E 2017 • OKTUBR A IN H A P 12 I • BLG. 1• TOMO XLII
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Comission of [Dis]Appointment
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OKTUBRE 2017
Sa panahong laganap ang karahasan, takot, at terrorismo sa ating bansa na nakikita sa patuloy na pagdami ng napapaslang at ‘di nabibigyang karampatang hustisya sa War On Drugs ng Administrasyong Duterte, at karahasan sa komunidad ng mga katutubo sa pamamagitan ng pagpapasara ng kanilang mga paaralan at pagpapaalis sa kanila sa kanilang mga lipunag ninuno, nararapat lamang na tayong mga Iskolar ng Bayan ay lumabas sa apat na sulok ng silid aralan at matuto mula sa mga pambansang minorya at ibang sektor ng lipunan upang mamulat sa mga kaganapan sa ating bansa at mapanindigan ang pagiging Iskolar ng Bayan Para sa Bayan. Dinarahas ang mga pambansang minorya sa kanayunan sa pamamagitan ng mga banta mula sa militar at pagpapaalis sa mga katutubo sa kanilang mga lupain. Dalawang taon na mula nang Lianga Massacre kung saan pinatay ng MahagatBagani paramilitary group ang Manobo leaders na sina Dionel Campos, Datu Juvello Sinzo, at Emerito Samarca na Executive Director ng ALCADEV, ngunit hindi pa rin nakakamit ang karampatang hustisya at patuloy pa ring malayang nakakagala sa kabundukan ng Lianga ang mga paramilitary groups at patuloy pa rin ang military operations ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) kaya naman napupwersang mag bakwit ang mga katutubo mula sa kanilang mga komunidad. Sa kabila ng pagkakaroon ng Indigeneous People’s Right’s Act (IPRA) of 1997 at pagiging parte ng Pilipinas sa United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigeneous Peoples (UNDRIP), na dapat tumitiyak na napapangalagaan ang karapatan ng ang ating mga pambansang
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minorya, nanatiling pinagsasamantalahan, naaabuso, at patuloy ang kakulangan sa mga pangunahing serbisyo tulad ng serbisyong pangkalusugan at edukasyon sa kanayunan na mas pinapalala pa ng deklarasyon ng Martial Law sa buong Mindanao. Nito lamang ay nagbanta si Duterte na bobombahin niya ang mga paaralang Lumad at inakusahan ang mga paaralang ito na nagtuturo ng mga subersibong bagay sa mga kabataan. Sa kabila ng kakulangan sa pangunahing serbisyo mula sa gobyerno, banta pa ng pagpapasabog ng mga paaralang itinatag ng mga Non-Government Organization (NGO) at religious groups ang ibinigay ng administrasyong ito. Bukod sa mga pandarahas na ito, hinaharap ng mga pambansang minorya ang banta ng pagpapalayas sa kanilang mga lupang ninuno sa ngalan ng mga proyektong ipinapatupad sa kanayunan at pagpasok ng malalaking korporasyon sa yamang lupa ng mga katutubo. Kaya naman natulak ang mga kapatid nating moro at mga pambansang minorya upang mag lakbay ng milya milya mula sa kanilang mga komunidad upang igiit ang kanilang karapatan para sa sariling pagpapasya at makatarungang kapayapaan. Maluwag na tinanggap ng mga estudyante ng UPLB ang mga pambansang minorya para sa isang araw ng palitan ng kultura, nakiisa rin ang mga guro ng unibersidad sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng ilang minuto ng kanilang mga klase upang maibahagi ng mga pambansang minorya ang kanilang karanasan sa mga estudyante sa pamamagitan ng RTR o Room-To-Room, ngunit nakakalungkot na hindi nakita ang ganitong pagtanggap mula sa adminsitrasyon ng unibersidad na idinidiin ang pagiging service oriented university ng UPLB at nagsasabing palagi itong bukas sa komunidad.
sa kadahilanang magagambala raw ang mga klase sa Copeland Gym, napayagan lamang ang pag gamit sa Baker Hall matapos ang courtesy call ng mga IP leaders kay Chancellor Sanchez. Bukod pa rito, ay hindi pumayag ang university officials na i-endurso ang Lakbayan 2017 sa kadalhilanang hadlang ito sa academic freedom dahil hindi naman daw lahat ng estudyante ay pabor sa pagdating ng mga Lakbayanis sa UPLB at iniiwaasan ng administrasyon na maka-offend ng mga hindi sangayon sa pagdating dito ng mga pambansang minorya.
UPLB ng kaginhawahan ang mga pagod na katawan ng mga Lakbayani, sa kanilang maikling paglagi rito sa ating unibersidad, sa halip ay binigyan lamang sila ng espasyong matutulugan sa kung saang sulok ng unibersidad.
Sa ganitong mga panahon natin mapapanindigan at maisasabuhay ang katawagang nakakabit sa atin, ang pagiging Iskolar ng Bayan Para sa Bayan. Sana ay hindi lamang ito manatili bilang bansag sa ating mga nag aaral sa pangunahing pamantasan ng Pilipinas. Hindi pa tapos ang laban ng ating mga kapatid na moro at pambansang minorya, makiisa tayo sa laban tungo sa pagkamit ng makatarungang kapayapaan at Nabigyan ng mga estudyante at guro sariling pagpapasiya. Sana rin ay kaisa ang ng UPLB ang mga lakbayani ng ilang ating administrasyon sa panawagan ng mga oras sa kabila ng mga klase, academic pambansang minorya, maaring iniisip ng at extra-curricular requirements, ngunit administrasyon ng UPLB na para sa estudyante hindi nagawa ng UPLB administration ang ang kanilang naging desisyon ngunit sana mainit na pag tanggap sa mga lakbayanis ay naisip rin nito na ang pakikihalubilo at na naglakbay ng milya milya para iparating pakikipagpalitan ng kultura sa mga ang kanilang mga panawagan sa pambansang minorya ay bahagi ng kinauukulan, sa kadahilanang paglago ng mga estudyante at sa mga ‘di umano’y maantala raw ang ganitong pagkakataon mahuhubog ang gawain sa unibersidad. Hindi biro pagiging tunay na Iskolar ng ang pandarahas na dinanas ng mga Bayan Para sa Bayan, hindi ba’t pambansang minorya sa kanayunan at ang kaya naman tayo nasa pagod sa paglalakbay kung saan ilang beses pamantasang ito ay para pa silang naharang ng militar at sa ating bayan? PNP. Sana man [P] lamang ay nabigyan ng
Tila ay dumaan sa butas ng karayom ang mga Lakbayan convenors at University Student Council (USC) bago makakuha ng permits ng pag gamit ng mga pasilidad ng unibersidad, ‘ni hindi man lamang nabigyan ng espasyo ang mga lakbayanis sa lower campus
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Kasapi UP Alliance of Student Publications and Writers’ Organizations (Solidaridad) Pamuhatan Silid 11, Pangalawang Palapag, Student Union Building, Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, Los Baños, College, Los Baños, Laguna , 4031
Punong Patnugot Julianne Afable Kapatnugot Vicente Morano III Tagapamahalang Patnugot Michelle Andrea Laurio Patnugot ng Balita Caren Malaluan Patnugot ng Lathalain Mac Andre Arboleda Patnugot ng Lathalain Miguel Carlos Lazarte Patnugot ng Kultura Mac Andre Arboleda Patnugot ng Paglalapat Kristine Joy Orig Patnugot ng Grapiks Jandelle Cruz Patnugot ng mga Larawan ⋅ Kristine Paula BautistaTagapamahala ng Pinansiya Deniel Sean Macapal Mga Kawani Ranielle Averion ⋅ Paul Christian Carson ⋅ Lianne Rose Parajeno ⋅ Angelica Marie Paz ⋅ Francis Joseph Rafael⋅ Jessa Angela Suganob ⋅ Juvelle Villanueva ⋅ Diana Jane Plofino ⋅ Albert John Enrico Dominguez ⋅ Karl Gabriel de Los Santos ⋅ Pat Echano ⋅ John Albert Pagunsan ⋅ Eunice Alexcy Senadoza
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Memo No. PDLC 17-21B suspends tuition collection and other fees for the first semester 2017-2018 in accordance to RA 10931
para nga ba sa bayan? Nasaksihan natin ang pagdating ng ating mga kapatid na moro at iba pang pambansang minorya sa UPLB sa Lakbayan ng Pambansang Minorya para sa Sariling Pagpapasya at Makatarungang Kapayapaan. Isang buong araw nating nakasalamuha ang mga Lakbayani na bitbit ang kanilang mga panawagan at karanasan sa ilalim ng tumitinding militarisayson sa kanayunan at Martial Law sa Mindanao.
