The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines
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With the nearing 2022 presidential election, political parties of opposition alike are betting on their candidate to be the next president of the Philippines. Expressing support to the presidential daughter Sara to take heed of her supporters’ plea, campaign banners have been seen over public landmarks nationwide. However, President Rodrigo Duterte was quick to dismiss the speculation that her daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Dutere-Carpio is running for the 2022 Presidential Election. Since sitting in the presidential chair in 2016, Duterte cultivated an image of a sexist and misogynistic president who proudly airs “harmless” jokes degrading and objectifying women. His remark on the presidency not being a job for women may no longer be a surprise yet should still raise an alarm of the misogyny and the culture of impunity that revolves around it. In 2018, in his speech , Duterte ordered 200 former communist soldiers to shoot female guerillas on their vaginas. He went up saying that women without their vaginas are useless. In May of the same year, he said that the next Ombudsman should not be a politician and especially not a woman. The president has also publicly threatened and objectified his female critics such as Maria Ressa, Leila De Lima and VP Leni Robredo. It is appalling how these misogynistic acts are always regarded to be a form of the president’s freedom of expression or just a “harmless joke.” Misogyny is violence and was never a basic human right. Duterte, with his claim in
Since the arrival of the first batch of vaccines in February this year, about 2.5 million doses of the country’s 7.7 million available on stock vaccines have been administered to the population with priority to those of the frontline health workers, senior citizens, and high risk population. Up front, the government’s effort to resolve the health crisis seems impressive to the public’s eye. However, a promising relief to the burden caused by the pandemic to the Filipinos only spells true to the elites of society while the same cannot be said to the marginalized sector of the country. The data from the Department of Health (DOH) targets 70 percent of the Filipino population to be vaccinated in achieving herd immunity by the end of 2021. The numbers however suggest that in the first half of the year, less than two percent of the population has completed their first dose while less than one percent has been completely vaccinated. Hidden within these numbers is the fact that the elite sector represents these figures while those of the marginalized remain shaded within the gray lines. In addition, the surge of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in India with an overwhelming death toll has affected the supply of the expected vaccine as the country focuses on solving its dilemma. Early this May, Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. has expressed concern as this may lower target vaccinated population to 50 percent and delays are to be expected in supplies. This now tests the government’s stand on its priority as once again the country faces a limited supply and great demand. And if one were to base the actions of the past to predict the outcome
[Miss]sogynistic [Pressed]ident
A5
Tayo-tayo nalang talaga
orenda
XENA HYACINTH G. ESTIÑOSO
BSMM‘21
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the emotional setup of men and women for a presidential role, has yet made another sexist remark that the presidency is not a job for women. This goes far beyond the words of a father who discourages his daughter to run for presidency but also represents the prejudice against women and their abilities to lead. This tolerates the system that oppresses and excludes women in society under the pretense that women are weak and men are better. To counter, according to a 2016 study on “Gender Differences in Emotional Response: Inconsistency between Experience and Expressivity”, no consensus has been reached regarding gender differences and emotional expressivity. Several studies also suggested that there are no gender differences in subjective evaluations of emotions. Gender differences in emotional responses remain unclear. The President’s claim was purely based on a sick patriarchal notion that men are better because men think women are emotional. Filipino women have fought for their place in society, and have time and time again proved that they are strong and competent. Women played a vital role in Philippine History. They were more than maidens who
ALEXITHIMIA
waited for their soldier lovers. Women were fighters. In 1905, Concepción Felix, established the Feminist Association of the Philippines and together with two other women, gathered 18, 000 signatures and filed a petition for suffrage to the lawmakers of the Philippines. Consequently, Encarnacion Alzona, the first
history with her world-leading COVID-19 response that was quick and decisive- a far fetched reality for Filipinos who suffer because of the government’s passive COVID-19 response. Taiwan, an island of 23 million people led by woman President Tsai-Ing Wen, to this writing has only lost 10 lives to the virus.
It is not the lack of capability nor “emotional setup” that hold women back from leading but the scarcity of opportunities for them to develop their full potential in a patriarchal society. Filipino woman to earn a doctoral degree, fought for better conditions for women in society. Her works, along with other suffragettes’ efforts, have given Filipino women their right to suffrage. The late senator, Miriam Defensor Santiago, was the first Filipino and Asian judge of the International Criminal Court. As Senator, Santiago has filed 1, 007 bills and resolutions, the most number of bills and resolutions among her colleagues. Women are as good leaders as men. This is proven true by women leaders of our time. Jacinda Ardern, a woman and New Zealand’s Prime Minister made
Hypocritical as though it may seem, at the heels of his controversial sexist remark, Duterte appealed to the public to support advocacies that “seek to fight for and acknowledge the inalienable rights of women as equal partners to men”. Far worse than a misogynist’s audacity to talk about women empowerment, is the culture of impunity developed around this gender oppressive system. Misogyny and sexism, of any form, is violence, never been right, and never should be tolerated by the Filipino people in any circumstances and whoever the leader of the motherland may be.
