NEWS
Features
Culture
Editorial
PANGANIBAN IS NEW
ACTING CHAIR
UP TO ERECT MUSEUM
PROGNOSTICATION
ARMED FARCES
WHERE DO WE GO
FROM HERE?
FLIPTOP
IN RESCUE OF
IGNOBLE TRUTHS
Page 6 to 9
Page 10 to 12
Page 16
Pages 2 to 5
The Official Student Publication of the University of the Philippines Manila | Volume 24 NumberS 13-14 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2011
NEWS
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
Panganiban is UPM USC Acting-Chair
Santos Stands Firm vs Disqualification
ANGELO LUNA MURILLO
D
ue to the ongoing disqualification case against University
of the Philippines Manila (UPM) University Student Council
(USC) Chairperson Cesarie Ann Santos, USC Vice Chairperson Mark
Panganiban is prompted to provisionally take over and assume the
chairpersonship post.
Based on a decision arrived at by the
UPM Committee on Readmission,
Retention and Graduation headed by
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Josefina G. Tayag, Santos has been
permanently disqualified as a UPM
student “on grounds of academic
delinquency.” The said committee
upheld an earlier decision made
by the College of Arts and Sciences
(CAS) Committee on the permanent
disqualification of Santos.
As of press time, the disqualification
case of Santos has been brought
for appeal to the Board of Regents
(BOR). A dialogue between the
concerned parties and new UP
President Alfredo Pascual is
scheduled on January 22 – 23.
Deliberations regarding the issue
shall follow on January 27 at the BOR
meeting.
Meanwhile, the General Assembly
(GA) of the USC on January 5 reached
a quorum recognizing Panganiban
as the temporary USC chairperson
until his oath-taking and official
assumption of office within the
month.
“Of course, I’m saddened by the case
because I really do believe in Ces
[Santos’] capacity to effectively lead
the USC. I look up to her because
I saw her dedication to serve the
students. But of course, I have to look
after my responsibility that arose
because of this issue as well. Hindi
naman pwedeng mapabayaan ang
mga gawain sa konseho dahil lamang
sa isyu na ito,” said Panganiban.
‘Academic Non-Compliance’
The disqualification of Santos as a
bona fide student of UPM ensued
after her failure to meet the academic
requirements set by the CAS Office of
the College Secretary (OCS) during
the first semester of AY 2010-2011.
Dr. Nymia Simbulan, Office of Student
Affairs (OSA) director, informed The
Manila Collegian that Santos was on
a “floating” status last semester. Such
standing was due to Santos’ dismissal
from the BS Biochemistry program
prompted by her intention to shift to
BA Development Studies program.
The CAS OCS placed Santos under a
probationary status, requiring her to
pass all her academic loads during
the previous semester to remain a
bona fide student of UPM.
The agreement made by the
CAS OCS also held bearing on
Santos’ intention of shifting to BA
Development Studies program.
“Unfortunately, Ms. Santos failed to
satisfy the condition set by the OCS,
i.e. to pass all her courses, resulting
to her disqualification,” Simbulan
said.
Consequently, Santos appealed to the
University Committee on Retention,
Readmission,
and
Graduation
headed by Vice Chancellor Josefina
Tayag. The said committee, however,
decided to uphold the decision made
by the CAS OCS.
Removal from USC Post
The OSA on November took steps
to fill in the vacant position of USC
Chairperson, a post formerly held by
Santos. According to Simbulan, the
position of USC Chair is considered
vacant because of “the fact that
Ms. Cesarie Santos is no longer a
bonafide student of UPM since the
decision of the UPM Committee
on Readmission, Retention and
Graduation is final and executory.”
“Ang basis ng pagiging USC
chairperson ay ang pagiging bona
fide student mo ng UP Manila. In the
TAKING THE LEAD. Cesarie Ann “Ces” Santos third from the left and at the forefront at one of her USC
duties during one of the mobilizations against the State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) budget cut. File
Photo
CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
Dalmacio is New
Faculty Regent
Outgoing FR Underscores Crucial University Issues
MON GABRIEL POSADAS DISTOR AND
ACE VINCENT PONSECA MOLO
D
octor Ida F. Dalmacio of the Institute of Biological Sciences - College
of Arts and Sciences (IBS-CAS), University of the Philippines Los
Baños (UPLB) was elected as the new faculty regent (FR), and shall
represent the entire UP faculty to the university’s Board of Regents
(BOR).
In a university wide election held on
New FR Prioritizes Faculty
November 16 to 18, 2010, Dalmacio
Advancement
bested 5 other contenders from
the UPLB faculty. Her term will
According to her plan of action,
commence from January 2011 to
Dalmacio aims to participate
December 2012.
in
“direction-setting,
policy
formulation and decision making
Dr. Dalmacio received her bachelor’s
concerning the UP System. She
degree as cum laude in Agriculture
further stated that her primary role
and Master’s degree in Plant
is to “represent the entire faculty on
Pathology in UPLB, and later served
all issues affecting them, particularly
as a research assistant and full
their rights and welfare.
professor in IBS-CAS.
Dalmacio was a recipient of
Distinguished Teacher Award in
Biological Sciences and Outstanding
Alumnus Award for Research
Administration. Furthermore, she
served as executive director of the
Philippine Council for Advanced
Science and Technology Research
and Development (PCASTRD) under
the Department of Science and
Technology (DOST), from 19982004.
2 • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
WEDNESDAY
Dalmacio summarized her plan of
action with the Seven-Point Program
which focuses strengthening the
UP faculty. According to her, “it
[UP faculty] should be manned by
highly qualified faculty members
preferably those who have graduate
degrees.”
The new FR yearns to work on the
aspects of faculty tenure, promotion,
consultancies
and
income
generation, benefits, and mentoring.
On issues concerning the faculty
members preferring work abroad,
Dalmacio stated that “incentives
would have to be placed so that
they [teachers] will not be lured
elsewhere.”
Moreover, included in Dalmacio’s
program
are
transparency
and efficient dissemination of
information, especially policies and
decisions from the BOR, to concerned
members of the faculty. She likewise
intends to work in cooperation with
the Student and Staff Regents, “to
further promote the democratic
participation of all the UP personnel
in university governance.”
FR
Taguiwalo
Unresolved Issues
Reports
Outgoing FR Judy Taguiwalo
brings her term to a close with
an End of Term Report stating
accomplishments and actions in
her two-year term as FR, as well as
issues still needed to be addressed
by the BOR.
The report covers a summary of
reports to the BOR, updates on BOR
meetings, and common initiatives
of the Sectoral Regents. A major
highlight of the rundown is the
Office of the Faculty Regent’s (OFR)
coordination with the Offices of
the Student and Staff Regent in
organizing the Sectoral Regents’
Fora on the selection process for the
next UP President.
Also stated in the report are
questions regarding the selection
process of the new Faculty Regent,
which, according to Taguiwalo,
remained on the hands of the
UP Administration. The former
FR expressed disapproval on the
exclusion of some provisions
that was proposed by the OFR
concerning the selection process.
These include the rule which
motions the nominees to have to go
on leave from the All-UP Academic
Employees Union once they accept
their nomination, the removal
of the ‘no campaigning rule,’ and
the lack of consultation among
University Councils. Taguiwalo
calls for a more transparent and
independent FR selection process
in 2012.
Likewise, Taguiwalo gives a
review of unresolved university
issues hoping to be addressed
such as the non-implementation
of the tenure grant of Sociology
Professor Sarah Raymundo; the
Philippine General Hospital (PGH)
directorship dispute; the legality of
the Faculty Medical Arts Building
(FMAB) at UP-PGH; UPLB’s large
class policy on general education
subjects; the PAASCU accreditation
of UP Manila’s academic programs,
among others.
“…I have advocated for democratic
governance at all levels of the
University through transparency,
consultation, representation and
accountability and the principle
of democratic access to a UP
education by maintaining the status
of the University of the Philippines
as a public and public service
institution of higher learning that
aims to provide affordable quality
education for Filipinos,” Taguiwalo
concluded.
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
UP to Erect Museum
NEWS
Contract Irregularities Spark Controversies
YODHIM GUDEL GEPTY DELA ROSA AND
JEO ANGELO CHICO ELAMPARO
W
ith the construction of the official University of the Philippines
(UP) System Museum ongoing at the UP Manila campus, the
ASM Francisco Construction Development Corp. (ASM) is allegedly
having conflicts with the UP Museum Committee due to several
irregularities in their construction contract.
be dismantled. However, the
Centennial Gift
dismantling procedure is not
stipulated in the Php 16 million
Spearheaded by a six-person
contract. The asbestos walls were
committee, the museum is a major
allegedly “overlooked” by ASM
grant of former UP President,
when they assessed the site of
Senator Edgardo Angara for
the museum so they immediately
UP’s
centennial
celebration.
sought for a change in order.
Accordingly, the museum aims to
promote the role of UP in national
In effect, the committee has been
and health development.
said to allot another Php 2 million
The said committee is composed
of Dr. Zorayda E. Leopando, Chair
of the Technical Working Group;
Archt. Allen R. Buenaventura, Chief
of Central Planning Development
and Maintenance Office (CPDMO);
Dr. Manuel B. Agulto, Chair of UP
Manila Museum Committee; Dr.
Angelita Trinidad-Reyes, Adviser
of UP Manila Committee and
Former Regent of UP System;
Archt. Eduardo Calma, Architect
of Lor Calma Design, Inc.; and
Marianne P. Roces, Museum
Development Curator.
Contract of Agreement
The planning of the construction’s
technical aspects were all finished
by the committee in the latter part
of 2008. Having been the lowest
responsive bidder, ASM was
granted the construction contract
and is expected to finish the first
phase of building at the end of
January this year.
ASM priced the construction Php
16 million—a price relatively
lower than the allocation for the
Museum construction. The General
Appropriations Act of 2011
allocated a total of Php 20 million
for the first phase construction of
the museum.
ASM promised to complete the
construction before the start of the
next academic year.
“Accidental Expenses”
Incidentally, the old College of
Dentistry building, the will-be
site of the museum, is made up
of asbestos which ASM deemed
hazardous and should therefore
for the “accidental expenses”
which will cover the total
dismantling of the asbestos walls
and the materials needed for it.
Several sources reveal that had
the dismantling procedure been
stipulated in the contract, the
committee would have chosen
another construction company
that would cover everything for a
lower price.
Queries
were
also
raised
regarding ASM’s conspicuous
winnings in every construction
bid in UP Manila when the same
sources disclosed that most of its
constructions were defective and
substandard.
Future Plans
According to Dr. Leopando, the
committee plans to promote the
museum and make it a venue for
educational learning experience.
The museum will house exhibits
depicting UP’s role in history as
the country’s premiere university.
In turn, the income generated by
the museum will be spent only for
its maintenance and other future
plans.
Consequently, another building
is set to be established as an
income-generating asset to aid
the museum’s other finances.
The proposed building will also
venture into partnerships with
private concessionaries to further
promote and develop the museum
facilities and services.
All students of UP shall have the
privilege of entering the museum
free of charge as soon as it opens
to the public.
WE OPPOSE THE LRT/MRT FARE HIKES!
JOIN THE SIGNATURE CAMPAIN
AGAINST THE RISING COST OF PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION!
Join the fight for higher state subsidy!
WITH GRIM FINALITY. President Aquino, along with other budget proponents and members of the cabinet, signs the official
budget of the Philippines for year 2011. Photo courtesy of Balita.ph
Badyet Para sa Taong 2011, Inaprubahan na
Panibagong TOFI, pinangangambahan
MARK JASON SANTOS FLORES AT BEANCA JHANINE MULATO SAMIANO
M
atapos ang ilang linggong deliberasyon sa kamara, pinirmahan na ni Pangulong Benigno Simeon
“Noynoy” Aquino III ang 2011 General Appropriations Act (GAA) o R.A. 10147 na nagtatakda ng
P1.645 trilyong badyet para sa bansa sa taong 2011.
Kung pagbabasehan ang unang
panukalang badyet ni Aquino,
kaunti lamang ang nadagdag sa
inaprubahang pondo. Isa na dito ay
ang pag-amyenda ng karagdagang
P200 milyon sa badyet ng
Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (UP)
para sa patuloy na pagpapatupad
sa programa nitong Engineering
Research and Development for
Technology (ERDT) na naglalayong
magbigay ng iskolarship sa mga
inhinyero para sa mas mataas na
dekalidad ng masteral at doktoral
na antas ng unibersidad.
Dagdag-Bawas
Bagaman umabot sa P5.7 milyon
ang pondo ng UP bunga ng dagdag
na ipinasa ni Aquino, ito ay higit
na mas mababa pa rin ng P1.2
bilyon kung ikukumpara sa P6.9
bilyong pondo noong nakaraang
taon. Nanggaling umano ang P200
milyong karagdagan ito mula sa
pondong ibinawas sa programa
ng kalusugan na Family Health na
may maliit na alokasyon.
Inamendyadahan din ng kamara
ng P143 milyon ang badyet ng
SUCs pero ang P30 milyon sa
pondong iyon ay ibinawas din sa
ibang SUCs na mas mataas ang
alokasyon sa orihinal na panukala.
Matatandaang
naglunsad
ng
malawakang protesta ang mga
SUCs noong Nobyembre na
nilahukan ng libo-libong magaaral, guro at manggawa. Natawag
nito ang atensyon ng ilang mga
senador at mambabatas na
nagsumite ng iba’t ibang panukala
ukol sa pag-amyenda ng badyet ng
SUCs. Sa huling pagdinig, ang P200
milyong dagdag ang naaprubahan
ng kamara para sa UP at P110
milyon naman ang para sa iba
pang SUCs.
“Dahil sa sama-samang pagkilos
ng mga estudyante noong
nakaraang taon at sa pagkakaisa
ng sektor ng kabataan sa paglaban
sa nakaambang budget cut,
nadagdagan ng humigit-kumulang
P300milyon ang badyet 112
state universities and colleges.
Tagumpay ito ng mga mag-aaral
gayun din ng mga magulang dahil
alam natin na kung hindi natin
ito ginawa ay madali lamang sa
mga mambabatas na ipasa na
lamang ang panukalang badyet
ni Pangulong Noynoy,” ani Mac
Panganiban, mula sa kinatawan ng
mag-aaral, UPM.