UPLB PERSPECTIVE
OKTUBRE 2017
tungkol sa pabalot DURUGISTA ni Jandelle Cruz
WORDS l JOHN ALBERT PAGUNSAN Tuition fees have been suspended in UP after lawmakers and President Duterte institutionalize free education in state universities and colleges through RA 10931 or the “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education”. The law mandates the government to shoulder tuition fees and other miscellaneous fees in all state universities and colleges for undergraduates. This renders the Socialized Tuition System (STS) as defunct. A batch 2014 Communication Arts student said that the STS is unfair because it solely based its bracketing system on the income regardless of the taxes deducted from it. “Yung socialized tuition system hindi niya kinoconsider yung taxes na binabawas sa sweldo. Kahit wala kayong TV at open pit ang toilet niyo, income pa rin yung basehan ng pagbibigay sa’yo ng bracket” Students have attacked the STS system as “unfair”, “complicated”, and “lengthy,” she said. Meanwhile, Mackie Valenzuela, Anakbayan-UPLB Chairperson and a batch 2014 undergraduate student, said that despite tuition declared ‘free’ and the ST system ‘defunct’, this is still not “maximum victory” as “it still places qualifications that hinders certain students to realize this inalienable right”. The law does not cover graduate students, and undergraduate students taking their second degree and those who exceeded their maximum years of residency. Valenzuela further stated, “We have to intensify our campaign so that the students may continue to fight for free education for those who could not avail for it under the provisions of RA 10931.” RA 10931 expected to help alleviate poverty According to the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), only 14 of 100 students enrolled in elementary will graduate with a tertiary education diploma. While the Philippine Statistics Authority reports from its 2017 Labor Force Survey that the unemployment rate has risen to 6.6% from 5.7% in January 2016. The regions with the highest unemployment rates were CALABARZON (8.2%), Caraga (8.5%), National Capital Region (8.5%), and Ilocos Region (8.7%). With the enactment of the free education law, lawmakers and student leaders hope that tertiary education will help alleviate marginalized Filipinos from poverty by expanding their opportunities and choices for a better life.
“Education was made free so that our youth can fulfill their role as the future nation builders of our country. There is no point to free education if the curriculum being implemented does not even teach us how to solve the fundamental crisis our country faces - the agricultural crisis,” Valenzuela added. Sustainability of Free Education Though many celebrated the enactment of free education, students like Patricia Evite, batch 2014 Economics undergraduate, cites concerns on “trade off” and “efficient” allocation. Evite says, “We can’t neglect the trade-offs of this initiative. Davao City Representative Karlo Nograles, appropriations committee chair, suggests that they would have to give up existing scholarships in other departments and deduct budgets from underperforming agencies. This concern is just for the first year of the implementation, how do we sustain the funding for the following years?” Evite is pertaining to Rep. Nograles’ statement last August 10, 2017 in an Inquirer article where he suggested that budgets of the Departments of Information and Communications Technology, Agrarian Reform, and Transportation would be cut to sustain funding for free tertiary education. Evite recognized the STS’s “faulty” assessment system but said, “I suggest that a portion to declare annual expenses would help the committee to get a better grasp of the students’
standard of living.” She added, “If the target goal is to increase the admission of students from poorincome households, the budget could have been used to increase direct subsidy and stipend for them (or maybe increase slots for Bracket E) because we all know that tuition is not the only cost of attendance in a university.” Meanwhile, Valenzuela recognized budgetary concerns for the law and said that students must assert that budget for the law must come from reallocated pork barrel funds. He added that government should get funds from projects with excess funding, “Only 1.1% of the budget for the China-PH ‘Build, Build, Build!’ infrastructure project under Duterte is needed to make education free for 5 years. 5 years is already ample time for our government to address the economic crisis of our country that results to the moribund generation of funds, which is the root of why accessible basic social services’ sustainability becomes a problem in the first place”. The law covers stipend and allowances for lower-income bracket students for their expenses on dormitory fees, books, supplies, and computer rentals or purchases which will be administered by the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) board. [P]
UPLB community welcomes IPs for the third time WORDS l LIANNE PARAJENO About 2000 indigenous people (IPs) from Southern Tagalog, Central Visayas, Southern Mindanao, Northern Mindanao, and Western Mindanao brought their calls for self-determination, just and lasting peace, and an end to Martial Law in Mindanao to the kalunsuran in Lakbayan ng Pambansang Minorya 2017. Lakbayanis were welcomed in University of the Philippines Los Banos where they spent one day integrating and exchanging stories and culture with the UPLB students in a Grand Salubungan Program held at the Oblation Park on August 29, 2017. No to Martial Law in Mindanao The National Minorities denounced
the Martial Law in Mindanao that intensified the military attacks to our Bangsamoro brothers and sisters and Lumad communities and led hundreds of families in evacuation centers as the Marawi siege continues. This is the third time UPLB welcomed Lakbayanis in the campus, this year, Lakbayan 2017 aimed not only to inform students on the objective conditions of the national minorities but also to show the youth the things that are not usually reported by the mainstream media. JD Abella from the College of Agricluture and Food Sciences Student Council (CAFS SC) and NNARA-Youth UPLB, the lead convenor of LAKBAYAN 2017 says, “ang aim ng Lakbayan 2017 natin ay hindi lang para mailahad
LAKBAYAN 2017 KRISTINE PAULA BAUTISTA, VICENTE MORANO III
ang kasalukuyang kondisyon na nararanasan ng mga katutubo at national minorities natin kundi mas maipaintindi sa mga kabataan, sa youth sector yung mga pangyayaring hindi nakikita sa mainstream media.” “Idinadaos ang Lakbayan 2017 bilang pakikiisa natin sa laban nila dahil bilang Iskolar ng Bayan, it is our mandate to be at par with the issues, makialam sa mga nangyayari sa ating lipunan, pag- aralan yung ating lupang ginagalawan,” he added. Abella also calls for continuous support for the Lumad communities. “Patuloy nating suportahan yung mga kampanya dahil hindi lang naman ito para sa ating mga estudyante dahil higit sa lahat yung mga laban natin ay hindi nalalayo sa laban na ipinaglalaban ng labas na sektor- ito yung malawak na hanay ng masa sa labas ng ating Pamantasan. Patuloy lang na mas maging masikhay tayo sa pakikiisa sa mga kamapnyang nangyayari sa (loob at labas ng) ating Pamantasan,” Abella encouraged. Attacks on Lumad schools “Don’t bomb our schools” was the main call of Lumad children in Lakbayan 2017. In a press conference in University of the Philippines Diliman, Save our Schools (SOS) Network spokesperson Luis Valle says, “Nandito ang halos 300 na mga lumad students, teachers and parents na naglakbay mula sa Mindanao upang ipakita sa gobyerno, lalo na sa Presidente, sa Department of Education, sa mga mamamayan dito sa Metro Manila na ang martial law sa Mindanao ay
nagbubungsod ng walang humpay na pang-aatake sa mga paaralang lumad.” Months ago, President Duterte made a remark about bombing Lumad schools, claiming that these schools were operating illegally and teaching subversive ideologies to the students. Valle says that Lumad schools have secured permits and are “partners of DepED in fighting illiteracy in areas not easily reached by the government.” SOS Network is a network of child rights advocates and organizations covering at least 220 schools run by Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and religious groups in Mindanao serving the Lumad communities. The Lakbayanis were assigned to stay at Jamboree as they weren’t allowed at the initially proposed place which is at the Copeland Gymnasium for the reason that it might interrupt classes that will be held there. The rest of the programs prepared for their visit on the entire day of August 29 were agreed to be held at the Baker Hall and the Student Union (SU) building through a dialogue with the Chancellor. The Lakbayanis head off to the national capital for a Grand Salubong on August 30, 2017 where minorities from Cordillera, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon awaited them. [P]
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USC and college representatives attends 1st dialogue with Chancellor Sanchez; talks about SAGD and a Educ WORDS l CAREN JOY MALAUAN
The University Student Council (USC) together with the college representatives held a dialogue with Chancellor Fernando Sanchez Jr. and administration officials on the afternoon of August 10, 2017. The dialogue was held after the students failed to obtain a dialogue with the chancellor on the first day rage protest last August 2, 2017. The administration officials present were Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dr. Portia Lapitan, Vice Chancellor for Administration Dr. Crisanto Dorado,Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development Dr. Marish Madlangbayan, Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension Prof. Rex Demafelis, Director of Office of Student Affairs Dr. Nina Cadiz, and University Registrar Dr. Myrna Carandang. An oath-taking ceremony for elected USC and college representatives took place prior the dialogue. Both events took place at University of the Philippines’ Los Baños (UPLB) Main Library. Student Agenda and List of General Demands On August 9, 2017, the third Council of Student Leaders (CSL) was held at the Student Union (SU) building to finalize the aUSC crafted Student Agenda and List of General Demands (SAGD). The finalized SAGD was then submitted and discussed during the dialogue with the chancellor the following day. The following issues included in the SAGD were raised during the dialogue:
