SPECIAL REPORT ......... 25-38 FEATURES ........................................ 25-50

CULTURE .................................. 51-55 OP-ED COLUMNS ............................ 56-57

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UPL B PE R S P EC T I V E . O R G | O C TO BER 29 , 2021

CAMPUS

CHED, IATF, say no to F2F classes PAG E 4

10 UPLB students barred by LB police on checkpoint for ‘violating quarantine protocols’  Vice chancellors Dr. Janette Silva and For. Roberto Cereno negotiated for the students’ safe passage.

BY P I ER RE U LRIC H HU BO S TA F F W RI T E R

Last May 1, 3:43 PM, police at a Brgy.

Lalakay, Los Baños pulled over the van of 10 UPLB students, who were on their way back from a Labor Day protest in Mamatid, Cabuyao that time.

The students, all activists, then found themselves having their IDs and their pictures being taken by authorities.

Maranan recalled that an officer ordered one of the students wearing a union shirt to reveal the other shirt underneath and was photographed.

While this was happening, Maranan and fellow former USC Chairperson Jainno Bongon reached out to social media and to the UPLB administration about their situation.

A S U CCE S S F U L N EGO T I AT I ON

Three out of the 10 students did not have their IDs with them, which

VCSA Dr. Janette Silva retrieves the students’ IDs after negotiating with the officers. PHOTO FROM A N AK B AYAN - L B

MAS PINAAGA NA ANG PINAKAMAINIT NA BALITAAN SA REHIYON!

MAGSULAT. MAGLINGKOD. MAGPALAYA.

caused the delay at the checkpoint.

Maranan said that an officer suggested having someone from their respective homes deliver the IDs to the checkpoint while the rest were being issued with tickets (said to be traffic tickets with “No Face Shield” written below).

About an hour and a half later, with police not responding to inquiries on what they could do at the checkpoint, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (VCSA) Dr. Janette Silva personally arrived on the scene to negotiate with the officers.

“When I arrived, none of my questions were answered. I was told to wait for the commanding officer. I tried asking for the IRR [Implementing Rules and Regulations] they follow so I may know the basis of taking the students’ IDs, but I kept hearing the same answer: to wait for the commanding officer,” Dr. Silva said.

Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs (VCCA) For. Roberto Cereno and Chancellor Jose Camacho, Jr. also reportedly negotiated with the Philippine National Police (PNP) Los Baños for the students to be allowed to leave as soon as possible and for their IDs to be returned.

The unnamed commanding officer arrived and explained to Dr. Silva that, ideally, the IDs would only be returned only if their fines were settled in the Municipal Hall. She negotiated that the students will be needing them so they were immediately returned on the condition that the fine of Php 200 each are settled upon the reopening of offices which she paid last May 3.

PO S S I BL E RI S K S A ND DA NGE RS

Even with their IDs returned, Maranan remained suspicious over the police’s actions.

“We have reason to believe [that] they were trying to profile student activists kasi on our IDs were our permanent address […] I have reason to believe na from Calamba pa lang, parang tagged na nila yung van [na] nakuha na nila yung plate number”, she said, adding that the police kept the students in the dark, until the commanding officer explained to Dr. Silva that it was to ensure MECQ protocols.

Maranan said that the police rarely checked other vehicles, up until they were stopped at the checkpoint.

UPLB students push to keep campus a safe haven after alarming police presence

BY A RON JA N M ITCHE LL SIE RVA AS S OCIAT E NEW S EDITOR

The matter of police presence was also discussed in the latest First Day Rage protest, when a police car was spotted entering the UPLB campus while students protested in Carabao Park.

“Muling iginigiit ng Konseho ng mga Mag-aaral ng UPLB ang layang akademiko at demokratikong karapatang mag-organisa ng lahat ng aming mga mag-aaral. Naniniwala rin kaming hindi mali ang makibaka para sa isang demokratikong edukasyon, at lalong hindi mali makiisa ang UPLB sa mga panawagan ng malawak na hanay ng sambayanang api,” UPLB USC wrote in their Facebook post, further reminding all constituents to be vigilant of and stand against such attacks.

UPLB USC chair-elect Siegfred Severino also recalled the Bloody Sunday

incident, formally called “COPLAN ASVAL,” last March 7 as another factor that added further fear among students, as it left nine progressives dead and six others arrested (READ: 9 patay, 6 arestado matapos ang ‘Bloody Sunday’ sa Timog Katagalugan).

“After the #BloodySunday incident that shocked the region, and the c o n t i n u e d i n te r ve n t i o n w i t h community pantries, [height ened police presence near UPLB] is deeply concerning,” Severino wrote in a separate Facebook post, adding in the interview that police presence adds to the anxiety of students staying in Los Baños.

As police mobiles and military trucks were frequently seen around the campus during mobilizations, Youth Advocates for Peace with Justice (YAPJUST) requested a public dialogue with the UPLB administration last March 5 to discuss matters such as campus peace and safety.

In the said dialogue, the

administration assured that they will inform the Academic Union and USC such that there will be any authorized military or police entry.

“VCCA [Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs] Robert Cereno personally promised that he’ll be in close contact with every concerned sector in case there’s a military or police activity within our campus,” YAPJUST spokesperson John Peter Angelo Garcia said in an interview with the Perspective.

Garcia, quoting Cereno in a Facebook message to the publication, said that it was “natural” to deploy trainees in Batong Malake due to its large population. After student leaders’ reiterated the safety concerns of the students, Cereno assured that their office will look further into the issue.

ONLINE uplbperspective.org Maging updated sa mga balita sa UPLB uplbperspective.org/Elbi

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CAMPU S L IGTAS N A B A LI K ESK W ELA

UPLB ‘ready’ for physical classes, CHED, IATF say no  CHED and IATF held the university back amidst calls for a safe return to physical classes.

BY CL A I R E D E N IS E S IB U C AO MA N A GING E D I TO R

Although UPLB says they’re ready for a safe return to physical classes, CHED and IATF continue to place roadblocks for the university In a town hall meeting, the week before A.Y. 2020-2021’s second semester began, Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) Cynthia Bautista clarified that limited face-to-face (F2F) classes would not happen until the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) gives the go signal.

In the session, organized by UP System’s Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) under the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA), Bautista said that medical classes would be getting a free pass on this, and Assistant VPAA Evangeline Amor revealed that the university is reaching out to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to hold in-person classes for thesis and similar courses.

Students of applied science courses, however, were less than pleased with the turnout so far.

“Taking up lab classes [is] difficult [in] this online set-up especially subject[s] like surveying because they don’t want to compromise the skill that they can learn in a face-to-face setup, that can help them further develop their skills in the field,” said Macy from BS Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering.

Macy recalled that she took three laboratory subjects last semester, and is expected to take three more again.

She added that it was excruciating to rely on individual resources to conduct experiments.

While she explained that she was planning to work on surveying, which Macy described as being essential for engineering, to secure units in the, her father eventually talked her out of it. “ … my father talked to me about how surveying is very, very essential sa engineering as in basic siya na dapat alam ng isang engg [engineer] ‘tas mas maganda daw siya [F2F] kaya ‘di ko nalang tinake,” Macy told the Perspective.

Meanwhile, Lee from BS Forestry, whose course she explained delved into fieldwork, was dismayed by the delays in education.

“Totoo namang malaking usapin at factor ang pandemya, pati na rin ang mga emerging cases ng bird flu,

ngunit dahil sa tahasang pagsawalang bahala noong una palang ng pamahalaang ito sa panawagan ng mga HCWs [healthcare workers], ng mga doktor, ng mga eksperto, at ng mga mamamayan, hanggang ngayon nananatiling walang kongkretong plano para sa pagkakaroon ng F2F classes sa mga larangan ng edukasyon na nakadepende sa fieldworks,” she lamented.

Lee also voiced her dislike for the perceived favoritism for medical courses over others, saying that all courses are essential in their own right.

“Isa pa sigurong nakakalungkot dito ay ang pagiging mas matimbang ng mga klaseng nasa larangan ng medicine kumpara sa ibang larangan. Para bang sinasabing may mas importante when in fact ang kalidad na edukasyon naman talaga ng mamamayan ay batayang karapatan na dapat mabigyang katuparan,” she said.

In light of these issues, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (VCSA) Janette Malata-Silva said in a [P] Live interview that the UPLB administration is ready to gradually welcome students back to the university to hold limited face-to-face meetings following the IATF guidelines.

“Kaya namin maging responsable para saming mag-aaral,” VCSA Silva assured, questioning IATF’s decision to allow children to go to cinemas and arcades but holding UPLB from holding physical classes.

Silva elaborated that the Office of Student Housing (OSH) refurbished campus dormitories in line with health protocols to accommodate as many as 327 students. This was meant to show that something similar can be done in other universities.

FOR TH E VETS

CHED’s and IATF’s restrictions courted the ire of several students from the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), especially with the perceived lack of recognition towards VetMed as a medical course. Taking their frustrations to social media, many took shots at how the university prided over UPLB being the “lone top performer” in the February 2021 Veterinarian Licensure Exam.

“Maybe the ‘med’ in VETMED stands for Medal [sic],” one user remarked.

In a unity statement, UP College of Veterinary Medicine Student Council (CVMSC) and concerned fraternities and sororities condemned CHED’s “blatant disregard” for the course.

[ P ] P H OTO BY DY S AN CH EZ

Depriving students in[to] acquiring the prescribed training and skills improvement could breed [a] cyclical problem and ‘basta basta na lang’ mediocre mode of learning “SONNY” VETMED STUDENT

“Veterinary professionals play a crucial role in contributing to public health such as surveillance and control of zoonotic diseases, management of health aspects of laboratory animal facilities and diagnostic laboratories, biomedical research, health education, and extension,” the

signatories asserted.

UP Manila was one of the universities, alongside Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), and Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU) in Valenzuela, given clearance by CHED to conduct limited face-to-face classes.

Other schools, meanwhile, have to apply for physical classes to resume in theirs. All of this as medical students called for a safe return to clerkship and internship duties while calling for frontliner perks.

“Now, more than ever, Veterinary professionals are vital to the pandemic response and more importantly in resolving the current and forthcoming epidemics and its succeeding repercussions,” the statement went further.

In an interview with the Perspective, VetMed student Sonny explained that not having physical classes would be more of a burden for them. Sonny said that one of the repercussions of this ill-conceived strategy by the

government in battling the pandemic aside from healthcare and economics is education, where a new breed of professionals will be molded and inoculated.

On ASF, the 2019 outbreak of the disease, which left about 30% across 37 provinces of swine “decimated,” was mentioned in the unity statement as an example of how Vetmed practitioners can help.

“The consequences have been felt

by Filipinos as pork prices have increased as supplies dwindled and now continuously threatens the food security of this country which is still staggering due to the COVID-19 pandemic economic impacts,” the statement continued, highlighting the perceived national government’s lax handling of disease-related matters.

Though ASF was not deadly for humans, it was for pigs, with the misconception leading to problems for hog raisers when the outbreak came about.

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UPL B PE R S P EC T I V E . OR G | OC TO BER 29 , 2021

CAMPUS UPLB VOTES

Lone USC slate attains complete win, Severino elected as chair  Leading the new roster of leaders as USC chair and vice-chair are Siegfred Severino and Shaira Daludado, respectively.

BY P I ER RE U LRIC H HU BO S TA F F W RI T E R

The University Student Council (USC) slate of party alliance Samahan ng Kabataan para sa Bayan (SAKBAYAN) won this year’s student council elections with a clean sweep, as announced last March 19.

Leading the new roster of leaders as USC chair and vice-chair are Siegfred Severino and Shaira Daludado, respectively.

The University Student Council (USC) slate of party alliance Samahan ng Kabataan para sa Bayan (SAKBAYAN) won this year’s student council elections with a clean sweep, as announced last March 19.

Final voter turnout for this year’s elections.

This year’s General Elections concluded with a 44.16% voters’ turnout, with 5,115 total votes out of 11,581 voters. This was the highest turnout since UP Halalan’s system was used for campus elections. It also greatly surpassed the 2019 Special Election voters’ turnout of 11.96%.

Former Student Regent candidate and SAKBAYAN USC Chairperson Siegfred Severino won with 4394 votes, and will be working alongside slatemate Shaira Daludado for Vice Chairperson, who accumulated 4294 votes. The incoming councilors of SAKBAYAN include Beatriz Quidilig (3367), Gean Celestial (3336), Agnes Gutierrez (3248), Bianca Katalbas (3248), Clarice Sumagaysay (3174), Christian Reginio (3052), Arveil Briones (2946), and Michael Olarita (2870).

Severino will take office this upcoming midyear.

P L A N N I N G A H EA D

Last March 15, SAKBAYAN addressed the university in the first ever virtual Miting de Avance (MDA), where they discussed their plans for their potential terms and addressed the concerns of the students.

The unopposed party alliance presented a three-point General Plan of Action (GPOA), which delved into academic freedom, the current UP situation, and national sovereignty, were the talking points of the session.

The party members were all present at the MDA, except for then-councilor candidate Olarita, who absented due to personal reasons.

The said event concluded a series of MDAs of the different colleges for their

PHOTOS FROM S A KBAYA N – U P L B

Tayo po sa SAKBAYAN ay naniniwala na isa na naman itong hakbang ng rubber stamp congress ng Duterte administration upang mas paigtingin yung crackdown at mas paigtingin yung paniniktik sa ating mga student activists S IEG FR ED S EVER INO ELECTED USC CHAIRPERSON

INFOGRAPHIC DESIGN G ER AR D L AY DI A

respective College Student Council (CSC) elections, following the new election guidelines, which were mandated by UPLB’s Central Electoral Board (CEB). SAKBAYAN’s MDA was chaired by panelists that included outgoing USC Chairperson Janino Bongon, former Chairperson Merwin Jacob Alinea, and current Perspective Editor-in-Chief Mark Famatigan.

With an agenda set, outgoing USC chair and fellow panelist Jainno Bongon set the tone by talking about the pandemic, remote learning setup, and the current situation in Southern Tagalog. He emphasized that the students need a student council with a mandate of protecting the

students.

“Nasa panahon tayo kung saan pinaka-kinakailangan ng [mga estudyante ng] representasyon,” he said, following his address with a moment of silence for the CALABARZON 9, as well as for the death anniversary of the late Kristel Tejada.

S AFE S PACES

Famatigan then raised the matter of fraternity-related-violence (FRV) cases, asking for the candidates’ stance on the call to abolish fraternities in the university. Celestial explained that this is only a bandaid solution, citing FRVs’ roots to the patriarchal society. She proposed to strengthen the inter-fraternity council, in order to tackle

fraternity-related issues.

Famatigan followed-up by asking about the perceived power that fraternities hold over the university.

“Manipestasyon nga ng nag–eexist na patriyarkal, macho-pyudal na lipunan kung saan pinapahalagahan ang mga koneksyon [at] padrino system […] na naglalagay sa mga tao sa mga posisyon,” Severino answered.

He campaigns for collective leadership, saying that SAKBAYAN USC protests the said perception.

not be a hindrance that curtails the right to express academic freedom.

He proposes to review it to be more inclusive, so as to be used at its fullest extent. Daludado added that given the current setup, resources should be maximized to strengthen the student movement.

SAKBAYAN was also asked about their stance regarding House Bill No. 8737 or “Off Campus Education Act”.

The said bill, which was approved on the same day of the MDA, regulates off-campus educational activities by public and private schools. Severino said that this regulation is a scheme to stop or spy on community immersions and humanitarian missions done by students.

ACADEMIC F RE E DO M

On their stance regarding the Acceptable Use Policy of UPLB Information Technology Center (ITC) and actions to protect digital rights, Severino said that the setup should

ONLINE uplbperspective.org Maging updated sa mga balita sa UPLB

uplbperspective.org/Elbi

6 | E XPLAI NER

O CTO B ER 2 9, 2 021 | U P L B P ERS P ECTI VE.O RG

How the new org guidelines work  Among these changes include the lifting of the freshman recruitment ban.

BY CAL E B B U E N A LU Z S TA F F W RI T E R

For years, the freshmen recruitment ban has prevented new UPLB students from joining student organizations.

Though the initial goal was to ensure that freshmen would not be overburdened in their starting years in the university, many have since decried this bureaucratic measure as something that “demonized” organizations.

In a 2018 manifesto from the University Student Council (USC), they said that “organizations are said to lead good students astray as exemplified by the guidelines presented to freshmen applying for university dormitories. Similarly, they are deemed as eyesores and nuisances by the administration when the truth of the matter is that at the forefront of every organization’s goals is the improvement of the self and the community.”

The 2018 USC roster was not alone though, as a Twitter poll from the Perspective back then showed that 76% of the respondents “disagreed” with the ban (READ: UPLB students say ‘no’ to freshman recruitment ban—poll).

After years of appeals, in an organization orientation held by UPLB-OSA with the students last February 24, the ban was lifted, much to the praise of the few members of student organizations that the Perspective interviewed.

Philippine Association of Nutrition Alpha-Omega (PAN-AO) Vice President and Membership Committee Head Alexandra Marie Ambong likewise approved this move, emphasizing the importance of “honing” the students as early as their first step in the university.

But the lifting of the freshman recruitment ban was far from being the only change in the new org registration guidelines.

[P] PHOTO BY J U AN SEB AST I AN EVAN G EL I STA

Having the freshman recruitment ban lifted is already a great step made [sic] which gives freedom to students to organize and be able to lead.

ER I KA LE ILA GONZA LE S SECRETARY & PUBLIC COMMITTEE HEAD UPLB PRE-MED SOCIETY.

P O L I CY C H A N GE S

Republic Act (RA) No. 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018 factored heavily into the decision-making process. Its influence can be found in replacing “recognition” in “Recognition of Student Organizations in UPLB” to “registration” (on the grounds that the term was used more in the aforementioned act) and the removal of a provision on total adviser accountability when an “unwanted” incident takes place.

In the latter, RA No. 11053 requires two university representatives to attend initiation events, with an additional resolution being that advisers are now required to be present in organization activities.

One striking detail from these changes is that, despite the lifting of the freshman recruitment ban being in full swing, fraternities and sororities are exempted from this. The reasoning behind this is that “RA 11053 does not particularly discourage or prohibit the recruitment of freshman students; it just encourages the idea of transparency, accountability, and consent from both parties involved (applicant and student organization).”

Besides minor changes such as replacing “recognition” in the name “Recognition of Student Organizations in UPLB” with “registration” and reducing the minimum number of members for a group to be classified as an “organization,” some guidelines were removed entirely on various grounds.

Among these include requiring organizations

to be involved in community service annually and the submission of a financial report.

On the latter concern, the said proposal was adopted that the passing of financial reports was “unnecessary,” as student organizations were not funded by the university. On the former, while it was agreed that it will no longer be requiring organizations to do it yearly, they are instead encouraged through the “proposed Extension and Public Service Cluster of the office.”

It was also decided that the spots for two organization advisers will be open to either those who have had histories with their respective organizations, those who were never members, or one from both categories. Retrieved notes from the meeting detailed that the “competency” and “familiarity” are better suited as criteria.

Some of the retained guidelines include the need to submit organizational by-laws and constitutions (to be accomplished in accordance with UP Code’s guidelines) and the submission of activity permits and Letters of Information (LOIs) when conducting activities, with the activity permit “entailing accountability” on organizations. On the passing of by-laws and constitutions, it was explained that the OSA will be providing a “pro forma constitution” that can be filled-up and signed by concerned organizations “having an issue.”

Regarding activity permits, Ambong says that

some policies “need improvement,” calling some of these as “far fetched from idealism.” “… the need to acquire an activity permit – most of the time, the organizations cannot access the site because of system error [sic], thus the guidelines for the signatories also need further revision.

But since they are still in progress …,” Ambong explained her example.

On paperwork, the processing of documents was shortened to only including the following forms: Application for Registration, Adviser’s Profile and Membership Roster, Adviser’s Pledge, and Certificate of Correctness and Completeness. “… the previous guideline entail[ed] the submission of [seven] official forms for the registration process and I think some of it were unnecessary and redundant. As the point person of my organization who manages the org registration, the approved revision of reducing it only into four official forms greatly saves time and effort,” Kirk Michael Dollero, Secretary and Academic Affairs Committee Head of UPLB Volleyball Club said.

He added that there were other changes in terms of recruitment.

“Other changes include reducing the quotas for reporting, removing the need to conduct FRAs, and limiting the screen time since not all have enough resources such gadgets and stable internet connection,” Dollero explained.

HOP ES FOR ORG RECRU I T M E NT

On the value of student organizations, Dollero said that “they are great avenues to hone what they already know, apply them [on] the real setting, and learn practical life skills which are not usually emphasized in the classroom.”

Given these new provisions, some organizations find ways to adjust in the remote learning setup to recruit organization hopefuls. This is despite concerns such as internet instability and the lack of resources to conduct activities.

[it] is then important to establish such initiation: of recruiting members even just in the students’ first semester in the university [...]

A LEX A NDR A MA R IE A MBONG VICE PRESIDENT PHILIPPINE ASSOCIATION OF NUTRITION ALPHA-OMEGA (PAN-AO)

I just hope that the administration would continue to heed other pressing matters and take it seriously as no students should be ever left behind, especially in these trying times.

K IR K MIC H A EL DOLLERO SECRETARY & ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE HEAD, UPLB VOLLEYBALL CLUB

ONLINE uplbperspective.org Read the revised org registration guidelines:

bit.ly/OrgReg-Guidelines

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UPL B PE R S P EC T I V E . O OR RG | O JUCLY TO2, BER 2021 29 , 2021

A YEAR INTO LOCKDOWN The militaristic lockdown partnered with COVID-19 pandemic’s spring and fall waves paints a gloomy canvas of the Philippines. The sustained escalation in new infections, which could be referred to as a mathematical certainty, seems to not be enough to nudge the sleeping fascists in position and resuscitate the dying hopes of the nation. A year has passed and the canvas remains dark with the never-ending cycle of despotism, deeply rooted neoliberal traditions, hinging precariousness and disparaged unseen enemy.

The following series of pictures limn a year into lockdown – the events that further delineate the public furor against the de facto martial law of the Duterte administration.

PHOTO BY ISA BE L PA NGILINA N WORDS BY JONE L RE I M E NDOZA

K8 WADR | C AMPU ADO S| 8

O CTO BJ ER U LY2 29,, 2 021 | U P L B P ERS P ECTI VE.O RG

Struggle against the system. After the unnotified unilateral abrogation of the UP-DND accord by the Department of National Defense, various sectors of the UPLB community held a protest in Carabao Park days after PNP officials were espied with UPLB officials. The law enforcers who are also the lawbreakers were observed to have unrestricted entry on-campus.

PH OTO BY DY S ANCH E Z

Panday Sining Dasmariñas and Panday Sining UPLB gave a cultural performance as part of the program.

PH OTO BY DY S ANCH E Z

UPLB organizations held a candle lighting at Carabao Park to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the EDSA people power uprising.

PH OTO BY DY S ANCH E Z

Various sectors of the University of the Philippines Los Baños community raise their calls for safe quality, democratic, accessible education to protest for the concrete solutions on school opening that would prioritize the well-being of both teachers and students.

P H OTO BY DY SANCHEZ

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With limited individuals allowed to enter the university, the campus remains isolated.

P H OTO BY IS ABE L PANG ILINAN

Unpeaceful peace. Time moves swiftly onward and with the Duterte regime who force people into further desperation while the frontliners are at the brink of peril, the crashing education system with pitifully small prioritization, the unheard voices of workers, farmers, indigenous people, and journalists - the resurgence is significant and the projections show that the pandemic will not be slowing down anytime soon. P H OTO BY I S AB EL PAN G I L I N AN

The quiet of the day is far from the roaring flock of students but, their dissent will never be silenced.

Painted with the bluest skies and emerald grass, UPLB Freedom Park is forsaken as the students continue remote learning.

P H OTO BY IS ABE L PANG ILINAN

P H OTO BY I S AB EL PAN G I L I N AN

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Panira ng Pride

Despite the predicament presence of a policeman from vehicle AO P625, members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community from Southern Tagalog (ST) paraded at the UPLB Carabao Park to call for passage of the SOGIE Bill and oust the macho-fascist dictator.

PHOTOS BY DY SANCHEZ

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SOUTHERN TAGALOG

Patuloy ang laban Nakansela man ang operasyon ng Ayala Corporation, hindi pa rin bibitawan ang laban ng mga Tagbanua sa Palawan.

Mga resort sa Pansol, nais nang ipabukas PAG E 1 7

[ P ] G R A P H IC BY J E R MA IN E VA L E R IO

NI M A RILOU LORZA NO S TAF F W RIT ER

Bigong makuha ng mga katutubong Tagbanua sa bayan ng El Nido, Palawan ang hiling nilang ipa-kansela and ‘license to operate’ ng Ayala Corporation sa katutubong lupain, matapos ibasura ng Department of Tourism (DOT) ang kanilang isinumiteng panawagan.

Pagkasira ng kanilang kinalakihang buhay, kultura, mga sagradong lugar ng mga katutubo, at maging sa kalikasan ang pagpapatuloy ng operasyon ng nasabing kompanya sa lupain. Ayon sa isinagawang online na panayam ng Perspective kay ‘Vincent,’ karapatan ng mga katutubong huwag payagan ang Ayala Corporation sa balak nitong pagpapatayo ng mga resort sa kanilang lugar dahil sila ang nagmamay-ari nito, tapat sa mismong proteksyon ng batas.

“Ayon kasi sa Republic Act 8371, Chapter III

Section 10, ‘unauthorized and unlawful intrusion upon, or use of any portion of the ancestral domain … shall be punishable under this law,” paliwanag niya tungkol sa batas para sa mga indigeous people (IP). “Furthermore, the government shall take measures to prevent nonICCs/IPs from taking advantage of the ICCs/ IPs customs or lack of understanding of laws to secure ownership, possession of land belonging to said people,” dagdag pa niya.

Hindi umano marapat na bigyan ng ‘license to operate’ ang kompanya ng mga Ayala na magtayo ng mga proyekto tulad ng Lio Airport (o mas kilala bilang El Nido Airport), the Lio Estate, at ang Miniloc Island Resort dahil ito ay sakop ng ancestral domain ng mga katutubo.

Kung kaya’t gayon na lamang ang pagka-dismaya ng mga katutubo nang biguin sila ng...  SU ND AN S A PA H INA 2 6

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BLOODY SUNDAY THE Q UES T FO R JUS TI CE

ng opisina namin,” Valdeavilla said.

Carl Corcolon, son of Confederation for the Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE) National Council member and Water System Employees Response (WATER) Secretary-General Ramir Corcolon, said that the police’s claim that weapons were found in their home was not credible.

He emphasized that his father served as a government employee for decades, so he was well aware of the repercussions in owning those firearms. “Kaya hindi rin ho kami makapaniwala na mangyayari ho sa kanya ito, dahil ang tatay ko ay maprinsipyong tao, at alam ng napakaraming tao, na hindi siya ganun na tao na may masamang hangarin sa kapwa niya,” he stated.

Corcolon said that his father worked hard in sending them to decent schools, and even enrolled him in a review center for his board exams. He said that he and his family worked honorably, denying that his father was an armed rebel or a member of a criminal organization that leads in robbery extortion, as claimed by the PNP. The senior Corcolon was one of the two labor leaders arrested before COPLAN ASVAL. The other being Arnedo Lagunias, an ex-official of labor groups Lakas ng Manggagawang Nagkakaisa sa Honda (LMNH-OLALIA-KMU) and Alyansa ng Manggagawa sa Engklabo (AMEN). Both were reportedly reigned-in on bogus charges.

When asked about their call to Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, Corcolon asked for help for the release of his father. “Mapapatunayan lang ho ito na ang tatay ko ay hindi isang terorista, armed rebel, o kahit anong miyembro ng criminal group.”

The latest online protest reiterated these calls for justice after a month of continuous demands for accountability against the attacks.

Osram Amolat of the Free Nimfa Lanzanas campaign highlighted how Nimfa Lanzanas has been calling for the release of her son, who is a political prisoner for seven years, but is now also jailed for her “alleged” case. Amolat condemned in what she claims to be illegal arrest and planting of evidence towards progressive individuals like Lanzana.

At sa harap ng tumitinding atake ng pasismo ng estado, naririto pa rin ang iba’t-ibang mga organisasyon na patuloy na kikilos para sa hustisya at katarungan para mga kasamang pinatay at kasalakuyang nakakulong.

CH A R M M A RA N A N SPOKESPERSON, DEFEND SOUTHERN TAGALOG

station. Bay, Laguna is distant from Rosario and Dasmariñas, Cavite, where the police claimed to have reached after chasing Asuncion.

Cruz said that this manifests the irregularities of the police operation. “May mga intelligence na nagsasabi na halos limang taon na daw nila hinahanap si Ka Manny na napakataliwas dun sa gawain ni Kuya Manny,” said Cruz. She emphasized Asuncion’s active participation in rallies, adding that he was a person who had nothing sinister to hide.

Together with Asuncion, among those who were killed in the massacre were couple Ana Marie “Chai” Lemita-Evangelista and Ariel Evangelista from Nasugbu, Batangas. Both of whom are staffers of Ugnayan ng Mamamayan Laban sa Pagwawasak ng Kalikasan at Kalupaan (UMALPAS KA).

According to the accounts of the couple’s nineyear-old child, which were reported by Salgado himself, the couple were hunted by police, awakened with their loud knocking, and then dragged out of their cottage. Police initially entered a different location from where the husband and wife were found which was a few cottages away from their home addressed in the search warrant.

They then brought the couple to the warrant’s indicated location of Sitio Hulu, Brgy. Calayo in Nasugbu, Batangas, where they were later killed.

Salgado said that this might be the police’s scheme into legitimizing their operation, given that their search warrant was on a different address.

The local community was said by Salgado to be shocked about the news, since Chai only rents cottages owned by their family and Ariel is a simple fisherman. The operation was also done too early for any witnesses.

“Itong sina Chai Evangelista ‘tsaka si Ariel Evangelista ay ka’y kapwa rin mga organizers […] ang family talaga nila ay family ng mga organizers sa Batangas no’ at subjected na talaga sila sa mga harassment even before the time of their arrest, the time of their death …,” Salgado explained.

Salgado further criticized the brutality against activists who he said represent the interest of the minorities. “Ang sinusukli ng gobyernong ito ay ang pangre-red tag, pagpatatanim ng armas, at ito na nga ang malala, ang pagpaslang sa mga mararangal at prinsipyadong tao,” Salgado said.

He brought up how the culture of impunity let perpetrators freely get away from their actions, while the victims’ families are left suffering and pleading for justice.

P L A N T E D GU N S A N D E X P LOSIVES

The remaining victims’ relatives and colleagues express similar accounts of police barging into their homes and offices, where guns and explosives immediately “appear” as the operatives do their search.

Testimonies were also shared by Madelyn Lanzanas, daughter of jailed Karapatan paralegal and KAPATID – Families and Friends of Political Prisoners member Nimfa Lanzanas, narrating the time when her children and mother were awakened with a search warrant. “Mga 4:50 a.m. daw po, pinasok sila, ginising sila para palabasin ng bahay. Bago

M AY T HE RE BE J U ST I C E

As the struggle continues, such as this rally on Labor Day at Quezon City, many are still finding that justice for those slain on Bloody Sunday remains elusive. [ P ] P H OTO BY C I AN TAC AS A sila lumabas bukas pa yung ilaw non, nung silipin ng mama ko, patay na,” the young Lanzanas said.

During the search, she said that a van carrying black uniformed personnel arrived at the scene where they then called her mother inside to report that a PISTON and armalite was found.

“Imposible nga pong magkaroon kami ng ganoon sa bahay. Ang panawagan ko lang po na sana makalabas na si mama kasi sa edad niyang 61, sa estado namin sa buhay, wala po kaming kakayahan na magkaroon ng ganong bagay sa bahay,” she said.

