UPLB Perspective Tomo 44, Issue 2

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2017 BYEMBRE O N • A IN . 2• 12 PAH XLIV • BLG

E P B UPL MGA AGAN NG Y A H A P A YAL N ANG OPIS

E V I T C E P S R

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OS S LOS BAÑ A IN IP IL P G ERSIDAD N L NG UNIB

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Pro-poor facade | editoryal 2

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“Promised cash” from COOP drives thousands to UPLB

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KULTURA

Bersos

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LATHALAIN

Pitik Bulag

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opinyon

Tatlong Ulong Asul

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Pro-poor facade Duterte promised change as he took seat in Malacañang last year.

The masses had high hopes as finally, a pro-poor president is about to effect change. Finally, agricultural lands owned by rich families in the provinces will be distributed to the farmers who toil and break their backs under the heat of the sun. Finally, contractual workers will be given benefits, and be given work friendly environments. Finally, our streets will be safer as the unconventional president promised to eradicate crime and corruption in three to six months. Finally, we have a president who is willing to proceed with peace talks with the National Democratic Front and address the roots of the long standing arm struggle in the countryside.

A year later, farmers remain to be landless, workers remain to be contractual, in the streets, which are supposed to be safer are dead bodies covered in duct tape with a sign saying, “wag tularan pusher ako.” People in the urban poor are in constant fear of being tagged in the Oplan Tokhang and the people in the blue uniforms supposedly protecting the Filipino citizens are now the ones the urban poor run away from in fear of being mistaken as a drug user. The poor are killed without due process while the drug lords and syndicates go

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unscathed. Furthermore, this administration has used its police force and the military to intimidate farmers and the indigenous people in the countryside who are asserting for land.

Unyon ng mga Mangagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) reports that up to date, 65 killings of farmers under the Duterte Administration had been documented. Majority of these killings happened after the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) declared an “all-out war” against the New People’s Army (NPA) on February. Most of these killings are attributed to have been caused by land disputes connected to land-grabbing, land use conversion for mining, and expansion of agribusiness plantations and big projects by corporations.

It is very ironic that the state forces supposedly protecting its people are the ones reportedly responsible for the deaths of farmers and our national minorities. More so, the irony that foreign corporations benefit from our land and our resources while our farmers remain to be landless and poor persists until today and it seems like there is no concrete action and genuine political will from the Duterte Administration to address these ironies.

As the number of killings rise and as the poor and the marginalized continue to be targeted in human rights violations, the Duterte Admin itself reveals that behind its pro-poor façade is an administration protecting the interests of big landlords and foreign corporations in the expense of neglecting the rights of farmers and the indigenous people to organize, fight for their lands.

A year into the presidency, the Duterte Administration unmasks itself through intensified fascism in the war on drugs and the killings in the countryside. The Filipino people also see how the president, known for his strong assertions and unconventional language, fails on keeping his word and his promises and that the change he has promised is not coming because he is no different from the past administrators. [P]

#MARCOSNOTWELCOMEINUPLB KRISTINE PAULA BAUTISTA

Students condemened the UPLB Administration’s move to allow inside the campus, known for its vigilance and militancy against Marcos’ Martial Law, and event purportedly glorifiying the late dictator.

“Promised cash” from COOP drives thousands to UPLB WORDS l CAREN JOY MALAUAN

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Kasapi UP Alliance of Student Publications and Writers’ Organizations (Solidaridad) at College Editors’ Guild of the Philippines Pamuhatan Silid 11, Pangalawang Palapag, Student Union Building, Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, Los Baños, College, Los Baños, Laguna , 4031

Punong Patnugot Julianne Afable Kapatnugot Vicente Morano III Tagapamahalang Patnugot Michelle Andrea Laurio, Charity Faith Rulloda Patnugot ng Balita Caren Malaluan Patnugot ng Lathalain Miguel Carlos Lazarte Patnugot ng Kultura Mac Andre Arboleda Patnugot ng Paglalapat Kristine Joy Orig Patnugot ng Grapiks Jandelle Cruz Patnugot ng mga Larawan ⋅ Kristine Paula Bautista Tagapamahala ng Pinansiya Deniel Sean Macapal Mga Kawani Ranielle Averion ⋅ Paul Christian Carson ⋅ Monica Laboy ⋅ Lianne Rose Parajeno ⋅ Juvelle Villanueva ⋅ Diana Jane Plofino ⋅ Karl Gabrielle De Los Santos ⋅ Patricia Echano ⋅ John Albert Pagunsan ⋅ Eunice Alexcy Senadoza ⋅ Juan Sebastian Evangelista ⋅ Maria Maxene Jaleco

tungkol sa pabalot Farmer’s Plight ni Maria Maxene Jaleco

Thousands of supposed beneficiaries of a cooperative went into the campus in droves as early as 5:00 in the morning on September 23, 2017, causing heavy traffic along Lopez Avenue and the National Highway in Los Banos, Laguna.

The beneficiaries – who arrived in the campus through jeepneys, vans, and buses – were told that they will be given P10, 000 cash advance by the One Social Family Credit Cooperative (OSFCC), formerly known as Bullion Buyer Ltd. A program held at the lower Freedom Park’s grandstand was touted as a general assembly of OSFCC. Dr. Serlie Barroga-Jamias, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, said in a statement sent to reporters that the university “approved the letter of Mr. Jeffrey S. Fortuna, National Inspectorate/Cooperative Secrateriat of [OSFCC] to hold general assembly meeting at the lower field managed by the [Department] of Human Kinetics.”

The vice chancellor added that UPLB Chancellor Fernando C. Sanchez, Jr. had previously approved “sectoral groups in the past such as the Lumads, peasants, [boy] scouts, sports events, plus others from communities to use UPLB grounds as community sharing.

All of the supposed beneficiaries that the UPLB Perspective has encountered are holding a booklet

with a photo of former President Ferdinand Marcos on the cover. The booklet, titled Life and Achievements of Ferdinand E. Marcos, supposedly contains the accomplishments of the late dictator. Bullion Buyer is the publisher of the said booklet.

“Unity could not be achieved by President Marcos during his term that’s [sic] why the peace of mind of President Marcos was only attained during Martial Law followed by all the good things he achieved during his reign as President,” the booklet’s preface reads.

The beneficiaries were told that those who have a signed copy of the Marcos booklet will be given a cash advance. Furthermore, they were told that each family will be given P1 million, which will be divided equally.

“Lahat ng beneficiaries, meron kayong cash advance. How are we going to do that? Yung inyong one million each per family, i-divide natin into two. Yung P500,000 we’ll give it to you P10,000 [sic] every month for four years and two months. The remaining P500,000, yun ang magiging capital share niyo sa cooperative,” a female speaker told the crowd in a program held at the Freedom Park grandstand.

A group of security guards from Cavite that the UPLB Perspective has talked to said that while they were aware before the event that they will receive something, it was only today

during the program at the grandstand that they were informed about the cash advance.

“Narinig namin mismo [doon sa programa]. Alam namin na may matatanggap nga pero ngayon lang sinabi na [ang may] booklet, tatanggap daw,” one of the guards said.

Students condemn unexpected event For their part, the University Student Council (USC) and other organizations condemned the UPLB administration’s move to allow inside the campus, which is known for its vigilance and militancy against Marcos’ Martial Law, an event purportedly glorifying the late dictator.

“Ang pagpapangako ng pera sa mamamayang Pilipino ay hindi mapapaltan ang mga buhay na nawala noong panahon ng diktatura ni Marcos. Kinokondena natin ang ating administrasyon na hinayaang magawa dito ang ang aktibidad na ito,” the USC said during an indignation rally at Carabao Park on Saturday afternoon.

“Nakakagalit na sa mismong pamantasan na nanindigan at lumaban sa diktadura ginanap ang ganitong pagtitipon,” Samahan ng Kabataan Para sa Bayan said in the same rally.

The political alliance also questioned the University’s decision to allow delegates of Lakbayan ng Pambansang Minorya this year to

enter the campus but with oppressive limitations. “Sa panahon na ang mamamayan ang humingi ng permit, hindi napagbigyan,” they said.