Sa
kabila
ng
karagdagang
alokasyon ng gobyerno, iginigiit
pa rin ng maraming progresibong
mag-aaral na kulang pa rin ito
para matutustusan ang lumalalang
kalagayan ng mga SUCs. Sa pondo
ng UP, halos kalahati sa nabawas
na pondo ay galing sa Maintenance
and Other Operating Expenses
(MOOE) ng Unibersidad. Tanging
P654 milyon na lamang ang natira
mula sa P1.36 bilyong badyet para
sa MOOE noong 2010. Bunga nito,
nangangamba ang dating Faculty
Regent na si Judy Taguiwalo na
baka maging “white elephants” ang
mga hindi pa tapos na proyekto ng
unibersidad gaya ng Industrial/
Mechanical Building sa Diliman.
Dagdag pa ni Panganiban, “
hindi pa rin talaga sapat ang
karagdagang badyet na ito.
Imagine, 112 SUCs ang maghahatihati dito samantalang mahigit ang
pangangailangan ng mga kolehiyo
sa bansa.”
Maling Alokasyon
Sa kabilang banda, sinasabi
ng gobyernong Aquino na
nadagdagan na ang pondo ng SUCs
ng P310 milyon samantalang mas
WEDNESDAY
mababa ito ng isang porsyento o
humigit kumulang P200 milyon
mula sa 23.8bilyong badyet noong
2010. Sa kasalukuyan, patuloy pa
rin ang pagbatikos ng mga kritiko
sa
napakalaking
alokasyong
inilaan ng gobyerno sa militar at
pambayad-utang ng bansa.
“Nakakalungkot isipin na sa
konteksto ng bansa ngayon,
mas binibigyang prioridad ang
militar sa kabila ng kabi-kabilang
kaso ng paglabag sa karapatang
pantao, mas binigyang pansin ang
pagbabayad ng utang panlabas ng
bansa at mas pinataas ang pork
barrel ng mga mambabatas na alam
nating pulpulan ng kurapsyon sa
bansa, at sa pag-apruba ng badyet,
nadagdagan pa ang pondo para sa
mga congressmen at senators,”ani
Panganiban.
Panibagong TOFI, nag-aamba
Kasabay ng mababang alokasyon
para sa Unibersidad ay ang
posibleng pagharap nito sa
panibagong TOFI. Napauna nang
kumalat ang sabi-sabi na plano
ng unibersidad na ibigay sa mga
estudyanteng nasa Braket A ang
full tuition na umaabot sa humigitkumulang sa P100,000 bawat
semester.
“Ang University Student Council,
sa pagkapasa ng 2011 budget,
ay patuloy na magiging aktibo
sa pagsulong ng karapatan sa
edukasyon sa pamamagitan ng
tuloy-tuloy na panawagan sa
pag-roll back ng tuition at sa
pagtanggal sa mga bayarin na
ipinapataw sa mga estudyante.
Mahalaga na ang lupon ng
mga estudyante ay patuloy na
manindigan para sa kanilang
mga karapatan lalo na ngayon at
patuloy ang nakaambang pagtaas
ng matrikula,”ani Panganiban.
• 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
3
NEWS
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
ORGANEWSATION
Bludgeoned and Burdened:
Scrutinizing the Toll and Fare Hikes
ANGELA MARIZ ULEP CAUDAL AND ALYSSA NICHOLE CACHO GRATIL
M
anifested as an aftermath of the Aquino administration’s “controversial misallocation” for its 2011 national
budget, the burden of toll and fare hikes is unreasonably passed on to the riding public – particularly the
students – as series of whopping fare toll increases inevitably faced them as the new year arrived.
Increasing rates in transportation
has been an ever recurring issue.
Burdened by hikes that are meagrely
explained, the public are persistently
subjected to an even more expensive
fare.
Passing on the burden to ordinary
citizens, the Toll Regulatory Board
(TRB) formally announced that two
of the country’s major expressway
operators implemented an increase
in toll rates on New Year’s Day.
student and mass organizations
denounce the hasty approval of the
300% toll hike petitioned by the
South Luzon Tollway Corporation
(SLTC) and MNTC, operators of SLEx
and NLEx, respectively. Labelling
it as “treachery”, Taxpayers’ Unity
vs Toll Hike in SLEx (TUTOLSLEx), an alliance of commuters,
drivers, peoples’ organizations,
businessmen, local government
officials and other taxpayers also
conveyed their disapproval of the
Figure 1. Triple Tribulation. This table shows the transformation of the
2010 SLEx, NLEx, and SCTEx toll rates as it was multiplied to three in the
recently approved toll increase. Source: Bulatlat.com
Moreover, the Land Transportation
Franchising and Regulatory Board
(LTFRB) which posted new taxi rates
on December 23 already took effect
on January 7. In addition, Metro and
Light Rail Transits (MRT and LRT)
proposed to carry out its almost
100% fair augmentation within a
span of three months.
The newly-approved 2011 toll rates
are evidently higher than the 2010
rates, as seen in Figure 1. Seemingly
minimal increases by the centavo
as laid out here are exacerbated if
to be computed per kilometer and
would thus reveal its dread. This
300% toll hike at the beginning of
the year directly contradicts what
Manila North Tollway Corporation
President and chief executive officer
Robert E. Franco described as that in
a “very reasonable level.”
Apathetic Approval
Contrary to President Benigno
Aquino
III’s
announcement
on January 2 pertaining to the
imposition of a “graduated increase”
in toll rates to pacify its effects to
the commuters, the TRB heedlessly
mandated the one-time-big-time
300% toll hike on both South and
North Luzon Expressway (SLEx and
NLEx).
Anakpawis, Kilusang Mayo Uno
(KMU), the League of Filipino
Students, among other progressive
decision.
Members of Tutol-SLEx alleged
that the TRB could not even be
completely transparent on the
processes and bases of computing
the toll rates.
“There was no public hearing,”
and other critics of the toll hike, the
public was not truly ‘invited’ because
of the low-intensity advertisement
of the hearing.
By virtue of the Presidential Decree
No. 1112 or the Toll Operation
Decree, the TRB possesses regulatory
authority over all toll facilities in the
Philippines, and is authorized under
its charter to enter into contracts
in behalf of the Republic of the
Philippines, with qualified persons
for the construction, operation
and maintenance of toll facilities.
Progressive groups believes this
paves the way for international
contractors into the regular
taxpayers’ pockets.
Mulanes relayed that the TRB’s
justification concerning the 300%
toll hike petitioned by the SLTC and
MNTC is truly questionable, since
what they were mandated to do
was to act as a representative of the
government, with the sole purpose
of protecting the taxpayers from
abusive private contractors.
Unjust Fare Augmentation
In a press conference on January
5, Presidential Communications
Strategy Secretary Ricky Carandang
described the MRT and LRT fare
hikes as “slight” and “reasonable”,
but for Metro Manila railroad riders,
the case is otherwise.
“Though the proposed fare hikes on
MRT and LRT were only approved
in principle, the commencement
The Manila Collegian reserves a space for announcements, gigs,
and rendezvous tidbits of organizations in UP Manila. Submit your
announcements via email to themanilacollegian@gmail.com. Max of 100
words
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
The UP Manila Bible Readers Society invites you to a Bible Study entitled,
“Biblikasarian I: Kapwa ko, Mahal ko” Get to know what the Bible really says
about homosexuality on December 9 at the College of Nursing tambayan. For
questions, please contact Carlson 09278249297 or Lea at 09154862267
•••
UP Panitikan is looking for potential and aspiring applicants for this semester.
For inquiries about the application forms and process, contact Faye at
09159437703
•••
The UPM Indayog Dance Varsity will be holding a dance concert entitled
“UniberSiyudad” tickets are available at Php180 (Pre-selling rate) and Php200
(Concert day rate). For more information, approach any Indayog members.
•••
Get to know more about Jesus as the UPM Campus Crusade for Christ invites
you to their ” Movements Everywhere”. To know more about this event, contact
Garet at 09065474492 or Hannah at 09177536162 and visit www.ccc.org.ph
•••
Philippine Stagers Foundation launched an encore run of Ako si Ninoy: The
Musicale on January 8 at Cinema 9 SM City North EDSA. The musicale is
directed by Atty. Vincent Tanada, Palanca and Aliw awards champion for best
musical (2009) . All proceeds of the musicale is for the benefit of World Vision,
UNICEF and One Kind Mankind foundations.
•••
The UPM Seeds of the Nation invites you to come and join their Bible Study and
worship masses every Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Philippine
Bible Society. For inquiries, contact 09274923687
•••
The Mu Sigma Phi Fraternity will hold the Quisumbing Escandor Photo Fest
themed, “Sa Ngalan ng Ama at ng INA” Get a chance to win Php 20,000 for
the Grand Prize, Php 10,000 for Black and white and Colored divisions and
Php 5,000 for the People’s Choice award. Email your entries to qephotofest@
gmail.com. Photo Fest Awards Night and Exhibit will be on February 19.
Deadine of submission will be on January 30. For more information, contact
09178230209
•••
San Beda College of Medicine invites incoming first year applicants from UP
(preferably with honors) to avail a four year scholarship and a Php 25,000
book allowance for first three years. For more information, visit fcid@sanbeda.
edu.ph
•••
The University Wide- ACLE has been moved to February 15. Interested
organizations may text Mudir Estrella at 09161126145 or 09152941193
•••
The Philippine League of Sociology Students is calling for papers for
presentation on its Congress on Feb.14 at UP Diliman. Papers on the topic of
sociology and of other related fields are welcome.Text 09173878057 for more
details.
•••
In line with the Health and Environment Week, the USC will be launching
the following activities: January 31: I am One with the Earth (Mixed Media
Art Contest), Exhibit: Jan 31-Feb4; LT Walk, February 1: The Will for RH Bill:
Addressing its Imperfections (8am-10am; BSLR-E UP College of Medicine),
February 4: Klima, Kalusugan, karapatan-Ang Bagong Laban (1pm-5pm;
Science Hall, UP-PGH)
•••
Kapatirang Dramatista ng UP Manila will hold open auditions on Jan 25, Gab
103 5:30, jan 27, rh 221, 5:30 pm to 7pm, Jan 29, rh 221 9am to 5pm. for more
info, contact 09154861247 or 09063017877
COLLEGE BRIEFS
Figure 2. The Face of a Burden. This table shows the comparison
between the 2010 and 2011 fare rates of MRT, LRT, and taxis and how i/t
is not believable that these changes are within reason. Source: ABS-CBN
News Online
Sammy Malunes, co-convenor of
Tutol-SLEx, said in an interview of
Bulatlat.com during one of their
protest movements. “We do not
consider as genuine that so-called
public hearing they conducted last
December 10,” he further explained.
The TRB reportedly called for a
public hearing in their head office last
week with minimal announcements
and notices to concerned parties.
According to Tutol-SLEx, drivers’
and operators’ organization PISTON,
4 • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
WEDNESDAY
of the LRTA board, which is the
final approving body on January
11 shall mark the true affirmation
of the increase,” according to
Transportation Secretary Jose de
Jesus in an interview.
The biggest functional portion
of the 2011 national budget was
allocated in the educational sector,
yet it is a fact that the budget of
State Universities and Colleges were
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
The UPManila Political Science Committee in partnership with the UP
Political Science society has celebrated its annual Political Science Week
from January 17 to 21 with the theme Courting Justice: The Continuing
Struggle for Social Justice.” Forums were held regarding the Philippine
Judicial System, the Morong43, and Health and Development. A series of
film showing events were further held and featured foreign acclaimed films
Orapronobis and Persona Non Grata. A Quiz Bee and a variety show was
held to showcase the student s of the Political Science program.
COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY
UP Manila maintains 100% passing rate at Dentistry Licensure
Examination
TOP TEN
Pia dela Cruz Briones -- 1st
Leonida Pascua Garcia – 2nd
Dindo Agustin Rabino – 3rd
Ariane Torreres Sadiang-Abay – 4th
Ma. Fatima Bernaldez Dolor – 5th
Andrianne Ang Gomez – 6th
Katrina Pe Lo – 7th
Roxanne Dela Pierre Donato – 8th
Ulysses Catacutan Patalinhug – 9th
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
QCRTC: ‘Reinstate
Gonzales as PGH
Director’
JOANNA MARIE ICASAS UDARBE
A
year following Dr. Jose Gonzales’ ouster, Quezon City Regional Trial
Court (QCRTC) released a resolution dated December 22 ordering the
reinstatement of Gonzales as the rightful and duly-elected director of the
Philippine General Hospital (PGH).
The resolution also stated that the
Board of Regents (BOR), the highest
policy making body in the University
of the Philippines (UP), should fully
recognize the decision of the court
and immediately unseat Dr. Rolando
Enrique Domingo.
Judge Luisito Cortez of Branch 84
of the QCRTC declared in a writ of
preliminary injunction that Gonzales
is the legitimate PGH director.
Furthermore, the UP system was
ordered by the court to recognize
his legitimacy until the case filed
against the BOR regarding his ouster
is resolved.
Domingo ordered to step
down
Domingo, in turn, received a copy
of the writ, stating that he should
“restrain and desist from exercising
the powers and performance of the
duties of PGH director.”
In a statement dated December
28 addressed to UP Manila (UPM)
Chancellor Ramon Arcadio, Domingo
expressed his disagreement with
the decision of the trial court on the
grounds that the writ was signed by
Pairing Judge Maria Filomena Singh
and not by the presiding judge. UP
Vice President for Legal Affairs
Theodore Te also questioned the
resolution on similar grounds.
Domingo continues to uphold
the legitimacy of his directorship
appointment despite the resolution.
However, he added that “since the
copy of the Writ seems authentic,
I shall abide by it and refrain from
exercising the powers of PGH Director
as stipulated.”
Gonzales was duly appointed as PGH
director on December 18, 2009 and
was supposed to take oath of office
on January 4, 2010. However, due
to protests made by Malacañang
appointee
Regent
Abraham
Sarmiento, the oath taking was put on
hold. The position was then declared
vacant, on the grounds that former
Student Regent Charisse Bernardine
Bañez’s vote was considered null and
invalid. The BOR resolved then to hold
another election wherein Domingo
emerged as the new PGH director.
