UPLB Perspective Tomo 43, Issue 11

17 STO 12, 20 O G A • A PAHIN BLG. 11• 12 • I II L X O TOM

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Paglingkuran ang sambayanan | editoryal

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balita SUMMA CUM LAUDE LEADS UPLB’S 45TH COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES

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kultura #UPLBVOTES: MEDYO ‘WAG TULARAN

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lathalain LABOR OF LOVE

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opinyon NOT MERE PARANOIA

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EDITORYAL

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N A N A Y A B M A S G N A N A R PAGLINGKU Noong June 24, 2017 ay nasaksihan natin ang pagtatapos ng 2,462 na ang nagsabi na ang kasalukuyang 10-taong basic education na mayroon estudyante ng UPLB. Malakas ang hamon ng mga estudyante na lumahok sa tayo ay magiging hadlang para sa mga Pilipino na nagnanais magtrabaho grad rally sa kanilang mga kapwa nagsipag sa ibang bansa. Ang pagpapatupad di tapos na paglingkuran ang sambayanan. umano ng K-12 sa bansa ay pag-aayon sa Sa kabila ng kasalukuyang oryentasyon global standards bilang isa ang Pilipinas ng edukasyon at patuloy na mga reporma sa mga bansang nanatili sa 10-year basic dito tulad ng GE reform at K-12, nararapat curriculum. lamang na panatiliin natin ang ating kritikal, makabayan, at service-oriented spirit kung Nakita natin ang agaran na saan kilala ang mga UP graduates. pagpapatupad ng K-12 sa bansa sa kabila ng mga hindi pa nasosolosyunang Ang Revitalized General Education problema sa sektor ng edukasyon. Bukod Program (RGEP) o mas kilala bilang GE sa pag tugma sa global standards, ang na tatak ng liberal na oryentasyon ng K-12 ay naglalayon na lumikha ng export UP education, na itinatag noong 1958 quality graduates. Ang pinakamurang sa termino ni UP President Vicente sahod sa paggawa ay matatagpuan sa Cinco ay naglalayon na panatilihin ang Timog-Silangang Asya, kaya naman napaka makabayan na katangian ng UP at tiyakin estratehikong lokasyon ito para sa mga ang holistic learning ng mga estudyante malalaking multi-national companies at ng unibersidad. Sa orihinal na GE program nakikita nila ang Pilipinas at mga kalapit na ay nangangailangan ng 45 units ng GE bansa bilang pagmumulan ng puwersang courses ang isang estudyante, kung paggawa. saan 9 units dito ay required depende sa iyong kurso habang malayang pumili ang Sa kabila ng mga reporma sa estudyante para sa natitirang units. Ngunit edukasyon, unti-unti nang nawawala ang noong March 20, 2017 ay naisakatuparan totoong diwa ng UP education, sa halip na na ang GE reform framework sa lahat ng paglikha ng mga Iskolar ng Bayan na mag UP units nang aprubahan ng University bibigay serbisyo sa sambayanang Pilipino, Council ng UP Diliman, ang huling UP patuloy na inaakma ang oryentasyon unit na nagpatupad ng GE reform, ang ng edukaston para pagsilbihan ang nasabing reporma sa GE kung saan dayuhang interes. Kasabay ang patuloy ibinababa ang bilang ng kinakailangang na pag kokomersysalisa ng basic services GE subjects mula 45 units sa 21 units. tulad ng edukasyon kung saan kabi-kabila ang mga school fees na hindi naman natin Sa pagbabawas ng GE subjects, ay nakikita kung saan napupunta at patuloy mababawasan din ng pagkakataon ang na pagtulak sa mga state universities and mga Iskolar ng Bayan na kumuha ng mga colleges (SUCs) para maging self sufficient. kurso na nakabatay sa ating nasyonal na Kaya naman patuloy na tinututulan ang kalagayan, hindi rin maisasakatuparan ang holistic learning na tatak ng UP mga reporma sa edukasyon at mga polisiya na nag tutulak sa pagiging education dahil sa pagbabawas ng GE subjects ay mas tututok na ang mga komersyalisado at kolonyal ng edukasyon. Kasabay nito ang pag giit na estudyante sa kani-kanilang espesyalisasyon. ang edukasyon ay ating karapatan, kaya’t ang panawagan para sa libre, dekalidad, at aksesibong edukasyon ay ating patuloy na papalakasin.

Isa sa mga dahilan na ibinigay ng UP admin sa pagsasapatupad ng GE reform ay isa raw itong tugon sa K-12 dahil ilan sa mga GE subjects ay Bilang mga Iskolar ng Bayan, nasa sa atin ang mandato na gamitin ang makukuha na sa senior high school at iniiwasan ang pagiging redundant. mga natutunan sa loob ng pamantasan sa ikauunlad ng ating bansa. Ngunit Ngunit itong GE reform, K-12, at iba pang reporma sa UP at sa pangkalahatang ang mga reporma sa edukasyon ay tila patuloy tayong nilalayo rito. Ngunit edukasyon sa Pilipinas ay manipestasyon ng paglalayon ng estado na sa huli’t huli, nasa atin pa rin ang desisyon na dalhin ang kritikal, makabayan, gawing tugma sa pangangailangan ng pandaigdigang pamilihan ang mga at service oriented spirit kung saan kilala ang mga UP students at piliin na graduates ng mga unibersidad. Ang mga opisyal na mismo ng gobyerno paglingkuran ang sambayanan. [P]

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Dibuho ni Juvelle Villanueva

Summa cum laude leads UPLB’s 45th Commencement Exercises WORDS l JULIANNE AFABLE

Arnel Villancio Jr. led class 2017 in this year’s Commencement Exercises on June 24, 2017 at the UPLB grounds.

Among the 2,462 graduates from the 9 degree-granting units of the university, 182 students graduated with honors, with 160 cum laude, 21 magna cum laude, and one summa cum laude, Arnel Villancio Jr., BS Agriculture, major in Agricultural Systems, with a general weighted average of 1.1762, who is the Valedictorian of Class 2017.

In his valedictory address,

Villancio thanked his family, friends, and people who helped him through his undergraduate years in the university.

“Maraming mga tao ang nag patunay sa akin na ang tunay na biyaya ng Diyos ay hindi ang indibidwal na kagalingan ng isang tao kundi ang mga tao na sumuporta at susuporta sa kanya,” Villancio said after mentioning the groups of people who contributed to his success. He also expressed his appreciation towards his parents who, despite being not really well-off were able to support their six children, “alam naming na sinasakripirsyo nila

ang pansarili nilang mga pangarap para lamang matulungan kaming magkakapatid na maabot namin ang sa amin,” Villancio said. He added that his parents allowed him to make decisions for himself, “noong pinili ko ang BS Agriculture bilang kursong aaralin ko sa kolehiyo, wala silang kahit anong tutol, ang sinabi lang nila susuportahan nila ako sa aking desisyon.”

In the latter part of his speech, Villancio emaphaszied that he really wanted to take BS Agriculture in UPLB since he knew that UPLB offers one of the best curriculums in Agriculture, “ang first choice na campus

na pinili ko noon sa UPCAT ay itong UPLB, dahil nabalitaan ko na ito raw ang pinakamagandang unibersidad dito sa bansa pag-dating sa Agrikultura at hindi naman iyon fake news. Sa medaling salita, ginusto ko talaga ito.” Villancio emphasized the importance of the field of Agriculture in achieving food security in the country. He also shared that his main driving force was his desire to contribute to the development of Agriculture in the country, “ang tunay na nagpapakilos sa akin sa kung ano mang pagsisikap na aking ginagawa ay ang aking pagnanais na malaman kung

paano mapapalakas ang Agrikultura ng Pilipinas. Sa makatuwid ang lahat ng ito ay para sa pag-ibig sa bayan.”

Villancio ended his address by challenging his fellow graduates to use the skills nurtured within and outside the university for the betterment of the country. [P]

Marawi Siege still continues; Maute Matriarch and Patriarch, captured The matriarch of the infamous Maute terrorist group has been arrested.

It was on the afternoon of June 9, 2017 when Ominta Romato “Farhana” Maute, mother of the terrorist leaders of Maute group has been caught alongside two injured members of the group and seven unidentified women in the town of Masiu, Lanao del Sur. The authorities were also able to seize from the group an abundance of cash, massively destructive firearms, and improvised explosives. According to the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), the matriarch is said to be the financer of the Maute terrorists.

Earlier, Cayamora Maute, the father of the Maute brothers, was caught in the check point in Davao City on Tuesday, June 6, 2017. On Thursday, Cayamora Maute was transferred to Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig.

As of June 14, 2017, the Armed Forces of the

WORDS l JESSA SUGANOB, CAREN JOY MALAUAN

Philippines (AFP) has announced that there were 58 soldiers and police officers, 26 civilians, and 206 militants who died during the Marawi siege. However, according to Amaq, an Islamic State news agency, there were a least 200 government troops that had been killed while several abandoned their posts.

Meanwhile, 202 civilians were pronounced dead as the government continued its efforts with clearing the city from terrorists, including Abu Sayyaf groups and foreign jihadists.

About 200,000 residents were already evacuated and had fled the city since the onset of the clash while some 300-600 civilians are still trapped in firefight.

The military had hoped to put the clashes to an end on the Philippine day of Independence, June 12 but failed. As June 17, 2017, the clashes in the Marawi City still continue.

Marawi Siege timeline It all started on the afternoon of May 23, 2017 when

the government forces have followed a lead about Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon hiding in Basak Malutlut. Upon reaching the place, a raid was done and Hapilon’s forces had fought back while also calling for reinforcements from the Maute Group.

The Maute Group is a newly-formed organization that is sympathetic to the ideologies of the infamous Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). They were also believed to be responsible for the bombing in Davao City last September, killing 15 people.

Upon the arrival of the back-up, the Maute group had begun to seize several facilities in the city including the Amai Pakpak Hospital, the city hall, the city jail and some parts of the Mindanao State University (MSU - Marawi) campus. Upon controlling the said hospital, the group took down the Philippine flag on the hospital and replaced it with the flag of ISIS. Guns fights also occurred on certain parts of the

city, with a church, two schools, and another jail on the receiving end of the damages. The electricity supply was also cut off and the whole city was put on lockdown. Several buildings and houses were also set ablaze by the Maute group.

