UPLB Perspective Volume 42 Issue 1 by UPLB Perspective

UPLB PERSPECTIVE | Volume 42 Issue 1 | June - August 2015

VOLUME 42 ISSUE 1

JUNE - AUGUST 2015

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ANG PAGSALUNGAT SA Nakapatong ang kaliwang kamay ni U.S. President Barack Obama sa kanang braso ni Chinese President Xi Jinping. Nagkakamay ang dalawa gamit ang kanilang kanan. Ang kanilang mga mata ay nakapako sa isa't isa, at sa kanilang mga labi ay nakaguhit ang mga ngiti. Bakas ang pormalidad at kasiyahan sa dalawa, parehong presidente ng dalawa sa pinakamalalakas na bansa sa mundo. Ngunit hindi ito imahe ng kapayapaan. Imahe ito ng pananamantala.

Ang agresyong Estados Unidos

Kuha ang larawan matapos magkaroon ng kasunduan ang U.S. at ChiTulad ng mga bansang nabanggit, pansariling interes rin ang dahilan na ukol sa klima at pagpapalakas ng hukbong sandatahan. Ang kasunduang ito ng U.S. sa pakikisawsaw sa usaping ito. Ang pagkakaroon ng U.S. ng mga ay hudyat ng pansamantalang kapayapaan sa pagitan ng dalawang panig - base militar sa mga bansang malapit sa Tsina tulad ng sa Taiwan at Pilipinas pahinga sa matagal na nilang alitan na nagiging sanhi ng giyera sa teritoryo at ay silang naglilimita sa galaw ng Tsina. Subalit ang mga pwersang militar na ito higit sa lahat, kapangyarihan. ng U.S. ay naroroon hindi upang ipagtanggol ang mga nabanggit na bansa sa panahon ng sigalot kundi upang masigurong mabilis na masusupil ang anuMatagal nang may namumuong tensyon sa pagitan ng U.S. at China, mang balakid sa pagkamit ng pansariling interes nito. mga bansa mula sa magkaibang parte ng mundo pero pareho sa isang aspetoparehong nagnanais maging pinakamakapangyarihan sa lahat . Sa nakalipas Matatandaan na isa sa mga dahilan ni Presidente Aquino upang igiit na mga dekada, ang U.S. ang naging sentro ng daigdig dahil kontrolado nila ang Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) ay makakatulong ‘di ang ekonomiya ng mundo at sila ang may hawak ng malaking bilang ng mala- umano ang U.S. kung sakaling magtakda ng giyera ang China. lakas na armas pang-giyera. Ngunit kasabay ng pagbabago ng panahon ang nakaambang pag-iiba ng ihip ng hangin. Kasabay ng paglaganap ng globalisasyon ang pag-angat ng mga bansa sa silangan- ang pagkakaroon nila ng kapangyarihan na hindi malayong maging kapantay na ng Amerika at mga bansa sa Europa. Ang isyu sa West Philippine Sea, na tinatawag rin na South China Sea, ay ang nagsisilbing entablado ng dalawang nag-uumpukang pwersa. Kaakibat ng mga pwersang ito ang pansariling interes na isinusulong ng dalawang bansa.

2,124 GRADUATES MARCH IN 43RD COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES

Ginagamit ng China ang konsepto ng “nine-dash line” upang maipakita ang kanilang pagmamay-ari sa tinatawag nilang South China Sea. Umani naman ng parehong pagsang-ayon at kritisismo ang konseptong ito. Mula sa panig mismo ng ilang mga Tsino, may ilang hin-di naniniwala sa pagiging lehitimo ng argumentong ito. Dahilan rito ay ang kakulangan ng mga ebidensya na nagpapatotoo sa “nine-dash line”.

Ang tensyon sa West Philippine Sea dulot ng dalawang bansang nag-aagawan ng teritoryo ang siyang nagpapahirap sa mga mangingisda ng Zambales, Palawan at iba pang karatig-bayan. Ngayon ay kakarampot na lamang ang kanilang kinikita mula sa pangingisda kumpara sa dati. Ang dahilan nito ay ang patuloy na pagkamal at panghaharas ng Tsina sa mga lugar na kanilang pinangingisdaan. Kung inaangkin ng China ang West Philippine Sea dahil dito kumukuha ng ikinabubuhay ang mga mangingisdang Tsino, hindi ba't tama lamang na humingi ng kaparehong pribilehiyo? Igiit ang batayang karapatan sa karagatan na hindi maipagkakailang bahagi ng teritoryo ng Pilipinas. Ang panggi-

ANG PAGSALUNGAT SA AGOS

12 DIGRESSING AQUINO’S LABOR POLICY

15 ANG BAGONG MESSIAH

UPLB PERSPECTIVE | Volume 42 Issue 1 | June - August 2015

Pangalangan elected as 33rd Student Regent Miguel Enrico A. Pangalangan of University of the Philippines Diliman was chosen as the 33rd Student Regent (SR) of the University of the Philippines (UP) System by the recently concluded 40th General Assembly of Student Councils (GASC), which was held last June 20 to 21 at the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences in the UP Visayas Miag-ao campus, Iloilo, where 46 student councils have attended. Pangalangan is a 5th year student of Bachelor of Science in Community Development in UP Diliman. He is a current member of UP Children Rights and Advocacy League (UP CRAdLe) and UP Mixed Martial Arts (UP MMA). In a Facebook interview, Pangalangan said that he would focus his initiatives on heightened student representation. “ [I would] empower every student and council by providing student representation inside the executive committees ( advisory committee to the chancellor) and other committees that are concerned with student housing, scholarships, security, food services, and the like.” “Through this, our student councils are empowered and can provide immediate change within the decision making groups of the university,” he added.

WORDS | ALBERT JOHN ENRICO DOMINGUEZ

Highlights of the 40th GASC During the first day of GASC, former student regent, Neill John G. Macuha, discussed his end-of-term report. He pointed out how the Socialized Tuition System (STS) takes away a student’s right for education. “Diba nga, kinastigo natin si President Pascual dahil sa kanyang pananaw na hindi isang karapatan ang edukasyon.” he said. Macuha also made remarks about the Code of Student Conduct (CSC). “Ginagamit lang siya [CSC] upang sikilin ang batayang karapatan ng mga estudyante lalong-lalo na sa organisasyon.” he mentioned. Another highlight is the discussion of the UP Student Agenda and the List of General Demands (SAGD). The council was able to amend and discuss certain provisions in the UP SAGD such as facilities for student organizations, internet accessibility in UP campuses for academic purposes, and student publication provisions.

and Miguel Enrico Pangalangan (UPV Tacloban nominee).

term as a student regent was very challenging, but he is grateful for the experience.

On day two, the primary agenda was to select the 33rd Student Regent. The nominees were Ronn Joshua Bautista (UP Diliman nominee),Khurshid Kalabud Jr. (UP Mindanao nominee), John Carlo Lorenzo (UP Manila nominee), Raoul Daniel Manuel (UP Visayas nominee),

After presenting each nominee’s plan of action, Pangalangan was selected as the 33rd Student Regent through consensus of the 40th GASC. Manuel was the 2nd SR select while Lorenzo ranked 3rd.

“Until the end, we stood by the fighting for the welfare of the students and the people. I am very grateful for the chance given to me. to serve the sector and the university.”

Macuha proud of achievements as SR, assesses Pangalangan

PHOTO | OFFICE OF THE STUDENT REGENT

In an interview with the Perspective, Macuha said that his term as a

Macuha is also proud of the achievements he made. “It is also an honor that the UP Student Agenda and List of General Demands were passed during our tenure as the SR.” Macuha said. To be continued on... page 5...4 Pangalanan Elected as Page

2,124 graduates march in 43rd commencement exercises WORDS | CZARINA JOY AREVALO

Two thousand one hundred twentyfour graduates (2124) marched in the 2015 UPLB 43rd Commencement Exercises last July 4, where one hundred sixty-four (164)students graduated with Latin honors, 14 magna cum laude and 150 cum laude. In terms of the number of graduates, the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) top the list with 636 graduates. Paoloregel Samonte, BS Development Communication, Magna Cum Laude, lead the Class of 2015 with his valedictory speech focusing on equality. “My UP education opened my mind to question social norms and understand that equality is not only a mathematical concept, but also a principle one must constantly apply in everyday situations,” he emphasized. In an interview with the UPLB Perspective, Samonte was asked what made him pick equality as the highlight of the speech, over other pressing issues concerning the country and the world today. “I know there are lots of sociallyrelevant topics to choose from, actually, and at first I tried to address all of them. But seeing the initial outline of my speech gave me a headache – it was quite all over the place.I don’t want to try to say a lot, and end up saying nothing at all,” he said. “Inequality in all forms exists in my hometown,” Samonte explained, “and even as a child I got to experience them without realizing I’m dealing with social injustice.So being

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PHOTO | CHACHI CANESO

by UP, I want to share my experiences and realizations in my community and the rest of the country.” “All of it suddenly fittedtogether, and I know I would regret it if I don’t proceed to talk about equality in my address,” he added. As UPLB’s class valedictorian for the academic year 2014-2015 felt surreal. Samonte told Perspective, ““Sometimes, I still think about it and say ‘how could I have ever done that’ to myself. I believe that aside from hard work, I was also just very lucky I got to do what I loved doing.” In the end of the interview, Samonte said that if he is to choose between honor and excellence, he would choose honor. “I believe that’s the idea of placing it [honor] ahead of excellence, right?” “For what good is excellence if people don’t practice values of honesty, humility, and kindness; if people were not honorable?” he concluded.

“Serve the people” Afterwards the commencement exercises, graduate protesters stretched the “Serve the People” banner and rallied in front of thousands of UPLB graduates and other participants to conclude the event. “Isang tagumpay sa bawat Iskolar ng Bayan ang araw na ito, gayon din sa bawat pamilya’t edukador na naniniwalang tayo’y maghahatid ng dangal at galing sa kapwa nating mamamayang Pilipino,” Ronalyn Franca, BS Development Communication graduate and former University Student Council (USC) councilor, remarked in her speech during the rally. Franca highlighted that UP has a significant role in enlightening students on the real national situations—injustices on Yolanda, land reform, education, demolitions, indigenous people, and human rights.

She added, “walang kabuluhan ang motto ng UP na Karangalan at Kahusayan o Honor and Excellence kung hindi natin ito gagamitin para sa ikabubuti ng iba, para sa ikauunlad ng ating bansa… Kailangan nating magsilbi sa ating bayan at isanib sa sambayanang inaapi’t pinagsasamantalahan ang ating lakas, talino, galing, at karangalan.” [P]

Number of Graduates for A.Y. 2014-2015 College of Arts and Sciences: 636 College of Engineering and AgroIndustrial Technology: 293 Graduate School: 260 College of Agriculture: 232 College of Economics and Management: 204 College of Human Ecology: 180 College of Development Communication: 142 College of Forestry and Natural Resources: 130 College of Veterinary Medicine: 44 CA-CAS Joint Program: 3

UPLB PERSPECTIVE | Volume 42 Issue 1 | June - August 2015

Economic Charter Change junked Belmonte, who is also the principal author of Resolution of Both Houses No. 1 (RBH1), said that RBH1 is “the best strategy that will ensure no Filipino will be left behind,” adding that it would promote the country’s inclusive growth. The House aborted last June 10 the passage of RBH 1 through its third and final reading after lacking the numbers in favor for the said bill. RBH 1 was proposed to amend certain economic provisions in the Constitution, particularly in Articles XII, XIV, and XVI –that limit foreign control and ownership of land and businesses in the country. Belmonte said the current provisions are too restrictive and thus discourage foreign investments. The resolution was also supported by a number of solons in the upper chamber of Congress, including Senators Juan Edgardo Angara, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Grace Poe, Cynthia Villar, Sergio Osmena III, and JV Ejercito, in addition to Senate President Franklin Drilon, and Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, provided that the amendments to the Constitution would be purely limited to economic provisions.

“Unless otherwise provided by law” In the first reading of RBH 1, the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” was mostly added in Article XII (National Economy and Patrimony), which gives priority to Filipino enterprises, and protects them “against unfair foreign competition and trade practices” (Sec. 1).

or National Economy and Patrimony, which gives priority to Filipino enterprises, and protects them “against unfair foreign competition and trade practices (Sec. 1).” With the addition of the aforementioned phrase in Sections 2, 3, 7, 10, and 11, foreign investors may be allowed to: own more than 40 percent of a corporation or association; hold alienable lands exceeding 1000 hectares; and operate public utilities.

