TOFI and the Challenge
of Student Mobilization
in UP Baguio
Ivan Emil Labayne
T
he University of the Philippines
will always remember 2007 as
the nightmare that brought the
implementation of the tuition and other
fees increase (TOFI). It was criticized for
purportedly going against the tradition
of UP being the University of the People
– being the university which caters to all
students without discrimination in terms of
race, gender, religion, ethno-linguistic origin
and economic class.
Three years after its implementation,
scrutinizing its subtle effects to the UP
community will only make us think that
there is something on the decline – that UP
is seemingly regressing from the turf where
its ideals used to rest.
The tough time that started it all
In 1989, UP made a huge leap away
from being a state university that caters to
the “less privileged” but intelligent Filipino
students. The previous 17 pesos per unit
tuition fee increased to 300 pesos per unit.
This earlier TOFI paved the way for the
generation of the Socialized Tuition and
Financial Assistance Program (STFAP). The
primary logic of STFAP is to give tuition
subsidies to students depending on their
ability to pay for their tuition.
This was also one of the reasons presented
by the Board of Regents when a new TOFI
was proposed and eventually approved
last 2006. The BOR also rationalized TOFI
by saying that UP needs to level with other
private universities such as Ateneo and La
Salle in terms of facilities and faculty. The
BOR also emphasized that the inflation rate
was in constant rise that the tuition fee must
increase as well.
In spite of massive student protests, the
Tomo 36
Isyu 7
Enero-Pebrero 2010
Mapagpalayang Kaisipan sa
Malayang Pahayagan
Opisyal na pahayagan ng mga
mag-aaral ng
Unibersidad ng Pilipinas - Baguio
TOFI was approved on December 15, 2006.
The next school year, the numeric STFAP
was also revised. The nine brackets were
reduced into five alphabetic brackets – A, B,
C, D and E.
Left to chill: the UP Baguio situation
In our campus, TOFI is implying
something beyond that can be seen through
the numbers. When TOFI was approved last
2007, there was a prominent assumption that
this will lead to a decrease in the number of
enrollees in the campus.
But in contrast to this assumption, the
number of enrollees in UP Baguio before
and after TOFI has not dropped. Enrollment
turnouts have slightly increased since TOFI
was implemented in June 2007.
According to the data from the
University Registrar, on the second semester
of academic year 2006-07, there were 2059
undergraduate enrollees in UP Baguio.
Meanwhile, on the second semester of 20092010, the number of enrollees stood at 2229.
In addition to the rise in enrollment
turnouts is the increase in the number of
STFAP applicants. During the academic year
2006-07, 328 students have their STFAP
brackets; 40% of them were in Bracket 9 –
which gives no tuition subsidy to students.
In that year, only 12 students received a
full-tuition subsidy. The number of STFAP
grantees rose to 483 in the next academic
year 2007-2008, after TOFI and the new
STFAP system was implemented.
Getting richer?
With the advent of TOFI, there is a
growing notion that the students of UP
Baguio are slowly becoming richer and
richer every after academic year. A junior
Verging
continued on page 3
on a
Decline
Balita
UPB Outcrop Tomo 36 Isyu 7 Enero-Pebrero 2010
SR status still in question
Four regents walked out
during the January 29
BOR meeting
Ruel Caricativo
T
absence (LOA) meant that the BOR
may declare the position vacant
under the exercise of its internal
powers of government.
Article I, section 6 of the CRSRS
defines a bona fide student as one
who is “taking up academic units
for bachelor’s degree, masters’
degree, doctorate degree, nondegree (sic), or certificate courses
in the university, including those
who are on residency status or on
leave of absence (LOA).” Article
III, section 1 provides, as part of
the qualifications to be nominated,
current enrollment at the time of
his/her nomination. Article IX,
continued on page 7
UPLB community eyes LLC
as cost-cutting measure
Estel Lenwij Estropia,
Julienne Urrea
UPLB Perspective, Vol. XXXVI
Special Issue
freshmen, since it will decrease
the number of class sections for
RGEP and foundation courses.
Protests against LLC
Leo ‘XL’ Fuentes, Chairperson
he first two weeks of the implementation of Memoran- of Samahan ng Kabataan para sa
dum No. 001 encapsulating Bayan (SAKBAYAN), which spearthe full implementation of large headed the said noise barrage,
lecture class policy (LLCP), was tagged the Memo a ‘curtailment of
academic freedom’.
greeted with a mobilization and
“Sinasacrinoise barrage atniya ‘yung
tended by 800
CROSS CAMPUS NEWS fice
quality ng eduindividuals.
cation over dun
Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco
released Memo No. 001 last Jan sa pagtitipid ng administration,”
15, directing the conversion of he reasoned out. Fuentes furthered
all Revitalized General Education that the Memo also violates the
Program (RGEP) and foundation democratic right of both the stucourses
into
large
classes, dents and the faculty to consulbeginning first semester, Academic tation prior to the release of new
policies.
Year 2010-2011. The memo claims
He added that the LLC is not the
that LLC will “spread UP education
solution to increase the number
to more deserving Filipinos.”
In an interview, Professor of students the university could
Rolando Panopio, head of the accommodate, rather, the removal
Management Committee to Oversee of TOFI, which is one of the factors
the Implementation of Large that caused the decrease in the
Classes and Council Head of the number of enrolees in UPLB for the
last 3 years of its implementation.
RGEP, informed Perspective that
USC Vice Chair and Youth Lead
LLC is a precursor to a supposed
Student Coordinator Maria Elena
increase in the registration quota
to accommodate more incoming Carlos criticizes LLC as another
cost-cutting scheme of the UPLB
administration to cope with the
P12.7 billion UP budget deficit.
T
KALIWANG
SULOK
PANAKOT. Makatawag-pansin ang mga panindang
“panakot” ni Manong. Subalit hindi sa lahat ng
pagkakataon. Ruel Caricativo
Budget Cut
Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo
recently signed the 2010 General
Appropriations
Act
which
allocated P5.3 Billion of the
national budget for the UP system
despite the P18 Billion budget
proposed by the Board of Regents
(BOR).
Consequently, a P280 Million
budget cut is imposed on
Maintenance and other Operating
Expenditure used for the general
maintenance
of
university
facilities and no allocation for
Capital Outlays which is used for
the procurement of new facilities
as well as the construction of new
buildings and classrooms.
Budget allocation for UP stayed
within the P5 Billion mark since
Arroyo assumed office in 2002
except for the 2009 appropriation
that amounts to P7 Billion.
WITH REPORTS FROM Lyka
Manglal-lan
Halalan 2010
Balik-tanaw sa mga Tala ng Eleksyon
para sa Konseho ng Mag-aaral
Plarlene Juliane Valentos
Jonathan Valdez
N
asaksihan na ng mga Iskolar
ng Bayan ang mga ginawang
pangangampanya ng mga
kandidato at ng kanilang mga
tagasuporta sa halalan, at mula rito
ay naging mahigpit ang labanan ng
tatlong partido politikal; partikular
na sa tatlong kumandidato para sa
tagapangulo na sina Jose Romualdo
Carpio III (UNITE-UP), Ross
Anthony “Tonton” Eguia (Allisnce
of Concerned Students), at Justice
Rodriguez (Campus Alliance for
Dedicated and Unified Action).
Pebrero 3 - Binuksan ng University
Registrar ang kanilang opisina
para sa mga gustong maghain
ng kanilang kandidatura; may
partido man o wala. Inilabas rin
nila at ng COMELEC ang mga
kwalipikasyon para sa mga pormal
na magdedeklara ng kanilang
pagtakbo.
Isinasaad sa Art III Sek 1
ng UPB Election Code na ang
isang mag-aaral ng UP Baguio
na candidate for graduation ay
hindi maaaring tumakbo para sa
Konseho. Bunsod nito, naging
kontrobersyal
ang
paghahain
ng pagkandidato nila Eguia at
Rodriguez na parehong graduating
ayon kay Jocelyn Rafanan, head ng
University Registrar. Aniya, isang
malaking sakripisyo para sa kanila
kung uunahin nila ang pagtakbo
para sa konseho kaysa unahin
ang kanilang pag-aaral. Ngunit
pinayagan pa rin ng COMELEC ang
dalawang kandidato na tumakbo.
Pebrero 8 - Nagsimula ang
campaign period. Nakilala ang
mga pangalan ng mga partido at
kandidato sa buong UP. Ilan sa
ginawa ay ang bulletin board ng
UNITE-UP kalakip ang sagisag
na araw, ang mga lightning play
ng ACS sa tapat ng lobby, ang
tarpaulin ng CADUA na may
temang Justice League, at ang
bulletin board na ginawa para
lamang kay Angelo Vangardia
na
tumakbong
independent
councilor. Nangampanya rin ang
mga tagasuporta ng mga kandidato
para sa kanila.
Pebrero 19 - Araw ng halalan.
Noong panahong ding iyon ay
inanunsyo na ang mga nanalo. Ilan
sa mga mag-aaral ay nasa tapat ng
IBs para pakinggan ang resulta ng
eleksyon. Nanalong Chairperson
si Jose Carpio III ng Unite UP at
Mark Leander ng ACS para sa
Vice-chairperson. (sumangguni sa
sidebar para sa buong listahan ng
mga nanalo.
Umabot ng 53.17% ang voters’
turnout, 1199 mula sa 2255 na
bilang ng mga estudyante ang
nakilahok sa eleksyon. Ayon kay
Maria Cecilia San Luis, COMELEC
Chairperson, nasa normal rate
lamang ang voters’ turn-out dito
sa UP Baguio kumpara sa national
elections na nasa 40% to 60%.
At base sa nakaraang taon, hindi
nalalayo ang nasabing bilang na
nasa 57%.
Dagdag pa ni San Luis, ang
naging basehan ng mga botante sa
pagpili ng mga iboboto ay hindi na
lamang political bias o affiliation
kundi pati na ang mga personal
na hangarin ng bawat botante
na manalo ang mga kandidatong
kaibigan nila o kaya naman ay
orgmate.
TABLE 1. LIST OF INCOMING USC
OFFICIALS FOR AY 2010-11
CHAIRPERSON
Jose Carpio III,
UNITE-UP
VICE
Mark Baylon Leander,
CHAIRPERSON
ACS
COUNCILORS
Angelo Vanguardia, INDEPENDENT
Francis Lopez, ACS
Isaac Galang, ACS
Francis Neil Maranan, ACS
Herlyn Balares, CADUA
Kristie Dela Peña, ACS
Daphne Fae Delgado, CADUA
Maica Elaine Quitain, ACS
Aprille Erika Ginne Mangubat, ACS
Lean Carlo Luis Ipac, ACS
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
REPRESENTATIVES
John Perry Morales, UNITE-UP
Kenneth Kim, CADUA
Pebrero 18 - Nagsimula ang
meeting de avance sa Bulwagang
Juan Luna pasado ala-una ng
hapon. Dinaluhan ito ng karamihan
sa mga estudyante, at mga guro na
kinansela ang kani-kanilang mga
klase para sa hapong iyon. Kasama
na rito ang mga myembro ng
tatlong partido, at mga tagasuporta
ng bawat kandidato. Sa hapong
iyon inihain ng mga kandidato
ang kani-kanilang plataporma,
prinsipyo, at ang mga hindi
mawawalang gimmick.
Patricia San Jose, CADUA
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND
COMMUNICATIONS REPRESENTATIVES
Fortunato Galang, ACS
Jan Girard Ancheta, ACS
Gracel Anne Castillo, CADUA
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
REPRESENTATIVES
Nykita Urcia, ACS
Krizia Marie Redondo, CADUA
Kristine Obispo, CADUA
03
UPB Lib head clears
the P7M door issue
U
BANTA NG PAGKAANTALA. Matapos bayuhin ng malalakas na buhos ng ulan, halos tatlong buwan na
hanggang ngayong nakararanas ng tagtuyot ang kalakhan ng mga lalawigan sa Hilagang Luzon, katulad
ng La Union. Sa kasalukuyan, isang malaking banta sa mga pananim ang dinaranas na El Niño ng bansa.
Ikinatatakot ng mga magsasaka sa La Union ang posibilidad ng pagkaantala ng kanilang ani.
Alexandrea Dioso
Verging on a Decline...
continued from page 1
(student number 2007-43639) said
that the 2009 batch in particular
is “mukhang mayaman.” A
senior (student number 200659707) stresses that this creates a
perception among outsiders that
UP no longer needs the support
of government subsidy because
its students can already pay for its
tuition.
Among freshies, there is still an
apparent inadequacy of knowledge
Kay Xavier Cortes para
sa pagkakapapanalo ng
unang gantimpala at
kay Kate Romero ng
ikalawang gantimpala,
para sa kanilang short story;
at kay Ayesah Tecson ng
unang gantimpala at kay
Gloria Katrina Bea ng
ikalawang gantimpala,
para sa kanilang maikling
kwento. Maaari mo nang kunin
ang iyong premyo sa aming
opisina. Ipakita lamang ang
iyong student ID.
Congrats!
he Board of Regents (BOR)
remained indecisive with
regards to the status of the
current Student Regent Charisse
Bañez after four of the regents
walked out during their meeting
last January 29 after UP President
Emerlinda Roman and three other
regents appointed by Malacañang
voted to unseat Ms. Bañez.
The meeting did not reach
a quorum when Bañez, Faculty
Regent Judy Taguiwalo, Staff
Regent Clodualdo Cabrera, and
Alumni Regent Alfredo Pascual
walked out of the meeting. The
BOR meeting was adjourned
thereafter.