Trapped residents took and posted on their social media accounts pictures and videos of militants waving ISIS black flags. It was also reported that the government troops had met child warriors as young as 10 years old holding M-16 rifles and fighting under the Maute Group.

At the night of the same day, President Rodrigo Duterte had imposed Martial Law on the entire state of Mindanao as an attempt to aid the Philippine military efforts in taking back the city.

A day after that, the Philippine Military had regained the Amai Pakpak Hospital and MSU Marawi from the hands of the terrorists.

Reports had also circulated that some of the

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More terror attacks shock world WORDS l KRISTINE JOY ORIG

Following the Paris and Stockholm terror attacks last April, people from different parts of the world are once again shocked by the attacks that consecutively occurred in United Kingdom.

Manchester Arena terror attack A massive explosion was witnessed a few moments after the final performance of Ariana Grande during her concert held at the Manchester Arena last May 22, 2017. The bomb was detonated at the entrance hall of the arena where people are heavily clumped at the time.

Witnesses claimed that they heard a loud blast followed by sounds of people in panic; tiny metals were seen emerging from the rucksack of the suspect, as a home-made bomb was detonated by the 22-year old suicide bomber, which intended to kill as many people as possible.

The suicide bomber was identified as Salman Abedi, of Libyan origin.

According to UK media reports, it was believed that Salman and his brother, Hashem undergone radicalisation via the internet. It was also reported the Hashem helped his brother buy the supplies for the home-made bomb.

Ramadan Abedi, Salman’s father, was arrested in Tripoli due to his alleged connections with the Islamic State group.

A total of 22 people were killed while 116 were reported as injured.

Because of the attack, officials shifted the terrorism threat level in the UK from severe to critical.

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London terror attacks Just weeks after the Manchester arena explosion, London was again alarmed with a terror attack last June 3, 2017. A 27-year old Khuram Butt, and two others, identified as Italian Rachid Redouane, and Moroccan Youssef Zaghba were believed to be the masterminds of the attack. The trio, carried by a white van, steered towards the pedestrians at the London Bridge before going to Borough Market. The three then entered pubs and clubs where they stabbed random people while shouting “This is for Allah”, as witnesses claimed. A total of eight people were killed and 48 were injured. According to recent reports, Butt tried to hire a 7.5-ton truck which is supposedly intended for larger casualty.

The ringleader, Khuram Butt, was seen in the UK’s Channel 4 documentary titled as the Jihadis Next Door. The documentary aims to warn the officials and residents about the future rise of extremist Islam in London.

Resorts World Manila incident: not a terror attack as President Duterte claims A total of 37 people were killed due to asphyxiation after a gunman set the gambling grounds of Resorts World Manila on fire last June 2, 2017.

The gunman was identified as Jessie Javier Carlos, a former employee

of Department of Finance. Carlos, 42, was fired due to his multiple Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) issues.

According to reports, Carlos was heavily driven to pursue the robbery due to his debts as a result of his casino gambling. After instilling panic to the casino attendees and setting the place on fire, Carlos headed back to his hotel room, bringing P 113 million worth of chips, the suspect covered his body with a blanket and set himself on fire after being shot and wounded.

Moreover, the Islamic State group – through the Amaq News claimed that they are responsible for the casino attack. However, this claim is contradicted by President Duterte saying that terrorist attacks

by ISIS are more extreme. The gunman should have shot and killed the people right away and not just eye for the casino chips, if it were a terrorist attack, General Hermogenes Esperon Jr. added.

Despite the speculations that the incident was an act of terrorism, Philippine National Police insisted that the incident is an act of robbery and ruled out terrorism as the reason behind the attack. [P]

Mga estudyante, nag- overnight sa SU

May ilang daang estudyante ang nagovernight sa Student Union Building sa loob ng campus mula noong ika- 2 ng Mayo hanggang katapusan ang semestre sa pangunguna ng Rise for Education – UPLB, UPLB University Student Council (USC), at All UP Academic Employees Union (AUPAEU).

Itinayo noong dekada sisenta, ang Student Union Building o mas kilala sa tawag na SU ay naging bahay ng ilang mga institusyon ng mga mag-aaral gaya ng UPLB Perspective at ng UPLB USC. Layunin nito na maging lugar kung saan pwedeng malayang mag-aral, mag-tipon, o mag-organisa ang mga estudyante.

Ngunit nang dahil sa mga represibong patakaran gaya na lamang ng alas-diyes na curfew ay nalilimitahan ang karapatan ng sangka-estudyantehan sa paggamit ng nasabing gusali.

Kaya naman sa pangunguna ng Rise for Education – UPLB kasama ang UPLB USC, AUPAEU pati na rin ng ilan pang mga organisasyon kagaya ng League of Filipino Students (LFS) – UPLB at Anakbayan ay isinagawa ang kilusang tinawag na Occupy SU, ilang linggo bago matapos ang semestre.

Layunin nitong hikayatin ang mga estudyante na i-maksima at gamitin ang mga pasilidad sa loob ng SU Building kung saan pwedeng mag-aral o mag-

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WORDS l LIANNE PARAJENO tipon para sa mga darating na pagsusulit o gawin ang mga proyekto kahit lagpas na ng curfew na alas-diyes ng gabi.

Sa panayam kay Patricia Calata, College of Arts and Sciences Student Council (CAS SC) Councilor, sinabi niya na, “Ang Occupy SU ay isang pagkilos upang ibalik ang dating oryentasyon ng SU. May pangyayari sa kasaysayan nito [SU Building] kung saan malaya itong nagagamit ng mga estudyante for educational purposes at pati na rin sa pagoorganisa. Layunin nitong [Occupy SU] gawing genuine student center ang SU para sa mga estudyante.”

Dagdag pa ng Rise for Education– UPLB sa kanilang opisyal na pahayag na nilabas sa kanilang Facebook page, “Let this be a step towards a Nationalist, MassOriented and Scientific Education and let this be a step towards a pro-people and pro- student University.”

Sa mga katulad na mga pagkilos ay hindi mawawala ang mga aberya.

Halimbawa na nga rito ang nangyari noong ika-26 ng Mayo, huling gabi ng Occupy SU. Ayon sa Facebook post ng Rise for Education – UPLB ay ibinahaging bandang alas-diyes nang gabi noong ika-26 ng Mayo ay namatay ang ilaw at mga electric fan sa Molawin Hall ng SU. Nang tanungin ang mga guwardya ay sinabing “power breakdown” lamang ito,

individuals who were found dead, specifically the Malaysian and Saudi Arabian foreigners, were terrorists who planned to create an Islamic State in Southeast Asia alongside Isnilon Hapilon.

On May 26, 2017, the group had taken the priest Teresito “Chito” Soganub and his companions as hostages. It was also reported two days after that 28 Malaysians had joined the Maute forces and extremist groups in Indonesia could potentially be called for reinforcements by the Maute group.

On May 29, 2017 the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) had joined the forces of the Maute group. On the other hand, a spokesman for Nur Misuari, leader of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Luis Jalandoni, leader of the National Democratic

ngunit nang tignan at subukan ng mga estudyante ang mga saksakan ay may kuryente naman ang mga ito. Kaya naman napagpasyahan ng mga estudyante na lumipat na lamang sa ikalawang palapag ng SU upang ipag- patuloy ang kanilang mga ginagawa.

Ayon sa isang saksing si Angelo Claveria, “Ang nangyari kasi, namatay lang yung mga ilaw sa Molawin Hall, [pero] yung mga outlets dun may kuryente, and sa second floor, may kuryente din.”

Dagdag rin niya, “Wala namang certainty kung pinatayan ba talaga kami ng ilaw.

Pero may mga threats na kasi previously at may time na pinaghuhugot ng guard yung mga saksak ng mga extension wires.”

Nang hingan ng mensahe upang hikayatin ang mga estudyante na makilahok sa mga katulad na pagkilos, sinabi ni Calata na, “There will be people who will do the talking, organizing and fighting for the student’s rights (gaya ng Council, Activists…) but it will only become a success if participation and not only presence is given by all the students.”

Dagdag pa niya, “There is strength in number and that is what we need so that the administration will hear us out, and finally achieve a nationalist, massoriented and scientific education.” [P]

Front (NDF), had expressed their support against the Maute group.

MNLF provided a unit of 500 to 700 MNLF fighters to aid in the fight with the extremist group.

A joint statement from the Philippine Government and MILF had been released, expressing the MILF’s support for the President’s invitation to provide humanitarian assistance to the civilians still trapped in Marawi.

It was on June 3, 2017 when President Duterte and Nur Misuari had made an agreement that 2000 MNLF fighters will be enlisted under the Philippine military to join the government forces in Marawi. However on June 7, 2017, both AFP

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spokesperson Brigadier Gen. Restituto Padilla and President Duterte said that this cannot happen immediately as there are “appropriate protocols” that should be followed.

A friendly fire occurred on June 1, 2017 when one Philippine Air Force plane missed its target and instead attacked their allies, killing 11 soldiers. Consequently, Senate president Aquilino Pimentel III asked for a review of the Philippine Military’s strategy.

Martial Law declaration Proclamation no. 216 or “Declaring a state of Martial Law and suspending the privilege of Writ of Habeas Corpus in the whole of Mindanao” was issued by President Duterte on the night of May 23, 2017. This declaration state that Mindanao will be placed under martial law for not more than 60 days.

High alerts were enforced on nearby cities from Marawi such as Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro City. Heightened security measures such as check points with strict entrances and exits were put on place.

However, three petitions against Duterte’s martial law were filed to the Supreme Court. A report from Bulatlat said that opposition lawmakers led by Albay Representative Edcel Lagman filed the first petition while the second and the third petitions were filed by a

group of four women from Marawi city, and the Makabayan bloc lawmakers and progressive groups respectively.

The three-day oral argument was conducted from June 13-15, 2017.

Petitioners argued that the Marawi siege is not enough grounds to declare martial law on the whole region.