Domingo’s appointment was met
with a series of protests coming from
the staff of PGH as well as students
from UP. Aside from the violation of
the appointment’s due process, the
nullification of Banez’s vote served as
a neglect to the rights of the students
to representation in the BOR.
Despite his ouster, Gonzales continued
to stay at a small office near the PGH
director’s office.
Gonzales’ reinstatement served as a
victory not only for the PGH director,
but to the whole UPM community as
well, claimed former UPM University
Student Council Chair Cesarie Ann
Santos.
“Pagpupugay sa lahat ng mga doktor,
kawani, konseho, organisasyon, at
mga Iskolar ng Bayan! Nagtagumpay
ang ating laban upang ibalik ang
tama! Tagumpay ng sama samang
pagkilos,” said Santos.
NEWS
Mga Fulung-Vulungan ng Nagjijisang...
Lola Patola
HAGARAPAKETGARAPAKETFULOFZUNZHAYN I GOT LOVE
AND I KNOW THAT IT’S ALL MINE OW-UWO-OW…..
H
alllleuer mga evah-dearest kowng afowshiwa! Dijamismey? I
know. I missed me too. Hekheks. Jokla! Hamusta naman yung evah
havaaaaaaa niyong becky-syown grande eh? Or iz it still vitin? Hamustasa
ang Krismas? Ang Nyuyir? May nagfafafutok vah at may nafutukan naman
vah? Siniguradechiwa niyo vey na gumamit kayech ng froteksyon vago
magfafutok? JOKLA! Haynakows! Nalelerkey na naman akech dahil todotodo, major-major, super-super, mega-mega ang ginawey namin ng aking
finakamamahal na Lolo Upo noong nakaraang becky-syown. Havay fagod na
fagod naman talagey ang Tanging Lola Nyong Lahat! Sa katunayan, ihi lang
ang pahinga kow. Hekheks. Heniwey, isa fang nakakafagfalerkey sa akech ay
ang mga fasaway sa YuFiEm! Havay Nyuyir na fero wiz pa rin siley nagvavago!
At ngayon, you will feel Lola P’s wrath! NYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA –
eheym, eheym – HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Not So Pocketful of Sunshine
Cheezymax Numvah ONE:
Fasaway na Mananayaw!
Sinechitechiwa na miyemvro ng
jizang danz grup ditey za YuFiManila
ang NAHULI KO MISMO na kumuha
ng maraming kepyas este kopyas ng
Kulengot at finamvalot ng kanyang
gift gate! Azar talagey itech si kuyang
walang malasakit at inencourage
niya fa ang iva niyang kasamahan
na gamitensils ang Kulengot para
pambalot! OUCH! ARAY! ARAGUY! NAHURT NAMAN AKO DON MGA AFO!
D’ya wanna clue? Orayt! Itechiwang
kuya na itey ay jizang fresh na fresh
student mula sa DaSimpSons! At ang
initialz ng kanyang course ay ang
unang dalawang letra ng nazaving
defartamentow. YON! Dear Kuya,
nais lang ifaalam sayech ni Lola
na hindi famvalot ng kung-anoano ang Kulengot! Vawat izzue
ay finaghihirafan ng mga rayters
ditey at finagbubujusan ng dugo
at napakaraming fawis (dahil
kazalukuyang wasak ang mga
erkon za ofisina). Kung fwede lang
gamitin mow ang kulengot ng tama.
Kundimokeri, doncha touch it at all,
marami ang eztudyanteng guztong
magvasa nitow. HANDERSTAND,
LOW-RAINS? SAGOT!
Not So Pocketful of Sunshine
Cheezymax Numvah TWO:
Useless COUNZILOR? Eherm.
Sinechitechiwho
ang
gaydanz
counzilor na itey ang hindi naman
responsive to the needs of my afows?
Havaaaaaa! I smell something fishy!
Kwento ng afows ko, gumora sila sa
ofisiney ng gaydanz counzilor na itech.
At fagdating na fagdating niley doon,
havay chumorva agad ang councilor
na, “Imfortantatious ba itech? About
what ba, aber?” Nung zinavi naman
ng mga afow ko na fersonal frablem
ang dafat nilang i-consult, havay
chumorva ulit itech counzilor ng,
“Fersonal lang naman fala eh. Di
naman mesyadong imfortantatious!”
HAVA!
NA-HIGHVLAAAD
AGAD
AKECH nung inistory-telling itech
ng afows ko. Gravacious lang ha.
Hindi tama iyon! In the pers pleys,
handito nga ang mga kagaya niley
fara ma-intendyez ang mga afow ko
za kanilang fersonal frablem dava?
At fano kung maveegat talagey ang
froblem ng afow ko at wiz niya
tinanggaf? Vaka nagsui-zaido na yon
ng waley za oras? MALI ANG GINAWA
MO counzilor! Wrong na wrong
talagey! Kung di mo keri na i-help
ang mga afow ko sa mga froblema
nila, aym sureness na makakahanaf
fa ang YuFi ng samvadee na kaya!
Handerztand? Hmmmpppfff!
Not So Pocketful of Sunshine
Cheezymax Numvah THREE:
Bad Manners
Haneklavoo itech na naririnig ko? May
mga eztudyante raw ng YuFiEm ang
nagtatafon ng mga pleyts at utensils
na finofrovide ng ating canteeners?
KALERKEY! Haneklavoo talaga ang
series of shameful events na itechiwa!
Nakakahiya talagey ang mga afow ko
na gumagawa nitey. Kawawa naman
ang ating mga canteeners! Vaka
maloogee na siley za ginagawa niyo
at vaka eventually, mag-exoduslaloo
na siley! Wants nyo va na maglaho na
siley all at once bcoz of your fractice?
Haynako. Kafag di kayo toomigil, I
will disown you! Nagkakaintindihan?
Goooooood. LOL.
Hay nako afows, marami pa sana
akech gusto i-storytell fero I
have a plane to catch. Lolo Upo
and I are going to have our 9,
000th honeymoooon! I can’t wait
actually! Hangsweet naming noh?
Heniway, I will miss you all! Fulang
fula ang buhay ni Lola! Ahahahay!
See you soon! XOXO.
NEWSIskotistics ...from page 4
deliberately cut down despite the protests
raised by thousands of tertiary-level students.
In spite of these, the relative importance given
by the 2011 budget to the military constituency
by raising their budget by 80% somehow
violates the constitutional mandate to give
primary importance to education.
This gesture reflects not only the curtailment of
the rights of the students for quality education
but also the state abandonment on the citizen’s
basic social services. In effect, health and
medical amenities are also hampered if not
totally made unattainable for the poor populace.
Instead of fulfilling the needs of the majority,
the administration overlooked the demands
and went on fattening the counter-insurgency
budget, which is in the first place disagreed
upon by critics and human rights advocates.
Aside from the fare increase in the two most
commonly used mode of transportation in
Metro Manila, taxis and buses, especially the
ones passing through the NLEx, SLEx and
SCTEx, also petitioned for fare hikes. South
Luzon Bus Operators Association (SOLUBOA)
filed a fare hike petition of 50 centavos per
kilometer on January 5 in order to cope with
higher toll rates. Since fare hikes necessitate
consultation processes and hearings at the
LTFRB, the SOLUBOA asked for a provisional
30-centavo increase.
Meanwhile, the first taxi fare rate increase since
2004 was approved on December 23, 2010. The
said hike has been implemented since January
7. The flagdown rate shot up to from P30 to
P40, while succeeding charges now cost P3.50
from the previous P2.50 (See Figure 2).
Burden Officially Turned Over
Being frequenters of transportation services,
the general public cries out with the newlyacquired burden at the beginning of the
year. This measure that the government
advances to allegedly “counter economic and
social instability” is the same old ploy that
the previous governments used. The bogus
reform program repackaged as Private-Public
Partnerships (PPP) scheme they are putting
forward is a clear picture of commercialization.
The PPP is a government service or private
business venture which is funded and operated
through a partnership between the government
and one or more private sector companies.
Capital investment is made by the private
sector on the strength of a contract with the
government to provide agreed services while
the cost of providing the service is borne
wholly or in part by the government. The cost is
treated as an obligation of the government, but
in our country’s case, it is rechanneled to the
tax payers through various forms of increase
in tolls and fares that are controlled by the
government. In turn, these hikes further call for
increase in the prices of commodities, which
then pushes the general public to demand
higher wages.
Because of the Palace’s justification of
implementing fare and toll hikes: to be able
to abide by its obligations to the private
contractors of the expressways as well as
to entice more foreign investors – Aquino
overlooked the welfare of his people. PPP
program, thus, is a manifestation of the real
government’s priority; investors over people.
Unavoidably, it has become a venue for abusing
the rights of the people.
Hence, in the context of MRT, LRT, taxi and
bus fare hikes, it is evident that students will
suffer greatly, if not as much as the working
commuters. Being non-earners and depending
on allowances for transportation and other
expenses, budgeting a meagre amount of
money for humungous costs will be harder
than before. Not only on the transportation
sector, the students will also be affected in the
aspect of commodity prices, because it is for
sure that common goods will also increase their
rates with respect to the heightened tariffs
on vehicles transporting the merchandise.
All these because of the incompetence of the
government to execute the obligations that they
are mandated to fulfill.
Now, the burden was rechanneled to the
innocent: the general public, especially the
unprivileged and the poor, by the government’s
suddenly approved toll and fare hikes all within
the first month of the year, while they turned
deaf and ignored all the demands of the public
and trashed it just as fast. It is vexing to recall
the President’s promise of a better future for
our country while witnessing these hardships
dropped to the people one after the other.
WEDNESDAY
• 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
5
FEATURES
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
Visiting
Farces:
The Flaws and Fraudulence of the VFA
JESSE NICOLE RUBIO SANTOS
ILLUSTRATED BY KAT CAPULONG
E
ven in the modern era, ancient colonialism still reveals its oppressive implications,
provided that the colonizer employs trickery to keep the former colony under
its control.
The relationship between the US and the Philippines has been criticized for its utter
lack of mutuality. The colonization of the latter by the former–a ghost which keeps on
haunting the Philippines even after nearly a century of supposed independence–was
significant in the formation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). However, it is
the desire of the US to prolong its hold on its Southeastern ally which established the
agreement. The constraints on the country’s independence and progress caused by
the dominance of foreign influence and the interplay of foreign interests now manifest
itself through the VFA. Implemented in 1999, the agreement cements this parasitical
and duly one-sided relationship.
Eleven years of abuses committed under the name of the VFA should be more than
sufficient to convince the Aquino administration to work for the agreement’s rightful
termination. But as of now, only a committee overseeing review of the draft is under
way. The abuses and illegalities unjustly experienced by the Filipinos are more
than enough grounds for its abrogation. A law without actual benefits for its true
constituents should not be implemented in the first place.
Extended Exploitation
The aftermaths of World War II
left the Philippines, particularly
Manila, in utter ruin. True enough
the US offered rehabilitation in
$620 billion, to its ailed friend in
the Southeast. But of course, the
financial aid came with strings
attached.
The
Military
Bases
Agreement (MBA) of
1947 shaped USPH relations for
the
decades
that
would
come. Military
and
financial
assistance were
given to the
Philippines,
and in return,
the US would
maintain
military bases
in the country. The
US also
e n j o y e d
parity rights in
the Philippines,
allowing them
to exploit the
country’s
n a t u r a l
resources. The deal between
the two countries became
largely beneficial to the US, as
their position in the Philippines
allowed them not only to gain
economic benefits, but also to
continue their campaigns in the
East, as the Cold War begun at the
time. The MBA was terminated
in 1991, but its adversities once
again wreaked havoc in the
Philippines
6 • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
WEDNESDAY
when
its
extension
was
unabashedly created in 1999.
The VFA serves as the legal
framework for military exercises
participated in by both Filipino
and American soldiers, to
proceed. It is a
bilateral pact,
comprised
of
two
individual
documents,
the VFA or the
VFA-1,
which
outlines
the
provisions
for
American
soldiers in the
Philippines
and the VFA-2,
for
Philippine
personnel in the
US. The basic
tenets of the VFA
include
that
of
military
aid,
the
exemption
of American soldiers from
Philippine jurisdiction except
for “special” cases, the passage
of exports and imports by the
military free from taxes, the
exemption of American military
personnel from regular visa and
passport procedures and the
unrestrained movement of US
military vessels in the country.
The VFA became the portal
of the US in the East, in
further advancing its political
enterprises, as the Philippines’s
geographical location makes it
ideal for political and militaristic
strategies. In working for its
endeavors, it had total disregard
to what these may cause the
Philippines. Undeniably, history
is witness to the fact that the
Philippines unceasingly paid the
price for the exploited gains of
the US. The country continues
to suffer from the malevolence
hidden between the lines of the
agreement, since the birth of the
VFA (see sidebar).
Overlooked Irregularities
The
succeeding
Philippine
administrations after the VFA
was enacted showed high
regard for the VFA, erstwhile
referring to it as a treaty when
the US only considers it an
executive agreement. It was
not even submitted to the US
Senate for ratification as a
treaty. Both countries differ in
their perception of the VFA, and
even with this, an immediate
inequality can be seen, more
so experienced by the actual
implementation of its provisions.
By this, the agreement is not
equally binding on both parties,
which violates a Constitutional
provision in the Philippines that
foreign troops are not allowed
entry in the country, lest a treaty
equally implemented in both
countries is in effect.
Aside
from
the
unclear
provisions, the VFA contains
ambiguous words, which can be
manipulated to accommodate
convenience for the so-called
friend. The words “visit”,
“temporary”, and “activities” in
the VFA spark debate as these
are not provided adequate
definitions.
The
vagueness
of the words “visit” and
“temporary” allow US troops
to stay indefinitely in the
country, causing the Philippines
to become a hotbed for US
military presence. As for the
word “activities”, when a certain
act violates the Philippine
Constitution, the US could
merely state that act as qualified
under “activities” and it would
be legalized, however heinous or
unlawful it may be. Government
officials who asserted that the
word “activities” meant military
exercises should realize that
in the entirety of the VFA, the
phrase “military exercises” has
never been used.