On the January 29 official
statement
of
the
UPLB
administration
regarding
Ms. Bañez’ status, “a lawyer,
purportedly on her behalf, wrote
last January 12 to the Dean of
the College of Arts and Sciences
declaring Ms. Banez’s intent to
file a leave of absence (LOA) and
asking that the application of
Ms. Bañez for LOA be processed
immediately. “
The Dean of the CAS replied
that the College does not
process applications but simply
approves them, and that it is
the responsibility of the student
concerned to process a leave of
absence.
On January 28, Bañez already
filed for residency but UPLB
Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco is yet
to decide on her application.
Moreover, a letter dated 16
December 2009, but received
by the Chancellor only on 11
January 2010, was sent by Ms.
Bañez requesting for permission to
register or file for residency for the
second semester, AY 2009-2010.
In a letter dated 15 December,
Chancellor
Velasco
informed
the UP President that Ms. Bañez
was not enrolled for the second
semester of this academic year. The
letter was received a day before the
last scheduled BOR meeting on
December 18 so President Roman
requested the Vice President for
Legal Affairs to provide a legal
opinion on Ms. Bañez’ status as the
present Student Regent.
The Vice President for Legal
Affairs
said
thereafter
that
according to the Codified Rules
for Student Regent Selection
(CRSRS), failure to enroll, even
for residency, or file for leave of
Balita
UPB Outcrop Tomo 36 Isyu 7 Enero-Pebrero 2010
Sa Pi Sigma Delta Sorority;
Alpha Phi Omega
Fraternity and Sorority;
Sining, Eksena, Tinig sa
UP (SET-UP); at, sa mga
indibidwal na nagpaabot ng
Pasasalamat
02
kanilang tulong (sa pamamagitan
ng aming makasaysayang “patak
box”) para sa technical/material
support (TMS) na ipinadala ng
OutcroP sa mga komunidad sa
Abra at La Union. Muli, isang
toneladang pasasalamat
para sa inyo! :-)
about TOFI. For instance, the
aforementioned freshman student
only knew TOFI because of the
people who were rallying against
it but does not know the specific
details behind it. The same goes
with another freshman student
(student number 2009-58943)
who does not know the reason
behind its implementation. She
even thought that TOFI affected
only the 2009 batch. This rough
surmise, which barely hit the
point that was TOFI, only proves
their lack of knowledge about the
old issue.
The line among apathetic, aware
and active
One of the observations point
out that with the advent of TOFI
and with the students entering
UP becoming richer, the culture
of apathy is only getting more
prominent. A junior student
(student number 2007-43639)
said that she has been seeing a
few from the 2009 batch who are
engaging with student protests and
mass actions. The seniors seem
to echo a similar point: declining
awareness leading to a decline in
participation and action.
Nevertheless, one of the
students asked (student number
2006-57907)
stressed,
“They
may be socially aware pero ‘di
manifested
sa
mobilizations
at protests.” That should not
mean that joining mobilizations
and protests are the only ways
by which one can manifest her
participation.
She
expressed
the need to find other ways to
persuade the younger batches to
manifest and translate into actions
their social awareness and that this
must serve as a challenge among
the older batches.
What now?
With the continued existence
of TOFI, among the things that
we must confront is its ill effects,
not to mention the continued call
to scrap the tuition increase. The
additional 300% we had to pay
every enrollment seem nowhere to
be seen and felt by the studentry. In
short, they are not being obviously
translated into tangible things
where the students are the primary
benefactors.
At the same time, the for-richonly (or: for-those-who-can-afford)
implication is negative in itself.
And it is worsened by the fact that
this seems to lead to a decline in
the student actions within the
university – something that has
been associated to the university
in its more than a century of
existence. If that is really the case,
UP is only going further away
from its traditions, hammering out
the idea of betraying the people
whose blood and sweat serve as
the lifeline of every classroom and
corridor of the university.
This scenario promises no life
to the institution and the people it
is supposed to be in favor of. If not
arrested immediately, UP and its
students may totally fall into the
dump that is resignation or having
filled with theories that are rather
left unpracticed.
P Baguio Library Head
Brenda Dogup clarified
the issue about the “P7
Million library entrance”, saying
that the cost was for the whole
construction of the library annex
including the entrance door.
According to Dogup was just
hearsay. She added that the issue
emerged when UP Baguio Outcrop,
the official student publication,
purportedly released an article
about library updates in its August
2009 issue.
“It was [the article’s] error of
facts, and it’s impossible to spend
P7 Million for just an entrance
hall,” Dogup stressed.
She said that the coverage
of the P7 Million library annex
includes the expansion of the
reserve section, the multi-purpose
room where the library and student
organizations can hold discussions
and activities, the new Internet
room wherein the students can
avail of printing services, the
thesis room at the Filipiniana
section and the multimedia room,
which allows students to view
audio-visual materials.
“We are for the improvement
of the library, babalik din [sa
mga estudyante] ang ibinabayad
nila”(We are for the improvement
of the library, what the students
pay will be returned to them
[through facilities]), Dogup said.
The article that Dogup was
referring to was actually the
comment made by a student in
Alingawngaw in the August 2009
issue of Outcrop.
The actual comment of a student
with a student number 08-26374
was “ Bagong entrance kamo?
P7 million worth entrance?”(Did
you mean the new entrance? P7
Million worth entrance?)
The
comment answered the question
from Alingawngaw: “Ano
ang
masasabi mo sa bagong lib ng
UPB?(What can you say about the
new library in UPB?)”.
On the other hand, the said
construction of the library annex
started on January 14, 2009.
The library annex was then
inaugurated on August 2009.
Meanwhile, the repair of the
main library started on January 21,
according to Dogup.
She said that the line-up of
works to do for the repair are
retiling of the Comfort Room in the
circulations section and the library
floor, repainting of the library,
relocation of the photocopying
booth at the former bindery section
(at the corner of the Circulations
bookshelves) and the continuous
construction of the new serials
section.
NEWSBRIEF
CAC lead SeminarWorkshop on Special
Education
Last January 28, the College of
Arts and Communication through
the Surian ng Wikang Filipino
and the Department of Language
and Literature organized a
seminar-workshop
entitled
“On intervention strategies and
material production for common
language-related
difficulties
of school learners” held in the
Bulwagang Juan Luna.
According to Ma. Rosario Y.
Guzman, head of the Graduate
Resource center of UP Baguio the
main objective of the seminarworkshop was to “provide
special education training to
language teachers without SPED
(special education) background.”
She added that the seminar was
supposed to address certain
issues on special education,
particularly to correct some
misconceptions regarding this
field of learning.
Dr.
Priscilla
Supnet
Macansantos,
chancellor
of
UP Baguio, gave the welcome
address during the opening
program.
Meanwhile, in his keynote
address, Dr. Edilberto Dizon,
Chair of the Special Education
Area in UP Diliman said that
the three-day seminar-workshop
must be seen as an “opportunity
to serve and pursue further
the advocacy for learners with
special needs.”
Several resource speakers
mostly coming from the special
education area in College of
Education UP Diliman were
invited to give lectures and
workshops to the participants.
The participants were teachers
of different levels who came
from various parts of Northern
Luzon. There was a total of 110
participants in the event.
The seminar-workshop was a
joint project of the College of Arts
and Communication-UP Baguio,
College of Education-Special
Education Area-UP Diliman and
the ChildFind Therapy Center,
Quezon City.
Kultura
Iba-iba ang konsepto ng tao sa
langit. Sa paglalakbay, maraming
bagay ang nalalaman natin, mga
kuwentong nililikha ng mga tao
at lugar na nakikilala natin.
Ito ang langit sa pagbibiyahe,
bagong pagtuklas sa isang bagong
mundo.
Abra. Sa pagtalunton sa mga
komunidad, nasaksihan ang
mga kalagayang ikinubli
ng kabundukan, patuloy na
ginalugad ang mga karanasang
dati’y hindi mabigyan ng espasyo
sa mga pahina ng ating ulirat, at
muling nakiisa sa mamamayang
patuloy na nakikibaka sa
tagpuan ng langit at impyerno.
August 31, 9 am
NIKKI
Maaga kaming nagising para
makalibot sa lugar. Nakapunta
kami sa bahay ng isang kagawad
doon. Nagtaka ako matapos niyang
ihingi ng tawad ang maliit at
magulo raw nilang tirahan na kung
susumahin ay mas malaki pa kaysa
sa ilang bahay sa siyudad. Matapos
makipagkwentuhan ay bumalik
na kami kina Manang Ellen kung
saan may naghihintay ng almusal.
Nahiya ako sa sobrang pag-aasikaso
nila sa amin. Pati sa pagkumbinsi
sa kanila sa paghuhugas namin ng
pinagkainang pinggan ay naging
mahirap dahil ayaw talaga nila
kaming pagtrabahuhin.
Naghanda na kaming lahat
para sa pagpunta sa Binangsalan
Mines pagkatapos. Bago umalis
ay pinahiram pa ako ni Manang
Ellen ng tsinelas para raw hindi
ako mahirapang maglakad sa mga
daraanan namin.
Pagkarating doon ay naglibot
agad kami para makita ang
mismong
lugar
kung
saan
minimina ang ginto. Hindi talaga
madali ang trabaho ng mga
minero matapos maipaliwanag
at maipakita sa amin ang ilang
proseso sa pagmimina. Nabanggit
pa ng nakausap naming minero
na mahirap man ang kanilang
gawain, ang halagang kinikita nila
mula sa mga nakuhang ginto ay
nagkukulang pa rin dahil marami
silang naghahati-hati rito. Hindi
rin sila pabor sa large scale mining
companies na nagnanais na
pasukin ang kanilang lugar dahil
na rin sa mga maaaring maging
epekto nito sa mga tao at kalikasan.
Kakaiba
ang
hirap
na
nararanasan ni manong at ng
iba pang minero roon. Bagaman
maaari silang mapahamak, upang
mapunan ang mga pangangailangan
ng kanilang pamilya ay kinakaya
nila ang pambihirang buhay ng
pagmimina. Bago kami umalis ay
nagkaroon kami ng pagkakataong
makakita ng kakaminang ginto.
Dahil sa mga kapirasong dilaw
na buhanging iyon ay mayroong
nabibigyan ng kabuhayan sa
kanilang lugar. Ngunit hindi pa rin
maikukubli ang pangambang dulot
ng pagpasok ng mga malalaking
pribadong kumpanya sa kanilang
industriya ng pagmimina – isang
posibilidad na dapat lagi nilang
pagbantayan.
August 31, 3 pm
PAUL
Pabagsak na ang malakas na
ulan nang kami ay makabalik ng
bahay mula sa minahan. Ipinaalam
sa amin ni Manang Ellen na bago
kami dumating ay kinompronta
siya ng mga militar tungkol sa
amin at ipinaalam na nais daw
nila kaming makausap tungkol
sa ilang bagay. Kinakitaan namin
siya ng takot at pag-aalala. Tila
may tensyong naganap sa pagitan
nila ng mga militar bago pa man
kami dumating. Kaya naman,
pinayuhan niya kaming wag
nang magtagal pa roon. Minabuti
naming patilain lang nang kaunti
ang ulan at kami’y nagpaalam na.
Noong mga oras na iyon, tila
kami’y mga bilanggong tumatakas
–
tahimik,
dahan-dahan
at
mapagmatyag. Bakas ang kaba
sa aming mga kilos. Panay ang
sulyap sa likuran dahil animo
may mga matang sumusunod sa
amin. Papalakas man ang ulan,
tuloy-tuloy pa rin kami sa aming
paglalakad.
Dapit-hapon na nang marating
namin ang bahay ng isang kakilala
nila Kuya Marci. Doon na lang
kami nagpalipas ng gabi. Bukas,
babalik na kaming Abubutok.
September 1, 10 am
PAM
Sira ang dyip na sana’y
babyahe patungong Abubutok.
Sa pagbabaka-sakaling maabutan
namin ang dyip na babyahe mula
Abubutok patungong Bangued
ay minabuti naming lakarin na
lamang ang shortcut sa bundok
na dinadaanan ng mga taga-rito.
Ngunit hindi namin inaasahan ang
mga mangyayari pagkatapos ng
unang stop-over sa kubo kung saan
kumain kami ng buko at palaka.
Nakakagitla ang mga nangyari
sa mahigit anim na oras naming
paglalakad – makatapak ng tae
ng baka, mapigtasan ng tsinelas,
maglakad
nang
nakayapak,
lumubog hanggang tuhod sa putik,
madulas at halos mapahiga sa lupa,
UPB Outcrop Tomo 36 Isyu 7 Enero-Pebrero 2010
masugatan ng mga bato at kahoy sa
daan, makagat ng kung anu-anong
insekto, uminom ng sariwang
tubig-sapa, makita ang Abra River
at ang tila walang katapusang
kabundukan na nakapaligid sa
amin nang malayuan, maghanap
ng mahinang signal sa cellphone
upang itext ang mga kamag-anak,
kumain ng bayabas sa daan bilang
pantawid-gutom, tumakbo pababa
ng bundok kahit masakit sa paa,
at magkwentuhan nang walang
humpay kahit basang-basa na sa
ulan.
Sa kabila ng hirap at pagod ay
natuwa pa rin ako. Tingin ko hindi
na ako kailanman magrereklamo
sa pag-akyat ng abortion stairs
matapos ang mga ito. Marahil
ay hindi na rin ako kailanman
makatatakbo pa nang malaya at
makasisigaw nang malakas tulad
ng aking nagawa rito.