“The alleged ‘siege’ of Marawi City is actually an armed resistance by the Maute Group to shield Hapilon from capture, not to overrun Marawi and remove its allegiance from the Republic,” Lagman said.

Also, Atty. Ephraim Cortez of National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) argued that the declaration is unconstitional under the 1987 Philippine Constitution since it is not considered as a rebellion.

“It is now explicitly required that it (martial law) may only be declared and the writ (of habeas corpus) suspended if there is actual rebellion or invasion and when public safety so requires,” Cortez stressed.

Cortez further added that “martial law must be an instrument of last resort” under the 1987 constitution. [P]

#UPLBvotes: Medyo ‘WAG TULARAN SALITA l CHARITY FAITH RULLODA DIBUHO l JUVELLE VILLANUEVA

Abril. Bukod sa halaman mong damdamin na nabubuhay sa buwang ito dahil ito ang panahong naglipana na sa newsfeed mo ang grad pics ng mga highschool batchmates at college blockmates mo, or kung hindi man grad pics ay screenshot ng pangalan nilang pasado na sa boards, ito rin ang buwang ‘di ka sure kung sino ba talaga ang nabuhay; si Hesus ba na nagmula sa tatlong araw na kamatayan o ang Twitter warriors na mula sa iba’t ibang partido’t kandidato.

Buwan ng Abril. Eleksyon na. Panahon na upang taasan ang EQ dahil sa mga mababasa mo sa social media na pataasan ng ihi ng mga partido’t kandidato.

Panahon na upang pakinggan ang mga naka-name tag na nagr-room-to-toom campaign sa mga large/lecture classes mo. At higit sa lahat, panahon na upang maging mapagmatiyag at intilihenteng iskolar ng bayan.

Kaya naman, matuto tayo sa mga tumakbo ngayong taon. Sana’y huwag nang maulit pa sa susunod na campus elections ang ilan sa mga pangyayaring naganap sa #UPLBvotes candidates natin ngayong taon. Kaya kung ikaw ay nagbabalak kumandidato sa susunod na eleksyon, ang sumusunod na limang tips ay iyong isapuso (dahil kailanma’y hindi nakakalimot ang puso): Huwag tumakbo kung tatakbuhan din lang ang groupmates. I-balance ang acads at council. Takbo ka nang takbo, hindi mo alam nagdadasal na ang groupmates mong sana ma-corrupt lahat ng files mo sa laptop at flashdrive sa sobrang badtrip sa’yo. Galing galing mo magsalita, wala ka namang isang salita - di maasahan sa group meetings, group works. Makipag-communicate sa groupmates kung may concerns, hindi yung basta mo na lang sila tatakbuhan dahil busy ka sa pagtakbo. Kagigil ka ha.

Basa basa rin ng dyaryo para naman may alam kahit papaano. Ganito. Since ang eleksyon taun-taon ay pagkatapos ng holy week, bago ka umuwi sa probinsiya mo ay magbaon ka ng mga dyaryo. Gawin itong bibliya sa mahal na araw. Nawa’y maging gabay mo ito sa pagsagot sa mga kakaharapin mong diskusyon. Pagnilaynilayan mo ang laman nito nang sa gayon pagbalik mo ng elbi ay handa ka sa Miting De Avance. Para naman alam mo yung sinasabi mo tuwing tinatanong ka. Sa kabilang banda, sana ay hindi tuwing eleksyon ka lang nagbabasa ng dyaryo. Bigyang hustisya mo naman yung binabayaran mong 45 pesos every sem mapa-anong bracket ka man.

Maging huwarang student leader, hindi huwad. Nakakaloka ha. Bawal manigarilyo sa loob ng campus pero ikaw ‘tong lakas maka-yosi break sa likod ng PSLH B, gilid ng DL Umali at likod ng NCAS. Yung totoo? Tapos yung pinagkainan mo ng mais noong FebFair, tinapon mo nga sa basurahan pero nakita mong nahulog dahil tambak na yung basura, tapos wapakels lang? Dire-deretso na ulit sa paglalakad? Wala lang nakita? Hmmmmm.

Iba rin. Kung nakakagawa ka ng mga simpleng bagay na hindi kaaya-ayang nang walang nakakakita sa’yo, I wonder, ano pa kaya ang mga kaya mong gawin tuwing sa tingin mo ay hindi ka naman nakikita ng mga estudyanteng pinaglilingkuran mo?

‘Wag landiin ang council kung di kayang panindigan. Alam mo yung konsepto ng ‘paglalandi sa council?’ Yung tipong sa umpisa ka lang bibo, ma-effort, pero kapag nagsubside na yung kilig ng pagkapanalo at sumabay na ang heavier loads sa acads at sa life, stop na. Detach agad. ‘Di na nagpakita. ‘Di na nagparamdam. Mabubulaklak na salita noong nangangampanya kulang na lang pati ang gintong pustiso ng lola ay ialay pero nang lumao’y hindi naman pinanindigan. Tandaan mo, marami pang mas magaling at mas masipag kaysa sa’yo pero ikaw ang naluklok sa puwesto na iyan dahil mas marami pa rin ang nagtiwala sa’yo, sa mga pangako mo, noong nililigawan mo pa ang sangkaestudyantehan – na nagbigay sa’yo ng matamis na “oo.”

Goodluck sa mga papasok sa pinto ng langit. Ang lahat ay nakatingin sa pinakataas, ang lahat ng mga mata ay nagmamatiyag sa lahat ng mga nagtatangkang makapasok sa pinakamataas na pinto. Mag ingat ka sa lahat ng sasabihin mo, ipo-post o it-tweet; dahil kapag USC candidate ka, walang salita mo ang hindi daraan sa mapanuring tainga ng mga nagbabantay sa pinto ng USC office. Kung nakapasok ka man sa pintong ito, goodluck.

Joke lang kasi yung pinto ng “langit.” Ooooooops. Joke lang ulit. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder nga pala. Oh the beauty of holding a position in the USC. Toxic talaga ang election season. Pero sana ay mas makita natin ito bilang oportunidad at responsibilidad kaysa tanawin itong isang kanser. Oportunidad na irepresenta ang sampung libong iskolar sa sampung libong isyu pa na kakaharapin nito at responsibilidad na iluklok sa pwesto ang lider estudyanteng sa tingin mo ay makakapagrepresenta sa’yo.

Kasi tandaan, tuwing eleksyon, politics is life but public service is lifer.[P]

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KULTURA

UPLB PERSPECTIVE

AGOSTO 12, 2017

Standout Pubmats in UPLB WORDS l JESSA SUGANOB, MAC ANDRE ARBOLEDA

Anyone can do pubmats. Anyone with access to Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Paint, or even paper and a handful of coloring pens can create a poster that they can call their masterpiece. But not everyone can do pubmats (the slang word for ‘publicity materials’) well. The moment you plaster your pubmat in the sea of other pubmats posted on, say, the CPC Lecture Hall bulletin board, you’ve automatically signed yourself up in a competition—a competition that will test whose pubmat stands out among the rest.

If you’re the kind of person who stops to look at the bulletin boards around campus, you’ll notice the glaring trends in today’s pubmats.

Posters inviting you to org orientations often involve themes of ‘family’. They’re trying to communicate that joining an org is more than an added line to your CV or a transactional relationship.

Joining means going beyond friendship and creating bonds that will change your life for good. It’s effective, but not to say that posters employing the family ethos shtick are unique.

Other trends include the use of vector. Most graphic artists use vector because of the clean, slick design. It also makes your poster look formal, and makes it easier to produce consistent pubmats throughout the year. We see vector used in orientations to talks, tutorials, and even career fairs. In addition to the formality and consistency, vector is great because it makes your pubmat easy to look at.

Use of pop culture references and imagery is also a trend in pubmats today. Proper utilization makes a clever and attractive pubmat, much like how

a good pun can make a catchy event title. Then we have trends that aren’t really “trends” yet but are common enough for those with a keen eye for design techniques. We have superimposed pictures, the use of Bebas Neue and calligraphy/handwritten fonts, the glitch effect, and pubmats that have horizontal text or images that are titled upward leaning to the top-right.

For bulletin boards, pubmats are almost always printed in A4-size paper, posted with thumbtacks that are either provided by the org or lent by the colleges that house the ad space. Online, pubmats are more dynamic with the use of videos, Vine-like clips, and of course, animated GIFs. Around last month, we saw the appearance of at least two orgs that had a Christmas light-themed photo shoot for their display picture blast on Facebook.

Coming up with a list of Standout Pubmats isn’t easy, and of course, this may have been come with some personal bias, stemming from our own experiences and preferences. However, we made sure that the ones we picked were pubmats that went outside the usual trends or pubmats that effectively and cleverly utilized these trends to make an effective promotion of their event and/or organization.

The Philosophical Society of UPLB’s orientation pubmat features an illustration of Susan Roces referencing the catchy RiteMed commercial, “’Wag mahihiyang magtanong.” It stands out not only for its pleasing color palette and art style, but because of the clever use of the catchy song lyrics in the context of Philosophy. UPLB Writers’ Club’s use of design techniques that go outside the norm for “Aplaya 2017” was also notable—especially with their animated GIFs that would impress the

designer who’s only starting to learn Photoshop. UPLB Statistical Society also released an animated GIF for a Stat1 Midterm Tutorials that was so satisfyingly smooth you’d be enticed to join even though you’re not actually taking Stat1. UPLB Genetics Society’s camapaign for “Genetics Camp 2017” also highlighted their skill in creating great GIFs with color schemes that are pleasing to look at. “Komiks orgs KarMa Kolektib’s “Contagion” and The Graphic Literature Guild’s “Elbikon 2017” show that use of original art help a pubmat stand out among the rest.