Meanwhile, Marife Valdeavilla, a fellow volunteer of jailed Elizabeth Camoral from Defend Yulo Farmers, recounted that the police immediately went to the rooms of Camoral’s house. She said police ordered them to drop on the ground without any search warrant which only came after 30 minutes since their arrival.

She claimed that the gun found was planted by the operatives from Philippine National Police (PNP) Cabuyao. “Wala po kaming gano’n sa opisina. Kami ay mga volunteer lang po ng Defend Yulo Farmers na tumutulong sa mga magsasaka, na humihingi ng tulong para sa usapin ng lupa ng mga magsasaka sa Hacienda Yulo. “Wala po kaming tinatago na kahit ano pong baril o kung ano pang bagay na kahina-hinala duon sa loob

VICTIM S OF BLOODY SUNDAY

March 4 Arrests: Arnedo Lagunias, AMEN coordinator, 45; Ramir Corcolon, WATER, 57 March 7 Deaths: Emmanuel "Manny" Asuncion, Bayan Cavite coordinator, 50; Anna Mariz "Chai" Evangelista, UMALPAS KA staff, 30; Ariel Evangelista, UMALPAS KA staff, 25; Abner Esto, 32; Edward Esto, 24; Melvin Dasigao, SIKKAD-K3, 41; Mark Lee Bacasno, SIKKAD-K3, 27; Randy "Pulong" dela Cruz & Puroy dela Cruz (no age indicated) Arrests: Elizabeth "Mags" Camoral, Bayan Laguna coordinator, 47; Esteban Mendoza, OLALIA-KMU Executive Vice President; Nimfa Lanzanas, Kapatid TK coordinator, 61; Eugene Eugenio, Bayan Rizal coordinator, 38 Also affected: Erlindo Baez, Bayan Batangas coordinator, 51 March 28 Death: Dandy Miguel, PAMANTIK-KMU vice chairperson, 35

Days after the letters were sent, DOJ secretary Menardo Guevara acknowledged that the office has received them and plans to have a dialogue with the families, including those of the slain Evangelista couple about the investigation “We’re happy that the families of the victims have expressed trust in the AO 35 committee.

We’ll surely coordinate with them during the investigation,” Guevarra said. He also stated that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) hasn’t directed an initial report to the DOJ. Meanwhile, the provincial internal affairs service (IAS) of PNP Batangas recommended an “administrative case of grave irregularity” against the police involved in the murders of the Evangelistas.

It is yet to be determined which PNP office would officiate the filing of the case but Karapatan TK said that the families are already arranging their next steps with their paralegal teams.

Despite these seeming steps towards justice, police accused BAYAN Batangas spokesperson Erlino “Lino” Baez for illegal possession of firearms and explosives. Baez was one of the activists whose house was raided on COPLAN ASVAL. The complaint was issued by Sto. Tomas Batangas prosecutor Geronimo Gonzales last March 29, with Panday Sining Batangas (PSB) adding that Baez’s camp was unaware of it until his paralegals brought a case to the DOJ. He is expected to submit his counter-affidavit against these accusations on April 22 and 29.

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BLO O DY SU N DAY T HE Q U EST F O R J U ST I CE

IISA LANG ANG SIGAW NG LAHAT  Mga pamilya, kaibigan ng mga pinaslang na lider-manggagawa, pinaalala ang tunay na laban nina Pang Dandy at Ka Manny.

N I ARO N J A N M ITC H E LL S IERVA A S SOC IAT E N E W S E D I TO R

Kabi-kabilang pagpaslang sa Timog Katagalugan (TK) ang naganap noong madugong buwan ng Marso, kung kailan ilang lider-manggagawa ang namatay sa kamay ng mga awtoridad. Kabilang sa kanila sina Manny Asuncion, dating peace coordinator ng Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Cavite, at Dandy Miguel, dating vice chairperson ng Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan-Kilusang Mayo Uno (PAMANTIK-KMU).

Isa si Asuncion sa mga brutal na pinatay noong ika-7 ng Marso na tinaguriang Bloody Sunday massacre, kung kailan siyam na progresibo ang namatay at anim pa ang inaresto sa buong TK matapos ang synchronized police operations na tinawag na COPLAN (Case Operation Plan) ASVAL. Sa naratibong ipinahayag ni Jerry Caristia ng paralegal team ng Karapatan Cavite, sinabi niyang apat na van at tatlong police vehicles ang dumating sa Cavite Workers’ Assistance Center (WAC).

Aniya, pilit pinasok ng kapulisan ang opisina, at pinagbubugbog ang dalawang kasamahan ni Asuncion bago sila kinaladkad palabas nang walang ipinakitang anumang warrant. Narinig na lamang nila si Asuncion na nakikiusap sa kapulisan, “Tao rin kami, maawa naman kayo.”

Sumunod dito, ayon sa General Assembly Binding Women for Reforms, Integrity, Equality, Leadership, and Action (GABRIELA) - ST, pinaputukan nang ilang beses si Asuncion at “binaboy” ang katawan nito. Mula sa ikalawang palapag, kinaladkad ang kaniyang bangkay at dinala sa ospital, nang hindi man lamang isinama ang kaniyang asawa at staff.

Tatlong linggo matapos ang Bloody Sunday massacre, pinatay naman si Miguel na pinagbabaril noong gabi ng ika-28 ng Marso sa kalsada ng Asia 1, Canlubang sa lungsod ng Calamba, Laguna. Si Miguel, na siya ring pangulo ng Lakas ng Nagkakaisang Manggagawa ng Fuji Electric - Organization of Labor Associations in Line Industries and Agriculture (OLALIA-KMU), ay sinasabing pauwi na mag-aalas-9 noong gabi mula sa kanyang trabaho, nang siya ay paslangin.

Nakasakay si Miguel sa kanyang motorsiklo nang biglang binaril ng mga hindi kilalang salarin, dahilan upang magtamo siya ng walong tama ng bala. Si Miguel ang ikatlong miyembro ng PAMANTIK-KMU na pinaslang sa extrajudicial na paraan, ayon kay Paul Carson, ang public information officer ng nasabing organisasyon.

PAG L A BA N SA E X T R A J U D I CIA L KILLING S

Iginiit sa isang virtual press conference ni Casey Cruz, tagapagsalita ng BAYAN - Southern Tagalog (ST), na dapat na bigyang-diin sa imbestigasyon ang extrajudicial killing ng administrasyong

Ang sinusukli ng gobyernong ito ay ang pangre-red tag, pagpatatanim ng armas, at ito na nga ang malala, ang pagpaslang sa mga mararangal at prinsipyadong tao.

KY L E SA LGA DO SPOKESPERSON, KARAPATAN TK

Napuno ang simbahan kung saan dinala ang mga labi ni Manny Asuncion, bago ito dalhin sa kaniyang huling hantungan.

MGA L ITR ATO KU H A N I N A POL A RUB I O AT DY S ANC H EZ

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BLOODY SUNDAY THE Q UES T FO R JUS TI CE

Marami sa mga kaanak, kaibigan at kasama ni Manny Asuncion ang patuloy na humihingi ng hustisya sa kaniyang pagkakapaslang.

M G A L I T R ATO KU H A N I N A P OL A R U B IO AT DY S AN C H EZ

Duterte. Aniya, higit na nakakatakot na ang kawalan ng paghahain ng mga search warrant ay katumbas din ng kawalan ng pagkakakilanlan ng mga pananaguting perpetrators.”Ang ginagawa na nila ngayon, parang vigilante killing na. Sa byahe mo pag-uwi, doon ka babarilin, doon ka papaslangin, at wala kang kalaban-laban. Hindi mo alam sino ang maaaring panagutin,” ani Cruz.

Ayon sa BAYAN - ST, ilang pagkakataon nang nakaranas ng harassment si Asuncion mula sa komunidad na kaniyang pinaglilingkuran. Ani pa ng grupo, kataka-takang ang mga operatibong dumating sa Cavite WAC ay mula pa sa Bay Municipal Station sa Laguna, na napakalayo sa opisina ni Asuncion. Aniya, ipinakikita nito ang iregularidad ng police operations.

Samantala, ayon naman kay Menardo Guevarra, kalihim ng Department of Justice (DOJ), iimbestigahan pa ng nasabing ahensya kung tunay bang labor-related ang pamamaslang kay Miguel. Gayunpaman, giit ni Cruz, ang pahayag na ito ng DOJ ay isang insulto sa biktima at sa mga kakilala nito.

“Nakakainsulto po talaga na tanungin pa kung ito ay labor-related, habang naroo’t nakahandusay si Kasamang Dandy, suot-suot ang damit na nakasulat [ang kaniyang panawagan],” ani Cruz. Giit nila, hindi na nangangailangan pa ng karagdagang pag-iimbestiga, gayong kilalang-kilala naman si Miguel bilang isang labor organizer, na pangunahing pinamumunuan ang laban ng mga manggagawa.

T I NI G A NG A RM A S

Hanggang sa mga huling sandali ni Miguel, bitbit niya ang kanyang panawagan: suot-suot ang pulang union  SU ND AN S A PA H INA 1 6

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BLO O DY SU N DAY T H E Q U EST F O R J U ST I C E

IISA ANG SIGAW ‘Yun ‘yung nakikita ko kung bakit nakadapa si Dandy [nang siya ay mamatay], para ipakita na, ‘Ito ‘yung gusto ko - kung bakit ako nagpapatuloy sa gawain, bakit ko kailangang ipagpatuloy ang pagiging isang lider - ito ang gusto ko.

 MUL A S A PA HIN A 1 3

shirt na sa likuran ay may mga salitang “Sahod, Trabaho, Karapatan - Ipaglaban!” Kinikilala ni Mia Antonio, miyembro ng Liga ng Manggagawa para sa Regular na Hanapbuhay (LIGA), na simboliko ito sa buong-buhay na panawagan ni Miguel. “‘Yun ‘yung nakikita ko kung bakit nakadapa si Dandy [nang siya ay mamatay], para ipakita na, ‘Ito ‘yung gusto ko - kung bakit ako nagpapatuloy sa gawain, bakit ko kailangang ipagpatuloy ang pagiging isang lider - ito ang gusto ko,’” pahayag ni Antonio.

Aniya pa, nangunguna palagi si Miguel sa mga pagkilos at kampanya para sa mga manggagawa sa rehiyon ng TK. Sa katunayan, noong ika-16 ng Marso, kabilang pa si Miguel sa mga progresibong nagprotesta sa Crossing, Calamba upang ipanawagan ang hustisya para sa mga pinaslang noong Bloody Sunday.

“Hindi terorismo ang mapayapang sama-samang pagkilos sa mga pagawaan at lansangan,” ani Miguel noong araw ng araw ng protesta, matapos makailang ulit na makaranas ng red-tagging ang mga kinabibilangan niyang organisasyon. “Lalong ‘di terorismo ang paglunsad ng welga. Ipinapakita lamang nito na ang ating gobyerno ay inutil.”

Sa kabila ng mga paratang ng estado, sinabi noon ni Miguel na ang tangi lang naman nilang nais ay ang makatanggap ng makatwirang sahod, at ang mawakasan ang contractualization sa bansa.

Sabi pa ni Miguel, isyung pang-manggagawa ang kanilang ipinaglalaban - wala silang kinalaman sa armadong pakikibaka.

Noong araw ng welga, napabalitang kinuhaan ng larawan ng ilang pulis ang mga protestor, kabilang si Miguel. Sa kabila ng pagbabanta, hindi sila nagpatinag. Ang pagwewelga, ayon kay Miguel, ay simbolo ng paniningil sa isang pabayang rehimeng tinalikuran ang responsibilidad sa mamayang Pilipino. “Hindi titigil ang manggagawa hangga’t ‘di napapatalsik si Duterte. Tuloy-tuloy ang manggagawa sa pag-oorganisa at pagkilos hangga’t ‘di nakakamtan ang tunay na hustisya,” pahayag ni Miguel.

MIA A NTONIO MIYEMBRO, LIGA

Ang ginagawa na nila ngayon, parang vigilante killing na. Sa byahe mo pag-uwi, doon ka babarilin.

C A S EY C RU Z SPOKESPERSON, BAYAN ST

at seguridad, nasa unahan pa rin si Pang Dandy para ilaban ang karapatan at kagalingan ng mamamayan,” pahayag ng KMU. Isang kabalintunaang ang taong minsang humiling ng hustisya para sa mga manggagawa, ang siya ngayong ipinaghihiling ng hustisya ng kaniya mismong mga kasamahan. Ang sigaw ng KMU: “Nanawagan kami sa lahat ng mamamayan na bigyang hustisya ang kamatayan ni Pang Dandy at pagbayarin ang mamamatay-taong si Duterte!”

PA RA S A M A L AYA NG PA K I K I BA K A

H I L I N G PA R A SA H U ST I SYA

Sa online press conference na isinagawa ng Defend Southern Tagalog (Defend ST) ilang araw matapos ang Bloody Sunday massacre, ipinahayag ng mga kapamilya ng biktima ang kanilang mga testimonya at hiling para sa katarungan.

“Kami po’y nananawagan ng hustisya - hustisya para sa lahat ng mga biktima ng walang hagos na pagpaslang […] kailangan makamtan natin ang hustisya. Bahala na ang Diyos sa kanila,” pahayag ng asawa ni Asuncion na si Liezel.

Samantala, ayon sa KMU, kasama pa noon si Miguel ng mga lider-unyon at pamilya ng mga biktima ng Bloody Sunday, upang magsampa ng kaso laban sa mga namaslang.

Noo’y hindi ipinagkaila ni Miguel ang takot, nang makatanggap siya ng sunod-sunod na mensahe noong ika-7 ng Marso, na ipinapasabing ang ilan sa mga kapwa niya labor leaders ay inaresto at pinatay. “Kinabahan ako. Syempre natakot, kasi kabi-kabila. Sinabihan ako ng aking mga kasamahan na umalis muna ako ng bahay,” pahayag ni Miguel sa isang interview ng Rappler.

Inalala niya ang takot na paano kung siya ang nalagay sa ganoong sitwasyon - lingid sa kaalamang siya rin mismo ang magiging susunod na biktima ng pamamaslang.

Ngunit sa kabila ng takot, hindi nagpatinag si Miguel sa patuloy na paglaban sa kawalang-hustisya, at sa patuloy na panawagan para sa makatwirang benepisyo para sa mga manggagawa ayon sa KMU. “Sa kabila ng mga banta sa buhay

Sina Manny Asuncion at Dandy Miguel. M G A L I T R ATO KU H A N I N A P OL A R U B I O AT DY S AN CH E Z

“Kailanman ay hindi talaga interes at kapakanan ng mga mamamayan ang nasa tuktok ng prayoridad ng rehimeng ito. Mas uunahin pa nitong patahimikin ang mga manggagawa na humihingi lamang ng sahod at karapatan bago pa ito [pamahalaan] tutugon sa pangangailangan [ng mga manggagawa],” pahayag ni Maranan.

Dagdag pa niya, imbes na tugunan ang panawagan at pangangailangan ng iba’t-ibang sektor sa gitna ng krisis pang-kalusugan, o kahit maging ang mga usaping pangkapayapaan, mas inaatupag pa ng administrasyong Duterte ang pamamaslang sa mga progresibo - mga mamamayang walang ibang hangad kundi ang makamit ang kanilang mga pangangailangan.

Bagaman sa kasalukuyan ay hindi pa kumpirmado ang pagkakakilanlan ng mga pumaslang kay Miguel, kumbinsido si Maranan na responsable ang pamahalaan sa insidenteng ito. Aniya, hindi “iwas” ang Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at Philippine National Police (PNP) sa pamamaslang, sapagkat “direkta [nilang] ipinahamak” si Miguel.

Sa kabila ng takot sa gitna ng pagbabanta, nagpapatuloy ang laban para sa mga manggagawa - isang marangal na pag-alala sa laban nina Ka Manny Asuncion at Pang Dandy Miguel.

“Bagaman nawala na ang katawan ni Pang.

Dandy, naniniwala ako [...] bitbit ng masang-api, bitbit ng mga manggagawa, bitbit ng sambayanan, ang puso, prinsipyo, at paninindigan ni Pang. Dandy bilang isang lider-aktibista,” pahayag pa ni Antonio ng LIGA. Dagdag pa niya, huwag nawang kalimutan ng mga manggagawa na lagi’t-laging bitbitin ang boses, puso, at pagiging militante ni Miguel.

Paalala ng KMU: “Hanggang sa huling hininga, suot ni Pang Dandy ang ating panawagan para sa sahod, trabaho at karapatan. Sa kabila ng banta sa buhay, nanguna siya sa maraming laban para sa interes ng manggagawa at mamamayan!”

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BLOODY SUNDAY HUMAN RI GHTS WATCH

Family, friends call for surfacing of ‘abducted’ UPLB alum after AFP-PNP raid  Three civilians also dead in Sta. Rosa ‘summary execution’.

BY P I ER RE U LRIC H H U BO S TA F F W RI T E R

It was May 21, at around 1:30 a.m. Human rights alliance Karapatan Timog Katagalugan (TK) said that there was no encounter between authorities and three others in a transient home in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. What happened was rather a “summary execution.”

An initial investigation by the alliance’s fact-finding team, the results of which were released through social media two days later and have been updated since, revealed that there was a three-hour bloodbath at the Blue Sky and Greenhouse Transient House of Buena Rosa Subdivision in Brgy. Macabling in the City of Sta. Rosa.

Three were confirmed killed, among them being a certain Rommel Riza, whom authorities have spinned as “resisting” the serving of his arrest warrant, in addition to being painted as members of the revolutionary armed group New People’s Army (NPA). Elements of the 202nd Infantry Brigade of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) and PNP Santa Rosa were involved in the incident.

But after a week of investigations, the UPLB community was in for a shock: an initially unidentified fourth victim, who witnesses said to have been taken by authorities, was alumnus Kemuel Ian “KI” Cometa. Serving as a councilor for the College of Arts and Sciences Student Council (CASSC) back in 2013 and as a Kabataan Partylist coordinator for the province of Laguna in 2016, Cometa was present when the slaughter took place.

Relatives of Rommel Riza mourn at his funeral, after days of waiting for his remains to be released. P H OTO F R O M K A R A PATA N TK / FA C E B O O K

L I K E A B RO KE N R ECO R D

Karapatan TK questioned the “nanlaban” angle, citing that neighbors only heard eight gunshots while the police report stated that no less than 29 cartridge cases were fired.

The M16 rifle said to have been found in the area was believed to have been planted as evidence claiming that it would have been difficult to smuggle to their subdivision.

An eye-witness narrated that four covered bodies were carried outside the transient home by 4 a.m., the same number of residents in the rented room as confirmed by the landlord.

The investigation by Karapatan TK also revealed that one male was seen to have been wounded by the gunfire.

“Maraming dapat na ipaliwanag ang mga yunit ng PNP at AFP na nag-operasyon noong gabing iyon.

Kemuel Ian Cometa PHOTO FROM SURFACE KI COM ETA M OVEM EN T

“Kahit saang anggulo nating tingnan, mali ang ginawa ng militar at kapulisan sa pagtatago kay KI.” R EY V I CTO R EVAN GELISTA SURFACE KI COMETA MOVEMENT

Kung walong putok lamang ng baril ang nadinig ng mga residente, malinaw na walang labanang naganap at ang nangyari ay kaso ng pamamaslang,” Karapatan TK said.

The testimonies showed that the police and military immediately barged-in and opened fire on the four as they arrived on the scene. One officer was also said to have warned them of fighting back which is followed by a gunshot.

Karapatan TK alleged that there were no intentions in bringing the victims alive as the three were slain in their beds and lacked proof of resistance in the blood stain.

The alliance even found the police report to be inconsistent and conflicting, ruling the incident out as a “summary execution” rather than an encounter.

A TRU STED FRIEND

KI, who grew up in Quezon province, is known to have been a student

leader and an active member of other student organizations during his time in UPLB. KI’s hometown friend, who was only mentioned as Ashley in a post by Anakbayan Quezon, recollected his abilities and dedication in helping people.

“His wit and charm always motivate and influence people to move out of their comfort zones. He has the abilities of a good leader, even when we were in high school,” she said.

Rey Victor Evangelista, a former orgmate and another close friend of KI, said in a Facebook post that KI was someone who was willing to help people around him which is to no surprise why he chose to be a student leader in UPLB. It was natural for him to consider the welfare of other people before his own which makes Evangelista proud of his work with the masses. Evangelista recalled Cometa as “a friend you could always rely on.”

“Kahit saang anggulo nating

tingnan, mali ang ginawa ng militar at kapulisan sa pagtatago kay KI. Paglabag ito sa kanyang karapatan at banta rin to sa kaligtasan nating lahat na nakikiisa rin sa mga panawagan ni KI.“ Evangelista said, calling for his dear friend’s surfacing.

The UPLB Genetics Society (GeneSoc) likewise called for the surfacing of their fellow alum and former Technicals Committee Head.

They also demanded for the administration to stop the attacks towards human rights and democracy enacted by the continuous red-tagging and Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

“We amplify our dissent against the state forces’ complete disregard for human rights through ceaseless, unjustified violence,” GeneSoc said.

ONLINE uplbperspective.org Read the full story on our website

bit.ly/SurfaceKI

18 | R EGI ON

O CTO B ER 2 9, 2 021 | U P L B P ERS P ECTI VE.O RG

BLO O DY SU N DAY H UM A N R I G H TS WATCH

Lawyers, CHR call for ‘humane’ penalties for quarantine violators  The spate of arrests coincides the tightening of quarantine rules, as COVID-19 cases jump.

BY CH ARLE S A LIS O N RIVE RA STA F F W RI T E R

Last April 3 saw the death of 28-yearold civilian Darren Manaog Peñaredondo after the Philippine National Police (PNP) forced him to do about 300 rounds of pulling exercises two days prior. His official cause of death was ruled as a stroke.

Peñaredondo was caught by police outside his residence on the night of April 1, during the imposed 6 PM to 5 AM curfew in light of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in NCR-plus, which covered Cavite among other areas.

He was only buying bottled water at that time. However, his return home turned out to be more a disaster than a relief for his family.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), through Atty. Jacqueline de Guia, slammed Peñaredondo’s death, calling out the national government for imposing such measures to serve as “punishment.”

“Excessive punishments and fines which are punitive in nature and disproportionate with the violation represent an overreach of the enforcement of quarantine rules and regulations,” Atty. de Guia said.

Not long after, in a major policy shift, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra recognized last April 5 that local ordinances – not national laws – should be the better legal bases.

This was after he defended that the “gravity of the situation” allowed law enforcers to “effect arrests” on violators last March 2020. Back then, he cited Republic Act (RA) 11332 (Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act) among other laws as legal bases.

The National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) acknowledged that the decision to move away from RA 1132, which penalizes uncooperative people suspected with COVID-19 with six months in prison and a P50,000 fine among other laws, as a “positive idea” – a point that they said to have been raised as early as March 2020 as well, but was met with multiple dismissals from judges.

Further in their statement, NUPL condemned the unjust and inhumane penalties given by authorities, and the imbalance of such punishments between the marginalized and the

Human rights activists and lawyers bemoan the arbitrary punishment on quarantine violators. [ P ] P H OTO BY IS A B E L PA N G IL IN A N

powerful. “It is not only enraging but tragic that hundreds of our citizens who do not have the same entitlements as those in or close to the corridors of power had to endure this manifest injustice through a patently erroneous reading and misapplication of a vague law to justify harsh implementation of quarantine protocols at best and cover up repressive measures at worst,” NUPL said.

CHR added that they support Guevarra’s suggestions to replace such ‘punishments’ with community service, with which the commission said “only add hardships already being felt by members of the poor and vulnerable sectors”.

LOVED ONES D EMA ND J U STICE

Peñaredondo’s live-in partner, Reichelyn Balce, recalled what happened in an interview with Rappler.

“Ang kwento niya [Peñaredondo] po sa akin, dinala sila [curfew violators] sa Plaza ng Malabon, sa tapat

po ‘yun ng munisipyo [ng General Trias]. Tapos po, pinag-pumping daw sila ng mga pulis nang 100 times. Sabi pa po sa kanila [ng mga pulis], ‘pag ‘di sila sabay-sabay [sa pumping], pauulitin daw sila [mula sa simula],” Balce said, detailing that the exercise reached 300 repetitions because the violators failed to do pumpings synchronously.

In a Facebook post that was later taken down, Adrian Luceña, the victim’s cousin, shared that Peñaredondo arrived early in the morning the day after the punishment, already struggling to even make the slightest of footsteps. He then convulsed on the morning of April 3, until finally dying on that very night.

“Hindi kami papayag na hindi mabigyan ng hustisya ang pagkawala mo,” Luceña swore at the end of his removed Facebook post.

Rappler then confirmed on April 6 that Peñaredondo died of a stroke, based on his autopsy. It was also

reported that he already suffered a heart disease prior to the incident, but the authorities were said to be unaware of his condition.

Despite these testimonies, General Trias Chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Marlo Nillo Solero denied imposing such punishments. Instead, Solero said that they were “conducting lectures”. On April 7, however, Solero was kicked from office because of affidavits from the other curfew violators that confirm that the police did implement such physical exercises as “punishments”.

U NJ U ST TR EAT M E NT S

Peñaredondo’s case was far from being the only time when authorities made use of extreme measures to penalize quarantine violators.

Anakbayan Laguna reported last Good Friday that a volunteer of security group Bantay Bayan Foundation Inc. opened fire on two residents from Dasmariñas City, Cavite after

they were caught not wearing face masks, when they were just outside their residence. The two residents were appealing to the volunteer to let their neighbor go home. Their neighbor, however, was said to have been caught without a face mask. It was during this exchange when the volunteer opened fire on the two, with their current conditions unknown.

In March 2020, Eric Ambrocio, barangay captain in Santa Cruz, Laguna, posted photos on Facebook showing five violators, all minors, in a dog cage for going against the imposed curfew. Ambrocio sought to justify the said act by saying that the teenagers were “verbally-abusive” to authorities. At that time, they had also been rounding up stray dogs so they thought they might as well put the minors in the cage.

It was also reported in April last year that quarantine protocol authorities from Biñan City, Laguna implemented extreme measures against so-called violators. Biñan’s Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) sanctioned such people by forcing them to march at most nine kilometers with straw tapes tied to their waists.

The city’s POSO Chief Rommel Mitra Lim defended such policies being imposed, saying that they just implement the Executive Order No. 17 s. 2020 of Biñan. “[Ayon] sa aming pag-aaral, marami pa rin ang mga bumabalewala sa ipinatutupad na ECQ,” Lim said in an interview with Perspective last year.

Not long after that, in Parañaque City, Brgy. San Isidro Chairman Noel Japlos drew flak in social media after quarantine violators in his barangay were put under direct sunlight at noontime. Japlos denied that it is a form of punishment for violating quarantine protocols, saying instead that it was to place the people in an “open area for social distancing”.

A more fatal example would be with the case of retired Corporal Winston Ragos. He was shot dead

by Police Master Sergeant Daniel Florendo Jr. of Quezon City Police District (QCPD) under the grounds of not staying at home during the imposed ECQ in Luzon last year. Ragos resigned from being a soldier after suffering from trauma in his Marawi service.

ONLINE uplbperspective.org Basahin ang buong ulat sa aming website

bit.ly/QuarantineDeaths

REG I O N | 19

UPL B PE R S P EC T I V E . OR G | OC TO BER 29 , 2021

L AG UNA N E W S

Mga Pansol resort staff, lubos ang paghihirap  Idinadaing din ng mga manininda ang mga paghihirap sa pagkawala ng pangunahin nilang kabuhayan sa gitna ng krisis.

mula sa trahedya ay sinundan na agad ng pagpapatigil ng operasyon ng kanilang mga hanapbuhay, dahilan upang higit na lumubha ang hirap na kanilang dinaranas.

N I A RO N J A N M ITC H E LL S IERVA A SS OC IAT E N E W S E D I TO R

MA LA L A NG EPEKTO S A KABU HAYAN

Sa tuwing sasapit ang kapistahan sa Brgy. Pansol, Calamba City, Laguna, inaabangan ang “Tubig-ang Pansol Festival” na isang pagtatampok sa pangunahing hanapbuhay ng mga mamamayan ng tinaguriang hot spring resort capital of the Philippines.

Ngunit ngayong nalalapit na naman ang kapistahan sa barangay sa darating na katapusan ng Mayo, ang dating kasiyahan sa pagtatampisaw sa mga hotspring resort ay hindi pa muling mabalikan, dulot ng patuloy na mahigpit na quarantine protocol sa gitna ng pandemya.

Sa mga Facebook post, ipinahayag ng ilang mga mamamayan ang kanilang mga hinaing at panawagan para sa muling pagbubukas ng mga resort sa Pansol. Sa gitna ng general community quarantine (GCQ) sa “NCR+” ay nananatiling mayroong “heightened restrictions” sa rehiyon, at mahigpit pa ring ipinagbabawal ang pagbubukas ng mga resort.

Malakas ang panawagan ng mga mamamayan para sa muling pagbabalik ng pangunahin nilang pinagkukunan ng kabuhayan.

Sa katunayan, halos hindi pa tuluyang nakaka-recover ang barangay matapos ang pinsalang dulot ng Bagyong Ulysses noong Nobyembre ng nakaraang taon.

Ilang linggo matapos ang pananalasa ng bagyo ay nanatiling lubog sa baha ang kalakhan ng Pansol. Noon pa man ay halos 400 na hotspring resorts na ang naapektuhan, kasabay ng iba pang mga kaugnay na hanapbuhay.

“Malaki ho talaga ang naging problema namin dito dahil pangunahing pinagkakitaan ng tao namin dito ay yung aming mga resort,” ani noong Nobyembre ni barangay captain Joel Martinez. “Yung mga nagtitinda ng salbabida at mga nagtitinda ng buko pie, halos wala na rin hong kita.”

Ilang buwan matapos ang bagyo, idinadaing ng ilang residente na hindi pa man sila tuluyang nakakabangon

Sa isang panayam na isinagawa ng Perspective kasama si Dominic Pantan, isang resort manager mula sa Pansol, ibinahagi rin niya ang hirap na dinaranas ng mga may-ari at empleyado ng mga resort dulot ng pagpapasara sa mga ito.

Dumagdag lamang ang kawalan ng hanapbuhay sa sari-saring krisis na kinakaharap ng mga residente sa gitna ng pandemya. “Dito po sa Pansol, mayro’n po kaming mahigit [isang] libo na resort na nago-operate po. Sa [isang] libo po na resort na yun, may caretakers at staff.”

“Bawat staff po ay may mga pamilyang binubuhay … Lahat po kami ay apektado, kasi wala po kaming ibang inaasahan kundi kapag nago-operate din yung mga resort po namin,” bahagi niya.

Aniya pa, lubhang naapektuhan din ang mga manininda ng mga pasalubong at salbabida, at mga pool agent na nagsisilbing mga “tourist guide” para sa mga resort sa barangay.

Maliban sa personal na adhikain nilang muling pagbubukas ng kanilang mga kabuhayan, importante rin ito nang sa gayon ay matustusan nga ang kanilang mga pangangailangan.

Ngunit binanggit din ni Pantan ang kahalagahan ng kaligayahang kanilang natatamo sa tuwing nabibigyan nila ng serbisyo ang kanilang mga guest. “Ito ay ‘yung somebody is enjoying yung place namin, nabibigyan namin ng tamang serbisyo, at nabibigyan po namin ng lugar na maganda para sa hinahanap nilang bakasyon,” bahagi pa ni Pantan.

KATIYA KA N NG KA L IGTAS AN

Karagdagan pa sa mahihigpit na health protocols, matindi rin ang pagkabahala ng maraming tao na magbalik sa mga resort dulot ng banta sa kalusugan ng lubhang nakahahawang COVID-19.

Noong ika-9 ng Mayo, humigit-kumulang 300 guests ang nagtungo sa isang resort sa Caloocan. Ang mga guest na nadawit sa tinaguriang

Panawagan ng isang may-ari ng resort sa Pansol.