On SU as a genuine student center The dialogue began with the demand that SU be a genuine student center. USC chairperson Charm Maranan argued that a student center is one of the fundamental needs of the students and must be available to the students 24/7. She added that it is safer for the students to conduct their activities inside SU than outside the campus. Chancellor Sanchez addressed this by saying that there are certain guidelines to be followed on the free use of any government facility and the 24/7 availability of SU is not possible since there is the existence of campus curfew and his priority is the security of the students. “There are certain guidelines that I need to address...on the free use of any facility. You’re not the only one who’s using the SU. We have the OSA, concessionaires,” Sanchez explained. “The 24/7, please understand, I need to weigh this. Because ako ang mananagot sa mga magulang mo. My first and foremost responsibility is kayo. Believe it or not, kayo ang concern ko” he added. Maranan asserted that the safety of the students inside SU was proven by the onemonth long “Occupy SU” campaign. However, Sanchez retorted with, “…you were able to occupy SU because I gave you time. If I asserted my authority, hindi niyo magagawa ‘yon.” Regarding the imposed curfew, Alinea stated that the safety of the students is
Workers mark labor leader’s fourth year of disappearance WORDS l PAUL CHRISTIAN CARSON
While workers first learn of their rights and their roles in the people’s movement, they also grow to remember those that came and fought bravely before them. “Recognizing the massive contributions of those that came before us pays homage to our rightful cause – that we do not only know the cause itself, but also the events that led to the birth and development of the cause,” a labor leader said. In the fourth year marking the disappearance of one of the region’s labor leaders, Benjamen “Ben” Villeno, militant labor under the regional labor center Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan – Kilusang Mayo Uno (PAMANTIK-KMU) held a commemoration program last August 27, 2017 at Sta. Rosa City, Laguna. The workers of Lakas Manggagawang Nagkakaisa sa Honda - Organized Labor in Line Industries and Agriculture (LMNHOLALIA-KMU), a local of PAMANTIK-KMU, held the Ben Villeno Academy as homage to Villeno and in expression of continuation of the principles he held. Courses on political economy, such as Wage, Price and Profit, were included,
where workers further understood the underlying principles of the market and how “workers were being exploited”. “Pangulong Ben” By five in the afternoon, PAMANTIK and LMNH held a program at Amar Balibago in Sta. Rosa City. “Pangulong Ben was one of those that spearheaded the workers’ fight in Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) for increasing wages and acquisition of their rightful benefits. His efforts as Union President in 1998 are still being enjoyed by workers today; which, comparably is bigger than many factories that are experiencing what we experienced before,” said Christopher Oliquino, Union Vice-President of LMNH-OLALIA-KMU. Villeno as labor leader Villeno started his life in the labor movement as former Union President of LMNH-OLALIA-KMU, before being elected Chair of PAMANTIK-KMU. As Union President, Villeno led the workers of HCPI in forging a pro-worker Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) by the turn of the century. Protests inside and outside the
independent from the implementation of the campus curfew. “Kahit naman po nagimplement tayo ng campus curfew, hindi naman po ensured yung safety ng students. Ibig sabihin, hindi dependent ang safety ng students sa campus curfew,” Alinea stated. On Org Tambayan As issues on unfinished facilities such as the Math Building (MB) arose, Maranan brought to light the promised gazebos in the College of Forestry and Natural Resources (CFNR) student plaza to the student organizations. The said concrete gazebos were not for the students to occupy in accordance with a memo received last year regarding former Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco’s No Tambayan Policy in 2008. According to a CAS representative, there are currently four student organizations trying to make do with a single dilapidated room in MB as their org tambayan. In an attempt to address the concerns regarding the yet to be completed MB, Chancellor Sanchez claimed that the hired contractor is in denial of having undergone bankruptcy. Subsequently, Sanchez stated that Velasco’s memo of the No Tambayan Policy pertained to the sudden establishment of any student organization’s own org tambayan. “No one can claim a land na goverment property.” He added later that the policy was also meant to put a stop to the organizations defacing other organizations’ tambayans during the time. Sanchez went on, saying that funds were
given for the construction of the student plaza and the new CFNR canteen which were made available for the students, faculty, and staff. “Ang basic principle ng student tambayan is student. Any facility constructed by UP, dapat any estudyante can use it.” Despite this, former USC Chairperson Merwin Jacob Alinea reported the current conditions of org reception within the campus. “Sa kasalukuyang nangyayari po sa orgs, ang CAS admin ang nagpapaalis. At dun sa CFNR, yung memo pa ni Chancy Velasco ang ginagamit ng CFNR admin.” Alinea requested the existing policies be removed. “Naiintindihan ko yung concern. Open naman ang admin to provide a space. To lift the no tambayan policy is chaotic,” said Sanchez and discussed the insufficient activity zones to accommodate all the student organizations. “We cannot have all the orgs to put up their own tambayan.”
UPLB PERSPECTIVE
(contd. from p. 4) readmission, answered with, “I don’t have a guideline but I have a gut feel. Hindi na namin iniinterview kapag late processing.” A discussion ensued regarding the standard procedure for readmission and the criteria upon which College Deans readmit students. It was established that an executive committee meeting will be held to reassess the students’ readmission concerns. Free Education Memorandum No. PDLC 17-21B
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farmers launched series of bungkalan, balik-saka activities WORDS l MICHELLE ANDREA LAURIO
Over the past months, hundreds of farmers in Southern Tagalog (ST) participated in a simultaneous Bungkalan or collective land cultivation activities as a show of solidarity and protest amidst the long struggle for genuine land reform. Spearheaded by Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid – Timog Katagalugan (KASAMA-TK), Bungkalan activities were carried out in Lupang Kapdula in Cavite, Hacienda Roxas and Sitio Balakbakan in Batangas, Hacienda Gancayco in Quezon, and Lupang Almeda in Occidental Mindoro “to enrich the lands seized by landlords and big corporations.” “Ang mga serye ng Bungkalan na
issued by the office of UP President Danilo Concepcion, containing the “supplemental guidelines on tuition and other fees assessment and collection”, was released last August 7, 2017. This was in accordance with the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Republic Act No. 10931). The latest memo was regarding the implementation of free tuition in all UP campuses amongst qualified students. This raised various questions in the dialogue with Sanchez – some of which were on the specifications
of how one would be considered qualified for free tuition. Students who are considered overstaying – meaning the allotted number of years for one to graduate from a program plus 1 year; students who already have bachelor’s degrees or any other kind of undergraduate degree; students who failed to comply to the admission and retention policy of the University; students taking degree programs in Law or Medicine; and graduate students were all deemed unqualified for free tuition
according to PDLC Memo 17-21B. According to Carandang, for those students who have already paid before the memo’s release despite being qualified for free tuition would be able to have their tuition refunded. Students of the Veterinary Medicine program are separate from Medicine proper students, and are therefore still eligible for free tuition, as clarified by Lapitan. Moreover, there exists a voluntary option wherein students may opt out to pay despite the free tuition. Payments from such students
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will be considered as donations to the university. Maranan asked for the commitment of the Chancellor in engaging actively in crafting the implementing rules. Sanchez stated, “I can air the concern of the students na the students want representation in the crafting of the IRR [Implementing Rules and Reglations].” When asked for a statement in support of free education and to sign the subsequent manifesto, Sanchez complied with, “Personally I am for free education, pero naiinis ako kapag hindi well-crafted ang batas.” [P]
On Readmission and Registration Concerns Student leaders and representatives brought forth the concerns of the students regarding readmission and how it seemed that most find it difficult to get readmitted upon their second or third try. With this, USC councilor Patricia Mae Mayor asked after the guidelines for the approval or disapproval of a student’s request for readmission. After discussing the readmission process with Carandang, Sanchez, when asked about the qualifications for a legitimate reason for USC OATHTAKING JULIANNE AFABLE
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isinasagawa ng ating mga magsasaka dito sa rehiyon ay nagsisilbing protesta laban sa mga panginoong maylupa na hinahadlangan ang aming mga karapatan para sa lupa,” said KASAMA-TK in a statement. Collective land cultivation as form of protest and solidarity Last May 30, 2017, farmers in Maragondon, Cavite successfully occupied the 155-hectare Lupang Kapdula seized by Enrile clan - owned JAKA Investments Corporation along with South Cavite Land Company and Sta. Lucia Realty Corporation. It has been twenty years since they signed a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with the
The University Student Council with College Representatives in their oath taking held on August 10, 2017 at the Office of the Chancellor.