Other organizations also slammed the supposed distribution of Marcos’ wealth, saying it contributes to historical revisionism.

“Walang kahit anong pera o kayamanan ang magbibigayt-presyo sa mga buhay na kinitil ni Marcos na

nagpapatuloy hanggang ngayon,” Anakbayan-UPLB said during the rally.

Complaints against Bullion Buyer Bullion Buyer Ltd. has been a subject of an advisory of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The advisory, dated March 8, 2017, warned citizens to not invest in the said entity.

SEC describes their modus operandi as follows: “Those recruited

Police presence at LB Square an emergency response WORDS l CAREN JOY MALAUAN, CYRIL CHAN

No Tokhang operation conducted, says PNP-LB No warrantless body searches or Oplan Tokhang operation happened at LB Square along Grove, Lopez Avenue in Brgy. Batong Malake on the night of September 18, 2018, UPLB Perspetive has learned.

Citing unverified social media posts saying that body searches were “confirmed” to have been conducted at the Square, PO2 Raymond Malabanan, on-duty investigator of the Los Baños Municipal Police Station, told the UPLB Perspective in an interview on the evening of September 20, 2017: “Kami naman dito sa Los Baños

PNP [Philippine National Police], pinabubulaanan namin ang sinabing iyon.”

“Walang pangangapkap.

Ni preventive search nga, wala kaming ginawa,” he added.

The local law enforcement authorities said they were there at the Square, where several restaurants and bars are located, to respond to an emergency.

According to Malabanan, the onduty investigator on the incident, eight people had a fight at the second floor of Cubes Resto Bar in LB Square at past 11pm on Monday. Relationship dispute was seen as a motive behind the incident. Two of those involved

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(contd. from pg. 3) underwent medical examinations, Malabanan said.

The owner of the resto bar had no interest in pressing charges, Malabanan said. “Wala naman siyang interes na magreklamo, pinabayaran na lang ang mga nasira, mga nabasag,” he added.

Malabanan confirmed that three emergency response vehicles were on the scene to respond to the incident. Two of these are Los Baños PNP’s mobile vehicles which were stationed at the Junction area, while one is from Barangay Batong Malake.

He said that all the members of the Los Baños PNP, including its chief, PSupt. Arvin Avelino, who were at the Junction area for Oplan Sita, a regular police operation, responded to the said incident.

The Barangay Public Safety Office (BPSO) of Barangay Batong Malake also responded to the quarrel. The incident was confirmed

by Dindo Tuazon, a radio operator for Barangay Batong Malake. In a separate interview with the UPLB Perspective, he said that the incident was reported on the barangay’s blotter.

The barangay radioed the incident to the police, Malabanan said. He also mentioned that the incident was settled in the barangay level, thus, it was not recorded in the police’s blotter. “Kung dito sila magbablotter, automatic, magkakaso sila.

Eh napagdesisyunan naman nilang isantabi ang paghahabla,” the investigator said.

Eyewitness accounts The manager of Cubes and other eyewitnesses that the UPLB Perspective have talked to also denied the alleged warrantless searches on students and patrons of the Square. They also denied that drugs were involved in that incident.

Ace, the owner of Cubes Resto Bar, told UPLB Perspective that no customer was subjected to a body search. Policemen did not enter in other establishments, he added.

“Buong magdamag, nandito kami, wala naman kaming na-observe na nakapkapang mga estudyante o customer. Wala akong nakita kasi hanggang madaling araw kami nagstay dito,” he said.

Two witnesses have also spoken to the UPLB Perspective, telling the (contd. from pg. 3) are asked to pay thirty pesos (PhP 30.00) in exchange for receiving ten thousand pesos (PhP10,000.00) per month through their Landbank ATM accounts for four (4) years and eleven (11) months starting February 2017.”

“The public is hereby informed that Bullion Buyer Ltd. is not registered with the Commission as a corporation or partnership. There being no primary license, it is not authorized to solicit

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same story. One of the witnesses, a waiter at Cubes, said that their cashier called the attention of policemen stationed at a public assistance desk near the Square.

When asked whether arrests were made that night, he said: “Wala naman po.”

Another witness, a waiter at another restaurant in the Square, when asked about alleged entry of policemen in other establishments, said: “Hindi po sila pumasok [sa amin].” The same witness also denied reports of students being subjected to searches.

Continuing call for vigilance Political alliance Samahan ng Kabataan Para sa Bayan (SAKBAYAN) was the first to publish an alert on early Tuesday morning to students and the UPLB community on the incident on Monday. “We have been informed that police officers are allegedy conducting search of bags at LB Square and Tresto in connection with Oplan Tokhang,” the statement posted on their Facebook page read.

However, Tresto Garden Restaurant, via its Facebook page, denied the conduct of any police operation in their establishment, saying that “part of [SAKBAYAN’s] propaganda is ‘fake news.’”

When asked about the alleged operation in Tresto, Los Baños police deferred to the restaurant’s statement.

For their part, SAKBAYAN said in a later statement issued Tuesday evening via social media that they are continuing “to affirm its call for vigilance in the whole UPLB community in light of recent threats to our civil liberties.”

“First and foremost, our concern would be the safety and security of our constituents. We must ensure that we are able to enjoy our rights,” SAKBAYAN said in a text message to the UPLB Perspective.

“Thus, we call on the UPLB community to stay vigilant given the present political climate in the country,” they added.

For the part of the UPLB University Student Council, chairperson Charmane Jay Maranan said in a separate phone interview: “Syempre, magkakaroon ng fact finding committee, ad hoc na fact finding committee or [iimbestigahan] ng EdRes (Education and Research) Committee) kung anong nangyari.” [P]

investments which require a secondary license as provided under Sec. 8.1 of the Securities Regulation Code,” the advisory reads.

A Google search of Bullion Buyer Ltd. leads to various reports of complaints against the company. Reports published by local media indicate that Bullion Buyer has been operating in Baguio City, Pangasinan, and Bacolod. [P]

UPLB students condemn death of Kian Delos Santos and other victims of state fascism WORDS l EUNICE ALEXCY SENADOZA, GRAPHICS | KARMA KOLETIB

Students, student leaders, and organizations held an indignation rally and candle lighting ceremony to seek justice for Kian Lloyd Delos Santos and other victims of extrajudicial killings last August 22, 2017 at the Hagdan ng Malayang Kamalayan.

Amidst heavy rainfall, representatives of the college student councils and various student organizations expressed their anger over the murder of 17-year-old Kian Lloyd Delos Santos during an antidrug operation in Caloocan city. The said event was also held to decry against the selective form of justice that is given only to the rich and the powerful.

Different student organizations and college-based student councils cited how due process was given only to powerful people and people close to the President like Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo ‘Polong’ Duterte and not to people like Kian. The College of Arts and Sciences Student Council (CAS SC) asserts, “The war on drugs is a war on the poor.”

Polong was accused of being involved in the P6.5 billion worth of shipment of methamphetamine or shabu from China that went through the green lane of the Bureau of Customs. He was able to issue a statement in his Facebook account denying such claims, but s u c h

opportunity to explain himself was not accorded to Kian and many other victims of extra judicial killings (EJKs).

Murder of teens, a sabotage to destroy administration of Duterte Kian was killed while Caloocan police were conducting a drug raid in their neighborhood last August 16, 2017, the cops alleging that he took a shot at them and their actions was just in self defense.

However, CCTV footage caught the image of the cops dragging Kian to the site where the he was supposedly killed and investigators found no evidence of the boy firing a gun. And according to a witness account, it was the police who gave Kian the gun and ordered him to fire it and run.

“Sabi, ‘Hawakan mo ‘to.’ Sabi po ni Kian, ‘Ano pong gagawin ko dito?’

‘Iputok mo. Tapos tumakbo ka.’ Iyon daw po ang pagkakasabi. Tapos si Kian po, umiiyak na po siya,” the witness told the authorities.

Contrary to Polong who was accused of drug trafficking, Kian was not able to explain himself in court or in a police station.

