The Manila Collegian Volume 28 Number 1

THE MANILA COLLEGIAN

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES MANILA

MORE INSIDE

Monday August 11, 2014 Volume 28 Number 1

02 NEWS SONA ng Bayan 06 FEATURES Desperate Measures 08 CULTURE CineManila 101 10 OPINION First Draft 11 EDITORIAL Bating Panimula

02 NEWS

Volume 28 Number 1 August 11, 2014 | Monday

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SONA ng Bayan, Idinaos

Ulat sa lagay ng bansa sa ikalimang taon ni Aquino, binatikos ELIZABETH DANIELLE QUIÑONES FODULLA

K

asabay ng ika-limang State of the Nation Address (SONA) ni Pangulong Benigno Simeon Aquino III sa Batasang Pambansa noong Hulyo 28, nagmartsa sa kahabaan ng Commonwealth Avenue ang libo-libong mamamayan mula sa iba’t-ibang sektor upang ipakita ang kanilang pagkadismaya sa kasalukuyang sistema ng pamahalaan.

Pinangunahan ng ilang mga militanteng grupo ang programang idinaos na naglalayong ipakita ang tunay na estado ng masang Pilipino sa ilalim ng rehimeng Aquino.

Patuloy na Pagbabago Sa kanyang talumpati ay ibinida ni Pangulong Aquino ang patuloy na transpormasyon ng bansa matapos ang apat na taon niyang panunungkulan.

Ipinagmalaki muli ni Aquino ang patuloy na paglago ng ekonomiya ng bansa at ang pagbaba ng poverty incidence. Ayon kay Aquino, bumaba sa 24.9 porsiyento ang poverty rate sa unang bahagi ng 2013 mula sa 27.9 porisyento noong unang bahagi ng 2012.

Subalit, mariin naman itong pinabulaanan ni Bea Arellano, Secretary General ng Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap.

Ayon kay Arellano, sa pag-aaral ng Ibon Foundation, humigit kumulang 56 milyong pamilyang Pilipino pa rin ang namumuhay sa 100 piso kada araw samantalang 23.7 milyong pamilya ang nakakaranas ng gutom.

Dagdag pa ni Renato Reyes Jr., Secretary General ng Bagong Alyansang Makabayan., kailangan lang tumingin ng pangulo sa kanyang bakuran, sa mga magsasaka ng Hacienda Luisita para makitang walang pa rin pagbabago.

Samantala pinagmalaki rin ni Aquino ang pagsisikap ng pamahalaan na matulungan at makapagbigay rehabilitasyon agad sa mga lugar na nasalanta ng mga kalamidad. Ayon kay Aquino, makapagbigay tulong ang pamahalaan

sa loob lamang ng 24 oras matapos manalanta ang bagyong Yolanda at nakapagpadala ng isang milyong food packs sa mga biktima sa loob lamang ng unang 2 linggo.

Pinasinungalingan naman ito ni Dr. Elfida Bautista, tagapagsalita ng People's Surge.

"We, the victims, have not felt the response of the national government," ani Baustista na nakatira sa Tacloban City.

Bukod pa rito, pinasinungalingan din niya ang sinabi ni Pangulong Aquino na bago sumapit ang Pasko noong 2013 ay may kuryente na ang mga lugar na nasalanta ng bagyo. Sabi pa ni Bautista, nanatiling walang kuryente sa Tacloban noong Pasko at sa kasalukuyan ay humigit kumulang 50 porsyento pa lamang ang may kuryente sa rehiyon.

Dagdag pa ni Baustista, nangangailangan pa rin ng tulong ang mga nasalanta ng bagyong Yolanda at libu-libo pa rin sa kanila ang nakatira sa tent cities. Iginiit din ni Bautista na kailangan ng mamamayan ng maayos na matitirahan at mga evacuation center kapag may bagyo.

Panawagang Pagpapatalsik Tinatala ng Bagong Alayansang Makabayan na humigit kumulang 17,000 katao ang dumalo sa kilos protesta na nananawagan ng accountability at pagpapatalsik kay Pangulong Aquino mula sa kanyang pwesto.

Sa kabilang banda, naghanda ang mga pulis at militar ng mga concrete barriers, container vans, steel fences at matatalas na concertina wires upang pigilian ang pag-martsa ng mga tao patungong Batasang Pambansa. Maliban dito, gumamit din sila ng water cannon upang harangin ang naging pagsugod ng mga nagproprotesta.

Iginiit ni Reyes na hindi makatotohanan ang naging talumpati ni Aquino.

"Komedya ang SONA ni Aquino. Dapat alam na niya na hindi lahat ng problema ay maipapaliwanag sa pagsisi sa naunang administrasyon, gayundin hindi lahat ng problema ay masosolusyonan sa paggamit ng pangalan ng kanyang mga magulang.

Nakakapagod na ang gawain ni Aquino na gamitin ang pangalan ng kanyang mga magulang sa para harapin ang kanyang mga kritiko.”

Dagdag pa ni Reyes, ngayon ang tamang panahon upang panagutin si Aquino sa kanyang mga nagawa.

“Demands for his removal from office have increased with several impeachment complaints filed against him. Aquino still thinks he is above the law and beyond the reach of the Supreme Court. We cannot allow a wannabe dictator to reign for the next two years. He has to be made accountable now.”

Sinabi pa ni Reyes, lalong lumalala ang ekonomiya sa ilalim ni Aquino kasabay ng kakulangan ng trabaho, pagtaas ng migration, kawalan ng lupa, at mababang pasahod. Ayon pa kay Reyes, tumaas din ang bilang ng mga biktima ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao dahil sa counter-insurgency program ng rehimen.

Maliban dito, iginiit din ni Reyes na habang nakatatamasa ng “special treatment” ang mga pinaghihinalaang mandarambong at magnanakaw sa gobyerno, patuloy na naghihirap ang humigit kumulang 400 bilanggong pulitikal sa bansa.

Sa kabilang banda, pinaniniwalaan din ni Reyes na nasa panganib ang pambansang soberansya dahil sa Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) na pinirmahan ni Aquino.

Ayon kay Reyes, isa itong pagbebenta ng pambansang interes kapalit ng mga ‘di tunay na pangako ng pagsuporta ng US.

