OPINION
UPLB PERSPECTIVE | JULY-OCTOBER 2020
11
When the going gets rough UNDER SCRUTINY I A N RA P H A E L LO P E Z
W
hile our society is plunged in intertwined crises of a pandemic and bad governance, the role of student leaders is indispensable. They have to ensure that the students’ concerns are heard and their rights are heeded, especially in a time where many are on the verge of being left behind. Student leaders, like in UPLB, are one of the driving forces behind relief efforts during times of disaster. They were able to mobilize volunteers to dispense relief for those affected by Southern Tagalog’s 2020 headaches: the Taal eruption and the Covid-19 pandemic. These people are also at the forefront of pushing for student welfare, which is being disregarded by those in power in a frenzy to contain the pandemic. Until now, the fight for an safe way to open classes in September is being led by student leaders. They are calling for a better and health-led response to the Covid-19 crisis, the only way we can facilitate a semester without anybody being left behind. This feat is much more welcomed under the time of Duterte, where being an activist can literally be a death sentence. The passage of the Anti-Terror Law and the continuous threats of violence the student leaders face are alarming reminders of the dangerous road ahead. But student leaders have a unique contribution to the studentry, due to the fact that they are much more aware of our plight. It’s important to bear in mind that these actions and mobilizations are all part of our student leaders’ oath when they took office. We might be thankful for it, but they will be the first one to say that all of those efforts are
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only part of their job. After all, the relationship of student leaders to their constituents is somewhat of a microcosm of the bigger dynamics between the government and the Filipino people. We can only hope that our national government takes a cue from their noble juniors, toiling away in universities and colleges. Especially in Duterte’s bungled response to the pandemic, all we have seen from the national government is a non-stop passing of
the buck and no one taking accountability for their faults. And being the microcosm that it is, some of our student leaders have the unfortunate distinction of jumping off the ship when the going gets rough. The recent issue with Defend UPLB comes into mind. When allegations of fabricated death threats surfaced against the alliance, every UPLB student hoped for an investigation to conclude the matter. This is understandable,
considering how it had many adverse effects. Personally, I felt it blurred the fact that many student leaders have been a victim of creepy, threatening messages for a long time. Before Covid, it has been an unfortunate fact of life for many of UPLB’s student leaders (and by the way, even [P] staffers like this writer) to see “intelligence agents” discreetly taking photos of them in mass gatherings, or following them on their way home. But the hopes of any conclusive investigation are dashed, up until now. A person involved with the fiasco—the volunteer who allegedly received the death threat in question—has been unresponsive to investigations from outside the alliance. Requests for an interview by this newspaper, where many rely on until now for an in-depth report, hasn’t even been attended to. Part of the unique role of student leaders in society is taking those in power into account. Sideby-side with that, however, is to take themselves into check as well. To leave a grave issue, such as this one, without any conclusion isn’t something we shouldn’t do. The student leaders’ pact with the studentry is founded on trust. One way to fortify such trust is to become transparent with students. Many—especially in this pandemic—rely on our student leaders for guidance on what steps to take next. Showing transparency, utmost participation and responsiveness may seem cliché, but these are important steps to make. And student leaders implicated in grave issues need to own up to their mistakes with transparency and diligence. Maybe they can cooperate with investigations, for a start. They are not infallible, that’s for sure, because to err is human. But running away from mistakes isn’t human at all, but a monstrous mistake.