Lastly, in Section 11 of Article XVI (General Provisions), mass media ownership is wholly limited to the citizens of the Philippines. The amendment of the Constitution may allow foreign entities to own mass media, including newspapers and broadcast networks. Corporations and associations with more than 30 percent of shares held by nonFilipinos may also engage in the advertising industry. On the other hand, omissions and addition of certain words, phrases, and punctuations where approved upon the passage of the second reading. One such example is a phrase deleted In Article XII Section 10, effectively removing the power of the Congress to prescribe a higher

WORDS | CLARIZA CASSANDRA CONCORDIA

Hatinggabi nang pagbabarilin ng mga miyembro ng 69th Infantry Batallion ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ang bahay ni Aida Seisa, Punong Kalihim ng Paquibato District Peasant Association (PADIPA) at Pangkalahatang Kalihim ng Kilusang Magbubukid ng PilipinasSouthern Mindanao Region (KMPSMR). Tatlo ang napaslang sa pananambang ng mga militar: sina Datu Ruben Enlog, lider ng tribong Ata Manobo, at tagapangulo ng Nagkahiusang Lumad na Mag-uuma sa Paquibato (NAGKALUPA); si Randy Carnasa, dating lider ng purok 7; at si Oligario Quimbo, isang magsasaka. Ang tatlong biktima ay mga aktibong kasapi ng PADIPA, at mariing tinututulan ang lumalalang militarisasyon sa kanilang lugar. Matapos paslangin, dinala ng mga militar ang kanilang mga labi sa sentro ng komunidad, at kapagdaka’y kinunan ng litrato nang may katabing mga armas at pampasabog. Giit ng

The last sentence in the first paragraph of Article XIV Section 4 (2) was also removed, taking the power of the Congress to “require increased Filipino equity participation in all educational institutions.”

WORDS | ELISHA PADILLA

KMP national spokesperson Rafael Mariano said that “the socalled foreign investments to be brought by economic Cha-cha is only for the benefit of the hacienderos and big businesses and not for the Filipino people.”

The phrase was also inserted in Section 4 of Article XIV (Education, Science and Technology, Arts, Culture, and Sports), lifting the limit of 40 percent foreign ownership in educational institutions. Control and administration of educational institutions, if the bill is passed, may also be enjoyed by non-Filipinos.

Paquibato Massacre: Patuloy na Karahasan sa mga IP Isang tribal leader at dalawang magsasaka ang pinaslang ng mga elemento ng militar sa Purok 7, Brgy. Paradise Embac, distrito ng Paquibato, Davao City nitong Hunyo 14.

percentage of Filipino ownership in corporations or associations.

GRAPHICS Miguel Elvir Quitain

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. pressed fellow lawmakers last July 27 to approve the passage of the economic Charter Change during the start of the 16th Congress’ last regular session.

mga militar, mga kasapi ‘di umano ng New People’s Army (NPA) ang mga napaslang sa “engkwentro.” Pinabulaanan naman ito ng mga progresibong grupo. Anila, masaker sa mga sibilyan ang naganap. Sila ay mga kasapi ng mga organisasyong tumutuligsa sa pandarahas at harasment ng mga militar, partikular ng 69th IB, sa komunidad ng mga lumad at pesante. “This killing reflects the modus operandi of the Oplan Bayanihan: kill innocent individuals, then claim them as casualties in an encounter against the NPA,” ani Hanimay Suazo, Pangkalahatang Kalihim ng Karapatan-Southern Mindanao Region sa kanilang opisyal na pahayag. Samantala, nakaligtas mula sa pamamaril si Aida Seisa, isang lider-magsasaka. Matapos ang mahigit tatlong linggong pagtatago, lumitaw si Seisa sa isang pagdinig sa City Council at naglahad ng mga kaganapan matapos ang insidente.

Pandarahas sa mga IP

“Before this incident, Aida Seisa also asked our help as she have [sic] been receiving threats from military personnel,” pahayag ni Suazo sa Davao Today.

Progressive groups reject

The passage of the economic charter change was met by protests from progressive groups. Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), ,,League of Filipino Students (LFS), Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), and Gabriela were among those who have camped by the gates of Batasan Complex, urging lawmakers not to pass RBH 1. Sa pahayag na inilabas ng KMPSMR, dalawang araw pagkatapos nang isinagawang fact-finding mission ay nagsampa ang 69th IB ng mga kasong kriminal laban sa 12 katao, kabilang si Seisa. Giit naman ng grupong Anakpawis, gawa-gawang kaso lamang ang mga ito laban sa mga tulad ni Seisa na tinututulan ang mapanirang mga minahan sa kanilang lugar. Saad ng grupo sa kanilang opisyal na pahayag, “[T]his latest assault on Lumad leaders blatant proof of the mercenary tradition of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), who instead of protecting the Filipino people, are perpetrating these brutal acts to give way to the entry of foreign mining firms.” Pinagtibay ng report mula sa isinagawang fact-finding mission na pinangunahan ng KMP-SMR noong Hunyo 19 at 20 na ang pag-atake ng militar kina Seisa ay sa kadahilanang sila ay mga “aktibong miyembro ng mga people’s organization.” Lumabas sa “An Hour of Hell in Paradise,” report hinggil sa factfinding mission, na ang pamilya ni Aida Seisa at ang Paquibato 3 ay mga biktima ng “surveillance, harassments and vilification campaigns” ng AFP.

By giving foreign investors more room to own lands, KMP says this would add up to the current issues of land grabbing and lack of genuine agrarian reform for farmers. Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr., on the other hand said that the rush of passinworst form of betrayal.”a threat to the country’s sovereignty.

Economic Charter Change.. Page 5 “This is due to their opposition to rampant militarization of civilian communities, along with the planned entr y of foreign corporations interested in the plunder of national resources, resulting to the displacement of peasants and indigenous peoples from their lands,” ayon sa report.

Panawagan para sa hustisya Sa pag-usad ng pagdinig hinggil sa masaker sa Paquibato, lumalakas ang mga ebidensyang sibilyan ang mga biktima, at may kinalaman sa kanilang pagtaguyod sa karapatan ng mga pesante at IP, at kanilang oposisyon sa militarisasyon ang naganap na pagpaslang “My daughter’s work is to voice out the complaints of Paquibato farmers,” pahayag ni Rosita Sandolan sa isang pagdinig sa kaso. Si Sandolan ay ina ni Aida Seisa na nakaligtas mula sa pamamaril ng mga militar. Ayon sa kanya, natutulog siya nang gabing iyon nang siya’y naalimpungatan mula sa putok ng mga baril. [P]

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UPLB PERSPECTIVE | Volume 42 Issue 1 | June - August 2015

On PNoy’s last SONA:“Blood trail,not legacy, will mark the Aquino administration” WORDS | JOHN PAUL OMAC

evacuation. “And all the while the administration has been peddling this as the military’s involvement to community development,” Gabriela Representative Luzviminda Ilagan added.

Amidst an overcast sky and rain, thousands of protesters from all over the country stormed the Commonwealth Avenue where they staged an all-out protest for President Benigno Aquino III’s sixth and last State of the Nation Address (SONA).

‘Warzone’

The final SONA of Aquino marked the start of his last year in the presidential post. Aquino’s five-year term has been mired with numerous controversies, from the hostage crisis fiasco, deteriorating mass transportation system, unfulfilled land reforms, countless human rights violations, failed Yolanda response, and the corruption scandals involving the Public Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) and the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

Throughout his term, Aquino has been emphasizing that his “bosses” are the Filipino people. Yet, as he readies his last SONA, the Commonwealth Avenue leading to the Batasang Pambansa resembled a war zone fortified with concrete barriers, concertina wire, and container vans, to be secured by a 6,000-strong police force and standby military contingent.

“No legacy to be proud of” Aquino’s legacy of “Tuwid na daan”, which he bequeaths to the members of the Liberal Party, has turned out to be “flooded potholed-filled path to nowhere,” according Carol Araullo, BAYAN Chairperson. She emphasized that “Aquino has no legacy to be proud of” citing his sham inclusive economic growth which in reality has favoured an exclusive set of oligarchs, as well as foreign monopoly capitalists. Through the Public-Private Partnership, an estimate of P364B worth of government contracts have been awarded to the Ayala, Pangilinan, Cojuangco-Ang, Sy, Consunji, Aboitiz, and Tan groups of companies. This, according to Araullo, gives the business tycoons the opportunity to rake in billions more in user fees, toll fees and rentals at the expense of the public for the next 25-30 years.

PHOTO | SOUTHERN TAGALOG EXPOSURE

Meanwhile, poverty rate swelled from 25.8 million Filipinos in 2014 to 28 million in 2015. This is despite the P 178 billion poured by the administration to the conditional cash transfer program. Moreover, Aquino’s defense and continued use of the pork barrel system even after it was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court is a testament to the largescale, systemic corruption. Despite strong opposition, P27.39B worth of congressional pork tucked in the budgets of various departments in the 2015 national budget. These funds remain subject to the lawmakers’ referrals and recommendations.

Paquibato Massacre...

Furthermore, lump-sum funds under the President’s discretion, known as the “Presidential Pork”, still amounts to a staggering P958 billion. Aquino had also flunked in terms of human rights violations. The persistence of his Counter-insurgency program, Oplan Bayanihan, has taken the toll on countless civilians in the countryside as well in the cities. Under the Aquino Administration, Human rights group Karapatan has documented 411 cases of extrajudicial killings and frustrated killings of activists and members of progressive organizations and 60,155 victims of forced sa mga pesante at IP na napaslang, at papanagutin ang 69th IB na kilala bilang “notorious” sa paglabag sa mga karapatang pantao.

The barriers and wires have been lining up the center island of Commonwealth Avenue leading up to Batasan Road since a week earlier. The barriers have stretched more than a kilometer as part of an elaborate blockade put up by the Aquino government to prevent protesters from getting near Batasang Pambansa. Reyes maintained that the blockade has no legal basis and is in fact a violation of the Batas Pambansa 880 which states the right of the people to peaceably assemble. In its letter to Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, Bayan clarified its position on the yearly blockade. “We likewise express our opposition to the yearly, arbitrary denial or modification of our rally permit, committed without any due process such as the required hearings within the period that action should be taken on the application.”

To be continued On PNoy’s Last Sonaon...page Page7... 7

District and put a stop to the abuses against peasant farmers and leaders.”

Ani Antonio Flores, pangkalahatang kalihim ng KMP, “We demand the pull-out of the 69th IB in Paquibato

“The AFP and the government should be held responsible for the long list of farmers killed under the Aquino administration,” dagdag pa ni Flores. [P]

When asked on what he expects of Pangalangan as the new SR, Macuha says that he trusts him to continue to assert for the welfare of the students. “He must fight for the welfare not only of the students, but also of the society. He must be the vanguard of our struggle.”

“I expect Mico to champion the concerns of the students in the UP System. This means that he has to continue going to different student consultations in different UP Units in order to know the objective situation in different UP Units,” said Shaira Patricia Cledera, a UPLB USC Councilor.

“He must focus on how to mobilize the whole UP community to fight for state subsidy in light of the largest budget cut in UP’s history,” Macuha added.

“Basta maipaglaban niya at maihain sa BOR [Board of Representatives] yung mga pangangailangan ng mga estudyante...,” said Paulo Luis Zipagan, UPLB CDC Councilor.

Pangalanan elected...

PHOTO | INTERAKSYON.COM

Sa ikatlong pagdinig, sinabi ni Sandolan na desidido siyang ipagpatuloy ang kaso laban sa mga militar. “Musampa jud mi ug kaso Sir, kay sibilyang dako jud ning ako mga silingan. Kaning akong anak, mao ra pud ni ang mutabang sa mga gipang-

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abuso sa military, dili na siya NPA” (“We will certainly file a case (against the military), because my neighbors were really civilians. My daughter, she’s the one who helps those who have been abused by the military, she is not an NPA”), saad ni Sandolan sa pagdinig. Samantala, sa opisyal na pahayag na inilabas ng grupong KMP, ipananawagan nito ang hustisya para

Students want a “representing, defending, and upholding” SR In an interview with the Perspective, students are one in saying that they want Pangalangan to continue the commitment of the Office of the Student Regent (OSR) in representing, defending, and upholding the rights and welfare of the students.

“Gusto ko na mag-focus siya sa dorm issues at siyempre sa neverending issues sa tuition ng UP na dahilan kung bakit hindi nakakatuloy sa college ang ibang estudyante,” Zipagan added. Pangalanan officially started his term as SR last July 22, 2015. [P]

UPLB PERSPECTIVE | Volume 42 Issue 1 | June - August 2015

Economic Chacha...

“There is no truth that allowing 100% foreign ownership of land, utilities, media, and schools will lead to a more prosperous economy. On the contrary, this move removes from the Filipinos the power to chart our own economic progress. We would be forever subsumed under the interests of big foreign corporations and their profit motives,” Reyes added.

Thus, the inability of the Congress to pass RBH1 to its third and final reading was considered a victory by progressive groups.

LFS Spokesperson Charisse Banez also said that deleting phrases in Article XIV Section 4 of the Constitution would pave the way for the further privatization of education, which would lead to increasing school fees and drop-out rates.

“Cha-cha (Charter change) is dead. No chance anymore. It ta-kes two to Cha-cha,” Recto said.

“By deleting these provisions, the Aquino regime guarantees the domination of foreign corporations in our education system. This is another step of the government to slowly abandon its Constitutional mandate to provide accessible education,” Banez added.

Senator Ralph Recto, who has authored a counterpart bill of RHB 1 for the Senate, says there is now no hope in passing the resolution in the Aquino administration.

Belmonte also thinks that there is now little chance for the resolution to be passed. He was hoping that the question for the plebiscite would be included in the ballot for the May 2016 elections, though he admitted that the public may not be well-informed about RBH 1 by that time. [P]

Cadiz appointed as new OSA head Students demand for a pro-student unit

WORDS | CHARITY FAITH RULLODA

Dr. Nina M. Cadiz from the Institute of Biological Sciences (IBS), College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) was officially proclaimed as OSA’s 17th director last June 1, 2015 during the turnover ceremony at the Makiling Ballroom Hall, Student Union Building.