Kahit bugbog na ang aming
katawan sa halos buong araw
na paglalakad, tila nagnanais pa
ako ng mas mahabang panahon
na makawala sa paulit-ulit kong
buhay. Pasado alas-sais na kami
nakarating sa Sitio Libsung at
sa aming malalalim na buntinghininga ay kalakip ang galak na
nakarating din kami sa aming
tutuluyan.
September 1, 6:40 pm
NIKKI
Pagkarating
namin
sa
Sitio
Libsung
ay hinati kami sa
dalawang
grupong
magkahiwalay
ang
tutuluyang
bahay.
Dahil
galing
sa
maghapong paglalakad,
pare-pareho
kaming
amoy-pawis kaya’t ang
una naming hinanap ay
ang banyo. Nakakagulat dahil wala
silang banyong pwedeng pagliguan
kaya naisipan naming maligo na
lang sa nadaanan naming ilog.
Madilim ang gabi at ang tanging
buwan lang ang nagsisilbing
liwanag namin. Tila tinatangay
ng bawat agos ng tubig ang
nararamdaman kong sakit ng
katawan at pagod. Doon ay
Bakasyon
sa
Bundok:
kuntento na ako sa pagsandal sa
mga malulumot na bato ng ilog
habang inaalala ang mga nangyari.
Sa wakas ay mapapalitan at
malalabahan na rin namin doon
ang mga damit na pakiramdam ko
ay naabuso na sa kapal ng putik
dala ng madalas na pagkakadulas.
Sa bahay ay kumain na kami
ng kakahuling igat at sardinas.
Matapos nito, nabigyan na ang
aming mga katawan ng isang
pahingang kailangang-kailangan
nito. Opisyal na kaming babalik ng
Baguio bukas, kaya kailangan ng
sapat na lakas para sa huling yugto
ng lakaran at biyahe.
September 2, 8:30 am
IVAN
Maaga kaming umalis sa Sitio
papuntang
Abubutok
upang
maabutan ang dyip papuntang
Bangued. Halos tatlong oras
kaming naglakad na minarkahan
ng higit limang pagtigil para
mahabol namin ang aming mga
hininga. Mag-aalas-dose na nang
makabalik kami sa Abubutok.
Dumating ang jeep na maghahatid
sa amin sa Bangued at unti-unti
ko nang naramdaman ang paglayo
sa lahat ng aming karanasan sa
Poblacion, Talampac at Libsung.
Naging mas magaan ang biyahe – o
marahil, nasanay na lang kami sa
umaalog na jeep. Alas-kwatro kami
dumating sa Kastan at matapos
ang pag-aayos at pagpapaalam,
sumakay na kami ng bus paBaguio.
Hindi ako magaling bumasa
ng kilos ng iba pero nakita ko
ang tuwa sa mga kilos ng kasama
ko. Maluwag ang bus pero
pinili naming sa pinakalikod
umupo. Namayani ang tawanan
at biruan. Nang umandar na ang
bus, napakamot ako sa braso ko
na pinapak ng mga insekto sa
Abra. Umumbok ang mga kagat at
mukhang mag-iiwan sila ng mga
malulupit na marka. Inisip ko na
lang na lagi nitong ipaaalala sa
akin ang lahat ng nangyari sa Abra.
May pasok na kinabukasan at
hatinggabi na kami makakarating
ng Baguio pero wala akong
anumang pag-aalala. Sa kabila ng
hirap sa pag-akyat ng bundok, sa
mga mapagmatyag na tingin ng
mga militar, sa putik at pagod,
nanatiling matamis ang alaala ng
Abra para isipin pa ang pagpasok
kinabukasan.
Narating namin ang Baguio.
At ang Abra ay naging isang
karanasang nakakintal sa aming
lahat – malayo sa liwanag ng
Session o sa karangyaan ng
lungsod ngunit naging malapit
sa aming mga alaala. Batid
naming sa mga susunod na
pagkakataon babalik kami
para sa ibang karanasang
papanday sa tinutungo ng
Abra at ng iba pang lugar
– ang tagpuan ng langit at
impyerno.
Kung Paano
Nagdugtong
ang Langit
at Impyerno
sa Abra
Ikalawa sa Dalawang Bahagi
L
ooking through the car
window, my thoughts start to
wander when unexpectedly,
Manong Taxi lamented that
if Metro Manila should have
undergone proper urban planning,
nothing as grave as what had
transpired after that series of
typhoons could have happened.
But I told him that the government
would not do it because, according
to Nobel Prize-winning economist
Milton Friedman, “only a crisis
could bring real change.”
The United States announced
last October 26 that it was
giving $ 8.5 million worth (Php
399 million) of food aid to the
Philippines to help it recover
from the storms that left almost
900 bodies dead. However, Tom
Vilsack, Secretary of the US
Department of Agriculture, added
during a trade and investment
conference in Makati City that the
“US businessmen were looking for
partnerships in biofuel research to
lessen dependence on petroleum
products which are being blamed
for global warming and climate
change.” This paved the way for
the implementation of the Biofuels
Act, signed by the President last
2007. As calamities reduced most
of the developing countries into
“mere rubbles and carnages,”
corporations saw opportunities
beyond the disasters – they try to
salvage an opportunity for profits.
Shock Doctrine and Disaster
Capitalism
After Hurricane Katrina hit
the United States last 2005, the
floodwaters of New Orleans
became an opportune moment
for Friedman to realize the
privatization of its public school
system. Before the hurricane
Katrina, a calamity also hit areas
off the coast of Indian Ocean
leaving thousands in cold blood
and clearing the shorelines of
countries like Sri Lanka. Hotel
owners in the said country
immediately
grabbed
this
profitable opportunity through
“buffer zones” – safety measure
for the citizens according to
their government leaving them
off from the shores where
they get their livelihood
while hoteliers are given
the opportunity to expand
Akda nina
Alexandrea Dioso,
Ivan Emil Labayne,
Nikki Camille Malabad,
at Pamela Peralta
Grapiks
Santiago Tiongco III
Lathalain
UPB Outcrop Tomo 36 Isyu 7 Enero-Pebrero 2010
their hotels and resorts.
For almost three decades,
Friedman and his followers had
perfected this strategy: after a major
crisis, like calamities, pieces of
state properties are sold to private
players interested considering this
scheme as “reforms,” while the
citizens are still reeling of from
the shock. Then, they make these
“reforms” permanent. Thus, the
birth of disaster capitalism and
what Naomi Klein coined as the
“shock doctrine.”
The Shock Landfalls
The damages brought by
Typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng
gave
an
opportunity
for
foreign investors to help
rehabilitating the scarred
regions. They also tried
to sneak trade agreements
and partnerships that could
rather put the country in a
more calamitous condition
than those left by the two
typhoons.
Last 2007, President
Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo
signed
the
Biofuels
Act
allowing
for
the
commercialization
of
biofuels
production.
Biofuel
entails
mixing
diesel
with
jatropha
extract to reduce carbon
emissions.
Nevertheless,
it was only after the two
typhoons that this act was
executed. According to
Clemente Bautista, national
Coordinator of KALIKASAN
People’s
Network,
the
current
policies
and
program of the government in
dealing with the heated issue
of climate change will only
strengthen
the
conversion of
agricultural
l a n d s
Eye
of
the
Storm
Ruel Caricativo
to commercial use for jatropha
production.
Based on the data from the
PNOC Alternative Fuels Corp.,
to meet the 2-percent blend for
biodiesel, some 97,022 hectares
planted to jatropha are required
in 2009 and 120,808 in 2015. At
the 5-percent blend, the jatropha
area will have to utilize 242,556
hectares in 2009 and 302,021
hectares in 2015, while the
20-percent blend requires an area
of 970,224 hectares and 1.208
million hectares on the same
respective years.
Moreover, there is no guarantee
that CARP-able lands and lands
of CARP beneficiaries would not
be included for biofuels
production because the
promise of high returns from
such agribusiness venture
is seemingly enticing. For
instance, using the base
price of $46 per barrel
for petroleum, PhilForest
estimates an investor in
this industry could reap a
20% return on investment
notwithstanding that global
oil prices could still go up.
A case in point is
the
contract-growing
scheme of San Miguel
Corporation
(SMC)
in
Isabela. This enticed the
farmers holding not only
stewardship contracts but
also those who owned land
certificates to venture into
such investment.
Conversely, there is a
high probability that the
farmers will incur huge
debts instead of profits for they
are still the ones shouldering
the production risks of jatropha
production. Worse, their control
and ownership of their lands
are threatened – the contract
they signed with the
SMC stipulates that
the cooperative
commissioned
by the said
The damages brought
by Typhoon Ondoy
and Pepeng gave
an opportunity for
foreign investors to
help rehabilitating the
scarred regions. They
also tried to sneak
trade agreements and
partnerships that could
rather put the country
in a more calamitous
condition than
those left by the two
typhoons.
05
corporation supplying its cassava
needs can take over the lands of
farmers who incur debts for two
consecutive harvest seasons.
(Tropical) Depression
Neoliberalism in general and
its version of environmental
economics
in
particular
characterized
the
dominant
perspectives
in
“sustainable
development”
within
the
international landscape. Selfinflicted remedies of multinational
corporations they baptized as
corporate social responsibility
have become obsolete in the face
of the continued exploitation of
developing countries whenever
a major disaster is turned into an
opportunity.
As the country staggers from
the effects of the two devastating
typhoons
ever
to
hit
the
Philippines so far, foreign aids
came pouring in. These aids came
with them packages to realize
certain objectives driven by profits
– just like the commercialization
of biofuels production. This,
apparently, is nothing but an
excuse for the landlord dominated
Congress to do what they always
wanted to do: extract more from
the lands they never bothered
to till, subject the country to
an
increasingly
“globalized”
economy, and give less to their
farmer-laborers.
Manong should have known
all these – that the Philippines is
the eye of another storm that is
disaster capitalism – but the time
is not enough to explain such
things. After all, I have to get out
of that cab.
Reference:
Klein, Naomi. (2007). The Shock
Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster
Capitalism. Canada: Knopf.
Leff, Enrique. (2000). “The ScientificTechnological Revolution, the Forces
of Nature, and Marx’s Theory of Value.”
Capitalism, Nature and Socialism,
December 2000. Academic Research
Library. p. 109-128.
Republic Act No. 9367, otherwise
known as the Biofuels Act of
2007.
l
04
06
Grapiks
UPB Outcrop Tomo 36 Isyu Enero-Pebrero 2010
Walang pinipiling oras ang pamumulot nila ng
mga bato. Kasabay ng paglakas ng mga alon,
makikitang nakikipagpatintero sa mga ito ang
mga stone-picker nang sa gayo’y makaipon ng
mga batong ibebenta.
NUSP calls for tuition moratorium now!
T
Mano-mano.
Pagkatapos ng patintero
sa mga alon, kanilang
hinahakot ang mga
batong napulot patungo
sa dalampasigan. Dati
ay baka’t kariton ang
kanilang ginagamit
nang sa gayo’y hindi
sila mahirapan subalit
dahil sa pagbabawal
ng kanilang lokal na
gobyerno, naging manomano ang gawaing ito.
Matapos pagbawalan na gumamit ng
baka’t kariton sa paghahakot ng mga bato
mula sa tabing-dagat, halos ilang buwan
din silang hindi nakapamulot ng mga
bato bunsod na rin ng utos ng lokal na
gobyerno ng Luna, La Union. Ngunit dahil
sa pagtutulungan ng mga residente ng
nasabing bayan na tanging stone-picking
ang nagsisilbing hanapbuhay, pinayagan
ulit silang makapamulot sa tabing-dagat.
SaBawat
Hampas
ng
Alon
Sulyap sa Buhay ng mga
Stone-picker ng La Union
Salandra.
Matapos ipunin ang mga bato, pinaghihiwalay
ang mga ito ayon sa laki gamit ang “salandra.”
Halos maghapon ay ito lang ang kanilang
ginagawa. Minsan pa nga kahit sa kalaliman
ng gabi, sa ilalim ng liwanag ng buwan ay
tuloy pa rin sila sa pagsasalandra para lang
makarami ng mga batong maibebenta.
Buntung-hininga.
Nasa Php 16.00 ang presyo ng isang lata ng mga
batong nakukuha nila. Sa isang araw, swerte na ang
makatatlong lata. Binibili ng malalaking kompanya
mula Taiwan at South Korea ang nasabing mga bato
at kalimitan ay ilang buwan ang binibilang bago sila
mabayaran. Kuwento nila, sa isang buwan ay mahigit
limanlibong piso ang kanilang kita. Bago pa man
nila makuha ang kitang iyon, nagkautang na sila
ng mahigit tatlonglibong piso para lang mabuhay
sa pang-araw-araw. Wala na silang ibang pwedeng
pagkakakitaan.
Luna, La Union.
Itinatago ng naglalakihang
mga alon at malamig
na simoy ng hangin ang
mga taong katangi-tangi
ang mga kwento ng
pakikipagsapalaran. Sa mga
larawang ito ipakikilala
ang pang-araw-araw
na pakikibaka ng mga
binansagang stone-picker ng
bayang ito.
his
year,
school
administrators have once
again failed to serve just
education to students with the
new round of tuition and other fees
increases in Baguio universities
and colleges. Hence, they proved
that education is a favor that
comes with a high price.