The incident has since sparked nationwide outrage and led to the dismissal of PO3 Arnel Oares, PO1 Jerwin Cruz, and PO1 Jeremias Pereda from the Caloocan Police Community Precint 7 (PCP-7). The three, together with their station commander Chief Inspector Amor Cerillo, were filed charges for murder and for violation of the country’s anti-torture law.

Kian’s death was shortly followed by the killing of 19 year-old Carl Arnaiz, who has been found to be tortured before he was shot five times, and his friend, 14 yearold Reynaldo “Kulot” De Guzman who was found floating in a creek in Gapan, Nueva Ecija with at least 30 stab wounds and his head wrapped with packaging tape two weeks after he was declared missing.

President Rodrigo Duterte suspects that there is a group sabotaging the government’s campaign against drugs. In a gathering in Davao del Sur, Duterte said, “Take a closer look at it. It is not our work.

I do not allow it. We follow the law.” This is despite his repeated pronouncements that he will keep the police out of jail in case they are convicted and his urging of the police, “Pag waling baril, bigyan ng baril.”

Despite the public anger, the death toll both from legitimate police operations and vigilante-style killings has reached over 7,000 and continues to rise. [P]

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‘MABIBIGYAN BA TALAGA KAMI?’ A look at coop’s claim of distributing Marcos wealth nag-fill up lamang at pinili ng Diyos at ang mga hindi nagrereklamo ay 22,672 beneficiaries lang.”

“Dapat sama-sama tayong magtiis.

Ayaw niyo nun? Mamaya, malalaman niyo na kayo ay malapit nang tumanggap talaga ng mga biyayang hinihintay natin,” he added.

ONE SOCIAL FAMILY CREDIT COOPERATIVE JULIANNE AFABLE

Thousands arrived at UPLB for an event by One Family Credit Cooperative (OSF) Attendees from various areas in CALABARZON came in buses and jeeps in hope of receiving money from OSF, a cooperative claiming to be distributors of Marcos’ wealth.

People, mostly ordinary masses, were promised a million pesos. Those who were to give the money away said the funds are from the wealth of the Marcoses.

One Saturday, they converged in an unlikely place: a campus which served as one of the hotbeds of militancy, opposition, and struggle during Martial Law. Thousands of people, almost all clad in white shirts, arrived at the UPLB campus on September 23, 2017 for what is touted to be a general assembly of the One Social Family Credit Cooperative (OSFCC). Their program was held at the grandstand of the lower Freedom Park.

An old company changing names It was revealed during the program that the OSFCC is the new name of a former entity called Bullion Buyer, Ltd. (BBL). Bullion has been existing since 2004, as mentioned during the program.

A woman speaker explained during the program that Bullion Buyer simply handles the documents for the turn-over of the alleged wealth of the Marcoses. OSFCC was chosen as a beneficiary, and thus, was tasked to distribute the money to the people.

However, it was not clear when BBL was transformed into the OSFCC. So, where’s the money from?

The woman speaker said that there is a Grand Advisory Council that supposedly handles the wealth of the Marcoses. She also said that there are three sources of the said wealth, as follows: -Ferdinand Marcos Cash Account (FMCA); -Marcos Foundation and Trust Fund; and -The Redeemers Group UPLB Perspective was unable to verify the legitimacy and veracity of the last two groups mentioned. However, the FMCA was the subject of a case in 2014 in the District Court of the Hong

Kong Special Administrative Region.

Reading a letter thanking these groups, she told beneficiaries during the program: “As the trusted recipient of the [Marcos] legacy, we are expressing our deepest gratitude for trusting us to implement your program to benefit the Filipino people.” She then ad-libbed, “Programa ito ni Apo Marcos, e. Ngayon lang natin ‘to nalaman.”

Apo Marcos refers to the former President Ferdinand Marcos. Apo is a term of endearment for revered people in family or in power in the Ilocano language.

The same speaker also mentioned making the Philippines a great nation again, where no Filipino will be “financially discriminated” anymore.

How will they distribute the money?

The cooperative claims to have the following workforce for the distribution of wealth to the people: -2,396 coordinators in Luzon and Visayas -1,024 provincial implementers (PIs) and participating leaders (PLs) in Luzon and Visayas -939 coordinators in Mindanao Each coordinator should have 300 beneficiaries before their area can become eligible for the supposed cash dole-outs, UPLB Perspective has learned.

Supposed beneficiaries were told that each family beneficiary will be given P1 million each. The money will be split in half: -P500, 000 will be distributed to the beneficiary for four years and two months; that’s P10, 000 per beneficiary per month.

-The other P500, 000 will be contributed to the cooperative as the beneficiary’s capital share.

The cooperative will open a bank account for the respective beneficiaries, where the latter’s shares of the wealth that’s supposed to be distributed will be deposited.

During the program, the beneficiaries were promised to be

given P10, 000 cash advance.

How to become a beneficiary?

To become a beneficiary, one has to have a booklet titled Life and Acheivements of Ferdinand E. Marcos.

The booklet serves as the proof of membership to the cooperative.

The booklet has to be stamped or signed as proof that the holder of the said booklet is eligible to receive the money supposedly due them.

But getting that booklet, which it seems is marketed as the key to the wealth of the Marcoses, is not as easy as it looks. The registration to become a beneficiary is done per barangay.

First, interested parties have to submit copies of his/her birth certificate and marriage certificate to the coordinator assigned to their barangay. They also have to accomplish a registration form. The coordinator will then put the person’s name on a list.

When the person is about to get a copy of the Marcos booklet, the coordinator will check his/her name on the list.

Once registered, they also have to attend a membership seminar.

Typically, the booklet contains the name and 2×2 ID photo of the beneficiary.

Pinili ng Diyos?

In another part of the program, one man explained that he has been a member of the former Bullion Buyer since 2012. He then said he has been waiting for five years to claim the promised wealth from the Marcoses.

He then linked the word grace to his years of waiting. Grace has five letters. Each letter represents the number of years he’s been waiting.

“Naniniwala akong ang taong 2017 ang huling letra kaya matatanggap niyo ang biyaya.”

The same man said that in the National Capital Region, there are four million supposed beneficiary families.

But he said during the program: “Ang

How big can they be?

There were two noteworthy figures mentioned during the program: -22,672 beneficiaries in the National Capital Region alone; and -281,476 people included in the first batch of beneficiaries.

If we are to believe OSFCC’s claim about the number of beneficiaries and the supposed procedure that each beneficiary will have P500, 000 in capital share, they could be easily classified as a large cooperative, with billions merely in capital.

Assuming that all 22,672 beneficiaries in the National Capital Region will give P500, 000 in capital share to OSFCC, the total capital from these supposed beneficiaries is P11, 336,000,000. In comparison, ACDI Multipurpose Cooperative, the largest cooperative in the country according to the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), has P12.29 billion in assets as of December 2014. OSFCC’s figure is P954 million shy of the total assets of ACDI MPC. Meanwhile, assuming that there are 281,476 beneficiaries who are supposed to give the same amount in capital share, the total capital would be P140, 738,000,000. This figure would clearly surpass the P12.29 billion total assets of ACDI MPC. Bullion no clean company Bullion Buyer Ltd., as it turns out, is plagued with complaints from various supposed beneficiaries, to the extent that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued an advisory against the company.

In its advisory dated March 8, 2017, SEC describes BBL’s operations as follows: “Those recruited are asked to pay thirty pesos (PhP30.00) in exchange for receiving ten thousand pesos (PhP10, 000.00) per month through their Landbank ATM accounts for four (4) years and eleven (11) months starting February 2017. This also entitles them to a grant of five hundred thousand pesos (PhP500, 000.00) for livelihood programs.”

SEC then said that BBL “is not registered with the Commission as a corporation or partnership.” The commission warned the public to stop investing in the company.

As early as 2013, there have already been reports about BBL’s illegitimacy.

Two members of the company were recommended to face estafa charges, a Philippine Star report published in March that year said. The same report cited that these two members, named Felicisima Cantos and Emmanuel Destura, “introduced themselves to

the complainants as caretakers of the assets of the late President Ferdinand Marcos” and that they “enticed the victims to invest” in BBL. Also in 2013, columnist Tony Calvento wrote a piece detailing the modus operandi of the said company.