Bawat staff po ay may mga pamilyang binubuhay … Lahat po kami ay apektado, kasi wala po kaming ibang inaasahan kundi kapag nago-operate din ang mga resort.

DOM INIC PA NTA N RESORT MANAGER SA PANSOL

“super spreader gathering” ay kinailangang mag-quarantine.

Sinampahan naman ng kaso ang may-ari ng resort na agad ding isinailalim sa shutdown. Ayon din sa Department of Tourism, hindi naman accredited ng nasabing ahensya ang resort na nag-operate sa Caloocan.

Sa kabila ng pangamba ng maraming bakasyonista, tiniyak ni Pantan ang kaligtasan para sa mga guest kung sakaling muli nang payagang magbubukas ang mga resort, at ipinangakong susunod sila sa mga ipinapataw na regulasyon.

“Syempre po, katulad ng ipinapangako namin sa DOT, IATF [Inter-Agency Task Force], at sa government, na susunod naman po kami sa ibinibigay nilang guidelines,” pahayag niya.

Noong nakaraang taon pa man daw

L I T R ATO MU L A K AY D O MIN IC PA N TA N

ay binigyan na ng DOT ang mga resort owner ng guidelines kaugnay ng pagsasagawa ng kanilang operasyon. Ani Pantan, ipinagbabawal na noon pa man ang operasyon ng mga resort na walang security to operate at business permit, pati na rin ang mga hindi napasailalim sa pag-inspeksyon ng DOT. Tiniyak ni Pantan na sinusunod ng mga resort owner ang guidelines, kasama pa ang paghingi nila ng health declaration form mula sa mga guest.

Dati pa man ay nagpapatupad na rin sila ng mahigpit na health protocols, katulad ng pagtanggap ng mga guest na sapat lamang para sa kapasidad ng resort. Inihahanda na rin ng mga manager at caretaker sa lugar ang mga hand sanitizer para sa disinfection, at isinasagawa rin ang pagkuha ng temperatura ng mga guest.

“Lahat po ng mga bagay na ‘yon ay nako-comply po namin dito, pati po yung guidelines na nagbabawal sa 18 [years old] and below at 65 [years old] and above [sa loob ng resort],” pahayag ni Pantan.

Aniya pa, dati ay mayroong itinatalaga ang mismong lokal na pamahalaan ng barangay na mga “magbabantay” sa checkpoint kung saan dumaraan ang mga guest, upang matiyak ang kanilang kaligtasan mula sa sakit. Dahil doon, hindi rin tumatanggap ang mga resort ng mga walk-in customers, at bagkus ay pinapapasok lamang ang mga nakapagsagawa ng

advanced booking.

Idinagdag pa ni Pantan na “pointto-point” ang sistema na kanilang ipinapatupad, na kaniyang ipinaliwanag, “Once na makapasok na po ang customer, bawal na po’ng lumabas.”

PA NAWAGA N PA RA S A HA NA PBU HAY

Upang pansamantalang matustusan ang kanilang pangangailangan sa gitna ng kawalan ng kabuhayan, ipinahayag ni Pantan na sa gitna ng kahirapan, kahit papaano ay nakapagpapaabot ng tulong para sa kanila ang lokal na pamahalaan.

“Dito po ay hindi naman natin maide-deny na talagang tumutulong naman po yung LGU [local government unit] po namin, especially yung barangay captain namin. Hindi po siya tumitigil sa paghahanap ng tulong para sa mga mas nangangailangan talaga rito,” sabi ni Pantan.

Gayunpaman, bagamat ilan sa mga residente ay nakatanggap ng ayuda mula sa pamahalaan, ibinahagi ni Pantan na “hindi lahat ay nabibigyan”, samantalang kulang na kulang pa rin ang tulong na ipinagkaloob, “dahil sa sobrang hirap [tustusan] ang buhay ngayon”. “Sa mga humahawak po sa industriya namin, sana po ay mabigyan kami ng pagkakataon na makapaghanapbuhay muli … lalo [para] sa mga maliliit na pamilya, mga hikahos po talaga sa kanilang sitwasyon,” panawagan ni Pantan.

20 | REGI ON

O CTO B ER 2 9, 2 021 | U P L B P ERS P ECTI VE.O RG

L AG UNA N E W S

‘Pantry pooper’? Batong Malake officials ‘harass’ family behind pantry residents who offered help to Brgy.

Batong Malake.

Despite Gonzales’ statement of inadequate aid being distributed to residents in the barangay, Chairman Kalaw claimed that they have given enough aid, going as far as to saying that they “turned night into day” just so they can be able to properly extend help to the residents.

Regarding the organizing of community pantries, Chairman Kalaw then reminded residents of health safety protocols and proper social distancing, noting the high number of COVID-19 cases in their barangay.

The latter Kalaw himself described as being a “hotspot” for positive cases.

Indirectly addressing the commotion last Sunday, he said, “Itong tinatawag na community pantry – magandang-maganda po ito. Nagkaroon lang po ng kaunting miscommunication...

Ang aking hangarin lang po dito ay maiayos ang mga ito [community pantry], at ipagbawal ang tinatawag nating mass gathering.”

Meanwhile, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Diño said last April 20 that community organizers must interact with barangay officials, so that they can enforce proper health and safety protocols.

This was after he initially said that local authorities would be requiring permits from organizers – a statement that he retracted and “cleared” not long after.

 Barangay officials, however, said it was a miscommunication.

BY ARO N J A N M ITC H E LL S IERVA A SS OC IAT E N E W S E D I TO R

While community pantries were set up to be of aid through offering donated goods to residents, barangay officials of Batong Malake, Los Baños, Laguna saw it as another way of spreading COVID-19 faster. Its chairman went as far as to allegedly intimidate against those who initiated the charitable activity.

In a Twitter thread created last April 18 by pantry organizer Zeleeka Gonzales, Barangay Chairman Ian Kalaw reprimanded her and her family – who set up one of the many pantries in Batong Malake – after a long line of residents crowded before the goods stand. “Gusto nila ipatigil dahil hindi raw nila kaya kontrolin ang mga tao,” she wrote in a statement to the Perspective.

Narrating the incident, Gonzales told the publication that her family had to stop operating for a few minutes to fix the line last Sunday, in order to conform to the authorities’ orders. It was only after the line was already orderly that they continued handing out the donations.

Despite the great multitude of residents that gathered in a line before the pantry, Gonzales alleged that the officials barely helped in controlling the crowd.

It was when her family was repacking last Sunday afternoon that the commotion happened with the barangay tanods. “Nagre-repack po kami do’n [sa may community pantry], and then, yung tita ko po ay lumabas siya – mamimigay sana siya ng gloves doon sa mga nagbabantay na tanod,” she said, explaining that it is during that time when they came face to face with Chairman Kalaw, who made accusations against their charitable work.

According to Gonzales, the chairman accused her and her family of “profiting” from the community pantry. Contrary to the chairman’s claims, Gonzales said that her family’s only purpose – similar to that of other community pantry organizers – is to be of help to residents in and near their community. “Sobrang kapal [ng mukha] ng kapitan ng Brgy. Batong Malake para pagbintangan pamilya ko na may kinikita kami sa Elbi community pantry.” ‘ P O L I T I C A L LY - D R I V E N ’ I N C ID ENT?

Gonzales also wrote that during the first day of their charitable activity,

M O RE ‘ PA NT RY PO O PE RS ’

Amid a sea of donations, organizers for the Batong Malake community pantry in Los Baños, Laguna distribute goods.

PHOTO FROM ZEL EEKA GO N ZAL ES

Sobrang kapal ng kapitan ng Brgy. Batong Malake para pagbintangan pamilya ko na may kinikita kami sa Elbi community pantry.

Itong community pantry – magandang-maganda po ito. Nagkaroon lang po ng kaunting miscommunication...

Z EL EEKA GO N Z AL ES PANTRY ORGANIZER

IA N KA LAW CAPTAIN, BARANGAY BATONG MALAKE

barangay officials of Batong Malake wanted to relocate the community pantry just outside the barangay hall.

“If truth be told, nakakapalan po talaga kami [sa opisyal] kasi grabe po yung pulitika,” she told [P].

Gonzales explained that the perceived failure of the local government

in handing out enough assistance to residents motivated their family to launch the pantry. “Marami pong hindi nabigyan ng ayuda. Yung iba, pinapapila, pero hindi naman naaabutan sa dulo,” she explained.

Gonzales claimed that there is at least one other community pantry

in Batong Malake. The other, which was set up by a businesswoman who wished to remain anonymous for this article, was also unable to escape from being reprimanded by the barangay officials.

Brought by the aforementioned businesswoman’s fear of having her livelihood affected by the issue, Gonzales said that the former had chosen to discontinue her own version of a community pantry. All donations that she will still receive would then be dropped off at Gonzales’ residence.

MIS COMMUNI C AT I O N

Meanwhile, in a Facebook video released by Chairman Kalaw last April 19, he expressed gratitude to all

In different parts of the country, community pantry organizers experienced harassment from state forces.

In a Facebook post last April 19, Patricia Non, known to have initiated the Maginhawa community pantry in Quezon City, said that she will discontinue its operation after she was redtagged by police and even the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

The pantry from the said community in Quezon City initially inspired other pantries that surfaced all over the Philippines.

Meanwhile, about midnight of April 19, a local newspaper reported that policemen visited the house of another Quezon City-based community pantry organizer named Angeline Mendoza. According to the organizer, the civilian-clothed police and some barangay tanods asked for her personal information, for what they said was “validation” of the organizers’ profiles.

REG I O N | 21

UPL B PE R S P EC T I V E . OR G | OC TO BER 29 , 2021

SO UTH E RN TAGA LOG

B ATA NG A S

MGA MANININDA SA PIER, NAGHIHIRAP MATAPOS PAALISIN SA DAUNGAN NI A RON JA N MITC H ELL S IERVA ASSO C IATE NE WS E D ITO R

Isang jeepney biyaheng Cainta Parola-Sta. Lucia Mall, ilang oras nang nakapila ay wala pa ring sakay na pasahero. [ P ] P H OTO N I G L EN C H R I ST I AN TA C A S A

Umiinda sa hirap ng pasada  Kinondena rin ng mga jeepney driver ang napipintong modernization, na nagbabanta sa kanilang mga hanapbuhay.

BY GL EN C H RISTIA N TAC A SA STA F F W RI T E R

Sa gitna ng mahigpit na community quarantine ngayong pandemya, kabilang sa mga higit na apektado ang mga tsuper ng pampublikong transportasyon, na may kinakaharap pang banta ng malawakang tigil-pasada.

Bagamat sa ngayon ay mayroong ilang rutang binuksan para makapasada ang jeepney driver, ipinaglalaban pa rin ng mga tsuper ang sandaang porsyentong balik-pasada.

Ani ng transport group na Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON), ginagamit lamang ng administrasyong Duterte ang pandemya upang isakatuparan ang Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

“Sa loob po ng isang taon ay ginagamit ng pamahalaan ang [pandemya] para i-phase out o tanggalin ang mga pampublikong transportasyon,” sabi ng tagapangulo ng PISTON na si Ka Mody Floranda sa isang presscon noong ika-28 ng Marso.

Matapos ang ilan pang linggo ng modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) sa NCR Plus, daing ng mga tsuper ng jeepney ang hirap sa pagpasada ngayong pandemya.

Sa isang pila ng jeepney sa Sta. Lucia Mall, Cainta, Rizal, kitang-kita ang matumal na bilang ng pasaherong

sumasakay sa mga pampasaherong jeep. “Anong oras na, mga [ala-una na], aalis kami nito mga alas singko na … pinakamabilis na paghihintay namin dito [ay] dalawang oras,” ani ng jeepney driver na si Celedonio Palad, 39 na taong gulang at ama sa apat na magkakapatid.

Dagdag pa niya, matapos ang mahirap na paghihintay ng dalawa hanggang apat na oras sa terminal, pumapalo lang ng lima hanggang sampung pasahero ang sakay niya sa biyahe.

“Bumabyahe kami pero halos maka-boundary lang,” pahayag ni Palad.

Dahil sa hirap ng buhay at mababang kita sa pagpasada na hindi pa hihigit sa P300 sa isang araw, bahagya na niyang masustentuhan ang pang-araw-araw na pagkain ng kanyang pamilya, kaya hindi maiwasang palagi na lamang silang nagtitiis sa gutom.

Nang tanungin kung nakatanggap ba ang kanyang pamilya ng ayuda, sagot ni Palad, “hindi rin naman sasapat iyon eh.”

B A NTA NG PH A SEOUT

Sa pangunguna ng Department of Transportation (DOTr), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), at Land Transportation Office (LTO), isinusulong ang pag-implementa sa PUVMP na may mungkahing palitan ang mga tradisyonal na transportasyon ng bago at modernong mga unit tulad ng “modernized jeep”.

Kasabay rin nito ang pagtanggal ng indibidwal na prangkisa upang makapasada ang mga tradisyonal

Hindi kakayanin, sa ngayon nga boundary nga lang namin P300, hindi pa halos maka-boundary, paano kami makakahulog doon sa modernized jeep?

CE LE DONIO PA LA D DRAYBER SA CAINTA, RIZAL

na jeepney, na kalaunan ay maaring magdudulot sa malawakang jeepney phaseout.

Mariin itong tinutulan ng PISTON at muling ipinahayag ni Floranda sa nasabing presscon na sa ilalim ng PUVMP, gusto lamang tanggalin ng pamahalaan ang karapatan ng mga indibidwal na operator ng jeepney na makapagserbisyo sa publiko.

Aniya, isinusulong lamang ito ng pamahalaan “para pahawakan sa mga malalaking negosyante [at] kapitalista [ang moda ng transportasyon], [kung saan] sila na lamang ang [may hawak sa] moda ng transportasyon sa ating bansa”.

Ani Palad, marami sa mga mahihirap na tsuper ang mawawalan ng hanapbuhay, sapagkat daing nila ang mahal na presyo ng mga modernong jeepney, kaya naman higit na gusto pa rin niyang gamitin ang mga tradisyonal na sasakyan.

Base sa Memorandum Circular No. 2019-013 ng LTFRB, isa sa mga requirements na hinihingi ng ahensya sa mga driver-operator na nais

mag-apply para sa CPC ay ang Proof of Financial Capability, o katibayan na may pinansyal na kakayanan ang isang driver-operator para sa ipapautang na modernized jeepney.

Nang tanungin si Palad kung makapagpatunay siya na mayroon siyang kakayanang pinansyal para mag-apply ng isang unit ng modernized jeep, ang sagot niya, “Hindi kakayanin, sa ngayon nga boundary nga lang namin P300, hindi pa halos maka-boundary, paano kami makakahulog doon [sa modernized jeep]?”

Kung itutuloy ng mga ahensya ng pamahalaan ang mungkahi ng PUVMP, ang mga kagaya ni Palad ang mawawalan ng hanapbuhay. “Wala naman akong ibang hanapbuhay kundi [ang] jeepney driver, 20 years na akong nabiyahe rito, ngayon lang talaga nagkaganito rito,” daing ni Palad.

Katulad ng grupong PISTON, mariin ding tinututulan ni Palad ang PUVMP na maaring magdulot ng malawakang tigil-pasada o jeepney phaseout.

Mungkahi niyang pagandahin na lamang ang mga tradisyonal na jeepney, upang hindi sila magdusa sa kawalan ng hanapbuhay.

“Hindi yung papalitan ng bago.

Kagaya nga naming maliliit nga paano kami makakakuha no’ng [modernized jeep], kung pangkain nga wala?

Ano’ng ihuhulog namin don? Ni pangdown, wala,” daing ni Palad.

ONLINE uplbperspective.org Basahin ang buong ulat sa aming website

bit.ly/JeepPhaseout

Malaking dagok ang sinapit ng mga mamamayang naghahanapbuhay sa Batangas Pier, na ngayo’y hindi na malayang makapagtinda sa “yellow gate” ng nasabing daungan, bunsod ng pagpapasara rito ng mga tauhan ng Philippine Post Authority (PPA) noong ika-7 ng Mayo.

Ang malubhang epekto nito ay idinaing ng mga manininda, mga tsuper ng jeepney at tricycle, at iba pang mga mamamayan na naghahanapbuhay malapit sa piyer.

Dahil sa pagsasara ng lagusan, hindi na makadaan ang mga pasahero mula sa Batangas Pier patungo sa pantalang kinapupwestuhan ng mga tindahan at paradahan ng mga jeepney at tricycle, dahilan upang hindi makapaghanapbuhay ang mga manininda at tsuper.

“Naging malaking dagok ito sa kabuhayan ng komunidad,” ani ng Save Batangas Port Users Movement (SBPUM) sa isang Facebook post. “Kahapon, imbes na marinig mo ang karibok ng pasada at panininda ay nakabibinging katahimikan ang tatambad sa iyo.”

Noong ika-9 ng Mayo, mula sa yellow gate ay lumipat naman sa main gate ng piyer ang mga manininda, kung saan doo’y mayroong mga pasahero. Ngunit pagkapwesto pa lamang nila ay agad na silang kinuwestiyon ng mga tauhan ng PPA, at “[um]akmang sasamsamin ang [kanilang] mga paninda”, ayon sa Anakbayan Batangas.

Sa kabila nito, iginiit ng mga manininda ang kanilang karapatan at idinaing ang lubhang “pagkalam ng [kanilang] mga sikmura” dulot ng kawalan ng hanapbuhay, kaya pinayagan silang makapagtinda sa main gate hanggang 5 p.m. noong araw na iyon. Gayunpaman, iginiit ng PPA na wala nang maaari pang magtinda roon sa kinabukasan.

Ayon sa Panday Sining Batangas (PSB), ang pagpapasara sa lagusan ng Batangas Pier ay pangunahing isinulong upang tuluyang itaboy mula roon ang mga naghahanapbuhay at bigyang-daan ang isang development project.

“Ang insidenteng are ay parte pa rin ng taktika ng malalaking kapitalista upang tuluyan nang mapaalis ang mga mamamayang naghahanapbuhay laang doon sa Pier at maisulong na ang planong pag-de-develop sa Batangas Provincial Livelihood Center,” ani ng PSB sa isang Facebook post.

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Patuloy ang pangamba isang taon matapos ang pagsabog ng Taal  Sariwa pa rin ang alaala ng biglaang pagsabog ng bulkan, kung saan nagbago ang buhay ng mga residente sa isang iglap.

N I G L E N C H RISTIA N TAC A SA STA F F W RI T E R

Lagpas isang taon na ang nakalipas ngunit bakas pa rin sa kalye at sa ilang mga gusali ang mga bitak na dulot nang malalakas na paglindol dahil sa pagputok ng Bulkang Taal.

Maraming bahay ang nagiba, nalubog sa abo at kinain na ng lawa, o di kaya’y mga bahay na hindi na mababalikan ng mga residente.

Sa bayan ng Agoncillo, Batangas, mahigit sampung kilometro ang layo mula sa Bulkang Taal at isa sa mga pook na nakapalibot sa lawa ng Taal ay hindi na nagagamit ang ilan sa mga gusali sa munisipyo.

Ang mga palaisdaan sa lawa ay nasira at ang ilang mga bahay na nakapalibot sa lawa ay nilamon na ng tubig. Sa nasabing bayan ay higit sa 1,650 na bahay ang lubhang nasira dahil sa pagputok ng Bulkang Taal habang 5,000 bahay naman ang itinalang bahagyang napinsala.

Sa kabuuan ay umabot ng 1.3 bilyong piso ang halaga ng nawasak na mga kabahayan at P500 milyon ang halaga nang pinsala sa imprastraktura, habang sa mga kabuhayan ay umabot sa halagang 800 milyong piso ang pinsala na idinulot ng bulkan.

Ayon sa alkalde ng Agoncillo, Batangas na si Dan Reyes, base sa National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) ay aabot sa mahigit P2 bilyon ang kakailanganin upang lubusang makabangon muli ang nasabing bayan mula sa pinsalang idinulot ng Bulkang Taal.

“Nandoon na kami sa rehabilitation [at] recovery process, at inuumpisahan na namin ‘yung mga housing project, tuloy-tuloy ‘yung proyekto namin sa shelter program, nagbibigay kami ng moving assistance sa mga tao natin,” dagdag pa nang alkalde.

Bagamat nagkaroon na nang inisyatibo ang lokal na pamahalaan ng Agoncillo ay kulang pa rin ang kanilang pondo para matulungang makabangon ang buong bayan.

Kung kaya’t sila ay patuloy umanong umaasa sa mga programa at tulong na maibabahagi ng pamahalaan.

Sa kasalukuyan, nabanggit ng alkalde ng Agoncillo na 70-80% pa lamang ang nakakabangon mula sa kalamidad na ipit din sa krisis bunga ng pandemya kung kaya’t marami pa rin umano ang nakadepende sa tulong ng gobyerno.

Karagdagang problema rin umano sa lokal na A G O N C I L LO, B ATA N G A S —

Hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin totally nakabangon, kasi nga na-totally damaged ‘yung bahay namin.

GI N A A LCA NTA RA RESIDENTE

pinansyal mula sa pamahalaan pa rin ang daing ng alkalde para sa lubusang pagbangon ng bayan ng Agoncillo dahil limitado lamang ang kayang maitulong ng lokal na pamahalaan sa mga komunidad. Sa kasalukuyan ay napilitan ang mga estudyante nalumipat sa modular set-up sa ilalim ng distanced learning.

M GA BU HAY NA A PE K TA DO

Isa si Gina Alcantara sa malubhang napinsala ng pagputok ng Buklang Taal kung saan ang bahay niya ay nagkabitak-bitak at nilamon ng lawa.

Sa loob ng isang taon na nakalipas ay hirap pa ring makabangon ang kaniyang pamilya mula sa sakuna.

“Hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin totally nakabangon, kasi nga na-totally damaged ‘yung bahay namin, sa ngayon wala kaming [stable na] pinagkikitaan kung hindi nag-oonline business ng kaunti,” pahayag ni Alcantara kung saan ang kasalukuyan niyang pinagkakakitaan ay ang pagbebenta ng puto at iba pang kakanin.

Ang bahay ni Alcantara ay hindi na mababalikan ng kaniyang mag-anak dahil ang kondisyon ng kanilang itinuring na tahanan ay hindi na matitirahan, nagkabitak-bitak ang sahig at pader at inabot na ito ng tubig ng Lawa ng Taal.

Katulad ng kanilang alkalde, tulong pinansyal rin ang kaniyang daing upang makabangon sa pinsala na dinulot ng Bulkang Taal at mairaos ang kasalukuyang krisis na dulot ng pandemya.

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REG I O N | 23

Clockwise from top: Ang naging pagsabog ng Bulkang Taal noong Enero 2020 sa Calamba, Laguna.

Sa Agoncillo, Batangas naman, nagtamo ng sira ang mga gusaling gaya nito. Tinutulungang pumasok sa kaniyang lumubog na bahay si Gina Alcantara, isang residente. Kita rin ang bitak-bitak na imprastraktura sa tahimik na bayan ng Agoncillo. [ P ] P H OTO S N IN A B A S TI E VA N G E L IS TA AT C IA N TA C A S A

Nang tanungin kung ano ang paghahanda na kanilang ginagawa sa kasalukuyang kondisyon ng Bulkang Taal ay inihayag ng ginang na mayroon silang nakahandang mga damit na madali nilang bitbitin kung nangyari man ang hindi inaasahang pagputok muli ng bulkan. Natuto na umano ang mga residente at lokal na pamahalaan sa trahedyang idinulot ng Taal noon.

Ngunit hindi pa rin maiwasan makaramdam ng kalungkutan dahil isang taon man ang nakalipas ay hindi pa lubusang nakababangon ang bayan ngunit nagbabadya muli ang Bulkang Taal na mag-alburoto. Alert Level 2 muling itinaas sa Simula noong ika-9 ng Marso muling itinaas ng PHIVOLCS mula Alert Level 1 patungo sa Alert Level 2 ang Bulkang Taal bunsod ng pagtaas sa mga naitatalang paggalaw at aktibidad ng bulkan.

At nitong ika-24 ng Marso naman ay naglabas ng Taal Volcano Advisory ang PHIVOLCS, kung saan binibigyan abiso ang publiko sa mga naitalang malakihang pagtaas ng seismic activities ng Bulkang Taal.

Ang mga ito ay tulad ng mga mabababaw na paglindol sa Taal Volcano Island bunsod ng paggalaw ng magma sa ilalim ng bulkan. Dahil rito ay inabisuhan rin ng PHIVOLCS ang publiko sa mataas na posibilidad ng isang magmatic eruption. Sa kasalukuyan, nakataas pa rin ang Alert Level 2 sa Bulkang Taal.

Muling nagbabala ang PHIVOLCS sa posibilidad ng muling pagputok ng Bulkang Taal dahil may

mga naitala na volcanic tremors at low-frequency volcanic earthquake o mabababaw na paggalaw ng lupa. Ito ay dulot ng volcanic fluids tulad ng magma, steam, o maging hydrothermal fluids o mainit na likido sa ilalim ng bulkan.

Nilinaw ni Dr. Maria Antonia Bornas, hepe ng Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction division ng PHIVOLCS, na ang mga aktibong paggalaw at iba pang aktibidad ng Bulkang Taal ay bunsod ng magma na naiwan o nandoon na sa ilalim ng Bulkang Taal mula sa pagputok nito noong nakaraang taon, o maaari rin ang degassing ng magma o ang paglalabas nito ng maraming gas o hangin.

Muling nagpaalala si Dr. Bornas na mapanganib kung magkakaroon ulit ng phreatic eruption, “When we have the phreatic eruption na, mahirap na ‘yun kasi once na na-open up na ‘yung system nagkakaroon ka na nang depressurization, nag-dedepressurize na ‘yung very deep magma.”

Nang tanungin kung ang nagbabadyang muling pagputok ng Bulkang Taal ay kasing lakas ng pag-aalburoto nito noong nakaraang taon ay binigyang diin ni Dr. Bornas ang kaibahan sa kondisyon ng Bulkang Taal noon sa kasalukuyang lagay ng bulkan ngayon.

Paliwanag ni Dr. Bornas ay matagal na umanong hindi pumuputok ang Bulkang Taal magmula noong huling magmatic eruption nito noong 1969 kung saan limampu’t isang taon na ang nakalilipas.

Malaki umano ang pagkakaiba nito sa kasalukuyang kondisyon ng Bulkang Taal dahil wala nang pressure at sa kasalukuyan ay wala na ring nakikita ang PHIVOLCS na mga ebidensya ng malalim na pinagmumulan ng magma sa ilalim ng bulkan.

“We are not very worried, kung magkakaroon man ng eruption, it won’t be a big one, siguro it will be a minor phreatic eruption or ‘yung worst case we will have a small eruption,” pahayag ni Dr. Bornas.

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Why livestock prices have skyrocketed  We interviewed experts to uncover the cracks in the national agriculture scene and the effects of the worsening price hikes.

BY LO R A D O M IN G O S TA F F W RI T E R

Since the country’s inflation rate spiked to 4.2% in January 2021, prices of pork and vegetable produce have also risen, with a price freeze driving more retailers out of business. This was the consequence of the implementation of strict lockdown protocols aimed at preventing the spread of the Coronavirus, which also left around 3.8 million Filipinos jobless, and many businesses ceasing operations.

While it is difficult enough to recover from a pandemic, economist Jefferson Arapoc pointed out that the nation is actually hit by a triple whammy. Before our import-dependent pork supply was stifled by lockdown restrictions, we already experienced a cutback in 2019, after the African swine fever (ASF) virus hit the country’s hog farms. To add, five consecutive typhoons, among which is Supertyphoon Ulysses that capped off the year 2020, ravaged a lot of crops and left little to harvest.

Meanwhile, Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura (MASIPAG) National Coordinator Cris Panerio said that with our livestock industries’ dependence on imported breeds, we are closer than ever to a food crisis.

I S I M PO SI N G A P R I C E C E I L ING A LWAYS B A D ?

To control the price increase, the government has resorted to imposing a price ceiling - a government-mandated maximum amount that sellers are allowed to charge for a product. When used appropriately, imposing a price ceiling can prevent profiteering practices or keep traders from overcharging for products and services.

Despite it being meant to prevent overcharging, the idea of a price ceiling becomes a problematic solution to the increasing prices of livestock. This is simply because the pork price hike is not a profiteering issue, but a supply issue.

Arapoc emphasized that the pork we purchase is brought to us by a supply chain, from hog raisers, to middlemen, to retailers, each of course pencil in a profit margin to sustain their livelihood.

“Ang problem din natin during the lockdown, ang dami rin kasing nasirang supply chain. Kaya dahil nasira yung supply chain, mababa yung production. Ngayong panahon ng pandemic, makikita mo talaga how the markets are connected and integrated. Kapag may nawasak

O N L I NE Full version Access the full story, with additional photos and context bit.ly/InflationPH

Pork stalls that sell meat were shunned as the prices rise astronomically days after the governmentimposed price ceilings or caps. PHOTO BY JONEL MEND OZA

diyan, talagang [may] domino effect [na nangyayari],” Arapoc explained.

According to Jess Cham of the Meat Importers and Traders Association (MITA), hog raisers add a risk premium of 30 to 40%, because they are now working in a very hostile and risky environment. To minimize their losses due to the ASF, producers would tend to sell at a higher price.

With these increases in the farmgate price, it has become increasingly hard for retailers to get their cut without losing buyers. Far from profiteering, retailers in this case are fortunate enough just to break even.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order (EO) No. 124 imposes a price ceiling of P270 per kilo for pork and P300 per kilo for pork liempo, which before reached prices up to P400.

However, according to Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) chairperson Rosendo So, it is simply not possible for retailers to sell at this price, citing that the acceptable retail price for pork given the current circumstances has to range from P330 to P380 per kilo. “‘Yung mga retailers, wala naman talaga silang control doon sa presyo ng baboy na binibili nila. Kung ang profit margin ko dito sakto lang

Philippine inflation rate It has been a topsy-turvy ride in the past decade.

6

6%

55

5.212%

4.718%

44

3.598%

3.79% 33 2

2

1

11 00

3.027% 2.583%

2.853%

2.48% 2.653%

1.254% 0.674%

‘10 ‘11 ‘12 ‘13 ‘14 ‘15 ‘16 ‘17 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20 S O URC E W OR L D B AN K R E S EA RC H & I NFO G R A PHI C D E S I G N I A N R A P H A E L LO P E Z

even harder to transport pork from farm to market. To comply with social distancing measures, hog farms may be operating with fewer workers, slowing down their overall productivity.

Using a price ceiling in this case could even lower the pork supply further. Due to the price ceiling imposition, some vendors opted to close their shops, rather than shoulder losses upon continuation of sale. Among them are 50 pork retailers at the Murphy Market in Cubao, Quezon City, who still tried to sell at the indicated price ceiling but eventually stopped selling upon incurring significant losses.

Since the supply of pork becomes scarcer in the market, its price is driven even higher. In addition, some who chose not to abide by the imposed price cap continue to sell at the risk of having their supply confiscated.

I S I M PO RTAT I O N A LWAYS HA RM F U L ?

talaga para mabayaran ‘yung renta ko at makakain ‘yung pamilya ko tapos bibigyan mo pa ako ng price ceiling, hindi talaga [ito] sustainable,” Arapoc explained.

Operating amidst a pandemic is also costlier for hog farmers. Lockdown restrictions make it

Part of the government’s response to the dwindling supply of pork in the country is to increase importation. On March 26, the government decided to increase the minimum access volume (MAV) of imported pork from 54,210 metric tons to 350,000 metric tons. With this policy, the

REG I O N | 25

UPL B PE R S P EC T I V E . O R G | O C TO BER 29 , 2021

government expects to see lower market prices for pork as supply increases.

The Philippine government’s inclination to import has been seen by peasant organizations as a cause of alarm. This is not the first time that the government has resorted to importation in an attempt to lower market prices. Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) cites the implementation of the Rice Liberalization Law, which gave way to the influx of more competitively-priced rice, pushing local farmers further into debt and poverty.