Para po! SKETCHPAD SONYA CASTILLO
A
ng bigat ng mata ko, at hindi ko napigilan humilik. Magaling naman talaga si Ma’am Kristy magturo, pero wala na sa klasrum yung isip ko, kundi sa trabaho. Nararamdaman ko pa rin yung pagod ng all-nighter ko kagabi para lang tapusin ang slides ng group presentation namin. At ngayon na tapos na kami mag-present, hinihintay ko na lang maubos ang oras. Oo, kinokonsensya ako, pero yung hiya ay isa lamang sa maraming bagay na iniisip ko ngayon. Sa shift ko mamaya ay matatanggap ko na rin ang buwanang sahod ko. Habang pinoproblema ko ang aking mga deadline sa pamantasan, sinasaisip ko na rin ang pagkaltas ng badyet ko sa dami ng kailangang bayaran – ang hati ko sa renta, kuryente, tubig, at maliban pa dito, kailangan ko rin magtabi para sa sarili kong gastusin araw-araw. Halos ‘di ko na napansin na nagpaalam na si Ma’am, at bigla na lang nagsitayo ang aking mga kaklase at lumabas ng silid. Agad akong umalis ng gusali, nagmamadali dahil punuan ang mga jeep sa ganitong oras. Kahit matao na, pinilit ko ang sarili ko na umupo. Sa aking pagsiksik ko napansin na katabi ko na pala si Mira, ang isa kong kaibigan sa org. Halata
sa mukha ang kanyang pagod, hindi pa siya siguro kumakain. “Mira, kumusta ka na!?” ani ko. Bigla siyang sumigla at tuluyang napangiti. “Rena? Grabe, ‘di kita nakilala! Okay naman ako, may hinahabol lang na oras para sa group work. Ikaw, kumusta ka na?” tanong niya sa’kin. “Okay lang din ako…” Nag-inactive muna ako sa org dahil nakahanap ako ng trabaho na malapit. Part-time lang naman, para hindi na maging pabigat sa pamilya. Maayos naman ang sweldo, ‘di na ako kailangang padalhan ng pera nina ate. Kaya ko nang sustentuhan sarili ko dito sa LB. Ilang buwan na kasing nakalipas, hindi pa rin nakakahanap ng trabaho si Papa matapos mag-expire yung kontrata niya sa pagawaan. “…’di ako sanay na puno yung schedule araw-araw, pero kinakaya ko.” “Mabuti naman. Di ka na namin nakikita masyado sa kampus eh. Alam mo ba yung nangyari sa mob kahapon?” At doon nagsimula ang matagal naming kwentuhan. Bukod sa orgmates ko, na-miss ko yung ibang paraan ng pag-aaral tulad ng pagkaranas sa mga Basic Masses Integration kasama ang iba’t ibang sektor, mga educational discussion hinggil sa mga importanteng isyu sa bayan, at mga sinamahan kong mobilisasyon sa loob at labas ng kampus kasama
Sa totoo lang, mas marami pa akong natutunan sa labas ng klasrum kaysa sa loob nito. Walang mas magandang pagkakataon upang pagaralan ang lipunan kaysa kasama ang masang api.
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mga kaibigan ko. Bukod sa mga masasayang mga alaala na nadudulot ko sa mga ganap ng org, marami rin akong mga aral na naidulot sa paglubog sa masa. Sa totoo lang, mas marami pa akong natutunan sa labas ng klasrum kaysa sa loob nito. Walang mas magandang pagkakataon upang pag-aralan ang lipunan kaysa kasama ang masang api. Siyempre hindi sinasarili yung mga aral na nadulot. Kasama sa pakikilahok sa mga BMI at educational discussions ang pagpapahayag ng mga natutunan ko at pag-imbita sa mga tulad ni Karl para makiisa sa pinaglalaban ng iba’t ibang sektor. Naintindihan din naman ng orgmates ko; mas makakatulong siguro ako sa sambayanan ‘pag naasikaso ko na ang mga problemang pinakamalapit sa ‘kin. “Kaka-GA lang namin kanina, balak naming mag BMI para sa mga bago; Lupang Ramos yung isa sa mga pupuntahan namin. Makakasama ka ba?” biglang sinabi ni Mira. Lupang Ramos? Bigla kong naalala si Karl nung pinakilala ko siya sa mga magsasaka mula doon. Kumusta na kaya siya? Simula nung pasukan, ‘di ko na siya nakikita. Bago ko pa man matanong si Mira tungkol kay Karl... “Ay! Pasensya na Rena, dito na ako bababa. Sabihin mo lang kung gusto mong sumama, ha?” Nakarating na kami sa babaan niya at madaliin niyang inayos ang gamit niya. “Para po!”