In June 2013, Lingayen, Pangasinan Regional Trial Court Branch 37 issued warrants of arrest against Destura and Cantos.

In February 2017, Bombo Radyo reported about the proliferation of Bullion Buyer, this time in Baguio City.

Having received many complaints about the company, city mayor Mauricio Domogan had ordered an investigation into the company.

At around the same time, Sun.Star published a Philippine News agency report saying two other members of BBL were also arrested in Mangaldan, Pangasinan. The modus operandi: buy a Marcos booklet for P30, and you can claim P10, 000 a month.

BBL was also able to reach Visayas.

The modus operandi remains similar: submit documents, pay for a booklet, and you’re eligible to get P10, 000 monthly. Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) Networks reports up to 100,000 people were recruited by BBL in Negros Occidental.

In Saturday’s event, OSFCC said that they used to be Bullion Buyer Ltd. In fact, the registration forms given to the supposed beneficiaries still had the name of BBL in its header, UPLB Perspective has discovered.

Marcos’ son: Distribution a scam Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. denied the supposed distribution of Marcos wealth, saying in a statement that it is “a fraudulent and massive scam.”

“We have repeatedly warned the public against unscrupulous individuals who have been using our family’s last name to advance their interests. Today’s event is a classic example,” his statement reads.

Yet another case of false hope?

In the middle of an interview with some supposed beneficiaries, one of them asked the UPLB Perspective correspondent talking to them, “Mabibigyan ba talaga kami?” Before asking the question, they told the Perspective that they were promised to be given something once they attend the program, but it was only during the program that they knew about the P10, 000 cash advance.

They were promised money, wealth coming from a former President who plundered the people’s money.

Whatever the motivations of those who went to the UPLB campus on that Saturday morning may differ from one another, but one thing is sure: they hoped for something that will change their lives, and we’ll never know if their hopes, just like all the other hopes of a nation marred with poverty and inequality, will transpire to reality. [P]

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PITIK BULAG

LATHALAIN

UPLB PERSPECTIVE

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DOON TAYO SALITA l AMIEL GARCIA

Doon tayo sa maaasahan Yung mapagkakatiwalaan at malalapitan, Sa anumang bagay lalo’t kinakailangan, Yung hinding-hindi ka pababayaan.

Doon tayo sa maalaga Yung sisiguraduhing ligtas ka, Hindi ka niya hahayaang mapag-isa, Sa kahit anong problema’y kasa-kasama mo siya.

Doon tayo sa makatao Yung tapat sa nararamdaman at nagsasabi ng totoo, Hindi pumapasok sa isip ang manloko ng tao, Yung marunong gumalang at may respeto.

Pero sa isang iglap lang, nabaligtad bigla ang mundo.

Ang maaasahan, maalaga at makatao, Siya ngayon ang kinatatakutan mo, Kaya’t magtago o bilisan mo ang pagtakbo, Bago ka pa malagyan ng “Huwag tularan, adik ako.”

CHECK

WORDS l VOLTAIRE ABIOG

One day, the war on drugs suddenly stopped and a new war gets declared: the war on social media.

Socmed is the new shabu. Gives you a high? Big check, with all the likes and the hearts that help shoot more dopamine to your brain. Makes you sleepless?

Check! Makes you violent- oh boy!

A Pampangueño sets his wife and kids ablaze because his wife trolled him on Facebook.

Increases your physical activity? Why not, don’t active fingers count?

Hallucinatory? Check, especially if you believe in an outright lie you call “Change is coming.”

Better brace yourselves for more deaths.

HULING SALITANG INIWAN MO SA MUNDO SALITA l BEA LIZA LATIDO

Saksi ang buwan sa gabing Nangyari ang kinakatakutan Saksi ang gabi sa mga kaguluhan May mga nanginginig sa kanilang kinakatayuan Hindi makasilip sa bintanang maaring Maging daan upang makita ang nagaganap May ibang sumilip pero hindi nakakurap Luha’y unti-unting pumapatak Kasabay ng pawis na tumatagaktak Takot, galit at pait, halo halong nadarama Wala man lang nagawa At kinabukasan nga Wala na ang kinabukasan Bumugad ang balitang May namatay na naman Na may pinatay na naman Hanggang kailan ba mararanasan Ang lupit ng kamay ng may kapangyarihan Hanggang kailan ba matatakot Sa hagupit ng lakbay patungo Sa umano’y daan sa pagkalaho Ng gulo na dulot Ng ipinagbabawal na gamot Kailangan mo’y mag-ingat Pwedeng droga sa iyo’y iabot Ng hindi mo namamalayan

Kaya kahit wala kang alam sa ganyang bagay Kaya kahit sa sitwasyon ay sadyang naipit Lamang

UPLB PERSPECTIVE

LATHALAIN

NOBYEMBRE 2017

7

SANDAANG SALITA NG PAMAMAALAM SALITA l GABRIEL PASTOLERO

Inay, Itay, ako ay mamamaalam na Patawad sa mga ‘di na natupad na pangarap ‘Di ko na kayo naiahon sa kahirapan Ako’y pinatay nang walang kalaban-laban ‘Wag niyo na akong ihingi ng katarungan Sa bansang ito, iyon ang kulang ‘Wag niyo na rin hanapin ang aking katawan Mababalita na lang ito Nasa isang eskinita Nakatali, kamay at paa Nakatakip, mga mata at bibig Mga katagang nakadigit, “Pusher, ‘wag tularan” Inay, Itay, kaluluwa ko’y ipagdasal Isama na rin ang marami pang iba Sapagkat ang mga pangyayaring ito Ay umpisa pa lang Inay, Itay, ako ay mamamaalam na Ang inyong anak, Juan.

Kaya kahit napadasal at napapikit ka na lang At ipinagsawalang bahala ang karapatan Nalunod ka sa dilim ng kaganapan Dahil para sa kanila nakagawa ka na ng kasalan Hawak mo raw ang kasalanan Hawak mo raw ang droga Masama raw sa buhay ang droga Kaya sa halip na ang bawiin sa kamay mo ay Ang drogang kanilang itinanim At sa kanila naman nagmula Buhay mo ang binawi at kinuha nila Buhay na pinilit mong ilaban hanggang Kamatayan Sa mga kamay ng mga taong akala mo’y bayani Ng lipunan “Parang awa n’yo na, ano bang kasalanan ko?”

“Ano bang ginawa ko?”

Mga salitang binanggit mo At huling salitang iniwan mo sa mundo

PAANO TUMAKAS? SALITA l MARIA LETHENIA MARTINEZ

Sa edad na lima, ay kitang-kitang niya Ang pambababae ng kaniyang ama Pilit niyang ipinipikit ang musmos niyang mga mata Habang tinatakpan ng kaniyang mga kamay ang dalawang tainga Sa edad na pito, nagdasal siya sa bawat santo Mga mata’y nakapikit, ulo’y nakatungo Mga kamay ay nakasalop, hiling niya’y desperado “Panginoon, iligtas Ninyo po ang nanay ko.”

Sa edad na sampu, siya’y naging ulilang lubos Inabandona ng amang iba’t ibang babae ang hinahaplos Larawan ng kanyang ina, sa gabi’y kanyang yapos-yapos Sa isip niya’y siya’y isinumpa, buhay niya’y nauupos Hindi nagtagal, siya’y naging batang palaboy Bawat taong kanyang lapitan, siya’y itinataboy Pantawid sa kalam ng kanyang tiyan ay kaning baboy Sa kalsada’y humihiga sa inilatag na patag na kahoy

At sa edad ngang trentay-singko, naging laman ng mga diyaryo Mga letrang nakalimbag ay, “Isang Adik at Tulak sa Tondo” Sa halip na siya’y tulungan, ipinagkanulo pa ng mga sindikato Ang mga kasalanan nila’y sa kanya ipinapaako Dumating ang gabi ng kanilang habulan Ang mga pulis, sila ang kaniyang kamatayan Sa dilim, putok ng baril ay kaniyang tinakbuhan “Sige, paputukan ninyo, lalabas din iyan.”