As our food producers continue to struggle under the pressure of more competitive importers entering the country, it would seem like importation serves as the ever-hungry parasite to what could have been a thriving industry.

However, Arapoc tells us that importation would have been helpful if only it was coupled with good policy direction. “’Yung globalization kasi, mahirap talaga siyang pigilan,” Arapoc explained. It may be necessary to import from other countries to cope with the increasing demand for certain goods. Livestock, for example, is a staple food in many households.

According to Arapoc, however, once the government does allow imports in the country, it is important to equip local farmers with financial and technical support so that local industries could survive and compete with the imports in the market, especially in terms of price.

In fact, it may not be beneficial for our local industries to always be protected from foreign trade. Arapoc cites the infant industry argument.

This theory states that if local industries are not exposed to importation and trade (or are “treated like infants,” so to speak), they will have a hard time keeping up with competing products, and may also be unable to cope when they are struck with unexpected situations that drastically affect their supply, such as, in this case, the ASF virus.

POLICY MISDIRECTION

Drastic as it may have seemed, this pork crisis did not happen overnight. The current food crisis and pandemic only exposed the inefficiencies of the government and decades’ worth of policies, which failed to ensure food security in the country.

Both Arapoc and Panerio agree that the

Ngayong panahon ng pandemic, makikita mo talaga how the markets are connected and integrated. Kapag may nawasak diyan, talagang [may] domino effect [na nangyayari].

JE FFE RSON A RA POC ECONOMIST

government has “missed the opportunity” to improve the nation’s agricultural industry, making it difficult for the country to get out of this staggering price increase in the middle of a pandemic.

For Panerio, our poultry and livestock industry which grows mainly imported breeds is in itself already a “pandemic waiting to happen.”

Panerio also stated that poultry and livestock is already in a genetic dead end because we rely

on only a few breeds even on a global scale. In this situation where genetic bases of livestock are narrower, diseases spread even faster. Panerio explained that this problem could have been avoided if the country’s policy direction for agriculture was geared towards self-reliance, which included policies encouraging farmers to grow native breeds. To pursue this, there must be sufficient government support and institutional research on self-reliant agriculture.

Part of what makes import-reliant hog raising unsustainable is the expense: not only do farmers have to buy imported breeds, they also have to continuously purchase imported feeds and medicines as well, which are more expensive.

Under self-reliant agriculture, farmers are less likely to be buried in debt.

In turn, being self-reliant also spares the farmers’ livestock from being contaminated with diseases such as ASF. When importing breeds and feeds, Panerio explained that there is always a risk of contamination, which you are not as exposed to when you are raising native breeds and producing your own feeds and forage.

MASIPAG also encourages diversifying crops to lessen the probable losses of farmers when facing harsh weather conditions. If one variety of crop may not survive, the farmers could still rely on the rest of their other surviving crops.

Only a few farmers, however, apply these farming methods. Panerio points out that the mainstream narrative, which is being supported by the government and even by agricultural colleges and universities, is to “embrace modern agriculture,” vis-à-vis the organic agriculture which is being promoted by Panerio and MASIPAG, wherein farmers are tied to associated debt from expensive and unsustainable practices which are being promoted by large-scale agricultural corporations.

Under modern agriculture, farmers are at a disadvantage against large agricultural corporations, which have the resources to avail expensive services and still be able to sell their goods at lower, more competitive prices.

Panerio and Arapoc both point out the elephant in the room: our local farmers, the suppliers of food, are hungry and buried in debt.

“Mga isang linggo pagkaani, ‘yung mga rice farmers natin, nangungutang ng bigas. ‘Yun yung napakalaking irony. Yung nagpo-produce ng bigas, after one week of harvest ay nangungutang na ng bigas,” Panerio said, pertaining to the experience of Filipino rice farmers.

The lack of genuine agrarian reform continues to be one of the glaring controversies in agriculture. 33 years after the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) was passed, peasant farmers still have not been given the land that they have tilled for generations. Without genuine agrarian reform, farmers cannot decide what to grow, who to sell to, and even what to do with their money.

In spite of this, Arapoc and Panerio emphasized that we cannot simply shut down or replace agricultural corporations to address the social inequality experienced by our farmers.

We cannot replace the large-scale production of factory farmers overnight, the same way that we could not simply eliminate importation and ignore globalization to save our local farmers.

Instead of attributing the problem to once cause only, Panerio and Arapoc propose that the government’s long-term plan encompass economic, social and environmental considerations to ensure that its policies are effective and serve the best interests of our peasant farmers and the Filipino people.

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PATULOY ANG LABAN  MUL A S A PA HIN A 1 1

...DOT dahil sa pagkansela sa kanilang panawagan. Ani ng mga naninirahang katutubo sa lugar, laganap at malawakan ang illegal transfer at conversion ng kanilang lupang ninuno.

Nakapanayam din ng Perspective ang dalawang sibilyang papangalanan na lamang bilang “Joy” at “Reese”. Naninirahan ang dalawa sa bayan ng El Nido, Palawan, lugar kung saan malapit ang nangyayaring pagkupkop ng mga Ayala sa lupain ng mga katutubo.

“Hindi na bago ang [land grabbing] issues na ganito [dito] sa Palawan. Before pa ang isyu ng Ayala at ng mga Tagbanua, marami nang nangyayaring pagkamkam sa lupa ng mga katutubo. Ang nangyayari kasi, kinakawawa ang ibang mga katutubo kasi wala silang titulo ng lupa,” ani ng kinapanayam na itatago na lamang sa pangalang “Joy”.

“Binibili ni [Jose Alvarez, gobernador ng Palawan] ang mga lupa ng mga katutubo sa murang halaga, tapos ibebenta sa mga malalaking kompanya like Ayala for a higher price,” dagdag pa nito.

Gaya ng naunang pahayag, sinegundahan naman ni Reese ang pahayag ni Joy patungkol sa ‘di umano’y pagbili ni Alvarez sa mga lupain ng katutubo sa murang halaga. “Alam halos ng mga tao dito sa Palawan ‘yung ginagawa ni Gov. na binibili niya ‘yung lupa [ng mga katutubo] nang mura tapos kapag binebenta n’ya sa mga malalaking kompanya, mahal na ‘yung price,” aniya.

Bagaman ang mga ito ay alegasyon pa lamang laban sa gobernador, hindi maikakaila ang mga nakikita ng mga residente sa kung ano nga ba ang tunay na nangyayari sa probinsya.

Sa kabila ng pagsasabasura ng panawagan ng mga katutubo, ipinaliwanag ni Vincent na hindi sakop ng DOT ang pag-iisyu o pagbibigay ng “accreditation” sa mga pribadong kompanya na naglalayong magtayo ng kani-kanilang negosyo sa lupain ng mga katutubo.

“Kasi hindi naman dapat DOT ang magi-interpret ng RA 8731 [sa mga katutubo], dapat Department of Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), at National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). May [sariling] mga lawyer ang mga IP sa NCIP, at sila dapat ang magbigay ng tamang tagubilin at proseso [para sa mga katutubo],” ani Vincent.

Iginiit din niya na hindi dapat direktang mga katutubo ang humiling na kanselahin ang nasabing ‘license to operate’ na ipinagkaloob sa nasabing kompanya, dahil mayroong mga abogado ang mga katutubo na silang dapat ang magsumite ng panawagang ito sa tamang ahensya ng gobyerno.

Ayon din sa DOT, sa pamamamagitan ni Engr. Christopher V. Morales, iginiit nya na ang opisina ng DOT ay hindi nagi-issue ng permit, license, or

Miting ng mga katutubong Tagbanua patungkol sa land dispute. M G A L I T R ATO M U L A K AY R ODEL VI C EN T E

authority to operate dahil tanging local government unit (LGU) lamang ng El Nido, Palawan ang may kakayahang mag-issue nito.

Ang Palawan ay isa sa mga lugar na may pinakamaraming naninirahan na mga katutubong Pilipino, kung saan kabilang ang tribo ng Tagbanua, na isa sa mga pinakamatandang tribo dito sa Pilipinas. Biniyayaan ang tribo ng soberanya sa lupaing tinitirhan nito na may lawak na 49,385.4885 ektarya nito lamang 2018.

Sa kadahilanang ito, may karapatan ang mga katutubo sa sarili nilang lupain at maaari nilang tanggihan o kasuhan ang sinumang may balak na sirain o kamkamin ang kanilang ancestral land, gaya ng mga malalaking kompanya tulad ng Ayala Corporation.

PATULOY NA PA KIKIBAKA

Ayon pa sa kinapanayam, pinapalayas umano ng mga tauhan ng Ayala ang mga katutubong nagtatangkang pumasok sa construction site ng Ayala,

gayong lupain naman iyon mismo ng mga katutubo.

“May mga iilang harassment ang naganap habang ongoing ang land dispute [sa pagitan] ng mga katutubo at ng Ayala […] like pinagbabawalan silang pumasok sa sariling area,” ani ng kinatawan.

Bagaman wala pang naitatalang insidente ng pananakit sa nasabing mga katutubo, hindi pa rin maiiwasan ang agam-agam na kanilang bitbit dahil ang seguridad nila mismo sa sariling lupain ay hindi sigurado.

Sa katunayan, hindi na bago ang paglabag sa karapatang pantao ng mga katutubong naninirahan dito sa Pilipinas, sapagkat marami nang naitalang ulat na lantarang paglapastangan sa kanilang lupang ninuno, gayundin sa kanila mismong mga karapatan bilang mga katutubo.

Bagaman protektado ng RA. 8731 ang mga katutubo, hindi maikakailang marami pa ring paglabag sa batas ang naiuulat. Higit pa rito ay hindi na

Before pa ang isyu ng Ayala at ng mga Tagbanua, marami nang nangyayaring pagkamkam sa lupa ng mga katutubo.

JOY, RESIDENTE

Alam halos ng mga tao dito sa Palawan ‘yung ginagawa ni Gov. Alvarez na binibili niya ‘yung lupa [ng mga katutubo] nang mura tapos kapag binebenta n’ya sa mga kompanya, mahal na.

RE E SE , RESIDENTE

rin bago ang kompanya ng Ayala sa pangha-harass at mga pagtatangkang pagkupkop ng mga lupang ninuno sa bansa, gaya ng ginagawa nito sa mga residente ng Hacienda Yulo sa Calamba, Laguna.

Ngunit dahil sa patuloy na pakikipaglaban ng mga Tagbanua sa kanilang karapatan sa sariling lupain, nagawa nilang mapatigil pansamantala ang pag-operate ng mga itinatayong gusali ng kompanya sa kanilang lugar.

Hangga’t hindi pa naiisaayos ng Ayala Corporation ang tamang proseso upang makapag-patayo ng mga establisyemento sa lugar, o hangga’t hindi pa napagkakasunduan ng dalawang partido ang mga maaaring gawin sa lugar ay hindi nito pwedeng ituloy ang operasyon sa lugar.

Ngunit ayon kay Vincent, desidido ang kampo ng mga katutubo na piliing protektahan ang lupaing naiwan sa kanila ng kanilang mga ninuno, at wala silang balak makipagkasundo.

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Agriculture-Philrice (DA-PhilRice) and pro-genetically modified organism (GMO) farmer groups such as the Asian Farmer’s Regional Network (ASFARNET). As of writing, the petition has reached over 3,000 signatories.

While a lot of Filipinos immediately joined in the Golden Rice excitement, others reluctantly braced for the knifelike aspect of the said technology. Biotechnological innovations such as Golden Rice, they say, are a “double-edged sword” to the marginalized. Should Golden Rice have any error or lapses, these people would be the first to fall victim to the cutting, detrimental effects on their safety, health, and environment.

So when mere remarks on the study had developed into heated debates, and these dialogues had formed into protests and nation-wide movements, the agricultural community was ultimately divided into two: the pro-Golden Rice and the anti-Golden Rice parties. Both these groups have attempted to dominate the field, continuing to persist in gaining public favor.

For instance, a multinational mass movement named Stop Golden Rice Network (SGRN) was formed by the Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura (MASIPAG) Organization and 30 other anti-GR farmer-activist organizations. Now in its seventh year, the said network actively advocates against the commercialization of Golden Rice through week-long protests, backed-up research journals, and campaign collaborations. With farmers, scientists, researchers, and activists coming from India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Philippines, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, SGRN strives against corporate control in food and agriculture. Both pro-GR and anti-GR proponents agree that rice is an important Filipino food staple and that food security is the ultimate priority, thus demonstrating a silver lining of compromise.

But when scientists start arguing with other scientists, and farmers start arguing with fellow farmers, an essential facet of the Golden Rice debate is found: Agricultural issues are more diverse than people often assume it to be.

THE PANEL OF EXPERTS PRO-GOLDEN RICE

REA PI N G W H AT W E S OW

The Golden Rice conversation is crucial to consumers and producers alike given that rice is a food staple to almost every Filipino household.

Thus, the stakes with pursuing the Golden Rice project are high enough to benefit — or cost — the lives of many rice-eating communities. Proand anti-GR proponents agreed that education and awareness are keys in truly assessing the success of the Golden Rice project.

Dr. Ronan G. Zagado of DA-PhilRice expressed, “It’s a matter of raising awareness to these people. The reason why they judge a product is because they lack the appreciation and understanding about the product.” Dr. Zagado also shared his recent experience with concerned extension workers, where after much consultation, they began appreciating the product. Having faith on the utmost importance of public education regarding the benefits of biotechnology, Dr. Zagado claimed to have made several efforts to reach out to various community sectors, up to policy makers themselves.

Meanwhile, in response to Dr. Zagado’s claims in a different interview, Dr. Chito Medina of MASIPAG contended that the pro-GR proponents are only “miseducating” people by only explaining the benefits of GR and not the complexities of farming and food systems that “sustain life on Earth.” “Ang gusto nila may education sa sarili nilang pananaw, para lang tanggapin ng tao, kawawa naman ang tao,” Dr. Medina claimed.

Giving relevance to the interconnectedness of science and political economy, Dr. Medina elaborated that in the perspective of the latter, the

“actors” and “power relations between actors” are put into focus. “Matatanong natin sino may control ng GMO na yan, ito ba’y may libre sa kanila[ng mga magsasaka]? Wala bang susunod sa mga GMO na ibebenta sa kanila? At ito ba ay hindi maco-contaminate ang iba nilang mga varieties, ibang mga halaman, hindi ba masama epekto sa katawan? Ito’y hindi napapag-usapan.

Sabi lang nila, maganda.”

Dr. Medina then concluded that educating people on “the selective benefits of biotechnology” is “one of the highest levels of salesmanship.”

T HE V I TA M I NS A V S. L PRO BL E M

Dr. Ronan G. Zagado Development Communication Division, Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rice Research Institute

Dr. Reynante L. Ordonio Golden Rice Project Leader, Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rice Research Institute

ANTI-GOLDEN RICE

Dr. Chito Medina Previous National Coordinator Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura (MASIPAG)

Mr. Cris Panerio Incumbent National Coordinator, Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura (MASIPAG)

Uncovering layer upon layer of the Golden Rice debate, one can see that the pro-GR and anti-GR parties are reflective of their own principles and perspectives on agricultural development.

Golden Rice is a GMO product that aims to serve as an additional means of combating Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD).

This type of rice contains a “golden yellow” plant pigment called beta carotene, a provitamin A carotenoid, which can turn into Vitamin A or retinol via the intestine or liver. Products with high beta carotene levels include green leafy and yellow-colored vegetables, vitamin supplements and food ingredients, which are then good sources of vitamin A. DA-PhilRice claims that the current approaches such as Vitamin A supplementation, food fortification, diet diversification, and promotion of optimal breastfeeding are not enough to combat VAD. Thus, the pro-Golden Rice proponents conclude that Golden Rice is a “unique opportunity” for meeting the nutritional needs of populations who are Vitamin A deficient.

With a “clear humanitarian purpose” of preventing millions of deaths and alleviating the suffering of children, Golden Rice posits as a helping hand to those in need of cheaper and

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it is merely “the tip of the iceberg” of malnutrition. They challenge that the real and inevitable avalanche of all these health crises is poverty and the lack of “Vitamin L: Vitamin Land.”

GO L DE N GE E S E , O R GO L DE N L I E S ?

P H OTO FR OM DEPART M E N T O F A G R IC U LTU R E

accessible sources of Vitamin A. DA-PhilRice mentioned, “Golden Rice is the product of numerous patented technologies owned by several persons and institutions, all of whom have licensed the technologies for the humanitarian purpose of Golden Rice.” From these alone, the pro-GR party sees a bright agri-industrial future for the commercialization of more GMO-related products.

He also mentioned current government programs that had been implemented for the Filipino farmers, such as the Rice Resiliency Program (the free distribution of seeds and fertilizer back in 2020’s wet season with a budget of P8.5-billion) and the Rice Competitiveness

Enhancement Program (RCEF) (which aims to increase farmer competitiveness through the provision of equipment and credit assistance for rice farmers among others).

However, it has been reported that the RCEF does not directly provide the equipment to the farmers. Rather, the said program subsidizes equipment, seed and chemicals that have already been “peddled to rice farmers by private-sector money makers, in partnership with the government.” Along with this, other initiatives such as the controversial Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), which was heavily criticized by farmers, analysts, and researchers for failing to help agricultural workers transition from the

lower rice prices due to the increased amount of rice imports. Fellow pro-GR proponent Dr. Reynante Ordonio of DA-PhilRice then painted an eerie picture of hardship. “Just imagine kung mahirap ka, ang ma-afford mo ay rice lang na kulang sa nutrients. ‘Di ka makabili ng other products, so magsusuffer din ang health mo, so sana maiisip nila na: Give science a chance and give GR a chance. It’s time for GR. Atin ‘to, Kailangan natin ‘to, and ligtas ‘to,” Dr. Ordonio said, hoping that in later days, more modern biotech crops would be produced, highlighting that “gene-edited crops” are the trends today.

While VAD can be seen as the ultimate problem at first glance, the anti-GR party argues that

On the government support stance of the pro-GR proponents, Dr. Medina from MASIPAG replied, “Yung Rice Resiliency, marami rin magbibigay ng chemical fertilizers, at kung magbigay ng urea. Ang urea naman ay nag-eemit ng nitrous oxide, bilang greenhouse gas.”

He added that it was the national government who approved the controversial Rice Tariffication Law that made way for unregulated amounts of imported rice to reach the Philippines.

Given the current agricultural situation in the Philippines, the anti-GR party acknowledges the worsening land-grabbing and land conversion cases, liberalization of agricultural commodities and increasing control of corporations over agriculture and food.

These intertwining factors create a kaleidoscope of different scientific, economic, and socio-political angles. Acknowledging all of these facets, the anti-GR proponents then challenge the pro-GR party to “view the bigger picture” when proposing solutions on agricultural issues.

Emphasizing on the need to look beyond the scientific framework Dr. Medina shared, “Sa pananaw na ‘punto de vista’ ng political economy, tinitignan yung actors and power relations between actors. So we are just looking in the broader context and framework [with Golden Rice].”

Moreover, MASIPAG has long opposed such biotechnological solutions, as the “adverse effects of in control, biotech companies” can be seen in International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)’s Green Revolution, wherein many farmers across Asia have become bound to the expensive inputs and seeds peddled by huge agrochemical transnational corporations (TNCs) who promote a single-crop diet.

Thus, the anti-GR party asserts that constant exposure to stagnant facts and data detaches the pro-GR community from seeing the political and economic aspect to their proposed solutions. They remind of the numerous social injustices that small-holder, low income farmers face on a day-to-day basis. Dr. Medina explained, “Kung sasabihin nila, agrarian reform na, eh wala naman nang kinaugnay sa Golden Rice.

Pero in broad[er sense], kasama pa rin diyan, kasi we are acknowledging things that contribute to addressing poverty in order to address vitamin and mineral deficiencies.”

Dr. Medina then proceeded to compare the perspective of the pro-GR party, to the perspective of the anti-GR party using two conceptual frameworks: Information Deficit Framing and Democracy Deficit Framing. “[Sa tingin ng mga pro-GR] sa’min mga anti-GR o anti-GMO ay Information Deficit Framing, [kung saan akala nila na] against kami dahil kulang ang kaalaman o education namin. Sa amin naman, ang framing naman namin ay Democracy Deficit Framing: [kung saan] kulang ng espasyo at kapangyarihan para pumili ang mga mamamayan, ang consumer, ng nakakabuti para sa kanilang mga sarili, except of course given the limitations of poverty,” Dr. Medina continued.

He added that the question will revolve around GR’s safeness, believing that the data at hand is still inadequate to prove the product’s safety. Dr. Medina says that the problem is the inherent character of the GMO product itself.

Dr. Medina then concluded with one clear point in mind: “There are more effective alternatives that are cheaper, safer, and readily available.”

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two months after the Golden Rice is harvested, so that the amount of beta carotene present in GR2E is already stable. Dr. Medina argued that past data shows that instead of beta carotene stabilization, beta carotene degradation occurred when storing GR2E. To back up his claim, Dr. Medina cited studies done by Bollinedi and others (2019) and Schaub and others (2017). It showed that after six months of storage, around 80-84% of beta carotene degraded when Golden Rice were put in 25°C in plastic with air; around 68-79% degraded when GR were put in 4°C; and less than 46% degraded when GR were put in a vacuum pack. Despite varied researches, Dr. Ordonio said that data acquired from numerous multi-locational field trials in Nueva Ecija and Isabela for GR2E beta carotene testing were desired and consistent, and was even said to be “higher in some backgrounds”.

Dr. Medina commented on the tendency of pro-GR scientists to have a “relative bias” on the product. In a letter to the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) last 2017, he wrote that when IRRI reported that the amount of beta carotene was 1.96-7.31 ug/g, pro-GR proponents had cited the maximum concentration level (7.31 ug/g) instead of the average (3.57 ug/g) when computing for the amount of beta carotene.

Dr. Medina stated that “scientific writing uses the average rather than the maximum level”, citing the bias of pro-GR proponents in their presentation, in which case, it is already a product promotion. In relation to this, Dr. Zagado mentioned, “When we launched our applications we have given the results of our research, and ang daming tumitingin na committees, not only from the DA but also from the DENR, DOH, which means hindi lang basta-basta ang tumitingin.”

Dr. Zagado insisted that the concentration of beta carotene was sufficient enough in fulfilling people’s needs. He cited the latest finding of IRRI that Golden Rice can actually provide 30-50% of Vitamin A requirement for an adult. Dr. Ordonio added, “About 80% of the total carotenoids is beta carotene in Golden Rice. And the [said] concentration is already good enough to supply Vitamin A to meet the estimated average requirement, considering we eat this three times a day.”

However, in 2018, an EU Transparency Registered non-profit organization named Test Biotech compared one study from Paine and others (2005) (which supported Dr. Ordonio’s prior statement on 80% of total carotenoids being beta carotene) to that of Samia and others (2016), which concluded that during actual field trials, only 59% of the total carotenoids were classified as beta carotene. Test Biotech also concluded that the nutritional quality of GR2E grains produced a much smaller amount of carotenoids (3.5-10.9 ug/g) compared to the original Golden Rice event, which was supposed to produce more than 30 ug/g. Thus, the proportion of beta-carotene in the grains was reduced as well, resulting in smaller amounts of Vitamin A potential.

But this would be countered a year later. An opposing study published by Adrian Dubok, Executive Secretary of Golden Rice Humanitarian board, stated that per 1/2 cup of uncooked GR2E rice, about 11.4 ug/g of beta carotene is present.

This is claimed to be sufficient enough in meeting the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), even if rice would have been the sole source of Vitamin A in the diet.

Another concern that had been brought up is that since beta carotene is fat-soluble, the said carotenoid would require about 2.4 to 5 grams per meal for optimal absorption and conversion to retinol. He strongly asserted that Vitamin A deficient communities living in remote areas be

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT Is golden rice accepted by the community?

YES...  “It’s a matter of raising awareness to these people. The reason why they judge a product is because they lack the appreciation and understanding about the product and the benefits of biotechnology,” Dr. Zagado says.  Have catered to the humanitarian aspect of Pro-GR through have made several efforts to reach out to various community sectors, up to policy makers themselves.  The “yellow colored rice” is familiar to the masses.

NO...  Information Deficit Framing, [kung saan akala nila na] against kami dahil kulang ang kaalaman o education namin. Sa amin naman, ang framing naman namin ay Democracy Deficit Framing: [kung saan] kulang ng espasyo at kapangyarihan para pumili ang mga mamamayan, ang consumer, ng nakakabuti para sa kanilang mga sarili, except of course given the limitations of poverty,” Dr. Medina continued.  Pro-GR failed to mention the other farmers who rejected field trial testing  GR project centers on “principle of familitarity” (which is defined as a mere preference for things solely because one is familiar with them)

Is Golden Rice a good source of Vitamin A?  Dr. Ordonio discussed that beta carotene concentrations are only measured when these are stabilized, meaning that researchers should

Dr. Tony Alfonso of the International Rice Research Institute. G O L D E N R IC E H U MA N ITA R IA N B O A R D

wait two months after the Golden Rice is harvested, so that the amount of beta carotene present in GR2E is already stable.  Dr. Medina argued that past data shows that instead of beta carotene stabilization, beta carotene degradation occurred when storing GR2E.  Dr. Medina commented on the tendency of pro-GR scientists to have a “relative bias” on the product. In a letter to the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) last 2017, he wrote that when IRRI reported that the amount of beta carotene was 1.96-7.31 ug/g, pro-GR proponents had cited the maximum concentration level (7.31 ug/g) instead of the average (3.57 ug/g) when computing for the amount of beta carotene.

Dr. Medina stated that “scientific writing uses the average rather than the maximum level”,

GENETIC L I T ER ACY P R OJ EC T

Meanwhile, pro-GR proponent Dr. Ordonio stated that in order to see Golden Rice’s nutritional value and its “elevated” or “improved” data, one needs to eat a lot of the said rice. given access to healthy and varied food.

With GR2E’s average beta carotene content being 3.57 ug/g (from 1.96-7.31 ug/g), vegetables such as malunggay, saluyot, alugbati, and kangkong have over ten times higher beta carotene concentrations than GR2E, when eaten in one sitting. To add to the controversy, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated in a letter to IRRI that, “Although the concentration of beta carotene in GR2E rice is too low to warrant a nutrient content claim, the beta carotene in GR2E rice results in grain that is yellow-golden in color.”

Panerio acknowledged FDA’s statement,

saying, “Yung US FDA, reprimand mga proponents ng GR. Kasi nagke-claim [ang pro-GR] na may nutritional value, and they claim ‘Golden Rice’ as ‘Vitamin A rice.’ The nutritive value is very low kaya dapat ‘di sila mag-claim ng ganun.”

Meanwhile, pro-GR proponent Dr. Ordonio stated that in order to see Golden Rice’s nutritional value and its “elevated” or “improved” data, one needs to eat a lot of the said rice. Dr. Ordonio pushed on the relevance of being “guided on the basis of FDA’s data,” saying, “Yung basis nila [FDA] ay American diet, since hindi naman sila rice-consuming country.”

IS GOLDEN RICE S AFE?

It is in Dr. Ordonio’s statement on the American diet where the GR2E discussion moves from the matter of nutrition to the issue of safety.

One can see that another layer of the debate unfolds, when the anti-GR party probed: If the pro-GR party agrees that the US is not a rice consuming country, why use America’s, along with other agencies from countries like New Zealand, Australia, and Canada as the ultimate basis for biosafety assessments?

Proponents of Golden Rice say that it will help alleviate the hunger of millions. Opponents say this comes at a cost. P H OTO F R O M TIME MA G A Z IN E

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THE GOLDEN RICE DEBATE

About 400 farmers crash a gate to destroy a field of GR in 2013. DEPART M EN T OF AG R I C U LT U R E

citing the bias of pro-GR proponents in their presentation, in which case, it is already a product promotion.

really nothing to

Is Golden Rice safe?

NO...

YES...  Research has been monitored, overseen by different regulators and followed strict national and international standards (confined tests, field trials, and approved FPP or Food Processing permits from Australia, New Zealand, and Canada and US)  “I think naman na we have a fair system in the Philippines at yung ating regulatory procedure is consistent with international standards,” Dr. Zagado added.  “We ourselves have tasted Golden Rice and so far, okay naman kami ngayon, so there’s

cerns have “fallen

Dr. Ordonio explained, “Our research has been monitored, overseen by different regulators and followed strict national and international standards. We never left any stones unturned in terms of proving that GR is safe.”

He then mentioned that the applications and testings in proving that GR is safe included confined tests, field trials, and approved FPP or Food Processing permits from Australia, New Zealand, and Canada and US. Dr. Ordonio said, “Part of the assessment done on GR was checking for allergens and toxins, actual GR grains were sent to the US during our confined test in 2015, 2016. So compositionally they check what are the differences in composition with [GR compared] to ordinary rice. They found out that everything is the same except for the beta carotene content that is in GR.” Dr. Zagado said, “After makuha namin ang commercial propagation permit, the GR will still have to undergo varietal registration, meaning that it has to go through multi location trials. Kapag na-test naman na hindi pala siya okay, then it will not be recommended for a variety.”

He mentioned that a biosafety assessment permit was approved by the BPI last 2019, which

immediately classified GR2E as safe for commercialization. Both Dr. Zagado and Dr. Ordonio insisted that GR2E need not undergo any further investigation, as sufficient data has been gathered in proving that GR2E is safe.

“I think naman na we have a fair system in the Philippines at yung ating regulatory procedure is consistent with international standards,” Dr. Zagado added.

Criticizing their regulatory procedure, Dr. Medina had replied, “I feel very strongly against that system. Mayroong Health Impact Assessment Report, kung saan structured yung questions ng DOH. [Sa] 46 questions, apat lang yung may sagot. Yung [iba] 40, 42 or so, [ang sagot diyan ay] not applicable, and then the immediate decision [of the DOH] is ‘it is safe.’”

The immediate decision of the DOH has then left the anti-GR proponents unsatisfied with the GR project’s safety protocols, as they emphasize that the said project should not push through if DOH fails to answer all the questions stated in the Health Impact Assessment Report.

Anti-GR proponents argue that their concerns have “fallen into deaf ears,” since most of the sectors involved are pro-GMO anyway. “Sa

worry [about].”

 additional coninto deaf ears,” since most of the sectors involved are pro-GMO  the “we ourselves have tasted it,” narrative was already familiar, pro-GMO people in general have the tendency to “brand themselves into salesmen instead of scientists.”  Dr. Medina said, “Sa biological contamination, dahil genes yun or lahi, dumadami over time. Di mo mapipigilan, ‘di mo marereduce sa environment any time. There’s no technology that is available, and we can never stop contamination when that happens. Genetic contamination ng other existing varieties.”

B ATAR I S

“Pero sabi ko eating just once is not enough to push the data, may protocols, procedures in studying safety or toxicology effects.”

DR. CHITO M E DINA FORMER NATIONAL COORDINATOR, MASIPAG

ngayon, ang nag-dedecide lang kung safe or not ay yung scientific technical advisory committee nila, pero pro-GMO sila. Sila mismo nagdedecide kung ano ang basis kung sinasabi nila na sapat na ang ebidensya na safe siya,” Dr. Medina said.

Dr. Medina added, “Meron akong 12 or 13 na comments sa Bureau of Plant Rice Industry noong 2017, bago sila magbigay ng approval sa direct use ng food, feed, and processing. Pero everything has fallen into deaf ears, kasi nga pro-GMO sila lahat, talagang dead-end na yung situation.”