(contd. from p. 4) factory were held, along with rounds of negotiations with HCPI management. The success of LMNH-OLALIA-KMU in upholding labor rights has currently resulted to a daily wage of about P1,850. He was also a major campaigner of labor issues during the Estrada and Arroyo administrations, including the P125 across-the-board wage hike campaign and was also involved in regional protests against the Arroyo administration. PAMANTIK, along with other workers that are close to Villeno, remain that state forces had a hand in Villeno’s disappearance. Villeno was last known to be going home in Cavite province last August 27, 2013, and was not heard of hours after. Villeno was the third victim of enforced disappearance in the region under the Aquino administration. contd. from p. 4
South Cavite Land Co., promising them an improvement from the traditional farming and granting them ownership to the land. However, it was “under false pretense” as the lands were planned to be converted into a residential area, forcing them to leave the lots. As form of protest, Samahan ng mga Magsasaka sa Kapdula (SAMAKA) along with other sectoral organizations headed the bungkalan in more than 133 hectares of idle land in which they planted vegetable and root crops. “Matagal na naming ipinaglalaban
ang lupang ito. Pitong taon na kaming may abogado ngunit ang kinikilalang may-ari ng lupaing ito ay ang mga malalaking korporasyon,” said Belinda Mujica, a member of SAMAKA. In Nasugbu, Batangas, the Damayan ng mga Manggagawang Bukid ng Batangas (DAMBA) and Alyansa ng mga Manggagawa at Magbubukid ng Batangas (ALMMASAN) joined the “balik-saka” in Hacienda Roxas owned by landlord Don Pedro Roxas. The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) granted to them the land in 1993 but Don Pedro Roxas refused to recognize it. In the same plight, farmers in
Duterte’s brand of fascist rule The workers warned that intensifying state attacks are abound as the Duterte administration “unveils its true character”. According to Allan Bagas, secretary-general of PAMANTIK-KMU, “If Ka Ben is still with us today, he would challenge the workers to cherish in building genuine unions.” “However, the union should not only carry economic struggles, but also spearhead national industrialization and to end a system that exploits workers,” he added. Bagas similarly challenged the workers to lead the “exposition of the true fascist character of the US-Duterte regime”, while “forwarding an economic and social program that would benefit the people.” [P] Hacienda Gancayco launched a provincial caravan circling the populous towns of Quezon in support of the bungkalan in their areas. In Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro, farmers of Lupang Almeda held a camp-out and bungkalan last June 26, 2017. Threats and harassment While doing the bungkalan activities, the farmers did not escape intimidation and harassment from the private guards and state forces. On June 4, 2017, private guards of JAKA Investments Corp. threatened the farmers of Lupang Kapdula in the middle of their bungkalan activity.
The said guards stole their flags and other equipment while destroying the farmers’ huts already in place. Afterwards, they erected their own huts near the farm site. In Lupang Almeda at Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro, around 100 police and private guards arrived in the farm site last July 26, 2017 and demolished the makeshift houses set up by the farmers. Meanwhile, security guards from Gold Cross Agency tried to block the farmers’ activities in Nasugbu, Batangas. They repeatedly tried to make the farmers leave putting up a ‘No Trespassing’ sign in the area.
“Iba’t ibang kaso na ng pagpapaalis at harassment ang aming nararanasan simula pa noon ngunit hinding hindi kami magpapatinag at itutuloy pa rin namin ang aming karapatan na magbalik-saka at magbungkal sa aming mga lupa,” added Mujica. Plight under current administration KARAPATAN, a human rights organization, accounts for more than 64 peasant leaders and activists killed under President Duterte’s term while incidences of harassment still continue. “Kung tunay ngang sinsero ang gobyernong Duterte na tahakin ang landas ng kapayapaan, dapat ay mapagpasya nitong itigil ang tumitinding pagpatay sa mga magsasaka at tugunan ang problema sa kawalan ng Lupa,” said Antonio Flores, secretary general of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP). According to Flores, the struggle for a genuine land reform program is far from over especially with the impending hearing for Ka Paeng Mariano’s confirmation as Secretary of DAR as of press time. However, bungkalan and balik-saka activities will continue amidst the said challenges. [P]
6
LATHALAIN
UPLB PERSPECTIVE
OKTUBRE 2017
When Curfews Harm than Protect WORDS l JEY FILAN REYES
It’s fifty one minutes past the twenty first hour of the day. For the souls who have labored throughout the day, it’s time to close the shutters and dim the lights. A ritual of prayers, good nights, and gratitude are performed in houses that dot the surroundings of the university. The day seems to end for many of Los Banos’ residents. Except for mortals like Restine Joy Armada, the day has just started. A senior Communication Arts student, Restine divides her limited after class hours among theater production rehearsals, her organizations’ general assemblies and workshops, and class group meetings. Inevitably, her program demands collaborative work that consumes more hours outside the classroom. To accomplish her daily tasks without any cost and risk, she and her acquaintances meet inside the university campus. However, with the university’s curfew policy, theater productions, organizations, class groups, and students like Restine are pushed to hold rehearsals, meetings, and general assemblies outside the university. And it’s not the cost of a cup of coffee or an hour of rental that ultimately concerns Restine but her safety. On August 10, 2017 the University Student Council and student leaders raised the concern of the impact of the curfew policy on students’ safety during the dialogue with Chancellor Sanchez. Student leaders amplified demands on making the Student Union Building a legitimate student center where students can hold their activities even beyond the 10pm curfew. The university administration has jurisdiction over the campus premises, students, and employees, but events occurring outside the university’s gates do not fall under their responsibility. Restine’s concern with safety is accountability, “Parang naghahands off lang yung university sa pwedeng mangyari kasi nasa labas ng campus if ever meron masamang mangyari.” (It’s like the university wants to take their hands off if something bad will happen outside the campus.”) While the university assures students of their safety through the University Police Force and Community Service Brigade, it faces special security challenges as an open university. Grace Eclavea, a Senior Communication Arts student, says, “Mahirap talaga icontrol ang pumapasok sa campus, we’re not like Ateneo or Lasalle na may filter sa pagpasok ng mga tao.” (It’s difficult to monitor the flow of people who enter the campus, we’re not like Ateneo or Lasalle who filter the people who enter.) Like other students, Grace is among those who finish projects and meetings inside the university because of practical concerns. Grace says that while it is a “band-aid” solution, she partially agrees with the curfew. She suggests that a venue be secured inside the campus for students to use as the university will find it laborious to monitor the whole campus if
students were allowed to freely roam everywhere after 10pm. She says, “Dapat mayroong lugar kung saan pwede magmeet at mababantayan nila 24/7 (There needs to be a place where it can be monitored 24/7 and where everyone can meet). Like Student Union, that’s ours to begin with. I mean that’s meant for us. Bantayan yung Carabao Park all the way to Student Union building (They secure the path from Carabao Park all the way to the Student Union building). While the rest, magegests ko pa yung curfew (While I’ll understand the curfew with the rest).” Restine emphasizes the other concerns students have with regards to the curfew. “When I was part of different theater productions, we rehearsed outside. Na walang proper space to practice and walang proper security (It was not a proper venue and there was no proper security) which increased the risk of safety. Gumagastos din kami to pay for the venue (We personally shell out money to pay for the venue).” Theater productions which require spacious, clean, and safe environments for rehearsals, are often held after 7pm in classrooms and open spaces of the College of Arts and Sciences. With the curfew, theater production rehearsals are cut and are continued in venues like a parking area, a car wash shop or halls which either are unsafe, improper or expensive. Chancellor Sanchez suggested to students, “Plan [your] activities so you can’t be late.” Student leaders explained that students have no option but to stay at later hours to meet class deadlines, study for exams, and hold organization meetings as classes extend up to 7pm which make it hard for the student to find common free times. Years after the Given Grace incident, the university has established memorandum of understanding with government officials of Barangay Tuntungin-Putho and Barangay Batong Malaki to ensure safety of students. Non-students and non-employees are required to leave their ID’s in the gate when they enter campus premises. However, despite these measures taken by the university and the local government, there are cases where students’ safety is compromised even inside the campus. Denice Vias, a senior student, recounted a “cat-calling” incident. Denice and her organization, The Rhetoricians, were rehearsing for Midnight Jam a year ago around 8 pm and 9pm. A car filled by men, unidentified whether students or not, passed by and “cat-called” the members while they were rehearsing. Defenseless, one of Denice’s organization mates cursed at the men. For women’s right organizations, cat-calling is a serious issue as it is classified as sexual harassment. While it might be just a remark that inflicts no physical harm, the
psychological and emotional effects of cat-calling are serious and grave. It bars women from utilizing public spaces and accomplishing important tasks out of fear of being assaulted in public. Students who identify with the LGBTQIA also recount instances of sexual harassment inside the campus. These types of cases which are difficult to monitor challenge the university’s definition of security. Paulo Zipagan, College of Development Communication Student Council member, questions the mechanisms with regards to implementing the curfew. “Ang tanong na lang siguro diyan ay kung sapat ba ito para talaga panatilihing ligtas ang campus at mga estudyante sa loob at labas nito (The question there is whether the policies are sufficient to ensure safety of students inside and outside the campus). Kailangan pa siguro mas bigyang pansin ang iba pang mekanismo na maaaring gawin ng mga awtoridad ng UPLB para mag paigtingin ang seguridad sa loob ng campus (We need to take notice of other mechanisms that can be used by the UPLB authorities to strengthen security inside the campus).” What is lost in the big picture is the politically volatile environment in the country. With the election of Rodrigo Duterte and the launch of the war on drugs a year ago, Filipinos question the credibility of the police. Policemen have been tagged for being responsible for the inhumane treatment and deaths of Kian de los Santos and Carl Arnaiz. Attacks on fundamental institutions like the Commission on Human Rights that provide additional protection to citizens against oppressive powerful states prove that citizens must be more critical of the state and its powers. The disappointing treatment of the police with cases of extra-judicial killings raises speculation whether the police are protecting the public or slaughtering the people it promised to protect. As the clock ticks towards 10 pm, children are tucked in bed, teens take a last flip of their social media feeds, and parents list meal plans for tomorrow. The UPLB student sips a little bit more of his bitter coffee to keep awake to rehearse once more for tomorrow’s class presentation. Whatever happens to him, the whole of Los Banos will be sleeping with their shutters closed and doors locked. If he had witnesses, they would be lucky to be alive tomorrow to tell his tale. As police brutality ensues with a reasonable number of Filipinos consenting to the unlawful slaughter of innocent lives, can UPLB students really feel safe after curfew hours outside the campus? He pleads for the rest to not wait for a casualty to trigger conversation with regards to his safety. After all, he’s staying just one minute more late for the country [P].