Another notable work is UP Kappa Phi Sigma’s original comic strip that came with other printed materials for their event entitled “Kappaan ng Nota”. The UPLB Entomological Society’s “Unleash the Inner Entomologist Within You” and AIESEC UPLB’s “Global Village 2017” go outside of the standard format and utilize interactive, tactile elements to make brand-solid pubmats. UP Film Circle’s “Casting Call” is a great example of how you use pop culture to attract the right kind of people: their poster featured cut-outs of film stills like “E.T.”, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, “The Martian”, etc. to create not only a pubmat but an artwork in itself. Finally, UP Guro’s Orientation pubmat transcends the pop culture format and breaks outside the expectation that posters need to communicate a clear message. With a reference to Janina San Miguel of Bb. Pilipinas 2008, including a collage of cats, dogs, the Miss Universe crown, tropics, and Chickenjoy, with the text: “My Pamily, My Pamily Howmaygad” and the details to the event; this goes to show that there are NO RULES when it comes to pubmat-making in UPLB. ####

UPLB PERSPECTIVE

AGOSTO 12, 2017

LATHALAIN

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#Sablay2017: Full Transcript of Arnel Villancio Jr.’s Valedictory Speech Sa ating kagalang galang na Chancellor Fernando Sanchez, sa mga opisyal ng ating Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, sa mga faculty, mga bisita, mga magulang at tumatayong magulang, at higit sa lahat sa mga magsisipagtapos ngayong gabi, magandang gabi sa inyong lahat.

Siguro umiiyak na sa tuwa ang tatay ko habang pinapanood niya kami ng ate ko ngayon, hindi naman niya kasi hiniling na kahit sino sa aming magkakapatid na magtapos kami na may latin honors. Noong ako ay nagtapos sa UP Rural High School, hindi ako kasama sa honor roll, pero wala siyang ipinakitang panghihinayang bagkus, nararamdaman ko na palihim niya akong ipinagmamalaki. Sa pagkakataong ito, bonus na lamang siguro sakanya na nagawa ko’ng magtalumpati pa sa harap ninyo. Ang pangarap lang niya kasi ay makapag tapos kami ng ate ko at ngayon, sabay kaming nag martsa. Madalas nga siyang nagbibiro na kapag naka-graduate kami ni ate, pwede na siyang magpahinga. Ang sama ng biro niya diba? Pero hindi niya yun tinotoo, kasi hindi na siya nakaabot dito sa pag-martsa. Dalawamput isang araw na rin ang nakakalipas simula nang nalaman ko ang balita na namatay na siya. Kaya habang sinusubukan ko’ng tapusin ang aking thesis manuscript dito sa Laguna, nakaburol naman siya sa Antipolo. Sinabi ko noon sa adviser ko, na oo siyempre, kahit mahirap na gumawa ng thesis na distracted, sabi ko sakanya kapit lang, tatapusin ko ang manuscript kasi kailangan ko’ng tuparin ang hiling ng tatay ko na dapat makatapos ako ngayong sem. Noong nabubuhay pa siya, pareho sila ng nanay ko na madalas humihingi ng tawad sa aming magkakapatid, iniisip kasi nila na hindi nila nagagampanan ng maayos ang kanilang tungkulin bilang aming mga magulang. Simula pagkabata problema na talaga namin ang pera, maliit naman kasi ang sinusweldo ng tatay ko samantalang walang regular na hanap buhay ang nanay ko. Nahihirapan tuloy silang tustusan ang pangangailangan ng kanilang anim na anak na nagkataon pa na lahat doon ay nag-aaral, tapos apat doon ay nag-aaral sa UP system. Ang sinasabi lang namin sa kanila, “okay lang yan kapit lang, makakapag-tiis kami.” Pinagkakait ko sakanila ang mga katagang, “pinapatawad namin kayo” kahit na nag-sosorry sila. Bakit? kasi wala naman silang kasalanang dapat ipanghingi ng tawad, alam namin na sinasakripisyo nila ang pansarili nilang mga pangarap para lamang matulungan kaming magkakapatid na maabot namin ang sa amin. Syempre hindi lang naman dapat sila ang dapat ko’ng pasalamatan sa kung saan man ang narating ko ngayon, maraming tao ang nagpatunay sa akin na ang tunay na biyaya ng Diyos ay hindi ang indibidwal na kagalingan ng isang tao kundi ang mga tao na sumuporta at susuporta sa kanya. Sa gayon, nais ko’ng pasalamatan ang Bloodwolves, and Arfy family, ang tropang CAFS, ang Qilin, ang UPLB Grange Association, ang UP AESYS, ang students of Destiny, ang pamilya Inciong, at marami pang iba na naging dahilan kaya hindi ko ni-regret na pinili ko ang landas na ito. Sila ang mga dahilan kung bakit nakapag tapos ako ngayon.

Sa totoo lang napakalaki ng utang na loob ko sa aking mga magulang dahil hinahayaan nila akong mag desisyon sa kung ano mang landas ang tatahakin ko sa buhay. Binibigyan lamang nila ako ng sapat na gabay.

Naaalala ko tuloy itong sinabi ni Dr. Mendioro tungkol sa pagpapalaki ng mga anak, sabi niya maihahalintulad ito sa paghawak sa buhangin. Nakasasama ang labis na higpit ng pagtikom ng palad, o di kaya labis na pagluwag ng paghawak dito. Dapat sakto lang. Mahalaga ang kalayaan upang lubusang lumago ang pagiisip subalit kasing halaga nito ang pag gabay upang tayo ay hindi maligaw ng landas.

Noong pinili ko ang BS Agriculture bilang kursong aaralin ko sa kolehiyo, wala silang kahit anong tutol, ang sinabi lang nila susuportahan nila ako sa aking desisyon. May tiwala naman kasi sila sa aking pagpapasya, hinayaan nilang tuparin ko ang aking pangarap sa paraang nais ko. Ang first choice na campus na pinili ko noong UPCAT ay itong UPLB. Bakit? Kasi balita ko ito raw ang pinakamagandang unibersidad dito sa bansa pag-dating sa larangan ng Agrikultura at mukhang hindi naman iyon fake news. Sa madaling salita ginusto ko talaga ito, hindi ako naniniwala na ang agriculturist ang siyang nagpapakain ng mundo sapagkat ang dakilang tungkulin na ito ay ginagampanan ng mga magsasaka. Ang tungkulin ng mga agriculturist ay ang patuloy na paghahanap ng paraan kung paano papakainin ng mundo ang sarili nito. Sa gitna ng kabi-kabilang suliranin na nagbabadyang pahinain ang agrikultura, ang mga agriculturist ay kaagapay ng mga magsasaka sa pag sigurado na hindi magugutom ang bansa.

Alam ko namang marami ang nang mamaliit sa agrikultura, maraming nag-iisip na hindi ito ‘astig’ may mga nagsasabi na kabisaduhan nga lang daw ito. Pero sinasabi ko sainyo na sa agrikultura hindi ka mabubuhay

dito kung kaalaman lang ang meron ka, kailangan mo rito ng lubos na pang-unawa. Noong pinili ko ang kursong ito, wala akong paki-alam sa kung ano ang iniisip ng iba. Hindi ko kailangan ang kanilang pag pupugay, hindi bubusugin ng kanilang mga palakpak ang kumakalam na sikmura ng ating mga kababayan, hindi bubuhayin ng kanilang mga papuri ang mga namatay at mamatay dahil sa pagkagutom. Ang kanilang pag-tingin ay walang kakayahang iahon mula sa kahirapan ang mga magsasakang nagsasakripisyo para sa bansa. Higit sa lahat, ang kanilang pag-husga ay hindi magpapaunlad ang bayan.

Naalala ko tuloy ang ‘Kwento ng Tatlong Mason’ mula sa artikulo ni Dennis Arroyo na ibinahagi naman sa akin ng dati ko’ng mentor sa UP Rural. Ang sabi niya, natagpuan ng isang dayo ang tatlong mga mason na nagtatapyas ng bato. Tinanong niya ang tatlo kung ano ang kanilang ginagawa.

Ang sabi nong una, “halata naman na ako’y nagtatapyas ng bato.” Ang sagot naman ng ikalawa, “naghahanap buhay para sa pamilya.” Masigasig na sumagot ang pangatlo, “ako ay gumagawa ng simbahan.” Siguro kapag ako ay nakita niyo na nagbabasa ng handouts at tinanong kung ano ang aking ginagawa, ang isasagot ko sainyo ay tulad ng isinagot ng una at ikalawang mason. Pwede ko’ng sabihin na “malamang nag-aaral ako” o ‘di kaya ay “nagsisikap na makakuha ng uno kasi sino ba naman ang ayaw ng uno?” Bihira ko’ng ibahagi na ang tunay na nagpapakilos sa akin sa kung ano mang pagsisikap na aking ginagawa ay ang aking pagnanais na malaman kung paano mapapalakas ang agrikultura ng Pilipinas. Sa makatuwid, ang lahat ng ito ay para talaga sa pag-ibig sa bayan. ‘Di naglaon, napagtanto ko na ang pag-ibig na ito rin ang humatak ng iba pang mga iskolar mula sa iba’t iba pang bahagi ng bansa papunta rito sa mahal nating unibersidad. Kumbaga sa unibersidad na ito piniling magtiwala ng napakaraming kabataan, nagtiwala sila na mapapanday nang husto ang karunungang kanilang iaalay sa bayan pagdating ng takdang panahon. Nakita ko na hindi lamang ako nag-iisa sa hangaring mapabuti ang kinabukasan ng ating bansa.

Siyempre tayong mga iskolar ay may kaniya-kaniyang mga paraan ng pag-kilos para sa ating pag-ibig sa PIlipinas. Mayroong hindi pa man nakakapagtapos ay pinili nang maging aktibo sa pagpapanatiling buhay ng damdaming makabayan. Siyempre kapag namulat ang iyong mata, hindi lang liwanag ang iyong makikita, makikita mo rin ang mga anino. Kaya pinili nilang pasiklabin ang damdamin ng bayan upang matupok ang sakit na sa tingin nila ay nananalaytay sa dugo ng ating bansa. Hindi ako kabilang sa kanila, pero hinahangaan ko parin sila. Mayroon naman na nananatiling tahimik at animo’y walang ginagawa, ngunit hindi lahat ng nanahimik ay walang pakialam, hindi lahat ng hindi nagpaparamdam ay nawalan na ng pag-asa, may mga pumipiling umibig ng lihim at naghihintay lamang ng iniisip nila ay tamang pagkakataon upang gawin ang kanilang tungkulin.