The VFA contains loopholes
which make room for the
Philippines’ so-called friend to
make adjustments legalizing its
harmful endeavors and intents.
The agreement is manipulated
not only in accordance to the
needs and desires of one party
but also to excuse the crimes
they commit.
Unrevealed Inequalities
More than just being lawful
grounds for foreigners to exploit
Philippine territory, the VFA also
authorizes the trampling of the
Philippine Constitution. The US
abuses the power it holds under
the VFA, and this confuses where
sovereignty in the Philippines
truly rest.
The VFA is wrought with
vagueness,
most
notably
those provisions concerning
crimes committed by American
soldiers
within
Philippine
jurisdiction. The Philippines
apparently is impermissible
to subject American soldiers
within its territory under its
own Constitution. The core of
the agreement which is Article
V, Section 3 (d) considers
American soldiers immune to
its laws and courts, as it requires
the Philippines to relinquish
the exercise of jurisdiction over
crimes involving US soldiers,
unless it is deemed of special
importance. But even this
warrants permission from the
US.
Even after years since gaining
independence
from
the
superpower, the VFA serves as a
reminder of how the Philippines
still remain under its control.
The controversy surrounding the
Subic Rape Case of 2006 wherein
a Filipina dubbed “Nicole” was
allegedly raped by American
soldiers the prime suspect being
Daniel Smith, illustrates the
lopsided nature of the VFA. The
case represented the unlawful
extrajudicial acts committed by
the US, as it exercised jurisdiction
over the accused. Injustice stems
not only from the crime itself, but
also from the fact that through
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
the VFA, American soldiers are
spared from sentences rightfully
passed on by Philippine courts
and laws.
The
monstrosity
of
the
VFA extends beyond verbal
manipulation and indiscretion.
The abuses committed under its
name pose a threat not only to
the victims but to all Filipinos.
However wrong the atrocities
may seem, it is undeniable that
the Philippine government
ignores the claims, and instead
only turns its attention to the
ones which heightened public
interest.
Injustice wracked not only the
victim of the case but also the
Filipino people, upon gaining
the epiphany that the VFA may
not be as amicable and helpful
as it seemed. The Subic Rape
Case mirrored US-PH relations
perfectly–the VFA was created
to aid only the US fulfill their
masked intents, regardless
of it being detrimental to the
Philippines. Some Philippine
lawmakers are always ready to
allow it, displaying their intent
for the country to be favorable in
the eyes of the US government.
Concealed Offenses
Since the VFA does not specify
the sort of actions the Philippine
and
American
military
personnel should be engaged
in, constitutional lines were
crossed in various regions in
the Philippines. Of these, the
most controversial include the
permanent settlement of US
troops in the country and the
participation of Philippine and
American soldiers in actual
combat which presents a
deviation from military exercises
which the VFA legalizes.
The Constitution contains a
provision which is specifically
against the permanent stationing
of foreign military battalions in
the country. While the fact that
permanent stations have been
established in the country by
US troops is often ignored by
the Philippine government, it
has nevertheless been proven as
civilians testify to this account.
The mere presence of American
troops is infringement enough,
more so that the defective
execution of the Balikatan
exercises, engaged in by both
Philippine
and
American
soldiers, cause harm to civilians.
The vile occurrences caused by
the Balikatan exercises prove
all the more that there is real
combat between the US-PH
troops and not just exercises.
These abuses became grave as
mere violations caused violent
crimes inflicted on Filipino
civilians. Most cases remained
as simple witness accounts, and
were not tried in Philippine
court (see sidebar).
Renewed Interests
FEATURES
Shadowed
Abuses
In late 2010, former US President
Bill Clinton subtly vouched for
the VFA during a one-day visit.
US officials would stress the
VFA’s supposed importance as
an agreement which manifests
the mutual partnership of the US
and the Philippines. While this
may seem largely beneficial, it
still remains as plain diplomatic
rhetoric hiding the true nature of
US-PH relations. What transpires
in reality lies in sharp contrast to
what the US presents it to be, as
numerous anomalies associated
with or caused by the VFA would
prove.
With the new regime in tow, the
VFA was bound to be revisited.
Philippine President Benigno S.
Aquino, III has been criticized for
failing to discuss the VFA with US
President Barack Obama during
his visit to the US in September
2010. The visit resulted to
$2.8 billion in investments for
the Philippines, which may
explain the Palace’s silence
concerning the VFA. In October
2010, Aquino enacted Executive
Order (EO) no. 9 calling for the
reorganization of the committee
tasked to review the VFA. There
is no mention of the real goal of
the review, as it is plausible that
the new administration is vying
to be in the good graces of the
superpower which deceptively
showered it with bountiful
investments.
Unexpected Repercussions
More
than
extraterritorial
and constitutional issues, the
whole controversy of the VFA
waged an invisible internal war
between the country’s apparent
need for financial assistance
and its rightful sovereignty. It
may well be that what fuels
the Philippine government’s
continued ratification of the VFA
lie in recognizing the country’s
apparent material insufficiency
and the ignorant view that the
strings attached may not be so
difficult to deal with. The VFA’s
existence and the Philippines’
continued
accommodation
give way to another stark,
harsh
reality–that
past
administrations
undoubtedly
failed in fulfilling its duties and
instead, resorted to outside help
to fill its inadequacies, even if it
means sacrificing sovereignty.
Furthermore, as the country
embarks on the continuance
T
of this bogus partnership, the
longer it is insinuated that the
“boosted” defense system will
work to the benefits of the
Filipinos,
Sovereignty
should
never
be exchanged for military
assistance, because it is not
worth it. In fact, nothing is.
The existence of the VFA mirrors
the incapacity of the Philippine
government in fulfilling their
duties of governance. It has
been the failure of the past
administrations. And the new
one should be careful not to
commit the mistakes of adhering
to the ill-wishes of an abusive socalled ally.
he VFA provides the illusion that the Philippines cannot
stand on its own two feet–a fraudulent notion masking
the true intent of the treaty’s installation.
The country does not need a reminder of the past shackles
which imprisoned true independence for its people. The
VFA, brimming with controversy, is the breeding ground
for neo-colonization. Its existence is rooted in the
assurance that the US keeps a tight grip on the Philippines,
while somehow allowing the country’s government to run
independently–an act they have absolutely no right to
impose.
The VFA is but a mere extension of the MBA–an
augmentation of obvious trickery–which considers the
Philippines a lowly entity and more of a property than an
ally. The country is seen merely as nothing more than a
means of security and source of economic and political
gains for Uncle Sam.
There is no need for the VFA, especially when its detriments
supersede the unilateral benefits. Various abuses under the
name of the VFA are more than enough to reveal the fact
that US-PH relations have never been equal. It never will
be, lest the VFA be terminated and the Philippines achieve
genuine independence from its colonial imprisonment.
WEDNESDAY
The joint US-PH Balikatan
exercises present the most
violent consequences. 16-month
old Rafaella Polvorido died,
six children were injured and
three women were traumatized
when the Philippine military
held preparatory exercises for
the arrival of the US soldiers in
Albay, Bicol. On July 5, 2002, as
US-RP forces were conducting
military exercises, American
soldier Sgt. Reggie Lane shot
Buyong-buyong Isnijal in his
house in Basilan. May 25, 2004
saw the killing of Ulong Malla,
Jumadil Malla and lbrhaim
Malla, as joint US-PH military
personnel raided the area of
Umapoy Island, Tawi-Tawi. Also,
in June 21, 2004, Arsid Baharon
was shot in a place designated
as a firing range for the military
exercises in Barangay San Roque,
Zamboanga City. These incidents
reveal the engagement of USPH forces in armed combat, an
obvious violation of a term in
the VFA.
Some US soldiers commit
crimes outside the boundaries
of military exercises. March
2000 saw the beating of Marcelo
Batestil, a taxi driver in Cebu, by
US soldiers. An assault resulted
to the deaths of eight Filipinos
in Maimbung, Sulu on February
4, 2008. There was a recorded
sighting of US soldiers in the
company of Philippine military
personnel at the incident.
Two rape cases involving US
soldiers were recorded. On
Novemeber 1, 2005, “Nicole”,
a 22-year-old Filipina was
allegedly raped by Lance
Corporal Daniel Smith, who
was convicted, jailed in the
Philippines, and handed over
to the custody of the US, where
he was eventually pardoned.
The crime questioned the
provisions of the VFA concerned
with the exercise of Philippine
jurisdiction over accused US
soldiers in the Philippines. On
May 14, 2009, Vanessa, also a
22-year-old Filipina, claimed
that she was raped by a US
marine inside a room in a Makati
hotel on April 29.
These crimes have defined the
VFA not according to its purpose
of aiding the Philippine military,
but that of the clear illustration
of the unrelenting inequality
between the superpower and
the Philippines.
• 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
7
FEATURES
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
T
he Philippine General Hospital (PGH), the nation’s premier
public healthcare institution, contends to promote quality
medical services for the Filipino masses. But despite the
insufficient government subsidy, the mandate to serve the people
now seems to be a path that is impossible to tread. Being at the
forefront of public hospitals and other state-subsidized medical
centers, PGH symbolizes the worsening health system proffered
by the government to its citizens. Faced with undermining threats
of internal debts, declining quality of professional doctors and
lack of modern medical facilities, PGH epitomizes the actual
health scenario suffered not only by the country’s urban hospitals
but also rural medical centers as well.
Due to inadequate funding and support from the government,
PGH resorted to dealing with private concessionaires to account
on its financial problems. Income-generating schemes were
adopted to ensure its survival. The limited budget of the University
of the Philippines, where PGH acquires its annual allotment of one
billion pesos, became the springboard for accepting donations
and establishing ties with private corporations. However, the
latter step taken by the previous Roman administration garnered
stern mass disapproval from the public. The ill-famed case of
this public-private partnership is the construction of the Faculty
Medical Arts Building (FMAB) located inside the derelict hospital.
Anamnesis: Probing the Records
The establishment of PGH-FMAB
traces its roots from the Board of
Regents (BOR) approval of the lessorlessee agreement between Daniel O.
Mercado Medical Center (DMMC), a
private hospital in Batangas, and the
University of the Philippines last June
18, 2009. As stated by the contract, the
old Dispensary Building of the PGH,
which served as the old out-patient
department of the hospital, would be
leased to DMMC for their FMAB venture
for twenty-five years starting August 28,
2009. Based on the agreement, FMAB
would house leasable private spaces for
eligible medical doctors and staff of PGH
who would want to engage in private
practice.
The
multi-million
peso
FMAB
construction is entirely shouldered by
DMMC. After two and a half decades,
DMMC would be required to pay one
million pesos a month to UP for rent
spacing. The 25- year rental of DMMC for
FMAB’s space will render P815 million
income for PGH. What makes this matter
more critical is that FMAB’s health staff
is provided solely by the University of
the Philippines while DMMC attends
only to the need for utilities.
However, FMAB’s establishment would
not be pursued without the incessant
support of President Roman and her
appointees. This incidence is the
ground for the rift on PGH directorship
between Dr. Jose Castillo Gonzales and
Dr. Rolando Enrique Domingo. Domingo,
being a Roman appointee, favors FMAB
8 • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
due to its aid on income generation while
Gonzales, a BOR appointee, opposes
it due to its appalling implications on
the hospital’s operations. This schism
on PGH administration rends negative
feedbacks from its workers and indigent
patients who both anticipate a pro-poor
health agenda and not a self-serving
health enterprise.
Diagnosis:
Scrutinizing
Establishment
the
The Philippine health system has a
peculiar attribute that sets it apart
from other health systems worldwide:
mass exodus from the country’s
public health sector is the result of the
negligence committed by the previous
administrations. Even worsening this
situation is the derisory compensation
received by doctors and health staffs
from the government, forcing them to
run into private practice as an additional
source of income. Due to meager
salaries and benefits, coupled with
harsh working atmosphere, professional
doctors resort into private practice to
sustain their necessities. Agonizing as it
may seem, this is the real daily working
scenario inside the grounds of the
neglected hospital.
Even provincial hospitals are eventually
converted into semi-private institutions
due to lack of professional doctors and
budget constraint. For this reason,
FMAB is the most substantial evidence
of the rising commercialization of
the nation’s health sector. Being the
forerunner of all other public hospitals
WEDNESDAY
in the country, any move undertaken
by PGH administration dictates doom
of the rest. Its mere existence serves as
an extremely startling threat not only
to PGH but to the entire public health
centers as well.
Another searing subject in the FMAB
arguments takes in the competition
between its medical laboratories,
pharmacies and other concessions
with those offered by PGH. Despite
the fact that FMAB’s renting payments
guarantee a source of returns for the
hospital, it is still inevitable that the
competition among the services would
render PGH into a loss and not profit. It
is ironic that the supposed revenues to
be collected from the state-subsidized
medical equipment and procedures
from PGH itself would be competed by a
privatized hospital functioning inside its
own grounds.
Prognost
Disclosing the Repercussions o
JORE-ANNIE RICO
A decade
of state
neglect...
Dialysis: Severing the Inferences
As a national university hospital,
PGH serves as a training ground for
prospective medical practitioners who
will be working in service of the Filipino
people. But its current set-up promotes
an atmosphere of business and not
service. Commercialization masks the
deteriorating health system along with
its horrid repercussions. Behind the
deceitful benefits of income generation
lie the capitalistic agenda of profiteering.
Medical students of the University of the
Philippines-Manila, otherwise regarded
as Iskolar ng Bayan, are consequently
exposed into the horrors of privatized
health service and its dreadful
aftermaths. The mandate to serve the
indigent patients must be prioritized
despite overwhelming opportunities
abroad. As brain drain continuously
renders unrelenting health dilemmas,
the will of the Iskolar to ensure
the welfare of the common people
pursues. The hope of the destitute
masses lies on the patriotic duty
of the Iskolar to prioritize national
service rather than self aspirations.
FMAB has been regarded by few as
a successful attempt in initializing
income generating scheme to salvage
PGH from its internal deficits. However,
the real picture lies beyond the
recognition and commendations earned
by FMAB. Hidden amidst the promise of
cost effectiveness and faculty retention,
FMAB reiterates the same old agenda
of capitalist corporations. The risk of
losing an annual P30 million income on
PGH’s pharmacy only to FMAB’s annual
rent of P12 million is a materialization of
jeopardy. In the first place, the rationale
...mark
public d
tication:
of FMAB on Health Privatization
ILLUSTRATED BY NEIL GABAYERON
ks the era of
decimation.