Priority: Staff first, then students As the new OSA director, Cadiz said that her priority was to ensure the welfare of the OSA staff. ”I have to look into the needs of the staff. I have to see to it that under my administration, I will be able to provide an enabling environment for the staff so that they can serve well yung ating clienteles, the students,” she said.

Cadiz made a clear statement that even before the dialogues took place, she was already in the process of reviewing the policies. In support, she said, “Bukod doon sa aking nababasa, pinasabi ko ang mga policies dyan, baka naman meron doong hindi naman talaga kailangan, we can go away with that kasi syempre ayaw naman natin masyado na ganoong kahigpit [sa organizations].”

The director further clarified the process of bracketing scheme for students. “So akala ko OSA ang gumagawa non, hindi pala – it’s a committee. Yung committee na nasa university ay headed ng Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (OVCAA). Tapos ang co-chair niya ay University Registrar, member lang ako. Yun [financial assistance] ay collective decisions headed by the OVCAA and then yung committee na yon ay nagrereport pa sa higher, sa [UP] System.”

Additionally, the new director mentioned about a venture that she would like to revive, the ‘one-stopshop clearance. She said that the project aims to shorten the process in filing appeals and minimize the procedures in submitting forms to lighten the load of the students.

The issue about the organization recognition policies stirred up a dispute between OSA and various organizations, fraternities and sororities. Series of dialogues between student institutions and organizations took place to voice out and settle the concerns of the organizations regarding the guidelines set by OSA. Cadiz told the Perspective her reaction to the outcome of the dialogues “Siyempre tinitingnan din naman ng mga student leaders kung ano ba yung sa side naman nila; and I was enlightened actually – na merong mga ganitong policies.”

Moreover, regarding the pressing issue of organization recognition, University Student Council (USC) Councilor Denise Doctolero said “Ramdam na ramdam yung repressive policies ng OSA eh. Kung yung mga provisions na ibinigay ng mga estudyante sa mga nagdaang dialogue ay ipinasa nila, doon natin makikita na pinagsisilbihan talaga nila ang interes ng mga estudyante.” “Mababago lang ang perception ng students sa OSA kung tunay talaga nilang sinusulong ang interes ng mga estudyante. Halimbawa, mula sa org recognition ay maging org registration. I-uphold ang academic freedom sa campus. Tanggalin ang freshmen recruitment ban dahil ang gusto natin ay holistic development ng estudyante dahil hindi nakukulong sa room ang pagkatuto, “ Doctolero ended. [P]

“[I will] look into some policies na sa tingin ko ay hindi naman talaga kailangan. You can do away with certain policies especially for the students,” Cadiz added.

Cadiz “enlightened” by organization recognition dialogues

“What I think is lacking is the knowledge of what does the students really need. Yung para bang may mga aspeto na hindi nila talaga ganoon kaalam yung sitwasyon or kailangan ng mga estudyante.” said Volunteer Corps Head of the UPLB College of Development Communication Student Council (CDC-SC) Paulo Luis Zipagan.

PHOTO | OFFICE OF STUDENT AFFAIRS

‘Misbracketed’ students in STS, not covered by OSA-SFAD The new OSA director explained that the office does not have direct power to resolve the issues about ‘misbracketed’ students. “Ito nga rin ang isa kong naging dilemma, akala ko yung mga tungkol sa mga financial assistance ay sa OSA.” “You should know na ito pala ay under ng isang committee ng buong UPLB, [University] Committee on Financial and Scholarship Assistance (UCFSA).” explained Cadiz.

“Hindi sa OSA talaga but sa committee. OSA provides information given by students online [Socialized Tuition System forms]. Kami, nakakacollect kaming data na yon, pine-present ng OSA-SFAD sa committee [and they get to decide],” she explained.

On the side of the students Students weigh in on Cadiz’ claims that OSA is a pro-student unit. Most expressed utmost disapproval.

REGISTRATION HINDI RECOgNITION NEWS

UPLB PERSPECTIVE | Volume 42 Issue 1 | June - August 2015

OSA implements new UP-wide SAGA policies Increased SA openings, decreased work hours Following the University of the Philippines (UP) President Alfredo E. Pascual’s (PAEP) proposal, the UP System implemented a centralized set of rules and regulations for student and graduate assistants (SAGAs) last August 14 which leaad to major changes in the allocation of hours, and eligibility of SAGAs in UPLB. The Administrative Order No. PAEP 15-84, containing the Consolidated Rules and Regulations for Student Assistants and Graduate Assistants (SAGA CRR), was issued subsequent to the 30-peso increase in the hourly wage of SAGAs last year, October 30. In the new policy, the constituent university or unit (CU) is given the authority to allocate specific number of hours to an office, which then has the discretion of dividing these hours according to the number of student assistants (SAs) it employs. A slot of 120 hours may now be divided up to four sub-slots of 30 hours each. In the old policy, however, each student was allocated a slot with a maximum of 120 hours per month depending on his or her academic load.

Student Financial Assistance Division (SFAD) Head Jennete Lory Tamayo and Communication and Information Technology (COMMIT) Head Miguel Abriol-Santos said during an interview there are more SA opportunities with the new guidelines.

“Dati ang estudyante – ang office, bibigyan natin kunyari ng five SAs. Ngayon, puwede na silang maghire ng more than five SAs kapag inallocate sa kanila ay five SAs. Kasi inaallocate na ngayon ay hours instead of number of SAs,” Abriol-Santos explained. Laurrence Alimon, a BS Biology student, renders 30 hours of service at the Main Library. Last midyear term, he was allowed up to 120 hours of work. He said that while he can make adjustments, he worries about other SAs. “Ang iniisip ko lang e’ yung ibang SA na kailangan ng extra na pera. Dapat siguro pag-aralan nilang mabuti ito [SAGA CRR],” Alimon said via Facebook interview. UPLB University Student Council (USC) Chairperson Ronald Gem Celestial also said that despite the P30 increase in the SA salaries, this provision does not help students earn more. While the UPLB Office of the Student Affairs (OSA) recognizes the consequence on the students’ income, Abriol-Santos reasoned that the Daily Time Records (DTR) of SAs last semester revealed that on average, most students work 40 to 60 hours only, with a few rendering a full 120 hours of service.

No more delayed salaries Both Tamayo and Abriol-Santos assure that there will be fewer delays with payments on the hourly wages of

SAs, as long as the students submit their DTRs on time. According to the CRR, wage transactions will now be made through bank accounts instead of the cashier’s office. In the old system, cash advances were made in bundles and the salaries would have to be claimed by SAs before the accounting office could procure for the next batch. Abriol-Santos added that with the automation of the DTRs, processing payroll documents now only lasts for a week, compared to the manual evaluation of DTRs that takes 2 to 3 weeks to finish before the documents could be passed on to the accounting office. “Simula doon yung offices na nila ang bahala doon. Sa office namin, within one week nilalabas na namin ‘yon.” Abriol-Santos remarked.

No more grade requirements, orientation

WORDS | ELISHA PADILLA

Moreover, OSA has now retracted attending the SA orientation as a requirement, opting instead for an online quiz that will be taken by both student and supervisor. Manahan also prefers the online quiz over the orientation. “Gusto ko yung ginawa nila na ‘yon... Tsaka mas may natandaan ako sa quiz na ‘yun kaysa sa orientation or do’n sa’terms and conditions’ nila,”he said.

A compilation of “best practices” Tamayo and Abriol-Santos said that the CRR was based on the best practices of each CU combined together. They added that most of it was patterned on UPLB’s SA policies, while the allocation of hours was adapted from UP Diliman and Manila. With the CRR currently being implemented for just around a month, OSA expects the adjustment period to be challenging.

The minimum grade requirement is now removed from the CRR. “I agree with this. May mga students kasi na kaya bumabagsak ay walang pambili ng mga kailangan sa subject,” Alimon said when asked about thoughts on this change.

On the other hand, Manahan said that another down side is the lack of student consultation, making the change feel so abrupt. “I just hope na magkaroon ng better communication between OSA and the students bilang’Office of the Student Affairs sila.”

Celestial is in favor of this change, too, saying that the point of the SA program anyway is to give students an opportunity to earn during their stay in the university.”

“Sana mas paigtingin pa ang effective information dissemination. Pati na rin siguro ang student consultation,” Manahan added. [P]

Government proposes “Aquino’s legacy budget” Groups point out design for corruption Departments with the largest allocation in the 2016 National Budget DepEd

DOH

DENR

Department of Education

Department of Health

Department of Environment and Natural Resources

DPWH

DSWD

Department of Public Works and Highways

Department of Social Welfare and Development

DND

Department of National Defense

Department of Agriculture

The proposed 2016 National Budget is 15% higher than last year’s allocation. It boosted from P2.606 Trillion to P3.002 Trillion, Regarded as “Aquino’s legacy budget”, the P3.002 Trillion is aimed to lift many from “poverty and sustain economic growth”. 3.002 T

DILG Department of Interior and Local Government

DOF Department of Finance

DOTC

NEWS

Department of Transportation and Communications

1.645 T

2011

1.816 T

2012

2.006 T

2.565 T 2.606 T

2013 2014 2015 2016

UPLB PERSPECTIVE | Volume 42 Issue 1 | June - August 2015 He disclosed that only 27.6% or roughly P829.861 billion goes under the scrutiny of both Houses of Congress since most of the monies in the General Appropriations Act are automatic appropriations, The passage of the national budget at P930.695 billion; Off-Budget came after President Aquino certified Remittances, P52.309 billion, and the bill as “urgent.” Presidential Unprogrammed Funds, P67.5 billion. Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the budget underwent grueling scrutiny Budget Cuts at the House of Representatives. The month of August was full of budget In a press conference Valte said, cut reports with the recent 2.2 Billion cut “Medyo matagal na rin ho nilang on education. pinag-uusapan ‘yung ating budget at marami na ho tayong sumalang sa Not only the University of the committee hearings pa lang po diyan Philippines (UP) would experience budget sa budget. At talagang, ano po ‘yan, cut in 2016. Various State Universities parang to those of us in the executive and Colleges (SUCs) like Tawi-Tawi that’s also considered another College of Technology and Oceanography, thesis defense to face our fellows in Mindanao State University and Iloilo Congress—to be able to defend your State College of Fisheries would also be agency’s or your office’s budget.” affected according to Kabataan Partylist She said the budget would still be (KPL). submitted to the senate for approval. Bayan Muna partylist Representative “Hindi pa ho tapos ang pagtingin sa Neri Colmenares criticized the bill in budget natin. Mayroon pa ho ‘yan, an article by Interaksyon, “The Aquino siyempre, sa Senado,” she added. administration is just perpetuating the Former National Treasurer Leonor pork barrel in the national budget and Briones disclosed that the Executive this will also continue in the supposed Department has inserted the amount ‘daang matuwid’.” of no less P33.185 billion in pork barrel-like funds in the P3.002-trillion He also said the lump sum in the 2016 national budget for 2016. budget even ballooned to P758.40 billion compared to the P424 billion lump sum in Briones stated that the vulnerable the 2015 appropriations. He added this lump sums continue to lurk across did not include yet the Special Purpose various agencies. Fund and the unprogrammed funds. The 2016 National Budget has been approved with 230 House members in favor of the proposal. Meanwhile, 20 House members voted against the budget.

In a separate statement, Kabataan partylist Representative Terry Ridon said that while the 2016 budget has been referred to as “legacy budget” of the Aquino administration, he called it a budget “designed for corruption.” Ridon noted provisions for “project modification” scattered in the budget of several agencies, including the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Health (DOH), and the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

In an article released by Interaksyon, Anakpawis partylist Representative Fernando Hicap, the poorest lawmaker in the chamber, said the proposed budget “does not at all fulfill the interest of the Filipino people, especially the poor such as the workers, farmers, urban poor, fisherfolk, indigenous people and other rural-based sectors.” Hicap particularly opposed the budget for the land acquisition and distribution (LAD) component of the expired Republic Act 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). [P]

On PNoy’s last SONA... “We strongly oppose the repeated failure of the City Government to provide any legal basis for keeping protesters at EVER Commonwealth absent any proof that the rally poses a threat to public safety. We’d like to remind you that the City Government will again be in flagrant violation of the law if it commits the same this year,” Reyes said.

Meanwhile, effigies made by protesters depicted the president as dilapidated and a monster in the palace.

“We want to hold the Aquino regime accountable for its neo-liberal, antipeople policies that destroyed the lives of the common folk, especially the poor. Workers have endured five years of monstrous cruelty under Aquino. We cannot afford another year of suffering for our people who have long been living in distressed conditions despite Aquino’s overarching claims at reforms and economic growth,” said Roque Polido, Chairman of Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (PAMANTIK-Kilusang Mayo Uno).

BAYAN-Southern Tagalog revealed an effigy portraying the President as a monster with the United States’ palace as the backdrop, which according to them, represents Aquino regime’s subservience to US dictates. Prior to its burning in Commonwealth, morning morning of July 27, a skit was performed showing artists dressed in tribal garbs trying to ‘arrest’ the monster that is Aquino. The act of ‘arresting the monster’ embodies the persistent defiance and vigilance of the masses against any pursuit that would further worsen their condition and trample their rights.