COLLEGE BRIEFS Graduates of the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) College of Dentistry (CD) achieved a 100% passing rate in the Dentist Licensure Examination held in July 2014. Seven (7) of them also made it to the Top 10: Jean Mitchelle Albesa (Rank 2), Eula Ildefonso (Rank 3), Ramon Carlos Rodriguez (Rank 5), Martin Francis Jacinto (Rank 6), Maria Louielyn Panganiban (Rank 7), and Adrian Penaloza and Maria Theresa Go (tied at Rank 10).

ORGANEWS The Manila Collegian reserves a space for announcements, gigs, and rendezvous tidbits of organizations in UP Manila. Send your announcements via text (09175109496), email (themanilacollegian@gmail.com) or private message on MKule’s Facebook page.

The Mu Sigma Phi Sorority, in collaboration with the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) Auxiliary Services Program, , Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Pediatrics Infectious Disease Section, and the UPM Health Service, will be holding the 16th UPM Immunization week from August 11-15, 2014. With the theme “Proteksyon sa Sakit ay Sigurado, Kapag Bakunado tayo!”, students can avail of immunizations for various infectious diseases at discounted prices.

The schedule for immunization is from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM, with the following dates for various colleges: August 11 and 12 at the College of Arts and Sciences Rizal Hall Lobby, August 13 at the College of Allied Medical Professions Lobby, August 14 at the College of Dentistry Lobby, and August 15 at the College of Medicine Lobby.

IMPEACHMENT CASE FROM PAGE 03

Consequently, the 21 nationalist leaders headed by Makabayan coalition president Satur Ocampo charged Aquino with surrendering national sovereignty, compromising territorial integrity, and undermining the national interest.

Furthermore, the petitioners criticized Aquino for disregarding Senate approval and public consensus as mandated in the Constitution before entering the agreement.

Moreover, the petitioners asserted that the EDCA is ‘grossly lopsided’ in favor of the US, ‘greatly disadvantageous’ to the Filipino people, and a ‘shocking sell-out’ of the country’s sovereignty.

read and download MKule issues at issuu.com/manilacollegian like us on Facebook: facebook.com/ themanilacollegian follow us on Twitter: @MKule PAGLABAN SA SISTEMA. Libu-libong mamamayan ang nagmartsa sa Commonwealth Avenue bilang protesta sa SONA ni Pangulong Aquino. Ipinatawag ng mga rallyista ang pag-alis sa pwesto ng pangulo. Larawan kuha ni Patrick Jacob Laxamana Liwag

NEWS 03

Volume 28 Number 1 Monday | August 11, 2014

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UP Workers Unions Condemn New Promotion Scheme Calls made for salary increase and promotion for all CARLO REY RESURECCION MARTINEZ n July 22, several faculty and nonteaching personnel of the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila participated in a forum organized by the All UP Workers Alliance (AUPWA) to discuss the conditions of the 2014 Merit Promotions being implemented by the UP administration.

O

The AUPWA, formed by the All UP Workers Union (AUPWU) and All UP Academic Employees Union (AUPAEU), criticized the new scheme for the stricter requirements and its failure to resolve pre-existing issues faced by both regular and contractual employees.

contributed to publications.

“Sa huling guidelines, ang REPS ay nilagay nila sa non-teaching personnel. Doon kasi sa guidelines para sa non-teaching personnel, ang nakalagay lang doon ay kung ilang steps ka mapopromote base sa iyong rating sa Performance Evaluation System (PES). Pero kung ikaw ay REPS na meron ring publications na nagawa, saan mapupunta iyong points na iyon?”, Vallejos argued.

Restrictive Conditions

Moreover, another issue is the limited number of requests for authority-to-fill (ATF) granted by the Office of the Vice President for Administration (OVPA).

Celes Vallejos, Vice President for Research, Extension, and Professional Staff of the AUPAEU Diliman chapter, highlighted the new requirements being imposed on the faculty.

“Noong January to December 2011-2012, ang UP Manila, sa mga request for ATF, 38.9% lang ang na-approve… At 51% lang sa buong UP system,” Vallejos stated.

In the 2010 guidelines, UP Manila professors were subject to the “publish or perish” rule, requiring them to be published in a “reputable journal” prior to being promoted. However, in the 2014 guidelines, this was revised to a “highly reputable journal”.

Reducing Workforce Vallejos also claimed that the scheme threatens to eventually reduce the overall number of employees.

Additionally, the 2010 guidelines required a professor to meet “satisfactory performance” while the 2014 guidelines increased this to “very satisfactory performance”.

“Nag-request ang UP admin ng 2000 new items.

Pero, may proposal rin sila na huwag na ma-fill up ang mga items na nasa Salary Grade (SG) 10 and below… nandiyan yung mga kawani at administrative staff natin.”

Furthermore, Vallejos questioned the lack of specific guidelines concerning the promotion for Research, Extension, and Professional Staff (REPS), particularly those who have also

Additionally, Vallejos stated that there are approximately 4,000 employees included in SG 10 and below. Subsequently, Vallejos also expressed concern that if only the 2,000 new

items will be replaced, the rest will remain vacant.

Equity Promotion Possible The AUPAEU also criticized the limited number of points considered valid by the scheme. According to the AUPAEU, only the points acquired by employees from April 2010 to December 2013 will be considered in determining who will be promoted, while any points acquired prior to April 2010 will be disregarded.

Additionally, the scheme explicitly excludes “sagad” employees, or those who have reached Step 8 of their current Salary Grade (SG).

Meanwhile, the AUPWA stated that the Department of Budget Management (DBM) has allocated P305 million for the 2014 merit promotions. Furthermore, the AUPWA believes

that this amount is sufficient to meet their demands for all employees. Refer to Table 1 for the details.

Moreover, Vallejos claimed that the remaining approximately P114 million is more than sufficient for the 2014 merit promotions.

“Hindi mauubos ang P114 million para sa merit promotion. Kaya tatanungin mo dun, saan nila dadalhin yung sobra sa P305 million?” Vallejos asserted.

Consequently, the AUPWA continues to call on the UP administration for fair promotions and salary increases for all employees.

On the other hand, aside from their demands from the UP administration, the AUPWA also called for President Aquino to re-channel the budget and implement a wage hike for all government employees.

Employees

One-time Incentive per Employee

Estimated Cost

“Sagad” employees

P30,000

P92,190,000

Contractual employees

P5,000

P17,110,000

Qualified for step increment

Minimum of 3-step increment

P66,572,358

Other contractual employees

P1,000 (per year of service)

P15,000,000

AMOUNT NEEDED FOR EQUITY PROMOTION:

P190,872,358

Table 1: The breakdown of the proposed budget allocation for equity promotion (SOURCE: All UP Workers Alliance)

Youth Groups File Impeachment Raps against Aquino Nationalist leaders slam US basing agreement GAYLE CALIANGA REYNA In connection with the disputed Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), student organizations led by the anti-corruption alliance Youth Act Now filed the second valid impeachment complaint against President Benigno Simeon Aquino III on July 22.

bribery of senators and congressmen, and the compensation of his clan in Hacienda Luisita.