Schools are in race with each
other with their proposed increases
in tuition and other fees. The
University of the Cordilleras (UC)
will again experience 10% increase
in tuition and other fees, not to
mention the 556.81% increase in
a newly-acquired miscellaneous.
Saint Louis University (SLU) will
welcome freshmen as they impose
5% tuition increase while other
students will have 6% increase
in miscellaneous. University of
Baguio (UB) is also in race with
15% tuition increase, which
apparently, is the highest proposal
among the universities. Baguio
Central University (BCU) joins in
the with 5% tuition increase, while
Baguio College of Technology
(BCU) made an announcement, but
did not provide figures.
In this race, they leave behind
the primary thing: students’
interests.
Each year, school administrators
fall short in providing education
as a service. Instead, they proudly
inculcate to our young minds that
such service means a culture of
profit, and a privilege to a few.
Each year, they displease us by
taking away one thing closest to
our heart – education. However,
we will not make it easy for them
this time.
With all these increases, we,
students stand firm with our claim
that quality education should
not be directly proportional to
higher cost of education. In the
same way, we assert our right to
education inasmuch as we believe
that it is not our sole responsibility
to provide a quality and accessible
education.
We then salute our fellow
students,
especially
student
leaders who are courageous in
facing school administrators in
opposing unjustified tuition and
other fees increases. We encourage
the majority of students to take the
same stand, support and be one
with their student leaders and do
all possible means to show their
opposition.
PAHAYAG
Ang Outcrop ay tumatanggap
ng pahayag mula sa mga
organisasyon at indibidwal.
Likewise,
we
urge
our
local officials and educational
institutions
to
equal
and
complement students’ efforts. It is
high time you show your concern
and value to education. We ask you
to do necessary actions available
in your fields to immediately
address this dilemma. During this
unsurpassed time, we, students
need your utmost support.
To our local officials, we
challenge you to intervene and
demand school administrators to
be just in collecting fees by asking
them to withdraw their proposed
increase. Particularly, we call
the attention of Mayor Reinaldo
Bautista. As a father of Baguio
and guardian to thousands of
students, he should genuinely lead
in addressing this concern and
impose a no increase at University
of Baguio .
Finela Mejia
Chairperson, NUSP BaguioBenguet
09239758641
section 7 provides for grounds to
consider the position of SR-elect
or the incumbent SR vacant, to
wit: permanent disqualification
from the university; incapacity to
enroll or file an LOA the following
semester; or, death, illness or any
other cause which prevents him/
her from discharging functions.
In the same statement, the
UPLB administration claimed that
“as of 29 January 2010, Ms. Banez
has not enrolled for residency
and is not on leave of absence.
She is not a bona fide student of
the University, as defined by the
CRSRC, and thus not qualified to
sit as Student Regent, an Office
whose occupant, under the UP
Charter, must come from the ranks
of the students.”
Bañez was not able to sit as
the official SR until two months
after her proclamation because of
alleged charges filed in the UPLB
Student Disciplinary Tribunal
(SDT). In November 2009, the
UPLB SDT released another order
suspending Bañez and eight
other former members of the
UPLB USC during her term last
AY 2008-2009, due to the alleged
failure of the USC to release its
annual financial statement. The
UPLB USC released the financial
statement last June 18, 2009.
In an interview by the
Philippine
Collegian,
Bañez
claimed that the Office of the SR
is “vital in representing student
interests in a body that decides
on issues such as tuition increases
and appointment of university
officials.
“Ngayong kaliwa’t kanan ang
mga isyung kinakaharap ng mga
estudyante, tulad ng large lecture
class scheme, higit na kailangang
ipaglaban ang representation sa
BOR (Now that the students are
confronted by issues from both
sides, like the large class scheme,
it is imperative to struggle for
representation in the BOR),” she
added.
Kung gusto
mo siya,
wag kang
papigil.
P.S.: maaari ka ring magpasa ng sanaysay o
kaya’y maikling kwento. <wink>
P.S. ulit: Belated Happy Birthday Chico P. Riva! :)
To the Commission on Higher
Education, we urge you to
make investigations regarding
the long problem in collecting
redundant and exorbitant fees.
Also, we strongly demand for
the implementation of a genuine
tuition moratorium in order to
put end to all these unwelcome
increases.
Again, we reiterate our claim
that education is a service and not
a privilege. ###
BOR, yet to decide...
continued from page 2
At dahil alam ko namang gusto mo
talaga, wag ka nang magpapigil
kung gusto mong magpasa ng mga
makabagbag-damdaming mga tula
sa OutcroP para sa aming literary
folio, ang Balintuna 2010. Ipasa
lamang sa aming opisina sa tabi ng
McKleene Utility Services o kaya sa
upboutcrop@yahoo.com.ph.
Mga Kuha ni Ruel Caricativo
07
Student leaders oppose unjustified tuition and other fees increases
Pamumulot
Pagpapatuloy.
Kultura
UPB Outcrop Tomo 36 Isyu 7 Enero-Pebrero 2010
Guhit ni Alexandrea Dioso
08
Opinyon
1. Naniniwala ka pa ba sa CRS
(Computerized Registraion
System)? Bakit? Bakit hindi? Eh
sa love?
Uu. Kasi nakuha yung mga subject na
linista ko. 09-57250
Hindi na! Kasi 6 units lang nakuha ko.
Puro alternatives pa. 08-00001
Pag late ka nag-reg, sure lahat ng
subjects mo. Kaya ‘wag maging bibo!
06-64948
Medyo sa CRS, sa love malapit na…
09-36692
Hindi na..kasi gagraduate na ‘ko!haha
06-21610
Oo. Mas madali sa buhay, hindi na
kelangan ng pila. 07-55527
Di na aa, wala ng chance ung mga
incoming second year. 0X-04820
Hindi, wala ako nakuha sa gusto ko.
09-63723
2. May kakilala ka bang
gagraduate? Anong ireregalo
mo sa kanya?
Wala. Wala nga. 09-48XXX
Oo. Ate ko. Kiss sabay hug. XX-XXXXX
Oo. Trabahong malupit at hindi isang
call center. XX-XXXXX
DSLR! 06-XXXXX
Pag-ibig at pagmamahal 08-15074
Oo, meron, Filing of Extension ^_^
XX-XXXXX
Isang bonggang gabi! 09-47698
3. Anong ginawa mo nung
Valentines Day?
Nakatulala sa kawalan habang
ginugunita ang mapapait na ala-ala
ng aming lumipas. 08-6625X
Soc An field work! XX-XXXXX
Wahaha..naghintay ng ka-date sa Red
Ribbon. Mia
Namasyal sa Burnham (single eh). XXXXXXX
Kumain ng hotdog! Haha solb.
09-XXXXX
Nagpamiscall — kaso unattended siya.
06-21610
4. Sa tingin mo, ano ang
mangyayari sa Pilipinas
pagkatapos ng eleksiyon?
Lulubog sa dagat ng basura! LOL! 0816849
Protests for recount, accusations. 0752757
5. Excited ka ba sa automated
elections? Bakit/ Bakit hindi?
Slight! Para kasi yang UPCAT eh, shade
the circle completely or else..tapos
kailangan walang erasure typo or else..
hindi mababasa ng scanner 08-16849
Hindi, kasi pati yung resulta,
automated na din! (lutong macau)
XX-XXXXX
Excited ako sa bagong strategy ng
dayaan. XX-11813
Hindi, hindi pa kasi ako pwedeng
bumoto. Pero hindi pa hanga ang
bansa sa automated election. 0936692
Hindi, ikaw excited na? Ysa
Hapon. Mainit. Nakakabato. Wala
ang mga kasama ko, wala akong
mahihingan
ng
second-hand
smoke. Nagmamasid mula sa gilid
habang nakaupo, iniisip mabuti
kung ano ang bibilhing meryenda.
May bananacue, sorbetes at
iba pang pagkain. Meron ding
iskrambol.
Yun ang akala ko.
May mga dumating na pulis.
Hinuli at isinakay sa trak ang
lalagyan ng sorbetes ni Manong
Icecream at ang lalagyan ng
iskrambol ni Manong Iskrambol.
Isang malaking “BAKIT?” ang
namuo sa isipan ko. Unang sumagi
sa isip ko na ilegal ang pagtitinda
ng dalawang manong. Pero dagli
ko rin naisip na kung ilegal,
bakit yung mga ibang manininda
ay hindi hinuhuli? Wala akong
makitang sagot. Passive-aggressive
ang dalawang manong – namumuo
ang mga butil ng pawis sa kanilang
noo sa kada minutong lumilipas.
Ramdam ko ang hirap nila bilang
isang manininda, pero ‘di ko
kailanman maiintindihan ang
kanilang sitwasyon. Basta ang alam
ko, mahirap maging manininda.
Kung ating papansinin, madami
sa mga tao sa Pilipinas ay may
maliit na pinagkakakitaan kagaya
nila Manong Iskrambol. Madami
sa mga Pilipino ang nakaranas
ng
kaparehong
sitwasyon.
Samakatuwid, marami ang hindi
protektado ng batas lalo na kung
ganun ang pinagkakakitaan. Alam
naman natin na ang mga ganung
trabaho,
bilang
alternatibong
kabuhayan, ang siyang bumubuo
I.
ou know he’s looking
for ‘something real not
fake’ when … he posts it
on Craigslist. He’s looking for
somebody that will appreciate his
sweetness and caring nature. A
few lines down the web page, there
is Katrina from the South who
wants nothing less than to live her
life to the fullest with Mr. Right
who she knows is somewhere
out there – just like Sunshine, a
20 year old shemale from Manila
who is looking for a serious
relationship between the random
and anonymous pages of the web.
A few clicks away on the same
site, there is a guy who met another
at a mall in Ortigas. They sat at
Starbucks, and this guy he thinks
that there were sparks flying. The
sparks flew and fell on the floor
– but never mind because this
guy is willing to stoop and scoop
vaingloriously hopeful sparks that
will only burn him. Which is why
he posts on the site under the label
of missed connections. Missed
connections too are what happen
to the guy who encountered this
crew cut guy with a silver earring
who rode the same tricycle that
the poster rode on. Now, the poster
is thinking, maybe there was
something there. But the tricycle
passes by his house each day but
the crew cut boy is nowhere to be
seen.
A few clicks away on the same
site, there is a middle aged guy
from the United States looking for
an LTR – long term relationship.
Just below the link which you
press to read the entire post, there
is another link for another boy in
the Philippines who is looking for
‘friends…or something more.’ And
Y
UPB Outcrop Tomo 36 Isyu 7 Enero-Pebrero 2010
Kung nakakapagsalita ang mga
lalagyan ng iskrambol
Alejo Marco Galano
at nagpapalakas sa maliliit na
sektor ng lipunan na hindi kayang
makapagbayad ng matataas na
buwis sa negosyo. Kahit paano,
nakakapagpaaral din ng mga anak
ang mga nagtitinda ng iskrambol
– may kita kahit maliit. Ang
mga kasama sa ganitong sektor
ay madalas nakakalimutan sa
mga popular na diskurso ng
ekonomiya.
Itinuturing
lang
silang blips sa datos na tungkol
sa lipunan. Bihira silang maisama
sa mga plano na kadikit ng
mga salitang nation building o
development plans. Samakatuwid,
hindi nakakatulong ang gobyerno
sa mga ganitong marginalisadong
sektor. Bagkus ay sinusubukan pa
silang “linisin” paalis sa mga lugar
na pinupuntahan nila. Sila ay kalat
– iyan ang turing ng mga pulis at
ng gobyerno sa kalakhan. “Hijo,
pakalat-kalat kasi sila kaya namin
kailangang hulihin”, sabi nga ng
isa sa mga pulis.
Maraming mga uri ng diskurso
ang maaaring lumabas sa ganung
senaryo. Bilang mga estudyante,
kaya nating magbigay ng mga
paliwanag at solusyon sa mga
ganung pangyayari. Samu’t-saring
teorya ang mahuhugot natin
mula sa magkakaibang disiplina
sa akademya. Lahat tayo kayang
mag-analisa at magbigay ng sagot
hinggil sa pangyayaring iyon. May
magsasabi na tama lang na hulihin
sila, may magsasabi na mali, may
magsasabi na may iba pang paraan.
Lahat kayang may masabi pero
hindi lahat ay may gustong gawin
– hindi lahat ay kayang ibaba ang
diskurso sa lebel ng masa at ng
realidad. Isa ito sa mga hamon ni
Oble, ang ibaba ang diskurso sa
lebel ng realidad upang magkaroon
ng konkretong solusyon. Sana
kahit ito man lang ay hindi natin
makalimutan.
Natapos ang hulihan, back to
business si Manang Yosi, inaalam
ni Manong Load kung ano ang
nangyari, tila nakikiramay ang mga
Magbabalot. Tuloy pa rin ang takbo
ng mundo. Walang nagbago.
Ligtas si Manong Mais. Buti na
lang. Makakapagmeryenda pa ako.
“Ang mga
kasama sa
ganitong
sektor ay
madalas
nakakalimutan sa mga
popular na
diskurso ng
ekonomiya.”
Para sa mga ka-batch ko na
aalis na. Mauunahan nyo ako sa
totoong mundo. Mauuna kayong
makakakita ng mga kaparehas na
problema sa labas ng Unibersidad.
Sana walang makalimot na may
magagawa tayo kahit gaano kaliit
ukol sa mga ganitong problema
dahil kaya nating ibaba ang
diskurso sa lebel ng realidad.
Sana.
“Looking for something
real not fake”
Santiago Tiongco
below that link is another link of a
guy who is organizing a SEB – sex
eye ball – somewhere in Makati.