KULTURA AGOSTO 2017 7
KULTURA 6 UPLB PERSPECTIVE
UPLB PERSPECTIVE
OKTUBRE 2017
ANG MGA TALA NA ISINULAT NILA SA PURGATORYO
I. Nika
Naaalala ko na. Naaalala ko pa. Ako si Nika, disi-syete anyos. Disi-syete anyos at hindi na tatanda pa. Naaalala ko pa ang mga huling alaala kasama sila Papa. Ang aming huling pagpunta sa mall malapit sa bahay namin sa Caloocan para makapaglaro kami sa arcade kasama si Junjun. Nami-miss ko na si bunso nang sobra-sobra. At lalo na si Mama na nasa Riyadh na hindi ko man lang nakita noong mga huling buwan at araw ko. Pilit ko mang alalahanin ang pamilya, hindi ko matanggal sa isip ko ang huling sinapit ng aking pandaigdigang katawan at sarili. Matagal na naman kaming binilinan ni Papa na huwag na ako lalabas sa gabi, lalo na sa mga panahong ‘to, aniya lagi. Eh hindi ko rin naman ginusto na wala sa mga tinda namin sa sarisari store ang paborito kong biskwit, kaya ako pumunta noon sa kabilang kanto para bumili. Hindi ko aakalaing doon na pala sa eskinita sa ikalawang kanto ng Brgy 160 ang huling hantungan ko. Dalawang mamâ ang lumapit sa’kin. Naisip ko na pamilyar ang itsura nila, kundi lang para sa kanilang kaswal na pananamit, nahinuha ko na siguro mga pulis sila sa aming lugar. Masakit ang paghila nila sa kulot kong buhok. Masakit kaladkarin sa mabitak na lupa at hindi tapos na inaspaltuhang konkreto. Halos masira lahat ng kuko ng kamay ko sa pagpiglas at pag-angkat sa lupang may mga tira-tirang bubog habang kinakaladkad. Sabi nila, bago ka mamatay, mag-fla-flashback ang iyong buhay sa isipan mo. Inamoy ko ang dumudugo at sira-sira kong mga kuko; amoy upos ng mga sigarilyong
SALITA l MIGUEL CARLOS LAZARTE & KARL GABRIELLE DE LOS SANTOS tinapon sa eskinita. Madugo na; bago pa ako maubusan ng sigaw at maibsan ng hininga. Walang flashback. Susubukan ko nalang alalahanin ‘yung pinakamasaya – ‘yung alalaalang pwede kong isipin para hindi maramdaman ang sakit.. Naaalala ko na! Naaalala ko na ang huli kong pinakamasayang alaala: Ang paggalaw ng mga paanan kasama ang mga kaibigan ko sa eskwelehan. Ang pasimpleng paghiwalay ng isa’t isa sa tropa mula sa nagbubundulang lakas ng tunog at pagsayaw tungo sa pagbagal ng tempo at sa pag-ere ng romantikong tunog ng piyano. Oo – JS prom ng Senior High School. Nang mapansin kong lahat noon ay may mga nakapulupot nang mga balikat sa leeg nila, umupo ako malapit sa mesa namin. Uminom ng tubig, inikot-ikot ang mga hiblas ng kulot ng buhok ko, at nagkukunwareng sira ang takong ng aking sapatos at tila inaaayos ito. Narinig ko ang mga yapak ng sapatos niya noon, ang pag-alok niya ng kaliwang kamay niya nang napakahinhin. Napakahinhin. Ang alaala ng mahinhing alok ng kamay ng lalaki ang pilit ko na lamang iniisip na huli kong nakita. Napakahinhin. Bukas na palad sana. Hindi ang mariing mga suntok sa mukha ng mga saradong kamao. Ang mga suntok nalang ang naaalala kong sakit. Nang umalis ang sarili ko noon tsaka ko na lamang nakita ang katawan ko; napakabilis at nakita kong may inilagay sila sa bulsa ko. Tsaka ko na lamang napansin ang mga butas sa ulo. Siguro, binaril nalang nila din ako. Sana mahinhin. Sana mahinhin ang pagtiklop nila ng pitik ng baril.
II. Karlo
Nanlabo na ang mga mata ko noon. Onti-onti gumapang ang mga aninong pumapalibot sa paningin ko. Namanhid na rin ang buo kong katawan – tila para bang hindi ko maramdam ang sarili kong paggalaw. Huli ko na lang naramdaman ang malakas na dagundong sa dibdib ko. At simula nang maramdaman ko iyon.. Alam ko na. Alam ko na ang kahahantungan ko. Kasama ko lang si Makdo kagabi para kumain ng mami doon sa may bayan ng Taytay – ang may pinakamalinamnam na mami na natikman ko sa Rizal. Talagang dinadayo namin ni Makdo yun kadalasan, kahit hindi alam ni Ate na tumatakas kami nang ganoong oras. Isang jeep pa-Junction kung walang pa-Tikling; tsaka na lamang naming lalakaran ang kahabaan hanggang mahanap namin si suki. Kung sa bagay, hindi rin naman alam ni ate na ganoon kami kadikit ni Makdo kaya okey lang. Pagkakatanda ko, huling higop ko na ng sabaw noon nang mapansin kong may umaaligid na mga nakamotorsiklo. Kinabahan na ako. Alam kong hindi na ligtas ang mga hatinggabi sa panahong ito lalong lalo na malayo kami sa main road at malapit sa mga nakakandadong gate at eskinita sa Taytay. Hindi ko maialis ang paningin ko sa kanila. Hanggang sa namanmanan na nila kami at dinampot nang mabilis kasama si Makdo. Tinanggap namin lahat ang suntok nila. Pinaluhod habang walang tigil na sinasampiga at sinasapak. Pinagtatadyakan habang nakalupasay na sa sahig. Pinanglampaso sa nakaaspaltong sahig nang kami’y namanhid na at mawalan na ng malay. Alam nilang madugo ang pinaggagawa nila sa akin. Pinalitan nila ang shorts at damit na suot ko. Saka sinuotan ng napakabantot na hoodie na may mga nakapakete sa mga bulsa nito. Pati ang bago kong biling cellphone, ‘di na pinatakas. Pinaghiwalay kami ni Makdo sa magkabilang sasakyan. Habang ako, isinalpak nila sa taxi nang nakaposas. At si Makdo, hindi ko na alam ang sinapit. Umaandar na ang sasakyan habang tanging panalangin na lamang ang isinasambit ko na sana tapusin na nila. Sabay inaalala ang lahat ng mga masasaya kong karanasan sa kolehiyo: Ang mga kunwaring pagiging mabuting estudyante, walwalan sa dis-oras ng mga gabi, at pati na ‘yung minsanan kong pagpapabaya sa akademiko na sana naituloy ko at naitapos. Siguro mas matutuwa pa sila Inay kung nag-igi pa ako at nakapag-scholarship. Mahal kasi ng tuition sa UP noon. Pinababa ako ng manong drayber sa sasakyan at pinatakbo. Nanlabo na ang mga mata ko noon. Namanhid na rin ang buo kong katawan. Huli ko na lang naramdaman ang malakas na dagundong sa dibdib ko. At simula noong maramdaman ko iyon.. alam ko na. Alam ko na ang kahahantungan ko. Ipinagpapasalamat ko na rin ang huling dagundong na iyon. Sa wakas, tapos na ang paghihirap ko sa mundo ng mga kahayup-hayupan. At least, may slot na ako sa purgatoryo. Ngayon, maghihintay nalang ako mula dito kung hanggang saan ang ihahatol na hustisya bago pa ang husgahan.