Likewise, the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) also pressed the same charges when they filed the first impeachment suit against Aquino last July 21.

The 23-page complaint presented before the House of Representatives (HOR) was signed by 25 youth leaders hailing from League of Filipino Students (LFS), Anakbayan, Katipunan ng Sangguniang Mag-aaral sa UP (KASAMA sa UP), National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), Student Christian Movement (SCM), Kabataang Artista para saTunay na Kalayaan at Demokrasya (KARATULA), College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), Alyansa ng Kabataang Mamahayag (AKM), and student council leaders from the University of the Philippines (UP), University of Santo Tomas (UST), Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), and San Beda College (SBC).

On July 1, the Supreme Court (SC) ruled the spending program unconstitutional for its failure to comply with the statutes of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) as well as for funding projects, activities, and programs not covered in the act. Similarly, the cross-border transfers of savings made through DAP was deemed as a violation of the doctrine of separation of powers.

‘Dapat Managot’

According to Charlotte Velasco, LFS national spokesperson, the government spending did not bring any ‘smashing’ economic breakthrough. Furthermore, Velasco argued that the plight of the poorest sectors in the country can disprove Aquino’s claims.

Pursuant to Article XI Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution, Aquino was charged with violating the constitution, betrayal of public trust, and graft and corruption. The complainants argued that the president turned DAP into his own pork barrel.

According to Vencer Crisostomo, National Chairperson of Anakbayan, the P150 billion DAP fund is ‘stolen money’ which Aquino has used to pursue his personal interests. Crisostomo explained that the best examples would be the

In response to the SC’s verdict, President Aquino filed a motion for reconsideration last July 18 claiming that the program was beneficial to the economy. The youth groups, however, decried Aquino’s defense.

Impeachment Procedure As provided in the Constitution, the HOR shall have the exclusive power to initiate all cases of impeachment through a one-third vote among all its members. Furthermore, the Senate may also oust a President through a two-thirds vote.

Meanwhile, Palace officials argued that the DAP was executed within the parameters of the law. The Palace has also asserted that there was a slim chance that any impeachment case against Aquino would succeed.

challenged the youth and the general public to fight the corrupt regime and join them in opposing Aquino’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) with their own SONA ng Bayan on July 28.

However, the complainants noted that it was necessary for the process to start so that the public would know the truth about how the DAP funds were spent.

According to Velasco, it is the right time to struggle for change. “The youth must speak up against the atrocities perpetrated by the government and join other oppressed sectors of society in the movement for real, broad development.”

“The numbers game in the impeachment procedure may be really grueling, but it is also one step forward to reaching the corrupt, anti-people Aquino regime’s downfall,” added Velasco.

According to Niel Tupas Jr, Chair of the House Committee on Justice, the panel would give “utmost urgency” to the consolidated impeachment complaint. However, Tupas stated that for the case to proceed, valid and airtight evidence as well as strong public support should be present.

Oust Aquino After filing their impeachment suit, the unified student groups marched from Plaza Miranda to the Mendiola Peace Arch in Manila to stage a Youth Action Day denouncing the “large-scale corruption” under the Aquino administration.

Additionally, the participants held noise barrage protests to demand accountability from the government and to reiterate their call for Aquino’s ouster. The student leaders also

More Complaints Subsequently, another impeachment suit was filed against Aquino last July 24. Contrary to the first two cases, the complaint was based on the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the Philippines and the United States (US).

The EDCA is a 10-year military agreement that will allow an enlarged rotational presence of American troops in the country. Additionally, the US forces are given the right to free access and the authority to conduct activities ‘rent-free and tax-exempt’ on the agreed locations.

Furthermore, the US government will be given operational and security control over these areas and authority to construct facilities. The US government will also have the freedom to bring military equipment such as aircraft vessels and nuclear weapons.

Continued on Page 02

04 NEWS

Volume 28 Number 1 August 11, 2014 | Monday

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Mga Fulung-Vulungan ng N agjijisang

Lola Patola

Emergeydd, emergeydd! Lookeeey huz vack after four monthzz of vacationing somewer down wer with my beeloveyd Lolo Upo! Kent meyk gala kung waleeyy ang photographer divaaa?! Nahenjoy chicken joy naman vah ang bakashon? Sad nga lang di na feelz ang suspenshunz! Heniweyz by the highweyz, I soooo miss you all mga affowz! Lyk totally talaguuh! I vetching you miss me too! The gradweyting, the gradweyt na sana, the konteng puush pa gradweyting na rin, the shifteez, the transferizz, the no longer freysh (okey lungz hindi ka bilasa), and ofkerrzz the freshiez! Include na reyn ang froppies!

Welcome welcome vack to YuFiEm!! Agozto na, agozto ko na talaguuh kayong makita ahihihi and shemferz, agozto ko na rin mahear-hear ang inyong mga sumvoongz!

Grabigteeh talaga! NKKLK! Kahit pachillax chillax lang aketching e di naka-escapelaloo sa aking raydaaar ang haffeningz sa YuFiEm, I kent meyk ignoramus of all the statuzes and tweetumz of my affowz so kalerki talaga yung iva diyang seenzone lungz! I won’t meyk you weyt henimore, coz I knoowz na sawa na kayo with that so hirlaloo na!!!

YuFiEm typhoon numerow uno: ang hagupit and lupit ni vaklush ay-SAIS-maryozep Itech... Itech ang tsismax na hindi tsismisss kasi ebriwan in the whole universe knowss et!