II.
Between wondering how Adele
can actually chase pavements
and smoking the third pack of
cigarettes, there is the realization
that chasing pavements and
looking for something real not fake
is the same thing. You don’t chase
the pavement because it is where
you do the chasing – it is where
you run. Another spurt from the
many holes in a broken heart is
the text message about geometric
love stories – tangent lines that
meet once and never again,
parallel lines that are destined
never to meet while sitting side
by side, and asymptotes that get
closer and closer without ever
making contact. And if you see
the whole impossibility-of-contact
premise in these geometric tales,
take the view and transpose it on
pavements and runners – there is
no contact, no connection, no way
to breach logic.
To be more precise, this is the
logic lurking somewhere between
Adele and geometry. You do not
ask what purpose life has precisely
because life is the context where
purpose exists. You do not ask
why the knight in the chessboard
moves in L’s, or why king totters
in single steps, or why the pawns
can only move ahead – because
the arbitrariness of these rules
implies that these rules are beyond
question – must be taken for
granted. And this is the tragedy for
people who chase pavements – the
pavement is the arbitrary rule, the
context, the whole plane where all
the chasing is done. The tragedy
for runners after pavements is that
running after the pavement is the
same as asking the chess board to
let the pawn fly over the castles
and queens and into the king.
Which is to say, to ask reality to
stop for a moment, to let go of the
rules and the context.
III.
Does the world stop for true
love?
I guess I was searching for
something real not fake as well,
thinking I was smart enough to
have removed the Prince from the
fairy tales, but naively subscribing
to the stories in the first place.
Which is to say, falling into the
same trap of chasing pavements –
trying to breach logic. Tautologies
are logical enough. But in the end,
they refer to nothing precisely
because they refer to each other.
And my something real is the
same as the something not fake.
And what I have is you, the
pavement, the way logic screws us
all – whether you are posting on
Craigslist, or laughing at it.
“Sunshine,
a 20 year
old shemale
from Manila
looking for
a serious
and loving
relationship. ”
Editoryal
UPB Outcrop Tomo 36 Isyu 7 Enero-Pebrero 2010
09
We’re
From the
speeches we have
been hearing
from you or any
national official
for that matter,
it seems like the
government
professes a deep
love for its youth.
Amazed
by the way
You
A
Love Us
s the end of the school
year is slowly approaching
its end, it is definitely
inevitable to sum things up.
We have received things
from you that are worthmentioning. This academic year,
as a consolation for its 1OOth
year of existence, you awarded
our university the title ‘national
university’—a title so prestigious
but only on the surface. You also
gave a 150-million grant to boost
the construction of infrastructures,
which
of
course
the
UP
administration gladly accepted. A
‘first world-ish’ techno hub was
constructed in the premises of UP
Diliman in which many call
center agents/ UP students
were hired. Many commercial
establishments sprouted in the
different campuses of UP. In our
campus, a library extension was
constructed and an ATM machine
was placed in our lobby, much
to the gladness of students who
no longer need to scamper to
SM whenever they need money
impromptu.
These things we have gained,
however, cannot suffice to the
things we have lost.
UP Diliman is now under a
new student code where students
organizations will now exert extra
effort to keep being recognized.
Moreover, this student code has
other very suspicious provisions
that are apparently made to
repress the academic freedom
of students which is one of
the most sacred possessions
of the university. UP Visayas
has
recently
surrendered
their administration of the UP
Visayas High School mainly
because of financial difficulties.
UP Los Banos’ Perspective is hit
with a mortal blow by the Office of
Students Affairs’ action to hinder
collection of its funds, thereby
leading to the instability of their
publication.
Red-tagging
also
became very prominent – pointed
student leaders and activists as
well as progressive organizations
are branded as fronts of communist
elements and recruiting grounds
of the New People’s Army.
Moreover, the presence of military
elements inside the campus is
very disturbing, especially because
their very presence is against the
rules of the university. A largeclass policy is also being railroaded
still in UPLB. Once this policy
takes effect, all GE classes must
accommodate 150 to 200 students.
The stubborn administration of
UPLB even seems hesitant to act
regarding these issues. Philippine
General Hospital, one of the leading
and mass-friendly hospitals in
the country is also on the verge
of being privatized because of
financial difficulty experienced by
UP Manila who holds it. Finally,
another budget cut was again
done by you and your cohorts
to reduce its expenses on giving
quality education and give this
chunk to more ‘pertinent’ matters.
This budget cut is also part of the
government’s scheme to make state
universities and colleges become
more ‘financially independent’
from the government. Notice the
‘truthfulness’ of the 150 million
budget consolation given in our
centennial only months before the
said budget cut.
These are only some of the
manifestations of the lack of
budget that your administration
had inflicted not only to UP but
also to other public educational
institutions.
Under the logic
of giving priority to other more
important things (such as paying
out foreign debt which comprises
a big chunk of our budget and a
suspiciously big military budget),
we are ceaselessly hit with
unforgiving budget cuts, forcing
us to do with the mere crumbs that
is left for us. The fascist policies
within the school in turn acts as
salts in these wounds.
From the speeches we have
been hearing from you or any
national official for that matter,
it seems like the government
professes a deep love for its youth.
You usually proclaim about how
the education sector gets a large
chunk in the national budget, how
scholarships change the lives of
thousands out-of-school youth and
how the call center jobs are most
welcomed to cater to the fresh
graduates and ensure that they will
not idle after graduation.
Your kind of love encourages us
to be financially independent (the
lack of government subsidy?). Your
kind of love lets us socialize with
more people (hence the large-class
policy). Your kind of love claims to
uphold equality in paying tuition
fees (hence the STFAP). Your kind
of love secures us in the arms of
the military people while we are
studying (hence the disappearance
of many student leaders). We are
really amazed.
To those in the plush seats of
the government: Don’t ration your
compassion.
Punong Patnugot Ruel Caricativo | Kawaksing Patnugot Ivan Emil Labayne, Santiago Tiongco III | Patnugot sa Lathalain Alejo Marco Galano |
Patnugot sa Kultura John Levi Masuli | Patnugot sa Guhit at Lapat Santiago Tiongco III | Tagapamahala sa Pinansya Nikki Camille Malabad
Kawani Alexandrea Dioso Panghaliling Kawani Pauline Gaña, Erika Lizzette Nakawili, Bethany Pascua, Pamela Peralta, Cristienne Monique Torralba,
Plarlene Juliane Valentos, Jonathan Valdez, Stela Marie Vicher
Miyembro ng College Editors Guild of the Philippines at Solidaridad - Alyansa ng mga Pahayagang Pang-kampus sa UP
Mapagpalayang Kaisipan sa Malayang Pahayagan
upboutcrop@yahoo.com.ph
06
Opinyon
Bullet’s Tail...
continued from page 2
continuously
being
criticized
because it authorizes PNP to
tap barangay tanods as force
multipliers, thereby transferring
the authority to mobilize the
Citizens Armed Force (CAF) from
the central government to local
chief executives and police forces.
According to Bayan Muna Rep.
Satur Ocampo, the first step to
dismantle private armed groups in
the country is to abolish E.O. 546.
E.O. 546 is a repealed version
of Former President Corazon
Aquino’s E.O. 246, claimed to be
the root cause of warlordism in the
country. It states that the CAFs may
be mobilized to complement the
regular Armed Forces in times of
military necessity for state security,
upon the recommendation of the
Secretary of National Defense and
approval of the President. They
however are not vested with law
enforcement and police functions.
The fact that the executive
order legitimizes the existence
of private armies can already be
considered as a threat. Some local
government officials may even use
them in ensuring victory over their
political rivals.
Moreover, the executive order
which is a part of the government’s
counter-insurgency
program,
Oplan Bantay Laya, also lead to the
disappearance, death and torture
of numerous civilians and activists
who are branded “terrorists.”
The power of warlords in the
country was enhanced by the
interior department’s approval
of the arming with rifles of
Civilian Volunteer Organizations,
subsidized by public funds
and operating as supporting
paramilitary
units
of
the
Philippine National Police (PNP)
against dissenters.
Various people’s organizations
and Filipinos, in general, are now
urging the government to disarm
all the political warlords in the
country including the Ampatuan
clan who are reported to be still
in possession of high-powered
guns and more sophisticated and
powerful weapons.
A Call for Ceasefire
The people’s clamors in
response to the Maguindanao
massacre may serve as a wake-up
call for the government to put an
end to warlordism in the country.
If this remains unstopped, the
culture of terrorism can only
persist and violence can only
multiply.
What is worse is that the
political warlords responsible for
this terrorizing can still get away
from their horrendous actions.
Political warlordism is a bold
display of impunity that is already
engraved in Philippine politics.
More than disarming private
armies, the government needs
to refine law enforcements and
manifest a political will for the
eradication of warlordism in the
country.
D
ahil parang nag-aalok kang
makipaglaro, hala sige,
game. Laro tayo.
Game? Ikaw nagsimula ng
larong ‘to ah. Sumasakay lang
kami.
Pakinggan mo kami, ito ang
larong master na master mo. Pero
tatry pa rin namin.
Game!
0-0
Hindi naman, ho sir. Maayos
ang pamumuhay namin ngayon.
Kakapaayos lang ng bubong ng
bahay namin. May unting butas
lang. Maliit lang po. Nakuha nung
Ondoy, pambihra talaga yung bagyo
nun. Pero mga sir kahit matagal na
yun, lagi ko kayo nakikita sa TV
Patrol nun eh – nakakapote lang
kayo habang nagbibigay ng mga
de-lata sa mahihirap tsaka dun sa
mga nasalanta.
Wag nyo pansinin butas ng
bubong namin. Kaunting sira lang
‘to.
Laro lang tayo. Pakinggan mo
naman ang mga kakampi ko.
0-0
Ay si Junior ko, proud na proud
ako sa anak kong ito. Biruin nyo
mga sir, valedictorian yata yang
panganay kong yan nung natapos
siyang elementary tsaka high
school. Laking tuwa at pasasalamat
ko talaga na masipag at matalinong
bata ‘tong anak ko. Masakit nga
lang sa loob ko ngayon kasi ‘di
muna makakapagenroll sa college
si Junior. Eh, ganun talaga.
Alam nyo naman sa panahon
ngayon, tinatamad minsan ang
batang mag-aral. Hindi ko na rin
kasi kaya eh. Hindi na rin namin
kayang pilitin pa siyang mag-
M
edyo mabigat pa ang
tiyan ko. Kagagaling lang
naming kumain sa isang
restaurant sa may Magsaysay.
Pipinid na ang gabi pero pinili
ko na lang na lakarin ang mahigit
singkuwenta pesos na biyahe
sa taxi pauwi sa tinitirhan ko.
Tamang-tama na rin ito para
matunaw naman ang kinain kong
higit isangdaan ang naging presyo.
Umiilaw pa rin ang paru-paro
sa loob ng city hall nang mapadaan
ako. Pero hindi pa ako nakakalayo,
hindi halimuyak ng “magandang
Baguio” ang sumalubong sa akin
kundi umaalisangaw na amoy ng
pinaghalu-halong tira ng pagkain,
papel, plastic, at diaper ng bata.
Halos masuka-suka na ako pero
sa may di kalayuan tambak ulit ng
basura ang aking nadaanan. Bawat
sampung metro yata dito sa Baguio
ay pinupuno ng tambak ng mga itim
na plastic bag na nag-uumapaw
sa mga tourist distraction. Ang
maiitim na tambak ng mga plastic
bag ay mistulang kanser na untiunting umuuk-ok sa bawat bahagi
ng lungsod.
Sa harap ng kalagayang ito,
kailangang iwasan ng lungsod
na may mahawa pa sa ganitong
epidemya sapagkat lalo lang
magiging malala ang kalunoslunos nang kalagayan. Kumalat na
sa iba pang mga lugar sa labas ng
Baguio ang suliraning ito sapagkat
maging ang mga kalsada palabas
ng lungsod ay ginagawa na ring
tapunan ng mga basura, ayon sa
alkalde ng Itogon.
Ilang taon nang tinitiis ng
lungsod ang problema sa basura.
Noong
nakaraang
Oktubre,
pinigilan ng mga lokal na
mambabatas ng lungsod ang
panukalang
pagdadagdag
ng
UPB Outcrop Tomo 36 Isyu 7 Enero-Pebrero 2010
UPB Outcrop Tomo 36 Isyu 7 Enero-Pebrero 2010
Para kay Aquino, Villar, Estrada, Gibo, at iba
pang tingin ko ay trapo: A game of deceit and
how we’ll beat all of you
Ivan Emil Labayne
aral. Kaya ayan, tigil muna sya.
Wala naman kaming problema
sa bayarin eh. Marami namang
mauutangan. Sanay na rin naman
akong mangutang, sa di mabilang
ba namang pagkakataong ginawa
ko ‘yun eh. Pero umaasa pa rin
kaming sa June eh makakapag-aral
na uli sya.
0-0
Ako po si Marvic Capistrano.
Labindalawang taong gulang na
po ako. Ang ganda-ganda po talaga
sa Disneyland. Ang dami-daming
rides. Tapos ang cute nila Mickey
Mouse, Donald Duck at Goofy.
Parang totoong tao talaga sila
kung umasta. Nung sinabi dati ni
Mama na ‘di ako makakapuntang
Disneyland eh nagkamali lang
pala siya. Buti na lang magaling
magkwento si Joan – yung anak ni
Mr. dela Fuente na boss ni Tatay.