III. Lando
Naalala ko ang gabing pinahirapan kami kasama ni Kuya Karlo. Alam ko namang ako din ang nagpursigi kay Kuya Karlo na samahan ako kumain ng mami. Paborito ko kasi talaga iyon. Miss ko na si Kuya Karlo dahil ang huli naming pagkikita ay ang huli niya na rin
sigurong alaala sa tanang buhay niya. Hindi ko maiwasang sisihin ang sarili sa mga panahong nagagalit ang lahat ng mga tao at laman-laman ng mga dyaryo ay ang pangalan niya. Iniiisip ko na lang minsan ay, nag-enjoy naman kami sa masarap na higop sa mami na ‘yun. Sinuntok na lang kami nila noon. Walang kahit ano – walang pasabi, walang imik, walang salisalita. Sigaw at iyak lang nawari ko. Nakahiga na kami sa lupa pero tinatadyakan pa rin kami. Hindi ko maisip kung anong dahilan at kung ano bang ginawa namin? Pinaltan nila kami ng damit. Piniringan. Isinakay ako sa parang trak. Napakadilim. Basang basa ang piring ko sa sarili kong luha. Napakaalat rin sa bibig ng tulo nito. Pinaupo nila ako sa isang silya. Hinang-hina ako. Tinanggal nila ang piring. Pinagtatanong ako kung nasaan ang lider namin. Wala akong alam. Wala akong kamuang-muang. Ang natatanging nasabi ko na lamang ay wala akong kinalaman sa kung anong grupo iyan, at baka maling tao ang nakuha nila. Suntok ang tugon nila sa’kin. Nakakapanghina ang sakit sa mukha. Basang basa na ang gilid ng ulo ko hanggang sa patilya mula sa awas ng dugo. Napakapangit rin ng lasa sa bibig – lasang kalawang. Hindi ko na maaalala kung anong sumanib sa akin pero noong gabing in-interrogate ako, natanggal ko rin ang mga tali na nakaposas s’akin. Kumaripas ako palayo sa kung nasaan man ako noon. Nalaman kong nasa Caloocan na pala ako. Hindi ako makauwi sa amin sa Taytay. Hindi ko rin alam paano uuwi lalo na sa panahong pinagkakamalan akong kung sinong miyembro ng kung anong grupo. Ayoko nang mabugbog pa. Buti na lamang tinanggap ako ni Mang Carding nang makita ko siyang una at hiningan ng tulong. Kinwento ko sa kanya ang lahat ng dinanas ko. Ikinwento sa akin ni Mang Carding na kamakailan lang pinatay rin ang kanyang anak na babae, halos iilang taon lang raw ang tanda sa’kin. Noong gabi ring iyon, nabalita sa telebisyon na may nahanap raw na bangkay sa isang creek – ang bangkay ni Makdo, ang bangkay ko. Sa pagkabigla, napaluha ako. Tinanong ko ang sarili ko kung totoo pa ba lahat ng ‘to. Sabi sa’kin ni Mang Carding na huwag muna akong bumalik. Nagtitiwala ako kay Mang Carding; hindi magandang oras ang panahon ngayon para guluhin pa ang lahat. Pero miss ko na si Mama at Papa, sana huwag sila mag-alaala. Sana malaman nila na hindi ako ‘yong bangkay na iyon. Tinanggap ako sa bahay nila, na tila ba tinuring na sarili niyang anak. Ipinakilala ako ni Mang Carding sa anak niyang si Junjun at iilang kapitbahay nila bilang si Lando – ang bago kong pagkatao. Isinisulat ko ‘to mula sa munti kong purgatoryo – sa silid sa bahay ni Mang Carding. Dito lang muna ako. Hanggang sa oras na ligtas na sa impyerno sa labas ng bahay na ‘to. [P]
86
KULTURA KULTURA
UPLBPERSPECTIVE PERSPECTIVE UPLB
AGOSTO2017 2017 OKTUBRE
UPLB PERSPECTIVE
KULTURA
OKTUBRE 2017
9
The Difference between Fake News and Satire, and Why It Matters WORDS l MAC ANDRE ARBOLEDA
WORDS & LAYOUT l MIGUEL CARLOS LAZARTE “Walang imposible,” the film asserted. To its extent, LYSB reiterated our day-to-day millennial fantasies. More than its surface idea of the road trip adjoined a love story, LYSB is more than what its poster and trailer says about itself. It is, in a nutshell, a gem in the mainstream battlefield which had long consisted of profuse affair plots and the retelling of the privileges of the petty bourgeoise man. The film, Love You to the Stars and Back, is a local romantic-comedy film which tells the story of Mika (portrayed by Julia Baretto) and Caloy (Joshua Garcia). The movie peered into the life of Mika as the runaway girl from home who sought to reach the peak of Mount Milagros where, she had earnestly believed, the aliens will take her away from Earth. On another hand, Caloy, the Batangueño locale who was on his way to make amends and rekindle a relationship with his estranged father, happened to cross paths with the driving runaway who let him carpool along the province. Caloy also casually told Mika that he had leukemia thus he did not have much time to live long.
The metaphor of Mount Milagros
Preceding the movie’s timeline was the death of Mika’s mother whom she loved dearly. Evidently, she cannot accept the early death of her mother and instead pursued the peak of Mount Milagros which her mother told her that the aliens will take her away. Without a plan after the aliens’ hostage, Mika firmly held on to the idea of being with her mom after the aliens’ capture. As the story progressed with tragedies clouded by his casual jokes, Caloy decided to also depart to the mountain after the tragedy of the rejection of his father. He rode along again with Mika, and said that he too, was prepared to go to the peak of the mountain. Mount Milagros served as the end-all to Mika’s problems. While on the road, she learned the value of time and the thought of being adrift from home as the healing solutions: forgiveness. She learned to forgive her stepmother and father even before reaching the peak. And to note, it was not a development of Mika because of the company of the affectionate Caloy, it was her self-actualization. The film showed that an individual is as strong as herself such as Mika, who need not depend upon another person’s intimacy to develop, heal, and move on. It was neither time nor romance, she simply needed to get away and think things through, despite the rashness. Mount Milagros is a metaphor to suicide. An assisted one at that – which they insistently believed the aliens as a euphemistic recipe to say that Mika, and Caloy, wanted to end it all – to end their lives. As farfetched as it may sound, I asked myself if Mount Milagros really was the metaphor for suicide. After much debate, I realized
This article contains a few spoilers on the movie.
Films in the mainstream world are one of the epitomes of popular culture. Taking the extra effort to step into analyzing the world of mainstream may show us a tad more sense and values that these films portray; it is a looking-glass on who the Filipino persona is. Most of the time, such obra are taken for granted. And sometimes, we just have to take off our elitist goggles for once and appreciate the things unappreciated by the intellectual.
that the characters were millennials, and the generation has been more than capable of feeling it all. And most especially, having an abundance of empathy.
The fruition of Mika
Mika was always the hopeful character. She decided on the night before their hike to the peak, that maybe they could do it tomorrow instead – she was not ready at all to reach the peak of Mount Milagros. Caloy was passive, hopeless, and reckless; he thought that he had nothing to lose as himself, and only thought for the welfare of his family. Mika, being the once-reckless millennial, came into being after watching Caloy suffer the consequences of leukemia. At the brink of Caloy’s blood-spitting and vomiting on the last morning of their lives (aka the trip to the peak), she decided to call Caloy’s family while the young man heavily insisted to just let him die instead of his family worrying about him and selling all that they had, just to get him a bone marrow transplant in Manila; a 50 percent chance to survive and live a normal life. Caloy had decided; he was not ready to take a risk for his family’s loss. But Mika did what she had thought she ought to. Mika and Caloy are not lovers; they are empathic human beings capable of such connected sensations. I could understand how much Mika knew the feeling of loss even at the moment of the trip; Caloy had cancer, and she knew the risk of getting involved with someone she knew she will lose too in the end just like her mother. She thought well that she should not invest too much on her newfound time bomb. Mika had mommy issues and Caloy had daddy issues. They both felt the pain deeply cutting. As much as both have suffered because of family, they were never the indifferent kind. They were the millennials who taught us, their fellow millennials, that turning back is an option, and sometimes we have to feel what the other feels to help each other out.