Talagang nakaka-anek as in, mapapa-SIGH ka talaga sa SAIS. Graveh I heard so many of my afows being rekklamadorz on FB! Graveh naman kasi talaga dibuh?! From enlistment to enrollment capital F as in fwisit! Ahihi. Szobrang fail! I mean, para saan pa itech four very haba months of prepareyshen then ultra failz lang din pala?! Ahayyy HB tumataas presyon ng lola niyo! Tsk tsk tsk. They made my afows guinea piggies and now my poor afows are being so hirap na hirap ajujukels. At sobrang charot ng SAIS site huh! May 'shopping cart' pa na nalalaman ang mga chenelyn na itech. Next time malaman mo na lungs may advantage card na ang YuFiEm! Next time guiiise if yer gonna make mga new chorvaness make sure naman it's efficient para dehins mag-suffer aketch mga afows. Nag-take lungs sila ng biogesic ni Papa John Lloyd za super todamax imbyerna ng SAIS! And nung enrollment, nabutas din pocketses ng aketch mga afows kakabalik sa YuFiEm tapos waley din sila nafifinish. Tried and tested muna huh dehins yung itatry pa lang then kapag nagfail, wapakels.

YuFiEm typhoon numerow dosZ: nakakazakal ultra late removalz!

Sinetch itey nakakalurkey na ehem galing sa Dehins Pinapadali ang Student Matters na dehins pa daw nagbibigay ng removals sa aketch mga afows?! Jojombagin kita huh what's the petsa na averush? Mag-peperz term na ('term' na daw ang usage sa SAIS char!) and every thaaang pero waley pa din aketch mga afows grade kasi wala pa nga removal exams! Gravey talk about irresponsibility. At hindi lang iyan mga kachorva ni lola, balita ko sa one of my beloved afows na na-imbyerna ang kanyang zuuper nice and long vacation!

Aba'y syemperz kasi mag-wait siya sa date ng removals na dehins naman dumadating!

Aguyyy edi sana may tan lines na aketch afows dehins siya namumutla ngayon and dehins najijirts ang kanyang brainz kakaproblem sa kanyang removals! You know yer lola saw this chever za FB na, "be kind to everyone you meet because they are fighting their own battles" tama ba yung chenes? Ahihi! Anywayzzz, I dunno wut yer problemz are pero, like, you

have responsibilities and chever sa mga afows kohhh just like they do watevarr chorvaness you want them to do, dibuhh?? 1k4w L4n6 sZ4p4t nU4h para aketch malurkeyyy! Finish yer busyness with my afows na huh?!!!

YuFiEm typhoon numerow tresz: istrezz eS-TeeehS delaybereishun!

Eksyusemwwaah! Shoolalu na si Sosyalerang Tayms Fayb Ang Presho becozz hir na si Sovrang Tokwang Shiztem na inispluk via da interneyt.

Pinabongga at pinalufet daw itey, as in lufet na napa-Bracket ganun nalang daw ang aking mga affowz! Anyare?! Babush sa nakakaimbyernang pilahan daw itey and no nidz for papers and everything just meyk sagot da survey lyk u would an i-slumvook. Na-hirz ko na mas korek pa daw pleybuzz quizzes sa pag-give ng results!

Aba’y matindeeerz! Sumvong pa ng ilang affowz na dehins naka-apply e unferz dahil dehins naman navalita ng maayos. Chaka! Some of mi affowz pa eh narebracket patauz patataz ganetching pang lower naman ang kanilang income! GRABIGTEEEH! Sa shockerz e ayon sa tweetumz inispluk ang stress, #VrahketAkena!!!

Enihoo. Lalong naistress ang ilan sa aking mga affowz dahil after appealing e hayon at waley nanyari. Rejected not once but twice! 4R4Y k0h v3h! Waley lang din explain explain or lyk sori beh I kent lower my standardzz. Todo effortz pa nemern sa essay na parang nasayang lungz. Y u meyk paasa my precious ha?! Lyk haler, saang tadyang nemern nila i-meyk hugot the datung if di sila makakuha ng discount! Income dehins property pls!

So ayan na huh my afows! I keyr por you all soooo sooo mooch! Pakiss beh ahihi.

Pero to all those making the layf of my afows very berry hard, sexxyyy lola will give you da kisz of death! Sooo behave na en help aketch mga afows fulfill their YuFiEm dream! Osya babush na malunod pa aketch sa dami ng typhoon na aking na peys-to-peys. Ahihi see you my afows!

ITANONG KAY ISKO’T ISKA

1Dapat na bang ma-impeach si PNoy? Bakit?

Para sakin, dapat nang mapalitan sa pwesto si P'noy dahil di ko parin dama ang pagbabagong sinasabi niya hanggang ngayon.

- Zine, CAS, 2013-11477 Tanggalin na yan, dapat nang tanggalin yan, parang feelings ko dun sa co-intern ko nung summer.

- Stored Value Ticket, 2011 – OustNoynoy Oo. Bukod sa ayaw kong panot at naninigarilyong presidente, ayaw ko ng taong ijujustify parin ang corruption na ginawa niya kahit n malinaw na sinabi ng grupo ng mga matatalino at edukadong tao na ito ay "unconstitunional".

- Ibong Adarna, CAS, 201*-****0 Yes. He swore on his inauguration to uphold the constitution but instead violated it. He should be held accountable.

- Pontiff, CAS, 2013-14696 Kung meron naman sapat na batayan sa pagimpeach kay PNoy, bakit hindi? Dapat lang maging pantay pantay ang lahat sa mata ng batas; kung nilabag mo ito, dapat mapatawan ka ng karampatang parusa dahil kung hindi ito gagawin, marami lalo ang lalabag sa batas.

- The Follicle CD 2013-72790 Hindi. Sayang oras at resources. Mas marami pang problema na dapat bigyang pansin tulad ng mga biktima ng nakaraang bagyo - Wyatt, CAS 2013-40869 Dapat ng ma-impeach si PNoy sa kadahilanang hindi interest ng mamamayang Pilipino ang kanyang inuuna bagkus ang kanyang pansariling interest lamang - Iyo, 2013-57332 Hindi pa naman. Give him a chance. Malapit nanamang matapos ang term niya eh. Konting hintay na lang. At saka hindi naman napatunayang nagnanakaw si Pnoy sa kaban ng bayan. "It was not theft." Naniniwala pa rin ako na ang nakuha niyang funds para sa bayan (through DAP) ay napapapunta pa rin sa bayan at hindi sa bulsa niya (even if the process seems unconstitutional to some people).

- fetch, CAS, 2012-***** Sino naman ang papalit kay PNoy at ano ang mangyayari? Hindi ba magiging taga-linis lang din siya ng kalat. Yun naman ang trend nila ngayon.

Ubusan lahi. Lahat ng corrupt, nawi-wheel chair.

Imbes na sa ikauunlad ng mga imprastraktura e napupunta sa mararangyang kulungan etc ang pera ng bayan. Sa kahahanap ng mali sa isa't isa e napabayaan na ang mga issue na dapat ay inaaksyunan na.