0-0
Pleasant greetings to you, Sir!
I am Edna from UP Baguio. I
am writing this epistle in behalf of
my co-Scholars ng bayan (ahem, I
feel so proud to have that label).
We would like to express our most
heartfelt gratitude to you for giving
our university twice the budget
our administration asked for. We
were pleasantly appalled when
we learned that our tuition fee has
been reduced to 15 pesos per unit.
Not to mention the bill you have
approved enabling us to be loosely
expressive of our inquiries and
critics to you.
Alas, thank you Sir and Maam
for this invaluable bestowals.
I am hoping that this will stay
for good na po.
0-0
And now, it’s the turn of the
opposition in this game – the
traditional politicians.
0-0
Pauunlarin namin ang bansa.
Magkakaroon ng pagbabago. Titigil
ang korapsyon. Paglilingkuran
namin nang tapat ang bayan.
0-0
Game over. Maximum amount
of
hypocrisy,
untruthfulness,
deception and falsity has been
transgressed. Winner: with their
advertisements pervading all over
the place, in the TV, internet, the
streets and public vehicles -- the
traditional politicians.
-0And now, outside the game:
Unless we rethink about the
elections and the extent of change
it can provide, and the candidates
strewing phrases convertible to
perfumes, you won’t have chances
of winning.
“Game over.
Maximum
amount of
hypocrisy,
untruthfulness,
deception and
falsity has been
transgressed.
Winner:
with their
advertisements
pervading all
over the place, in
the TV, internet,
the streets and
public vehicles
-- the traditional
politicians.”
Bawal (itambak) ang basura rito
Ruel Caricativo
mahigit P 26 milyon mula kay
Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. nang
sa gayo’y magpatuloy pa rin ang
pagtatapon ng basura sa Capas,
Tarlac.
Maraming opisyal ng lokal
na gobyerno ang tumutol sa mga
panukalang solusyon sa nasabing
problema sa basura kabilang na ang
nabanggit na P26 milyong pondo
noong nakaraang taon. Subalit
kapuna-puna na karamihan sa
mga konsehal na tumututol ay
nagpahayag na ng kanya-kanyang
interes sa pagtakbo ngayong
darating na Mayo.
Malinaw kung para saan ang
mas ninanais nilang tunguhin
ng nasabing pondo. Sa ganitong
kalakaran,
walang
ibang
malalagay sa alanganin kundi
ang mamamayan ng Baguio na
nakasadlak pa rin sa masangsang na
kalagayang bunsod ng pagbubulagbulagan ng mga nasabing opisyal.
Ayon kay Rep. Mauricio
Domogan, nais niya diumanong
bigyan ng maayos na plano at
permanenteng
solusyon
ang
problemang sumisira sa imahe
ng Baguio nitong mga nagdaang
taon dahil ito raw ang nararapat.
Kataka-takang
ngayon
lang
hayagang nagpakita ng interes si
Rep. Domogan hinggil sa pagsasaayos ng nasabing problema sa
basura. Ilang buwan mula ngayon,
plano rin niyang muling maging
alkalde ng lungsod sa ilalim ng
partidong Lakas-KAMPI, kahit pa
nakumpleto na niya ang kanyang
tatlong termino noon bago siya
naging congressman.
Kasabay ng pagpapahayag ni
Domogan ng interes sa pagtakbo
bilang alkalde ng lungsod, tila
ang mga binitiwang kataga ng
nasabing kongresista gamit ang
isyu ng basura sa lungsod ay
mga pahaging nang sa gayo’y
makaungos sa sa mga posible
niyang makatunggali sa darating
na halalan. Susubukang linisin
ang lungsod subalit tila malayo
pang linisin ang sariling pangalan.
Itinuturo ni dating Konsehal Jose
Molintas ng Partido Liberal na
sanhi ng paglobo ng populasyon
ng lungsod ang ilang polisiya sa
ilalim ng pamunuan ni Domogan
nung ito ang alkalde. Kabilang pa
sa mga nakikitang tatakbo bilang
alkalde ay sina Konsehal Elaine
Sembrano, na nanatiling tahimik
hinggil sa usaping ito; Antonio
Tabora Jr. ng Partido Nacionalista,
dating alkalde ng lungsod na
si Bernardo Vergara, at si Mark
Go, kilalang kaibigan ni dating
Pangulong Joseph Estrada.
Patuloy ang pangangamoy
ng mga kalsada. Papalapit na
nga pala ang halalan, tiyak na
madadagdagan na naman ang
tambak ng mga basura sa lungsod.
“Bawat
sampung
metro yata
dito sa Baguio
ay pinupuno
ng tambak ng
mga itim na
plastic bag na
nag-uumapaw
sa mga tourist
distraction.”
S
a paglapit ng eleksyon, muling tumataas ang optimismo
at pag-asa ng maraming Pilipino, partikular na ang mga kabataang estudyante. Sa dami ng
mga tuition free increase lalo na sa
lebel ng kolehiyo at mabababa pa
ring sweldo ng mga guro, marami
ang umaasang sa pagbabago ng
mukha ng nasa gobyerno ay uunlad ang kalidad ng edukasyon sa
bansa. Ang bawat kandidato sa
pagkapresidente, halimbawa, ay
may kanya-kanyang nakahandang
pangako sa kanilang mga bulsa.
Ngayong eleksyon ay mayroong
inaasahang 34 milyong Pilipino na
nasa 18-34 taong gulang ang boboto. Ang kabataan ay nananatili sa
isang magandang posisyon upang
isulong ang kanilang mga interes
at pumili ng lider na magsusulong
ng pagbabago sa sistema ng edukasyon.
Ang Liberal Party na kinabibilangan ni Noynoy Aquino ay may
prinsipyong nakasentro sa demokrasyang ipinaglaban ng dating
pangulong Cory Aquino. Tutukan
ang edukasyon upang bumuo ng
mga competitive na indibidwal—
isang istratehiya upang diumano’y
bumuo ng “global Filipinos” na
ilalarga sa internasyunal na kalakaran. Ang ganitong pagtingin sa
mga Pilipino bilang mga tauhang
ipadadala sa internasyunal na kalakaran ay mistualng sinasabi na
hindi sila dapat maging empleyado sa kaniyang bansa at amghing
aprte ng pagpapaunlad nito.
Ang plataporma ni
Manny Villar ay
Walang katapusan at
masarap pakinggan ang mga
pangakong pinagsisigawan ng
mga kandidato. Ngunit tulad
ng mga pangako pagdating
sa ekonomiya o pulitika, ang
mga mababangong salitang
ito pagdating sa edukasyon ay
mahirap paniwalaan.
07
(Hindi ito)
ang sagot sa krisis
sa edukasyon
Editoryal
nagsasabing may pangunahing
tungkulin itong tugunan ang isyu
ng kahirapan at social injustice.
Bagamat hindi nabanggit sa kanyang plataporma ang kanyang
plano sa edukasyon, binabanggit
sa kanyang mga pahayag ang pagpapa-aral sa mga walang oportunidad na makapag-aral. Ang kanyang
C5 Road extension project na dumadaan sa kanyang lupa sa Parañaque at Las Piñas ay overpriced,
isang isyu na hanggang ngayo’y
hindi pa rin nalilinaw. Dahil dito
ay kinukwestyon ng ilan ang kanyang kredibilidad.
Bilang kapartido ng kasalukuyang pangulo, nangunguna sa
plataporma ni Gibo Teodoro ang
pagsulong ng Cha-cha na hanggang
ngayo’y tinututulan ng nakararami. Sa mga economic provisions
ng Chacha, maisasapribado ang
mga paaralan at unibersidad—
magsisilbing banta ito sa mga kabataang nag-aaral nang libre sa
mga pampublikong paaralan. Sa
pagsasapribadong ito ay maaaring tuluyan nang maubos ang mga
pampublikong paaralan.
Si Joseph Estrada ng Pwersa ng
Masang Pilipino ay muling tatakbo
upang diumano’y ipagpatuloy ang
kanyang nga nasimulan sa kanyang termino. Layunin niyang
ipagpatuloy ang ERAP Para sa Mahirap Foundation na nagpapaaral
ng mga mahihirap na kabataan, at
nakapagpaaral na ng libo-libong
kabataan. Ganunpaman, nananatiling kwestyunable ang kanyang
tunay na layunin sa pagtakbo. Ang
kanyang impeachment noong kanyang termino ay isa na rin sa mga
bagay na nagpakita na hindi nais
ng mga mamamayan ang mga ginawa niya sa kanyang pag-upo.
Mula sa partidong Bangon Pilipinas ay tatakbo sa
ikalawang pagkakataon si
Bro.Eddie Villanueva
sa pagkapangulo.
Kasama
sa
kanyang
plataporma sa edukasyon ang
mga gift-giving, medical missions,
book-giving at nourishment program na lahat ay nakatutok sa mahihirap. Ayon sa kanya ay maraming Pilipino ang hindi nabibigyan
ng pagkakataon na mag-aral at
magbasa kaya sagot niya rito ang
book-giving missions kung saan
mabibigyan ng libro ang mas nakararaming Pilipino. Bagamat
maaari nitong mapaunlad ang literacy ng mga makakatanggap nito,
hindi pa rin nito masosolusyunan
ang pangunahing problemang
pang-edukasyon ng bansa—ang
patuloy na pagtaas ng matrikula at
mababang kalidad ng edukasyon.
Si Dick Gordon na mula sa
partidong Bagumbayan ay naglalayon ding gawing prioridad ang
edukasyon upang makamit ang
pag-unlad at manguna sa pandaigdigang ekonomiya. Isa sa kanyang
mga plano ang pagpopondo ng P85
bilyon para sa paggamit ng Kindle
(electronic textbooks) ng 17 milyon na estudyante. Maisasagawa
niya ito diumano sa pamamagitan
ng pagputol sa korapsyon na lumalamon sa mahigit P300 bilyon ng
pondo, kung hindi naman ay sa
pamamagitan ng pagpapaunlad ng
industriya ng pagmimina upang
matugunan ang pagpopondo sa libreng e-book reader project. Kung
ito ay papalya ay magsasagawa
ng “text for education” campaign
kung saan ang P0.50 sa bawat 2 bilyong text message ay mapupunta
sa Kindle Project. Ayon sa Technograph (Technology in the Philippines) ay mabuti ang ganitong
proyekto upang hindi na magbuhat
ang mga mag-aaral ng mabibigat na
libro, ngunit hindi tiyak kung saan
kukunin ang mismong pambili ng
electronic textbooks na ilalagay sa
bawat eReader. Ang proyektong ito
ay nangangailangan ng napakalaking pondo, at marami pang
dapat mas pagtuunang-pansin sa edukasyon, tulad
ng pagpapasweldo nang
sapat sa mga guro, o
di kaya’y pagbigay ng sapat
na pasilidad sa mga paaralan.
Ang Kapatiran Party na kinabibilangan ni JC delos Reyes ay naglalayong pagtibayin ang moralidad
ng bawat Pilipino. A Philippines
for Filipinos naman ang isinusulong ni Jamby na mula sa partidong Genuine Opposition kung
saan nilalayong iangat ang educational democracy. Maisasagawa
ito sa pamamagitan ng pagputol sa
pagdidikta ng International Monetary Fund-World Bank (IMF-WB)
sa sistema ng edukasyon sa bansa,
pagdodoble ng education budget,
pagtanggal ng matrikula sa state
universities and colleges, gayundin ang pagtaas ng DOST budget
sa mahigit PHP 75 bilyon upang
mapalakas ang high-productivity
at mabawasan ang low-productivity call centers jobs. Hindi niya
binanggit kung saan kukunin ang
ganito kalaking pondo upang masagawa ang kanyang mga plano.
Walang katapusan at masarap
pakinggan ang mga pangakong
pinagsisigawan ng mga kandidato.
Ngunit tulad ng mga pangako pagdating sa ekonomiya o pulitika,
ang mga mababangong salitang ito
pagdating sa edukasyon ay mahirap paniwalaan. At sa huli, sinasabi nito sa atin na hindi maaaring
ipagkatiwala natin ang buong kapalaran ng sistema ng ating edukasyon sa isang boto. At hindi lang
ang mga taong binoboto natin ang
may kakayahang gumawa ng pagbabago.
Kung gayon, ang eleksyon ay
hindi panahon ng pagdiriwang.
Bagkus, ang eleksyon ay isang masidhing paalala na hindi ito sapat
upang makapagbigay ng sistematikong pagbabago hindi lang sa
lagay ng edukasyon kung hindi
na rin sa buong kaayusan ng lipunan. At hinding-hindi
eleksyon ang sagot
sa kahirapan na
matagal nang
pinoproblema
ng bayan.
Lathalain
“GALING AT TALINO — SULONG GIBO!”
Next in line is the candidate supported
by the present administration, Gilbert “Gibo”
Teodoro, a cousin of Noynoy Aquino.
Growing up, he had an early taste of
politics and showed great interest in public
service. He became the Kabataang Barangay
President in his hometown, Tarlac, in 1980
and eventually became the Central Luzon
Kabataang Barangay President for five years.
He had his education at De La Salle University Manila, graduating with a degree in
Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Major in
Financial Institution in 1984. A strong sense
of justice inspired him to pursue a law degree at the University of the Philippines,
where he received the Dean’s Medal of Excellence in 1989. The same year, he topped
the Philippine Bar exams. Subsequently, he
passed the New York State Bar examination
“SIPAG AT TIYAGA, CHECK!”