As early as July 20, at least 4000 from the Southern Tagalog region have assembled in a weeklong caravan dubbed as “Bigkisan ng Mamamayan para Patalsikin ang Rehimeng US-Aquino Tungo sa Tunay na Pagbabago.” Composed of peasants, fisherfolks, residents of urban poor communities, workers, students and professionals sectors, the Southern Tagalog delegation marched to the Commonwealth Avenue to join the national SONA protest. [P]

Aquino depicted as ‘Halimaw’

PHOTO | SOUTHERN TAGALOG EXPOSURE

Tumatanggap ng kontribusyon ang UPLB Perspective para sa PANANAW Ang literary folio ng publikasyon Ipadala ang inyong tula, maikling kwento, o larawan sa uplbperspective@gmail.com

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UPLB PERSPECTIVE | Volume 42 Issue 1 | June - August 2015

ANG PAGSALUNGA Nakapatong ang kaliwang kamay ni U.S. President Barack Obama sa kanang braso ni Chinese President Xi Jinping. Nagkakamay ang dalawa gamit ang kanilang kanan. Ang kanilang mga mata ay nakapako sa isa't isa, at sa kanilang mga labi ay nakaguhit ang mga ngiti. Bakas ang pormalidad at kasiyahan sa dalawa, parehong presidente ng dalawa sa pinakamalalakas na bansa sa mundo. Ngunit hindi ito imahe ng kapayapaan. Imahe ito ng pananamantala.

Kuha ang larawan matapos magkaroon ng kasunduan ang U.S. at China ukol sa klima at pagpapalakas ng hukbong sandatahan. Ang kasunduang ito ay hudyat ng pansamantalang kapayapaan sa pagitan ng dalawang panig pahinga sa matagal na nilang alitan na nagiging sanhi ng giyera sa teritoryo at higit sa lahat, kapangyarihan.

Ang agresyong Estados Unidos

Tulad ng mga bansang nabanggit, pansariling interes rin ang dahilan ng U.S. sa pakikisawsaw sa usaping ito. Ang pagkakaroon ng U.S. ng mga base militar sa mga bansang malapit sa Tsina tulad ng sa Taiwan at Pilipinas ay silang naglilimita sa galaw ng Tsina. Subalit ang mga pwersang militar na ito ng U.S. ay naroroon hindi upang ipagtanggol ang mga nabanggit na bansa sa panahon ng sigalot kundi upang masigurong mabilis na masusupil ang anuMatagal nang may namumuong tensyon sa pagitan ng U.S. at China, mang balakid sa pagkamit ng pansariling interes nito. mga bansa mula sa magkaibang parte ng mundo pero pareho sa isang aspetoparehong nagnanais maging pinakamakapangyarihan sa lahat . Sa nakalipas Matatandaan na isa sa mga dahilan ni Presidente Aquino upang igiit na mga dekada, ang U.S. ang naging sentro ng daigdig dahil kontrolado nila ang Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) ay makakatulong ‘di ang ekonomiya ng mundo at sila ang may hawak ng malaking bilang ng mala- umano ang U.S. kung sakaling magtakda ng giyera ang China. lakas na armas pang-giyera. Ngunit kasabay ng pagbabago ng panahon ang nakaambang pag-iiba ng ihip ng hangin. Kasabay ng paglaganap ng globalisasyon ang pag-angat ng mga bansa sa silangan- ang pagkakaroon nila ng kapangyarihan na hindi malayong maging kapantay na ng Amerika at mga bansa sa Europa. Ang isyu sa West Philippine Sea, na tinatawag rin na South China Sea, ay ang nagsisilbing entablado ng dalawang nag-uumpukang pwersa. Kaakibat ng mga pwersang ito ang pansariling interes na isinusulong ng dalawang bansa.

Ang Agresyong Tsina Sa usapin ng pagmamay-ari sa West Philippine Sea, hindi maiwasang madamay ang mga karatig bansa tulad ng Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia at Brunei. Nagkakaroon ng tunggalian dahil sa sari-sariling pakay ng mga bansa sa iba't ibang parte ng pinag-aagawang karagatan. Ang mga pakay na ito ang nagkakaumpugan at nagdudulot ng pagkakahiwalay at pagkakanya-kanya ng mga nadadamay na bansa. Ginagamit ng China ang konsepto ng “nine-dash line” upang maipakita ang kanilang pagmamay-ari sa tinatawag nilang South China Sea. Umani naman ng parehong pagsang-ayon at kritisismo ang konseptong ito. Mula sa panig mismo ng ilang mga Tsino, may ilang hin-di naniniwala sa pagiging lehitimo ng argumentong ito. Dahilan rito ay ang kakulangan ng mga ebidensya na nagpapatotoo sa “nine-dash line”. Ang tensyon sa West Philippine Sea dulot ng dalawang bansang nag-aagawan ng teritoryo ang siyang nagpapahirap sa mga mangingisda ng Zambales, Palawan at iba pang karatig-bayan. Ngayon ay kakarampot na lamang ang kanilang kinikita mula sa pangingisda kumpara sa dati. Ang dahilan nito ay ang patuloy na pagkamal at panghaharas ng Tsina sa mga lugar na kanilang pinangingisdaan. Kung inaangkin ng China ang West Philippine Sea dahil dito kumukuha ng ikinabubuhay ang mga mangingisdang Tsino, hindi ba't tama lamang na humingi ng kaparehong pribilehiyo? Igiit ang batayang karapatan sa karagatan na hindi maipagkakailang bahagi ng teritoryo ng Pilipinas. Ang panggigiit na ginagawa ng China ay direktang pagyurak sa soberanya ng bansa na nagiging isa sa mga dahilan ng patuloy na paghihirap ng mga Pilipino. Ngunit kung susuriin, ang mga naging aksyon ng bansang Tsina ay mas manipesto ng matinding asersyon kaysa lantarang agresyon ng hukbong-lakas. Subalit tinutuntungan ito ng gobyerno upang maglunsad ng “anti-China scare campaign,” upang yakapin ang proteksyon ‘di umano na “handang ibigay” ng U.S. sa bansa.

May agresyong militar man o wala ang Tsina sa ngayon, nararapat pa rin na maging mapagmatyag ang mga Pilipino at tutulan ang ambisyon ng Tsina na maging isang imperyo, sa pamamagitan nang pangangamkam ng pagmamayari ng mas maliliit na bansa.

“

FEATURES

UPLB PERSPECTIVE | Volume 42 Issue 1 | June - August 2015

AT SA

ni: Mary Anne ni Marry AnneV. V.Gudito Gudito

LAYOUT| EDGAR BAGASOL JR.

AGOS

Ngunit agad naman itong pinabulaanan ni mismong Presidente Obama, hindi daw ito kabilang sa kasunduan pero asahan daw ay “hindi naman pababayaan ang Pilipinas.” Masasabing isa itong hakbang kagaya nang nabanggit, upang patingkarin ang “anti-China scare campaign,” at bigyang-diin upang makapasok muli ang hukbong sandatahan ng U.S. sa bansa, na dahil sa matinding pananamantala, ay pinaalis na noong 1991.

Ang Pagkakaisa at Sigalot sa Pagitan ng Tsina at Estados Unidos

Kung matatandaan, noong Vietnam War ay halos ganito din ang ginawa ng U.S. sa mga South Vietnamese. Pinangakuan sila ng suportang militar kung hahayaan nilang magtayo ng mga base militar ang hukbong sandatahan ng U.S. sa kanilang bansa. Dagdag pa rito, magpapasailalim sila sa U.S. sa mga tratado o kasunduang pang-ekonomiya. Pero sa huling sandali ay iniwanan sila ng U.S. noong nakita nito na wala nang makukuha mula sa giyera.

Isang istratehiko ng U.S. ang panatilihing “kakampi” ang Tsina sa eksploytasyon nito sa lakas paggawa ng mga Tsino. Mahigit tatlong dekada nang magkasosyo ang dalawang dambuhala sa patuloy na promosyon at pakikinabang sa mga neoliberal na polisiyang dulot ng globalisasyon. Dahil dito, mas pipiliin ng dalawang bansa ang maging magkasosyo sa negosyo ng pangangamkam kaysa maglunsad ng digma sa isa’t isa.

Hahayaan ba nating mangyari ito sa sarili nating bayan?

Mayroong pagkakaisa at sigalot sa pagitan ng dalawang dambuhalang bansa. Takot ang U.S. sa paglakas ng hukbong sandatahan ng Tsina upang depensahan ang sarili nito. Ngunit takot din itong mawalan ng kontrol sa mga bansang naiimpluwensyahan nito at napapagkunan ng hilaw ng mga materyales

Ngunit hindi ito nangangahulugang hindi nababahala ang U.S. sa kakayahan ng Tsina upang makatayo sa sarili nitong mga paa. Subalit nareresolba ito ng kapitalistang karakter ng dalawang dambuhala, sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng lubos na atensyon sa pananamantala sa mga “underdeveloped” na bansa habang patuloy ang paglala ng krisis sa mundo na umaabot na sa puntong ang mga kapitalistang ito ang sila ding nagiging pangunahing namamantala sa kanilang mga sariling bayan. Pinapaigting ng U.S. ang impluwensiya nito sa Tsina upang isapribado ang mga kumpanyang pag-aari ng gobyerno, tangkilikin ang mga dikta ng ekonomiyang U.S., at huwag hadlangan ang promosyon ng mga “pro-US” na pwersa. Kung ikukumpara sa Pilipinas, higit na mas malaki ang bansang Tsina. Dahil dito, masasabing mas malaki ang interes ng U.S. dito kumpara sa bansa. Kaya naman, ginagamit lamang ng U.S. ang Pilipinas upang maging isang “staging base” para sa mga magiging aksyon nito upang malawakang impluwensiyahan ang Tsina, kaysa protektahan ang Pilipinas laban dito.

Ang Pakikipagpalaban ng mga Pilipino Nararapat lamang na manindigan ang mga Pilipino sa isyu ng Spratlys (Kalayaan), at sa iba pang mga isla, reefs at shoals na nakapaloob sa 200nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) na nakapaloob sa United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS). Ayon mismo sa gobyerno, nagpasa ito sa U.N. ng mga kinakailangang siyentipiko at teknikal na mga patunay at dokumento upang kilalanin ang Philippine 200-mile EEZ sa ilalim ng UNCLOS. Ang UNCLOS ang pinakamalakas na legal na basehan sa identipikasyon at berepikasyon ng teritoryal na karagatan at EEZ ng arkipelago ng Pilipinas. Bukod pa dito, marami ring mga historikal at arkeyolohikal na patunay na ang mga ito ay nagamit na nang mga sinaunang Pilipino. Sa usapin naman ng seguridad, hindi makakaasa sa U.S.-R.P. Mutual Defense Treaty sapagkat wala itong probisyon ng “automatic retaliation.” Bagkus ay ginamit lamang ng U.S. ang kasunduang ito upang magsilbing basihan upang maipatupad ang Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) at ang eskalasyon ng militar na interbensyon nito sa bansa. Subalit sa usapin ng pag-atake ng dayuhang pwersa, walang basahen ang Pilipinas upang umasa ng agarang tulong mula sa U.S. sapagkat pinahihintulutan ng kasunduan ang mahigpit na pagsunod ng U.S. upang isulong ang kanyang sariling pambansang interes, kung saan wala itong obligasyong unahing protektahan ang kapakanan ng Pilipinas. Hindi natin kailangan ng dayuhang bansa upang makaligtas sa agresyon ng iba pang mga bansa. Kung paiigtingin lamang natin ang ating pagkakaisa bilang isang bayan, kung isusulong lamang natin ang pagpapalakas ng ating ekonomiya sa pamamagitan ng pagpapalakas ng mga lokal na industriya, kung ang ating pamahalaan ay tunay na maninindigan para sa pambansang soberyanya at hindi magpapasailalim sa mga maka-dayuhang kasunduan, tiyak na walang dayuhang bansa ang magkakamaling magpakita ng agresyon sa ating bansa. [P]

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UPLB PERSPECTIVE | Volume 42 Issue 1 | June - August 2015

INSERT TITLE Towards the End of theHERE Rainbow

SameSex Marriage

WORDS | ANDREW ESTACIO LAYOUT| EDGAR DANIEL BAGASOL JR. God rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah, devastating the buildings, the people, and all the vegetation in the plain for the people had become sexually immoral. Men wanted men. God was extremely inflamed that he destroyed both cities. This could easily be interpreted as the Bible’s stand on same-sex relationships: a resounding no. Millions of echoes after, a lot of us now think that one of the foremost acts of immorality is desiring someone of the same sex. In addition, is the argument that men and women have distinctive biological make-up designed to pair up with only the opposite sex. Most people would even go as far as recreating a modern-day doom for homosexuals and continuously rain down burning sulfur of hatred every time they pass by the street, or when they come in groups every Pride march. But these are but a small fraction of what the LGBTQI community face every day. Former Commission on Human Rights Chair Etta Rosales reported 141 cases of LGBTQI abuse in 2013. The number has risen in 2014, remarking one of the most notorious cases, that of Jennifer Laude’s. With this, various groups have relentlessly waved rainbow flags and bombarded the streets with calls against ill-treatment towards the LGBTQI. Somehow, education has been transforming viewpoints about LGBTQI by enlightening people on gender identity and sexual orientation. With continuous campaigns, understanding and acceptance are brought forth. Countless rejoiced when the news broke that the United States legalized same-sex marriage in all of its 50 states. With this, a question has risen: Could this also happen to the Philippines?