Sa isang eskinita, sa kadilima’y siya ay nagtago “Huwag niyo po akong patayin,” kanyang pagsusumamo Isang dasal, “Tama na po, maawa po kayo” Mali, “Susuko na po ako,” isang hiling na desperado Ngunit nang siya ay lumabas sa lunggang pinagtataguan Putok ng mga baril ay umalingawngaw sa kadiliman Bawat bala ay naitanim sa namamayat niyang katawan “Paano tumakas?” tanong niya sa gitna ng putukan

Sa bawat umaga, siya ay lalarga Walang tigil sa paglakad ang mumunti niyang mga paa Sa kamay niya’y isang kalawanging lata ang dala-dala Atsaka sasahod para sa kakaunting barya

Matining na tunog sa tainga niya’y naririnig Puso niyang puno ng pagdaramdam ay humihina na ang pintig Sa itaas siya’y tumingin, “Sa bawat dasal, ni isa, wala Ka atang dininig” Mahina, isang bulong, ang kanyang naisatinig

Segundo, minuto, oras ang lumipas Pawis niya’y nanlilimahid, sa damit niya’y ipinupunas Sa ilalim ng kalangitang bughaw na kupas “Palimos po,” ang sa mga labi niya’y umaalpas Araw, buwan, taon ang nagdaan Siya’y nasangkot sa produkto ng kasamaan Nagbenta ng droga kapalit ay pambili ng lamang tiyan Tinikman ang maling gawi, gutom lang ay mapunan

Sa gitna ng kalsada bumagsak ang agaw-buhay niyang katawan “Gusto ko lamang mabuhay, ito ay tawag lamang ng kalam ng tiyan.”

Hapdi ng bawat pasakit ang sumusunog sa kaniyang kalamnan “Paano tumakas?”mga mata’y ipinikit, alam na niya ang sagot, kamatayan

8

KULTURA

UPLB PERSPECTIVE

NOBYEMBRE 2017

BERSOS SALITA l JUAN SEBASTIAN EVANGELISTA LAYOUT | JANDELLE CRUZ

“May Respeto sa UPLB”

dalawang araw na laging sinasabi

kaya’t aking uulitin

laman ng respeto gamit ang

sulat na maaring bigkasin ng labi Ating ihambing ang laman ng

pelikulang may himagsik ng mga berso at

mga patimapalak na ang premyo ay respeto Obra sa sining ng pelikula

mga manunulat na balyenteng makata

nagsamasama para ilathala

ang pelikulang puno ng tula Sa paglingon pabalik sa Respeto

alahanin ang aral na dulot

at ang mga tema na dala nito

At sa pagbangon at pagsalubong

sa bagong yugto ng buhay

mayroon na namang bangkay

na nagaantay sa paligid ng pasilyo

nagsisilbing marka ng lipunang kinatay Dalawang kamay mula sa tala

bumabalot sa dukhang daigdig

ang una ay nagtuturo sa musmos na may sala

at ang pangalawa ay nagsisilbing hari ng

malamig na sahig Orasyon para sa sawi nalang ang lunas

ng pobre sa pighating dinadanas Respeto sa buhay

marahas na tinatapak tapakan

batas ng masa ay pinagtutulakan.

Handog ng pelikula

perspektibo sa kababaihan na

puno ng matalim na pula Iginiit ng mga kalahok sa

isang patimpalak

pagkababa ng mga babae

buong hanay

tila inaatake.

Taliwas sa nais ng isang ina

hiling na pagtratong pantay Lason na patuloy na kumakalat

hinihirang ng mga musmos at

patuloy na tinatangkilik mga

salitang mapang-api at maalat.

Ensayo sa lengguwaheng lirikal

nagsisilbing kamatayan ng kamalayang kritikal Respeto nga ang hinahanap ng mga kalahok

ngunit sa babae ay kailanma’y di naalok.

Tumalon at nakisabay sa alon

sumingit at naipit sa ilalim

ng karagatang di mahinahon

sa anino ng iba

tuluyang sumang-ayon

naulila sa kultura at di na makaahon

o bata, kailan ka babangon?

Umuwi nang sawi

umiwas sa dating gawi

poot at galit, tila napapawi

dangal ng buhay ay simulang binabawi

Dinadaan sa takot at lakas

madlang sadlak sa kahirapan

sinisindak ng hustisyang hikahos at

banyaga sa diwang Bataan Inilublob na sa timba ng kurapsyon

layunin na kapayapaan

tila umiiral na lamang sa imahinasyon Kutya ng maralita sa makapangyarihan

paniguradong sa dulo ay pagsisisihan Tanim ng mga hepe sa katawan

ng musmos ay mga balang balimbing

takda ng punlo ay

regalong tulog na mahimbing

KULTURA 9

UPLB PERSPECTIVE

NOBYEMBRE 2017

“Tu Pug Imatuy”: A story peace, and justice

of death,

WORDS l MAC ANDRE ARBOLEDA LAYOUT | JANDELLE CRUZ

Tuklaw ng lipunan, nanunumbalik

hasang karit ni kamatayan ay humahalik

sa pisngi ng pamilya at kaibigang matalik

dugo ay nagkalat at sa sahig sumisiksik

ang nakaraang sala ay ngayong

nakatakdang maghasik Ang pantas na katwiran ay sumablay

gumunita ang imaheng barbaro sa diwang matamlay

katarungang sinakamay ng musmos at winagayway

sa lupon ng bulag na mundo

akap ang tagumpay

at sa muling pagmulat

saksi sa mapulang liwayway

ang musmos na ang nais lamang ay respeto

ngunit kailanma’y di mapapasakamay

sapagkat ang respeto ay di kinukuha

ito’y binibigay. [P]

Arbi Barbarona’s first feature film “Tu Pug Imatuy” (2017) portrays the troubled lives of a Manobo family whose ancestral lands in Mindanao are hounded by the presence of mining, NPA rebels, and the military. The material, written

by Arnel Mardoguio, is based on real life events survived by Obunay (played by Malona Sulatan) in 2014.

Dawin (played by Jong Monzon), describes to his kids the land of their forefathers where their resources flourished; that is, until miners chainsawed their trees and soldiers set up camps. In the first act, their youngest son Awit dies from a high fever. That incident is then followed by tragedies involving military atrocities, rebel-tagging, and the eventual death of the family patriarch.

Much of the film is comprised of scenes showing the extents of how the military, controlled by the government and influenced by mining corporations, abuse their power in the mountains inhabited by the Manobo. The actors’ poor acting are noticeable in the film, highlighted by many awkward movements and close-up shots of the camera.

The sights and sounds in the film are both beautiful and horrifying. It is almost impossible not to be enamored by the environment in which the movie is set.

Long rivers, waterfalls, thick forests, and sunsets are the backdrop of the numerous violent acts being committed by the antagonists to the characters. Cricket sounds fill the viewers’ ears which either gave a sense of calm or a sign that the night is not yet over and dangers still await our protagonists.

In one scene, a teacher in a community school in the middle of a mountain reveals a secret hide-out for its young students for whenever there are military bombings in the area. Interestingly, at the center of the classroom is a photo of former President Benigno Aquino III attached on top of their blackboard. This could make viewers ask several questions: Is the President of the country liable for these atrocities? Have things changed under the new administration of President Rodrigo Duterte?

Perhaps the most striking part about the film is its title: Tu Pug Imatuy or “The Right To Kill”, almost as if asking, “Do these people have the right to kill?” The title works because it encompasses all characters involved. Do the miners have the right to mine, take over ancestral lands, kill the environment, and its inhabitants? Do the military have the right to kill these innocent people? Do the guerrilla rebels have the right to take the lives of the military? Do the Lumads, or in this case, the Manobo family, have the right to kill their oppressors as they are subjected to sadistic torture and humiliation?