Adulting: a petty b. issue
Mika was devastated; for the actions she took may have saved a life, but adulting was such a bigger transition, and a painful one at that. Such actions that Mika had to, even at the cost of another millennial’s disproval, is an adulting issue. How capable and how rash one can be at the brink of extreme emotions, could we have easily decided, like Caloy, to just let ourselves be taken by aliens, an understatement to suicide? We often would ask ourselves, how this generation of the youth has come to be so bold; living their life to the fullest and YOLO-ing all day and night, unminding of the limitations our forefathers had to in their generation. If democracy and freedom in this timeline gave us an option to be such kinds of millennial, then we must remember that our privileges should always be at check. One must remember that more than roadtrips, there are fellow millennials, if we call the age group as such, who do not experience such freedom and carelessness that cash could muster to afford. These millenials cannot be found on traveling trips, mountain hiking, eloping episodes, or runaway cars. These millennials are in the heavily urbanized slums fighting for their right to their shelter, instead of one who finds the time to look for a refuge away from her two-floor concrete house. These millennials are the sons and daughters of the farmers; who most likely in their age, did not pursue a college degree but pursued the call of the land where they were tied to and of their generations to come. These millennials are not shredding money from their parents; because they work those hard-earned money themselves for their parents in routinely, underpaid factories where they are treated as slaves twelve hours a day. And if that was an underlying idea of a movie, a good laugh and entertainment would not hurt, but as Mika and Caloy, with an abundance of empathy a generation they had, many others hope that empathy reach those who cannot afford to even watch a film. Come a day when millenials do not mean anymore, the petty bourgeois to the elite young adults who had to lose oneself out of the many privileges they already had just to prove a point. Stay in check, and remember the People. [P]
Last week, Philstar.com (The Philippine Star) reported that “spreading fake news [is] now a crime” after President Duterte signed into law Republic Act 10951. They pointed out that Article 154, Section 18 of the act sanctions “unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances”, imposing a penalty of arresto mayor and a hefty fine upon those who publish false news. This penalty is imposed upon “Any person who by means of printing, lithography, or any other means of publication shall publish or cause to be published as news any false news which may endanger the public order, or cause damage to the interest or credit of the State,” as stated in the article. But what The Philippine Star got wrong that Republic Act 10951 merely amends the Revised Penal Code, which was passed in 1930, to hike fines matching their 2017 monetary equivalent. In layman’s terms, this law already exists, and the outdated penalty for Article 154 was simply adjusted from 1,000 pesos maximum to a fine ranging from 40, 000 to 200, 000 pesos plus up to six months jail time. In layman’s terms, President Duterte did not sign an entirely new law on fake news and that The Philippine Star more or less misled its readers into believing there was, in fact, a new law on fake news. Short quiz: Does this mean The Philippine Star actually published fake news for posting that headline? Should The Philippine Star be penalized under the law for spreading false news and arguably causing damage to the credit of the State? Wait, if they didn’t write it intentionally, does it actually count as fake news? There is no doubt that the prevalence of fake news has had a negative impact on our society and that there needs to be a solution. However, the lines remain blurred in the current law and in the proposed Senate Bill No. 1492 or “Anti-Fake News Act of 2017” introduced by Senator Joel Villanueva. Considering how the current administration has been, the arguments against and the descriptors for “fake news” could be used by those in power to take away press freedom and our right to freely express ourselves. DEFINING ‘FAKE NEWS’ Academics Hunt Allcott and Matthew Gentzkow in their article “Social Media and Fake News in the 2016 Election” published in the Journal of Economic Perspectives in 2017 defined fake news to be “news articles that are intentionally and verifiably false, and could mislead readers.” Immediately, so many articles come to mind. We have the more “blatant” political propaganda fake news that’s used to damage the credibility of both the State and the opposition. We have fake science news (or poorly-communicated research findings) that have been around way before the Duterte-Trump era. We’ve seen unverified news posted by social media users claiming there’s a thing happening somewhere, like a terrorist attack, or a bomb threat. There’s also tabloid news, hybrids of factual-and-fake news, and even satirical news (more on that later). In the case of The Philippine Star, the headline is verifiably false and has certainly already misled some its readers; however, we can’t say for sure whether the author did it intentionally. While Philstar is among the Philippines’ most widely-circulated newspapers that have been around for decades alongside The Philippine Daily Inquirer, and Manila Bulletin, to name a few, we should always be reminded that mass media is prone to conflict of interest. First and foremost, mass media is a business that needs the occasional sensationalist, click-snatching headline to gain website views and ad revenue. Secondly, mass media is monitored and controlled by certain individuals and individual groups who could very easily twist facts and churn out disinformation. And lastly, although it is in the interest of journalism to deliver factual and substantial news, sometimes we make mistakes in an effort to provide it as soon as it happens. So what if it was a mistake? UP College of Mass Communication Associate Professor Danilo Arao says “honest mistakes should not be classified as fake news.” Errors in media reportage could be linked to editors and writers who fail to uphold the professional and ethical standards of journalism. Some might also need to have a background on law or whatever topic in order to communicate a story better. There also needs to be selfregulation among journalists and concerned citizens, who can point out bad practices. Initiatives and organizations such as VERA Files, National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, and IBON Foundation regularly do fact-checks. Ideally, media organizations that have been called out shall correct and apologize for their errors.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SATIRE AND FAKE NEWS Another form of “fake news” that should not be classified as such is satire. You’ve probably seen satirical news on your Facebook timeline, posted by The Onion or The Superficial Gazette. If you haven’t heard of them, you can also check out our lampoon issue called UPLB Defective. Arao says that satire professionally-done can help shape public opinion by making audiences think through an exaggerated depiction of reality. Unfortunately, satire done badly exists, and they are often misinterpreted by readers. If you look back at history, satire was used in times of crisis, particularly during the Martial Law Period where the Marcos regime closed down several broadsheets and radio stations. Campus publications like The Philippine Collegian and Ang Malaya as well as underground publications Pahayagang Malaya and Veritas were among those used satire to voice out against the authoritarian government. Even in the American Colonial Period, satire existed in the forms of prose and editorial cartoons when writers did not have press freedom. Perhaps the most historical and well-known satire is Jose Rizal’s El Filibusterismo and Noli Me Tangere, which were crucial in winning our independence. All of those mentioned could be easily tagged as “fake news” under the law and the proposed Anti-Fake News Act. But what makes them different is that satire essentially performs the function of journalism by educating its readers and showing what is true and just. It is still unclear whether coming up with a clear definition of “fake news” is possible without trampling on our right to exercise press freedom, or if a definition is something that we even need, but for now it is important that we promote free, accessible education for all and critical media literacy so that we can distinguish fact from fiction. [P]
10
OPINYON
UPLB PERSPECTIVE
OKTUBRE 2017
KWENTONG FRESHIE
that rallies disrupt order, disrupt economic production, and disturb the consciousness of the people and these are bad things, so why do people do it? I was blinded by the fact that these are the very reasons that people do it and it’s not necessarily bad. You shake people from the safe confines of their homes, from their daily routine of commute that their countrymen are suffering and people aren’t talking about it enough. It’s easy to ignore these sufferings when they aren’t happening to your friends or family , and at the same time, I can imagine it’s also difficult to always care and to carry the burdens of your countrymen. And so, people disassociate, distance themselves to the “Other” or to the people that they are not bound with blood or with friendship. I think I came a long way from that rigid mindset, thanks to the diverse people in UP and to my being a Philosophy major. I realize now that sometimes the binary opposition doesn’t hold. You can’t always cleanly delineate the one from the other. The
SKETCHPAD
WORDS l VICENTE MORANO III
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I would admit at least one similarity: We live in an unavioidable realm of politics and we have to be careful of the trap of dogmatic binaries and what these legitimize and perpetuate.