Marriage and the Church

Marriage is an institution that has historically perpetrated heteronormativity. Taking the definition that marriage is a sort of human arrangement, which merits civilization and progress. Individuals should fulfil their ‘biological responsibility’ and be ‘essential’ citizens, having the capacity to produce offspring and populate the society. Wayne State University Professor John Corvino said that marriage as a concept entails meanings, and it is evolving. Yet it has evolved into something that sparks social stratification. First, marriage has been widely and ideally constructed as “union between a man and a woman,” which is a thin definition.

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The question is: why is it necessary to have differing sexes in the features of marriage? Whereas there are many variations of marriage in sociohistorical forms. The issue about same-sex marriage has heightened bigotry and stigma against LGBTQI mostly because of religious influences. At the same time, the government has yet to change definitions and legislations about marriage to respect dominant religions, norms, and culture of our society. The standpoint of the Roman Catholic church on LGBTQI takes prevalence in our country, and they have been very active in opposing homosexuals’ right to marry. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) pointed out in their statement that Catholics ought not to condemn gay people yet ought to condemn samesex marriage itself.

Marriage and the State

The state recognition of marriage has even heightened inequality. It has legislated and promulgated the ideals of marriage, which has to be heterosexual. In terms of benefits and privileges, the state builds gap between the married and the unmarried, and between the children of married and unmarried couples. Significantly, the LGBTQI are even more subjugated—they are definitely not under the heterosexual standard, legally unmarried as prohibited, in which they are not subject to the rights and protections of union. The state has the power to enact mechanisms about the institution of marriage. It can consider and reconstruct the symbolic meanings of marriage itself. Hence, its definition should be humanistic, fostering equality, and embracing all kinds of love, regardless of gender; marriage should be known as the union between two people.

Marriage, Patriarchy, and the Struggle for Equality

The mode of production is a factor towards the essentiality of sexual differences in marriage. Men mostly take part in the labor force, while women stay at home and perform domestic responsibilities which makes women’s capacity obviously subjugated. The concept of marriage tends to become one-dimensional in this society. It is important to consider that it can take varieties of forms, and it can also evolve. Like when words can

change its meanings with respect to the necessity of this generation, like when the viewpoint of racial stratification and misogyny has been changed and has brought emancipation in the current generation. What does restricting marriage to same-sex couples tell about the attitude of our society? Denying a sector of their rights is looking at them as ‘secondclass citizens.’ Same-sex marriage generally guarantees the protection of human rights. It is about freeing an excluded minority from oppression and giving them their right to equally contribute to social transformation. Achieving this viewpoint of marriage involves continuous struggle. Still, it is fundamental that we eliminate the culture of discrimination, prejudice, and bigotry in this society. The burden is on those who understand. But until such time when people started to really do something, we may just as well be sitting comfortably in our living rooms watching how stories of gay couples unfold in teleseryes, but never in real life.

UPLB PERSPECTIVE | Volume 42 Issue 1 | June - August 2015

Nakapatong ang kanang kamaysatiyan. Ang kaliwanaman, nakapormasaayos ng panunumpa. Bulagtaang buong katawan. Hindi pa nakuntento at nakabukaka pa ang magkabilangbinti. Malalim ang paghigop sa hangin na sinaluhan ng tono. Maya-maya’y ibubuga din pagkatapos na may kasama ring tono habang ang malagkit na tubig mula sa bunganga, dahan-dahang aagos sa pisngi at la-landi ngunt i-unti sa pinagpapatungan ng ulo.

Kalbaryo sa Oro

Kadalasan ay ganito pa rin ang itsura ng karamihan sa mga estudyanteng Pinoy sakanikanilang higaan pagdating ng alas sais ng umaga. Para naman sa mga mag-aaral ng Oro Elementary School sa Dapitan City, Zamboanga Del Norte, ang oras na ito ay hudyat na ng kanilang paglalakbay patungo sa eskwelahan. Hindi ito isang ordinaryong paglalakbay para sakanila, kundit ilaaraw-araw na pakikipagsapalaran sa kamatayan.

Mula sa mga numerong nabanggit, lalong patitindihin ng naturang programa ang problemang ito sa sektor ng edukasyon sapagkat hindi pa lubos ang kakayahan ng mga magulang na pag-aralin ang Ang kagustuhan ng mga batang kanilang mga supling nang dalawa makapagtapos ang nagpapatibay pang taon sa high school. Ang sakanila upang hindi tumigil sa karagdagang taon sa kanilang pagakyat-panaog nila ng pag punta aaral ay katumbas ng karagdagang sa paaralan. Ngunit ang pag-abot gastusin sa baon, bayarin sa mga nila sa kanilang mga pangarap ay libro at iba pang bayarin sa eskwela. lalong magiging pahirapan dahil madadagdagan pa ng dalawang Kakulangan sa Klasrum, tao na ng kanilangpag-aaral. Hindi sa Taon Ito ang nakaambang epekto ng programang K to 12 sasistema Itinatagang Oro Elementary School ng edukasyonsaPilipinasna mag- noong 1948, kasabay ng pagpapatayo uumpisa sa taong 2016. ng Oro National High School sa parehong lupain. Maraming K to 12 at Kahirapan henerasyon na rin ang nakaranas umakyat sa bundok na ito upang Sa bagong kurikulum ng mapabilis ang kanilang pagpasok Department of Education sa paaralan. Isa naditosi Ginoong (DepEd), mapapalitan Wenchor Agum na ngayon ay isang na ng anim na taon head teacher na ng isa pang National na pag-aaralang High School sa Dapitan. Estudyante dating apat na taon pa lang daw siya ng Oro nang gawin sa sekondaryana kung niyang pang-agahan ang araw-araw saan ang karagdagang napag-akyat sa bundok. Siya at ang dalawang taon ay nakalaan kasalukuyang mga mag-aaral ng Oro para sa Senior High ay sumasalamin sa napakaraming School (SHS). Ang mga mga Pilipinong humaharap sa iba’t mag-aaral na tutuntong ibang hamon makapag-aral lamang. dito ay maaaring makapamili ng kanilang Batay sa huling tala ng Kabataan p a g d a d a l u b h a s a a n Partylist, mahigit sa 209,539 na mga sa mga sumusunod: klasrum pa ang kailangang ipatayo Technical -Vocational- ng pamahalaan nang sagayon ay Livelihood, Sports and makatugon ito sa malaking demand Arts at Academics. ng kabataang Pilipino sabatayang Pagkatapos nilang edukasyon. Pinatitingkad ng mga sumailalim sa SHS, datos na hindi sinasagot ng K to pwede na silang 12 ang madaling akses ng mga magtungo sa kolehiyo kabataan sa edukasyon kundi mas o magtrabaho muna pinalalala nito ang kalagayan ng nang ayon sa kanilang mga mag-aaral na Pilipino. napag-aralan. Karapatang Hindi Pantay Panging isdaang p a n g u n a h i n g Tumatamasa ng libreng edukasyon hanap buhay ng ang mga mag-aaral ng Oro mga mamamayan Elementary School at National ng Dapitan. Ang High School. Ngunit ang karapatan pagpapaaral ng ng ibang mga mag-aaral maliban mga magulang sa sa mga taga-Oro sa batayang kanilang mga anak edukasyon ay nanganganib sa elementarya

Layout by: Adrian Ray Del Campo

Bago makatungtong ang mga bata sa mismong paaralan, katakot-takot na pag-akyat muna sa Bundok Oro ang kanilang sinusuong tuwing umaga. Hindi nilainiin daang tarik nito dahil malaki ang tiwala nila sa kanilang pinagkakapitan – ang samu’t saring mga bato at mga ugat ng puno na nakalatag sa katawan ng bundok. Kasama rin nilang pumapaspas si Gng. Aida Proce so, Day Care teacher ng nasabing paaralan. Kahit mapanganib, mas pipiliin na lamang nila ang isa’t kalahating oras na pagdaan sa alternatibong rutang ito kaysa magbayad ng limampungpiso sa habal-habal o kaya’y maglakad ng tatlong oras sa patag na daan.

pa lamang ay mistulang iginagapang na dahil sa kakulangan ng kinikita nila sa pang-araw-araw. Ayon sa ulat ng Department of Education, kahirapan ang pangunahing dahilan kung bakit hindi lubos na maresolba ang dropout rate sa Pilipinas. Mula noong 2008, nananatiling nasa anim na porsyento ng mga magaaral ang hindi nanakakapagtapos sa elementarya, samantalang nasa pitong porsyento naman mula 2007 ang hindi na nakakapagtapos sa sekondarya.

pagsapit ng 2016. Ito ay dahil sa Voucher System ng pamahalaan na magbibigay lamang ng subsidiya sa kanilang bayarin pagdating nila, kung sakali, sa pribadong mga SHS. Ang programangito ay hind itumitiyak na ang kanilang matatanggap na “diskwento” ay buo kundi idedepende pa sa kung anong uri ng paaralan ang kanilang pinanggalingan. Sa mga mag-aaral ng Oro, malaki ang tyansa ng makakuha sila ng malaking subsidiya. Ngunit paano ang mga nanggaling ng pribadong paaralan na hindi matatanggap sa pampublikong SHS at mapipilitang magpunta sa pribadong SHS? Magkakaroon ng hindi pantay na karapatan para sakanila, taliwas sa nakasaad sa konstitusyon na ang estado ay mandatoryong “magtaguyod at magpanatili ng sistemang libreng pampublikong edukasyon sa elementarya at sekondarya.” Sa mga gurong katulad ni Gng. Proceso na tumatanggap lamang ng maliit na sahod kada buwan, lalongmatatakpan ang isyung nararanasan nila dahil sa patuloy na pagbabalewala ng pamahalaan sa serbisyong hatid nila sa bansa. Manipestasyon ito ng programang K to 12 naanglayunin ay bigyangtuon ang pagpapakawala ng mgamanggagawang Pilipino nadalubhasasa mga gawaing kailangan ng mgadayuhan katulad ng Medical Transcription at Contact Center Services. Akyat, hingal, lakad, aral, lakad, hingal, baba – sa ganyan umiikot ang bundokserye ng mga mag-aaral ng Oro Elementary School at Oro National High School. Bundokserye na kung saan madadagdagan pa ng dalawang taon ang araw-araw nilang pagpunta sa bundok habang nakakaranas ng iba pang porma ng kakulangan sa iba’t-ibang aspeto ng kanilang pagaaral kagaya ng maayos na klasrum, maayos na pasilidad, mga libro, at sapat na bilang ng mga guro. Nangangailangan sila ng pagsubaybay ng pamahalaan. Ngunit ‘di hamak na mas makapangyarihan ang pagsubaybay ng taumbayan sa kanila. Ang kalbaryo ng mga tagaOro ay kalbaryo rin ng milyunmilyong mga kabataang Pilipino. Sino ang dapat kumilos? Tayo… Tayo mismong nakararanas ng kalbaryo. [P]

FEATURES

UPLB PERSPECTIVE | Volume 42 Issue 1 | June - August 2015

Words by: Paul Christian A. Carson and Miguel Carlos C. Lazarte | Layout by: Adrian Ray Del Campo

As President Benigno S. Aquino III conveyed his final State of the Nation Address, he claimed that a bounty of new jobs was the primary benchmark of progress in the lives of ordinary Filipinos. The nexus of jobs may seem impressive: but in the current condition of meager wages, sweatshop-like work conditions, and oppressive stipulations inside and outside the workplace, we may be seeing more of the least feasible ways of living for millions of Filipinos. A Numbers Game According to the President, the unemployment rate was nearing at its lowest in the past decade at 6.8%, as per the October 2014 Labor Force Survey (LFS) of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The Labor Force Survey is a quarterly nationwide surveyby the PSA. However, labor groups look upon the President’s claims skeptically, and addedthat one must look at the quality and not the quantity of this job genesis. According to research by IbonFoundation in July 2014, 4.5 million people(10.4%) are unemployed and 7.3 million are underemployed, the highest in Asia andthe highest in Philippine history.Ibon used estimates adjusted for those cut from the employment figures. A Temporary Scheme Contractualizationand widespread unemployment in the country is undeniable. Seven to nine out of ten contractual workers were employed in different factories and services throughout the nation, according to regional labor center Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan – Kilusang Mayo Uno (PAMANTIK-KMU). Basically, workers are hired for a fixed or indefinite period, usually from a few months to years, or as long as a certain project is finished. Even though statutes and memoranda define contractual employment and distinguish it from the illegal practice of labor-only contracting, most factories and employers get away with profits through very low labor costs. Labor-only contracting entails the use of management-controlled service cooperatives or agencies, which hire these

FEATURES

workers. They then turn out as indirect or agency-hired workers, rather than directhired contractual workers; therefore taking off all responsibility from the company to implement regularization – after 6 months, as defined by DoLE Memorandum No. 18A– or, if the work is necessary and essential, on the first day of work, as defined by the country’s Labor Code.