Depending on how you value human life, “killing” is always hard to justify. But when there are systems that put people like Obunay at a disadvantage, when the elite use their position to further their own greedy interests, and when the most important thing at the end of the day is survival, the idea or the act becomes a necessity. [P]

OPINYON

UPLB PERSPECTIVE

NOBYEMBRE 2017

KWENTONG FRESHIE

maipasa ang lahat ng ‘yan. Mabuti pa raw kami, apat na araw lang ang pasok sa isang linggo. Parang hindi rin naman kasi tuwing Lunes, doon natatambak lahat ng panggrupong gawain at paggawa ng mga asignatura kaya pakiramdam ko’y may pasok pa rin ako.

Siyempre, kailangan ko ring ibalanse ang oras sa pamilya at mga kaibigan dito sa amin kapag umuuwi ako tuwing katapusan ng linggo. Sa una, mahirap at nakakahomesick talaga. Hindi ko na

“

Bagsak. Hindi lang pala ako ang bumagsak. Pati na rin ang sistema sa kasalukuyang pinapasukan kong unibersidad na hinahangaan ng nakararami.

Sana hindi mapako sa ‘bagsak’ ang kalagayan nito.

nga namamalayan na nakakakalahati na ang semestre sa sobrang dami ng mga gawain.

Hindi nila alam na ang mga upperclassmen sa aming unibersidad ay hirap na hirap makuha ang 18 units na ‘yan. Kung anu-ano ang ginagawa nila – talent portion, swertehan-kungmapili-ni-Prof-sa-bunutan, at kung anu-

SKETCHPAD

ano pang mga pakulo. Naalala ko tuloy, minsan sa isang klase ko pumasok ang isang babae, nagmamakaawa sa propesor na tanggapin siya dahil kung hindi raw niya makukuha ang klaseng iyon ay madedelay sya. 9 units pa lang daw siya at itong klase ang isa sa kanyang mga prayoridad na kunin para sa semestre. Kitang kita ko sa propesor ang kagustuhan niyang tanggapin ang estudyante ngunit hindi na kaya ng klasrum.

“

Nagkaroon ng muling pagsasamasama kami ng mga malalapit kong kaibigan sa hayskul noong semestral break. Karamihan sa kanila ay pumapasok sa malalaking unibersidad sa University Belt. Siyempre, kanikaniya kaming pagmamalaki sa aming mga unibersidad. Mapa-UAAP, national rankings, at paramihan ng mga kursong ginawaran ng ‘Center of Excellence’ ng CHED man ‘yan, walang makakapigil sa amin.

“Baka isang araw makita na lang kita sa telebisyon isang aktibista na ha!”, pabirong sinabi ng isa sa mga pinakamatalik kong kaibigan. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit naging negatibo ang dating sa mga tao kapag sinabi ang salitang ‘aktibista.’ Maraming iba’t ibang uri ng aktibismo tulad ng pagboboycott, pangangampanyang politikal, lobbying, at iba pa; hindi lang ang istiryotipikal na alam natin – ang pagrarally sa kalsada.

Takang taka rin sila nang sinabi kong 18 units lang ako noong unang semestre sapagkat sila raw ay umaabot pa ng 25 units pataas. Panay sabi sila sa akin, “Madali lang pala sa UP ano?

Anim na subjects lang pala di kagaya sa amin na siyam o minsan sampu pa.”

Napa-buntong hininga ako. Sa anim na kursong iyan, sipag, tiyaga, oras, at dugo ang kailangan mong ialay para

OPINYON

NO FURY SO LOUD Tatlong ulong asul

WORDS l RANIELLE AVERION

Pangarap na ( Im)possible Bagsak.

Hindi talaga ako pumasa sa entrance exam ng pamantasang pinapasukan ko ngayon. Dismayadong dismayado ako dahil ito ang dream school ko. Heto na. Dumating na nga ang liham na nagsasabing hindi ako pumasa. Ngunit bumalik ang aking pag asa nang nalaman ko ang tungkol sa pagpapareconsider/waitlist. Nagkataon lang siguro na mataas ang subtest scores ko at kwalipikado ako na mag-apply sa dalawang kursong gusto ko sa unibersidad. “Ayos,” wari ko. Puspusang paghahanda ang ginawa ko para sa interview ng kolehiyong gusto kong pasukan. Nakikita ko kasi ang sarili ko bilang isang Iskolar ng Bayan Para sa Bayan.

Dalawang buwan kong hinintay ang resulta na maaaring babago sa buhay ko o di nama’y magpapaluha sa akin. Sinuwerte ako at ang nauna ang nangyari. Malaking tulong din ito sa aming pamilya dahil kung sa isang sikat na pamantasan sa España ako mag – aaral ay kwarenta mil mahigit ang kailangang gastusin sa tuition pa lamang; hindi pa kasama roon ang uniporme at pang araw-araw na gastusin. Isang semestreng gastusin ko na ‘yon dito sa Laguna kaya nama’y laking pasasalamat ko sa Maykapal sa biyayang ito.

UPLB PERSPECTIVE

NOBYEMBRE 2017

Naniniwala akong mayaman ang bansang Pilipinas. Milyon-milyong mga manggagawa ang nagbabayad ng buwis ngunit, saan nga ba ito napupunta? Nakakalungkot lang isipin na patuloy na kinakaltasan ang budget na nakalaan para sa mga State Universities and Colleges

(SUCs) ng bansa. Dapat nga’y dito inilalaan ng pamahalaan ang pera sa kaban ng bayan. Maraming mga kabataan ang umaasa sa edukasyon upang maiahon ang kanilang sarili at pamilya sa kahirapan. Ginagawa nila ang lahat makapasok lang sa isang state university kung saan dapat ay may mataas na kalidad ng edukasyon, kumpletong pasilidad para sa mga estudyante, mga libro, pabahay (dorm), at iba pa.

Nakakalungkot isipin na mayroong mga kabataang kinikitil ang sarili nilang buhay dahil sa mga problemang ito.

Maaring sabihin ng iba na overacting ang mga mag aaral na pinatay ang kanilang sarili ngunit kung titingan natin, sila’y mga biktima ng patuloy na pagtaas ng mga bayarin para makapag aral at patuloy na pagiging komersiyalisado ng mga SUCs. Sana ay hindi na madagdagan pa ang bilang ng mga estudyanteng humahantong sa ganitong sitwasyon.

Bagsak. Hindi lang pala ako ang bumagsak. Pati na rin ang sistema sa kasalukuyang pinapasukan kong unibersidad na hinahangaan ng nakararami. Sana hindi mapako sa ‘bagsak’ ang kalagayan nito. Sana’y maging pasado. Sana. [P]

SALITA l KARL GABRIELLE DELOS SANTOS

Liempo at Manok

“Malapit lang ho kami dun sa court ng barangay, chief. Mga

Pasado alas siyete ng umaga. Kasabay ng Lunch break. Sakto, nakapagsaing na ako at nakapagkatay na rin. ikatlong eskinita sa tapat ho nun. Medyo tumbukin niyo lang Dalawang lata ng sardinas para sa pananghalian. Sarap! Lalo pa’t may pagtilaok ng manok ay ang pagbulyaw ng agang bwisit na ho.” si Doc, tanod ng barangay.

Dumali naman ako dahil sabi e, buhos ng toyo at kalamansi. Ngayon, ang sunod kong gagawin ay “’Yun ba yung malapit kila Aling.. anong pangalan nun? dalhan ng baong kanin ang dalawa kong kapatid sa eskwela. Sabi ko request daw ako ni Kapitan Domeng sa kanyang opisina.

Yung chismosang may tindahan?”

Pagkalabas ko ng bahay, bumungad sa akin si Aling sa kanila, bolahin muna nila yung adviser nila habang pananghalian.

“Ah! Si Aling Gina ho! Oho medyo malapit ho doon.”

Siguradong aalukan sila ng mga lutong ulam ng mga ‘yun. Last 2 na Meling. Nakapustura at mukhang nagmamadali pa rin.

Kahina-hinala ang nahalata kong pagkagulat na may halong Ganoon pa rin ang mukha.