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
behind FMAB’s foundation is to mitigate
budget shortage of the PGH. Deplorably,
it turns out to be in exact opposition of
what was agreed upon by the BOR and
what was anticipated by the people
to ensue. The Roman administration’s
pursuance of FMAB establishment has
vested interests that reveal self-seeking
motives.
Due to insufficient legal requirements
and auditorial documents, FMAB
faces illegality matters. The violation
of Section 23 of the new UP Charter,
which involves the legal analysis of asset
disposition clause, is affirmed by the
Department of Justice (DOJ). Despite
the proposal of DOJ to suspend FMAB
establishment, the UP administration
still seek to pursue the plan. The
Commission on Audit (COA) also
expressed doubts on the deficient
auditorial accounts of the twentyfive year lease contract of FMAB.
Aside from the arising qualms from DOJ
and COA, FMAB’s lacks of permit from
the National Historical Institute (NHI) to
convert the old Dispensary Building of
PGH into a full-scale commercial space
is reprehensible. As part of the historical
PGH complex, the old Dispensary
Building should not be modified without
compliance from the NHI. Clearance from
the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources and an assessment
from the Investment Coordination
Committee from the National Economic
Development Authority (NEDA) are also
lacking.
With these controversies surrounding
FMAB’s legal position, the verdict
lies in the hands of the people. The
resilience to counteract the decisive
move of establishing privatized
health institutions despite the need
for an accessible public healthcare is
an essential basis to assure that the
government does not disregard its
mandate to provide the basic necessities
of the masses.
Medication: Curing the
Misdiagnosed
The support given by the newlyelected UP President Alfredo
Pascual to FMAB exposes the UP
community to prospective income
generation schemes that his term
will adopt. As a staunch advocate of
democratic
governance,
Pascual’s
consideration of the FMAB venture is
still deeming its long-term outcomes.
The consequences of the President’s
appraisal, however, are yet to be
determined.
In the face of unconstructive feedbacks
garnered by FMAB from various sectors,
it still features certain advantages and
support to PGH. Though it is apparent
that FMAB is in direct competition with
PGH, it also offers assistance for patients
in times of inevitability. For one, its
laboratory procedures which include
laparoscopy, endoscopy, and CT scan can
be readily availed by charity patients
in the same price as that of the offered
rates of PGH in case of temporary
unavailability. Drug prices at FMAB’s
pharmacy, although proved to be more
expensive than those of PGH’s, still be of
assistance in times of urgent necessity.
To ensure appropriate supervision of
the rates of products and services, the
FMAB Management Team is established.
Composed of seven delegates, four
coming from UP, FMAB Management
T
FEATURES
Team aims to regulate ceiling prices to
maintain consumerism and affordability.
Despite the advantages offered by
FMAB, the detrimental consequences
outweigh the compensations on a long
term projection. Not only does FMAB
provide an atmosphere of competition
with PGH’s medical services, it also
demonstrated the growing reliance of the
government on private concessionaries
to provide the necessities that the health
sector roughly needs. The blame that
was supposed to be warranted on the
negligence of the government is readily
passed on to private institutions through
their spontaneous collaboration. The
government uses FMAB as a sheer
scapegoat to avoid the blatant conviction
from its one and only boss, the masses.
he government’s continuous disregard of the national public
healthcare system led to alarming privatization schemes
which aim to institutionalize and commercialize medical services.
Privatization turns medication into a commodity, instead of
dispensation, among the lower classes. The fervent support of the
current Aquino administration in public-private partnerships poses
a great deal of setbacks in providing the constitution’s mandated
services to the public. As affirmed by the issues between PGH
and FMAB, public-private partnerships render more devastating
than constructive aftermaths.
It is imperative for the government to prioritize basic social
services, such as health care, education and others, to ensure the
welfare of the people. Conversely, the health sector has long been
abandoned in exchange of globalization. As the Philippines strives
to be a part of the newly-industrialized countries of Asia, trade and
commerce becomes the focal point of previous administrations.
Currently, the government is blinded by the assumption that
globalization alone is the catalyst for economic advancement.
However, the precedence to attain economic stability must never
replace the will to serve the citizenry.
As health privatization earns regard from the government and
business sectors, it is not impossible that as globalization ensues,
public medical institutions will be privatized. It is not impossible
that PGH would turn into a full-scale exclusive hospital in the
near future. Nonetheless its distinction for being the premiere
state hospital must never vanish only in exchange with fund
outsourcings. As Iskolar ng Bayan, it is a contractual obligation to
the masses to assure PGH’s public responsibility and to assert the
need for higher state subsidy.
Itanong kay Isko’t Iska for next issue:
1. Pabor ka ba sa pagliban ng mga propesor sa
klase bilang pagprotesta sa delayed na sahod?
2. Kung may mukha ang puso mo ngayong
balentayns, kanino ito at bakit?
Ipadala ang mga sagot sa 09052917380 o
i-email sa themanilacollegian@gmail.com
Bawal textmate :)
WEDNESDAY
• 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
9
CULTURE
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
T
here is this thin line differentiating learning and education.
Education is what the society prescribes of us as it suffices the
needs and requirements of an established economic and political
structure. Learning, on the other hand, is what we should gain from the
anomalies that surround our society. In this age where we live by what
the economy is asking from us, it is imperative to rummage what has
been going on for centuries of educational and economic inconsistencies.
It seems that the economy requires us to be “educated” rather than
“learned”. After much blame on the current political drawbacks,
we have to look closer on how the very foundation of the
Filipino education deteriorates its spirit for learning and
nationalism. Filipinos may be educated, but what
have they learned?
The whole concept
of public education was
structured and conceived during
the Industrial Revolution of the 1
19th century, when the factories started to d
dictate the economic conditions. Children fro
sixteen were subjected to compulsory edu
in turn obligated them to participate labor
society’s economic progress. This is how publ
or education in general, depicted itself in a
urbanized society. Education functions as an
for human capital. Its purpose was to mold i
be instruments for economic development.
Where Do We G
A n E d u c at i o n
So where do we go from here?
MARIE KRISTEL ANTONIO GABAWA
Putting analysis on how this system of education affects learning, we have seen courses
from the arts, humanities and social sciences move towards abolition due to their lack of
global competitiveness in terms of labor force. BA Filipino in UP Diliman has been facing
threats of abolition due to its being not lucrative. This course could catapult the cultural
identity that we are lacking but since it does not exa ctly ensure a sufficient salary
for its graduates, it remains obscure. Some would shut down their artistic senses and
inclinations for in this kind of society dependent on exports, it simply and exhaustibly
not liveable. We created a society where people’s proclivities do not coincide with the
economic productivity. We are still held on our necks by those who hold our economic
power.
10 • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
WEDNESDAY
As
2010,
for Higher Edu
in-demand courses o
restaurant managemen
it is that the governme
On an individual persp
go abroad. The countr
resources. Our governm
regard the dismal living
borders to earn money,
imprinted on the mind
and only option is to
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
This relationship between human labor and economy may seem to be rational
enough. People should work to participate in economic productivity, thus, uplifting
the lives of the members of society. But then again, inequality cannot be denied
in the system where opportunities are disproportioned. Factories (now turned
multinational, transnational, and international corporations) are the stalwart
of economic progress and it is conspicuously owned by a very few. Wages then
and now are barely sufficient and employment is never a security. If this is the
kind of prototype our system of
education was sketched after,
then
education
and its composition are
working
towards the progress of
a
very few. And by mere
observation,
we
have
witnessed how power is
so static that those few
who hold the economic
resources are more
than
reluctant
to disperse their
wealth. They are
the owners of our
economic machinery,
the rest are laborers.
g
18th to
dominate and
om ages six to
ucation which
riously in the
lic education,
almost every
n investment
its citizens to
Go from Here?
n a l Pa r a d i g m
ILLUSTRATED BY ABIE MIOLE
s of June
the
Commission
ucation declared that the most
of the generation are nursing and hotel and
nt. Both of which are globally marketable. Ironic
ent is the one brazenly encouraging this trend.
pective, we cannot blame those who pursue to
ry is in hunger while its imperialists prey the
ment failed to provide jobs just as it failed to
g conditions. Our people need to go outside our
y, thus, to live. Meanwhile, the standard is being
ds of the Filipino youth
that the best
find a career outside
the country.
CULTURE
The Americans, by the early 20th century,
introduced a public education that was intended
to turn our youth into their protégé. Filipino
youth were forced to study English language,
making it the medium of instruction. More than
the manipulation of language, the Americans
poisoned the minds of the Filipinos by convincing
that their way of life are far more better than that
of the natives. Hence, it turned our people to look
over the other land. A country needs its people
and so long that the people would not prioritize
its own land, it is bound to destruction. Those
who did not receive their kind of education were
ostracized, thus highlighting the demarcation of
social classes further by labelling those who are
“educated” and the “uneducated”. The Americans
turned our people to become foreigners on their
own country.
Tragically, the foundation of the Philippine, or rather foisted,
educational system imposed by the Americans was less than
pedagogical and its intentions are more than malevolent. It is not
after educational means, it is after intellectual deterioration. It is not
after the country’s economic development, it is after the American
imperialist move. It is not after cultural identity, it impels nonentity.
The most effective means of subjugating a people is to capture their
minds, Prof. Renato Constantino contended. An institution that was
drafted with cruel intentions will have the same impact regardless of
time. Thus, whatever kind, system, or method that the public or private
education is feeding us, it works toward not on our economy or our
benefit whatsoever.
As the society moves in a mechanism
where education should always be
of economic benefit, generations
of youth who are put responsible
for its country’s future sustenance
have been fed to this causality: you
go to school, you study hard, you do
well, you graduate, you get a job.
The anomaly enters when we start
to ask who provide the jobs and
what kind. Jobs that are available
are either abroad, or a company
owned by foreigners such as in call
centers. Us, being educated in this
country will work for the economy
of another.
Disturbing it is to find that after the
wicked intentions of the Americans
unfold right before our eyes and being
enlightened by their education aimed
for subjugation; this education
system still runs the country. It
did not appropriate itself with our
economic meanders and geographic
assets thus resulting
t o
the country’s overall
disintegration.
WEDNESDAY
• 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
11
CULTURE
B
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
akit ako magpapapogi, bakit
ako magpapa-Belo, digma
ang pinunta ko at hindi pagmomodelo.
-Target
Kakaiba. Astig. Nakabibilib. Maangas ang dating.
Panalo sa mga hirit. Over the top ang panlalait.
May tatak Pinoy.
Ilan lamang ito sa mga pangunahing reaksyong
maiuugnay ng mga Pilipino kapag tinanong kung
ano ang flip top. Ang sinasaklaw nito ay higit pa sa
bawat tugma ng salita, kagyat na pag-iisip, at bilis
ng dila. Higit sa pansariling kasiyahan o libangan,
mainam tignan na ang flip top ay manipestasyon
ng napapanahong kultura at implikasyon ng
kasalukuyan nating lipunan.
Pinoy Style Flip Top
BALAGTASan sa lansangan
CRISELLI LAGONOY ENDAYA
at ang pagbabago nito. Kaya naman ang mga
batalyang nagaganap sa arena ng flip top ay
aktwal na pakikibaka para baguhin ang kultura
ayon sa pagkakaalam natin. Dagdag pa nga
rito, ang sangkap ng pakikipag-kumpitensya
ay halos naitatatag na nai-institusyonalisa
sa pamamagitan ng p a k i k i p a g s a g u t a n
at panunukso sa
kalaban, kung
Hindi lahat ng sumusubok ay nagtatagumpay
ngunit bawat isa ay maituturing na matalas.
Hindi lamang mismo paligsahan ang hinaharap ng
mga sumasali ngunit mas lalo ang napakaraming
tao na naghihintay sa palitan ng hirit at asaran.
Tila isang perya kung saan ang pinaghuhugutan
ng katuwaan ay ang paglampaso sa yabang ng
isa’t isa. Parang isang laro kung saan ang taya ay
naisasaalang-alang ang dignidad at pagkatao ng
isang indibidwal na umaabot na sa paninira.
Sa totoo, ang negatibo pa nga ng dating sa
mga manonood kung makaririnig sila ng
nagdedebate na minumura ang isa’t isa bukod
pa sa masasamang salita na pang-asar. Nilagay
na natin sa ating isip na dahil sa kawalan ng
edukasyon kaya nagiging balbal ang mga salita
na ginagamit ng mga lumalahok. Pero sa ganitong
usapin, hindi dapat kalimutan na ang kakulangan
nga ng edukasyon ang dahilan kung bakit nagusbungan ang mga alternatibong sining.
Kung titignan, tama namang maging mapanuri
tayo sa mga bagong nauuso sa kabataan natin
ngayon sapagkat ito ang manipestasyon ng
nagbabagong mukha ng ating kultura sa
kasalukuyan. Subalit sa ilan, tila higit
sa pagiging kritikal ang nagiging
intensyon kundi lantarang supilin at
pigilan ang pag-usbong ng flip top
sa bansa. Bakit hindi muna natin
suriin ang ugat nito, at ang
maari nitong marating.
Ngunit sa lipunan natin kung saan
ang pagiging kakaiba ay itinuturing
na kapintasan, maaaring tignan
ang flip top bilang animo’y
kababawan.
Iniuuri ang mga
lumalahok na kabilang sa mga
taong hindi nakatanggap ng
pormal na edukasyon dahil sa
pamamaraan ng komunikasyong
nakapaloob dito. Sa ating lipunan
kung saan iilan lamang ang
nakakatanggap ng edukasyon,
tila nagiging pamantayan ng
galing ang madiplomasya’t aral na
paraan ng pananalita. Ngunit higit
sa mga balbal na banat at “gangster”
na pananamit ng mga kalahok nito
ay isang subkultura na umuusbong sa
pagkukulang ng kasalukuyan at siyang
repleksyon ng kultural na pangangailangan.