Through the K-12 program, the option to resort to technical/vocational schooling after high school has been formalized. With high costs of college education, more youth resortto look for immediate jobs, either in call centers or in precarious work in factories. According to Ibon, almost half, of 48.5%, of the total unemployed labor force fell within 15-24 years of age.

It should be discerned, however, that the very skewed distribution of wage hikes across the country do not really reflect the true costs of living in these areas. More likely or not, families will still be buying almost similar baskets of goods and services in these different provinces.

Consecutive protests for regularization from contractual workers in the Southern Tagalog region: namely in Tanduay Distillers, Inc. (TDI), and Karzai Corporation in Cabuyao, Sagara Metro Plastic Industrial Corporation and Manila Cordage Company – Manco Synthetic Inc. in Calamba, highlighted the mounting call of the workers against contractualization despite heavy threats.

With this in mind, KMU added that the roots of unemployment are the government’snegligence to implement genuine agrarian reform and industrialization policies – one which, after building local industries, will ensure the cities as a living and steady destination for those coming from the countryside.

As wage has become a lifeblood for workers to survive the rigors of everyday life, its very low rates, the shortage of work benefits and the reign of precarious work has also made it a leash vehemently used by business owners, in a most inhumane exercise of the profit-maximizing condition.

Consequently, they filed cases to the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) indicting company management of failing to comply with the set regulations by the Department Order 18-A on legitimate job contractors and committing unfair labor practices.

Also according to Ibon, the average family living wage is PHP 1,088/day. This is a stark contrast to the current wage rates in the country, more so in the Southern Tagalog region – which ranges from PHP 315-337/ day.

As of July, 35 contractuals in Karzai Corporation, a local manufacturer of plastic automotive parts, have been regularized. Numerous violent dispersals have, meanwhile, defined the defiant defense of the casuals in TDI, which have been on strike for more than two months as of the time of writing. Despite the released orders from DoLE, there has been no action from TDI to reinstate the 397 contractual workers that have been illegally laid off last June 18. These cases only highlight the massive lack of living jobs in the country. However, through Aquino’s daangmatuwid, it may only be considered the tip of the iceberg – as even educational policy has been directed, for one, to provide the global market to provide its labor needs. Jobs for export The government says that there are many jobs – albeit low-paying and is in a mismatch with most workers’ educational attainment. National labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) implies that in turn, this triggers the government’s reformation of the education system, hence the imposition of K-12 education system.

A Way of Wages

LastApril, a 15-peso wage hike was approved by the regional wage board for the workers in Metro Manila. This resulted to a PHP 481 minimum daily wage, which is only 41% of the average family living wage. Additionally, 46% of the labor force earn below the minimum wage and 25% are the minimum wage earners – pushing more businessmen to extract more-thanmaximum productivity from workers at virtually no additional cost. This is further attributed to the implementation of the Two-Tiered Wage System, which was first implemented in the Southern Tagalog region last 2012 – pegging the floor wage lower than even the minimum wage. Wage hikes? Forget it. They have been few and far between – not even adding meager. The fifth wage hike during Aquino’s administration is said to benefit almost 600,000 workers according to DoLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz. However, the distribution of these wage increases visibly favor workers from urbanized regions – e.g., from the National Capital Region, Region IV-A and Central Visayas, which serves as one of the economic centers of

The Living Alternative

With this scheme, laborers are forced to enter the harrowing cycle of work in exchange of recourse that would only last until their next day. Recognizing these deplorable conditions in the workplace, various labor unions have for so long, called for living wages and benefits, in the name of just employment. Southern Tagalog Wage Increase Solidarity (ST WINS), a revived local network of wage increase advocates, amplifies the call for living wages in the region. Their call for just employment and wages: a PHP 16,000 national monthly minimum wage for public sector workers; a PHP 750 daily minimum wage for private sector workers, and a general PHP 125 across-the-board wage hike. ST WINS says that the corresponding national minimum wages and across-theboard wage For so long, workers’ demands have fell on deaf ears through various administrations. However, it will be negligible, for the support of millions of workers throughout the region andthe country has galvanized its place in the history of labor in the country. Moreover, the workers’ voice has been unwavering in the past six years. They have not been silent in demanding for just and living wages for all. Truly, they remain with the classic Marx and Engels quote – “Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains!” [P]

UPLB PERSPECTIVE | Volume 42 Issue 1 | June - August 2015

“

UNDERSCRUTINY Abandoned

MIGUEL ELVIR QUITAIN

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is yet to give the UP System another 2.2 billion budget cut for the year 2016 – cutting the budget down to a proposed subsidy of P10,896,922. Each year, budget cut is the news of the entire UP system. Each year, the DBM cuts the UP System’s budget to a range of more than half to at least one-third of that which is proposed by the aadministration. Also, each year, the UP System has made minimal crawls to the development of its educational facilities and equipment, neither was it able to make its ‘honorable and excellent’ education affordable for the ordinary Iskolar ng Bayan.

BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER ENOUGH Classrooms remained uncomfortable and inconducive for learning while trying to hold more than 160 students with only one faculty member to facilitate. The SystemOne server remained slow and frustrating; resulting to the difficulty of the registration process. Bottleneck courses exist due to the lack of professors and again, classrooms. Tuition fees have steadily increased throughout the years, not to mention other TOFI schemes such as the Bracket B Certification in 2013 and the renaming of the STFAP to STSystem last year that barely changed anything in the actual regulations. These are merely some of the direct manifestations of the successive budget cuts to the UP System that the DBM overlooks – that the funds requested by UP is necessary for the holistic development and especially, improvement of the entire educational service and not just the maintenance of existing facilities.

12Years na Slave “Malas.” Ito na lang ang salitang naibulalas ni Julie: sa huling araw ng klase niya sa elementary, ibinandera ng mga dyaryo ang mga salitang “dagdag dalawang taon sa HS, sisimulan na sa Hunyo”. Dahil dito, biktima na siya, kasama ng kanyang dalawang nakababatang kapatid, sa bagyong K-12. Lumipad na ang kanyang isip sa kanyang mundo ng mga voiceover, brodkas sa radyo at mala-action film na mga eksena – na pinangarap niyang propesyon. May lumabas na mga boses mula sa kawalan: “Ang bagyong K-12 ay lumapag na sa Philippine Area of Responsibility, na may dalang bugso ng papataas na matrikula at eroplano para sa mga nais mag-OFW track. Aabot na sa Signal No. 2 ang mga erya ng College Hopefuls at Job Street, na makaaasa sa higit 1,000 beses na lakas ng rate of unemployment.”

”

people and provide their basic necessities and rights?

Most of the time, it is not even enough for the maintenance. Cutting down the proposed budget leaves the UP System with less than what it needs and forces it to search for other ways to account for the denied amount. It forces it into commercialization. The university is left with no choice but to pass the burden unto the consumers, in this case, the students. Hence, the increases in tuition and other fees is a natural consequence of budget cut. While directly affected by TOFI, it also has an indirect effect to them through the privatization of existing facilities from increase in rental of university canteens (e.g. SU canteen, COOP, college-based stalls) which, in the same way as the administration, passes the expense of increased rental unto the consumers, which are students as well to privatization of UP’s idle assets supposedly reserved for future use (e.g. UP Land Grant), resulting unto the compromise of the quality of education. While the students suffer the grave expense of having to pay more or less an average of P19,000 for tuition, they do not get enough compensation by having to sit in the under-renovated classrooms of the Humanities building. While the system could afford to build comfortable and state-of-the-art rooms for admin conferential meetings, students had to pay excessive rentals for the usage of lecture halls and auditoriums supposedly built for their use, which is redundant as well in the sense that it should already be included in the tuition. While the buildings of colleges can barely be renovated due to the ‘lack of budget,’ those banga objects worth almost P5,000 each, by the sidewalk are still visible and eye-catching until

HODGEPODGE PAUL CARSON

Instead of prioritizing the benefits of private corporations, why not serve the interests of the now, hoping they could attract private corporations to invest in the university with their fancy brown coating. These ironies are all because it was never enough.

a prize. Educational budget is a responsibility of the government and it is clearly stated in the Philippine Constitution. It is never a reward.

ROAD TO STATE-ABANDONMENT

While the entire UP System gets only P10.9 billion for 2016, which means that all 7 campuses would have to share, not mentioning the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) which also shares with the UP System’s budget, it is inevitable to notice that the budget for the Department of National Defense (DND) gets a whopping P172 billion budget for the coming year. This leads the people to question the priorities of Aquino’s administration. All these efforts of the government are all meaningless if it does not manifest to the smallest units of society. Instead of prioritizing the benefits of private corporations, why not serve the interests of the people and provide their basic necessities and rights? Instead of wasting budget on unfinished buildings for no apparent purpose, instead of wasting the people’s tax on deconstructing and reconstructing public roads, instead of stealing the money and using it for future electoral campaigns and votebuying, why not prioritize education and allocate a higher state subsidy to SUCs and public schools. This is why the students are against CHED’s RPHER. This is why they assert for a higher state subsidy. This is why the Iskolar ng Bayan continues to fight for his right to education. No more budget cuts. No more band-aid solutions. [P]

The successive budget cuts, resulting into commercialization of education and privatization of state facilities is neither a conspiracy theory nor a mere coincidence. As a matter of fact, this is a well-organized plan. The Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) vision is to promote the self-sustainability and so-called independence of SUCs through the Roadmap for Public Higher Education Reform which aims to “rationalize higher education, improve its internal and external efficiency, optimize resources utilization and maximize resource generation.” In simpler terms, it seeks to force the SUCs into earning profit by slowly taking away their budget subsidy. In the long run, hopes to turn SUCs into self-sustaining colleges, without any more need for government subsidy. While it tries to encourage healthy competition by providing more subsidy for ‘high performing SUC’s’ and less budget for ‘underperforming SUCs,’ it is contradictory in such a way that the budget provided to SUCs greatly affect its performance. Thus, it is good for high performing SUCs, but underperforming ones will continue to slide down the slope. With less subsidy comes less budget for qualitative and quantitative improvement. Hence, it is double the trouble for initially underperforming SUCs – instead of aiding these ‘underperformers’ and providing them with more budget to perform better, which is the very least that the government could do, they are subjected under a competition and are expected to prove themselves worthy of

“

NO MORE BAND-AIDS

Delayed na rin siya nang isang taon, hindi

pagkakayod

. dahil sa pagpapabaya, kundi sa Inayos pa niya sa SystemOne ang sched niya para makapagtrabaho lang sa gabi...

Malamang sa malamang, tinigil ni Julie ang kahibangang nagaganap sa kanyang isipan. Kagyat pang kailangang isipin kung san manggagaling ang libu-libong kailangan para mapagtapos lamang sa pag-aaral ang kanyang mga kapatid. Bumulaga ang sumunod na eksena sa kanyang mga mata. Kabikabila, sa bawat poste at pader, ang mga katagang: “Massive hiring! New company. Wage negotiable. Instant opportunity abroad!” Bumungad ang isa pang malaking poster – isa sa napakarami na nakahilera sa mga poste ng ilaw: “Take your dream course! AB MassCom: Mass Communication (4 Years) Specializations: Speech Communication, Broadcasting, Journalism, Digital Media

LOW TUITION! NO TUITION FEE INCREASE THIS A.Y.!” Nagbigay ang lahat ng mga oportunidad na ito ng mas maraAmi pang katanungan sa isip ni Julie. Alam na alam niyang hindi rin naman ito magiging madali para sa kanya. Kung kinabukasan ang pinag-uusapan, marahil kinabukasan din ang aabutin ng kanyang pagpapasya. Tulad ng napakaraming mga kabataan, nais niya ng marangal na hanapbuhay sans the romanticism: makalagpas sa kumunoy ng kahirapan na marami na ang dumaranas. Kung sa trabaho, mapawisan man nang matindi, ganoon din sana katindi ang nakukuhang sahod. Napatigil siya sa isang sulok, at bumulalas. “Mahal ang bilihin sa ibang bansa. Pero, mas malaki naman ang tatanggapin ko doon. Lalong mahal mag-aral ngayon ng kolehiyo!”

”

Lingid sa kanyang kaalaman ang mga istorya ng mga umuwi; kung hindi man bigo, ay bangkay – para lang sa paghahabol ng “magandang kinabukasan”.

Sa habang panahong iniisip niya ang pinakamagandang tunguhin, dumating ang isang katanungang magsasawalang-bahala sa ilang minuto niyang pagmumuni-muni: “Bakit ganito ang ihinahanda sa aming daan? Ano kayang naisip ng naglatag?” ******* “Tsamba!” Ito na lang ang salitang naibulalas ni Josh: sa huling araw ng semestre, ibinandera ng mga class cards niya ang mga katagang “3.0”. Tres. Sakto, parang softdrinks na tig-7 pesos sa suking tindahan. 12 Years na Slave... page 13

OPINION

UPLB PERSPECTIVE | Volume 42 Issue 1 | June - August 2015

KWENTONGFRESHIE

Ang“Prerog”sa Mata ng Isang Freshie KENT SYDNEY MERCADER

"Sige na po Sir, graduating po ako." "Okay pasok ka na. Sa mga prerog na hindi graduating makakalabas na kayo." Ano daw? Prerog? Bakit may pinapalabas at may pinapapasok? Bilang mahiyain ako, hindi na ako nagtanong kay ateng cute na katabi ko kung ano ang prerog. Lumipas na lang basta-basta ang mga pangyayari gawa ng aking pagkamangmang. Mabilis lang ang klase noon kasi class policies lang naman ang pinagsasasabi ni Prof. Ang tumatak sa isip ko nun ay yung pwedeng umabsent ng pitong beses sa klase niya. Haha!