ZIRU
JEFF TOLENTINO, BS MLS ’22 Scan code to send an email reply The surge of the new cases for COVID-19 halfway through 2021 has sent cities all over the country to demand for additional vaccine allocations for their respective people. And during this time, every dose counts. A single dose could save a life that is imminent death and a thousand could do more. If this discrepancies in numbers prove true not only to the City of Iloilo, then whose demand of “I too, am vulnerable” has been answered that preceded that of the cries of those who needed them most? Another problem that puts the marginalized sector on the brink of demise is that they
rights over our exclusive economic zone in order to pack a partnership with China and secure a vaccine deal. If it merits that much to give away our ancestral territories, it could only mean that the situation ahead requires this generation to survive. The government needs to enforce an iron hand in its priority on who gets vaccinated or not. Societal status plays no role when it comes to safety. Whether one belongs to the upper class of the marginalized sector both are of equal importance. In a time of a crisis where life and death are in play, everyone wants to be saved.
This passively gives the elite section with their high medical literacy the upper hand as more of the supplies will be available for them. After all, it is more reasonable to give the cure to those who want it than to those who refuse it. comprise the majority of the vaccine hesitant group. A survey conducted by Pulse Asia showed that 61 percent of the Filipino population is hesitant on getting vaccinated over safety concerns. Although this bias is to be blamed solely on individual choices, this does not acquit the administration in its responsibility of providing for its citizens. President Rodrigo Duterte himself has asserted the importance of vaccines to the Filipino people when he openly discussed his intent in surrendering our sovereign
Scan code to send an email reply Mula sa isang maliit na karito na umusbong sa Maginhawa, Quezon city, ngayon parang kabuti ang pagsusulputan ng mga community pantry sa buong bansa. Di tulad ng isang tipikal na donation drive kung saan pawang mga mayayaman o mga politiko ang nagbibigay ayuda, sa community pantry, ano man ang estado mo sa buhay, lahat ay nagkakapit-bisig upang maibsan ang kagutuman sa gitna ng krisis. Bayanihan ang karaniwang maiuugnay dito, subalit kung pagbibigyang- diin , ano pa nga ba ang ipinapahiwag ng paglilitawan ng community pantry? Sa paglipana ng mga community pantry, kasabay ang pagdagsa ng mga taong nagnanais makatanggap ng ayuda, isang malinaw na mensahe ang ating mahihinuha. Sa gitna ng pandemya, patuloy na naghihikahos at salat sa pangunahing pangangailan ang mga Pilipino. Sa kabila ng matinding sikat ng araw at peligro na maaaring magkaroon ng hawaan, hindi nagpatinag ang mga taong pumipila dito; umaasang maitatawid ang pagkain kahit sa isang araw. Kapag kumakalam na sikmura nga naman ang kalaban, kahit pa ang “virus” ay hindi magiging hadlang. Ayon sa pag-aaral ng Social Weather Station(SWS) noong nakaraang Setyembre, halos isang-katlong Pilipinong pamilya o 7.6 milyong pamamahay ang walang sapat na pagkain. Kabilang dito ang 2.2 milyong pamilya na nakakaranas ng “severe hunger”pinakamataas na naitala kailanman. Umabot na rin sa 4.2 milyong Pilipino ang walang trabaho ayon sa Philippine Statistics Authority. Inaasahan ring lolobo sa 17.5% ng 110 milyong populasyon ng Pilipinas ang mananatiling mahirap ngayong taon. Kasabay ng pag-aalingawngaw ng community pantry ang pag-ulan ng batikos sa pamahalaan. Agad namang rumesbak ang mga tagapagtanggol nito at sinabing hindi dapat ginagawang propaganda ang community pantry upang siraan ang gobyerno, dahil pinapawalang saysay umano nito ang diwa ng bayanihan. Subalit, maibabaon ba natin ang katotohanang ang lupaypay na kalidad ng pagtugon ng gobyerno ang naging sanhi ng lumalalang kagutuman sa gitna ng pandemya? Mahuhubaran ba natin ng karapatan ang mga
Sa gitna ng anumang delubyo, ang lakas ng estado ay nakasalalay sa mamamayan, hindi sa gobyerno o lider nito.