- Saumensch, CAS na sana Wag muna. Kung ma-prove na totoong ninanakawan niya ang budget ng bansa, then go. If ever may magic siyang magagawa para mapaunlad ang sitwasyon ng Pilipinas, di rin natin malalaman yun kung ipapatanggal na siya. Let's wait and see muna.

- AoTfanXP, CAS, 2012-09876 Actually, hindi naman issue kung sino ipapalit kay PNoy kapag naimpeach siya eh. Ang significant dito, ay ang political maturity at political consciousness ng mga tao -- kung bulag sila, o patuloy na magbubulag-bulagan. Dito makikita ng gobyerno ang lakas na taglay ng mga mamamayan, at makikita ng mga mamamayan ang kakayahan nilang mapatunayan na sila nga ay nasa isang demokratiko at malayang bansa. Kumbaga sa pagluluto, ang pagproblema sa ipapalit kay PNoy ay parang pagproblema na lang kung paano ang plating ng putahe; kung paano lulutiin at titimplahin ang pagkain upang makapag-iwan ng masarap at kakaibang karanasan sa kakain ang katumbas ng mismong paraan kung paano natin yugyugin ang pamahalaan, at ipapadama ang

Pwede ring ipadala ang inyong mga sagot sa pamamagitan ng pag-text sa 09175109496!(Pero bawal ang textmate!) galit natin sa sistema.

- H.A. Dornan, 201*-*****, CAS. Si PNoy ay dapat nang ma-impeach dahil siya lang pangulong binatikos ang desisyon ng Korte na hindi naaayon sa Saligang Batas 1987 and DAP. Ikalawa, dahil sa kanya nagkaroon ng komersiyalisasyon ang mga UP systems at lumiit and tulong ng pamahalaano subsidairies sa mga State Universities.

- The Freshie Files, CAS, 2014-00*** Oo, karapatdapat lang naman maimpeach si AbNoy. Masyado siyang puro excuses at puro sisi.

Hindi magandang halimbawa sa isang pinuno.

More than that, hinolDAP na niya ang mga mamamayan. Oust PNOY. - Samuel Dela Cruz, CAS, 20**-****5 Sa tingin ko dapat ma-impeach na si Pnoy. Hindi na makabayan ang serbisyo niya. Mananatiling sira ang sistema natin kung hihintayin pa nating matapos ang termino niya. Tayo lang rin ang makakawawa.

- Habagat Farrales/Mahangin CAS 2014 – 14810 na-achieve mo sa apat na buwang 2Anong bakasyon?

Sa 4 na buwan na bakasyon na ito dami kong natry at nalaman ko na ang gusto kong gawin sa buhay ko kaso nga lang ay naiiba to sa kurso ko fuck.

- Na’vigo, CAS, 2012-***** vacation abroad, staycation, anime, anime, anime, manga, breaking bad, lost, other series, movies, anime, anime. ANIME NIRVANA - Historia, CAS, 2012-30371 Panandaliang kilig c/o co-intern.

- Stored Value Ticket, 2011 – OustNoynoy CDO-Leyte. ‘nuff said.

- Aromaticity | 2012-0895 | CAS Ang na-achieve ko lang ay maging sawi.

- Raseac | 2010-33377 | CP My sanity, that was purged from my body last semester.

- nancydrewwhoyou, CN, 2009-****9 Summer classes pls. Rainy season pls. Pababalik balik ako ng Manila dahil sa shifting at kung saan saan pa ako pinagpasa-pasahan. UP pls. Well kahit papaano may naachieve naman ako, naka-amin na ako sa wakas.

- Saumensch, CAS na sana Nag-Math 73 HAHAHAHA tapos nanood ng anime.

Yun lang.

- patatas, CAS, 2013-70895 Nagawa kong matulog nang lagpas 12 hrs.

HAHAHAHA - GaCaRe, Cas, 201300000 Medyo nakapag-relax naman, matagal ko na ring inaasam ang pahinga eh.

- mayuming dawag, CAS, 2013-19617. na-achieve kong tapusin ang Doctor Who sa four month vacation!!!

- 2013-29392, newwhovian Nakasakay sa eroplano sa wakas at nakatungtong sa Mindanao nang mag-isa. Nagkaroon ng mga kaibigan sa Visayas, Mindanao, at RTUPCUPUPNUE. Natuto magbisaya. Unang rally. Na-master ang paglalaba at paghuhugas ng pinggan. Dream friendship. Nalinis ang bisikleta.

Toneladang tulog. Nahamig kahit papaano ang mga kaibigan.

- (-.-)/ Medyo nakapag-relax naman, matagal ko na ring inaasam ang pahinga eh.

- mayuming dawag, CAS, 2013-19617

Subsequently, CAS Office of the Dean announced that the start of classes for CAS upperclassmen will be on August 9, while freshmen and graduate students will start classes on August 6. The Office of the Dean also reported that the other colleges will also start classes on August 6.

Meanwhile, the Information Management Services (IMS) decided that the SAIS will still be used for the CAS enrollment, despite an announcement made by the CAS OCS and RVC that CAS will be reverting to the CRS. Additionally, the IMS claimed that this statement did not come from the SAIS team.

According to Carlo Lorenzo, UPM USC Chair, the rest of the colleges had managed the enrollment process smoothly. The College of Pharmacy (CP) used manual enlistment while other colleges resorted to using the older Computerized Registration System (CRS).

Resolved Case

Likewise, students from various colleges reported that the option ”Term 1 AY 2014-2015”, necessary for the enlistment of the correct classes, did not appear in their SAIS account.

Meanwhile, enrollment in the College of Public Health (CPH) was also delayed due to some classes being listed as 4 units, despite actually being 3 units.

In relation to this, CAS Student Council (SC) Chairperson Rodel Cahiyang filed a request for the first day of classes to be moved from August 6 to August 13. The University Student Council (USC) also supported the appeal for the adjustment.

Consequently, the RVC released a revised schedule for these students, moving the enrollment to August 5 to 8.

Furthermore, the glitches in SAIS resulted in the voiding of classes enlisted by some CAS students, particularly those who have not completed their study list on August 1.

Subsequently, the Registration Volunteer Corps (RVC) relayed that the discontinuation was brought about by technical problems with SAIS. The RVC added that subjects enlisted by some students that did not correspond with their year level contributed to the delays.

The enrollment of third year and fourth year students from CAS, scheduled on July 30 and 31 respectively, were both postponed.