"I'm sorry iho, but I already accepted one prerog. There's no more room for you here, but you can try other sections. Sorry." Mukhang ayaw pang umalis ni kuyang bahagyang nakapasok ang katawan sa silid habang hawak ang doorknob. Parang masama sa loob niyang isinara ang pinto. Wala pa sigurong sampung segundo ay may nagbukas muli ng pinto, si kuyang na-reject ulit. "Ma'am, please. I'll bring my own chair."

unibersidad. Walang pampagawa ng mga bagong mga

"I'm sorry iho." Gaya ng prerog, mukhang malungkot din si Ma'am. Kinabukasan. STS 1. Wow! Wala na akong maupuan. Wala na bang mas malaking silid para sa aming sandamakmak na mga estudyante? Old models pa naman ang mga aircon, kaya parang init na yung binubuga nito. Dumating na si Prof, napatigil sa pinto, nagbuntong-hininga at sumigaw, "Okay! Yung mga enlisted maupo, yung mga prerog tumayo!"

OPINION

Tinanggap ko na noon pa lang ako na balang araw manlilimos din ako ng pag-ibig este units. Hindi nga naman ako nagkamali't nasapul ko pa ang parang trahedyang 0 unit noong sophomore ako. Mahirap, madugo, nakakapagod, nakakawalang-gana, nakakaiyak, pero kailangan mo talagang magkaroon ng subject eh. Isko't iskang freshie, hindi po totoo na kapag good standing ka ay mabibiyayaan ka ng kumpletong units sa initial sched mo sa systemone. Iyong roommate ko ngang College Scholar noon eh panay prerog din.

Parang mali. Ngayong upper na ako, alam ko nang mali si Ma’am. Mistulang nagkaroon ng standing ovation sa lecture hall sa pagtayo ng ‘di mabilang na mga estudayante. Prof: "Sige tatanggapin ko kayong lahat kung ok lang sa iba na maupo sa sahig." Mga prerog: "Ok lang po Sir!" "Salamat po!" "Hulog ka ng langit Sir!" Wow. Prof: "World class tayo eh." Napaisip ako sa sinabi ni Sir. Oo nga, world class daw and Elbi, pero bakit ganito? Bakit ang daming estudyanteng kulang-kulang ang units? Bakit ang daming namamalimos ng slots? Bakit ang daming pila-dito-makaawa-doon, sayaw-dito-kantadoon? Minsan nama'y pinagtutula o pinag-aarte o ‘di naman kaya ay magpapa-quiz yung professor tapos matatanggap yung top 3 scorers.

12 Years na Slave... continuation from page 14 niyang eskwelahan ang babayaran niya, kundi

Papabagsak na pero pasadong-pasado pa rin. Hindi na pinansin ni Josh kung malapit na siya sa passing rate, basta ang tanging katagang nakapagpapasaya sa kanya ay ang numerong iyon. Sa lahat ng pamantasan, alam na ito ang magic number. At katulad ng kanyang mga numerong nakamit sa paghihirap niya sa ilang buwan, ito rin ang pinakaangkop na numerong maaring makapagtukoy sa kanyang kasalukuyang kalagayan: hindi malungkot, pero hindi rin masaya. Ito na lang din ang tanging nakakapagbigayginhawa sa lahat ng kanyang mga problemang kinakaharap ngayon. Isipin mo pa ba naman hindi lang ang kinabukasan mo, kundi ang kinabukasan ng tatlo mong kapatid? Kinakaya pa niya: dalawang taon pa. Delayed na rin siya nang isang taon, hindi dahil sa pagpapabaya, kundi sa pagkakayod. Inayos pa niya sa SystemOne ang sched niya para makapagtrabaho lang sa gabi: at sa lupa ng mga overseas calls at matataas na condominium, hinangad niyang makapag-uwi ng sapat, para na rin sa kinabukasan ng kanyang mga kapatid. Isa na lang ding biyaya na tinuturing ni Josh ang ‘pagkaligtas’ niya sa dalawang taong dagdag sa high school. Bawas-bayarin, o kung tawagin niya, ‘mas sulit’. Hindi na mapupunta pa sa dalawang taong mataas na tuition sa dati

”

makabagong equipment.

Ngunit hinding-hindi ko malilimutan ang isa ko namang klase, isang course sa Institute of Biological Sciences. May dalawang prerog. Ang kanilang mga mata ay balot ng luhang pinipigil ang pagtulo. Humarap si Ma’am sa aming mga enlisted. Heto ang tanda kong sinabi niya, "Class, ayan, may dalawa tayong prerog. Puno na tayo pero tatanggapin ko sila kasi kawawa naman. Gusto ko lang ipaalala sa inyo na nandito kayo sa unibersidad para mag-aral. Mag-aral kayo para hindi niyo maabala ang iba, para hindi kayo makipagsiksikan sa isang klase. Nagagambala ng repeaters ang sistema eh. Para lang dapat talaga to sa mga freshie, first takers, pero dahil may mga GRAPHICS bumabagsak, nagkakasisiksikan. MARY ANNE GUDITO Kaya mag-aral kayo."

Oras na para sa susunod kong klase - BOT 1 lab. May prerog ulit. "Ma'am 12 units pa lang po ako." Nagmamakaawa.

Mga ilang minuto matapos mag-prerog ni ate, may kumatok ulit sa pinto. Pagbukas nito'y may estudyante na nagsalita ng Ingles, "Ma'am, good afternoon. Can you accomodate one more student in your class? Please."

kulang ang budget ng

classrooms, o pagpapaganda sa mga naitayo na. Walang pambili ng

Pumunta akong SU kasi ‘yun lang ang alam kong tambayan noon. Tiningnan ko ang schedule ko at ngumiti ng matamis. Ang saya kayang makitang ang dami mong recess. Habang sumisipsip ako ng chocolate milk, narinig ko yung usapan sa kabilang table. "Pre prerog tayo sa section na ‘to mamaya ha?" Tumango lang yung kausap niya, mukhang balisa si kuya, mukhaang iniwan ng girlfriend, habang parang wala sa sarili na tinuturo-turo ang hawak niyang maputing class schedule.

"Actually puno na yung klase ko miss, pero sige kaya pa naman ng room ng isa pa." Parang nakakuha ng ka-sparks ang ngiti ni ate ng mga oras yun.

“

May mga prerog dahil

sa dagdag pang dalawang taong gugugulin niya sa kolehiyo. Nakita rin niya ang hilera ng mga billboard na nakasabit sa mga poste. “Weh? Sa miscellaneous naman nila idadagdag ‘yun.” Alam na ni Josh ang kalakaran: na siya rin namang mararanasan ng kanyang mga pag-aaraling kapatid. Wala rin namang ibang eskwelahang makapagbibigay ng mas magagandang oportunidad para sa kanila. Martir man kung isipin, maganda naman ang hangarin. “O maganda nga ba? Kung pineperahan ka lang din naman, at parang ginigipit ka pa,” talak niya. Kung sa tech-voc naman sila mag-aaral, mahihiwalay pa ang mga kapatid niya, na malamang ay nagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa -- titiisin ang mga Pasko, Bagong Taon, at mga kaarawan ng mga kamag-anak na magkahiwalay sa isa’t isa. Totoo naman, hindi maipapalit ng mga tawag sa Internet at roaming ang personal na pakikipaghalubilo. “Ang hirap,” buntong-hininga na lang ni Josh. Ngunit, sa habang panahong iniisip niya ang pinakamagandang tunguhin, dumating ang isang katanungang magsasawalang-bahala sa ilang minute niyang pagmumuni-muni. “Bakit ganito ang kailangan para makamit

May mga prerog dahil kulang ang budget ng unibersidad. Walang pampagawa ng mga bagong classrooms, o pagpapaganda sa mga naitayo na. Walang pambili ng mga makabagong equipment. Walang sapat na sahod ang mga dakila nating guro. Walang sapat na pondo para tumanggap pa ng mga bago. Kung sa nararapat, tinutugunan ng estado ang pangangailangan natin sa edukasyon. Subalit ang nangyayari, inaabandona tayo. Napipilitan tuloy ang mga unibersidad na gumawa ng paraan upang masustena ang sarili, ito ay sa porma ng pagtataas ng tuition and other fees, pakikipag-partner sa mga malalaking negosyante at pagtatayo ng kung anu-anong pwedeng pagkakitaan sa loob ng mga pamantasan. Mayroon namang pera, hindi nga lang naibibigay ang tamang budget sa atin. Alam mo na ang dapat mong gawin. [P]

ang magandang kinabukasan? Ano kayang naisip ng naglatag?” ******* Ito ang mga istoryang nararanasan na ng kalakhan ng mga estudyante sa lahat ng mga pamantasan at paaralan – ang matitinding mga ekonomikong suliranin, ang kawalan ng materyal na kakayahan. Sa mga taong nagdaan, ang patuloy na pagiral ng papataas na mga bayarin sa pamantasan ang nagpalayo sa mas marami pa sanang makakatamasa ng de-kalidad na edukasyon sa UP: isang napakalaking oportunidad din para sa lahat upang makaraos at maglingkod sa sambayanan. Maaring dumarami na rin sa atin ang nakatamasa ng madaling daan patungo sa Pamantasan ng Bayan: nanggaling sa mga pribadong mga eskwelahan at binuhusan ng napakaraming mga tyansa para makaangat at makapasok sa mga malalaki at de-kalidad ding pamantasan – hindi alintana ang sumisirit pa rin na halaga ng edukasyon sa bansa. Lalala na ito pagsibol ng K-12, na sa pagtulak ng mga dayuhang merkado at ng mga malalaking negosyante sa ating bansa – ay minadali at pinilit ni BS Aquino na maipasa at mapatakbo. Hindi na maitatago ng kahit anumang pahayag at “paglilinaw” ang tunay na pakay nito: at ramdam na ramdam na siya ng nakararami. [P]

UPLB PERSPECTIVE | Volume 42 Issue 1 | June - August 2015

Kubli

CAREN MALALUAN

“

Namulat ako sa isang tahanan at lipunan kung saan may tiyak na linyang naghihiway sa tama at mali. Walang gitna, walang medyo tama o

Nakatingin sa malayo na waring may tinatanaw na kung ano sa agos ng mga tao na walang humpay sa pagdating at pag-alis. Tahimik na sinusuyod ang bawat mukhang matamaan ng mata at palihim na humihiling na sana’y ang susunod na pupukaw sa paningin ay ang pamilyar na anino ng mukhang itinatak na sa bawat sulok ng aking magulong isipan. Nasaan? Muling hinagod ng paningin ang mga mukhang nagdaan, takot na baka may nakaligtaang pagmasdan sa karagatang puno ng mga estranghero. Panipis na nang panipis ang bilang ng mga taong nagdaraan ngunit hindi pa rin nadapuan ng paningin ang nag-iisang dahilan kung bakit ako nandito. Walang aninong sumulpot para saluhin ako sa aking mabilis na pagkahulog at walang boses na narinig para isalba ako sa mga bulong ng aking sariling konsensya. Sa paglubog ng araw ay sumabay ang paghugot ko ng isang buntong hininga na senyales ng katapusan ng aking paghihintay at ang paghila ko sa sariling mga paa para lisanin ang lugar na kinalalagyan. Sa paglalakad papalayo muling nagbalik sa isipan ang mga pangyayari na humantong mismo sa desisyon kong piliin ang sinasabing tama ng mga taong may mapanghusgang mga mata. Ang simula… Sa mga lihim na pagsulyap nagsimula ang lahat. Mga tingin na nagpapahiwatig ng mga mensaheng higit pa sa kayang ipabatid ng mga salita. Ang koleksyon ng iba’t-ibang galaw ang bumuo sa tulay na kahit kalian man ay hindi ko dapat tinawid. Mga lihim na sulyap, tingin at pagtitig, makahulugang pagngiti at pagtango, at ang walang humpay na pagbulong

NOFURYSOLOUD

Ang Bagong Messiah

JIL DANIELLE CARO Kahit saan man tayo magpunta ngayon ay lagi nating kabuntot ang mabuting balita: Malapit nang dumating ang panibagong tagapagligtas! Naririyan na nga ang ‘di umano’y magliligtas sa atin sa kahirapan at mag-aahon sa ating lugmok na bansa. Paparating na siya---sa darating na Mayo 2016, sa anyo ng panibagong Pangulo.