Though to this, Dr. Ordonio then contended, “We’ve already been eating for a long time and

wala naman tayong nakikitang untoward results about it. It’s the same beta-carotene found in other Vitamin A sources like carrots, green leafy vegetables, so why be afraid of it?” Dr. Zagado then explained, “Recently yung mga nag-susurface ng mga concerns ng mga Filipinos is yung safety, and what we can assure to the public is that we have followed stringent regulatory procedures and it takes a long time but we make sure to go through every step of the way to ensure na talagang assured ang safety.” He then lightly added, “We ourselves have tasted Golden Rice and so far, okay naman kami ngayon, so there’s really nothing to worry [about]. “ When it came to Dr. Zagado’s response where strikingly, Medina and Panerio had the same playful reaction. Expressing that the “we ourselves have tasted it,” narrative was already familiar, they said that based on their past debates, pro-GMO people in general have the tendency to “brand themselves into salesmen instead of scientists.”

One of these past debates centered on BT Corn, another Genetically Modified Organism (GMO), wherein despite approval, cases of pesticide contamination effects and health concerns had been raised. BT Corn contains a gene from the soil bacterium bacillus thuringiensis, a toxin that makes this transgenic crop produce its own insecticide to beat off the infamous pest corn borer.

Dr. Medina shared, “Nakakatuwa yung debate namin ng mga pro-GMO Bt Corn sa South Sepaka, kasi kumuha sila ng limang bunga, kumain ng isa sa harap ng tao, napanganga mga tao dahil ‘safe pala siya.’ Pero sabi ko eating just once is not enough to push the data, may protocols, procedures in studying safety or toxicology effects. Dahil ang toxicity hindi lang naman isang beses nag pagkain, acute toxicity takes about 45-90 days.”

However, the light banter had transitioned into a heavier discussion when Medina talked about his past experiences with communities who dealt with health-related and legal issues in relation to Genetically Modified (GM) corn commercialization.

He shared, “Noong na commercialize ang GM Corn noong 2001 o 2002, may nalason doon sa Mindanao, sa South Sepaka, Sultan Kudarat, malapit sa South Cotabato. Nag-pahearing ang barangay captain. Nandoon ang mga nalason: nagkasipon, nagka-sore eyes, nasagipan, nahihirapan mga huminga, dahil nalanghap yung pollen ng GM corn. Nandoon din ang ‘salesman.’ [the person responsible for introducing the GM crop].”

Two years later, in 2004, another related sickness case with speculation to the pollen of BT Corn had also emerged in the Kalyong village, South Cotabato, which is just a 2-3 hour drive away from Sepaka. The said outbreak had caused over a hundred villagers to fall mysteriously ill, coincidentally right when the maize plants had started flowering.

Continuing the case in South Sepaka, Dr. Medina added, “Nag-aassert [ang mga apektado] na dahil sa corn yung dahilan ng pagsagip nila. Ang sinasabi ng salesman na hindi niyo masasagot yan na galing yan sa BT Corn, so kailangan na naman ng technical na pag-aaral ‘yan, hanggang sa maubos ang pera ng mahihirap.”

“Ang mga capital ng BT Corporations naman, they can hire the best lawyers to delay and delay the justice so that, ‘justice delayed is justice denied.” Dr. Medina finished by asserting, “So even if you say na mananagot ang sino man, kung humabol ka sa legal na paraan wala din mangyayari dahil walang batayan. Yun ang problema natin, mamamayan pa rin ang talo dito.”

Though in an environmental context, Dr. Medina argued that uncertainties such as  TU RN TO PAG E 34

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contamination with other rice varieties are possible due to gene editing, which Dr. Ordonio had said to be his field of interest. He explained that compared to nuclear or chemical contamination, biological contamination quantifies instead of decreases over time. Dr. Medina said, “Sa biological contamination, dahil genes yun or lahi, dumadami over time. Di mo mapipigilan, ‘di mo marereduce sa environment any time. There’s no technology that is available, and we can never stop contamination when that happens. Genetic contamination ng other existing varieties.”

With over 20 years of debates and experience, these anti-GR proponents claimed that safety issues with Golden Rice could go down on a similar route, if no clear policies were made to demand accountability for such health and environmental cases.

Panerio asserted, “‘Yan ang problema sa batas natin. Dapat accountable ang kumita, ang kumpanya. Dapat social responsibility nila ‘yan.

Kagaya ng mga doktor, ‘pag pumalpak ang doktor o nagkamali sa pagbigay ng reseta sa kanilang, liable ang mga doctor. Pero yung mga proponents ng GMO, maraming namamatay dahil sa contamination ng glyphosate na associated sa GMO Corn, pero sino ang kakasuhan natin?”

Medina added, “Wala dapat aprubahan na GMO hanggang may batas tayo na liability sa mga ganito, kasi kung may mapinsala walang batayan ang batas kung sino mananagot. Kung kumain ka ng Golden Rice, sino ang mananagot?” One way of holding such GMO developers accountable, Panerio said, was to require mandatory labels for food products containing ingredients that had been genetically modified.

He explained, “Kami bilang mga organic agriculture advocates, gusto naming mga products namin i-label as organic. Pero sila, ayaw nilang ipa-label yung kanilang produkto bilang GM products. ‘Yun ang isang indikasyon na sila mismo hindi sigurado sa kanilang produkto, ‘yun lang pinupush lang nila para sa advancements ng kanilang career.”

To this concern Dr. Ordonio replied, “Ang gusto natin ay maging freely available siya sa mga farmers and breeders. No strings attached talaga ang project na ito, dapat mafulfill ang aming mission na makatulong ang Golden Rice.”

‘CRI M E AGA I N ST H U MA N I T Y’

There is an unprecedented “call-out culture” among scientists, researchers, and members of the agricultural sector that attempt to convince the masses in proving the destined morality of Golden Rice.

Allow Golden Rice Movement and over 100 Nobel Laureates have accused that Greenpeace’s position against Golden Rice is a “crime against humanity.” They stated in their letter, “How many poor people in the world must die before we consider this a ‘crime against humanity’?”

Dr. Medina contended this, saying that biotech companies are more culpable, committing crime against humanity for four main reasons: 1) for contaminating and eroding biodiversity; 2) for making a staple food into “unnecessary” food without any safety and reliability testing; 3) for selling seeds and food without correct safety testing; and 4) for sabotaging the distribution of agricultural and natural resources.

Another science magazine, Leaps.org, claimed in an article that activists merely “rely on suspicion and precaution”, despite scientific groups releasing comprehensive studies on GR. Both Dr. Ordonio and Dr. Zagado agreed on the said criticisms, saying that anti-GR proponents “are always afraid of something”, lacking the courage to try and explore. Dr. Zagado

Scientists and human rights activists are ringing alarm bells over the safety and effectiveness of Golden Rice. P H OTO F R O M G R E E N P E A C E

“Ang gusto natin ay maging freely available siya sa mga farmers and breeders. No strings attached talaga ang project na ito, dapat mafulfill ang aming mission na makatulong ang Golden Rice.”

D R . R EY N A NTE L. ORDONIO PHILIPPINE RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Wala dapat aprubahan na GMO hanggang may batas tayo na liability sa mga ganito, kasi kung may mapinsala walang batayan ang batas kung sino mananagot.

D R . CH I TO M E DINA FORMER NATIONAL COORDINATOR, MASIPAG

claimed, “They really think that there’s a multinational behind this project. But one assurance is that Golden Rice is a public good, that it is an inbred rice. Unlike hybrid rice na every time bibilhin mo yung mga binhi, if it’s an inbred rice, once na dineploy mo na yan sa field, hindi mo na maco-control ‘yan.”

Dr. Ordonio said that he hopes that more

modern biotechnology crops will be released in the future, saying that we are lagging behind the scientific trend. Dr. Medina and Panerio questioned: What’s in it for the farmers in the long run, should such a trend be followed? Panerio further sees GR as a “Trojan Horse” that would pioneer the gradual acceptance of genetically-modified crops and modern biotechnology.

He remarked, “Ang tingin namin na sa likod ng mga proyekto ay hindi naman para magsilbi sa problema ng lipunan, kundi makapagmataas lang ng napakalaking profit sa binhi at agrikultura.”

Dr. Medina added that GR only strengthens corporate control, with more profits earned by companies involved in biotechnology, agro-medicine, as well as fertilizer and pesticide production. He asserted that in time, due to the commercialization of GMOs, people would just resort to solving all problems with “GMO-corporate products”.

Dr. Zagado contended, saying that the said issue is just a matter of raising awareness for anti-GR proponents. He said, “Kung tutuusin mo actually ‘di naman bago itong biotech na ito. We have been consuming some of the products like soy sauce for instance, at hindi lang nila alam.

So it’s really just a matter of raising awareness na hindi naman problem itong GMO, and that we have been consuming many products of biotechnology.”

Addressing this notion, Panerio clarified that modern biotechnology must not be equated with ordinary biotechnology. He said that MASIPAG farmers themselves also employ biotechnology

through fermentation. He marked the difference between this and transgenic modern biotechnology.

Dr. Medina mentioned, “Dito sa amin, we are looking for freedom, safety, sustainability, and equity through Food Sovereignty. Ang MASIPAG ay klarong alternative at ‘yun pa rin ang pinanghahawakan namin na viable, abot-kamay sa mga magsasaka ang teknolohiya, na hindi nakakasira ng kalikasan.”

He added that MASIPAG’s agricultural approach ensures that farmers produce nutritious foods that are safe from poisonous chemicals, which he said are unlike the products sold by agrochemical companies.

With key differences remaining unresolved, the Golden Rice debate leaves almost little to no room for any areas of compromise for the proGR and anti-GR parties. A relevant factor is the willingness of both parties to use their opposers as the driving force to continue improving on their respective movements and projects. Dr. Ordonio shared, “[anti-GR proponents] make us strive better, and do more in making our products better. Even in our regulations, iniisip ko kung anong iniisip ng mga anti-GR, paano sila masa-satisfy sa regulatory policies na ginagawa.”

Panerio then likened their campaign against GR to that against GM corn, saying that they have a concrete and viable alternative that is more economically-beneficial for both farmers and consumers, while also keeping in mind environmental welfare. He then concluded, “Our campaign continues even if Golden Rice is commercialized.”

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particularly are exposed to, though unwantedly but pursued because of their reliance on income and living, bore the death of some of our farmers due to cancer, kidney failure, and liver diseases.

“Yun pong aming dalawang [magsasaka] ay namatay na rin po sa [sakit sa] kidney, ako po yata ang magiging pangatlo,” stated Raymundo Mercado, a former member of the Brotherhood of IRRI Support Services (BISSIG) who later died of kidney disease. Other victims who suffered and perished are Juanito Malbataan who died from kidney and lung disease in 2000; Benigno Carandang died from kidney failure in 2001; Pantrasio Mercado died from kidney failure, bronchitis, and leukemia in 2002; Leoncio Mercado died of tuberculosis and kidney failure in 2005; and Serafio Malbataan passed away in 2015 from prostate cancer, tuberculosis, and kidney failure.

Developed 20 years ago as an element in the fight against vitamin A deficiency, IRRI collaborated with Syngenta to further progress the golden rice. In the Philippines and Bangladesh, commercialization of the crop began in 2013, however, it received much criticism from scientists, consumers, and farmers themselves.

“Golden rice is a fat-soluble vitamin, it means to say that any individual who benefits from this vitamin A rice must have a balanced diet including fats in order to absorb vitamin A (beta-carotene),” stated by Dr. Chito Medina, National Coordinator of Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura (MASIPAG), a farmer-led platform dedicated to the long-term use and governance of ecosystems.

Seeing fat as associated with meat, it is one of the least consumed nutrients among farmers and the marginalized who cannot afford to derive such from relatively expensive food. Hence, golden rice is fruitless in their situation.

The controversy, however, is not about the golden rice alone, but the utilization of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and the measure of its immense capability to contaminate, mixing pesticides with non-GMOs in the overall process of crop cultivation.

“Can you imagine that these genes that go into our food systems, then our food will be producing pesticides also,” added Dr. Medina.

H OW E XAC T LY I S I R R I “ P EOPLE- CENTER ED ” ?

In 1974, Presidential Decree no. 457 was deemed active; it authorized the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) “to acquire by negotiated sale or by expropriation of certain private properties for the expansion of agricultural research programs and appropriating the necessary funds therefor.”

It enabled UP and IRRI to acquire land to broaden data analysis on agriculture, especially in rice and multiple cropping, and further projects aimed at increasing food security. Under this decree, IRRI took land from farmers in compensation for a small sum of money (P25,000 per hectare) and a pledge of work.

With much opposition to the preceding statement, IRRI launched a number of retrenchment programs between the years 1989 and 1997. It is notable that the first to be fired were unionists.

A “special separation program” was implemented after Filipino employees registered for a petition for certification election in 1989.

“IRRI management has terminated about 1,500 Filipino workers since 1989 not because of financial difficulties, but to get rid of labor unrest due to intense discrimination against Filipino workers and farmers. The current retrenchment is nothing but a grand design of eliminating regular workers and replacing them with contractual and project employees,”

There are concerns whether the results of research in IRRI is truly people-centered. P H OTO F R O M IR R I A R C H IV ES

“We strongly demand to close down IRRI. IRRI out of peasants’ lands and agricultural activities.

Fight for food sovereignty and genuine food security by pursuing independent and self-reliant policies on food and agriculture, and implement genuine agrarian reform programs.”

R AFAEL MARIA NO KILUSANG MAGBUBUKID NG PILIPINAS

expressed Patricio Layosa, the BISSIG acting president.

Afterwards, a “staff adjustment program” was launched in 1993, due to a series of mass complaints against severe discrimination, poor wages, and insufficient services; and a “staff restructuring program” was administered to break up the union after the workers’ effort to unite and mobilize in 1996.

“Bakit naman tatanggalin? Pangako nila sa’min ay habang kaya naming magtrabaho, ay kami ay magtatrabaho, pero wala, walang nangyari,” Serafio Malbataan, a BISSIG Board Member, expressed his reasonable confusion.

Relative to the farmers’ work, the propagation of agrochemicals exposed them to pesticides which IRRI utilized to develop high-yielding varieties (HYVs), making the farmers victims of their health-risk experiment.

Now, let us examine its articulated five P’s: (1) people, (2) permanency, (3) productivity, (4) protection, and (5) partnership. After the statements mentioned, does their objective to “improve the well-being of present and future generations of rice farmers and consumers, particularly those with low income,” still stand?

IRRI’s acceptance as a shift in scientific research and development is contrasted by the loss of many lives. People are highly reliant on protection; the lack of safe approaches would have a negative impact on citizens, who are, after all, the primary reason for continuous development.

Rafael Mariano, national chairperson of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), said, “We strongly demand to close down IRRI. IRRI out of peasants’ lands and agricultural activities. Pursue and promote farmer-centered rice research programs and initiatives. Fight for food sovereignty and genuine food security by pursuing independent and self-reliant policies on food and agriculture, and implement genuine agrarian reform programs.”

The intentions of IRRI are being questioned and challenged in light of the responses of the oppressed, which have resulted in inequality, instability, and death. It poses the question: Does scientific progress and technological innovation still qualify as “advancements and development” if it jeopardizes, not just our farmers’ liberty and human rights, but

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Kapag iba ang interes at mga layunin ng mga namumuno ay mas paigtingin natin ang tinig ng sambayanan.

MAR L O L LAVE STA F F W RI T E R

Bilang pinakamalaking probinsya sa bansa, ang Palawan ay tumabo ng mga internasyonal na pagkilala. Kamakailan lamang ay tinanggap nito ang pagkilala ng Travel + Leisure Magazine bilang “Best Island in the World” sa ikalimang pagkakataon noong 2020. Itinanghal din ng Commission on Audit (COA) bilang ika-9 na pinakamayamang probinsya sa Pilipinas ang Palawan noong taong 2020 na may kabuuang yaman na P13.04 bilyon.

Bunsod ng tinatamasang tagumpay sa larangan ng turismo at ang patuloy na pag-usbong ng ekonomiya ng Palawan, tila nagiging mainit sa mata ang lalawigan na nagdadala ng mga di kanais-nais na balak, tulak na rin ng pansariling interes. Alinsunod sa RA 11259 na pinirmahan ni Pangulong Duterte noong ika-5 ng Abril, 2020, pinapasinayaan na hatiin sa tatlong probinsya ang Palawan — Palawan Del Norte, Palawan Oriental, at Palawan Del Sur. Hindi naman isinama ang Puerto Princesa sa hatian dahil ito ay isang independent city na hindi kasama sa pinamumunuan ng provincial government ng Palawan.

Bago pa man aprubahan ang nasabing batas, tinutulan na ito ni Senador Risa Hontiveros sapagkat ang nasabing paghahati ay hindi raw makabubuti para sa interes ng mga Palaweño, bagkus interes ng bansang Tsina. Ayon kay Hontiveros, ito ay magbibigay ng oportunidad sa Tsina upang mas mapalawak ang sakop at impluwensya nila sa ating bansa.

Ayon kay Cynthia Del Rosario, miyembro ng Save Palawan Movement, isang non-government organization (NGO) na naglalayong pangalagaan ang kapakanan ng Palawan, “The division of Palawan is not the appropriate answer to the existing weak governance, corruption, and natural resource use issues in the province.”

Bunga ng kolektibong pagtindig ng mga Palaweño

DI S G RASYA SA E KO N O M I YA

Ayon sa Department of Finance (DOF) Undersecretary at Chief Economist na si Gil Beltran, hindi maganda ang magiging kinabukasan ng ekonomiya ng lalawigan kung sakali man na manalo sa plebisito ang para sa 3-in-1 Palawan. Tataas ang mga gastusin dahil sa pagpapatayo ng mga esensyal na pasilidad gaya ng mga paaralan, ospital, kapitolyo, at iba pang tanggapan; tinatawag itong mga “overhead expenses” na tiyak na lolobo matapos mangyari ang dibisyon.

Hindi garantisado ang pag-unlad ng lalawigan taliwas sa naging pahayag ng gobernador ng Palawan na si Jose Alvarez na aabot ng P6 bilyon ang badyet ng tatlong probinsya na nangangahulugan na lalaki ng hanggang 100% ang internal revenue allotment (IRA). Ayon sa inilabas na ulat ng Department of Budget and Management (DBM) noong Mayo 20, 2020, 29% lamang ang itataas ng P3 bilyong internal revenue allotment (IRA) ng lalawigan na aabot sa humigit kumulang P800 milyon. Base sa komentaryo ni Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez, “In other countries, rather than split things up, people want to put them together to be more economically viable.”

Wala pang dibisyon ng probinsya sa Pilipinas ang nagdulot ng kaunlaran. Ayon sa panayam kay Ferdie Blanco, isang strategic planning specialist, “In every divided province, there is a laggard province. Even though the internal revenue allotment (IRA) increased, it will not be felt by all.”

*S HOWN IN THE MAP IS THE P ROP OS ED DIVIS ION OF P ROVINCES

PI N S AL A S A M GA KO M U N I DA D

Ayon kay Diuvs de Jesus ng Oceana Philippines, isang organisasyon para sa pangkapaligiran na

I NFO G R A PHI C D E S I G N G ER AR D L AY DI A

pangangalaga, magkakaroon ng kompetisyon sa larangan ng pangingisda sa mga mahahating probinsya. Dagdag pa ni de Jesus, mas mapapadali at maaari nang makarating sa kanayunan ang mga barko ng Tsina dahil sa mahina at desentralisadong proteksyon.

Isang malaking hadlang sa pangingisda ang kapangyarihan ng Tsina sa West Philippine Sea na pangunahing pinangingisdaan ng ilang munisipalidad ng Palawan, gaya ng Kalayaan. Isa sa mga biktima nito ay ang mangingisdang si Larry Hugo na hinadlangan ang karapatan upang maghanapbuhay dahil sa pang-aabuso ng barkong galing sa Tsina.

Bago pa man gawan ng batas, umalma na ang ilang Palaweño sa kawalan nito ng pampublikong konsultasyon. Ayon kay Atty. Anda, abogado ng Save Palawan Movement, mistulang ipinupuslit ang batas na nagresulta ng gulat at batikos mula sa hanay ng mga mamamayan dahil sa kawalan ng transparency ng pamunuan.

Noong Marso 13, 2021, matagumpay na pinagbotohan ng mga Palaweño ang plebisito na magdidikta sa kapalaran ng Palawan sa mga susunod na henerasyon. Matapos ang tatlong araw, tinapos na ng Commission on Elections Provincial Plebiscite Board of Canvassers ang bilangan at ipinroklama nang nanalo ang panig na tutol sa paghahati. Kahit na may banta mula sa pandemya at kahit na bumubuhos ng malakas ang ulan ay nagkaroon pa rin ng 60.9% voter turn-out ang plebisito at tuluyang nanaig ang

tinig ng masa na huwag hatiin ang probinsya.

Ang plebisito ng mga Palaweño ay salamin na mayroong pag-asa sa paggapi ng isang sistemang pinamumunuan at pinapalakad ng iilang mga indibidwal lamang. Kolektibong aksyon ang nagpapanalo sa mga mamamayan ng Palawan at dahil dito’y matatamasa nila ang isang kinabukasan na nakaangkla sa kanilang mga panawagan at adbokasiya.

May kamalayan sila na ang paghahati sa lalawigan ay may mga kaakibat na negatibong epekto gaya ng nagbabadyang pagbagsak ng ekonomiya, malawakang pagkasira ng kalikasan at kapaligiran, paglaganap ng pansariling interes at korupsyon, at ang pinsala sa buhay at seguridad ng mga mamamayan ng Palawan.

Kung mayroon mang dapat matutunan ang Pilipinas at ang mga Pilipino mula sa plebesitong isinagawa kamakailan sa Palawan, ito’y sa darating na halalan sa taong 2022 ay dapat na tayo’y tumindig at gamitin ang ating karapatang bumoto. Na kapag iba ang interes at mga layunin ng mga namumuno ay mas paigtingin natin ang tinig ng sambayanan.

P H OTO CO U RTES Y O F MIK E A L L E N G A B IN E TE

ONLINE uplbperspective.org Read the full story on our website

bit.ly/PalaWon

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Here’s how the state robs our youth, through oppression and exploitative child labor.

G I AN CARLO M O RRO N D OZ STA F F W RI T E R

Children are the epitome of innocence, individuals who need extra protection compared to other sectors in society. They are supposed to be the first to leave a sinking ship. Stories and movies always show the selfless adult saving the poor and helpless child. But in reality, however, that’s not the case. Exploitation and violence against children remains rampant, despite widespread clamor for its eradication. For the month of June, we solidify our commitment to end aggression against children and child labor.

Spanning from June 4 to 12, these are days where we raise awareness about the abuses and injustices inflicted on children; these are the days that we remind ourselves of the responsibilities we have towards one of the most vulnerable groups in our society.

In the Philippines, two out of every three children have stories of physical and psychological violence at home and school. One in four experience sexual violence.

Filipino children are heavily exposed to violence throughout their developmental years. Physical violence, psychological abuse, and peer violence are common. The Philippines is one of the top ten producers of sexual content using children. This ranking is something we’ve sustained for the past ten years, even increasing as time goes on due to the prevalence of the Internet for live streaming.

N O CHI LD ’ S P L AY

On May 23, 2021, Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho aired a special episode about Reymark Mariano, a farmer at the young age of ten. Discussions about his tenacity and dedication gave way to political squabblings as the topic went viral across social media. While some were outraged with Reymark’s plight, norms have accustomed us to applaud him for his tenacity as well as paint his parents as irresponsible adults.

The situations of these children should not be used as an example of “filial piety” and hard work. These things should not happen at all. We should view headlines like “10-anyos na bata, nag-aararo para magkaroon ng pangtustos sa pamilya” not as a feel-good story about upward mobility,  TUR N TO PAG E 42

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or how ‘good things come to those who persevere’, but for what it really is. The gross maltreatment of the working class resorting to child labor, and a state apathetic enough to permit these social injustices to pervade.

Reymark is only one out of three million children in the Philippines. Some are working in gold mines, others are working in sweatshops assembling fireworks, or sewing clothes, but the majority are like Reymark, working in the agricultural sector. One common denominator of these jobs is that they’re all high-risk with high chances of debilitating injuries.

The fashion accessory industry in the Philippines is an industry that commonly employs girls below the allowed working age. Due to the perception of safety in this industry compared to pyrotechnics and agriculture, the fashion accessory and clothing industry has stayed under the radar.

Children from the age of 12-16 are usually tasked in making bead bracelets, woven necklaces, and anklets. Manufacturers are usually found in impoverished, underdeveloped, and underemployed areas. Child laborers are preferred by these manufacturers because of the perception that children are more creative with their works, while adults would only do it for money.

Children are also more susceptible to economic exploitation as they are often brushed off or ignored whenever they’re demanding for better wages. Families of the children are usually complicit in this, usually due to lack of assistance from the government, like many other families depending on the informal economy.

At the turn of the year, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) released information about their activities for the past year. In one of their operations, a baby that was only twenty-five days old was rescued from sexual exploitation. Imagine, a child treated like a sexual object the moment it leaves the womb, to be traded like any other commodity in our markets.

The reality is that of the three million kids forced to work, majority of them are sex workers. The demand for child abuse materials has heightened, especially during the pandemic.

Data shows that foreign demand is one of the main drivers of this market.

But how did countries halfway across the globe become the Philippines’ biggest clientele for child sexual abuse materials? The ease of transaction is a factor, as most Filipinos are fluent in English. The ease of sending remittances to the Philippines also helps disguise transactions.

Poverty is the primary reason why these transactions exist. The pandemic has caused millions of citizens to struggle financially. Online sexual exploitation of children thrives on predators stuck at home and an abundance of people destitute enough to depend on the commodification of their children.

The existence of this trade is a mark of an incompetent government and a history of imperialism in our country that we seem eager to encourage. Just like how the government allows foreigners to extract our natural resources, or abuse our workers, it permits industries like these to prosper. The government is keen on resuscitating the economy through other means, leaving our countrymen starving to death during the pandemic.

These children should be at school studying.

Due to the current mode of education, many children are unable to go to school and are left idle. Not every family could afford gadgets and resources needed for remote and online learning. Not only does this situation leave children

CHILD LABOR IN THE PHILIPPINES The pandemic has rendered them more vulnerable to these types of work as more and more families lie below the poverty threshold. Statistics suggest that western countries serve as the primary clients of these explicit materials, with the United States having 34% of the share.

SOURCE I N T ER N AT I ON AL J U ST I CE M I SSI ON R E S EA RC H G I AN CAR LO M OR R ON DOZ INFOGR A PHI C D E S I G N G ER AR D L AY DI A PHO TO CO URT E SY O F P N A. G OV. P H

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Poverty is the primary reason why these transactions exist. Online sexual exploitation of children thrives on predators stuck at home and an abundance of people destitute enough to depend on the commodification of their children. more vulnerable to child labor, but it also causes stress and frustration among students. Suicide rates have increased during the pandemic. The current situation leaves many students unable to comply and suicide rates continue to increase.

Online learning has only served to compound the stress from the pandemic. It is an unfair educational system that only alienates children from accessing quality education.

T HE L AW S T HAT BI ND BU T DO NO T PRO T EC T

Foreigners prey on poor children  A pair of brothers from

a poor slum, in a rural area 84 kilometers away from Manila, narrated their struggles against sexual abuse when they were both minors. Talking to UNICEF Philippines, brothers Baltazar and Joey (top and right, talking to a counselor) told the story of a foreigner named John: “When I first went in, he did nothing wrong. The next day, he already got our trust,” Baltazar said. The brothers narrated how the abuse was carried out and how John carried a gun inside the room. “We did not report him because we were getting something from him,” Joey said. While John was arrested in 2013, he was acquitted and extradited two years later.

PH OTOS & Q U OT ES F RO M U N I C E F PH ILIPPINES

Laws protect the liberties and the rights of citizens. Policies to ensure and safeguard the rights of vulnerable groups like children are especially important. Without proper mandates, children are rendered helpless before the law.

The Revised Penal Code from 1930 until 1997 classified the crime of rape under crimes of chastity. Even after the Anti-Rape Law of 1997, children above twelve were still considered to be able to give sexual consent. For more than 91 years, the Constitution states that the minimum age to be able to give sexual consent is twelve.

The difficulty of filing a plausible case for rape combined with a low minimum age of consent promotes sexual abuse of children. The need for a court proceeding for sexual violence against children aged twelve above made justice unattainable for people who could not afford legal counsel.

Instead of protecting vulnerable children from sexual violence, the law safeguards offenders. The forgiveness clause releases offenders from all criminal liability if they marry their victims. What would happen if the perpetrator was married to their victim? Are they considered free from liability? The cruelty of this clause is immeasurable, but it has existed on paper for a long time. The effects of this clause will stay for a long time even after it’s been repealed. These reasons along with the taboo associated with rape have led to a culture of silence from victims of abuse and harassment.

Albeit laws exist, its validity lies in the rigorous implementation and execution of our governmental entities. Antithetical to the government’s responsibilities, the Congress, back in 2019, held extensive talks about lowering the age of criminal liability from the already low age of fifteen to twelve years old. A proposal to lower the age of liability only further exposes young children to hardened criminals.

Prisons are already lax with the separation of juvenile delinquents from adult criminals.

This move, to lower the age of liability, also has no legal basis. There is no data that shows that children are responsible for the increasing crime rates. Lowering the age of liability does not prevent adults from taking advantage of children, it further penalizes them for something beyond their control. Just like how children are forced to work against their will, child criminals are also victims of circumstance. Corporal punishment is one of the most common violations of children’s rights. It is also something deeply ingrained in our culture. Beating and punishments that damage a child’s health are measures commonly  TU RN TO PAG E 4 4

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used by families across the country. Despite existing laws that ban the use of corporal punishment for children, it is still present in many homes. Because many of these parents are simply “repeating” what their parents taught them.

This culture of violent punishment is a relic of the past, yet we can’t seem to let it go. Children are perceived to be underdeveloped, in need of lessons, sometimes, through physical violence. However, two wrongs do not make a right. Corporal punishment does not teach children the “lesson” they were supposed to learn, they only fear the belt and the slipper.

“Coming out” stories of many Filipino LGBTQ+ members are met with punishment. Despite their child’s personal decisions, many parents still view it as a “disease.” Something that they can beat or drown out of their child just like when they misbehaved. The belief that seniority and superiority go hand in hand is widespread in the Philippines. However, age is not equivalent to wisdom, and age doesn’t give you the right to belittle and repress.

A law was passed to ban corporal punishment throughout schools and homes. This was a comprehensive law that aimed to penalize and ultimately eliminate the use of corporal punishment. The President vetoed this bill, who with his penchant for violence against the helpless, stated that he “did not agree to a sweeping condemnation of corporal punishment”.

T HE CH I L D R E N O F D U T E RT E

Violence and bloodshed is what Duterte promised in his bid for presidency back in 2016. This is one of the few things he’s achieved in his six-year term. Streets have been bloodied by his war on drugs as well as the crackdown on the opposition, and children are no exception.

Last February, state forces raided the University of San Carlos, arresting teachers and Lumad students. The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC) then proceeded to paint the school as a training ground of the Communist Party. Many Lumad students have already been harassed, tortured, and killed by the state.

Despite already being displaced from their homes, they continue to face discrimination.

The victims of Duterte’s ill-conceived crusades do not end here.

Who can forget seventeen-year-old Kian Delos Santos? He could have been a college sophomore had the state not deprived him of his future. Instead, he’s a casualty, murdered in cold blood by the police. The police were even shameless enough to plant evidence to incriminate him.

Who can forget the death of Skyler Abatayo? A four-year-old child, barely able to go to the toilet without his parents. Killed by a stray bullet during a police operation.

How about five-year-old Danice Mae Garcia?

Gunned down while preparing to go to school because her grandfather was part of Duterte’s watch list. This isn’t a case of collateral damage, or as Senator Bato would put it “shit happens.” The children killed during Duterte’s campaign on illegal drugs numbered at least 122. This number can’t be brushed off as mere ‘collateral damage.’ These are all victims of Duterte’s war against drugs. These numbers are a fraction of the real number of children killed during the Duterte administration. Murderous policemen, scarred families, and a long list of deceased, innocent children. This is the real legacy of the Duterte regime.