Kasabay ng ating pagtatapos ay ang pag dating ng hudyat na wala tayong dahilan upang manatiling nag-aantay lamang. Ika nga sa lengwahe ng mga kabataan ngayon, “tigilan na ang pagiging abangers.” Panahon na upang pakilusin ang karunungang ilang taon na ay tinulungan ring ipagyabong ng ating karanasan sa loob at labas ng ating unibersidad. Panahon na upang sundan ang yapak ng mga nauna sa atin, at tumulong sa paghahanda ng daan para sa susunod sa atin.

Sana sa pagtatapos ng programang ito, ay sinisimulan naman natin na tiyakin ang landas na tatahakin natin upang kahit na magkaibaiba ang ating daan, parepareho naman tayo ng mararating na mithiin - Ang pagkakaroon ng isang maunlad at mapayapang Pilipinas. Yun lang at maraming salamat!

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UPLB PERSPECTIVE

Labor of love

AGOSTO 12, 2017

9

UPLB PERSPECTIVE

AGOSTO 12, 2017

WORDS l JOHN ALBERT PAGUNSAN GRAPHICS l JUVELLE VILLANUEVA

Mayo Uno celebrations are not exempted from the standard of flair and fab of Filipino fiesta culture.

A fiesta is produced by an ensemble of dancing and chanting people, colorful placards, vibrant music and pica-pica.

However, the festive mood did not hide the workers disdain for employers. Fists waved in unison to approve of statements against corporate greed and exploitation, on stage. For many workers, May 1 is not just a celebration but a protest for demands.

Dianne Valencia, a domestic help of International Rice Research Institute staff, joined to protest the forced membership of all domestic help to Gawa at Kalinga, a cooperative. Aling Dianne fears for her job security.

Instead of bringing home her salary, untouched; she would now have to share a part of it to Gawa at Kalinga’s membership fee and monthly contribution.

“Bago kami makakuha ng trabaho, dapat kami’y miyembro muna ng Gawa at Kalinga,” laments Aling Dianne.

Aling Dianne is not alone in calling for justice. She is joined by 6,000 voices decrying various attacks to workers’ rights and dignity.

Minimum wages John Richard is among the 700,000 graduates about to join the labor force, next year. He fears that the current minimum wage for Southern Luzon will not meet his family’s needs by the time he graduates.

“Ako bilang isang binata, kulang para sa akin [ang minimum wage]. Hindi ko kayang suportahan mga kapatid ko kung 356 lang. Pinaglalaban namin ang PHP 750 para mas malaki ang kikitain namin para makatulong kami para sa aming pamilya,” John Richard says.

(As a bachelor, [the minimum wage] is insufficient. I can’t support my siblings if it is only PHP 365. We are fighting for PHP 750 so that our earnings will be bigger to allow us to help our families.)

IBON Foundation, a leftist think tank, claims that a family needs PHP 1,019 to meet all their daily needs. A family of four in Metro Manila, with both parents working, can easily meet the prescribed daily budget. The case is different however for families for other regions.

The current minimum wage in Metro Manila is PHP 491 while CALABARZON is PHP 378.5. Families in the ARMM are the farthest with a worker bringing PHP 265 home. This disparity prompted Southern Luzon workers unions to call for a PHP 750 national minimum wage and a PHP 16,000 minimum monthly wage for all government workers.

The private sector argues that higher wages hurt profits. IBON Foundation disagrees. The think tank says that only 27% of the total PHP 1.63 trillion profit of the private sector will be affected by a PHP 750 national minimum wage.

Economic Policy Institute (EPI), an independent American think tank, says that raising minimum wages increases worker productivity and retention which benefit businesses. EPI adds that higher wages boost economic growth as families have higher purchasing power. Similarly, IBON Foundation argues higher wages can provide needed capital for local industries.

No exceptions to the rule While the service sector is primary target of cost-cutting measures by companies, professionals are allegedly the next victims. Carlito Bisa of BPI Employees Union - Southern Tagalog claims that outsourcing deprives professional employees of roles and responsibilities formerly entrusted to them.

Companies resort to outsourcing to cut costs. Instead of directly hiring employees, companies search for firms that can provide the same services or employees at a cheaper cost. An example of outsourcing is the call-center industry.

“Kahit sa hanay ng mga propesyonal, hindi kami nakakaligtas sa kontraktwalisasyon at outsourcing, sa ngayon yan yung [mga] pangunahin namin kalaban. Nag-uumpisa na ang outsourcing sa malalaking companya, yung mga functions na ginagawa dati ng mga regular employees binibigay na sa outsourcing services. Nababawasan ang ginagawa namin dahil binibigay sa mga contractors,” says Carlito Bisa.

(Even in the professional sector, we can not escape contractualization and outsourcing, for now these are two of our primary enemies) Companies’ loyalty to investors’ interest of high profits serves as the impetus for outsourcing and contractualization. Through outsourcing and contractualization, companies can collect high profits without raising product prices.

Companies parade the benefit of more taxes and jobs for people if they outsource jobs.

This myth of trickle-down economics can be debunked by showcasing multiple cases of tax evasion of big corporations.

Contractualization also threatens university employees. Prof. Laurence Castillo, Palanca awardee and UPLB critical studies professor, cites the increasing number of non-government workers (NGWs) which fall under ‘contractual labor’.

The academe has no escape, too. A proposal on increasing tenureship requirements was made in light of ASEAN integration, according to Prof. Castillo.

“Last year, a draft of a document entitled Proposal for a Dynamic and Progressive Faculty Tenure System: Standards, Criteria and Evaluation was released to certain (not all) university units for feedbacks,” says Prof. Castillo.

“Serving as the centerpiece of the document is the proposal to increase the tenure requirements from MA/MS degree and 1 academic publication/creative work to PhD degree, at least 5 academic publications and letters of peer evaluation, all of which must be accomplished within seven years,” says Prof. Castillo.

He says that overworked faculty members who can not comply with the new requirements risk losing tenureship. Prof. Castillo adds that the proposal can become a leeway for ‘contractualization’ of academic employees.

“Being tenureless has implications in terms of critical engagement in the university, since employees can always be threatened with termination should they express dissent towards unfair policies in the workplace,” emphasizes Prof. Castillo.

Gov’t has no teeth Jason, surname withheld, of the Cabuyao Workers Alliance says that workers in Laguna also fall prey to contractualization. “Malawakang kontraktwalisasyon ang kinakaharap ng mga manggagawa ng bayan ng Cabuyao,” Jason says. (Workers of Cabuyao face wide-scale contractualization.)

While workers’ issues are raised to government agencies, Jason says the help they receive is insufficient. “Tumutugon naman ang DOLE [sa mga pangangailang namin] subalit makikita ng mga manggagawa na ang pagtugon ng DOLE ay hindi nakakasapat dahil wala silang pangil upang ipatupad anumang resolusyon na dapat ipatupad para sa mga manggagawa,” he says.

(DOLE is responsive [to our needs] but workers still see that DOLE’s help is insufficient because it does not have teeth to implement resolutions that should be implemented for workers)

Workers like Jason pertain to policies like DOLE’s Department Order (DO) No. 174 (2017) which failed to end “endo” or contractualization. Despite the promises of the current administration, the policy allows companies to hire workers through an agency or to ‘outsource’.

It also allows companies to contractualize workers through cooperatives. Aling Dianne, the domestic help of IRRI, is among those victimized by cooperatives.

Student solidarity with workers The youth sector, represented through Kabataan Partylist, student members of ANAKBAYAN Southern Tagalog, and the UPLB University Student Council, was one with the workers’ causes.

Student leaders called the youth to be more involved with labor issues. They say that current labor issues determine the future of students after their stay in universities.

“As students dun din naman tayo pupunta eh, sooner or later we will become part of the labor sector. As early as now dapat makita na [ang importansya] ng mga mag-aaral ang ganitong pagkikilos para ipaglaban ang karapatan, ang karapatan natin sa bansang ito na mabuhay nang maayos. At makakamit natin yun kung [ang gobyerno] makakapagbigay ng opportunities sa ating workers to atleast live a decent life (As students we’ll end up there, sooner or later we will become part of the labor sector. As early as now, as students we should see [the importance] of these movements to fight for our rights, our rights to live decently in this country. And we can achieve that if [the government] can give opportunities to our workers to atleast live a decent life.) ,” says the newly-elected USC chairperson, Charm Maranan.

Students are affected by the current academic paradigms employed by the university to match labor market demands. Prof. Castillo says that the ASEAN integration impacted the university’s decision to reduce the number of General Education (GE) courses.

“The diminution of GE courses, for example, is premised upon the idea that specialized education – especially in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics -- are more necessary than holistic education, as they respond better to the utilitarian requisites of the international market,” says Prof. Castillo.

The imperative to create employable and globally competitive workers impacts the quality of education students receive.

“The role of the university as an institution that nurtures the students’s sense of nationalism, democratic values, and criticality is abandoned in order to foster global competitiveness, marketoriented mentality, and corporate internationalism,” says Prof. Castillo.

Consider bigger picture While Prof. Ron Dangcalan, UPLB political economy professor, agrees that a national minimum wage is important to protect workers, raising it can negatively affect some Filipinos.

“We must take into account the fact that fluctuations in minimum wage also contribute to inflation.

Labor is part of the production cost. When there is an increase in minimum wage, production cost will also increase. I am not saying that this is always the case because big companies, for example, might not feel it but small and medium sized enterprises will more likely be hurt. The way they can cope is to increase the price of their goods and services,” says Prof. Dangcalan.

The concern against higher wages is that companies will be compelled to raise prices of goods which affects the inflation rate. He adds that unemployed Filipinos who comprise 6.6% of the labor force are the most sensitive to higher inflation rates.

“When the price of rice increase by about Php 4-5/kilo, I think it would hurt the poorest members

of the population considering many of them live below Php 100/day and even small increases in commodity prices will constrain even further their limited income,” says Prof. Dangcalan.

He emphasizes that before raising the minimum wage, government officials must consider inflation to minimize the negative impact.