Laman ng araw-araw na balita sa radyo, telebisyon at pahayagan ang nalalapit na pambansang eleksyon. Lumantad na ang mga nagnanais na kumandidato sa iba’t ibang pwesto. Hindi pa man pormal na nagsisimula ang panahon ng kampanya ay kanya-kanya na ang mga pakulo at pagpapabango ng pangalan. Kanya-kanyang gimik kung paano kukuha ng simpatya mula sa tao. Marahil sa mga panahong ito, mayroon na tayong kanya-kanyang napupusuang kandidato. Subalit kung susuriing mabuti, ang dala-dalang pangako ng ‘di umano’y mabuting balita ay ginagamit upang matabunan ang tunay na malubhang kalagayan ng lipunan. Kamakailan ay inihatid ni Pangulong Aquino ang kanyang pinakahuling State of the Nation Address o SONA. Hanggang sa kahulihulihan ay pinanindigan ng Pangulo ang kanyang “tuwid na daan”. Ipinagmalaki niya na umunlad ang ekonomiya, matagumpay ang mga isinatupad na polisiya kagaya ng Public Private Partnership (PPP), Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) at Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). Ayon pa sa Pangulo, gumanda rin ang mga imprastuktura, nabawasan ang talamak na korapsyon, at higit sa lahat, nabawasan ang

kahirapan sa bansa. Ngunit, taliwas sa mga ipinagmalaki ng Pangulo, hindi maikukubli ang tunay na pambansang kalagayan, kung saan patuloy ang talamak na kontraktwalisasyon, malaking porsyento ng lakas paggawa ay wala o walang disenteng hanapbuhay, 6098 na mga Pilipino ang nangingibang bansa araw-araw, pito sa bawat sampung magsasaka ang wala pa ring sariling lupang inaani, patuloy ang paglobo ng bilang ng mga kabataang hindi nakakapagaral, at patuloy ang pagkasira ng ating likas yaman. Marami pa ring katanungan ang walang naging kasagutan. Napakaraming dapat pagtuunan ng pansin, subalit hindi mabigyan ng lubos na atensyon. Nasaan na nga ba ang bilyon-bilyong donasyon para sa mga naging biktima ng Yolanda? Bakit hindi pa naikukulong ang lahat ng nangurakot sa pera ng taumbayan? Paano na lamang ang kalikasan at libolibong pamilyang apektado kung itatayo ang megadike sa Lawa ng Laguna? Sino ang dapat managot sa nangyari sa Mamasapano? Kailan itutuloy at paninindigan ng gobyerno ang usaping pangkapayapaan sa panig ng National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) at Moro International Liberation Front (MILF)? Sa halip na singilin ang Pangulo, sampu ng mga kurakot na opisyal sa mga kasalanan ng mga ito sa taumbayan, ay tutok na tutok sa paparating na pambansang eleksyon? Ang maagang pangangampanya at lubusang pagpapatampok ng mga kandidato ay ano pa’t isang pakanang inihanda upang mabaling ang ating atensyon at upang pilit

”

medyo mali.

ng aking tunay na pagkatao- ito ang mga bagay na nagtulak sa akin na tanggapin at akapin ang isang bagay na matagal kong ipinagkait sa sarili: ang katotohanan. Matagal kong pinilit na takbuhan ang katotohanan. Akala ko nga masyadong malayo na ang aking narating sa kakatakbo para mahabol pa ako ng kung anumang sikretong ibinaon ko sa madilim at tagong yungib ng sariling isipan. Ngunit mapagbiro nga naman ang tadhana o sadyang hangal lang ako para akalain na matatakasan ko ang katotohanan kung ang pagtakbo ko ay pag-ikot imbes na paglayo. Ipinikit ko ang aking mga mata at ikinulong ko ang sarili sa rehas na ako mismo ang gumawa. Bakit? Namulat ako sa isang tahanan at lipunan kung saan may tiyak na linyang naghihiway sa tama at mali. Walang gitna, walang medyo tama o medyo mali. Konkreto ang mga batas, iba’t-iba ang mga turo pero iisa ang opinyon at paniniwala kaya sa aklat ng mga tama at katanggaptanggap, mali daw ang katotohanang itinatago ng aking puso. Ngunit dumating ang araw na natagpuan ko ang susi na magbubukas sa rehas ng aking mga sikreto. Isang bagay na yumanig sa aking mga pinanghahawakang paniniwala at kumestiyon kung tama pa nga ba ang inaakala kong tama. Isang tao na nagpakawala ng aking mga pakpak at nagturo sa akin na lumipad nang malaya at matayog sa kabila ng mapanghamak na pag-ihip ng malakas na hangin. Sino? Nakakatawa man isipin pero sino ang makakapagsabi na ang inaakala kong mali ay naging tama sa aking paningin sa tulong ng isa pang pagkakamali.[P]

“

Walang tunay na Messiah. Huwag na tayong maghintay at umasa pa. Ang taumbayan ang lalagot sa sarili niyang tanikala. Tayo ang magliligtas sa nating malimutan ang mga pangyayaring nararapat nating alalahanin. Dito pumapasok ang husay ng brainwashing ng mainstream midya. Biruin niyo at nagagawa nilang ibaling ang ating atensyon sa huwad na pangako ng kinabukasan, upang gawin tayong manhid sa kasalukuyan at pilit na pagtakpan ang dumi ng nakaraang administrasyon. “May paparating na bagong umaga. Hayaan na ang nakalipas dahil nangyari na. Hawak-kamay nating salubungin ang pagsikat ng bagong araw,” ang tila sinasabi sa atin. Madali nga ba para sa mga Pilipino ang kumalimot dahil may paparating nang bagong tagapagligtas? Hindi. Subalit nananatili ang hamon na labanan natin ang mga salik na pinipilit tayong patahimikin.

”

ating bayan.

Marahil bahagi na ng ating araw-araw na buhay ang paghahanap ng magliligtas sa atin, ang magtatama sa mga nagawang pagkakamali, at tunay na mag-aahon sa atin sa ating nakasusulasok na katayuan. Dito lamang sa ating unibersidad, taon-taon nating hinahanap ang Messiah sa pagkatao ng iba’t ibang liderestudyante. Taon-taon tayong humihiling. Magro-rollback na kaya ng tuition ngayong taon? Kikilalanin na ba ang mga organisasyon? Mahihinto na ba ang harassments sa mga nasa konseho, publikasyon at mga progresibo? Titingkad na bang muli ang student movement kagaya noong Martial Law? Ngunit ang hindi natin namamalayan ay

lumilipas nang lumilipas ang panahon subalit hindi nababago ang sistema. Nasasayang ang ating oras sa paghihintay sa tunay na tagapagligtas. Mali tayo sa pakikinig sa mga huwad na pangako ng mga nagkukunwaring Messiah kagaya ng kasalukuyang Pangulong nangako ng isang matuwid na daan. “Kayo ang boss ko,” ika nga niya. Ilan na nga ba ang nangako sa atin na tayo ay kanyang ililigtas? Ilan na rin ba ang hinayaan nating makatakas sa mga ito, at sa kanilang mga kasalanan sa mamayang Pilipino? Mga kababayan, panagutin natin ang mga ito. Walang tunay na Messiah. Huwag na tayong maghintay at umasa pa. Ang taumbayan ang lalagot sa sarili niyang tanikala. Tayo ang magliligtas sa ating bayan. [P]

GRAPHICS JOHN PAUL OMAC

SKETCHPAD

OPINION 15

UPLB PERSPECTIVE | Volume 42 Issue 1 | June - August 2015

EDITORIAL GRAPHICS JOHN PAUL OMAC

The UPLB Perspective AY 2015-2016 Editor in Chief Jil Danielle M. Caro Associate Editor John Paul M. Omac Managing Editor Andrew A. Estacio Associate Managing Editor Clariza Cassandra C. Concordia News Editor Albert John Enrico A. Dominguez Features Editor Mary Anne V. Gudito Culture Editor Miguel Carlos C. Lazarte Production and Layout Editor Jose Lorenzo E. Lim Business Manager Czarina Joy B. Arevalo

Iisang Pananaw Apatnapu’t dalawang taon na ang nakakaraan nang nililok ng kolektibong pagkilos ng mga Iskolar ng Bayan ang kasaysayan. Hawak mo sa iyong mga kamay ngayon ang pinakaunang pahayagan ng mga mag-aaral na naibalik sa buong bansa sa ilalim ng batas militar ng diktaturyang Marcos. Setyembre 21, 1972 nang ideklara ng dating Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos ang batas militar sa bisa ng Proclamation 1081. Hindi lingid sa atin ang kinaharap ng ating bansa sa mga panahong ito. Dumanak ang dugo noong dekada ’70. Pinakamatingkad na karakter ng batas military ang pagsupil sa kalayaan ng mga Pilipino. Ipinatupad ang curfew, binusalan ang midya, ikinulong, dinukot, ipinapatay, at naging desaparacidos ang mga lumaban sa gobyerno. Sa hanay ng mga estudyante, tinanggal ang mga konseho ng mga mag-aaral at ipinasara ang mga pahayagan.

ng manunulat at mga mamamahayag na hindi nagawang puksain ng diktaturyang Marcos. Isinulong ng pahayagan ang pagtataguyod sa kilusang propaganda kasabay ng malawak na pag-oorganisa sa mga Iskolar ng Bayan tungo sa iisang mithi. Sa paglubha ng kalagayan ng lipunan ay siyang naging paglakas ng pagkilos ng mamamayang lumalaban. Hindi naglaon ay naibalik din ng mga mag-aaral ng UP Los Banos ang UPLB University Student Council (USC) noong 1978.

Kinalala ng buong bansa ang naging malaking bahagi ng kabataang Pilipino upang makawala sa tanikala ng pasismo. Ilan lamang ang mga pangalan nina Rizalina Ilagan at Leticia Ladlad sa mga martir ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Los Banos na nagbuwis ng kanilang mga buhay upang makamtam ang demokrasya. Sa pagbalik tanaw sa kasaysayan, kinikilala Patuloy ang ng pahayagan ang Ngunit sa pakikipaglaban ng mga bilang isang kabila ng mahigpit na Iskolar ng Bayan kasama seguridad at matinding ng sambayanang Pilipino na banta ng panganib, upang pabagsakin ang ng at hindi nabuwag ang diktaturyang Marcos. hanay ng mga Iskolar Kasabay nito ang napamamahayag. na pagtanggap ng patuloy ng Bayan. Palihim hamon silang nagtipon-tipon ng pahayagan na patuloy ang upang pag-aralan ang lipunan, at upang na magmulat at mag-organisa para sa karapatan at paigtingin ang nasyonalismo sa pamamagitan ng kalayaan. iba’t ibang diskurso. Kasabay nito ang aktibong paglahok sa mga demonstrasyon sa loob at labas Patuloy ang UPLB Perspective bilang isang ng unibersidad at ang pakikisangkot sa malawak “mosquito press” na bumabasag sa konsepto na batayang masa. ng walang kinikilingan at walang kulay na pamamahayag. Hanggang sa noong taong 1973, naibalik ang pahayagan ng mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad Sa isang lipunang matingkad ang ng Pilipinas Los Banos. Mula sa Aggie, Green and tunggalian ng uri, kung saan naghahari ang Gold, isinilang ang UPLB Perspective. Bagama’t mapansamantalang pwersa, kasalanan ang hindi naging madali para sa pahayagan, sinikap pumikit at itikom ang bibig. Sa isang lipunang nitong gampanan ang tungkuling magmulat mayor ng populasyon ay nananatiling api, huwad ng kapwa mag-aaral na makiisa sa laban para sa ang kalayaan at mito ang pagkakapantay-pantay, karapatan at kalayaan. Sa una ay naging palihim kasalanan ang manahimik. ang pamamahagi ng mga artikulong direktang tumutuligsa sa administrasyong Marcos. Hindi Ang pananahimik o pagiging ‘balanse’ ay naglaon ay kumalat ang mga babasahin sa labas ng siyang pagpayag sa dominasyon at pananamantala kampus, malayo ang narating ng mga artikulong ng naghaharing-uri. Sa isang nabubulok na naglayong magmulat sa sambayanang Pilipino. sistema, mayroong nararapat kilingan. Mayroong nararapat na pakinggan. Mayroong nararapat na Dahil rito, binansagan ang UPLB Perspective ipaglaban. bilang “mosquito press”, na nangangahulugang maliit subalit nakamamatay ang kagat. Isa ang Mayroong kulay ang pahayagan. [P] pahayagan sa hanay ng matatalas na mga grupo

“

UPLB Perspective “mosquito press”

bumabasag sa konsepto walaang kinikilingan walang kulay “

EDITORIAL

News Staff Guien Eidrefson P. Garma Caren Joy B. Malaluan Features Staff Jeremiah N. Dalman Elisha V. Padilla Culture Staff Karl Gabrielle B. De Los Santos Kent Sydney H. Mercader Diana Jane M. Plofino Jey Filan C. Reyes Production Staff Paul Christian A. Carson Trista Isobelle E. Gile Miguel Elvir R. Quitain Business Management Staff Ana Catalina C. Paje Charity Faith D. Rulloda Apprentices: Adrian Ray S. Del Campo Edgar Daniel D. Bagasol Jr. Khim A. Festin Geerod Xavier G. Pinza Khean Christian D. Ragasa

The UPLB Perspective is a member of College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) and UP Solidaridad UP systemwide alliance of student publications and writers’ association uplbperspective@gmail.com UPLB Perspective @uplbperspective uplbperspective