Entire childhoods are traumatized because of the culture of violence, blind respect, and harassment against them. P H OTO CO U RTES Y O F U N IC E F. O R G

A S S I ST I NG C H I L D R E N D U R ING TH E PA ND EMIC

The Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC) director vowed last 2019 to free a million

Social media has been weaponized by harassers to prey on victims. P H OTO COU RT ESY OF UN IC E F. O R G

child workers from labor. Last February, the director vowed to free 600,000 child workers. The pandemic is expected to increase the instances of child labor across the Philippines due to declining remittances, migration, and a rise in an informal economy due to lockdown regulations.

Marked gains have been made to decrease the number of child laborers across the country.

This is due in no short part to many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working to eradicate child labor and help facilitate rehabilitation for those affected. Organizations such as Childhope Philippines have been in operation since 1989.

Another recent victory is the impending passage of a bill to raise the minimum age of statutory rape. This was approved by the House in late December last year. After twenty long years, the bill will finally address the numerous legal loopholes found in the Revised Penal Code, such as those that allow child marriage.

All of these victories are due to a lot of people. It stems from representatives, activists, and advocates of the abolishment of child labor. But there’s a reason why every battle is hard-fought.

Because for every NGO that aims to rehabilitate children, there still exists child prostitution rings that treat these minorities as “goods.”

Free, quality, and accessible education must be provided by the government to address ever growing gaps and disparities in socio-economic status. We must continue to demand for accountability because this is the fault of no one but the government. No parent should have to decide whether or not they should send pictures of their three-year-old child just to survive.

What Reymark Mariano and millions of children have in common is that they are all victims of poverty, robbed of their youth; a perfect crime where the state and the ruling class are in connivance, the guiltiest parties of all.

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WHY CAN’T WE MAKE OUR OWN VACCINES?

PH OTO F R O M PNA.G OV.PH [ P ] PH OTO ILLU S T RAT IO N BY V IN CE DIZON

High local demand and costs entail the mandate for a potential solution: locally manufactured vaccines. But why can’t we make our own vaccines?

Let us uncover this initiative’s various roadblocks considering the limitations of the current pharmaceutical industry in the country, and some deeply-rooted bureaucratic and multisectoral issues.

CE L E STE S A M IN A N D E T H AN PAH M STA F F W RI T E RS

A

s a country considered to be under the longest lockdown across the globe, our national government has made multiple attempts to properly address the COVID-19 pandemic from military checkpoints to the latest developments of which is pooling of our funds and resources for vaccine procurement. In response to the

health crisis, the Philippine government proposed a Virology Research Fund totaling P2 billion for vaccine research and development under House Bill No. 6793. P284 million has already been set aside from the 2021 budget to be provided to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

This bill was proposed with the intent to meet the local demand for vaccines due to limited global supply, with the Philippines being the last Southeast Asian country to receive doses of the vaccine. Our neighboring countries received their vaccines significantly earlier. Singapore received theirs on December 21, 2020, and Indonesia on December 6 of the same year. Malaysia received its doses on February 20, 2021, while both Thailand and Vietnam received the vaccines on February 24, 2021. The Philippines, on the other hand, only received the COVID-19 vaccine on March 4, 2021, from the COVAX facility.

Vice President Leni Robredo released a statement in March regarding the insufficiency of the current efforts in order to achieve

herd immunity, that is, having 70% of the population or 77.4 million people out of 111 million citizens vaccinated by the end of the year. The target number should be no less than 300,000 vaccinations per day—a stark number compared to the current pacing of 15,857 vaccinations per day as of writing.

Separate government data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed that the country’s daily rate is only at 6,800 per day with a seven-day average of 47,545 vaccinated individuals. To continue at this rate, we would only be able to vaccinate 1.8 million individuals this year and 2.5 million in the succeeding years.

Provided that there is a consistent and stable supply, the vaccine rollout would last three decades. By that time, the country would have likely achieved natural herd immunity which involves the infection and recovery of the 77.4 million people, however, that route would entail the deaths of around 1.5 million Filipinos. According to the released data by the DOH, only 162,065 of the

population have been fully vaccinated while a million have received their first dose as of April 15, 2021. 2.8 million out of the 3.5 million doses at hand are distributed throughout the country, but the remaining 724,580 has not been accounted for. The total supply of vaccine doses increased to 7.5 million on May 8, 2021 but distribution plans are yet to be disclosed by the government.

Various sectors have expressed concern and criticism over the data provided by the DOH. Several lawmakers, such as Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, called it “garbage” and the UP COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team pointed out the “alarming errors” and “inconsistencies” in DOH’s reports.

Multiple instances of deaths have been reported as recoveries and 516 cases were reclassified either to another city or somewhere completely imaginary. The dubious “mass recovery” was also a result of the DOH’s adjustment that considered “mild and symptomatic cases who remained healthy  P L E ASE TU RN TO PAG E 4 6

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for 14 days” as recovered. There was also a mismatch between the numbers disclosed by the DOH and of local government units (LGUs).

Keeping in mind that cases could be potentially higher than “official records”, compare this to the statistics of our Southeast Asian neighbors. As of April 6, 2021, Singapore had the highest percentage of its population vaccinated at 28.5%, Indonesia with 4.92%, and Malaysia with 2.66%.

This is a significant difference with the Philippines’ 0.84%. Thailand had 0.46% of its population vaccinated, with Vietnam having 0.06%. From this data, we can see that while the Philippines is not the country with the least percentage of its population vaccinated, it certainly is on the lower end.

Despite having a lower vaccination rate, there’s a sharp difference with the total number of cases between the Philippines and its neighboring countries. Countries like Vietnam and Thailand had a scaled up mass and targeted testing to address community transmission, using these data to support the imposed quarantine measures.

This led to Vietnam having 3,000 positive cases with 35 deaths in a population of 97 million and Thailand, with a total population of 70 million having 73,000 positive cases with 303 deaths. A huge difference with the Philippines that has a population of 111 million with currently 1 million positive cases and 18,000 deaths.

The government has always insisted that the large population of the country hindered it from properly mitigating the effects of the pandemic. Harry Roque himself had said last June 10, 2020 that in comparison to how New Zealand had properly halted the spread of the virus, the Philippines simply could not keep up due to factors such as the population and landmass of the country.

However, contrary to the government’s claim that population is a large factor in vaccine distribution, Indonesia still has a higher percentage of its population vaccinated than the Philippines, at least four times the percentage of our country’s vaccinated population, actually. It is worth noting that Indonesia contains more than double of the Philippines’s population having 273.52 million citizens.

It has become evident that the number of imported vaccines is insufficient, not to mention costly. As of May 1, 2021, the vaccines delivered to the Philippines are Sinovac, Astrazeneca, and Sputnik V. A single dose of Sinovac is said to be P650 or roughly 14 USD, Astrazeneca at P144 to P192 (3 USD to 4 USD) per dose, and Sputnik V at P480 (10 USD) per dose—clearly, expensive given our large population along with the fact that some vaccines require more than one dosage per person.

Not only that, but to properly store these vaccines, one would need to meticulously maintain proper temperatures for each distribution facility. Because otherwise, the vaccines will lose their potency. This signifies that additional expenses for logistics and storing such as for transport trucks and local facilities with proper equipment will also be incurred. High local demand and costs entail the mandate for a potential solution: locally manufactured vaccines.

BUT W H Y C A N ’ T W E M A K E O U R OW N VACC I N E S ?

Let us uncover this initiative’s various roadblocks considering the limitations of the current pharmaceutical industry in the country, and some deeply-rooted bureaucratic and

Scientists are further provided with an additional bureaucratic nightmare by having to prove their need for equipment to military politicians and personnel heading their respective departments.

multisectoral issues.

One of the approaches to mitigate the adverse effects of COVID-19 is House Bill 6793, authored by Albay Representative Joey Salceda. The significant lack of information about the virus led to an inadequate response to the outbreak—highlighting the importance of prevention in addressing public health emergencies.

The bill’s focus is through the development of the Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines which has the objective of establishing a collaborative network of knowledge and research.

A point of consideration is the Philippine National Vaccination Deployment Plan with the DOH spearheading the task group. The plan explicitly states that its role is to identify potential COVID-19 vaccine delivery strategies and to ensure that vaccines are properly distributed to the population. The problem is that governance for the bill, ironically, was handed off to the DOST as seen in Section 8 of the bill. Not only that, but even the ranks of the proposed virology institute itself are

set up in a way that could cause miscommunications and inefficiencies. It is specified under Section 9 that the members would come from all sorts of departments such as the Department of Health, the Department of Agriculture, three selected members from the private sector, and more. This would mean that anything found by the institute would first have to go through its governing body, then to the heads from DOST, then back to the DOH for approval, and only then would they be able to take action.

This is not an isolated case. Similar problems with the so-called red-tape occurred within the DOH even at the first few months of the pandemic. It’s the same department that slowed down the procurement of testing kits and machines, aggravated by the bureaucratic limitations set by the Bureau of Customs (BoC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The BoC also required importers of COVID-19 related products to obtain special authorization from the FDA, through a Certificate of Product Notification or a Certificate of Product Registration. Personal Protective

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A medical frontliner waits for her turn to be vaccinated in San Pablo, Laguna. P R OVI N CI AL G OVER N M EN T OF L AG U N A

Equipment (PPE), such as masks and other medical products, needed to go through registration despite them being scarce in supply at the time for medical workers.

It was due to reasons like these, a shortage in testing kits among other things, that resulted in an underreported number of initial cases for the virus. The lack of PPE, had also exposed thousands of frontline workers to COVID-19.

I N T E R N A L CO N F L I C T S A ND D IVISION

There are currently multiple teams and departments, from both the public and private sectors, independently working on vaccine manufacturing as well as research and development. Under the proposed House Bill 6793 for establishing the Virology Institute, it would require the cooperation of all those entities involved. Vaccine production efforts come with an apparent lack of organization and coordination between the important public health sectors as observed by their separate activities.

Last June 2020, DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said that they have been in touch

with “several international partner institutions” for vaccine development collaboration.

This is in partnership with the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) along with an expert panel from the University of the Philippines Manila and local pharmaceutical companies to discuss the execution of clinical trials in the country.

In return for serving as a hub for vaccine clinical trials, the Philippines would be supported by foreign companies for local COVID-19 vaccine production, given that the results of the trials are favorable.

DOST claimed and assured their support for the private sector’s clinical trials and assistance for product registration. They made this official on April 15, 2021 when they announced that they are “in talks” with six potential vaccine manufacturers, all of which are foreign-based. It mentioned the possibility of local vaccine production, but not specified whether it is for COVID-19 doses, by late 2022.

On a separate event, the National Task Force Against COVID-19 was the frontman in securing the commitment of the Serum

Income generation has always been the top priority of companies and the ongoing health crisis is no exception.

Pfizer, for instance, insisted on reserving their intellectual property rights... ensuring their expected $15 billion profit in jabs

Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, to help the country produce its own vaccine. This is despite the fact that the policy-making body is the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases as led by the DOH. As a result, they should have been the ones in talk with the Serum Institute of India instead of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, the role of which is for the implementation of the policies and decisions by the IATF. For the private sectors, the OCTA Research team, through Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, disclosed their research conducted in the United States, on COVID-19 oral vaccines which are yet to undergo animal testing. Similarly, an Israeli-Filipino firm filed their application to manufacture oral vaccines in the country which is yet to be approved by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).

It is notable how the OCTA Research team is conducting their experiments abroad, a testament to the lack of government support for research and development as seen by the P76 million DOST budget cut for research in 2021; they have provided 284 million pesos to DOST for equipment purchase under the virology research institute while simultaneously cutting their research budget.

Scientists are further provided with an additional bureaucratic nightmare by having to prove their need for equipment to military politicians and personnel heading their respective departments.

An example would be that the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19, tasked to implement the National Action Plan (NAP) to address the pandemic, is handled by three former military generals with no background in public health. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is the overall head of the NTF, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año as vice-chair, and Carlito Galvez Jr. as the Chief Implementer of the NAP or commonly called the vaccine czar.

Even the “contact tracing czar” Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who ironically downplays the need for contact tracing, was a retired police officer who has also violated quarantine protocols.

The incoming money, may it be donations, gifts, grants, or loans for the Virology Research Fund would also be subjected to a rigorous process of approval. It would first be directed to the President “upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the DOST and Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)”, rendering it susceptible to budget cuts. Even research donations can now possibly be allocated for the military, given the government’s history of priorities.

The particular roles of the DOST, the DOH, and even the National Task Force Against COVID-19 in their general attempt to boost local production are unclear due to the lack of cooperation and general plan of action. In addition to the confusion, these sectors and groups would all be vying for limited funds allotted for vaccine research and development. They will also be undergoing the bureaucratic process of application and review for funding and implementation. This poses the possibility of unsolicited internal division among the institutions, further preventing proper vaccine manufacture, development, and deployment.

Aside from the governmental hurdles for local vaccine manufacture, there are already enough obstacles for developing countries like the Philippines. Manufacturing and supplies are not distributed evenly due to information gatekeeping and obstruction of COVID-19  TU RN TO PAG E 4 8

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groups, many politicians also continue to cut the vaccination line. While having only 336,656 health care workers (HCWs) vaccinated out of 1.7 million individuals, politicians such as Mayor Elanito Peña from Minglanilla, Cebu still continue to rationalize their cutting in line by falsely claiming to be a frontliner as well. Several mayors from different municipalities have also committed this act, and note that with every cut, a frontliner or a high-risk person loses their dose.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire issued a statement that urged Filipinos to report people who were cutting the line.

Ironically, even the DOH is aware of those who cut in line but they have yet to penalize all violators. This is further evidenced by how Tim Yap and actress KC Concepcion only paid P1,500 for throwing a birthday party and violating quarantine protocols, while ordinary citizens are beaten and exhausted to death.

There was also a case in Bicol of how 7,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were wasted during transport. Senator Nancy Binay had believed that the thermometer used by the third-party logistics company was faulty. This defective thermometer had actually changed how the vaccines were stored, and the potency and effectiveness of the vaccines were supposedly affected—but the DOH later issued a statement that the vaccines were still in usable condition. Nevertheless, this incident expresses state neglect and carelessness.

Instead of a unified and proactive effort towards local vaccine manufacture, the majority of the aforementioned steps taken by various sectors are solitary and uncoordinated, contributing to the inability of the country to produce vaccines. This leaves us reliant on limited global supply controlled by imperialist countries. As a result, the Philippines is far from reaching its goal of mass vaccination by the end of the year.

President Duterte continued to encourage citizens to wait for the vaccines, but not every Filipino could afford to wait, as the daily tally of cases now ranges around 10,000 per day, bringing the total cases to more than a million; our country was the “second worst-hit”

by COVID-19 in Southeast Asia and the ICU and emergency rooms of hospitals, specifically in the National Capital Region (NCR), are now reaching 86% occupancy. As they near their critical threshold, not only COVID-19 patients would be unable to receive proper treatment, but also other emergency patients.

The government’s refusal to view the pandemic as a public health crisis is costing the lives of millions of Filipinos. As we lose more lives while waiting for the “promised solution” to the pandemic, public officials continue to praise and celebrate the “resilience” of our exhausted medical frontliners. Data further proves that reliance on vaccines alone will not solve the pandemic, contrary to our government’s plan of action.

Each day, the government’s current response results in around 10,000 positive cases and 100 deaths. When Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque bragged about the government’s success in “beating COVID-19”, he boasted of 18,000 deaths as well.

If the government continues to act and regard the pandemic as a sole economic and military crisis, there would no longer be a need for vaccines because no Filipino would be alive to use it. And even if the powers that be decide to recalibrate their pandemic response tomorrow, their efforts are already futile because the individuals who died at the hands of the state yesterday and today can no longer be revived.

vaccines done by the great countries. This is why 100 countries are asking other World Trade Organization (WTO) members to agree with lifting the COVID-19 related intellectual-property (IP) rights.

N EO L I B E R A L I S M A N D FOR EIG N PR IOR ITIZ ATION

DOST Usec. Rowena Guevara claimed that vaccine manufacture is “best suited to the private sector” and that private companies should be at the “forefront” of development, shifting the government’s responsibility, yet again, to the private sector.

Income generation has always been the top priority of companies and the ongoing health crisis is no exception. Pfizer, for instance, insisted on reserving their intellectual property rights, ensuring their expected $15 billion profit for the year 2021 from COVID-19 vaccines. By withholding the patent, transnational pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer are able to dictate the price of vaccines and hold developing countries like the Philippines by the neck; we would have no choice but to take global market prices because of the severity of the current situation which would only be augmented by vaccines. The inability of the country to produce its own vaccines makes it reliant on the five multinational corporations controlling 80% of the global vaccine supply.

The economic policies in place further expose us to neocolonialism by rendering our country dependent on great countries with large pharmaceutical manufacturing industries. It impedes the country’s overall independence and development by handing a principal part of our funds to foreign companies and industries which then gets to dictate local prices and services.

An example is the parallel drug importation program signed by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on June 6, 2008. The Universally Acceptable Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008 made it significantly easier to import cheaper versions of branded medicines and sell them to the public. This, along with the fact that multinational companies which had manufacturing plants in the country closed down their facilities over the years, and began to import from corporate production centres abroad, shows that the government has a greater inclination towards importing pharmaceuticals compared to having them locally manufactured.

The government’s so-called loyalty to these foreign corporations, albeit asserted that it is to “stimulate” and “revive” the economy, doesn’t actually help the citizens. Because when foreign commodities are heavily favored over local production, it only helps these international companies achieve their target superprofits. And what makes it worse is that the national government not only allows this to happen, but has also perpetrated this disservice; a manifestation was during one of the most infamous periods of Philippine history, the Marcos regime.

The Philippines had suffered from an economic decline ever since Ferdinand Marcos seized power. The Marcos administration, alongside rampant crony capitalism and corruption, had used the declaration of Martial Law to, “open up and restructure the Philippine economy according to the needs of foreign monopoly capital.” In other words, prioritizing foreign agenda and profit over local production.

He institutionalized the export of cheap labor from the Filipino citizens, and also bypassed constitutional restrictions on foreign exploitation on Filipino petroleum and

Getting a vaccine is harder in the Philippines, because of a tangled bureaucracy and the hidden forces of the neoliberal world order, spelling doom over the public’s health. P R OVI N C I AL G OVER N ME N T O F L A G U N A gas—allowing foreign oil and gas corporations to completely take over our natural resources.

While the gross domestic product (GDP) had initially looked “optimal”, it was actually an inaccurate depiction of the country’s progress. It incorrectly assumed that economic gains were evenly spread across the population, evidently shown in the massive wealth inequalities between the social classes at the time.

Because of economic policies like these, demanded by the US-dominated International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB), Marcos had increased the national debt fifty-fold from $599 million in 1965 to $28.3 billion when he left as a deposed dictator in 1986; debt that is still being paid today by the current generation and is still going to burden the generations to come.

Hypothetically, even with sufficient funding and government support, local vaccine manufacture would require the time this country cannot afford anymore. The Philippines faced its own hurdles, from institutional infighting to budget cuts that derailed local vaccine development and is the reason why the administration’s pandemic response is centered on vaccine procurement and deployment, highly-militarized response, and on the continuous imposition of nation-wide quarantine.

Senator Panfilo Lacson disclosed how DOH

When Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque bragged about the government’s success in “beating COVID-19”, he boasted of 18,000 deaths as well.

Secretary Francisco Duque failed to accomplish the necessary paperwork in order to secure the 1 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine for the Philippines by January of this year. The paperwork in question was the Confidentiality Disclosure Agreement (CDA) that had even been followed up by the Pfizer country representative. Instead, the shipment had gone to Singapore where 55,000 people have already been vaccinated by Pfizer as of February 2021.

Despite the limited vaccine supply and the disqualification from being part of the priority

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Hikbi ng inang kalikasan

Ang pinsala sa apat na elemento ng daigdig, at ang mapait na epekto nito sa mga nagdudusang mamamayan.

VINCE VILLA NU EVA , S TAF F W RIT E R [P} G RAPHICS NI G ABRIEL ALG AR

Hindi natin mapagkakailang masagana ang pinapamahaging regalo sa atin ng kalikasan.

Mula sa mga mineral ng kabundukan, mga likas na yaman sa ating mga karagatan, at mula sa lupa na pinagkukunan natin ng mailalaman sa ating mga sikmura.

Sa kabilang banda, kung ating sisipatin, ang pandemya’t mga inhustisya sa ating kalikasan ay salamin na patuloy ang pananamantala at pamemeste hindi lamang sa kalikasan, kundi pati na rin sa mga mamamayan na nagbubunsod ng perwisyo at kahirapan.

Kasabay ng pagdiriwang ng International Earth Day, ating balikan ang apat na elemento na nagpapatakbo sa daigidig. Ang lupa, tubig, apoy, at hangin na tuluyang napipinsala buhat nang matinding pananamantala at pasismong pamamalakad.

LU PANG P INAGS AS AMANTALAHA N

Sa katunayan, mayaman ang ating bansa sa usapin ng kalikasan dahil tirahan ito nang sandamakmak na species. Kung kaya’t nakuha natin ang ikalimang pwesto bilang “megadiversity

country” sa buong mundo kasama ang Ecuador, Brazil at iba pa. Subalit, kasama din ang Pilipinas sa mga bansang itinuturing na “biodiversity hotspot” o ang mga dapat mabigyan ng prayoridad sa proteksyon at konserbasyon.

Kasabay nang pagiging tirahan ng libo-libong uri ng hayop at halaman, ang mga banta sa pagkasira at “habitat alteration” tulad ng overexploitation, pagbaba ng “forest cover,” at pagtaas ng populasyon ang mga nakikitang pangunahing dahilan upang tayo’y mapabilang dito.

Habang patuloy na lumolobo ang ating populasyon, umaariba din ang ating mga pangunahing pangangailangan gaya ng pagkain, at hilaw na materyales tulad ng kahoy at “non-timber forest products” na ginagamit naman sa pagpapatayo ng mga imprastraktura. Taong 2015, naitala na may natitirang pitong milyong ektaryang kagubatan na lamang ang bansa.

Idagdag pa na habang mas nangangailangan tayo ng mga matitibay na batas na pumoprotekta sa ating kalikasan, patuloy ang pamahalaan sa pag-implementa ng polisiyang nagpapahamak dito. Taong 2012, ipinasa ni dating Pangulong Benigno Aquino ang Executive Order (EO) 79 na naglalayong magkaroon ng pagrerebisa sa  SU ND AN S A PA H INA 50

50 || F EATU RES 50

O CTO B ERLY229,, 22021 021 || UUPPLLBBPPERS ERSPPECTI ECTIVE.O VE.ORG RG JU

 MUL A S A PA HIN A 47

Philippine Mining Act noong 1995. Nagkaroon ng mga bagong polisiya para masiguro ang pangangalaga sa ating kalikasan at sa responsableng pagmimina at paggamit ng mga “mineral resources.” Samantala, ngayong Abril 14 lamang, tuluyan nang natanggal ang siyam na taong “moratorium” ng EO 79. Nilagdaan ni Pangulong Duterte ang EO 130 na bagong “mining order” ng bansa. Nakasaad sa bagong kautusan ang pagbibigay permiso sa pamahalaan at mga pribadong sektor na mahimasok sa mga bagong “mineral agreements.” Ang pagkakasangkot ng pamahalaan ay upang magkaroon tayo ng diumanong significant economic benefits lalo na sa mga proyektong Build, Build, Build, Balik Probinsya, at Bagong Pag-asa Program sa ilalim ng rehimeng Duterte.

Pinapayagan na rin ng kautusang ito ang Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) na patuloy na maglabas ng “exportation permit” sa mga mining companies.

Sa madaling salita, mas binigyan din ng pagkakataon ang mga dayuhang korporasyon na 100% na magpatakbo ng mga “mineral lands” at kabilang na rito ang sobra-sobrang exportation ng nickel, copper, ginto at iba pa. Tila ba’y ang yaman na dapat napupunta sa kaban ng bayan ay dumederetso sa bulsa ng mga dayuhang kompanya.

Sa katunayan, ayon sa industry-wide audit na isinagawa noong panahon ni DENR Secretary Regina Lopez, 68% sa mga mining companies ay napatunayang lumabag sa batas at polisiya na nagbunga ng perwisyo sa mga komunidad na malapit sa minahan.

Kalakip ng pagpapalakas sa sektor ng pagmimina, napatunayan na nakadagdag lamang ang sektor ng 0.89 na porsyento sa kabuuang Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ng bansa. At ayon kay Sonny Africa, direktor ng IBON Foundation, ang nakukuhang 15 bilyong buwis at “mining fees” ay balewala at hindi gaanong nagagamit sa ilalim ng Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act.

Tila bang ang mga indibidwal na nagpapalakas ng mga adbokasiya para sa kalikasan ay pinipigilang makamit ang pagbabago sa isang sistemang nananamantala sa yaman ng ating inang bayan. noong taong 2019, nabanggit mismo ng Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) na ang mga “reclamation project” sa Manila Bay at sa kabuuan ng bansa ay magreresulta lamang ng kapahamakan at pagkasira ng ating kalikasan.

HA NGI NG NA DU DU NGI S A N

T U BI G NA B I N A B A H I R A N

Isinasaad ng Kalikasan People’s Network for The Environment, isang organisasyon na nangangalaga at nagtataguyod sa kalikasan, na ang mga mining companies ay nagbabayad lamang ng P50 kada tonelada ng basura sa mga “unauthorized areas” at wala pa sa isang piso ang ibinabayad para sa kada tonelada ng “mine waste” at sa mga “mine tailings” o mga kemikal pulbos na itinatapon matapos ang proseso, sa ating mga kabundukan, gubat at ilog.

Patunay dito ang mga delubyong naganap noong taong 2020. Sunod-sunod ang mga bagyong tumama sa bansa noong Oktubre at Nobyembre na nagdulot nang malalang pagbaha at problema sa kalusugan. Isa na rito ang Barangay Didipio sa Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya na nakaranas ng pagbaha na may kasamang “toxic elements” na nakaapekto sa kanilang pamumuhay at kalusugan.

Gayundin ang pagbaha sa lungsod ng Marikina at sa probinsya ng Rizal at Cagayan. Ayon sa pananaliksik ng Advocates of Science and Technology for the People (Agham), ang pangunahing naging sanhi nito ay ang pagkasira ng watershed dahil diumano sa tatlong kompanya ng minahan sa probinsya ng Rizal.

Idagdag pa rito ang patuloy na pabago-bagong panahon o climate change. Sinasabi na ang pag-aangkat o “shipping” ng mga kargo ng iba’t ibang produkto’t hilaw na materyales, ay nakadadagdag ng mahigit isang bilyong toneladang “carbon dioxide” (CO2) kada taon.

Mahigit 90% ng kalakalan ay naihahatid sa pamamagitan ng karagatan na kung saan karamihan sa mga ginagamit na barko ay

Ang pang-aabuso sa kalikasan ay kumakalat sa iba’t ibang yaman ng bansa. naglalabas ng maraming CO2 na labis ang perwisyo, hindi lamang sa mga anyong tubig, pati na rin sa iba pang likas na yaman. Ilan lamang sa makikitang bunga nito ay ang ang pagkasira ng mga “coral reefs,” panunuyo ng Aral Sea sa Kazakhstan at Uzbekistan at ang pagkatunaw ng Colombia glacier sa Alaska, United States.

A POY SA MGA KABAHAYAN

Samantala, muling binuhay ng DENR ang pagbibigay ng Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) para sa Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Bacoor na layuning masimulan ang “land reclamation project” na nagreresulta sa pagkawala ng hanapbuhay at tirahan ng mga pamilyang umaasa lamang sa pangingisda. Unti-unti ring nagsasagawa ng mga “infrastructure projects” tulad ng expressway at LRT 1 extension project na tiyak na sisira sa libo-libong tirahan.

Kung kaya’t hindi maitatangging labis-labis

M U L A S A I B O N F O U N D ATIO N

ang naging pagtutol ng mga mangingisda pati na rin ng ilang mga organisasyon tulad ng Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) ukol dito. Subalit, dahil sa pagpupumiglas ng mga residente ng Brgy. Sineguelasan, Bacoor Cavite, sinasabing ang mga sunod-sunod na pagkasunog sa lugar ay isang paraan ng lokal na pamahalaan upang mabilis silang mapaalis sa lugar.

Gayundin, ayon sa PAMALAKAYA – Cavite, ang ilang “reclamation projects” ng Manila Bay ay planong sakupin ang ilang lugar sa Cavite na magreresulta lamang sa kawalan ng kabahayan ng humigit kumulang 335 libong residente sa 95 na barangay sa may tabing dagat.

Malaki ang magiging epekto nito para sa mga lokal na residente, at malinaw na ang binuhay na mga proyekto’t programa ay pinagana ng mga polisiyang isinasantabi ang kapakanan ng mga mamamayan. Kapansin-pansin din na

Samantala, dahil sa pagpapatupad ng “community lockdown” noon pang nakaraang taon, animo’y naging kalmado ang polusyon sa ating hangin. Unti-unting napagtanto ng mga Pilipino na tanaw pala sa Metro Manila ang Sierra Madre mountain range dahil nawalan ng mga pribado at pampublikong sasakyang dumadaan sa mga kalye. Naging malaking kontribusyon din ang “lockdown” para bumaba ng 40 hanggang 66 porsyento ang lebel ng PM2.5, isang uri ng pollutant na sa sobrang liit ay hindi nakikita ng ating mga mata; sinasabing nagreresulta ang pollutant na ito ng kanser sa baga.

Sa kabilang banda, ayon kay Dr. Gerry Bagtasa ng the University of the Philippines’ Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (IESM), ang kasalukuyang krisis ay walang malalim na kontribusyon sa pagbabawas ng ating polusyon sa hangin sapagkat ang CO2 na ating nailabas na’y tumatagal ng ilang siglo at ito’y hindi nawawala sa loob lamang ng ilang buwan. At hindi lang din sa mga sasakyan nanggagaling ang ating polusyon bagkus ang 20% ay mula sa mga kompanya at pabrika. Mayroon ding tinatawag na “open burning,” o ang tradisyonal na pagsusunog ng lupain upang madaling tamnan, sa ilang bahagi ng Central Luzon at Cagayan Valley. Kaya patuloy na ipinapaalala ng mga eksperto na maging “environment-friendly” ang ating mga aksyon at magkaroon ng striktong implementasyon sa mga polisiya na naglilimita sa mga malalaking kompanya’t pabrika na sirain ang ating kapaligiran.

Bukod sa mga epekto ng direktang pagmamalabis sa ating kalikasan, ang una ring sumasalo ng atake’t represyon ay ang mga taong nangangalaga at nagtataguyod ng ating kapaligiran tulad ng ating mga aktibistang pangkalikasan. Ayon sa London-based environmental watchdog na Global Witness, pumangalawa sa buong mundo ang Pilipinas bilang pinakadelikadong lugar para sa mga environmental activist. Ito’y dahil mahigit 43 katao ang kinitil ang buhay noong 2019 lamang na kung saan karamihan ay nagmumula sa sektor ng agrikultura at pagmimina.

Tila bang ang mga indibidwal na nagpapalakas ng mga adbokasiya para sa kalikasan ay pinipigilang makamit ang pagbabago sa isang sistemang nananamantala sa yaman ng ating inang bayan. Ang paghahangad ng labis-labis ay hindi kailanman nagdulot ng mabuti; dahil kapag ang kalikasa’y tuluyan nang naubos, paano na lamang ang mga susunod na henerasyon?

Hindi dapat pinagsasamantalahan ang kalikasan upang unahin ang pansariling interes.

Ang gobyerno’y dapat magpatupad ng mga tunay na proyekto at polisiya na mangangalaga hindi lamang sa kapaligiran, kundi pati na rin sa kapwa nating kumakapa pa sa pagbangon. Alisin ang dayuhang kontrol sa ating mga likas na yaman upang hindi mahadlangan ang pagsagana ng kalikasan at buhay ng mga mamamayan.