Prof. Dangcalan suggests that prices of goods and cost of living should be reduced as calls for higher wages stem from higher costs of living.

“Reducing the price of rice by enhancing programs and the supply chain related to the provision of quality seeds and farm inputs will make a lot of difference. When there is an agricultural surplus, the price of food decreases. This goes a long way in helping minimum wage workers,” says Prof. Dangcalan.

Universal Basic Income Some workers in the developed world are starting to celebrate May 1 as Universal Basic Income day. Universal Basic Income (UBI) is conditionless cash distributed by the government on a regular basis to all citizens. The amount is determined by inflation and humane incomes for citizens.

Since Finland institutionalized UBI, calls for it in other western countries are increasing after think tanks have projected automation to take over labor in the future. India is the first developing country to endorse and use UBI. Think tanks and UBI advocates say that UBI gives all citizens assurance of a humane and quality life, regardless of what work they do. Opposition to UBI cite its cost and impracticality.

Calls to abandon higher minimum wages for Universal Basic Income.

Hope Burns The road appears to be stained red, as if demanding attention from passer-by to look at a murder scene. They don’t deny the desire to be seen, to be heard.

To them society is like a sleeping giant waiting to be awakened and this protest is an attempt to awaken souls.

While the century-old struggle has seen successes as well as waterloos, their voices, placards, and flags show there is still a lot of be done.

“Kami’y mga taong nabubuhay nang maayos, hindi kami nanggugulo ng tao, naghahanap buhay kami nang maayos (We live decent lives, we don’t create trouble with others, we work decent jobs),” says Aling Valencia.

Underneath their workers’ uniforms is a human who calls for dignity beats with frustration at a system deaf to their struggles and blind to their suffering.

Thousands of workers, like Aling Dianne, came to this protest to demand justice, not compromise. She dreams of a day where it will only be products, and not workers, which will have expiry dates.

While congress and the private sector debate on labor issues, Aling Dianne knows that her rights are not up for debate. [P]

UPLB PERSPECTIVE

AGOSTO 12, 2017

KWENTONG FRESHIE Why Am I in UP? What UP taught me is that being a student here means that the country is investing in your potentials and it is better than any kind of comfort and ease I could have experienced if I went to other schools.

UP Education not just teaches the necessary knowledge we need to gain in our chosen fields but it ensures that the students learn the fundamentals of reasoning, communicating, and living in today’s world. It aims to educate students for citizenship in a modern democracy. UP offers not just an excellent education but also an opportunity to become a symbol of hope for our country. The decision I made to enter UP was a decision to deepen my understanding of the world around me and of myself as a human being. It opened my eyes to the world and other perspectives.

Alongside it gives great freedom, it cultivates openness to people, ideas and experiences that may be entirely

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new that will broaden your intellectual journey for the rest of your stay at UP and also, to the real world. It is such an honor dedicating my knowledge, skills, and wisdom to a country where I lived and raised me.[P]

A columnist from a newspaper agency, in an effort to justify President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao last May 23, 2017, asserted that the present constitutional provision on martial law is so diluted compared to the 1935 Constitution that it has practically no teeth. However, I disagree; even with these safeguards, we could still very much expect a rise in rights abuses as President Duterte has condoned impunity even before he became president and has described Marcos’ Martial Law as “very good.”

It is not a surprise that the 1987 Constitution has been crafted so as to ensure that the atrocities of the Marcos regime would not happen again and to prevent specifically the resurgence of another dictator who would use martial law in asserting his superiority over the Houses of Congress and the

Supreme Court. However, even with the provisional safeguards included in the present constitution, we can still expect an abuse of power in the scope of this Martial Law declaration.

In fact, we should not be surprised that this declaration will worsen the abuse of the police and military powers.

Just looking at the administration’s war on drugs and its death toll reaching 7, 000, coupled with the president’s insinuations that the killings, the raids, and even the rapes are justifiable, if not encouraged, it gives us a stark picture of how Martial Law on Mindanao will proceed.

The President insists that the declaration is not a move for him to retain his power and that he will immediately lift martial law once Mindanao is “stable.” Unfortunately, he did not elaborate on what he meant

by “stable.” If this stability means the neutralization of the Maute group, Martial Law is unnecessary. According to Zachary Abuza, an expert on Southeast Asian security, the Maute group is a small group that is manageable for the military to deal with. He adds, “they feed off of or recruit from disaffected (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) combatants.” It also seems important to add that though the group has pledged their allegiance to ISIS, the terror group has not given the Maute group any resources.

However, if the President’s definition of “stable” is referring to solving the complex problem of insurgency in Mindanao, the employment of a military-solution would only lead to the escalation of violation and displacement in Mindanao. If this is the president’s chosen definition, we would not be seeing the lifting of Martial Law any time

SKETCHPAD

NO FURY SO LOUD Tila Mga Kabayo sa Kalesa SALITA l MIGUEL CARLOS LAZARTE

ng mga estudyante tungo sa pagiging over-specialized ng mga ito, isa itong panganib sa klase ng mga magsisipagtapos ng Unibersidad kung puro specializations na lamang ang alam nito.

Hindi natin mapagkakaila ang iba pang mga salamangka na nagdulot ng pagtutungayaw sa edukasyong naaasam natin ngayong henerasyon. Ang neoliberal na mga polisiya, ang paggawa ng lunduyan ng mga dayuhan sa edukasyon natin, at ang pagmamaliit sa Sistema ng GE bilang isang tradisyong maaaring baguhin lagi lagi.

Sa pagtaklob ng kada bagong semestre sa Unibersidad nating irog ay tila ba onti-onti na rin ang paggapang ng iba’t ibang mga pagbabagong nakakapambulag. Hindi tayo lalabas sa unibersidad nang hindi mulat at mapagmatyag sa totoong motibo ng mga labis labis na patibong at iskema na inihahain sa atin sa ngalan ng ating edukasyon. [P]

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“Ay, HUM1. Di ako reader eh.” “Ay, may lab. IT1, hassle naman!” “Bakit may Monday classes ang HUME10?” “Uy, SOSC3, ayos ang course title nito ah.” “PI10?

Hay, required nga pala ‘to. Pangalan pa lang, tunog hassle na.”

Sa apat na taon ko sa Unibersidad at sa pagtatapos ng lahat ng mga GE subjects ko, napatigil ako at napaisip. Inaaamin ko na karamihan sa mga kursong ito ay hindi ko ginalingan; mga gradong nagsasayawan sa mga numerong 2.00 hanggang 3.00 lamang ang laging nginingisi ng mga ito sa dulo. Mga pagkakataong pinipili kong matulog sa gitna ng araw kaysa pasukan ang mga malumanay na mga pangkaraniwang large class na istilo ng silid-aralan dito habang katabi ang mga kaklaseng nagse-cellphone na lamang o may walang kabuhay buhay na tikas habang nagsasalita ang propesor sa harapan.

Ang katwiran ko lagi, paulit-ulit na tinatanong sa sarili: Paano ko ba magagamit itong mga bagong malalawak at kalat kalat na kaalaman sa aking magiging trabaho lalo na kung hindi pa ito malapit sa mga inaaral namin sa mga majors?

Narinig ko na iyan sa karamihan, at sigurado, narinig ko na iyan sa aking sarili.

Ngunit, sa pagsasaliksik, malalaman natin na ang tunay na layunin ng mga kursong ito ay ang pagsagisag ng tradisyon sa UP ng liberal na edukasyon kung saan nais bigyan ang mga mag-aaral ng malawakang perspektibo na magagamit nila sa labas ng kanilang specialization, upang sumagupa sa mga isyung kinahaharap ng Pilipino nang itinataguyod ang moral at intellectual na integridad (UP GE Task Force, 2015). Ang kahalagahan ng GE subjects sa UP ay higit pa sa tradisyon at nakasanayan kundi isang pagsasanay at ehersisyo sa pagiging mga kritikal na lider.

Sapagkat mahirap intindihin ang lahat ng halaga nito sa oras na tinapalan na ang gilid ng ating mga mata, tila ba mga kabayong kalesa na wala nang kalayaang makakita ng higit pa. Sa pagbabawas ng GE subjects na pinagbotohan sa University Council ng UP Diliman, mababawasan ito sa 21 units na lamang mula sa 45 units nito dati.

Kung may riding in tandem, hindi mapagkakaila na itong GE Reform at ang K-12 Program ay ang may salarin. Sa pagangkin na maraming GE subjects ang madadaanan na sa K-12 Program, isa itong kompromiso at panganib sa kalidad ng edukasyon na maibibigay ng Unibersidad sa mga bagong papasok na estudyante sa hinaharap. Iginiit ni Professor Lanuza, na hindi sapat ang 21 units ng GE para makapagbigay ng isang ‘holistic’ na university education para sa mga propesyonal. Sa kasong pagtapal sa pagiging malawak ang sakop ng kaaalaman

11

WORDS l EUNICE ALEXCY SENADOZA

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explore a new realm, build long lasting friendships and make life-changing memories. But I never knew that the choice I made to enter UP would be the most difficult obstacle I have to overcome. To say the least, I went to a battle I wasn’t even prepared for.

Days of hurrying to your next class that was hundred meters away, studying so hard for an exer in Math, nights of procrastination in writing papers in English and laboratory reports, and other requirements for GE subjects and majors dread me a lot.

It consumed my whole being. There were also times that freshmen blues hit me- missing home so much and failure in adjusting to the new environment.

The whole semester of my first year in college was a whole bunch of not getting what I wanted. I didn’t get to hang out with my new found friends very much to know them in a deeper level. I didn’t get to manage my time properly. I didn’t achieve the grades I wanted. But amidst that freshmen year was a rollercoaster of emotions filled with confusion and stress, it was a whole lot experience of independence and liberal learnings.

OPINYON

UNDERSCRUTINY Not Mere Paranoia

WORDS l PATRICIA ECHANO

Everyone have a fair share on what they expect in their college years and how they were thrilled to learn new things, be more independent, and meet diverse people. To get into the University of the Philippines wasn’t really my lifelong dream since I was a kid unlike everybody else, but I wanted to at least pass the notorious and what they said the hardest of all the college admission tests, the UPCAT to prove that I could. It was a big thing for me because I had always been accustomed to getting high grades in high school, and I wanted that kind of validation to say that I was really that smart. My only dream is to enter not just a good college university but the best one and I know that the best university would always be UP. I remember the night of January 12, 2015 when the result of UPCAT was released. My mom shouted for joy.