Problematic Enrollment

The Office of the College Secretary (OCS) of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and College of Dentistry (CD) announced on August 4 that the enrollment for the First Semester of Academic Year (AY) 2014-2015 was temporarily stopped. Consequently, students from other colleges that needed to enlist classes in CAS encountered difficulty in completing their registration.

The enrollment process of several colleges in the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) encountered significant delays due to technical problems with the newly implemented Student Academic Information System (SAIS).

EUNICE BIÑAS HECHANOVA

Students outraged over holdups, long lines

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NEWS 05

06 FEATURES

Volume 28 Number 1 August 11, 2014 | Monday

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T

he 9th section of the 2008 UP Charter states that, “The national university shall take affirmative steps which may take the form of an alternative and equitable admissions process to enhance the access of disadvantaged students…” The University’s mandate is to provide an accessible and affordable education to the Filipino students.

However, the enactment of the Socialized Tuition Scheme (STS) is another aberration taking the University far from its mandate.

assessment procedure was solely under the discretion of the administration – making it malleable for them to maneuver.

The upshots of this new tuition scheme reveal the increase in tuition rates that is only veiled by the enacted reform.

In the guise of reform, STS is nothing but another form of TOFI (Tuition and Other Fees Increase) caused by the administration’s desperation to fill the financial gaps brought by staggering budget cuts and state financial abandonment.

Insufficient Funds

It aggravated the already dire state of the Iskolar ng Bayan; it further exposed the decays of the already decrepit state of Philippine education.

The financial abandonment perpetuated by the state resulted to anti-student mechanisms implemented within the University. The Aquino regime’s Roadmap for Public Higher Education Reform (RPHER) pushes State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) to privatization. The aim of RPHER is to “rationalize higher education, improve its internal and external efficiency, optimize resources utilization and maximize resource generation.” By the year 2016, the SUCs are expected to shoulder 50% of their annual budget – forcing them to implement income-generating methods that affect the accessibility of education for financially incapacitated students. This roadmap also categorizes the SUCs as “high-performing” and “underperforming” depending on the institutions’ offered courses and passing rates.

SUCs that fall under the “high-performing” category will be given a higher budget allocation compared to those classified on the “underperforming” category. The paradox of the government’s rationale in implementing this rule lies on the fact that the performance of SUCs depends on the budget given by the government. A low-budgeted institution would definitely exhibit a low performance and the cycle goes on. Common sense has seemingly escaped the government due to their avid intentions of financially abandoning the SUCs. In turn, the desperation of university administrators to ensure the continuity of its operations probed the way towards the implementation of anti-student schemes such as the STS.

Defective Amendments The reform only brought repercussions to the Iskolar ng Bayan.

The UP Board of Regents approved the STS last December 13, 2013 – replacing the 24 year old Socialized Tuition & Financial Assistance Program (STFAP). This was despite the lack of student representation caused by the absence of Student Regent Krista Melgarejo. According to the administration, the goals of the new scheme are to simplify bracketing assignments, consider the inflation for income cut-offs in relation to bracketing, and to provide higher stipends for the students. In addition, the new scheme also decentralizes the appeal process.

Instead of the old centralized procedure, respective College Units are now the ones in charge on the appeals of the students purportedly making the tedious process easier.

The new scheme immediately brought setbacks upon its initiation. The UP administration boasts about the 40% - approximately 36,000 students – increase of applicants under the STS. According to the administration, 52% of the applicants were assigned to brackets C, D, E1, and E2 and are to receive 60%-100% tuition fee discounts. They also noted a decrease – from 69% to 48% – among those assessed under Brackets A and B. Despite this claim, it is an obvious fact that the increase in the applicants can be traced to the administration’s standardization of Bracket A (P1500/unit) instead of Bracket B (P1000/unit) as the default bracket. Moreover, the appeals in UP Manila alone skyrocketed by 751% - from last year’s 60 students to this year’s 601. It is a concrete manifestation of the students’ continuing dissatisfaction with the university’s bracketing system. The presented statistics alone has already showed the repercussions of the new system. However, one can never quantify nor adequately substantiate the burden this new system has caused the students and their families.

The cases of bracket misclassification reflect the new scheme’s faulty assessment procedure.

The two-page questionnaire – the summary of the fourteen-page STFAP questionnaire – fails to show the actual living conditions of the students. The questionnaire focused on the students’ assets alone without considering their household’s liabilities. Apart from the narrow coverage of the new questionnaire, the system also automatically denied the Iskolar ng Bayan the chance to apply for their desired brackets or tuition fee discounts. The questionnaire only assessed the students’ socio-economic statuses – options in relation to bracketing were nowhere to be found. This, in turn, gives the administration the maximum power in assessing the students. Moreover, the scheme’s

Schemes that trample upon the rights of the Iskolar ng Bayan are outright results of the government’s financial neglect to the university.

In his recent State of the Nation Address, the president conveyed no intentions of providing a higher state subsidy to the SUCs. Instead, he boasted about imaginary achievements that aim to cover up his faults. He continues to remain deaf towards the cries of the masses – the students – for a more accessible education that is impervious to privatization. The present administration is the culprit that eradicates the rights of the Filipino youth.

Education has become a privilege for those who can afford it.

The government’s detachment to its financial responsibilities spawns anti-student schemes that commercialize education – the Socialized Tuition Scheme. Instead of subsidizing education, the government forces the university administration to extract more income from the students. The rights of the Filipino students were compromised.

The call for a higher budget should not stop.

The students should not falter in fighting against anti-student schemes brought by state financial abandonment.

DESPERATE MEASURES

Assessing the Newly Enacted Socialized Tuition Scheme

ADOLF ENRIQUE SANTOS GONZALES AND JENNAH YELLE MANATO MALLARI ILLUSTRATION BY LIZETTE JOAN CAMPAÑA DALUZ

FEATURES 07

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B

lood is everywhere.

The crime scene, the system that reeks of long time decomposition was once again used by the powerful to advance their interests. As the executive office turns into a slaughterhouse, killing its co-equal branches and usurping absolute power, the masses bear the murderous aftermath.

With the criminals still at large, the people the victims - need to remain vigilant so as not to be once again deceived.

Justice should be served.

The Crime Hiding beneath the mask of lies that only spoke about the nation’s progress is a felony plotted by the administration in order to seize the nation’s budget.