Following the lead is businessman/politician, Senator Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr.
Born in a poor family, Villar started selling
sea foods at the Divisoria market at an early
age.
He was able to put himself to school finishing his studies at the University of the
Philippines where he earned his Bachelors
Degree in Accountancy and Masters Degree
in Business Administration. He went on to
establish the largest real estate company in
the country.
He posted landslide victories three terms
in a row starting when he entered politics as
a congressman of Las Piñas and Muntinlupa
in 1992. He was chosen Speaker of the House
of Representatives in 1998. He was elected
as a Senator in 2001 and acquired the Senate Presidency on 2006, making him the only
post-war public official who became both
Speaker of the House and Senate President.
However, he resigned from the position on
November 2008 after being hounded by the
C-5 controversy.
Manny Villar’s dream of helping and
inspiring Filipinos to fulfill their dreams
through hard work and determination (Sipag
at Tiyaga) – the same values that let him succeed in life – may be his biggest when election time comes.
“TANGGALIN ANG TIWALI, ITAMA ANG
MALI”
First on the list is the son of “Modern Heroes”, former President Corazon Aquino and
former Senator and martyr Benigno “Ninoy”
Aquino Jr. -- Senator Benigno “NoyNoy”
Aquino.
His key legislative initiatives are anchored in the protection of human rights and
good governance through increased transparency and public accountability.
Senator Noynoy, served as Congressman
of the Second District of Tarlac from 1998 to
2007. In 2004, he was assigned as the Deputy
House Speaker for Luzon after he joined the
Liberal Party (LP) in calling for the resignation of PGMA at the height of the “Hello
Garci” scandal.
In 2007, he ran for senator and won placing sixth in the national elections. As senator of the 14th Congress, he chairs the Senate
Committee on Local Government.
A true working democracy he says makes
possible not only political freedom but a better life for all Filipinos. It must be able to
provide jobs, education, social services and
equitable economic prosperity for everyone. “HINDI AKO MAGNANAKAW!”— His
shout in most of his commercials.
“ERAP PARA SA MAHIRAP”
Former President Jose Marcelo Ejercito,
also known as Joseph “Erap” Estrada, will
try to regain his post in Malacañang after his
impeachment in 2001.
He entered politics in 1967 when he was
elected, and re-elected mayor of the Municipality (now City) of San Juan, which he
served for more than 16 continuous years.
He is the Founder and President of the
ERAP Para sa Mahirap Foundation, a foundation that offers scholarship assistance to
poor but deserving college students. Through
the foundation’s educational grants, more
than a thousand students have since earned
a college degree.
In 1987, he run and earned a seat in the
Senate. In the Senate, Erap was credited with
the passage of major pieces of legislation like
the bills on irrigation project and the protection and propagation of carabaos.
He was also one of the so-called “Magnificent 12” who voted to terminate the RPUS Military Bases Agreement leading to the
withdrawal of American service men from
the Clark Air Base in Pampanga and the
Subic Naval Base in Zambales.
He reached the peak of his political career when he was elected President of the
Republic in the 1998 elections. With almost
11-million Filipinos writing his name on the
ballot, his margin of victory was the biggest
ever registered in Philippine electoral history.
Dreadfully on his part, a group of unconvinced businessmen dissatisfied with
his pro-poor stance joined forces with elitist members of civil society and a number of
high-ranking Catholic priests to put in motion a movement to lift his presidency.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision
upholding the legality of the MacapagalArroyo presidency, he was arrested of plunder at his San Juan home in the afternoon of
April 25, 2001 on the strength of a warrant of
arrest issued by the Sandiganbayan. He became the first ex-leader in Southeast Asia to
be charged with graft and be detained.
His eligibility for candidacy on the coming election has long been the subject of
much debate. Article 7, Section 4 of the Constitution states that “The President and the
Vice-President shall be elected by direct vote
of the people for a term of six years which
shall begin at noon on the thirtieth day of
June next following the day of the election
and shall end at noon of the same date, six
years thereafter. The President shall not be
eligible for any re-election. No person who
has succeeded as President and has served
as such for more than four years shall be
in 1997. He finished his Masters Degree in
Harvard Law School in Massachusetts.
Gibo practiced his profession for seven
(7) years before his congressional candidacy
in 1998. He won and became the Tarlac’s
First District Representative for three consecutive terms.
Aside from being a licensed pilot, he also
holds the rank as colonel of the Philippine
Air Force Reserve Force. He became the
youngest secretary to hold the Defense Portfolio at the age of forty.
Being the representative of the current
administration tainted with countless controversies and getting high dissatisfaction
ratings, he now faces the doubt of the Filipinos in terms of his independence from the
brain thrusts of the present administration.
This is the challenge he must hurdle if he
want to win in the upcoming elections.
“EDDIE AKO, EDDIE TAYO”
Brother Eduardo “Eddie Villanueva, a
radical student reformist during the 70’s,
professor of Economics, Finance, and Political Economy in PUP and a Christian Evangelist influencing lives of many Filipinos is
another candidate.
He graduated BS Commerce Major in
Economics, Minor in Finance from the Philippine College of Commerce, Polytechnic
University of the Philippines (PUP). He also
took law at the University of the Philippines
and a Doctorate in Divinity at the Promise
Christian University in Los Angeles California.
Brother Eddie is also known for
being the President and Chairman of the ZOE Broadcasting
Network,
Chairman of the Bagong
Pilipinas,
Bagong
Pilipino Movement
and National
Chairman
of
the
Philipp i n e s
for
Jesus
Movement
(PJM).
I
t
would
b e
his
“HINDI NATUTULOG PARA SA BAYAN”
Calling himself transformational leader,
claiming to make the seemingly unattainable
possible, Senator Richard “Dick” Gordon is
one of the candidates who will try to be the
new President of the country.
Since 1987, Gordon acted as the governor
of the Philippine National Red Cross, taking
active roles in rescue, relief and rehabilitation in various disasters. Currently he is the
Chairperson as well as a Member of the Governing Board of the International Federation
of the Red Cross.
Appointed as the Secretary of the Department of Tourism, he transformed the
moribund Philippine Tourism Industry, then
plagued by the negative image of kidnapping
and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS) and worsened by the prevalence of
terrorism, with his campaign “WOW PHILIPPINES! MORE THAN THE USUAL!” The
campaign resulted to the increase of tourist
arrivals.
In the 2004 elections, he garnered a position in the Senate. He passed a couple of
laws including the Republic Act 9369, the
New Automated Election law; and RA 9367,
the Biofuels Act of 2007.
His claim to fame was his work to turnaround Subic Base after Mount Pinatubo’s
eruption and his tireless works of helping
his fellow citizens in times of disasters. It is
now up to the Filipinos to decide if they feel
like Gordon can save them from the disaster that is the current state of the country as
well.
qualified for election to the same office at
any time.”
Another legal obstacle being thrust into
Estrada’s candidacy is his conviction for
plunder which carried the accessory penalty
of disqualification. It would appear however,
that the absolute nature of the pardon granted to him by President Macapagal-Arroyo
has eliminated this legal challenge.
Pauline Gaña
“THE GREEN ACTIVIST”
After being disqualified from the race,
environmentalist Nicanor “Nick” Perlas
proved that he is worth given the chance to
run for presidency.
In 1996, the US government planned to
use the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) as a medium to advance radical liberalization in Asia and the
Pacific. The 18 member
economies of APEC,
at that point,
c a n didly
con-
“YOUNG BEARER FROM OLONGAPO
CITY”
Jose Carlo “JC” Delos Reyes—it had been
said that his mission is to unceasingly work
to fight and defeat immense poverty, a mission to be accomplished not only in Olongapo but in the whole country.
In 1985, he ran and was elected City
Councilor of Olongapo. During his term, he
focused on the poor, the youth and cooperatives. In the 2007 elections, he was the only
one from ‘Ang Kapatiran Party’ among the
twenty-seven (27) local and national candidates who garnered a seat.
His free legal assistance program under
the informal project named Justice Crusade
has been widely successful among his constituents.
Councilor JC has spoken out and campaigned against illegal drugs, rampant violations of human rights in Haijin, Subic Bay
and campaigned against illegal fish cages in
the area. He had also led protest against the
proposed coal power plant.
This young bearer hailed from Olongapo
already proved his name in the local level.
His passion and determination in helping
the poor could lead to the peak of his political career —becoming the President of the
Republic of the Philippines.
“THE ONLY FEMALE CONTENDER”
Maria Anna Consuelo Abad-Santos Madrigal, more popularly known as Jamby, is
one of the current senators of the Republic of
the Philippines. She is the granddaughter of
the former Supreme Court Chief Justice Jose
Abad Santos. Her granduncle Pedro Abad
Santos founded the Socialist Party of the
Philippines.
Her paternal grandfather was former Senator Vicente Madrigal.
Jamby, being the only female candidate in
the race is seemingly facing an improbable
task: win the election without the support of
a political party.
second time to try his luck in the presidential slot. He failed to win in the 2004
presidential race. This time, though still an
underdog, his fate will depend upon the
country’s decision.
An overview of the different
personalities trying to take
the Presidential spot
04
NOW WHAT?
The campaign period has started and
the candidates have already started trying
to engrave their best image in front of the
public. However, there is more that needs to
be looked upon.
Not everything that we see is as real as it
seems. Fruits teeming in a basket may look
so clean and healthy but little do we know
that inside those eye-capturing fruits could
be rotten pulps plagued with worms. Thus,
the “bad drives out the good,” if a good one
exists.
Still, it would be Juanito who is going to
choose. At the end of the day, the question
remains not whether he will have to choose
from among those fruits but will he still opt
to do so or will he rather not and look for
what he thinks as the best somewhere else.
“THE KBL BET”
From the political party of the person
coined as the dictator, comes the presidential hopeful under the banner of the
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL). Vetallano Acosta was included on official list of
candidates for the 2010 elections after he
filed an appeal of the Comelec’s decision
to declare him a nuisance candidate last
December.
Acosta headed the reclamation of 400
hectares of land in Lapu-Lapu and Mactan
cities in Cebu. The project prompted several
commissioners to ask Acosta and his lawyers’ details about it.
A nuisance or the hope of our country —
this new face in the presidential fight would
need to work on the extra mile in order to
catch the people’s attention in the coming
election.
tributed
to
52% of the
world’s GNP.
Through
a
tactical understanding of the
substance,
process,
competing
paradigms
and interests in
APEC,
Nican o r
Perlas
convinced
President Fidel V. Ramos to
advance sustainable development as a third
paradigm in APEC that includes the themes
of sustainability of the marine environment,
clean technology and clean production, and
sustainable cities.. In addition, three million
rice farmers were spared from the potentially
disastrous consequences of radical liberalization
He was the key in keeping the country
nuclear-free by stopping the government
from implementing their plan to build 12
nuclear power plants in the country. He also
spearheaded the national movement that led
to the banning of 32 pesticide formulations
that were poisoning millions of farmers.
Nicanor Perlas had been instating significant national policies influencing the lives
of millions without being directly involved
in politics. Despite not holding a position in
the government, Perlas achieved significant
results and impacts in his advocacies.
Although Nicanor Perlas has never run
for affairs of state, he has been analyzing, reframing, and changing the course of national
and global events for over thirty years. He
persists on altering the political setting without being a politician.
Election Facade
The list is quite long and an in-depth assessement is really required to come up with the best possible
choice. On the list are ten candidates with different backgrounds and personalities that will try to take
the spot of leading the country.
he upcoming elections in May will mark the first time that Juanito will vote in a national election.
Brimming wiht youthful idealism and a zesty hope for the country which he thinks is on a
wretched condition, Juanito is very excited on exercising his right to vote, and partake in the
crusade that is changing the country’s condition. As of now, he still has a little more than two months
to assess the qualifications of the ten presidential candidates who are seemingly “selling” themselves
to the public.
T
UPB Outcrop Tomo 36 Isyu 7 Pebrero 2010
02 Balita
THE BULLET’S TAIL
UPB Outcrop Tomo 36 Isyu 7 Enero-Pebrero 2010
A struggle to end
warlordism
in the Philippines
Nikki Camille Malabad
I
n
her
nine
years
of
administration,
President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has
vowed to end the age-old problem
of political warlordism in the
country.
Ironically,
during
her
regime,
political
warlordism
has intensified especially in the
provinces. Traditional politicians
and political dynasties fueled this
scenario with private armies by
their side to enforce control.
Several issues concerning this
problem were again put into the
fore after the massacre of at least 57
people in Maguindanao allegedly
led by Datu Unsay Mayor Andal
Ampatuan Jr..
Culture of Terrorism
Warlords thrive in many of the
country’s provinces, particularly
in Ilocos, Abra, Isabela, Cagayan,
Nueva Ecija, Cavite, Masbate,
Samar, Cebu, Tarlac, Negros and
and in many Mindanao areas.
TALLYING 2010
Election by the
Numbers
E
lection is almost here –
Comelec is on the rush; the
Filipinos are excited, albeit
anxious, of the poll automation;
and, the world is watching what will
happen next. However, the knickknacks of the election are often
overlooked and so below are some
trivia of this coming spectacle that is
the May 2010 Presidential Elections.
Php 20: this was the amount of the paper
bills handed-out by Manny Villar to children
while campaigning at a market in Batangas
City last February 26. He said that he was
not buying votes because kids cannot vote.
50,086,054: the number of registered
voters according to Commission on
Elections spokesperson James Jimenez as of
January 2010.