My friends sent their congratulatory greetings to me. I passed. I made it to the most prestigious university in the country. I am going to the University of the Philippines. I was ready. I cannot wait anymore further. And when the time came I had to leave my home and go to Los Baños, I was just all ecstatic to

UPLB PERSPECTIVE

AGOSTO 12, 2017

Such a weird sensation; a strange metallic taste lingers at the back of his throat. Adrian blinks repeatedly. There is nothing but bright blue skies that go on for miles and miles.

And strangely, clouds. Even as he peeks at the scenery beneath his bare feet – there are blue skies and white clouds. If he looks down too long, he gets vertigo and starts feeling nauseous so he learns to only ever look at things within his line of sight.

He feels no pressure beneath the soles of his feet. He wiggles his toes and starts shifting his weight between his feet to feel what he was standing on. The closest thing he could compare it to was glass. When Adrian walks, his steps seem to glide just as how he imagined it would be to stride on the water’s smooth surface.

A tiny voice inside him wonders whether he has died and gone to heaven. He smiles at the idea.

Seemingly strong gales of wind move and shape and blow clouds past him. Adrian, however, hardly feels even the slightest breeze. Bright as it may be, he has no view of the sun, nor does he feel the heat of a single ray that could make him break a sweat. He hears nothing but oddly enough the silence doesn’t deafen him. It’s more akin to the stillness of a cold and rainy afternoon or the hush of a library. It’s comfortable.

Adrian lies down and takes in the astounding view before him and wonders whether it would be possible to replicate such beautiful scenery by placing various sets of mirrors at certain angles in front of each other.

He lets his mind wander; just watching

the clouds go by, until his eyelids get heavy as he slowly starts to fall asleep.

Rest eludes him though. Adrian wakes up groggy from a fitful slumber. For some reason his head aches and he starts getting double-vision. He rubs his temples to try and abate the storm in his mind. For a moment he feels like he’s about to throw up, but he manages to hold down the bile rising from his throat by taking deep, ragged breaths. Once the pounding in his head subsides, Adrian was finally able to get on his feet.

How long has he been asleep? There is no way to tell the time in this place. Minutes, hours, or even days can pass by without you even knowing. The same bright blue sky and fluffy white clouds are displayed before him. Nothing has changed.

Adrian gets impatient with this strange place and suddenly feels determined to find out how to get out. With everything looking the same, however, he doesn’t know which way to head. It’s because of this that he concludes it doesn’t matter. With no particular direction or destination in mind, Adrian manages to walk purposefully.

After a certain amount of walking, he gets another wave of headaches and nausea. It’s so strong this time that Adrian has to take a knee until he regains his senses. What is that?

He coughs and retches; after a few moments he gets back up and the doublevision and headaches return. It takes some time before Adrian realizes that this was caused by the ground trembling, like an earthquake.

He walks on, experiencing tremors every now and again. He gets used to it but Adrian gets the sense that he is getting nowhere by walking. Everything looks the same.

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soon since this complicated problem of insurgency requires a nuanced analysis of the social, economic, political, and cultural situation of Mindanao, an analysis that is not solely contingent upon military considerations.

The campaign against Martial Law is not an unfair judgment against our President, it comes not only from a fear of a recurrence of the atrocities from 1972, but also from various disturbing things: our president’s veneration of the exaggerated fear, not from paranoia.

Marcoses, the condoning of the killings The dangers are real and we need to be and rape straight from the mouth of the vigilant more than ever. [P] president himself, the growing number of human rights violations, and from the president’s allusion to the myth of a military all-cure. It comes not from an

Ang kahalagahan ng GE subjects sa UP ay higit pa sa tradisyon at nakasanayan kundi isang pagsasanay at ehersisyo sa pagiging mga kritikal na lider.

Cabin Room C. 1986: Immersion/Submersion WORDSl DENIEL SEAN MACAPAL

As soon as he’s about to take another step, the ground has another fit. This time it’s strong enough to knock the wind out of him. When it finally stops, the strength leaves Adrian’s knees and he collapses.

In his confusion, he forgets to break his fall and he hits the ground headfirst.

Adrian clutches at the sharp pain shooting in his forehead. He stares at the spot where his head hit the cloud beneath him. It’s barely noticeable but he can see hairline fractures on the cloud’s surface. He runs his fingers across the smooth surface around the crevices that were slowly, slowly branching out into larger ones. The clouds behind it refract as they move past the fissures just as a spoon seems to bend in a glass of water – or how your reflection appears in a cracked mirror.

Out of the curiosity burning inside him, Adrian starts banging his fist on the cloud where the ground is supposed to be and each time tiny pixels fizzes out of the cracks he makes. The harder he hit the bigger and clearer the pixels became. Adrian stops to look at his handiwork – the cracks were already larger than his fist and the image of clouds behind it were distorted and pixelated.

Adrian gets on his feet and starts stomping on the same spot he was working on before. The ground trembles with each stomp, each more intensely than before. Shards of glass begin to fall away and the images of beautiful blue sky and white clouds start randomly shifting between sky, white noise, and complete darkness; the ground continuously shaking. Despite the fear growing in Adrian’s chest, he keeps going; breaking away the very

ground he stands on.

Then suddenly complete darkness.

Adrian stops and gasps for air. An eerie glow begins to shed light on his surroundings and as far as he can tell, there is still nothing for miles.

As Adrian’s sight adjusts to the darkness, he begins to make out oddly shaped cobblestones on the ground. He squints his eyes to see more clearly but just then, the large round stones he’s standing on squirms beneath his bare feet. Adrian looks down to see a pair of big brown eyes blinking up at him. The eyes shift to reveal a human face half-hidden in the dirt, struggling for breath.

Adrian opens his mouth to speak but suddenly the whole ground started trembling. Millions of faces – all covered in blood, sweat, and grime – erupt from the ground. They speak in a multitude of tongues, each crying out their pleas: begging for work, looking for missing family members, screaming, crying, fighting. The shrill noise they make send cold shivers down Adrian’s spine.

Little by little they start to claw their way out, fighting each other to use as footholds.

Their grotesque bodies covered in filth, their hair matted and unkempt. Arms and hands reach out to Adrian and he starts to run for fear that they would catch him.

He sweats buckets and his lungs feel as if they’re on fire. Adrian doesn’t care what he’s stepping on: face, back, or shoulder.

He just wanted to get out of there.

A hand shoots up from the sea of limbs and faces and trips Adrian. He takes a dive into the grimy faces that stare blankly up at him and he is swallowed up by the horde.

Adrian woke up with a jolt. A storm was raging outside, tossing the ferry around roughly. Their cabin reeked of the putrid smells of vomit and defecation. The smell

was enough to make him sick. He half-jumped half-fell out of the top bunk and made way to the only bucket in the corner. He vomited the contents of his stomach into the bucket, which was already so close to overflowing.

“Ayos ka lang ba, totoy?” asked the shrill voice of the old woman whom he shared a cabin with. Adrian could only grunt in reply.

Whether or not it meant he was okay was completely lost to him as well. [P]

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How long has he been asleep?

There is no way to tell the time in this place. Minutes, hours, or even days can pass by without you even knowing. The same bright blue sky and fluffy white clouds are displayed before him.

Nothing has changed.

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OPINYON

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10

SALITA l DIANA JANE PLOFINO LARAWAN l MAC ANDRE ARBOLEDA

“Pakiusap naman po, dalawang buwan nang nawawala si Ka Esteban!”

“Ginagawa naman namin ang lahat saka kita niyo nang kulang ng tao ang coast guard! Ano gusto niyong gawin namin, hatiin mga katawan naming dumami lang kami!?” sigaw sa kanila ng mama “Unawain niyo rin ho sana na kulang kulang rin kami sa kagamitan, kaya ginagawa namin kung ano lang ang kaya naming gawin!” dagdag pa niya.

Isang panibagong araw para sa buhay ni Mang William, kasabay ng sipol ng kumukulong tubig, ang kanyang bawat buntong-hininga habang nakatitig sa dalampasigan. Dalawang buwan na ngunit wala pa ring balita. Lumabas ang kanyang asawang si Bebeng hinimas ang kanyang likod.

“Magtiwala na lang tayo sa itaas, na buhay pa ang pinsan mo.” pagkukumbinsi ng kanyang asawa.

Ngumisi na lamang si Mang William. Alas kuwatro ng madaling araw, nilalamon pa rin ng gabi ang karagatan at ang mga hampas ng alon lamang ang nagpapaalam sa kanya na nariyan pa rin ang karagatan.

Inabot ng kanyang asawa ang isang piraso ng tinapay na kinuha niya pa sa kinakalbo niyang tindahan.

“Pumaroon ka na, baka abutin ka ng umaga,” sambit ng kanyang asawa habang sinisimot ang mga butil ng bigas na kanyang isasaing.

Inihanda na ang lambat, katulong ang kanyang panganay na anak na lalaki sa pagtulak ng maliit nilang de-motor na bangka. Pumalaot ang kanilang bangka na tanging ang ilaw ay mula sa pailaw ng gamit nang lighter.

Dalawampu’t Limang Milya Patuloy ang ang tunog ng motor ng bangka ni Mang William, naghahanap ng dapat paghulugan ng kanyang lambat.

“Anak hawakan mo nga ang spot,” sambit sa anak.

Sa kadiliman ng umaga, di alam kung nasaan na nga ba ang inabot ng kanilang bangka. Umaasang makakahuli ng marami sa parte roon patuloy lamang si Mang William, pinatay ang motor ng kanyang bangka, inihulog niya ang lambat na may halong pangamba at takot. “Kailangan ko lang may maiuwing huli, di naman ata mahuhuli,” bulong niya sa kanyang sarili.