Following the tumult of the scam involving the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) is yet a revelation of another issue on corruption concerning the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP). Purportedly with the goal to fasten public spending and support programs in order to foster the economy, the DAP was a “mechanism” implemented by President Benigno Aquino III in 2011. The president, with his co-engineers of DAP, used purported government savings as unprogrammed funds to allocate on various projects and budget items covered by the General Appropriations Act (GAA). Projects under the GAA comprise of those from the different Departments, the Presidential Communications Office, and other executive offices. This program, however, has recently been laced with controversies, not only being dubbed as the “presidential pork”, but also having been decided unconstitutional by the Supreme Court (SC).

It is only evident how the current government has disregarded the country’s laws as seen in the three offenses committed by the DAP mechanism to the 1987 Constitution. Such acts not only desecrated the Section 25 (5) Article VI of the 1987 Constitution regarding

appropriations, but also the principles of separation of powers which distinguished the three branches of the government apart from each other.

First among the offenses listed by the SC is “the withdrawal of unobligated allotments from the implementing agencies, and the declaration of the withdrawn unobligated allotments and unreleased appropriations as savings prior to the end of the fiscal year and without complying with the statutory definition of savings contained in the General Appropriations Acts (GAA)”. Savings are by law, considered as appropriations that remained unspent after the end of a program, and are effective for use for one fiscal year. However, this was violated when DBM Budget Secretary Florencio Abad himself swayed the annual allocation of savings after seizing the authority to sum up both the latter and unused funds in order to fund DAP quarterly.

Secondly, “the cross-border transfers of the savings of the Executive to augment the appropriations of other offices outside the Executive” was not allowed, and thus, DAP being allotted to the legislative or judiciary branches shall be considered illegal. This was violated again by the appropriation of 250 million php executive funds on the making of a legislative e-library for the House of Representatives. The last offense judged as unconstitutional was“the funding of projects, activities, and programs that were not covered by any appropriation in the GAA”. Petitioners have specifically cited the DREAM project of the Department of Science and Technology having been allotted with 1.6B php in 2011, which exceeded its supposed 537.9 million budget appropriation according to the Act.These are just some of the many other illegal incidents practiced by the architects and benefactors of DAP, serving as proofs of the administration’s leniency on laws and massive abuse of power.

In fine, the DAP is merely a deceptive ploy perfumed by the so-called rising country’s GDP and funded projects, but still reeks in the stench of the

corruption practiced by the administration.

dictatorship.

The Mastermind

In using his presidential powers to self-allot funds and use them with his own discretion, Benigno Simeon Aquino III never aimed to deliver service to his “bosses”, but rather to establish dictatorship, in order to execute corrupt practices with absolute control.

Manipulating all subsidiaries under him through bribery, the culprit has carried his fascist motives out in order to keep his regime seated and ruling the nation.

Aquino vested the power of controlling more public funds in his hands when he established DAP with Abad, as the program focused under the executive branch. However, recent exposés regarding the use of DAP proved that the perpetrator’s agenda is far heinous than it already was. Senator Jinggoy Estrada revealed that some senators received additional funds in line with Chief Justice Renato Corona’s impeachment last December 2011. But what raised more suspicion is that only the president’s allies, Senators Franklin Drilon, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, and Juan Ponce Enrile received 100-M each while the others received only 50M php each. By the end of 2011, 3.5B php was allegedly allotted to “projects “of the Aquino government. Notably, the DBM, of all days, requested for the consolidation of the 2011 savings in the day of Corona’s impeachment, adding 13.4-B to the executive fund. Even so, Aquino has clearly violated the principle of separation of powers by delegating executive funds to legislators, and thus, practicing unconstitutional cross-border transfer.

In his decisions of allocating DAP funds on programs whether or not appropriated in the GAA, the president has also arrogated the Congress’ power of the purse-- the authority in withholding funds. Moreover, with the SC unearthing cases of projects funded with unprogrammed funds, the need for certification in the National Treasury was also proven to be violated. But what is most ironic of all is that Aquino ridiculed the corruption of the 25.420B PDAF, and yet he solely controlled 1-trillion of DAP. With his massive misuse of fiscal authority, the president has done nothing but jeopardize the real face of his regime, which clearly succumbed to patronage politics and

The Denial In the name of political survival, the criminal explores all possible cover-ups in order to legitimize his unconstitutional acts.

According to Ibon Foundation, the P61.4 billion DAP spending that the government boasts about in 2011 accounts only for 19.8 percent of total government spending in the fourth quarter of 2011. Hence, its contribution to economic growth is not as significant as the government says. In addition, most of the projects funded by DAP were seen as mere band aid solutions, if not a total failure. One of which was mentioned in his recent televised speech; the Informal Settler’s Fund. According to Aquino, the informal settlers benefitted from DAP as they were relocated into a different site through the program. This statement, however, was strongly refuted by the urban poor groups claiming that they were relocated to sites that still pose danger onto them during the rainy season. They were also required to still pay several times despite the purported funds coming from the program. Moreover, under the Aquino administration, the people have witnessed the highest unemployment rate, towering prices of commodities, several privatizations of public institutions and the most inefficient disaster response as seen in the case of Yolanda, among others.

The president’s claim of engineering and implementing DAP on the basis of ‘good faith’ had done nothing but to add fuel on the rage of the masses. His claims of economic growth brought by the program were immediately debunked by the actual reality.

The country is under a criminal regime. To remain silent is to perpetuate its wrongdoings, hence; to be an accessory of its crimes. As the true face of the Aquino administration was exposed, resistance is not a choice; it is an obligation. The people are now called to seek justice and make these criminals accountable for their crimes and deceptions.

CONVICT ALL THE ARCHITECTS OF DAP! OUST THE CRIMINAL PRESIDENT!

EXECUTIVE EXPOSÉ

The Case of Aquino’s Disbursement Acceleration Program LIEZL ANN DIMABUYU LANSANG AND ANGELICA NATIVIDAD REYES ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL JOHN GALINATO ESTEMBER

08 CULTURE

Volume 28 Number 1 August 11, 2014 | Monday

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CINEMANILA: ISKOLAR LIFE 1O1 Gabay para Mapagtagumpayan ang mga Pagsubok sa UPM JOSE LORENZO QUEROL LANUZA

GUHIT NI CZARINA CATAPANG TUAZON

I

handa mo na ang ‘yong sarili para sa nakakatindig-balahibong mga eksenang sa UPM mo lang makikita’t mararanasan. Dito, may iisang batas: “matira matibay”. Hindi uubra ang ‘yong pagiging indibidwalista, at sa halip, kinakailangan mong makisama at makipagtulungan kung gusto mong magtagal.