UPL B PE R S P EC T I V E . O R G | O C TO BER 29 , 2021

CULTURE

ODA NG

PANINIDIGAN Sa patuloy na pagbayo ng mga sandamakmak na pagsubok at problema sa bansa dulot ng lumalalang sitwasyong pang-ekonomiya’t pampulitika, isa sa patuloy na sumusuong upang ipakita at ilahad ang tunay na dinaranas ng mga Pilipino ay ang sining ng pagtatanghal o teatro.

V I N CE V ILLA N U EVA STA F F W RI T E R

Sa kung paanong pilit tayong hinahampas ng hirap ay siyang patuloy naman nating paglaban sa ating mga karapatan at bumangon muli.

Sa katunayan, taun-taon ay palaging inaabangan ang kapana-panabik na Isko’t Iska, isang tanyag na taunang teatrong pagtatanghal ng mga isyu sa lipunan, laan at inihanda ng mga bagong Iskolar ng “Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Los Baños” (UPLB) tuwing unang semestre. At sa taong ito, bagama’t kaiba sa nakasanayang pagtatanghal sa DL Umali, ay inilayag pa rin nila ang Isko’t Iska 2020 na may temang “Mga Oda ng Pilipino sa Pakikibaka” na isinagawa sa pamamagitan ng maikling pelikula at kanta sa onlayn na pamamaraan. Nagkaroon ng kaunting pasilip noong Disyembre at sa Pebrero naman inilaan ang kabuuang produksyon nito.

PAT U LOY N A PAGKA L A MPAG

Sa unang pasilip ng Isko’t Iska 2019 na may titulong “Talindaw ng Masang Palaban”, kapansin-pansin ang mga salitang nabanggit tulad ng “Patuloy ang ating pagkalampag para sa karapatang aksyon at katarungan sa mga nawalang buhay dahil sa kapabayaan ng administrasyon” at “...huminga ng malalim upang magpakatatag”.

Bungad pa lang ay pinararatingan na ng dula gamit ang mga salitang pagkalampag at magpakatatag ay nangangahulugang pakikipaglaban at pagtindig sa katarungan ng mga Iskolar ng Bayan. Hindi sila mga nagbibingihan at nagbubulag-bulagan sa mapang-aping sistema.

Idagdag pa, ang mga liriko sa kanta na “pilitin nating maglayag at palagan ang lakas ng alon” ay nangangahulugang pilitin nating makibaka at magkaroon nang paninindigang lumaban

sa mga krisis na nakalibot sa atin.

Sangkaterba man ang mga politikal na isyu at kaganapan, maaari pa rin natin itong malampasan gamit ang ating kolektibong aksyon upang umahon at pagtutol sa anumang uri ng inhustisya.

Sa pagdating na ng mismong produksyon, mas naging malawak pa ang mga ipinakitang isyung kinakalampag. Nariyan ang mga iba’t ibang pamagat at bahagi ng dula tulad ng “Bukang Liwayway” para sa mga magsasaka, kababaihan at iba, “Kalayaan” tungkol sa LGBT, “Sossy” para sa panawagang makamit na ang ligtas na balik-eskwela, “Tinig ng Dalawang Bayani” na pumapatungkol sa nag-aalab na pagmamahal ng isang Iskolar ng Bayan sa pakikipaglaban at pangangamba naman ng isang Ina. Nabigyang-pansin din ang isyu ng mga kinamkaman ng lupa na may pamagat na “Tinik ng Titulo”, “Pastulan” para sa mga magigiting na

namayapa, “Lakbay-Tapang” na naging paksa ay ang mga paglalapastangan sa mga Indigenous People, “Balse ng mga Bangkay” na tungkol naman sa mga nakitil na inosenteng mga Pilipinong hinihiyaw pa rin ang hustisya, “Hiyaw sa Makabagong Araw” tungkol sa kaisipang “resiliency” ng mga Pilipino at #JunkTerrorLaw. BAS E S A IMAHE’T S IMBOLO

Tiyak na hindi rin mawawala sa pagsasadula ang mga imahe’t simbolong nagpakulay at nagpaigting sa layuning maipahayag ang kanilang saloobin sa masining na paraan. Nariyan ang imahe ng mga mag-aaral sa isang “Zoom meeting”, mga “digital arts” na nagpapakita ng mga miyembro ng LGBTQ at samu’t saring animasyon patungkol sa mga naaping Pilipino at maging ang pamagat na “Dapithapon” na may animasyon na tungkol sa mga indibidwal na pinaslang ng walang awa noong panahon ng Martial Law.

Sa kabilang banda, ayon naman kay Stephen Oyales, miyembro ng Isko’t Iska 2020, hangarin din ng palabas ang katagang “Mula sa masa, Para sa Masa” sapagkat kinakatawan nito ang bawat sektor ng ating lipunan na patuloy na hindi pinapakinggan ng estado ang kanilang mga hinaing. May mga larawan na humihingi ng saklolo at may kumukuha ng bidyo sa kanila, magsasakang may tumutulong dugo at imahe ng mga indibidwal tulad ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa at PNP Chief Debold Sinas na may sinasaktang Pilipino at pinapakita ang kanilang opresibong pamamaraan ng pag-abuso sa mga karapatang-pantao.

BAS E S A M E NS A HE

Sa katunayan, maraming mahihinuhang mensahe ang dula tulad ng pagpapangalaga natin sa ating karapatan o ‘di nama’y patuloy na pakikibaka natin sa katarungan bunsod ng mga mapang-abusong mga

makapangyarihan at indibidwal. Isa pa, hindi tayo maaaring tumitig, tumahimik, at tumunganga lang sa mga sunod-sunod na panghaharas sa atin at sa ating kapwa Pilipino sapagkat may kakayahan tayong palawakin at palakasin ang kanilang mga panawagan at paghihingi ng tulong.

Karagdagan pa, nagkaroon ng iba’t ibang paksa o segment ang ikalawang bahagi ng Isko’t Iska kung saan ipinatutungkulan nito ang samu’t saring isyung kinasasangkutan ng rehimeng Duterte. Pinahihiwatig nito na hindi lamang dapat tayo makulong sa iilang mga problemang nagaganap sa ating komunidad sapagkat higit na sandamakmak pa ang dapat mabigyang pansin at maibandera ng masa sa ating mapang-alipustang pamahalaan at sistema. Higit na hindi rin dapat tayong magpauto at malihis ang atensyon sa mga problema ngayon na patuloy naman nilang tinatakpan at tinatapakan.

Sa kabuuan, malinaw na ipinapahiwatig ng pagtatanghal na ang bagong umagang darating ay hindi lamang hiraya dahil ang dagundong ng damdamin ay dapat mapaigting.

Kahit tayo ay simpleng mamamayan o mag-aaral, matuto tayong huwag magpabulag sa mga bulok na sistema at mga paglabag sa ating mga karapatan. Makiisa tayo sa laban ng mga masang-api sa pamamagitan ng pagtindig at pakikipamuhay kasama nila, pagsama sa mga kilos-protesta, o pakikiisa sa mga panawagan upang sa huli, atin nang higit pang maibandera mga isyung hindi nararapat tinatakpan at tinatapakan dahil tayo ay sabay-sabay na maglalayag sa iisang panawagan at magkakapit-bisig sa gitna ng mga hampas ng rehimeng ito.

S C R E E N G R A BS MU L A IS KO ’ T IS K A / FA C E B O O K

52 | C U LTU RE

Every year on May 1 since 1908, we commemorate Labor Day, or the International Workers’ Day. N I N O TCH KA N O E LLE B RA S UEL A COR R ES P O N D E N T

On the same date in the year 1974, former president Ferdinand E. Marcos signed the Labor Code of the Philippines, wherein it highlighted the employees and the employers both having essential roles in society, even with different functions, united by a common goal of efficient production and provision of the citizens’ needs. In its most ethical sense, labor and capital should not oppose each other, but rather should cooperate to provide maintenance for everybody.

However, history can attest on how oppressive the system is, hence the establishment of trade unions who are organized by unionists and progressive activists because of the lack of a just and sensible partnership between the employers and the employees, even with the implementation of laws that advocate for justice and equity in workplaces. Moreover, it is supposedly the duty of the government to protect wage earners from the exploitative ruling class, yet we are faced with the same mistreatment and oppression from both institutions. And for what reasons do they abuse the underprivileged majority? Greed and power.

On May 1, as we commemorate Labor Day, let’s take a moment to reflect on the cruel and unfair working conditions and wages our laborers have under the ruling of the exploitative people in power, and be reminded of how unionists and workers struggle amidst the oppression and belittlement of the government and capitalists.

O CTO B ER 2 9, 2 021 | U P L B P ERS P ECTI VE.O RG

Understanding the timeless relevance of trade unionism

POV E RT Y , MA RGI N A L I Z AT I ON A ND HUM A N R I GH T S V I O L AT I O NS

In 2018, being paid only 380 pesos a day, outsourced workers at NutriAsia finally decided to be on strike. NutriAsia is the manufacturer of popular condiments, like Datu Puti vinegar, Mang Tomas sauce, and UFC ketchup. Throughout the years, NutriAsia workers were forced to work for more than 12 hours a day to earn enough salary just to make ends meet. Furthermore, workers were even forced to pay for their uniforms and protective gears without any reimbursement from NutriAsia. And on top of that, after working for many years in the same corporation, workers received no salary adjustments.

The strike was held on June 4 led by a unionist leader, Jessie Gerola, the president of Nagkakaisang Manggagawa ng NutriAsia Inc, which successfully forced NutriAsia to suspend its operations that day, by holding a picket line across the factory. All they wanted was to be hired as regular workers.

But instead of heeding their calls, NutriAsia decided to seek for a temporary restraining order (TRO) from a regional trial court in Bulacan and was handed not only one but two TROs consequently. As a result, on June 14, policemen heavily guarded the gate of NutriAsia. A woman tried to record this on her phone, but was prevented by a policeman. Violence followed.

This infamous violent dispersal of NutriAsia workers in 2018 gathered attention and sympathy from people, as pictures and videos taken from the scene were uploaded on social media.

Labor groups and ordinary citizens express their support to the marginalized workers by boycotting NutriAsia.

These are just few of the many forms of abuse capitalists and government inflict upon the working class, and these are just some of the famous and documented cases of mistreatment

[P] GRA PHICS BY J ASE M I C H AEL M AN ATAD

“Probationary workers have an option to join the union, but, in reality, management fires, or do not regularize workers, if they show signs of wanting to join a union, asking about employee benefits, or point out to management abuse.”

JUL I US CAINGLE T FEDERATION OF FREE WORKERS VICE PRESIDENT

of the laborers in workplaces and during protests. There are a lot of incidents that are undocumented and didn’t gather enough attention from people, but these injustices, be it documented or not, should not be ignored and forgotten, and should definitely not prevail.

the apparent oppressors, who are undeniably the employers that exploit their employees.

Moreover, there are also instances wherein court decisions are in favor of the working class, but the exploitative corporations themselves, nevertheless, won’t comply, thus furthering the abuse by practicing the culture of impunity.

Moreover, under Duterte’s administration, unionists are restricted of their freedom of association and the right to organize unions, as activism is now unreasonably and biasedly labeled as terrorism. Our government continues to arrest union leaders and condones attacks against labor groups during and even after protests.

But even with the lack of support and protection from, or more particularly the tyrannical ruling of, the government itself, unionists continue to courageously and tirelessly call out the unjust practices and policies of the capitalists and the government and hold them accountable for it, and to continuously demand fairer reforms.

THE FIGHT IS FAR FROM OVER

NO UNIONIST IS S AFE U NDER TH IS D R ACONIAN REGIME

Aside from anti-labor policies, trade unions are faced with multiple threats by the employers and even the government.

Certain corporations and managements would go to extreme lengths just to continue their ill practices, and, at times, would even have the audacity to file for criminal complaints against their workers on strikes. This just also proves how crooked and corrupted our judicial system is if the judges particularly sided with

State forces may kill activists, but their advocacies and activism will live on. Murdering and silencing critics will not hide the government and capitalists’ atrocities and vile corruptions.

When law becomes lawless and progressive individuals are deemed as threats, we shall seek strength and protection from each other. Because, collectively, we, as the oppressed masses, could and should rule out corruption, injustice, and repression from the exploitative ruling minority and hold them accountable for their crimes.

As we celebrate Labor Day, let’s not just passively commemorate the achievements of labor movements throughout history, but let’s be reminded of the significance of trade unions in our country, as they bravely face threats head on just to fight for workers’ rights. Furthermore, let’s support and be in solidarity with the workers who are victims of the unjust working conditions and wages, among others, by amplifying their calls of having fairer and humane reforms in their workplaces. And, lastly, let’s not forget to continuously call for justice for the unjust killings of the slain activists and leaders.

It is never the masses’ fault for being poor, submissive, and, once enlightened of these facts, for protesting for whatever’s rightfully ours. We are all just victims of the propaganda, policies and practices of the ruling class, mainly the capitalists, that are intentionally made to benefit them, and not us, the working class. That’s why we must never stay silent when there are injustices. Daring to struggle with the plights of workers remains timelessly essential. While the lives of unionists and progressive activists who are striving for better working conditions are at stake due to constant state crackdowns and red-tagging, collective action through community organizing, mobilizing, and arousing is a tireless responsibility. As the fight is far from over, trade unionists have nothing to lose but their chains, and as citizens, we are urged to proactively stand with their resistance against oppression, especially at a time where fascism prevalently exists in a pandemic.

C ULTURE | 53 FEATURES

UPL B B PE PE R R SS P P EC EC TT II V V EE .. O OR RG G || O J UCLY 2021 UPL TO2, BER 29 , 2021

S H AN E D E L RO S A RIO C ULT UR E A S S O C I AT E E D I TO R

Noong Pebrero lamang ay ni-raid ng pulisya ang University of San Carlos at inaresto ang 26 estudyante, mga katutubong lider, at guro. Binasura rin ng Department of National Defense ang UP-DND Accord.

Nagpalusot rin si Duterte, upang maitago ang kapabayaan, na hindi umano siya pinayagang ‘makilangoy’ kasama ang mga pamilyang naapektuhan ng bagyong Ulysses.

Kasalukuyan pa ring ibinubunton ang kasalukuyang krisis sa kawalan ng disiplina. Napipilitan ring pumili ang mga mamamayan kung ano ang dapat unahin — ang virus, o ang kumakalam na sikmura.

Sa kabila nito, inuuna ng administrasyon ang liderato. Kalat na ang mga ‘Run, Sara, Run’ tarpaulin at nagpahayag rin ng kagustuhan si Senator Bong Go na tumakbong presidente. Bagamat mariin silang tumatanggi, hindi maikakailang dito rin nagsimula ang pagtakbo ni Go bilang senador, at ang ama ni Sara sa pagkapresidente.

A

nila, love makes the world go ‘round. Totoo nga ito — sa Pilipinas, ginagamit ng mga pulitiko ang animo’y ‘pagmamahal’ upang paikutin at pagsamantalahan ang mga mamamayan para sa kanilang pansariling interes.

Isinasakatuparan ito ng administrasyon gamit ang konsepto ng gaslighting, isang uri ng psychological abuse kung saan “itinatangka [ng isang indibidwal] na kontrolin ang damdamin, saloobin at gawain ng ibang tao.” Unang ginamit sa 1938 play na Gaslight, nakasalalay ito sa pagkukumbinsi sa biktima na ang mali ang kanyang konsepto ng katotohanan, kung kaya’y unti-unti na siyang nawawala sa katinuan.

Gamit ito, mapapaniwala ng mga pulitiko na ginagawa lang nila ang lahat dahil sa kanilang pagmamahal sa bayan. Inaabuso rin nila ang konsepto ng utang na loob tuwing nangangampanya. Harap-harapan nilang pinagsasamantalahan ang mga mamamayan habang ipinakikita ang kanila umanong mga ‘love languages’.

H U WA D NA PAG MA MA H A L AT A NG MA S A B ILA NG MES IYA S

QU A L I T Y T I M E

Sa bisa ng Bayanihan To Heal As One Act, tuwing Lunes ay trabaho ng pangulong magpasa at ihayag ang kanyang weekly COVID-19 response report. Dahil sa ipinataw na special powers kay Duterte, naglaan ng oras ang mga netizens habang umaasang makaririnig sila ng konkretong plano na tutugon sa kasalukuyang krisis.

Ngunit pinaasa at pinaghintay nanaman si Juan sa wala. Noong Marso 30, 2020, ang dapat na 4pm pre-recorded address ni Duterte ay napanood na dakong alas onse ng gabi. Buhat nito, nag-trending ang #DuterteStandardTime dahil sa paulit-ulit niyang pagsasayang sa oras ng mga Pilipino. Nariyan pa ang kanyang 2019 State of the Nation Address na nakaranas ng 1-hour delay.

WO RDS OF A F F I R M AT I O N

Tuwing nagsasalita ang pangulo, hindi mawawala ang kanyang mga pahayag na nagpapakita ng kanyang mababang pagtingin sa mga kababaihan. Sa kabila ng pagiging ‘Ama ng Bansa’ dahil sa kanyang trabaho, siya pa ang animo’y pasimuno ng mga sekswal na pambabastos sa naturan, na siya namang kinukunsinti ng kanyang mga alipores.

Ilan sa mga biktima nito ay sina Vice President Leni Robredo at kanyang anak na si Sara na pawang mga sinabihang ‘hindi pambabae’ ang pagkapangulo. Habang itinatago ito bilang opinyon ng isang mapagkalingang ama, malinaw niyang ikinukulong ang mga kababaihan sa isang lipunang pinaiikot ng kaisipang macho-pyudal at patriyarkal.

Minamanipula pa ng administrasyon ang mga Pilipino sa pamamagitan ng mga salitang papuri tulad ng gasgas na ‘Filipino Resiliency’ at ang pag-romanticize ng pagkasawi

Victims of

‘Love’

Kung paano nananamantala ng buhay ang bulok na ‘pagmamahal’ ng administrasyon ng mga healthcare frontliners dulot ng COVID-19.

Upang maitago ang totoong problema, pinaiiral ng gobyerno ang ‘pagmamahal sa bayan’ na nababanaag lang sa salita at kulang na kulang sa gawa.

PH YSICA L TOUCH

Kilala ang administrasyon sa animo’y kamay na bakal, o, ayon sa mga alipores nito, ‘tough love’.

Kitang-kita ito, dahil sa tuwing niyayakap at kinakalinga kuno nito ang mga mamamayan, laging dumadanak ang dugo.

Noong Marso 7, siyam ang patay habang anim ang inaresto sa Bloody Sunday sa Southern Tagalog matapos ang utos ni Duterte na patayin umano ang mga rebeldeng komunista. December 30 rin noong nakaraang taon ay pinatay ang siyam na katutubo ng Panay-Tumandok habang 17 naman ang ilegal na inaresto sa isang police at military

operation.

Dahil pa sa kawalan ng konkretong plano, maituturing na record-high ang pagtaas ng COVID-19 cases. Maraming nasawi’t walang nagawa kundi tanggapin ang kanilang hangganan — mga biktima ng sistema at ng gobyernong pabaya na bandang huli’y ibinubunton ang sisi sa kawalan umano ng disiplina.

GIFTS

Upang mapaamo ang mga mamamayan, sinubukang idaan ng administrasyon sa isang bagay na anila’y, kaya ring paikutin ang mundo — ang salapi.

Labis ang kanilang pasasalamat sa administrasyon buhat ng mga ayuda. Ngunit ang katotohanan, sinuhulan sila upang mapagtakpan ang kapabayaan ng gobyerno. Pinagbangga rin nila ang masa para sa kakarampot na bilang ng pera. Patuloy ang naging paglason hanggang sa makalimutan ng mga mamamayang

hindi ito galing sa bulsa ng mga politiko, kundi sa kaban ng bayan.

Bagamat isang krisis pangkalusugan ang COVID-19, iginiit ni Duterte na isa itong ‘business transaction’.

Karamihan rin sa mga COVID-19 vaccines ay galing lamang sa mga donasyon at ilang beses naantala dahil sa kanilang kapabayaan. Hindi rin malilimutan na ang mga kauna-unahang nabakunahan sa bansa ay mula sa presidential security group.

ACTS OF S ERV I C E

Pilit na pinatatahimik ang sinumang pumapalag sa mga kamalian ng administrasyon. Nasa bingit rin sila ng hukay bunsod ng redtagging at pagsasabatas ng kontrobersyal na Anti-terrorism law.

Huwad ang imahe ni Duterte bilang mapagkalinga at striktong ama ng bansa. Inakusahan niya ang mga paaralang Lumad pawang pagrerebelde umano ang itinuturo, at ang UP bilang ‘pugad ng komunista’.

Malinaw na huwad ang pagmamahal ng gobyerno sa bayan at masa.

Sa nagagawa nitong paulit-ulit na pagpapatahimik at pagkitil ng buhay ng sinumang unti-unting nakakikita ng tunay nilang intensyon at imahen, ang tunay na gusto lang protektahan ng administrasyon ay ang kanilang posisyon at mga sarili. Patuloy nilang ikinakahon ang mga mamamayan at pinagkakaitan ng katotohanan, habang unti-unti nitong makalimutang ang tunay na kapangyarihan ay nasa mga tao mismong lumuklok sa kanila, hindi sa mga politiko.

Sino nga ba ang tunay na terorista at kalaban ng estado? Ang mga gahaman na buwayang marahas na pinatatahimik ang oposisyon o ang mamayang kumakawala sa mapanamantalang ‘kamay na bakal’?

Ang problema ay nasa sistema, hindi sa indibidwal. Hindi natin dapat sukuan ang mga kasamang sinamantala ng mga naghaharing-uri upang tayo’y mahati sa iba’t ibang ‘kulay’ at paniniwala. Huwag sana natin silang sukuan na maisali sa diskurso dahil sa huli, higit pa ring mananaig ang kolektibong boses at militanteng aksyon ng masa.

PAGM A M A HA L NA M A PAGPA L AYA

Tumindig tayo at panagutin ang mga pasistang walang ibang ginawa kundi hatiin at sisihin ang bayan para sa mga bagay na sila ang tunay na may kasalanan. Hindi kailanman magiging lengguwahe ng pagmamahal ang mga ipinakita ng gobyerno dahil ang tunay na pagmamahal ay mapagpalaya.

D IB U H O N I R A L P H C A N EO S

ONLINE uplbperspective.org Read the full story on our website

bit.ly/Victims-Of-Love

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Unmasking the facade of the deceitful and destructive jeepney modernization program N I N O TCH KA N O E LLE B RA S UEL A COR R ES P O N D E N T

The Pinoy Jeepney, which is dubbed as the iconic “hari ng kalsada” in our country, has been the cheapest and most accessible public transportation vehicle for the commuting public. Now, it is being targeted by the government through the forceful imposition of the traditional jeepney phaseout as part of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program, or PUVMP, launched by the Department of Transportation of the Philippines (DOTr) in 2017.

At first glance, the said program’s objectives would seem ambitious, even ethical in a sense, and beneficial for the society, in favor of improving the lives of people, in general, as it aims to decarbonize jeepneys to make it environmental-friendly, to make the transportation system efficient and orderly, and to provide jeepney drivers a fixed salary, along with certain benefits, among others.

But if we dig deeper — if we analyze and take into consideration of the process and the program’s after-effects, not only on the jeepney drivers, but also on the collective whole of the PUV and its system — we would then be unmasking the facade it puts up; the truth that this is as deceitful as it is also destructive. This modernization program, using a line from one of Mareng Taylor Swift’s songs, is, deceptively, a nightmare dressed like a daydream. Its promoters are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Jeepney drivers, along with the commuters, are now the miserable recipients of not only an anti-poor program, but also of the neoliberal policies of the government, which would only push more Filipinos further into poverty.

What would seem a well-meaning PUV modernization program is all along a means to privatize these public services, a conscious way to shift

the power from the local drivers and operators to the foreign monopolized corporations, which, in turn, would benefit certain corporation/s and corrupt government official/s who are affiliated to the said program. Ultimately, the PUVMP is a program intentionally produced and implemented by the government in a subtle and naturalized manner to further establish and maintain the status quo.

Therefore, the problem is institutional, and the program is a way to justify and benefit the ruling class.

A H EA RTL ESS PUR SUIT TOWA R D S MOD ER NIZ ATION

Even though the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) already announced during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Services that PUV operators will be given more time to consolidate within the year for the jeepney phaseout, it will not be enough in these difficult times, as drivers and operators are struggling to merely earn for their survival during the pandemic. If that’s the case of the jeepney operators and drivers nowadays, how can they even plan and prepare for the modernization program, especially if there’s no genuine help and financial aid coming from the government itself?

As an effect of the pandemic, millions of Filipinos have lost their jobs and livelihoods, and the

jeepney drivers are one of them.

Without any reliable source of income, jeepney drivers were seen begging on the streets in Project 8, Quezon City in June 2020 out of desperation and lack of choice. At this time, GCQ was implemented and jeepney drivers were forced to look for side jobs just to provide for themselves and their families, as the government did not permit jeepneys to travel on public streets anymore. This is just one manifestation of the after-effects of the jeepney ban with and even without the pandemic: unemployment, hunger, and, eventually, poverty. This jeepney ban would later on only allow newer models of jeepneys on the highways, totally preventing the older, outdated traditional jeepneys from operating, furthering the divide and emphasizing the need to have the newer, modified version of jeeps. On another event, Elmer Cordero, along with five other jeepney drivers who were part of the transport group PISTON and were dubbed as the “PISTON 6”, were imprisoned for supposedly failing to follow the social distancing protocol during a protest and were even accused of resisting arrest. According to the PISTON 6, they never did anything wrong or violated any law. They claimed that they wore masks and followed health protocols, and what they were aiming at that time was just to rightfully ask for aid and the drivers’ return to their livelihoods. Instead, they were ironically given yet again another oppression in the form of forcible and unreasonable imprisonment, worsening their current situations further.

Even after paying their bail amounting to P3,000 each person, the police continued to detain two drivers, namely Kuya Elmer and Wilson Ramilla, for allegedly having other charges filed under their name. These situations prove how unprincipled and incompetent our government in handling issues they are faced with, and would also manifest the government’s apathy

to the struggles of the unprivileged majority.

Moreover, after banning jeepney drivers from driving, which is their primary source of income, the government lacked in providing consistent and sufficient support to aid the jeepney drivers who have lost their livelihoods in the midst of a pandemic. And now they are facing yet another problem that could really cost them their livelihood perhaps permanently.

J E E PNE Y M O DE RNI Z AT I O N PROGRA M — W HAT I T T RU LY I S

While transport strikes were held by jeepney workers and other groups back in 2017 in protest of the modernization program, President Duterte retorted in response, “If you can’t modernize, leave. You’re poor? Son of a bitch, go ahead. Suffer in poverty and hunger. I don’t care.”

Even if they are already suffering from the loss of their livelihoods and the lack of support from the government during the pandemic, jeepney drivers and operators are now slowly but surely approaching their doom.

The deadline of the jeepney phaseout was supposedly on March 31, 2021, but, inconspicuously, the LTFRB became lenient on its deadline.

The jeepney phaseout is an essential part in the process of the jeepney modernization program, which is also just a part of the bigger PUVMP, or the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program. Due to its outdated machinery and design, and its emissions of harmful gases, traditional jeepneys are now seen by the government as a threat and an inconvenience to society, only causing traffic, health and environmental problems.

However, the jeepney modernization program, as the government’s response to the issues of traffic in the country, is such a car-centric move, instead of being mass-oriented. Although only a small number of people ride private vehicles as compared to the numerous people who use the available PUVs, this private mode of transportation takes up 78% of road space. Why not address this issue with the private cars, instead of pushing jeepneys into modernization under the unethical PUVMP as it could result in unemployment and more expensive fares that could take a toll on the commuters, especially the working class? Moreover, this program won’t have a major difference when it comes to its goal of alleviating health and environmental problems against the numerous and massive health and environmental

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problems brought by the mining industry, among others, managed by foreign corporations. Why not also address these issues caused by imperialism, instead of beating around the bush?

Undeniably, the program’s goals are transformative in a good way. Who wouldn’t want eco-friendly jeepneys, a more systematized transport system, and a more safe and comfortable public transportation, among others?

If only we could achieve these things without privatizing our public transportation and without exploiting anyone — because that’s just what this program is all about — mainly to serve the interests of certain corporations and politicians that would benefit from it by exploiting the poor and the working class. In fact, we can actually achieve these things without privatizing but rather nationalizing our transportation sector.

Tila bang ang mga indibidwal na nagpapalakas ng mga adbokasiya para sa kalikasan ay pinipigilang makamit ang pagbabago sa isang sistemang nananamantala sa yaman ng ating inang bayan.

Furthermore, although the jeepney ban was implemented for safety measures due to the pandemic, the IBON Foundation, a non-profit research, education and information-development institution, disputed that jeepneys are, actually, safer due to its open-air vehicles offering better ventilation for passengers.

By now, we can see that this jeepney modernization program is a bogus, anti-poor, neoliberal policy that wouldn’t really aid nature or us, normal people. The ones who would really benefit from this are the foreign monopoly corporations, the loan sharks, the bourgeois compradors who would benefit from the use of beep cards, among others, the bureaucrat capitalists and government officials who created and mandated this kind of programs and the unjust practices within institutions, and the promoters of the said programs.

W HY I T ’S P RO B L E MAT I C

A lot of issues surround the jeepney modernization program, and it all boils down to one thing — neoliberalism. The ideology of neoliberalism brands inequality as virtuous, with the slogan of “there’s no alternative.”

The government would brand the developing of PUJs as virtuous but it’s just a facade of the unethical and unjust process of the PUVMP, and, at the same time, not providing us an alternative to achieve the same goals in a just, more humane way, as opposed to the shady program the government implemented.

Remarkably, one essential characteristic of neoliberalism is its privatization of state-owned public services, like public transportation.

Instead of being handled by the government to benefit the masses, such services would be operated and monopolized by certain corporations, which would mostly benefit them, and not the masses. And that is what will happen to our public transport system, if the jeepney modernization program pushes through. Our government is almost explicitly offering this opportunity on a silver platter to certain corporations whose common interest is only to accumulate large profits, instead of developing our public transportation out of duty to serve its Filipino citizens.

Additionally, by privatizing our public transport system, it would imply that these corporations would be free to impose any policies, be it proper or not, to garner large amounts of income that they would earn from these public services, which the government is supposed to be preventing from happening. Because, in order to gain massive amounts of earnings, it would mean that they have exploited their workers in the process. Unfortunately, this has been happening in the country since the colonial period.

A BO G U S A N D A N T I - P O O R MODE RN I Z AT I O N P RO GR A M

According to the primer made by Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON), a transport group mostly composed

W HAT M U ST BE DO NE

PHOTO BY GL EN C H R I ST I AN TACAS A

of progressive jeepney drivers and activists, and the No to Jeepney Phaseout Coalition, about 500,000 jeepney drivers and 300,000 operators, along with their families, which would result to an agonizing total of 2,000,000 people, are the numbers of people that could be affected negatively by the jeepney modernization program.

The lowest price of a modified jeepney unit would cost P1.6 million. That number alone would easily prove how anti-poor this program is. If the program would persist till the end, jeepney drivers would either be in debt or devoid of their livelihoods.

Realistically, a jeepney driver could not afford a million peso modernized jeepney. This would push them to rely on banks by loaning a large sum of money with high interests. If they decided not to loan money, then they would be forced to lose their jobs, as there were no other options offered by

the government in case they couldn’t afford a single unit of the modernized jeepneys out of poverty.

Shamelessly, the government even provided a subsidy of P160,000., which increased from the initial P80,000, to answer for loan equity.

Our government would have given them subsidies all this time to aid the drivers amidst the pandemic, but will only do so if it’s going to be used for purchasing the modernized jeepney units. Additionally, as the PUJ would be monopolized by corporations, highly discriminatory and inequitable standards and tests would be established to screen out jeepney drivers, which would cause unemployment to many of our drivers who may be deemed unmerited for driving.