May bahid pa rin ng lungkot ang kasi yung inihain ko kanina sa bahay. At mukhang mamaya pa babale tuwa sa kanyang mga mata. Mukhang may kalalagyan ako. [P] kanyang mga mata. si Itay ng sahod niya para bumili ng panibagong batch ng de lata.

Kabisado ko na si Kap. Alam kong paglilinisin ako “Tol, yung bilin ko sa’yo ah. Hatian mo ng kanin si Chinggay, wag saglit ng kanyang silid-tanggapan at mag-aayos ng mga mong gulangin ha.”

Sa totoo lang, nakakasawa rin ang araw-araw na de lata. nakakalat na mga gamit niya. Kilala niya na rin ako sa sinop Gusto ko naman tumikim ng bago. Gusto ko naman makakain ng ko sa gamit. At syempre sa dulo ng lahat ng iyon, abutan na karne. Inihaw na liempo o kaya pritong manok na binuhusan ng panigurado ng talent fee.

Pero iba itong araw… mainit at malapot na gravy. Pag ako talaga nakadelihensya, ‘yun Pinapupunta ako sa headquarters ni Hepe. talaga ang una kong iluluto. Pangako ‘yan!

Nangangailangan daw sila ng boy kaya inirekumenda niya

Gabi na nang nagpahangin ako saglit sa bintana. Sumindi ako sa kanila. Ang huling sabi sa akin ni Kapitan, big time ng dinekwat ng lights kila Mang Teban at nagmuni-muni. Bigla akong daw magbigay si Hepe doon kapag natuwa siya sa trabaho may napansing mga nag-aaral na mga binatilyong nakahubad na ko. Ako namang si hayok sa liempo at pritong manok, pinagitnaan ng maliit na kandila. May mga ilang piraso ng yellow kinagat ko na ang alok sa akin kaysa maging bato pa.

Naabutan kong nakikipag-usap si Hepe sa kapwa niya paper na tila may mga nakasulat pang mga tala akong natatanaw.

Sa isip-isip ko, ang sisipag naman ng mga ‘to. Kahit wala silang ilaw mga pulis. Nang makita niya ako, agad niya akong tinungo at bentilador, pinupuspusan pa rin nila. Sana kaya kong makabalik sa kanyang opisina at itinuro ang mga dapat kong ayusing sa pag-aaral. Sana kaya ko nang matapos ang ilang taon ko pa sa mga gamit at isalansan na mga papeles.

“Saan ka pala banda kila Pareng Domeng?” kolehiyo.

“

Sa totoo lang, nakakasawa rin ang araw-araw na de lata.

Gusto ko naman tumikim ng bago. Gusto ko naman makakain ng karne. Inihaw na liempo o kaya pritong manok na binuhusan ng mainit at malapot na gravy.

Isang libo, isang iyak, buong bansaaaa, nabulaga.

Kamakailan lang ay nayanig ang social media nang lumabas ang balitang inaprubahan ng House of Representatives ang 2018 1000peso budget ng Commission on Human Rights (CHR), isang malayang ahensya ng gobyerno na may pangunahing layuning magimbestiga sa lahat ng anyo ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao na sumasangkot sa mga karapatang sibil at politikal sa bansa.

Setyembre a-dose nang magkaroon ng debate sa plenaryo tungkol sa mungkahi ng CHR na P649.484 Milyong budget upang mamobilisa nito ang pagtugon sa mga krimeng nasa ilalim ng hurisdiksiyon nito – mga kaso ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao na gawa ng estado at ng mga opisyal nito. Mula sa mahigit anim na milyong panukala ng ahensya ay iminungkahi ni 1-Sagip Rep. Rodante Marcoleta na gawing isang libong piso na lamang ang budget nito dahil di umano’y hindi naman nagagampanan ng ahensiya ang mandato nito tulad ng pag-iimbestiga sa mga karapatang pantaong nalalabag ng mga terorista. Makakaya ko pang tanggapin na may isang naligaw na tao sa kongresong may ganitong baluktot na pangangatwiran ngunit ang hindi ko kayang sikmurain ay ang katotohanang may 118 pang kongresistang may ganitong kababang pagtingin sa karapatang pantao at sumangayon sa kahangalang ito. Kaya naman, kapag dumating ka sa puntong pakiramdam mo’y wala ka nang

kwenta at patapon na, isipin mo na lang, may 119 tao pang mas walang kwenta at patapon kaysa sa’yo. Tatlong ulo na asul na lang ba talaga ang halaga ng isang Juan na biktima ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao? Isang Juan na maaaring inosente? Isang Juan na maaaring ang kapitbahay mo, kaibigan o kapamilya?

May sagot na sa tanong kung bakit ka hindi mahalaga, dahil may papantay na sa’yo – ang isang libo ng Kongreso.

Nakakatakot na mababa na ang palitan. Isang libo.

Nakakatakot na muntik nang maging mababa ang palitan.

At nakakatakot pa rin na naging posibilidad nang maging ganitong kababa ang palitan sa paglabag sa karapatang pantao, sa isang buhay na nawala. Isang libo.

“Dinemonyong” karapatang pantao CHANGE IS COMING. Ito ang naging tag line ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte nang mangampanya siya sa pagkapresidente noong nakaraang eleksyon. Ito ang ipinangako niya sa sambayanang Pilipino – pagbabago. At nang pumasok na ang administrasyong Duterte, naging primaryang kampanya nito ang pagsugpo sa problema ng droga sa Pilipinas. Gaano man ka-sinsero ang dating Davao Mayor sa pagbabagong hangad nito sa bansa, maraming kritiko ang tumuligsa sa paraan niya ng pagsasakatuparan sa layuning sugpuin ang droga sapagkat kalakip nito ay naitala ang libo-libong kaso ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao sa unang taon pa lamang ng kanyang panunungkulan.

Mula nang maluklok sa puwesto noong Hunyo 2016 ay pitong libong

“

Hanggang ngayon ay nanatiling walang sariling lupa ang ating mga magsasaka. Nanatili ang kabalintunaang ang mga magsasakang nagtatrabaho para sa ating kakainin ay nagugutom.

Nananatiling pag-mamayari ng iilang pamilya ang kalakhan ng mga lupang agrikultural sa mga probinsya.

Maagang nagsisimula ang araw ng isang magsasaka, gumigising ng madaling araw upang samantalahin ang oras na hindi pa gaanong matindi ang sikat ng araw. Pagkatapos ng pagtatrabaho sa bukid, ay didiretso naman sa pagtitinda ng isda o di naman kaya’y tatrabaho sa construction site.

Ganito raw ang takbo ng araw ng mga magsasaka sa San Soliste sa Sara, Iloilo na nakasalamuha ko noong ako’y nag Basic Masses Integration (BMI) noong Hulyo.

Ang isang araw at isang gabi naming pamamalagi sa kanilang mga tahanan at pakikisama sa bungkalan ay puno ng malalaman na usapan. Kasama ng mga

buhay na ang nawala sa “war on drugs” ng Pangulo; marami rito ay biktima ng extrajudicial killings o pagpatay sa isang tao ng isang awtoridad ng pamahalaan nang walang pahintulot o legal na hurisdiksiyon ng hukuman

Pagtaas ng sosyopolitikal na kamalayan Mahalaga para sa isang tao na magkaroon ng kamalayan sa lipunan kung saan siya nabubuhay.

Kailangang mabuhay ang diwa natin at kritikal na pag-aralan ang mga isyung pampulitika, pangekonomiya, at panlipunan na humuhubog sa ating bansa at sa kalagayan nito. Sa pamamagitan lamang nito natin maintindihan ang ating tungkulin, katayuan, karapatan at responsibilidad sa lipunan. Kaya naman, sa kabilang banda’y nakakatuwa pa ring isiping maraming Pilipinong hindi naging tahimik sa usaping ito. Maraming netizens sa iba’t ibang social media platforms ang nagpahayag ng kanilang saloobin at disposisyon sa isyu sang-ayon man o hindi.

Gayunpaman, may isang bagay tayong kailangan maintindihan.