Tulad ng nangyari sa isyu
ng mga jejemon, na pangmamata
ang
inabot
sa mga nakaaangat sa
lipunan, ay ibinase na
naman ang indibidwal
na pagkatao ng mga
sumasali sa flip top ayon
sa antas ng dayuhan at
burgis na perspektibo.
Dahil marami sa ating
mga Pilipino ang may
kaisipang
kolonyal,
hinuhusgahan natin ang
paggamit ng sarili nating
wika bilang pangunahing
armas na ginagamit sa flip top.
Ito ay manipestasyon na sa ating
historya na katulad ni Apolinario
dela Cruz o mas kilala bilang Hermano
Pule na kahit walang pormal na edukasyon ay
lumaban gamit ang sariling paniniwala na may
mas nakatataas na kapangyarihan kaysa sa mga
prayle. Sa lipunan na salat sa armas at edukasyon,
ang tanging sandata ng mga mamamayan ay ang
kanilang abilidad at pinaniniwalaan.
Subukan mo lang akong
tapatan ng mga salita mo,
ipapakita ko sa iyo ang
tunay na galing ko
Marahil ay maraming nabibilib
sa pagratsada ng mga bibig ng
magkatunggali habang pilit nilang tinitira
pababa ang isa’t isa ngunit marami rin
ang naiinis sa paraan ng paggamit ng
mura o masasamang salita. Kung iisipin
wala naman talagang konkretong sagot
sa tanong ng marami kung bakit uso ang
pagfi-flip top sa mga kabataan ngayon.
Maaaring tignan ito sa perspektibo ng
isang globalisadong mundo: na ang flip top
ay umusbong sa mga battle rap na nauso
sa Estados Unidos, Pransya, at Alemanya.
Bagaman ang mga katimpalak ay
gumagamit ng banyagang salita paminsan
minsan, ang mala-balagtasang pang-uuyam
na sadyang swak sa damdaming Pinoy ay
nagmumungkahi ng sa kabilang banda.
12 • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
Kaya kung tatalakayin ang ekonomiko at
panlipunang estado bilang ugat ng mga
pangyayari, ang flip top ay alternatibong uri
ng sining na nahahanay sa pagbibigay ng
estratehikong solusyon para bigyang-punan ang
mga umuusbong na pangangailangan. Ang flip
top, kung sa gawing ito titignan, ay alternatibong
gawi ng pag-ani ng respeto kung saan edukasyon
at materyalismo ang batayan ng tagumpay.
Wag m o ko n g h u s ga h a n da h i l sa
h i ts u r a ko,
A n g t i n g n a n m o i ya n g sa r i li
m o n g m u k h a n g as o
Tinatawag mang balagtasan ng makabagong
henerasyon dahil kailangan ng ritmo sa
pagbibitiw ng mga tirada ay mas maikukumpara
ang istilo nito sa rap na nagiging debate sa
dalawang magkatunggali. Higit sa ritmo at
mabilis na beat, ang kahanga-hanga sa mga
lumalahok sa flip top ay ang mabilis na pagiisip ng isasagot na banat kahit sa maiksing
oras na ibinibigay sa kanila.
Kung gayon, maaari ring sabihin na kultura
ay hindi isang matatag na konsepto,
ngunit ang isang patuloy na pagbabago at
pagsasaayos ng proseso. Ang mga kalahok
dito, bilang actor panlipunan, ay kabilang
sa pang-araw araw na lumalahok at
aktibong kasangkot sa proseso ng kultura
ILLUSTRATED BY EHCEL HURNA
saan hinihingi ng labanan na makapag-isip ng
matalas na pagsagot sa kalaban. Nilalarawan
lamang nito ang isang dinamikong proseso
na siyang umiiral sa labas ng ng nakakakahon
nating mga konsepto ng kultura at aktibong
nilalahukan ng isang lehitimong aktor ng
pagbabago. Kung tutuusin, sa lipunang
tinuruang magisip ng “by-the-
book”at ang mga sagot o answer key sa mga
problemang kunwa’y makikita sa likod ng pahina,
ang talas ng isipang ibinabansag sa flip top ay
isang mainam na pagbali sa mga nakagawiang
konsepto ng karunungan.
Sa perspektibo natin, kawalan ng kakahayang
maging bihasa sa Ingles ang sagot kung bakit
balbal na salita sa Tagalog, mura sa Tagalog at
salitang kalye sa Tagalog ang ginagamit ng mga
nagfi-flip top. Subalit kung titignang mabuti
ang mga batas sa flip top ay makikitang hindi
binibigyang halaga kung saang antas ng lipunan
ka kabilang sapagkat galing lang ang tanging
mahalaga sa pagharap mo sa kalaban. Ito ay tila
isang pagtakas sa mundo na ang basehan ay ang
yaman. Hindi mahalaga kung nakapag-aral ka o
hindi, mayaman o mahirap ka man basta may
ibubuga ka pang hirit ay maipaparating mo ang
ideyang nakatago sa mga malulupit na salita.
Ngayon sa tanong na ano ba ang mga ideyang
ipinaparating ng mga nagfi-flip top ay maaaring
may dalawang pananaw. Una, gumagamit sila
ng matitinding salita dahil may gusto silang
patunayan sa kanilang sarili gamit ang sariling
kakayahan at lalo na sa mga taong humuhusga
CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
WEDNESDAY
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
NEWSPanganiban...from page 2
first place, hindi ka makakatakbo
kung hindi ka bona fide student.
Sa kasamaang palad, hindi niya
natugunan ang basic requirement na
ito,” Simbulan added.
Simbulan also said that in
accordance with the UPM Election
Code, Panganiban – being the vice
chairperson – is mandated to take
over once the chairpersonship post
is vacated. She noted, however, that
Panganiban begged-off from the
scheduled oath-taking at the OSA on
January 5.
“Ito ay dahil ginagalang ko ang
naunang desisyon ng USC na i-uphold
pa rin ang pagkapangulo ni Ces.
Noong mga panahong iyon ay hindi
pa nakakapag-general assembly ulit
ang USC upang talakaying muli ang
isyu,” explained Panganiban as to his
absence on the said oath-taking.
“I am very sad with what happened
with Ces Santos. But I think the
university was fair in her case
particularly on her academic
delinquency. The university was
lenient, actually. Unfortunately,
she was not able to comply with
her requirements as an Iskolar ng
Bayan,” said Simbulan.
‘Admin Repression’
Santos remains resolute in her stand
against the disqualification case,
stating that such is a form of ‘admin
repression’ on her part.
Primarily, Santos contests that the
technicalities were inappropriately
used against her. “May ibang cases
tulad ng sa akin na nagrerequire na
ipasa lahat at hindi nasasatisfy, and
yet nakaka-enroll pa rin naman sila.
Yung kaso ko, 50% [ng subjects]
yung naibagsak ko. Pero under
sa rule sa handbook, hindi siya
nagwawarrant ng disqualification
kaagad. Good standing naman ako
noong past semesters. At isa pa,
hindi natin maaaring ikahon ang
usaping ito sa teknikalidad lamang,”
she defends.
As provided by the official rules from
the OSA handbook, a permanent
disqualification shall be imposed
on “any student who, at the end of
the semester or term, obtains final
grades below “3” in 100 percent of
the academic units in which he/she is
registered, and shall be permanently
barred from readmission to any
college of the University.”
Santos adds, “Yung ‘must-pass all’
rin na conditions ay walang concrete
academic basis. Binibigay yun sa mga
dismissed lang noong nakaraang
semester, batay na rin sa scholastic
delinquency rule. So dapat hindi ako
binigyan noon.”
When asked about her ‘unwarranted’
enrolment in the BA Development
Studies program, Santos claimed
that she was oblivious of the case.
“Hindi pala ako tinanggap sa Devstud
program, pero all these times
nakakadaan at pinapayagan naman
sa CAS OCS yung mga enrollment
sa mga nakaraang semester. Medyo
oblivious ako na may mali na pala
talaga sa enrolment,” she said.
Furthermore, Santos takes issue on a
memo released by OSA, exposing her
grades to a number of guards and
security personnel and banning her
from the premises of the university.
“Parang porma na rin ito ng public
humiliation kung tutuusin. At kahit
disqualified ako, they cannot ban me
from the premises of the university
dahil naging estudyante naman ako
ng university.”
In this regard, Simbulan reportedly
retracted the memo.
“Ang
pagtrato
ng
UPM
administration, particular ng CASOCS at OSA sa kaso ko ay pagpapakita
lamang ng represyon. Hindi lingid
sa kaalaman ng administrasyon
yung matagumpay na pangunguna
natin sa pagmomobilisa ng mga
estudyante laban sa iba’t ibang
isyung
ating
kinakaharap...Sa
kabila nito, ang ibinabalik nila sa
atin ay represyon at pagsikil sa
ating posisyon sa konseho. Hindi
na ito bago sa karanasan ng mga
lider-estudyante at mga aktibista
na nagiging biktima ng represyon
dahil sa kanilang pampulitikang
paninindigan,” Santos said.
USC’s Continued Operation
Meanwhile,
Santos
recognizes
Panganiban’s need to take on the
chairpersonship duties for the
continued operation of the USC.
“Mac [Panganiban] is still the vice
chairperson, but he would take on
the chairperson’s technical duties
such as the signing of documents
since I am not being recognized by
the UPM administration. Ngunit
hindi nito ibig sabihin na ako ay
nagbibitaw sa posisyon. Ayaw
lang natin na maantala ang mga
proyektong nais nating ilunsad para
sa mga Iskolar ng Bayan nang dahil
sa isyung ito,” she asserted.
“The USC remains on its stand that
until there’s no finality on my status
as a student, the institution upholds
my chairpersonship,” she added.
“Naninindigan tayo sa pagiging
tagapangulo ng konseho hindi dahil
nais nating manatili sa posisyon para
sa sarili natin kundi alam natin na
sa gitna ng maraming isyu na ating
haharapin - state abandonment
sa edukasyon, komersalisasyon,
at iba pang isyung panlipunan ay kailangan ng isang konseho na
mangunguna sa kanila. Hihinto
lamang tayo sa pagiging tagapangulo
ng mag-aaral kung hindi na natin
tinutupad ang mga dahilan kung
bakit tayo binoto,” Santos explained.
LIBRE KAPE SA KULE
Kung marunong mag-drawing, maglayout, at gusto ng kape, text lang sa
09064417656. Bawal textmate.
CULTUREFliptop...from page 12
sa kanila. Pangalawa, nagiging daan
ang fliptop upang mapahayag ng
mga kabataan ang kanilang mga
natatagong saloobin na hindi naman
nabibigyang pansin. Tanggapin man
o balewalain ng mga nanonood, ang
mahalaga ay naipaparating nila sa flip
top ang mga opinyon at saloobin nila
bilang isang mamamayan ng ating
bansa.
Sa ganitong pagtingin ay makikita
ang malaking pagkakapareho ng
flip top sa ating politika kung saan
tuwirang inaatake ang bawat isyu
base sa panlabas na katangian nito.
Nagiging bangayan tuloy ang sistema
ng pagresolba sa isang isyu dahil
mismong mga senador at kongregista
ang nagsisiraan. Kung ganito ang
kaso ay wala silang pinagkaiba
sa mga lumalahok sa flip top na
naglalayon lamang na patunayan
ang kanilang punto sa halip na
ipagtanggol ang sarili. Sa anggulong
ito ay hindi maikakailang nagbunsod
ang Pinoy style flip top mula sa
kultura ng tunggalian at pagalingan
na nangingibabaw sa ating lipunan.
Maaaring manipestasyon ang flip
top sa mga kaugaliang nakakintal na
sa ating pagkakakilanlan bilang mga
Pilipino.
Paalala lang pare sa battle
bawal ang pikon maya maya
barado ka parang ilong na
may sipon.
-Loonie
Huwag nating tanggalan ng boses
ang mga taong nakahanap ng
kalayaan at pananaw sa mundo ng
flip top. Hangga’t patuloy nating hindi
kinikilala at sinusupil ang talento at
galing ng mga naiiba at nasa ibaba
ang antas sa lipunan ay lalo lamang
tayong tumutulong sa pagpapalaki ng
bitak na naghihiwalay sa mayaman
at mahirap, sa edukado at hindi
A
P INT
BLANK
edukado, sa katanggap-tanggap nito
at hindi. Totoong sumasailalim na
tayo sa tinatawag na intelektwal
na elitismo kung saan nagiging
batayan ang paraan ng pananalita
at pagsusulat kaysa sa kabuluhan at
esensya ng ideyang ipinapahayag.
Kumbaga mula sa perspektibo ng
isang edukado ay nagiging balewala
ang mga taong hindi nabigyan ng
kapantay o higit pang kalidad ng
edukasyon. Kaya sa ating lipunang
ginagalawan kung saan lahat ay
sinusukat at inuuri batay sa salapi,
ang flip top ay laban lamang ng mga
taong nagpupumilit na makiuri sa
ibang nakaaangat.
Nagsisimula pa lamang umusbong
FREESTYLE
ang Flip top wave, huwag nating
hayaang malugmok na lamang ito sa
mga kwartong pinagdadausan ng mga
paligsahan at marinig sa mga videos sa
YouTube. Sana ay magamit ang galing
sa wika at bilis ng isip na napaglinang
sa pagfi-flip top sa paghahanap ng
solusyon sa mga isyung binabato ng
ating gobyerno sa kasalukuyan. Sana
ay huwag makulong ang galing nila
sa pakikipagtalastasan sa mundo
lamang ng flip top at sa halip ay
maging daan ito para maipakilala ang
isang lipunan kung saan lahat ay may
pantay na karapatan sa pagpapahayag
ng sarili. Hayaan natin silang
mabilib, maastigan, maangasan, at
pumalakpak sa talento na totoong
may tatak ng Pilipino.
FIRST PERSONPayong Make-Up...from page 14
Ang foundation na may 3.7244ppm na lead at 0.0153ppm na cadmium
ay maaaring magdulot ng masamang epekto sa katawan kapag palagiang
nalulunok. Ayon sa US FDA, 0.1ppm ang katanggap-tanggap na dami ng lead
sa mga kendi at ayon sa FAO/WHO, 0.05ppm naman para sa cadmium na
matatagpuan sa mga tsokolate. Kaya sa ikaapat na bilin, higit na mag-ingat
sa pagbili at paggamit ng lipstick doon, branded man o hindi kasi mataas
ang lamang lead nito na 3.7551ppm at may cadmium na 0.0209ppm. Ito
ang malimit na gamit ng mga kababaihan para mapatingkad ang kanilang
ganda. Ito rin ang pampaganda na sadyang sa labi nilalagay at walang mintis
na nadidilaan at nalulunok!