64, 620: the number of Precinct Count
Optical Scan-Optical Mark Reader (PCOSOMR) units or poll machines delivered to
COMELEC on January. On February 21,
4000 machines were added. And as of last
week of February, there were 13,580 units
of the said machines delivered, according to
the reports from Inquirer.net.
36 inches in length and 20 inches in
width: the size of the new ballot box to
be used in automated election according
to Comelec Commissioner Gregorio
Larrazabal. The former size of ballot boxes
was 12 x 12 x 12 inches.
P2 Billion: total advertising value for TV,
radio, print by six of the ten presidential
candidates as of November 01 to January
31.
January 10: start of gun ban
7am to 6pm: voting hours on May 10,
2010. This was after the voting hours was
stretched from 7am to 3pm.
245,000: the number of teachers that will
be trained in preparations for the election.
80,000 precincts: the number of precincts
that are expected to be used in May. This
is way below the 340,000 precincts used
during the manual elections.
1000 voters: this is the number of voters
that one precinct can accommodate
in the automated elections. During the
manual elections, only 200 voters can be
accommodated per precinct.
Defense Secretary Norberto
Gonzales said that there are about
130 private groups armed with
close to 1 million loose firearms
which are led by political clans in
various parts of the country.
The incident in Maguindanao,
according to some analysts can
be considered as a product of
political rivalry and not a simple
clan feuding or rido, since it
involved the killing of journalists
and people who are not members
of the opposing clans.
Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI)
columnist, Edmundo Enderez
wrote in his article last December
27 that warlordism remains in
poor and weak states, where “...
it has become an opportunity for
“employment” for people who,
coming from towns which are the
most poverty-stricken and with
the lowest level of education, have
been brainwashed to follow their
benefactors with blind obedience
and loyalty.” He added that high
poverty incidence and low literacy
rate in Maguindanao accord with
the fact that the province appears
to be the center of the violent
conflict created by the Muslim
separatist religion and political
warlordism. Enderez said.
This is seen in cases where
some illiterates from provinces are
taught how to write certain names
during election. Not knowing
what those characters meant, they
mindlessly write it in their ballots
when the election day comes — a
single disobedience may mean
death.
Political warlordism is now
considered to have great influence
over Philippine politics, causing
bloody elections especially in
the classic electoral contest:
“dynasties vs. dynasties.”
Quelling the Force
A statement by the Malacañang
said that the key to end and
prevent the conflicts in Mindanao
is through comprehensive peace
compact.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary
for Special Concerns Rafael Seguis
stated that he was satisfied with
the negotiations between the
Philippine government and the
Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF), and believed that we
are inching towards the goal
of achieving lasting peace and
development in Mindanao.
The peace compact mainly
aims to create a better structural
relationship
between
the
Philippines and the Bangsamoro
people
who
are
currently
within its own republic through
revolutionary justice.
Presidential
Economic
Spokesperson
Professor
Gary
Olivar also emphasized the
importance of the renewal of peace
talks between the government and
the MILF concerning their action
in resolving peace and security
situation not only in Maguindanao
but also in the rest of Mindanao.
“Unrest in Mindanao gives rise
to warlords and private armies.
It is hoped that a comprehensive
peace agreement will end it. We
really want to avert the possibility
of similar massacres in the future.
Peace is the only long-term
solution to the problem,” Olivar
said.
Meanwhile, Arroyo’s Executive
Order 546 (E.O. 546) is also being
pointed as one of the factors
which cause warlordism. It is
continued on page 6
The Brilliance that is Turning Dull...
and Frightening
Stela Marie Vicher
Jonathan Valdez
H
istory could repeat itself and this
time, electronically. The specter
of an “electronic Garci” was raised
in a forum, Feb. 15, in which six of seven
presidential candidates present feared there
would be glitches in the automated elections
in May, according to the Philippine Daily
Inquirer (PDI).
Even the administration’s Gilbert Teodoro
Jr. decried “big logistical difficulties” in
the Commission on Election’s (Comelec)
implementation of the country’s first
automated elections.
“The integrity of the elections is vital
... automation is fine but the way it is
implemented, I would have my doubts,”
Teodoro said.
PANIBAGONG KONSEHO. Ilang oras matapos ang halalan, inihayag ng
COMELEC ang resulta ng naganap na eleksyon para sa Konseho ng Mag-aaral
noong Pebrero 19. Nakuha ng ACS ang kalakhan ng mga posisyon habang
itinanghal na bagong Tagapangulo si Jose Carpio III ng UNITE-UP. Jonathan
Valdez
Compressed and Simplified
Amending the Republic Act 8436, RA
9369 defined Automated Election System
(AES) as “A system using appropriate
technology which has been demonstrated
in the voting, counting, consolidating,
canvassing, and transmission of election
result, and other electoral process.”
A policy study done by Center
for People Empowerment in
Governance (CenPEG) in April
2009 stated the AES aims to
shorten the election process
from the Election Day itself
up to the canvassing. Voters
shade the ovals on the modified
ballots corresponding to their
choices and feed their ballots to the
Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS)
machine, which will read and record
their votes. Election results are transmitted
electronically to the computers of respective
offices and the machines will produce
copies of the records. After the canvassing,
COMELEC will announce the winners.
In this framework, the whole election
process will be 2–3 days, shorter as
compared to 25–40 days using the manual
election system. Aside from the convenience
this employment of technology will bring, it
also aims for the accuracy and credibility of
the elections by hastening the canvassing
process wherein most of the infamous
dagdag-bawas (vote padding and shaving)
incidences take place.
However, the brilliance of these promises
of AES has been constantly inundated and
buried by the series of events testifying to the
“big logistical difficulties” in the Comelec’s
implementation of the country’s first AES.
“3 Out of 10 Filipinos Unaware
of Party-List System”-Pulse Asia
F
ew months before the
coming 2010 elections, the
Commission on Elections
(Comelec) accredited 187 party list
groups to take part in the election.
It would be the the fifth time,
the local sectors would have to
participate in the race.
However, on the survey leaded
by Pulse Asia last January 22-26
this year showed that only three
out of ten Filipinos (31 percent)
are aware of the party-list system.
“This low level of awareness
is registered just about four
months before the electorate
opts for a party-list group for
the fifth instance since 1998,
when this mode of proportional
representation was introduced in
our elections,” Pulse Asia said.
Unexpected Results
The current level of awareness
of the party-list system is just
about half of the awareness level
posted in the last survey, which
was conducted in April 2007,
where a 59 percent awareness was
recorded.
It noted that it is only in the
National Capital Region (Metro
Manila) where a majority of 51
percent of the voters is aware of
the party-list system.
In the rest of Luzon, awareness
is 29 percent; in the Visayas,
30 percent; and in Mindanao, 28
percent.
In that survey, Pulse Asia
said nearly three out of five
Filipinos knew about the system.
Moreover, the current dismal level
of awareness is the lowest that had
been recorded across the surveys
conducted by Pulse Asia from
early 2004.
In the latest survey, nine partylist groups garnered support above
the two-percent threshold.
Of 150 party-list groups listed
on the ballot, nine party-list
groups managed to get support
from more than 2 percent of voters,
just enough to gain one House seat.
Based on the Supreme Court’s
formula, as cited in an April 21,
2009 decree, 43 party-list groups
would gain representation if the
elections were held at the time of
the survey in January.
During the time the survey was
conducted, COMELEC reviewed
the list of qualified presidential
and senatorial candidates, bringing
the total number of candidates to
10 for the presidency, eight for the
vice-presidency, and 62 for the
Senate, also revising the number
of qualified party-list groups by a
including 37 more, bringing the
total number of groups to 187.
Perched
to
have
three
representatives if the May 10
elections were held immediately,
according to the Pulse Asia survey,
are BayanMuna (8.03 percent),
1-Aangat Pilipino (6.34 percent),
Anakpawis (5.88 percent), Gabriela
(5.55 percent) and Akbayan (5.07
percent).
In the system
The Party List System in the
Philippines constitutes one of the
major political innovations that
were introduced by social and
political reformers after the 1986
EDSA Revolution. During the
framing of the 1987 Constitution,
civil
society
organizations
intensely
campaigned
for
the inclusion of the party list
system that would give chances
to “marginalized” sectors to
participate in the country’s
political processes.
The system is supposed to be
one way to remedy the gaps of
representational democracy in the
country by breaking the monopoly
of the big traditional parties and
tempering the propensity for
personality politics. Under this
system, citizens vote for parties
rather than for candidates, and
parties are given electoral seats
based on the proportion of votes
they get. This way, citizens are
given a bigger voice as more
parties may be voted into office.
And because parties are elected
rather than individuals, parties
have bigger space to concentrate
on platforms and programs rather
than on packaging their individual
candidates.
A voter is allowed to use
two votes for congressional
representatives.
One
for
a
representative of a certain district
and another for a party-list
representative. They are allotted
three seats maximum per party
(2% of the congress). Twenty
percent of the seats in the House of
Representatives are for the sectoral
representatives.
03
Automated Election System
187 of 256 Party List Groups Accredited
Pauline Gaña
Balita
UPB Outcrop Tomo 36 Isyu 7 Enero-Pebrero 2010
Photos taken during the pilot testing of
PCOS machines held at Baguio Convention Center last January 29. Photos by
Marc Mendiola, SLU White and Blue.
System Glitches
According to the PDI, the discovery
of lack of ultraviolet security marks on
ballots for Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM) stirred commotion for
it has been speculated that the security of
nearly two million ballots for voters in the
ARMM may have been compromised.
There was a plan to put the National
Printing Office markings but due to the
problems encountered by the machines at
the start of the printing and lack of time,
the plan was not followed. Consequently,
ballots in the ARMM lack the NPO markings
while ballots in the rest of the country have.
However, the Comelec downplayed
the absence of the said mark on the
ballots, saying that the said mark was a
“redundancy.”
“The NPO security marks are simply an
additional safeguard. They are not critical to
the security or the veracity of the ballots,”
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said.
He said five security features were
incorporated in all ballots: The unique
paper, the unique precinct-based numbers,
the ultraviolet ink from Comelec, the bar
code and the Comelec markings.
However, a source, a printing expert, said
it would be easy to duplicate the ballots,
noting that the markings were “weak.”
Had there been enough planning and
preparations,
the plan would
Automating
our elections
without sufficient
preparations is like
having a pit dug for
us to fall. It could
eventually lead to
filling the greed of
the abusive.
have
been
followed—
no matter how “redundant” it is. There
should be no stones left unturned. After all,
the integrity of the elections is at stake.
Delayed machines and more
The delay of delivery of the machines
caused unpreparedness among people
especially the teachers who will serve as
election inspectors. Not only there is a lack
of the actual PCOS machine for COMELEC
officials to demonstrate the mechanism
to the teachers, there is also the lack of
time before the actual election for voters’
education. The “unfamiliarity” of the
teachers and the voters to the technology
possibly could lead to errors that may affect
and slow down the flow of the election, thus
making it vulnerable to cheats.
Moreover,
the
two
biggest
telecommunications firms in the country,
Globe and PLDT, which will host the main
data center and the back-up, respectively,
have expressed their apprehensions over
possible physical or technical attacks.
The long list of glitches does not end
there. As the PDI reported, the National
Grid Corp. of the Philippines placed
Mindanao under red alert last Feb. 17,
warning that the region, home to about a
fourth of the country’s 50 million voters,
faced a critical power shortage that could
disrupt the conduct of automated elections
on the island. Half of Mindanao’s power
is generated through hydroelectric plants,
which is now incapacitated by the drought.
“Fears of the unknown”
Still, the COMELEC, allaying anxieties
over AES, suggests that these concerns are
just “fears of the unknown” since AES is
a new system in the country. “I guess the
best way is just to inform them of what’s
happening, the updates, keep people abreast
of the developments so people will be aware.
I guess the fear of not knowing is what’s
prevalent now. It’s a fear of not knowing
what will happen and we’re doing our best
to address it,” said Election Commissioner
Gregorio Larrazabal.
However, the Comelec failed to see (or
chose not to see) that the anxiety gripping
the public roots from what they read in the
papers and see in the TV, that is, news
attesting to the Comelec’s disorganized
and rushed preparations for the May
2010 elections. The people are
wise enough to deduce from what
they know and thus be skeptical
about the implementation of
AES here in our country.
Doomsayers
have
good
enough reasons to be so.
According
to
PDI,
Senate
President Juan Ponce Enrile raised,
days ahead of the Edsa I anniversary,
the specter of military intervention in
the event of a power vacuum stemming
from a failed election. Moreover, the policy
study mentioned above stated there is “a
possible failure of elections due to a system
breakdown, widespread election protests,
or other reasons that will legitimize the
declaration of an emergency rule and the
extension of Arroyo power.”
What we can do
Nothing is wrong with the automation of
the elections itself. What is troubling is how
the poll body responsible for this prepares
for the nearing automated elections.
Automating our elections without sufficient
preparations is like having a pit dug for us
to fall. It could eventually lead to filling the
greed of the abusive.
Now that it is too late for us to turn
back for we have invested so much already,
all that we could do is to equip ourselves
with as much information as we can. As
another policy study by CenPEG puts it,
we can advocate for the implementation of
safeguards in the AES and help in publicizing
the issue and educating the public about the
AES, its vulnerabilities, and the safeguards.
Critical thinking is a need now for when
they say things will get better, it may not.
Volume 36
Election Special
January-February 2010
Mapagpalayang Kaisipan
sa Malayang Pahayagan
Official Student Publication of the
University of the Philippines - Baguio