Even commuters, who are mainly from the poor and the working class, will undeniably be affected by paying an increased fare of at least P20, which would conceivably continue to increase through time. What was once a public transportation for the

unprivileged majority would now become a means for the corporation/s and the government to greedily make lucrative profits from these modernized jeeps. Eventually, this mandated anti-poor program would result in the poor getting poorer, and the rich getting richer.

Furthermore, the said program is not entirely environmentally-friendly, as this would cause the need to mine for more raw materials used to build the modernized jeepneys, among other things that would worsen the current worsening situation of our environment. More importantly, the program’s objective of making jeepneys more nature-friendly only provides a band-aid solution to the problems of climate change. In order to truly create genuine and effective solutions to gradually eradicate climate change, they should target the root of it, which is the massive amount of carbon emissions that big foreign corporations from either the US or China exhaust.

Our call should be to abolish this unjust program and seek a genuine alternative that would ensure a just and effective transition to low-carbon jeepneys. Many transport workers even clarified and affirmed that they are not against, and they even support, the plan of making Pinoy jeepneys as eco-friendly as possible.

What we want to stop is the cruel, dishonest and unrealistic transition period and process of the PUVMP, the privatization of the PUVs, and the lack of subsidy and other support from the government. What we want is an authentic program that would rightfully benefit the masses, and not the rich, and would procure real and better results in the environment. We need not another deceitful and destructive program from the government.

We must hold them accountable and demand a better, more efficient governance of its people amidst the ongoing pandemic.

The government has its duty to serve its citizens, and not the other countries nor the exploitative, ruling class. Correct the system so Filipinos don’t need to be unnecessarily resilient anymore. That’s why we have to speak up, inform the uneducated, hold the people in power accountable and demand what should be rightfully and ethically done. [ P ] G R A P H IC S BY J E R MA IN E VA L E R IO

ONLINE uplbperspective.org Other culture articles can be read here:

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OPINION

A

s an incoming freshie back then, I always had the “freshie energy”. I was always curious about the things that we would be doing in the university but with the current pandemic situation brought about by COVID-19, I can’t help but ask, “how we would be educated if we are still in lockdown?”. I wonder how the university will conduct the activities we would otherwise be doing normally in face-to-face setup. Knowing that the university that I was about to enter was the top university in the country, I had high expectations for the Learning Management System (LMS) we would use to study remotely, given that we would be engaging in synchronous and asynchronous learning methods.

I knew about Google Classroom and Edmodo back then because we had used them once back in high school for our computer class. Back then, it was not much of a hassle for everyone because our main mode of submission was always directly to our teachers in the physical classroom—Google Classroom and Edmodo were just used for special activities which were required to be done in our homes.

In the first semester, I got lucky. A lot of upperclass students and other freshies would tell me their experiences because all my classes required the use of Google Classroom as the LMS. At first, I found it weird. After all, it wasn’t at all practical for me to require the use of multiple LMSs because (1) it would be very confusing for students to keep track of their classes because they are not in one place, (2) the experience would be very awful because students would have to get used to another LMS every time they make the switch, and (3) announcements would most likely be hard to keep track of. As it turns out, there weren’t just two LMS’s being used by the whole university, not three, but four of them.

I recently made an informal poll for the freshies in Facebook groups about what LMS: Google Classroom, Canvas, eLBI (Moodle), and Edmodo, do they consider as the best and the results are as follows; Google Classroom (96 responses), Canvas (4 responses), eLBI (Moodle) (2 responses), and Edmodo (1 response). It shows that out of the four LMSs that the university uses, freshies, at least, prefer using Google Classroom the most.

Google Classroom features a “class stream” which is more of a “news feed” like the one that we see on Facebook. It displays materials and announcements posted by the professors with the latest posts being at the “top of the stream”.

Google Drive is built-in which makes it easy for students to submit files that are already in their Google Drive. There’s also integration of Google Forms (GForms) in the LMS as a medium for quizzes and exams. It doesn’t have a timer builtin so some professors resort to external GForms plugins like Quilgo which fixes a timer right into the Google Form. The notifications are very helpful because a notification is always sent whenever a professor posts something and whenever the deadline of the activity or assignment is near. The interface is very easy to memorize. Some freshies new to the LMS are even using Google Classroom as if they already know how to use it beforehand.

That’s how user-friendly the platform is.

Canvas is pretty straightforward as an LMS. So far, there are no announcement posts within Canvas, at least in one of my classes, and we’re forced to use Facebook Messenger group chats to receive announcements from our professor.

Modules are practically laid out in the classroom,

Tama ba na may DDS sa Community Pantry?

PAG E 59

KWENTONG FRESHIE

The four horsemen of

UPLB LMS The pandemic has robbed the students’ chance to experience learning in the face-to-face setup. Schools nationwide had to adjust and continue teaching in the remote scheme – included in these measures are the utilization of the learning management systems.

BY JONA S ATIE NZA

[P] GRAPHICS BY G ER AR D L AY DI A

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Google Classroom was found to be the most preferred LMS for some Iskos and Iskas. waiting to be downloaded by students. Canvas has a built-in “quiz tool” which gives more flexibility over quizzes and exams made in Google Forms, with the inclusion of a timer built right into the tool without the need for external plugins.

Though only if it weren’t for its subpar interface, it would’ve also been easily liked by many. The notifications are also horrendous because not only do the notifications come hours late at best, but specific notifications must also be toggled individually in the settings before a notification even arrives which is very counterintuitive for an LMS app.

Edmodo boasts a fairly modern design, giving the LMS a familiar “Facebook look”—complete with a “news feed” style home page, a personal profile, and a notifications tab—while maintaining the features geared towards online learning.

Classes are organized using “subgroups” which makes it easier for students to navigate in each class. It also features a dashboard that contains a list of activities with their corresponding deadlines. The dashboard also shows the upcoming activities for the class. Overall, Edmodo is an LMS that is relatively likable to most students. eLBI, the in-house LMS of UPLB based on Moodle, is the LMS that nearly everybody seemed to dislike. The interface is very reminiscent of the old 2009-era Philippine forums and the website looks obsolete by today’s standards. Students using the

P H OTO BY G ER AR D L AY DI A

Among the LMS we utilized, I prefer using Google Classroom because it is integrated in Google Suite. It is very easy to use and navigate.

L EO JAV E A NTHONY INCON BATCH 2020

I prefer using Google Classroom as our LMS, for it is user-friendly and is also easy to navigate. It also has a great notification system so I don’t forget my upcoming tasks.

SOPHIA ISA BE L PA NGILINA N BATCH 2020

LMS using their computers or laptops are already having a hard time even navigating their way through the website and using a phone doesn’t help either because there is no official mobile app for eLBI, unlike UP Diliman’s uVLE, an LMS with a better UI which is also based on Moodle. The students also have a hard time tracking updates in the LMS because students are not notified whenever a professor posts something in the class. This makes the eLBI the least liked, or even easily the most hated, by freshies and upperclassmen alike.

With a year completed as a freshman, I could say that UPLB could do better in its current remote learning situation. The mere presence of the four different LMS’s spread across different colleges and institutes is unbearable. Not only is it a hassle for students in such a way that it is annoying, but it also actually makes the experience horrible for us to the point that it pushes us to be counterproductive. Surviving during the pandemic alone is already a struggle for most Iskolar ng Bayan, and the digital divide, combined with the use of multiple different LMSs, is just making things worse.

This goes to show how untrue the university is with regards to online classes, contrary to the admin’s claims that they are ready and already sort things out on how the set-up will be better than last year. The situation calls for a unified LMS to be used by the university.

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Devil in blue ■ N O F U RY S O LO U D IA N R A PH A E L LO P E Z

According to biblical lore, Sunday is when everyone is expected to take a break from a week’s work. However, it has transcended its religious origins – it has become a day to be lazy, to pick up and read the thick weekend paper, or to kill time by catching up on your favorite series.

But not for evil. As I know from years of Catholic school, it is said that the devil often works its way up in unexpected places, in unexpected times.

As the night of March 28 fell, it seems that the devil had to work overtime, lest they be seen as quarantine violators (again!). In Canlubang, they killed Dandy Miguel, a well-loved and much respected labor leader. He was shot eight times while driving on his way home. Pang Dandy was wearing a shirt that says: “Sahod, trabaho, karapatan, ipaglaban!”

In the same area that night, another one of their demonical brotherhood shot and killed a 19-year-old worker. Leovil Brian Pelletero was killed by a Cabuyao police officer, after having an argument. “Binaril niya agad. Kaunting pagkakamali, papatayin niya agad,” a cousin of Pelletero told Rappler. How cruel was it to kill a drinking partner over a simple altercation, isn’t it? But then again, the devil works in cunning ways.

Moving on to the metro, it was a jarring surprise for rushing commuters

G R A P H IC S BY A N J E L A C A N L A S

and drivers to see a coffin in the middle of a busy road in Quezon City.

Upon closer inspection, the coffin contained tarpaulins hitting the communist rebellion. As if that was not enough, the tarpaulins also desecrated the legacy of UP students, who chose the higher path of activism, as “victims” of the armed insurgency.

One can only ask: who has the audacity to buy two coffins just for propaganda, when many people could not even bury their loved ones because of COVID-19?

Shakespeare said that “hell is empty, and all the devils are here.” Three incidents in one night – and we are reminded how legally and morally

corrupt these so-called “law enforcers” are.

It was the police who tried to rubbish Pang Dandy’s hard work in fighting for workers’ rights as a mere front for his “communism” but in reality they have proven that they will resort to murder just to silence the people.

Not only him, but scores of activists,

environmental workers, peasant leaders – even doctors! – have been killed by “masked gunmen” after enduring a flurry of death threats and being at the receiving end of the government’s witch hunt against its critics.

It was also the police who killed Sonia and Frank Gregorio over a simple neighborhood quarrel. But aside from that, when they had the mandate from the government to kill anyone who crossed it under the guise of the war on drugs, the police also killed Kian delos Santos, Carl Arnaiz, Reynaldo de Guzman, and thousands of other victims.

Most importantly, it was the police who enjoyed the government’s distaste for criticism. Along with the armed forces and their propagandists, they trained their sights and guns towards those who dissent and to the underprivileged. They are saying that they want to end the communist insurgency, but they are instead fueling the rebellion by ostracizing legitimate calls for change in our society. They waste billions – P19 billion this year to be exact – to serve themselves, fatten their wallets and put up cheap-looking tarpaulins and these immature stunts, as if that would solve hunger and inequality in our land.

Shakespeare was right all along, but I think he forgot to specify that the demons beyond hell are wearing blue uniforms, with badges vowing to “serve and protect”.

What feminism is ■ U N DE R S C RU TIN Y A ESHA S A RRO L

Growing up, I was always told how to act, how to smile, how to dress, and even how to sit. “Kababae mong tao, ganyan ang upo mo,” my mom would always say. I was brought up in a home where my opinions were invalid the second my dad refuted them; I was taught to act prim and proper, and to accept insults in reunion parties by just laughing it off. And I was told to keep my mouth shut whenever I had a different perspective.

It was not until high school that I learned to speak up for myself. Because I learned that we, too, have the right to participate in discourse.

Centuries worth of the feminist movement has given us the liberty to take our space in society. Women fought to the death in order to achieve the representation we enjoy now. But albeit representation matters, and that “women leaders” are needed for empowerment, it should be carried by the right representatives. Because

representation is invalid if it is a product brought by selfish motive.

I’ve always looked up to Miriam Santiago. To me, she was this fearless and feisty senator. She stood firm in her principles and I was amazed because that, itself, was very rare.

Decades of patriarchy normalized us to stay silent, further widening the divide between men and women. It shattered me when I learned that she was a known ally of the Marcoses, an infamous family who made the masses suffer, not only from extreme corruption, but from permanent scars brought by years of exploitation and tyranny.

There have been discussions regarding the extent of the feminist movement as it encompasses various advocacies including, but not limited to, the abolishment of violence against women, having equal rights and opportunities like that of men, and smashing the macho-feudal system in place that burdens the masses.

However, no matter how vast the concept is and no matter how complex it may seem, one thing’s for sure.

Feminism is not women in court who abuse their powers by issuing baseless warrants that perpetrate crackdown on activists and the opposition; it is not women who support the actions of the semi-feudal and neocolonial state, led dominantly by powerhungry men.

And it most certainly is not, women government officials and uniformed personnel who watch state-sponsored attacks happen to the vulnerable sectors in the society that involve their fellow women like the agri-fishery sector, the queer community, the urban poor, and the indigenous peoples.

Being a woman police officer does not immediately equate you to being

a “leader” much more, a feminist.

Because when you help maintain a system that favors the interests of the ruling class as well as the macho-fascist government we have, and when you sit by and condone the misogynistic tendencies of the men in your ranks, then you should not consider yourself as an individual who bears the advocacies of the Filipino women. Because what we truly advocate for is the right to life and democracy.

Streets that allow women to walk safely at night without the fear of being attacked; a workplace environment free from sexist remarks and harassment; a society that openly accepts the transgender community without prejudice, and a country that is not trampled on and controlled by individuals with high-caliber weapons and monopolized power.

Feminism is not having individualistic potential for it to be hailed as “empowerment”, it is having the capacity to help and liberate our fellow women; to share our platforms for the voices that are continuously being silenced. It entails the recognition

of the social classes and it requires an understanding of the difference between forwarding individualistic interests and gains to that of really advocating for the masses’ calls.

If you ask me, feminism embodies the women who fearlessly mobilized and took the militant path, who organized kitchen relief amidst calamities, who fought for their right to land, who asserted subsidy for their families, who upheld the rights of the queer community, and who continue to advocate for their right to life and determination.

Because as long as the “women in power” are in cohorts with men who shamelessly speak for and not with us, patriarchy, gender-based violence, and misogyny will never end. For long as these women support the evil that perpetuates unjust killings, arbitrary arrests, and state intimidation and harassment, genuine representation will not be achieved.

——— The UPLB Perspective is accepting opinion articles Send your articles or queries to opinion.uplbperspective@gmail.com

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I’ve always liked school uniforms ■ MUMB LIN G S PB YA PJ O CO

Known as the bliss of our teenage era and the last step to adulthood — entering high school entailed a lot of physical and mental changes.

For instance, when my high school uniforms were made simpler — with less pockets and colors as compared to the usual grade school uniform — the said change was meant to be a reflection of “maturity and growth.”

However, a lot of students thought otherwise, as I remember familiar conversations about “uniforms being a tool for repressing self-expression and originality” echoing the hallways during breaktime or in the classroom during debate class.

Students who violated uniform policies, such as wearing shorter bottoms, or tight-fitting blouses have experienced their respective consequences—a lower conduct grade, a verbal warning, or even a humiliating lecture in class. All of these were too limiting, too traditional, too demanding, my batchmates have said. Despite the clamor and the subtle truth in it, I had always found myself half-heartedly agreeing for the sake of it, because personally, I had always liked school uniforms.

Generally, school uniforms were convenient, and slightly affordable as compared to buying whole sets of outfits per fashion trend. Uniforms have spared me the mental exhaustion

G R A P H IC S BY J A S E MA N ATA D

of deciding which outfit to wear, or which looked most presentable.

But most importantly, I had realized that these pieces of clothing have somewhat kept me mentally stable.

Through the years, I had considered school uniforms to be my personal safe haven.

School uniforms protected me from

exposing my truest, physical self. The flowy skirts or baggy jogging pants prevented people from seeing my big thighs and hairy shins. The loose blouses draped nicely on top of the fat around my arms, and kept my broad shoulders snug. The barrier between prejudice and vulnerability brought a sense of comfort throughout high

school, taming my body insecurities when worn. For a while, wearing them had the ability to silence the voices in my mind, the very ones calling me “fat,” “unhealthy,” and “overweight” almost every single day.

During my last year of high school, a lot of my school mates excitedly talked about the so-called “college

bloom or glow up,” where people just instantly looked better and prettier body-wise when entering college.

However, along with “glowing up in college” was the fear of “freshman 15,” which entailed people gaining weight during the first year of college due to stress and adjustment.

Despite the downfall, I was lucky enough to have a welcoming and accepting college environment. It was through my friends and mentors along the way, that I was at least able to acknowledge that methods such as wearing loose clothing, unhealthy eating habits, and excessive exercise, were merely band-aid solutions that failed to address my body issues.

Thus, instead of hoping for that perfect college glow, I start to long for the very day where I wake up bright and early, look in the mirror without hesitation, and see my face truly glow with confidence. I then would make myself some hearty breakfast instead of dieting it out, listen to music, and let my body unapologetically move to the rhythm. And right after a good coffee break, I long to genuinely hug myself despite looking like an utter fool, for it is the smallest of things that truly make a huge difference in completely loving your imperfect self.

——— Makisali sa chikahan ni PB Yapjoco at ng buong Perspective Live team sa Usapang Elbi, Sabado 10:30 a.m., sa Facebook, Twitter at Spotify ng pahayagang ito.

Tama ba na may DDS sa Community Pantry?

■ U N DE R S C RU TIN Y J OHN A L B E RT PA G U N S A N

May katanungan sa isang Community Pantry group, nagsu-survey kung sino ang DDS sa loob. Habang may magandang layunin ang tanong – upang maunawaan kung ilan nga ba sa mga kasama sa Community Pantry networks ang sumusuporta sa administrasyon, hindi maiiwasang tanungin din kung akma nga ba ang paglahok ng mga supporters ni Duterte sa proyektong itinayo bilang tugon sa kawalan ng aksyon ng administrasyon. Tama ba na may mga DDS sa isang Community Pantry?

Ayon kay Ana Patricia Non o mas kilala bilang Patreng, nagsimula ng Maginhawa Community Pantry, ang proyekto ay batay sa konsepto ng “mutual aid”. Sa teorya, ang mutual aid ay ang pagbibigayan, pagtutulungan, at pag-agapay ng mga tao sa isa’t isa bilang reaksyon sa kawalan ng paki at aksyon ng mga nagpapatakbo ng sistemang dapat na gumaganap ng tungkulin. Kinikilala sa teorya ang mutual aid bilang politikal na gawain

sapagkat ang pagdadamayan ng mga tao ay paghuhubog ng bagong kaisipan at paglikha ng bagong sistema.

Para sa akin, ang paglahok ninuman sa Community Pantry ay pagkilala na walang malay na may mali sa sistema at sa mga nagpapatakbo nito. Bakit ka nga ba lalahok sa isang proyekto kung alam mo naman sapat ang tulong, serbisyo, at ayuda na ibinibigay ni Duterte? Bagamat hindi malinaw para sa lahat na ang pagsali ay pagkilala sa masalimuot at nakakagalit na kalagayan ng bansa, malinaw para sa lahat na ito’y pagkakataon na kilalanin, unawaan, at tulungan ang isa’t isa. Pagkakataon ito upang mapagningas ang alab na siyang pupukaw sa kamalayan ng mas maraming Pilipino, DDS man o hindi.

Binibigyan tayo muli ng pagkakataon ng kasaysayan na kilalanin ang sarili at ang isa’t isa. Sa pagkakataong ito, may nangingibabaw – gutom, kawalan ng trabaho, kakarampot na ayuda, di sapat na testing at bakuna, at lantarang pananakop ng China sa West Philippine Sea. Kahit ang mga DDS kong nakasalamuha

Aktibista ka man o hindi, pagkakataon ito upang mamulat. Nanalo at patuloy na nananalo si Duterte dahil hati ang bansa. Ang tingin ng mga DDS sa mga hindi DDS: kaaway, terorista, at walang moralidad. Sa dami ng nangyayari sa ilalim ng rehimeng ito, binigyan tayo ng iba’t ibang pagkakataon para kilalanin muli ang sarili at ang isa’t isa. sa Community Pantry group na iyon, alam na hindi armado ang kumikilos para may makain ang libu-libong nagugutom at ginugutom na mga Pilipino (Ginugutom ang ginamit ko dahil ginugutom nga sila, tayo.) Tanungin mo ang sinuman na makakasalubong

mo sa daan, kung kumusta sila at mga masasalimuot na sagot ang matatanggap mo. Huwag lang natin banggitin ang pangalan ni Duterte, at mauunawaan natin na lahat sila may mga pananaw na pareho sa mga pananaw ng mga mulat. Dapat walang nagugutom, dapat may sapat na trabaho, dapat sapat ang ayuda, dapat libre ang testing at sapat ang bakuna, at dapat ipinaglalaban ang soberanya ng mga bansa laban sa mga mananakop.

Marami tayong dapat maunawaan sa isa’t isa. Ang mga DDS, ilan bang mga aktibista ang kilala nila? Ilan bang mga mulat ang kilala nila? Ilan ba sa mga kakilala nila ang namatay dahil sa War on Drugs at sa Criminal Negligence ni Duterte sa gitna ng pandemya? Kung isasara natin ang isang hapag kainan sa mga taong dapat hamigin at yakapin natin, anong klaseng sistema ang nililikha natin at pag-iisip ang hinuhubog natin? Lipunang inasam ni Duterte – hati at watak-watak batay sa pananaw at pagtingin sa administrasyon.

Iba ang mga supporters ni Duterte sa mga opisyal, mga kaalyado, mga

pulis, at mga military. Ano ba ang kapangyarihan ng mga ordinaryong mamamayan laban sa propaganda at fake news ng estado ni Duterte?

Kailangan natin ang isa’t isa para humilom mula sa sugat at sakit na idinulot ng rehimen ni Duterte. Ang Community Pantries ay espasyo upang matuto tayo sa isa’t isa. Maraming mga pag-iisip at kultura ang namana natin sa kultura at sistemang bulok.

Paano tayo matututo kung isasara natin ang hapag kainan sa mga masa na gutom at uhaw rin sa impormasyon, kamulatan at kwento mula sa masa?

At ang “katotohanang” ipinapakain sa atin ni Duterte ay puro propaganda, papuri, at fake news. Natuto ang mga mulat dahil lamang naging bukas ang mga espasyo ng pagkatuto – sa loob ng unibersidad, sa gilid ng kalsada, at sa mga komunidad ng mga magsasaka o mangingisda. Kung isasara natin ang hapag kainan sa iilang kailangan mamulat, paano sila mamumulat, at paano tayo mamumulat? Paano natin mababago ang lahat kung ang pagbabagong inaasam natin ay para sa iilan lamang?

60 | EDI TORYAL

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[ P ] G R A P H IC S BY J E R MA IN E VA L E R IO

Bayang Minasaker ■ EDI TO RY A L

Noong Marso, nasaksihan ng mamamayan ng Timog Katagalugan ang isa sa mga pinakamadugong atake sa mga lider-aktibista sa rehiyon. Sa loob lamang ng isang araw, siyam na aktibista ang pinaslang ng pinag-sanib pwersang AFP at PNP sa madugong operasyon na COPLAN ASVAL o mas kinikilala bilang Bloody Sunday.

Ang siyam na pinatay ay mga progresibong indibidwal mula sa iba’t ibang sektor. Si Ka Manny Asuncion, isang marangal na lider-aktibista sa Cavite, ay kilalang organisador ng mga manggagawa sa Workers Assistance Center (WAC) at tagapagsalita ng Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Cavite.

Sina Mark Lee Bacasno, Greg Dasigao, Abner at Edward Esto, lahat mga miyembro ng San Isidro Kasiglahan, Kapatiran at Damay para sa Kabuhayan, Karapatan, at Kapayapaan (SIKKAD K3), ay nagmula sa sektor ng maralitang panglungsod ng Montalban, Rizal.

Sina Chai at Ariel Evangelista ay mga magsasaka ng makakalikasang Ugnayan ng Mamamayan Laban sa Pagwawasak ng Kalikasan at Kalupaan (UMALPAS KA)

I T I N ATAG 1 973 | TAO N 47 , B ILA N G 5 Ang opisyal na pahayagan ng mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Los Baños

A DDRE S S Silid 11, 2nd Floor Student Union Bldg., Mariano M. Mondonedo Avenue, UPLB 4031 E DI TORI A L perspective.uplb@up.edu.ph O P I N I O N opinion.uplbperspective@gmail.com O RG S orgwatch.uplbperspective@gmail.com Miyembro, UP Systemwide Alliance of Student Publications and Writers’ Organizations (UP Solidaridad) at ng College Editors’ Guild of the Philippines (CEGP)

mula sa Quezon.

Sina Puroy at Randy dela Cruz naman ay parehong mga katutubong kasapi ng Dumagat Sierra Madre - isang alyansa ng mga nakikibakang Dumagat na tinututulan ang pagpapatayo ng Kaliwa Dam na syang sisira sa kabuhayan ng mga pambansang minorya sa mga probinsya ng Rizal at Quezon.

Ilang araw lang mula rito, sa araw rin ng linggo, ay pinatay naman si Pang Dandy Miguel – ang bise-tagapangulo ng Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (PAMANTIK-KMU) – habang nagmamaneho siya pauwi sa Canlubang, Laguna. Sa loob sentrong unyon, siya ay naging isa sa mga pangunahing namamandila ng tunay at militanteng unyonismo ng mga manggagawa. Siya ay aktibong nakikisama sa mga kampanya hindi lang ng kanyang unyong orihinal na kinasasapian, kundi pati na rin sa iba’t ibang mga grupo ng manggagawa sa buong rehiyon.

Mas lalong naging malinaw matapos ng sunod-sunod na mga pagpatay na ito ay walang ligtas sa ilalim ng rehimeng Duterte. Kahit sino, kahit kailan, sa kahit anong sektor ay maaaring maging biktima ng pasismo ng estado.

Kung hindi man mamamatay ang mga tao sa kapabayaan ng administrasyon ngayong panahon ng paghihirap at taggutom, ay bibiktimahin naman sila ng pasistang estado – dahil lang sa kanilang pagpapanawagan sa kanilang mga karapatan.

Mapanlinlang ang kanilang mandato na paglingkuran umano ang sambayanan, dahil sila mismo ang nangunguna sa mga atake laban sa masang-api.

Kitang kita na ito ang interes ng estado sa pagpatay ng mga lider-aktibista sa rehiyon – sapagkat akala ng estado na kapag sinugpo ang mga organisador ay mapipigilan nito ang paglaban ng mga mamamayan – sa pakikiisa sa dakilang pakikibaka. Akala siguro nila, na sa pamamagitan ng mga programang

antiinsurhensya - ang EO 70, MO 32, at Anti-Terrorism Act, ay magpapatinag ang mamamayang nakikibaka para sa tunay na kasarinlan at pambansang demokrasya.

Ngunit ito ay isang ilusyon lamang.

Isang delusyon ng AFP-PNP. Isang hangaring malayo sa konkretong kondisyon ng lipunan. Kahit ilang beses nilang atakihin ang mga organisador, hangga’t api ang mga mamamayan, ay lagi’t laging may titindig at tututol sa pasismo ng estado. Ani nga sa Awit ng Pag-asa: “Kahit na magapi at isa ang matira sa ating dakilang hanay.”

Kung akala ni Duterte at ng kanyang mga alipores na sa pamamagitan ng panggigipit at pagpatay ay ganun lang kasimple wakasan ang kilusang makabayan, nagkakamali sila. Ang mga atakeng ito ay kontradiksyon lamang sa hindi maiiwasang pag-usbong ng lipunan tungo sa kapayapaan batay sa katarungan.

Sa katunayan, pinatatagal lamang nila ang kung ano ang natitira pa sa kanilang hawak sa kapangyarihang pang-ekonomiya, pulitika, at kultura. Kaya napipilitan ang estado na gumamit ng dahas ay unti-unting nawawala na ang kanilang kontrol sa kanilang binubusabos. Ngunit

alam ng estado na hindi nila mapipigilan ang pagkamulat ng mga tao at ang kanilang kapasyahang magwagi at buwagin ang mga panlipunang estrukturang nagpapahirap sa kanila sa panahon ngayon ng pagkakabulok ng sistema.

Ang editoryal na ito ay isa sa mga pinakamabigat at pinakamahirap isulat para sa publikasyon, sapagkat ang mga pinaslang noong Marso hindi lang mga pangalan sa isang press release para sa amin: sila ay mga kasama, kahanay, at kakapit-bisig sa pakikibaka sa rehiyon.

Inaalala at pinagpupugayan namin ang bawat isang bayani ng sambayanan na pinagkait ng estado sa karapatang mabuhay, mag-organisa, at mambatikos.

Sa palabang diwa ng mga mamamayan ng rehiyon, patuloy naming papaingayin at isusulong ang kampanyang binitbit nila para sa tunay na demokrasya. Hinding-hindi namin makakalimutan ang inambag sa lipunan ng mga dakilang martir ng Bloody Sunday!

Tahasang kundenahin ang mga atake sa Timog Katagalugan!

Hustisya sa mga pinaslang noong Bloody Sunday! Hustisya para kay Pang Dandy Miguel! Ibagsak ang rehimeng US-Duterte!

MARK ERNEST FAMATIGAN Punong Patnugot

AESHA JUSTIN DOMINIQUE SARROL Patnugot ng Opinyon

MARILOU LORZANO Tagapamahala ng Sirkulasyon

Giancarlo Morrondoz, Marl Vinz Ollave, Ethan Pahm, Sophia Pugay,

SONYA MARIELLA CASTILLO Kapatnugot

GERARDO JR LAYDIA Patnugot ng Produksyon

MGA KAWANI

SOPHIA ISABEL PANGILINAN Tagapamahalang Patnugot

Kahit na pandemya, walang pinipiling panahon ang AFP-PNP sa pangunguna ng pasistang si Duterte pag dating sa mga atake sa mamamayan.

AUBREY BEATRICE CARNAJE Kapatungot sa Grapiks at Dibuho ng Pabalat

Mac Andre Arboleda, Josh Atayde, Jonas Atienza, Ron Babaran,

Jed Palo, Kenneth Rementilla, Laurence Reyes, Lindsay Peñaranda, Celeste Samin, Laeh Patrick Garcia, Dianne Catheryne Joy Sanchez, Aron Jan Mitchell Sierva, Josiah Bumahit, Dean Carlo Valmeo,

James Jericho Bajar, Michael Ian Bartido, Caleb Luke Buenaluz,

Vince Villanueva, Paulette Dela Paz, Mark Fabreag, EJ Jo Lasanas,

Allaissa Calserada, Ralph Caneos, Taj Lagulao, Cyril Chan,

Vianne Redoblado, Ma. Princess Anne Curioso, Charleston Chang,

Shane Del Rosario, Vince Dizon, Paul Carson, Emerson Espejo,

Kyla Jimenez, Kyela Jose, Shane Agarao, Charles Alison Rivera,

CLAIRE DENISE SIBUCAO Patnugot sa Rekrutment

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DAYNIELE LOREN Kapatnugot sa Paglalapat

Reinne Espinosa, Juan Sebastian Evangelista, Reignne Francisco,

Marcus Garcia, Axcel Beltran, Johanne Gonzales, Edan Aguillon,

Justine Marie Fuentes, James Masangya, Bea Rabe,

Daniel Zachary del Mundo, Khayil Sorima, Kyle Ramiel Dalangin,

GABRIEL JOV DOLOT Patnugot ng Lathalain

PATRICE BIANCA YAPJOCO Patnugot sa Online

Abel Geñovana, Jesus Joaquin Gonzales IV, Pierre Ulrich Hubo,

Mikko Bartolome, Kyle Sigaya, Arianne Paas, Angelyn Castillo,

Leojave Anthony Incon, Krystelle Louise Lachica, Philip Xavier Li,

John Michael Monteron, Jemielyn Lacap, Federick Biendima,

FELIPA CHENG Patnugot ng Kultura

BEYONCE NAVA Patnugot ng Orgwatch

Ian Raphael Lopez, Jase Michael Manatad, Toni Ysabel Dimaano,

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Datu Zahir Meditar, Beatrice Mendoza, Jonel Rei Mendoza,

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