Ang lead ay nakakaapekto sa bone marrows, central at peripheral nervous
system at ang cadmium naman ay maaaring magdulot ng sama sa bato. Kaya
‘te huwag mong bale walain ang mga payong ito ukol sa make-up ha. Ang
mga numerong inilahad ay bunga ng pananaliksik. Ito ay naiulat na sa 23rd
International FAPA Congress sa Taipei, Taiwan noong Nobyembre 2010 at
napasama din sa Book of Abstracts ng nasabing pagpupulong.
Ayan, at least makakahinga na ako kasi naibahagi ko na ang mga
mahahalagang bagay mula sa aking pananaliksik. Hawak mo na ang
kaalaman para sa iyong matalinong pagpapasya para sa iyong kalusugan. O
paano, shopping na ba ng murang make-up o magmumuni-muni ka muna?
*Dr. Judilynn N. Solidum is an Associate Professor at the College of Pharmacy
and the Director of the Sentro ng Wikang Filipino
This University Can Be Great Again
BIGKIS-UPM New Year Statement on the New UP President
by BIGKIS-UPM (Bigkis ng mga Iskolar Para sa Bayan Tungo sa Makabuluhang Pagbabago)
s we, students of UP Manila,
embrace the new year 2011,
we also welcome the newly-chosen
president of the University of the
Philippines, Mr. Alfredo E. Pascual,
whose six-year term will commence
on February 2011. President Pascual,
a proud alumnus of chemistry and
business administration, a former
executive at the Asian Development
Bank, and recently a UP Alumni
Regent, was selected from amongst
11 nominees by the Board of Regents
last December 3.
In his Vision Statement that
he presented during the series
of fora conducted before the
selection, President Pascual laid down
the pillars that make a great university
in the 21st century – a leader in
national development, a bastion of
academic excellence, a birthplace of
knowledge through relevant research,
a community of excellent faculty and
staff, a learning place for outstanding
students and global citizens from all
walks of life, a financially sustainable
institution, and a model for good
governance to the country it serves.
There is no doubt that these are the
elements that form a great university.
We have seen these qualities in many
great universities abroad, and in varied
occasions, we even witnessed them
in our University during its hundredyear history. But great changes have
also occurred which diluted UP’s
greatness, not just in Asia but even
within the country. The deterioration of
our infrastructure, the draining of our
resources, the diaspora of our first-rate
teachers and students, and the decline
of democracy, nationalism, and deep
moral values have demoted our dear
university from its pedestal of greatness.
But President Pascual’s promises for a
return to greatness ushers a new hope
and opportunity. We fervently support
his commitment to upgrade teaching
and research as well as faculty and
staff support, his plan of democratizing
admission and strengthening the general
curriculum to make it both national
and global, his mission to make the
government fiscally accountable to UP
as well as tap resources from within
and outside the university, his oath to
keep to the minimum the tuition costs,
and his pledge to uphold transparency,
accountability, representation, and
ethical conduct in UP leadership at all
levels.
Let the new President and the new
administration be reminded: the road
to greatness requires great imagination
and deep courage. In recent years, we
have been complacent with the status
quo, adjusting to the present needs
while being stuck in the norms of the
past. We, the national university, being
looked up to by the Filipino people for
leadership and guidance, have become
satisfied with our existing economic
WEDNESDAY
development model, health care and
educational system, state of the natural
and built environment, and situation
of democracy and human rights. We
patterned from the present our oldfashioned curriculum, our slowlyprogressing research agenda, and our
reactionary band-aid measures.
Now is the time for UP to challenge
the present and create the future. We
must design new models and systems,
propose new ideas, cross new frontiers,
and anticipate new challenges. We
should stop reacting and start acting.
This new paradigm, which we hope
President Pascual will adopt in his
leadership, will certainly make our
University great again.
Joel Barker once said, “Vision without
action is merely a dream. Action
without vision just passes time. Vision
WITH action can change the world.” A
combination of both will indeed
change a university – it can make the
University of the Philippines a great
institution once again. President
Pascual has already painted the vision,
and we the UP community should
work full force with the president in
turning this vision into reality. He will
lead us, and with both willingness
and vigilance, we should follow. We
should not make waste of this unique
opportunity, and we look forward to
President Pascual’s new leadership as
we march our way to greatness. • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
13
Freestyle
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
AS WE STAND FIRM AGAINST PAASCU AND PACUCOA ACCREDITATION
by College of Arts and Sciences Student Council
W
e, the University of the
Philippines Manila College
of Arts and Sciences Student
Council condemn the efforts of
the UP Manila Administration in
pushing for the accreditation of its
different colleges and programs
to PAASCU and PACUCOA, both
of which are private accrediting
institutions.
These past several months, there
have been continuous efforts from
the UP Manila Administration to have
the different degree programs and
colleges accredited by PAASCU and
PACUCOA (for the College of Dentistry.
The administration claims that having
external accreditation will help raise
the quality of education and give more
prestige to the University.
The CAS Student Council firmly opposes
having external accreditation on the
following grounds:
TRAMPLING ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM
Grafeats
Pet President
by Katrina Joy Capulong
Mga Uri ng Reaksyon ng Katawan
Pagkatapos ng Christmas Break
ni
Neil Gabayeron
Hot bod - Ito ang mga taong hindi
nagpatinag sa tukso ng Noche Buena at
Media Noche. Yung iba sa kanila Disyembre
palang sinimulan na agad ang new year’s
resolution. Kung may mga ganito, bibihira
lang ang mga taong ganito.
Haggard - Ito ang nangyari sa mga arawaraw na puyat sa kakagimik o sa kakaaral
buong bakasyon dahil sa dami ng school
requirements. Kitang kita sa mga naipong
eyebags.
Blooming! - Kabaligtaran ng #2. Ito naman
ang mga taong napuno ng good vibes
ang kanilang Pasko at New Year. Maaring
natanggal na sa SMP o di kaya’y naging
hiyang sa ilang linggong bakasyon. ‘Yung
iba sa kanila ngayong bagong taon mo
lang mapapansin.
NR - “No Reaction”. Mga taong kahit
anong kain at tulog ang ginawa noong
bakasyon, hindi pa rin halata.
Christmas Belly - Ito ang pinakacommon. Kitang kita ang ebidensyang
nagpaka-“bum” lang sa buong
bakasyon. Alam na kung saan napunta
ang Christmas ham. Kung meron ka nito,
huwag mong ikahiya. Sabi nga nila, “If
you got it, flaunt it!”.
14 • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
WEDNESDAY
Impinging on both the academic
freedom of students and faculty,
external accreditation may lead to
significant changes in terms of academic
curriculum, style of teaching, learning
techniques, research topics, etc. Though
it is true that the accreditors do not
have the power to impose changes
on the said aspects, however, they
may always recommend and In light of
the administration’s determination to
pursue accreditation we can expect full
compliance with all recommendations
to complete the process.
Those who are eagerly pushing for
external accreditation also claim that
more grants and scholarships will also
be available to us after having been
accredited. Where will these grants
and scholarships come from? Definitely
not directly from PAASCU or any other
external accrediting institution. These
accrediting institutions may just give
us more connections with private
corporations, institutions, etc. The
danger that comes with these benefits
is in terms of Research. Being indebted
to the private sector for the funding of
academic researches, this may lead to
having researches that will benefit the
profit-oriented private sector instead
of fulfilling its role as Health Sciences
Center in engaging in researches that
will contribute to the improvement of
the lives of the Filipino people.
IRRELEVANT VALIDATION OF ITS
PRESTIGE AND EXCELLENCE
The University of the Philippines does
not need a validation of its prestige
or excellence from an external body,
especially that of a private-accrediting
institution. This is not because we think
that we are beyond
the standards of any other school in the
country, rather, because it is unfitting
to subject a state university to the
evaluation of accreditors coming from
the private sector whose judgment and
recommendations may be biased with
the profit-driven orientation of the
private sector. The relevant validation
that we must seek is whether the
University has truly lived up to the
principles set by the Oblation - of serving
the nation. And this validation need not
be given by any external accrediting
institution but by the University itself
(including the different sectors which
are its stakeholders) thru self-evaluation
of how we have contributed to the
betterment of this nation.
POSSIBLE IMPLEMENTATION OF
REPRESSIVE POLICIES
In the experience of private schools
that have undergone the accreditation
process, certain policies have been
implemented just to create the
impression of “excellence” to be able
to receive the highest possible level of
accreditation. Repressive policies may
include imposing dress code; No ID, No
Entry Policy; and others, depending upon
PAASCU/PACUCOA’s recommendations.
THREAT OF FURTHER
COMMERCIALIZATION OF EDUCATION
THROUGH INCREASES IN TUITION FEE,
MISCELLANEOUS FEE, LABORATORY
FEES, ETC.
In line with the Government’s Medium
Term Higher Education Development
Plan or MTHEDP which blatantly claims
a stress on increasing privatization
schemes in the education sector,
there is always the threat of increasing
tuition and other fees in state colleges
and universities in the country. The
odd advent of having a state university
undergo external accreditation from
a private-accrediting institution may
be one of the means in making the
MTHEDP a success. To cope with the
standards of the accrediting institution,
recommendations with regard to
improvement of facilities may result
in generating funds from the students
by increasing tuition, laboratory fees,
miscellaneous fees and the like.
NEGLECT OF THE FIGHT FOR GREATER
STATE SUBSIDY
In a dialogue of some student leaders
with Chancellor Arcadio, he mentioned
as one of the benefits that external
accreditation will effect is having greater
budget. He explained that if we can prove
that we provide quality education, there
is greater chance that the government
will give us more budget. We believe
that this kind of reasoning is illogical
and downright insulting to the mandate
of the University. It is an insult to say
that we have to prove we are worthy
of higher subsidy from the government
when in fact it is their obligation to give
us the due budget as a state university.
In the face of the new form of
commercialization
and
repression
through external accreditation, the CAS
Student Council stand firm in intensifying
our fight for our democratic rights. Thus,
we firmly call on the UP
Manila
Administration,
especially
Chancellor Ramon Arcadio to stop
its efforts in pushing for external
accreditation of the different colleges
and degree programs. Instead of
depending upon private institutions to
assist us financially and depending on
prestige and “excellence” to prove its
worth for subsidy, we appeal to the UP
Manila Administration to be one with
us in our continuing call for a greater
state subsidy, which we truly deserve,
as the premier state University of the
Philippines. Also, instead of seeking
prestige and focusing on competing
with other universities, more so, private
schools, colleges and universities; let us
be united in ensuring that the University
lives up to its ideals of serving the nation
– catering to the poor but deserving
students and producing graduates who
will sincerely serve the Filipino people.
Oppose PAASCU/PACUCUOA
Accreditation!
Fight for Greater State Subsidy!
Fight for Our Democratic Rights!
Fight for the University of the People!
M ga P ayong M ake - up
ni Dr. Judilynn N. Solidum*
Pssssst…. mahilig ka bang magpamanicure, pedicure, foot,
hand at hair spa? Type na type mo bang magpaganda ‘te? Sa
aking panananaw marami sa ating kababaihan ‘oo’ ang tugon sa mga
katanungang ito. Ang problema nga lang kapag walang pera pano na?
Malolosyang ka nga ba?Papangit ka na nga bang tuluyan? Naku, wari
ko ang sagot dyan ay isang malakas na hindi! Nadiskubre na kaya
ng ating mga lola ang lugar kung saan ang lahat ay mura. Sige ating
ikukubli ang lugar na ito sa pangalang Divisoria, Maynila. Barato
ang mga paninda dito. Ang mga make-up ay sadyang affordable at
huwag isnabin, branded ang ilan sa mga ito. Yun nga lang sa aking
sapantaha mga true fake sila. Pero pwede na, kasi makakalagpas
ang mga ito sa hindi masyadong mapanuring mga mata. Mas marami
ang may mga di kilalang pangalan pero ayos na rin kasi matingkad
namang magbigay ng kulay sa ibat-ibang bahagi ng mukha.
Sandali lang ha bago ka mamili meron muna akong mga payo para sa
iyo. Una, ayos bilhin sa Divisoria ang mga whitening cream. Puputi ka
na, mababa pa ang makukuha mong lead (0.3268ppm) at cadmium
(0.0247ppm) mula dito kumpara sa ibang uri ng pampagandang nasuri.
Ikalawa, hindi makabubuti ang pagbili ng mga pressed powder doon dahil
mataas ang laman na lead (6.5116 ppm) at cadmium (0.1178ppm) nito.
May kalapitan ang dami nito sa USP standards na 10ppm para sa lead
at 3ppm naman para sa cadmium, kumpara sa ibang make-up na nasuri.
Ikatlo, makakamura ka sa mga foundation doon. Kaya lang siguraduhing
hindi mo ito ilalagay sa iyong mga labi kasi madidilaan mo ito at malulunok.
Lalabas na para na itong kendi o tsokolate na iyong karaniwang kinakain.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
Is there a certain issue you feel strongly about? Whether it’s social,
political, economic, or a mix of the three; whether it’s universitybased, national, or international in scope; we want your stand to be
read in print. Email us at themanilacollegian@gmail.com or visit us
at the Manila Collegian office. Talk, defend, and deliver your views, in
first person.
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
Dugo
PAGSINSAY*
Aries Joseph Armendi Hegina
N
angamoy-bakal ang aking mga daliri ng nadampi ko ang
pulang dumadaloy mula sa aking sugat. Mahapdi, masakit,
ngunit pinabayaan ko lang siyang umagos. Nakakadiri,
nakakanguluntoy ngunit tiningnan ko lang. Hindi ko maipaliwanag
kung bakit wala akong ginagawa. Na kung bakit pinapabayaan
ko lang mag-iba ang anyo nito; mula sa pagiging matingkad,
ito ay naging malamlam. Ngunit, biglang kumirot yung parte na
kung saan nanggagaling ang pulang likido, at naputol ang aking
pansamantalang pagsasawawalang bahala.