I too, am vulnerable for the future, power, politics, and connections would reign supreme over spoken promises. This scenario may seem too predictive, but it may prove quite factual. One concrete example is the distribution of funds in the Social Amelioration Program of the government towards alleviating the hunger the Filipinos have felt during the start of the crisis. This supposedly aimed at granting P5,000 to P8,000 monthly cash subsidy to the marginalized sector of the society, yet when politics, power, and connection intercepts that of what is supposed to be good, it certainly always births corruption. Another issue that has recently surfaced as to the vaccine allocation for each region is the alleged DOH Center for Development Western Visayas’ discrepancy in the number of vaccines that was received by the Iloilo City government. DOH records show that a total of 84, 224 doses of vaccines from Sinovac and AztraZeneca have been sent to the city for use. However only a total of 66, 544 doses were received, a discrepancy of 17, 680 doses. In a letter sent by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas to DOH Center for Development Western Visayas dated June 22, Treñas has asked for an explanation of where the 17, 680 are. Furthermore Treñas has emphasized that it is only proper for the City to demand for what is owed to the Ilonngos who have been waiting to be vaccinated.
EMY ROSE G. GALLEGO BS PSCI ‘22
And yet, each plea weighs differently. Some can be heard distinctly from the crowd, some are whispered, while others are never heard at all. Whether there exists a stigma in vaccines or not, a gap to social status, it is an undeniable truth that being vaccinated equates to survival. If this country is to overcome this crisis, vaccines are an essential need to which every Filipino has the right avail. And when the time comes that the country is at the rope’s end, whose “I too, am vulnerable” will be heard most?
biktima ng kapalpakan na magpahayag ng pagkadismaya? Masisisi ba natin iyong mga napagod na sa kakareklamo kung kaya’t sila na mismo ang tumugon sa mga puwang ng gobyerno? Ika nga ni Ana Patricia Non, tagapangasiwa ng Maginhawa Community Pantry, “Pagod na akong magreklamo…. Pagod na ako sa inaction.” Sa madaling salita, pagod na tayong umasa. Si Non ay isa lamang sa milyon-milyong Pilipino na ganito rin ang saloobin sa gobyerno. Sino nga ba naman ang hindi mapapagod sa bulok na pangako at salitang puro hangin lamang? Ayon naman kay Prof. Athena Charanne Presto, sosyolohista at guro sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, ang mga community pantry ay isang “act of resistance.” Dagdag niya, “Community pantries can be seen as acts of resistance against three things: first, against a government that fails to adequately address citizens’ needs; second, against a biased and discriminatory view of the poor as selfish and greedy; and third, against aid initiatives from institutions that are difficult to trust.” Napakalinaw ng pinapahiwatig ng saloobin ni Bb. Hon at Propesora Presto, nabuo ang ganitong uri ng bayanihan mula sa kapalpakan ng gobyerno. Mahigit isang taon na mula nang dumapo ang COVID 19. Mahigit isang taon na rin tayong umaasa sa pagbangon mula sa pagkalugmok ng bansa. Palpak ang daily tallies ng mga nagkakavirus, usad pagong ang vaccination drive, at higit sa lahat palpak ang health system upang kayanin nito ang dagsa ng nagkakasakit. Nabaon tayo sa mga “band-aid solution.” Isa pang mapait na katotohan na ibinubunyag ng community pantry ay kahit sa panahon ng kagipitan, lumulutaw parin ang mga mapagsamantala. Sa isang video na nagviral noong Abril 19, nakuhanan ng CCTV ang anim na babaeng sinimot lahat ng laman ng community pantry sa lungsod ng Pasig.. Nang kunan ng pahayag ang mga ito, hindi nila umano sinolo lahat ng mga kinuha, bagkus pinamigay sa mga kapitbahay. Ngunit ito naman ay pinabulaanan ng ilang mga kapitbahay na sinabing wala silang nakuha, bagkus ay pinamigay lamang ito sa kanilang mga kamag-anak. Kailanman ay hindi naging masama ang pamamahagi sa iyong sariling pamilya, ang masama ay kanilang pinagkait sa ilang ding mga pamilyang nagugutom ang mga handog ng community pantry. Sa kasalukuyan, marami ang kumukuwestiyon sa “sustainability” ng mga community pantry. Banat nila, “Gaano katagal ang buhay nito?” Ang naturang pantry ay paniguradong hindi magtatagal kung tutunganga at aasa lamang ang mga mamamayan sa mga donor nito. Sa halip na maghintay lang sa ayuda, maaaring magtayo ang mga ito ng isang community garden. Sa community garden, mismong mga miyembro ng komunidad ang magtatanim kung saan malaya rin nilang anihin at hatiin ang mga produktong makukuha rito. Walang takot na maaaring maubusan ng suplay ang mga pantry - at tinitiyak nito ang pagpapanatili at patuloy na pagaccess sa pagkain para sa mga nangangailangan.Sa gitna ng anumang delubyo, ang lakas ng estado ay nakasalalay sa mamamayan, hindi sa gobyerno o lider nito.