thin line between the two dichotomies might not even exist. I used to think that you can choose to just either be ‘political’ or ‘apolitical’ but I realized that one’s mere assertion that they don’t like politics or that they try not to involve themselves on political affairs is a political act in itself. It could be one of the two things: you’re either in a position of the privileged that you could conveniently forget that we exist in a political plane motivated by dynamic relations of power or you’re
in a marginalized position wherein you cannot afford to even think of the political because you are so busy trying to survive. But whether you are aware of it or not, no matter your position, you are within the system of powers and that makes the divide between the political and the apolitical useless. They say UP is a microcosm of the Philippines. I don’t exactly agree. Before the free tuition policy was enacted, students had to pay 1,500 pesos per unit unless they prove that they deserve to pay less. So it’s not surprising that a significant portion of the student population is from middle class families. We are more intellectually and economically privileged compared to the majority of people we’re saying we are a miniature of. But despite this misrepresentation, I would admit at least one similarity: We live in an unavioidable realm of politics and we have to be careful of the trap of dogmatic binaries and what these legitimize and perpetuate. [P]
All hope is gone for this administration’s cabinet. August 16 and September 06 – days ringing with both rage and rejoice. Rage from how the Commission on Appointments (CA) rejected Judy Taguiwalo and Rafael Mariano. How can Judy Taguiwalo, with her excellent background and aptitude in social welfare and development, be rejected? It was clear that Manay Judy performed her duties and responsibility as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) secretary. She was the DSWD Secretary that acted like how one should really act. There were no errors that can be pointed toward her. The President, government officials, and government workers all proved her principled leadership in the department. Even the members of the CA cannot put into words the reason why they rejected Manay Judy—worse was how they invoked their right to having secret ballots. The only reason the committee can give was how Manay Judy was connected to the New People’s Army (NPA) and how she was handing the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) funds to the NPA. It was the only ‘loophole’ raised when asked for a
reason for rejection. The same fate happened to Rafael Mariano. Ka Paeng was relentlessly questioned over his ties with farmers and groups who staged movements aiming to take over lands. In the deliberation of his appointment, Sen. Vicente Sotto III expressed his concern over their land properties which are put to danger because of farmers pushing for their agrarian rights. True to the Department of Agrarian Reform’s (DAR) mission, Ka Paeng was delivering agrarian justice to the landless farmers who continuously toil the land they do not own. It was this mission which was being questioned by the senators and solons. It was this mission that will cause the land-owning officials of their large land. Contrary to the people’s remorse, solons and senators rejoice over Manay Judy and Ka Paeng’s rejection. These officials can continue their corrupt practice without the two getting in their way. It can be noted that congresspersons can continue the practice of disbursing DSWD’s funds for CCT. Land-owning senators and solons can breathe now
KWADRADO
that there is no threat against their massive lands. Manay Judy and Ka Paeng did what they can to bring hope to the department they handled. They have shown the nature of an incorruptible public servant—geared towards serving the masses alone, and not for self-interests. However, they can only do so much for this corrupt and system-driven administration. There has been no significant change with how the bureaucrats control the government. To quote UPLB Perspective’s former Editor-in-Chief Teddy Casino “[T]his government does not deserve Judy Taguiwalo.” He articulated how this administration is unworthy of the two progressives. Truly, this administration would not be able to keep up with the unparalleled performance of Manay Judy and Ka Paeng. This attests how the administration is not the only avenue for them perform. It is with the ranks of the masses where they can genuinely serve.[P]
LARAWAN l KRISTINE PAULA BAUTISTA
WORDSl CAREN JOY MALAUAN
“A n g H u l i n g D a s a l ” bulong na nagpasalin-salin sa iba’t ibang mga bibig ay sumakabilang-bahay daw si Ador at iniwan ang asawa’t tatlong mga anak. Pero nag-iba na ang himig ng mga kwento ngayong araw. Noong mga nakaraang araw ay puro mga malilisosyong kuwento ang kadugtong ng pangalan ni Ador. Ngayon, malungkot ang mga tinig at titig kapag
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Hindi man lang ako makatingin nang diretso sa mga mata ni Meling kanina dahil sa mga sikretong itinatago ko tungkol sa pagkawala ni Ador. Hanggang kailaan ko kayang manahimik?
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Nakalapat ang aking likod sa madamong lupa sa ilalim ng puno. Malamig ang lupa sa pakiramdam at malamig din ang ihip ng hangin sa aking balat. Tahimik ang gabi maliban sa paminsan-minsan na ingay ng mga dumadaan na sasakyan. Sa huling pagkakataon sinubukan kong muling imulat ang aking mabibigat na talukap para sa huling sulyap sa aking paligid. Madilim ang kalyeng aking kinalalagyan. Madalas daanan ng saksakyan ngunit masukal ang kapaligiran. Sa ilalim ng punong malapit sa posteng nagbibigay ng kakaunting ilaw sa daan, doon ako bubulong ng aking huling dasal. Pinikit ko muli ang mga mata. Binulong sa hangin ang mga huling salita na sasambitin bago tuluyang mawalan ng ulirat. Marahan at tatlong beses kong pinaulit-ulit baka sakaling mas mabilis makarating. Sa kaunting minutong natitira ay kadiliman ang aking kapiling. Marahan kong pinakinggan ang garalgal kong paghinga habang tinatanggap ang mapait na katotohanan na ito na maaari ang huli kong sandali. Kaninang umaga… Nasa tapat ako ng tindahan sa may kanto nang marinig ko ang balita mula kay Aling Gina, ang tsismosang may-ari ng tindahan. Papalubog na ang araw ngunit ang karaniwang matao at masikip na eskinitang kinatatayuan ng tindahan ay walang bakas ng mga batang naglalaro, mga tsismosa’t tsimosong nakatambay sa daan, o ang mga kabataan na naglalakad papuntang basketball court. Tahimik ang paligid at bakante ang eskinita; kahit pa asong gala ay hindi mo makikita na nagpapakalat-kalat sa daan. Dalawang linggo na ang nakakalipas nang unang maging laman ng mga bulong-bulungan sa kanto si Mang Ador. Naging usapusapan noong nakaraang linggo ang hindi pag-uwi ni Mang Ador sa kanilang tahanan. Maraming nagtaas ng kilay at nag-iling ng ulo. Ang
11
Commission of [Dis]Appointment
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and those who believe that students should walk out from their classes to protest against the repressive policies of the administration, and there are so much more. Even before I entered college, my high school English teacher, knowing that I would enroll in UP, advised me not to join a sorority. I unwittingly acquiesced because she was a figure I looked up to, and I still do. And even before that, I attended this conference in Camp Crame and the keynote speaker talked about the subject of rallying and how she’d rather stick to more peaceful means like writing about what ails our country. She had a way with words and my mind was captivated. Never mind the fact that of course she would say that, she’s the daughter of a police officer. These were things I didn’t bother question only until later. So I came into UP with that mindset, that there are better ways to help the country than by marching on the streets and making your voice hoarse from chanting. My freshman self was thinking
OPINYON
UNDERSCRUTINY
WORDS l EUNICE ALEXCY SENADOZA
“The ubiquity of politics” They say there are two kinds of people in this world: *insert one trait here*and*insert another trait here*. They say there are two kinds of lovers in this world: *insert one trait here* and *insert another trait here*. And so on. For so long a time, we have been accustomed to a world of dichotomies. The traditional structuralist thought would argue that everything in the world can be reduced into binaries. They believe it is through binary systems or dichotomies that we can make sense of an otherwise chaotic universe. Our notions of good is tied to our understanding of evil; our conception of the self or of the “I” is in close relation to our notion of the “Other.” Though this is a rudimentary and reductive organization of one’s complex experience, such was my punto de vista when I was new freshman in UPLB: I saw the divide between the ‘barbarians’ and the students with organizations; there were partisan and non-partisan orgs; there were those who believed that it is uncalled-for to disrupt classes
UPLB PERSPECTIVE
OKTUBRE 2017
nababanggit na ang pangalan niya. Ayon sa kuwento ni Aling Gina ay kanina lang ng tanghali nang natagpuan na si Mang Ador. Nakahandusay sa isang bakanteng lote na nasa kabilang barangay. May limang tama ng baril: tatlo sa dibdib at tig-isa sa braso at baikat. Sa ibabaw ng kanyang malamig na bangkay ay ang isang paratang na wala sinuman sa aming barangay ang gustong maniwala. “Kiko, o heto na yung bigas mo. Sigraduhin mo sa
nanay mo na makakabayad na kayo sa susunod na linggo ah, kung hindi ito na ang huling ipapautang ko sa inyo.” Napabalik ako sa kasalukuyan sa sinabi ni Aling Gina. Inabot ko ang bigas at nagpasalamat. Umalis na ako sa tapat ng tindahan at binaybay ang masikip na eskinitang papunta sa aming bahay. Habang tahimik na naglalakad ay may narinig akong mga kaluskos sa ‘di kalayuan. Nilingon ko ang direksyon ng ingay at natanaw ang anino na mabilis din nawala. Pinagsawalang bahala ko muna ang akin nakita at mabiis na muling naglakad pauwi dahil kailangan ko pang magsaing dahil pauwi na rin si Itay mula sa trabaho at natitiyak ko na pagod at gutom na rin siya. Malapit na ako sa aming bahay nang bigla akong natigilan sa paglalakad dahil sa natatanaw ko sa ‘di kalayuan. Papalabas ng kanilang bahay si Aling Meling, ang asawa ni Ador. Pinagpatuloy ko ang aking paglalakad dahil ayaw kong maabutan ni Aling Melling nang nakatigil sa gitna ng daan. Habang papalapit nang papalapit ang aming distansya sa isa’t isa ay napansin kong nakagayak siya nang mas pormal kaysa sa nakasanayan. Naglapat ang mga mata naming ni Aling Meling at pilit niya akong nginitian kahit na bakas sa mga mata niya ang lungkot at pagkabalisa. Si Ador ang tanging naghahanap buhay sa kanilang pamilya habang si Meling ay isang simpleng maybahay. Sa pagkawala ni Ador, tanging si Meling na lang ang siyang magaaruga at magtratrabaho para sa mga anak nila. Paglapas naming sa isa’t isa ay nakahinga na ako nang maluwag. Pinunasan ko ang butil ng mga pawis na namuo sa aking noo. Hindi man lang ako makatingin nang diretso sa mga mata ni Meling kanina dahil sa mga sikretong itinatago ko tungkol sa pagkawala ni Ador. Hanggang kailaan ko kayang manahimik? [P]
SITIO SANDUGO
Indigineous child playing with drums during the Bangkakawan: Hip Hop Unity Jam held late afternoon of September 17. The event was held to unite the culture—particularly the music and dancing—of the Lakbayani’s with the people in the urban areas. People and students from all walks came to share their talents and enthusiasm in solidarity with the the Lakbayan ng mga Pambansang Minorya.