Tawagin niyo na akong weirdo pero hindi ako natatakot sa dugo. Mas natutuwa pa nga ako
sa mga pelikula at palabas sa telebisyon na kulang na lang ay umapaw na ang dugo mula sa
screen. Pero, kapag sa totoong buhay na at naging totoo na rin yung mga napapanood ko,
ibang usapan na yan.
Ang dugo, para sa akin, ang siyang nagtatali sa tao sa kanyang simula at katapusan bilang
isang mortal. Mula sa kanyang paglabas sa mundong ibabaw, dugo ang siyang una niyang
kasama. Sa oras na siya ay umiyak pagkapanganak, ang dugo na nanalaytay sa kanya
ang siyang responsable upang siya ay mabuhay. Hanggang siya ay humihinga at patuloy
na lumalaki, ang pusong tumitibok ang nagpapalaganap ng dugo sa iba’t-ibang parte ng
kanyang katawan. At sa kanyang mga nalalabing sandali, sa pangyayaring tumigil na ang
pag-igtal ng kanyang puso, ang dugo ay titigil na din sa pagdaloy, na siyang magiging sanhi
ng kanyang pagkasawi.
MISS INDEPENDENT
Joanna Marie Icasas Udarbe
Freestyle
Sa isang banda naman, napagtanto ko din na ang dugo ay isang importanteng elemento
upang tayo ay maging isang bansa. Nagsimula sa isang blood compact sa pagitan natin at
ng mga itinuring kaibigan, patungo sa mga dugong dumanak noong Rebolusyon laban sa
mga Espanyol at ang Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig. At sa kasalukuyan, binuwis ng mga
biktima ng mga paglabag sa karapatang-pantao at ang mga pinatay na mga mamamahayag
at nasa mardyinalisadong sektor ang kanilang dugo para isulong ang kanilnang mga
ipinaglalaban.
Ang dugo, ay hindi lang isang likidong bumubuhay sa tao kung hindi, isang simbolo ng
pagharap ng tao sa kanyang tadhana at pagsulong ng kanyang pinaniniwalaan. Na sa bawat
patak nito, maaring isang kasaysayan ang nabubuo o isang buhay ang napipigtal.
SA BAWAT PATAK NITO, MAARING ISANG
KASAYSAYAN ANG NABUBUO O ISANG BUHAY
ANG NAPIPIGTAL.
Nasa palad ko pa rin ang bakas ng pulang likido. Naamoy ko pa rin ang mala-bakal na samyo
nito. Kinuha ko ang alcohol at ikinagat ko na aking labi― paghahanda para sa sakit na
daranasin.
*Pagsinsay - a Filipino word which means “to defy”
Aktibista Bang Maituturing
B
ata pa lang ako ay nakikita ko na sila – pampaingay sa
lansangan, pampabagal ng trapiko sa umaga dahil sa
kanilang pagmamartsa, walang humpay na sumisigaw, ngunit
para saan? Ano nga ba ang silbi ng pagiging aktibista?
Pinalaki ako sa isang pag-iisip kung saan ang isang isteryotipikong aktibista ay isang taong
laging nasa lansangan, nagrarally, hinuhuli ng pulis, sinasaktan, nagsasayang ng oras, at sa
huli ay mauuwi rin sa wala. Kaya sa oras na tumuntong ako sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas,
natakot akong maging katulad nila.
Sa kabila ng lahat ng negatibong reaksyon ng mga tao—na ang mga aktibista ay “salot”
lamang sa katiwasayan ng lipunan dahil “wala silang ibang alam na gawin kundi mambatikos
ng administrasyon”—ay namulat pa rin ang aking isipan kung bakit mayroong mga aktibista
sa mundo.
Marahil kahit isang beses man lang ay sumagi ang katanungang ito sa mga isip natin: “Ano
ang mapapala sa pagrarally?” Bago natin sagutin ang katanungang ito ay marapat lamang
na sagutin muna natin ang isa pang katanungan: Bakit nga ba nagkakaroon ng mga rally at
mobilisasyon?
Ito ay dahil nauunawaan ng tao na natatapakan ang karapatan niya, at hindi kaya ng
matinong usapin ang pagbibigay sa kanya ng karapatang dapat ay natatamasa niya.
Nauunawaan rin niyang hindi niya kaya itong matamo ng mag-isa. Samakatuwid ay
kailangan ng kolektibong aksyon upang maitaguyod at maiparinig ang kanilang hinaing,
na hindi lamang natatapos sa simpleng pagtamasa ng karapatan, ngunit tumutungo sa
paghubog at pagbago ng lipunan.
May napapala ba sa pagrarally? Unti-unti, nahuhubog ang lipunan at napupukaw ang mga
mamamayan upang kumilos tungo sa ikabubuti nito. Ngunit totoong hindi lamang pagrarally
ang paraan ng pagbabago ng lipunan.
Kinikilala natin na ang anyo ng lipunan ay nananatiling mala-kolonyal at mala-pyudal. Dahil
sa mga ito ay umusbong ang sari-saring pagmamaltrato sa karapatan ng mga tao sa ngalan
ng kasakiman at pansariling interes. Ilan sa mga isyung makikitaan ng ganitong katangian
ay ang pagkaltas ng badyet ng mga serbisyong panlipunan tulad ng edukasyon at kalusugan
upang pondohan ang mga pambayad sa utang panlabas na hindi naman napapakinabangan
ng taumbayan. Nandito rin ang isyu ng pang-aagaw ng lupain mula sa mga magsasaka upang
mas mapalawak ang lupain ng iilang naghaharing uri.
At ngayon, heto nanaman ang isang bagong isyung inilantad sa atin ng kasalukuyang
administrasyon. Pagkatapos ng sunod-sunod na pagkaltas sa badyet ng serbisyong
panlipunan, sunod-sunod namang tataas ang pamasahe ng pampublikong transportasyon
tulad ng LRT at MRT, at mga bayarin sa mga toll tulad ng SLEX at NLEX.
Pataas ng pataas ang mga bayarin, ngunit pahirap ng pahirap ang taumbayan. Tama bang
sa mamamayan iatas ang responsibilidad ng pagbabayad sa mga utang ng mga naluluging
pribadong kompanya? Solusyon ba ang pagsasapribata ng mga pampublikong pasilidad?
Isinasampal sa atin ang mga kamalian ng administrasyon. Higit pa rito, iginigiit sa atin
na wala tayong magagawa laban sa pagtapak sa mga karapatan natin – pagtapak na
ipanapahiwatig sa pagbabalewala sa ating karapatan, pagbabalewala sa ating kolektibong
kakayahan.
UNTI-UNTI, NAHUHUBOG ANG LIPUNAN AT NAPUPUKAW ANG
MGA MAMAMAYAN UPANG KUMILOS TUNGO SA IKABUBUTI NITO.
Tumataas ang pangangailangan nating ipakita ang ating kakayahan at magtipon-tipon sa
lansangan.
Totoong hindi lahat ng nasa lansangan ay aktibista, at hindi lahat ng aktibista ay nasa
lansangan. Ang salitang aktibismo ay nagmula sa aktibo, na ang pakahulugan ay pagkilos.
Ang ilang aktibista ay nagmumulat sa pamamagitan ng pagsusulat. Ang ilan, sa pamamagitan
ng pagtuturo. Ang iba ay nagsasapraktika ng mga teoryang binuhay ng kasaysayan sa
pamamagitan ng pagtungo sa kanayunan.
Kung hangad mo ang pagbabago sa bulok na sistema ng lipunan, ang pagkakapantay-pantay,
ang pagwaksi sa paglabag ng karapatang pantao, at higit sa lahat, hangad mo ang kalayaan
at demokrasya, oras na para sagutin ang tanong na ito: handa ka na bang kumilos upang
matamo ang mga ito? Handa ka na bang maging aktibo? Handa ka bang maging aktibista?
WEDNESDAY
• 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
15
Editorial
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
In Rescue
of Ignoble
Truths
D
eafened ears and blinded eyes have further
afflicted the already impassive government.
In the face of the most difficult issues that
has yet to be resolved, the fate of the Filipino people
lie in the hands of a brazenly callous administration.
The past year has become a milestone due to a series of
events that would forever change the course of history. A
new president heralding himself as the agent of change,
different controversies that put the Philippines in a
shameful state and infamous new policies that burdened
the masses― all of these and more in store, are those that
changed the history of our nation.
The portrayal of such events has been, however, skewed.
Public agenda, as it is being shaped by the mainstream
media has transformed into a wall that obstructs the
public to the most pertinent of issues the country faces.
From time and again, bourgeois media has maintained
its tendencies to oppress the marginalized, and this has
shown through 2010.
They are considered to be the backbones of society, yet
they, the workers, are the ones who are given the least
priority and their pleas are the least that are likely to be
heard. About 1,000 workers marched in the streets to
demand higher wages. The new government gave them a
20 peso increase last year, instead of the demanded 6,000
pesos, which is an absurd move to satisfy the worker’s
clamor for a wage increase. They are the ones deserted by
the government in a fate of vulnerability in the recent and
future events of price, toll, and fare hikes.
Another event that is left untouched by the mainstream
media concerning the labor sector would be the mass
lay-off that happened in the country’s largest television
network, ABS-CBN. 114 workers, most of them rendered
more than 10 years of service to the TV network, were
left unemployed by the management. This bitter irony
of a total media blackout was implemented and because,
accordingly, these workers established a union and fought
for their regularization in the network. Farmers were
still not given lands to till and the Hacienda Luisita SDO
agreement has been a blatant example of this injustice.
Haciendas in different parts of the country ousted farmers
to give way to commercial undertakings. By repressing
basic rights such as establishing unions and giving lands
to farmers, ill intentions of different powers are slowly
showing off. These events are insults to the sector of the
country which strives to survive the hardest and only
reflects that the government is not concerned with the
perennial struggle of the working class and the attainment
of social justice.
The first automated election in the Philippines is a
milestone in its history. Yet, from the battle to ascendancy
up to the proclamation of the second Aquino to be the
15th president of the republic still is hounded with
controversies, but the doubts staining the administration
has been continuously underplayed. Noynoy Aquino
has been the undisputed media darling during the polls
and this intensified because of the rumors being spread
against Senator Manny Villar being the secret candidate
of the previous regime, or the so called Villaroyo, even
these rumors were never found to be substantiated. Redbaiting marginalized contenders for the local and national
positions were wide-spread as some forces tagged them as
illegal and underground and placing them in the danger of
being killed. Liza Maza and Satur Ocampo’s posters were
assaulted with anti-communist propaganda and some
contenders upholding the marginalized were sent death
threats. The results of the polls were challenged because it
is said that the first automated elections are manipulated
by the Arroyo administration, the Aquino family and the
US Central Intelligence Agency. This accusation however
16 • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
died down as the parties concerned disputed the claim. Yet,
according to Jose Maria Sison, there are enough evidences
to prove that pre-programming took place six weeks
before the elections. For one, the automated elections
lacked safeguards despite the fact that a foreign company
manages the machines and a rushed reconfiguration of CF
cards took place. And two, the empty promise of Aquino
to persecute Arroyo and investigate her nine-year regime
which until now, has not took place. The establishment
of the triumphant new regime beneath a murky base
of unresolved contentions will definitely amount to
precarious futures.
The government swore to protect the foundation of its
existence: the people. Yet it seems that last year, the
government has forgotten this mandate. The mysterious
deaths of Gregan Cardeño and Capt. Javier Ignacio were
the first that happened in 2010. Cardeño was later found
out to bear torture marks, and Ignacio, which helped in
examining the case, was also killed. These two deaths
were given little poring over by the media, just like all
the cases that concerned American soldiers staying in the
country because of the still-controversial Visiting Forces
Agreement. The culture of impunity and militarization
in the country still remains and is persisting as human
rights violation continues. 22 Extrajudicial killings were
done and more political prisoners are not yet released.
Militarization in various parts of the country still persists
and civilians flee from their homes due to this. OFWs are
constantly being ignored by the state and if they did not do
hunger strikes, they will not be noticed. Lastly, privatization
schemes of the various government offices and entities
which have caused thousands to be unemployed and a
blatant reflection of the state’s avoidance of fulfilling its
responsibility to the people.
The new administration, through the help of bourgeois
media, had held the masses captive in the dark through
the power inherent in their positions. The danger of never
awaking to the true state of the nation awaits the people
who fail to look past petty and shallow truths offered in
smorgasbord by those who seek to maintain the decaying
status quo. Consequently, a people who do not fail to
assess the state of affairs are robbed of the future that has
long been delayed.
The rescue of such ignoble truths and the cognizance
of their necessities have become the springboard of
alternative press, and this thriving media form allows
us artillery against the system dominated by the few.
The Manila Collegian, along with other collegiate and
alternative publications will remain grounded on our
loyalty: the people and the just. We remain staunch on
what is important and right, despite resisting against
the pressure of powerful. In the dawn of another decade,
we continue to be firm with and repeat that the truth is
mighty and shall prevail.
WEDNESDAY
THE M ANIL A COLLEGIAN
Magna est veritas et prevaelebit
ALLANA RUTH GARCIA DELA PEÑA
Editor-in-Chief
A N G E LO LU N A M U R I L LO
Associate Editor for Internal Affairs;
News Editor; Features Editor
M A R I E K R I S T E L A N TO N I O G A B AWA
Associate Editor for External Affairs;
Culture Editor
J OA N N A M A R I E I C ASAS U DA R B E
Managing Editor
EHCEL SAÑGA HURNA
Graphics Editor
O F F I C E A N D C I R C U L AT I O N S M A N A G E R
C R I S E L L I L A G O N OY E N D AYA
NEWS CORRESPONDENTS
YO D H I M G U D E L G E P T Y D E L A R O S A
DEONAH ABIGAIL LUGO MIOLE
F E AT U R E S C O R R E S P O N D E N T
J E O A N G E L O C H I C O E L A M PA R O
I L L U S T R AT O R
M AY A N G E L I Q U E J U S I M A G B O O
M A R I O N C A R L A Q U I N TO B I O L E N A
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