Sumisilip na ang umaga, lumusong na ang kanyang anak sa dagat para akitin ang mga isda papunta sa lambat. Maya maya pa’t may narinig ng mga pagsigaw sa malayo.

“Anong ginagawa niyo dito? Bawal kayo rito!,” sigaw ng isang bantay dagat.

“Anak bilis! Balik na sa bangka!”

Hinila niya ang kanilang lambat. Sa awa ng diyos marami ang kanilang huli ngunit ang pangamba niya ngayon ay ang mga bantay dagat na papalapit na sa kanila.

“Itong mga kumag na to! Hanggang kalian ba kayo matututo sa dapat niyo lang pangisdaan! Ang layo din ng narrating niyo, bawal kayo rito!”

Binuhay ang motor, nagmadali silang Dalawampu’t limang milya, dalawampu’t limang milyang hangganan ng kanilang pwedeng pangisdaan.

Labinlimang libo, labinlimang libong multa sa oras na mahuli, mas mahal pa sa kanyang mumunting bangka.

Susugal o hindi, sa pagkakataong ito ay sumugal.

Dapat hindi mahuli, kailangang magmadali.

Dalawang Bente Lumapat sa dalampasigan ang kanilang bangka, “di nila tayo naabutan.”

Maya maya rin ay may dumaong na malaking bangka, bangka ni Mang Tonyo. Banye-banyera na naman ang nahuli. Tinititigan ni Mang William ang pagbababa ng mga banyerang huli ni Mang Tonyo habang inililipat niya ang huli sa balde.

“Ano pareng William, madami dami huli ah! 3 balde, di na masama!” mapanlukong sigaw ni Mang Tonyo.

“Wala pa ring tatalo sa banyera mo Tonyo!” sagot ni Mang William Iba pa rin talaga ang kaibigan ang mayor, paniguradong sa pagsambit niya ng pangalan at relasyon niya sa mayor ay ligtas na naman siya sa bantay dagat.

Malaki ang bahay ni Mang Tonyo at nagmamayari ng daan daang patuyuan ng isdang nakalapat sa harap ng kanilang bahay. Bukod tangi ang bahay ni Mang Tonyo, hindi mo makakaligtaang ito ang kanyang bahay sapagkat nakatirik ito sa gitna ng mga bahay na gawa sa mga pinagtagtagping yero at bahay na pawid.

Nitong nagdaang buwan, kapansin pansin ang biglaang pagpapaayos ng bahay ni Mang Tonyo.

Kawani ng barangay ang kanyang asawa, isa sa naatasang mag-ayos ng pamamahagi ng sampung libong emergency shelter assistance (ESA) sa mga nabiktima ng bagyong Yolanda. Apat na taon na ang nagdaan ngunit magpasahanggang ngayon kalahati pa lamang ang natatanggap ng karamihan sa barangay habang ang iba’y wala pa ring natatanggap.

“Anak, Juan, punta ka kina Mang Tonyo, banye banyera na naman ang huli, maglapat ka ng tutuyuing isda dagdag kita rin yun,” utos niya sa anak.

Tumakbo na ang kanyang anak patungo kina Mang Tonyo at nagsimulang maglapat ng mga isdang papatuyuin. Sa kalahating araw ng pagtutuyo, nakapaglapat siya sa 20 patuyuan, pagkatapos ng paglalapat ay huhugasan niya ng tubig dagat na siya pa ang iigib, babantayan niya ang pagtuyo sa ilalim ng araw at babaliktarin ang mga ito.

“Tatlong piso ang bawat patuyuan, kumita ako ngayon ng P60, sapat na ata itong pambili ng kagamitan sa proyekto ni Boboy,” bulong niya sa sarili.

Agad siyang lumapit kay Mang Tonyo para kunin ang kinita sa pagtutuyo.

“Saglit lang Juan, itakbo mo muna itong limang patos ng tuyong isda sa estasyon ng coast guard, nakalimutan kong idaan kanina,” utos ni Mang Tonyo.

Tumakbo si Juan papuntang estasyon ng coast guard. Mula sa bahay ni Mang Tonyo, kitang kita ang tatlong palapag na estasyon na ito. Bago’t maganda ang estasyon biro nga ng mga tsismosa, ito ang five-

star hotel ng kanilang barangay. 270 milyon raw ang nagastos sa pagpapatayo nito kasama na ang ospital na katabi ng estasyon. Ospital na kasing gara rin ng estasyon subalit wala pa ring kagamitan at wala pa ring natao.

Pagdating ni Juan sa estasyon, malamig at maaliwalas. Minarapat niyang lumabas na lang sa takot na matuyuan at magkasakit.

“Tao po! Tao po! May pinapabigay po si Mang Tonyo,” walang tao.

Maya maya pa’t umalingawngaw na ang tahol ng aso mula sa kanyang likuran. Nakahawak sa tali ng aso ay isang matabang mamang himas himas ang tyan habang papalapit sa kanya “Bagong kain,” bulong ni Juan sa sarili “Oh boy! Eto na ba yung tuyo ko! Buti naman at naaalala pa ni Tonyo, akala ko nakalimot na!” reklamo ng mama.

Kinuha ang patos ng tuyo, binuksan ang salaming pinto ng kanilang estasyon, kinuha ang remote ng TV at pindot ito. Pagkatapos ay naupo sa may helpdesk sabay taas ng paa sa mesa.

Nakisilip muna si Juan sa kung ano ang palabas sa labas ng estasyon. Samantalang ang mama ay halos mawalan na ng hininga kakatawa sa pinapanood na noontime show.

Tumakbo na pabalik si Juan, lumapit kay Mang Tonyo upang kunin ang kita sa kalahating araw.

Inabutan siya ni Mang Tonyo ng kwarenta.

Tinitigan niya ang dalawang benteng inabot sa kanya habang nagpupunas ng kanyang pawis.

“Kulang po Mang Tonyo,” nahihiya niyang sambit.

“Anong kulang? P2 kada patuyuan dahil bata ka, kung ayaw mo edi ‘wag ka ng babalik. Tingnan mo marami kaming pwede magtuyo.” sagot ni Mang Tonyo.

Tumahimik na lamang siya at naglakad pabalik sa kanilang bahay. Dalawang bente, paulit-ulit niyang pinubuklat ang dalawang bente at nakikipagmata kay Quezon. Dalawang bente?

Dalawang Tuyong Isda Habang papauwi, nadaanan niya ang pinapagawang kalsada. Sa labas ng mataas na bahay na pawid, sa dulo ng ginagawang kalsada nananghaliaan ang inhenyero. Sa may lilim ng punong katabi ng bahay ay nakita niya ang kanyang ama kasama ang iba pang mason, tinatanggal ang gwantes at naghahandang kumain ng pananghalian “Tay!” sigaw niya “Oh anak, nananghalian ka na ba?” tanong ng kanyang ama.

“Pauwi pa lamang po, eto po kwarenta lang binigay ni Mang Tonyo sa pagtutuyo ko.”

“Umuwi ka na at ibigay mo sa nanay mo, kumain ka na rin.”

“Tay, kelan po matatapos ang pagpapagawa nitong kalsada parang ang tagal na po neto ah?”

“Di ko alam anak, sana nga hindi matapos,” pabiro ng kanyang ama.

Naglakad na muli pauwi si Juan. Sana hindi matapos? Tinitigan niya ang mga bahay na nakatirik sa sinasabing danger zone ng gobyerno. Kelan kaya ipapatayo ang resort na sinasabi ni Mayor? Sa oras na matapos ang kalsada, paniguradong papaalisin na ang mga kabahayang nakatirik sa sinasabi nilang danger zone. Danger zone daw, pero balak patayuan ng resort? Yun ba ang ibig sabihin ni ama na sana hindi matapos? Oh di kaya naman ang magiging pagdalas ng palabas pasok ng mas malalaking barkong para sa pangingisda sa kanilang barangay dahil sa mas maayos na kalsadang daan sa mas malawakang kalakal na siya ring kakompetensya nila. Yun ba? Teka, balita ko tuloy na tuloy na rin ang pinaplanong minahan. Huwag naman sana. Kahit alin sa tatlo, sa isip ni Juan, hindi ito magbibigya ng mas madaling buhay sa kanila, bagkus mas pinahirap pa ang kanilang kalagayan.

Unti-unti na ring kumukulimlim ang kalangitan, may tumulo nang mga patak ng ulan.

“Si Nanay! Wala siyang katulong sa pagtakip ng trapal, tumutulo na naman ang bubong panigurado!,” pangamba ni Juan.

Tumakbo na siya pauwi.

“Nay!,” sigaw ni Juan. Inabutan niya ang kanyang ina na nakatayo sa upuan habang pilit na inaabot ang sabitang pako sa tanging poste ng kanilang bahay.

“Andyan ka na pala, ito hawakan mo’t basang basa na dito sa loob,” sabay na inabot sa kanya ang dulo ng trapal.

Nang maisabit ay pinaghandaan ang anak ng natitirang dalawang tuyong isda para sa panaghalian.

“Eto na lang anak ang naitabi ko, binenta ko na rin kasi lahat ng nahuling isda ng tatay mo pambili ng bigas at panlagay dyan sa tindahan natin, nakakalbo na rin eh.”

Dalawang Bangkay “Bebeng! Bebeng!,” nagkukumahog na sigaw mula sa labas ng kanilang bahay.

“Ano yun kumare? Anong dahila’t sumuong ka sa ulan! Basang basa ka!,” pag-aaalala ni Bebeng “Si Ka Esteban!” naghahabol ng hiningang sambit ng ginang.

Gulat na may halong pangangamba’t takot ang namutawi sa mukha ni Bebeng.

“Anak, Juan, tawagin mo ang tatay mo.”

Sa ospital katabi ng estasyon ng coast guard isang labi ang hinatid. Hinihingal na dumating si Mang William, nagpupuyos sa takot at galit. Naalala niya ang mga huling salitang binitawan ng kanyang pinsan bago magpalaot habang kasagsagan ng bagyo.

“Kailangan nating patuloy na nagbabanat ng buto bumabagyo man, dahil sa ganitong klase ng ating pamumuhay, para na rin tayong bangkay na hinihintay na lamang na iratay.”[P]