Ang pag apruba ng Kongreso sa 1000-Peso budget ng CHR ay hindi nangangahulugan ng literal na pagbibigay ng isang libong piso budget sa ahensiya dahil hindi naman ito posible ayon sa Konstitusyon. Ito ay kumakatawan sa hindi paniniwala ng 119 Kongresista sa kahalagahan ng isang institusyong tumutugon sa karapatang pantao ng mga Pilipino. Gustuhin man ng Kongresong bigyan ng zero budget ang CHR sa pagkadismaya sa usad ng trabaho nito, hindi ito maaaring gawin dahil labag ito sa iginawad na fiscal autonomy ng 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article XIII. Dahil dito, kailangan nilang magtalaga ng kahit anong halaga para lamang hindi maging labag sa saligang batas ang

budget ng ahensya. Kaya naman, hindi “isang libo” ang tunay na isyu sa usaping ito, kundi ang pagtanaw at pagpapahalaga sa karapatang pantao ng mga taong pinagkatiwalaan nating irepresenta tayo at maging boses natin sa kapulungang-bansa.

Huwag nating kakalimutan ang 32 Kongresistang nanindigan sa ating karapatang pantao: Rep. Gary Alejano, Rep. Lito Atienza, Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, Rep. Jorge Banal, Rep. Kit Belmonte, Rep. Emmanuel Billones, Rep. Gabriel Bordado, Rep. Arlene Brosas, Rep. Wilfredo Caminero, Rep. Ariel Casilao, Rep. France Castro, Rep. Raul Daza, Rep. Emmi De Jesus, Rep. Raul Del Mar, Rep. Sarah Jane Elago, Rep. Bayani Fernando, Rep. Lawrence Fortun, Rep. Mark Go, Rep. Edcel Lagman, Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong, Rep. Evelyn Mellana, Rep. Rosenda Ocampo, Rep. Aileen Radaza, Rep. Ramon Rocamora, Rep. Bai Sandra Sema, Rep. Antonio Tinio, Rep. Rosanna Vergara, Rep. Tom Villarin, Rep. Carlos Zarate, at Rep. Manuel Zubiri. (Source: nowpinas.info) Bulagain man tayo ng isa pang isyung kakaharapin natin, patuloy tayong maging aktibo at kritikal.

Libo-libong pulitiko pa man ang sumubok na magtapon sa karapatang pantao natin, milyonmilyon tayo sa masang patuloy na ilalaban ang bawat karapatan at maniningil sa mga “lingkod bayan” na sarili naman ang pinaglilingkuran.

“Kayo po na nakaupo, subukan nyo namang tumayo. At baka matanaw, at baka matanaw na nyo ang tunay na kalagayan ko…”

-“Upuan” ni: Gloc9

Muli na namang biktima ang masang Pilipino ng mga huwad na programa ng gobyerno, napakalaking kabalintunaan na kung kailan pa nagkaroon ng pagbabahagi ng lupa ay saka pa nawalan ng lupang sasakahin ang mga magsasakang dito na nanahan sa Sanson Estate, mga taong itinali na ang sarili sa pagsasaka sa kabila ng di makatarungang pagbabayad renta at pagbibigay ng parte ng bawat ani sa panginoong maylupa.

Sa pag-kakaloob ng CLOA sa mga taong hindi naman nag-apply at mga kakilala o kapamilya ng mga opisyal sa MARO, naiwang gutom at walang hanapbuhay ang mga magsasakang tinuturing na ang lupa ay buhay.

Pinoproblema ngayon ng mga magsasaka ng Sanson Estate ang pagkukunan ng pang-araw araw, maraming kabataan na rin ang tumigil sa pag-aaral habang ang mga nag-aaral sa kolehiyo ay nanghihinayang na tumigil sa pag-aaral ngunit hindi na rin talaga kakayanin ang

mga bayarin sa kolehiyo ngayon pa’ng nawala na ng hanapbuhay ang kanilang mga magulang.

Nagkaisa ang mga magsasakang nawalan ng lupa at nagsimula ng Bungkalan sa mga kung saan tulongtulong silang nagtanim ng kamote, cassava, at kalabasa upang tugunan ang gutom na kanilang naranasan dahil sa kawalan ng lupang sinasaka habang nagpapatuloy ang kanilang petisyon sa pamimigay ng CLOA. Ang ginawa ng mga magsasaka ng Sanson Estate ay pagpapakita na habang nagkakaisa ang masang Pilipino ay mapagtatagumpayan natin ang laban para sa ating mga karapatan at para sa sariling lupang sasakahin. Ngayon ay matagumpay na naisagawa ng mga magsasaka ang Bungkalan sa mga nakatiwangwang na lupa sa 700 hektarya ng Sanson Estate matapos silang paalisin sa kanilang mga lupa. [P]

May sagot na sa tanong kung bakit ka hindi mahalaga, dahil may papantay na sa’yo – ang isang libo ng Kongreso.

MUMBLINGS Ang Lupa ay Buhay masiglang pagbati at malalaking ngiti nang kami ay dumating sa San Soliste, ay mga diwang palaban para sa mga lupang sa kanila ay hindi nahirang dahil sa kapalpakan ng pag iimplementa ng programa ng gobyerno.

Ilang dekada nang nagsasaka ang mga magsasakang ito sa Sanson Estate, kwento nga ng mga magsasaka ay, ilang henerasyon na ng kanyang pamilya ang nagsaka ng mga lupain na kinamkam sa kanila. Ilang dekada rin silang nagtiis sa hindi makatwirang hatian sa ani at pagbabayad ng renta sa nagmamayari ng lupain. Kahit papaano ay nairaraos ng mga magsasaka ng Sanson Estate ang kanilang pang araw-araw at napapag-aral ang kanilang mga anak. Subalit isang araw ay mas nalugmok ang mga magsasaka nang maipamahagi sa iba ang mga lupang ilang dekada na nilang sinasaka.

Mula Setyembre noong 2016 ay nagsimulang ipamahagi ng Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) ang mga lupain

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WORDS l CHARITY FAITH RULLODA

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at walang pinagdaanang legal na proseso. Paano kung bangag ka lang talaga at mukhang adik dahil ilang gabi ka nang walang tulog kakagawa ng mga tambak na academic loads?

Pasensyahan na lang, dahil may order na shoot-to-kill ang Presidente sa mga pulis sa mga “suspected drug addicts and criminals.” Nasaan ang karapatan mo? Nasa CHR. Kung isang libo lang ang budget nito, paano ka matutulungan ng ahensya na ipaglaban ang karapatang pantao mo? Hindi ko alam, dahil may mahigit isandaang milyong Pilipino pa ang kahati mo sa isang libo na ‘yon.

Sabi nga ni Ellecer Carlos ng In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement (iDEFEND), “dinemonyo” na ng administrasyon ang karapatang pantao ng Pilipino. Tila pinaparating ng gobyerno na ang mga human rights groups ay kalaban nito sa tinatanaw nitong pagbabago. Ito na ba yung change is coming? O change scamming?

SALITA l JULIANNE AFABLE

sa Sara, Iloilo, isa-isang ipinamahagi at nag-install ng Certificate of Land Ownership (CLOA) sa lupain ng mga Sanson ang Municipal Agraian Reform Office (MARO). 1991 pa lamang nang masaklaw ang Sanson Estate sa programa ng ng repormang agraryo, pinayuhan na ng may-ari ang kanyang mga tenante na mag-apply upang maging “preferred beneficiaries” ang mga ito. Kaya naman laking gulat na lamang ng mga magsasaka sa Sanson Estate nang maibigay sa iba ang mga lupang kanilang kinalakhan na.

Napunta sa mga kakilala ng mga opisyal ng MARO ang CLOA na inappplyan ng mga orihinal na tenante. Nang dumating ang mga CLOA holders na ito ay hindi man lamang nila hinayaang anihin ang ilang buwang sinaka ng mga orihinal na tenante, ang puhunan na ginastos rito ay naglaho na lamang na parang bula kasama na ng kanilang mga lupang sinasaka, lupaing bumuhay sa kanilang mga pamilya.

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Ilang mukha ng pambansang minorya