Heto ang mga pelikulang mas nakakaiyak pa kaysa sa MMK, mas harassing pa kaysa sa PBB, at mas totoo pa kaysa sa Face to Face.

The Fault in Our STS “Some tuition fees are bigger than other tuition fees.”

Maiiyak ka, hindi dahil meron kang kanser pero dahil ang taas ng matrikulang babayaran mo.

Naaalala mo pa ba ‘yung pag-appeal mo para sa lower bracket? Ang hirap ‘no, para kang social climber pero pabaliktad. Kung dati ang gusto mo eh maging Senora Santibañez, ngayon gusto mong patunayang isa kang alipin.

Ayon sa administrasyon, mas maraming estudyante raw ang nagbe-benepisyo sa STS kaysa sa hinalinhan na STFAP. Mas episyente na raw kasi ang pag-apply sa STS dahil inaabot na lamang ito ng dalawang linggo hanggang tatlong buwan. In-adjust na rin ang income brackets upang mas marami raw ang makakuha ng malaking diskuwento (60%100%) sa kanilang matrikula.

“The STS is not a wish-granting factory.”

Hindi Wish Ko Lang ang STS, at lalong hindi ito ang solusyon sa krisis sa edukasyon. Ang pagiging episyente ay hindi nangangahulugang ito ay makatarungan. Ang lohika ng “malaking diskuwento” ay katulad lang ng sale sa ibang malls—itataas ang presyo nang dalawang beses at pagkatapos ay ibebenta nang 50% off at sasabihing “sale”, at matutuwa ang mga tao dahil akala nila’y mas nakamura sila. Henyo?

Henyo.

Maaari kang mag-loan, o humingi ng tulong pinansyal mula sa mga pro-estudyanteng mga organisasyon at mga programa, o magpa-sponsor sa mga alumni ng UP kung kinakailangan mo na talaga ng pera. Pero ang lahat ng ito’y temporaryong solusyon lamang sa mga problemang dulot ng ating bulok na

administrasyon na lumalabag sa ‘yong mga karapatan—tandaan, ikaw ang pag-asa ng bayan!

She’s Dating an Activist “Iskolar ng bayan! Ngayon ay lumalaban!” sistema.

Ang STS ang bunga ng sunod-sunod na budget cuts sa edukasyon. Ito ay isang income-generating project na naglalayong masolusyonan ang kakulangan ng budget ng UP. Ngunit imbis na maging solusyon, dumagdag pa ito sa ating mga problema dahil ipinasa lamang nito ang paghihirap ng UP sa mga estudyante.

Kung gusto mong mawakasan ang paghihirap na dulot ng kasalukuyang bulok na sistema, nararapat lamang na tumulong ka sa pagbuwag nito, at walang humpay na ipaglaban ang ating karapatan para sa libreng edukasyon.

Transformers: Age of Privatization “This is not war. It’s Privatization.” Nood ka na, showing na sa UPM, at sa katunayan eh ikaw pa nga ang bida. Ikaw ‘yung bidang bugbog sa umpisa, pero hanggang dulo bugbog pa din— ‘yun ay kung di ka lalaban.

Nangunguna tayo sa pagsulong ng mahuhusay na pang-akademikong programang naglalayong mapabuti ang kalusugan ng mga Pilipino. Pero nakakatawang isipin na ang kalusugan ng mga estudyante’t kawani ng UPM, hindi natin mapangalagaan. Mas pinili kasi ng administrasyong abandonahin at pabayaan ang mga dapat na pinaglilingkuran nito, para lang magkamit ng sariling "kaunlaran". Ngayon, sino kaya sa tingin mo ang mas mapaniil, ang mga Decepticons o ang administrasyon?

Ang UPM ang tinaguriang Health Sciences Center of the Philippines, kaya nama’y masasabing ang kaibuturan nito ay ang PGH. Ngunit sa kasawiang-palad, ang PGH ay nagdurusa dulot ng privatization. Dati, isa pa ‘tong langit para sa mga mahihirap na nais makakuha ng murang serbisyo, pero ngayon isa na ‘tong purgatoryong ang pinananigan ay ang kapangyarihan ng pera. Maraming naghihirap dahil itinigil na ang

pagbibigay ng libreng medikal na serbisyo, at mas hinigpitan pa ang mga polisiya para sa mga Class D na pasyente.

Subalit, hindi sa PGH nagtatapos ang sakit na dulot ng privatization, nagkalat na ito sa buong UPM. Tinanggal ang mga food kiosks sa ilang kolehiyo ng UPM para matayuan ng mga student centers. Pano ‘yan, araw-araw ka nang kakain ng fast-food. At ‘di magtatagal, preserved ka na rin.

Ang sitwasyon nating ito ay ipinapakita lamang na hindi nirerespeto ng administrasyon ang karapatan nating mga estudyante sa mura at aksesibol na pagkain. Minsan, pupunta ka pang Pedro Gil o Robinson’s para maghanap ng bagong makakainan. Ang dami pa namang magikero dito sa Faura at P.Gil, pawawalain na lang bigla cellphone mo. Hassle. Eh paano pa kaya kung may bagyo at baha, magbubuwisbuhay ka ba para lang sa KFC? Mahirap ‘yung walang malapit at siguradong makakainan. Eh paano pa kaya ‘yung mga may PE? Mahirap ‘yung katatapos lang ng PE mo at pagod ka, tapos kailangan mo pang magpuntang Robinson’s para lamang makakain—aba’y nakaka-bwisit ‘yon. Pero ang mas mahirap ay ‘yung may PE ka pero walang tiyak na pagdaraosan. Kung matutuloy ang paggiba sa SSWC nang walang malinaw na alternatibo, ipinapakita nitong mas pipiliin ng administrasyon ang pag-unlad kahit kapalit nito ang kapakanan ng kanyang mga nasasakupan.

Kung magtuloy-tuloy ang komersyalisasyon at privatization, magiging “Survivor: UPM” ang peg ng ating unibersidad. Gagawin ng administrasyon ang lahat para lang umunlad kahit marami ang “ma-eliminate” sa proseso.

Pipigain ka hanggang sa huling patak ng sentimos, at ‘pag wala ka nang maibigay, aabandonahin ka’t papabayaan. Huwag mong hayaang mangyari ‘to. Makinig, at makialam.

Labanan ang anumang gawain o desisyon ng

Imposibleng hindi mo ‘to marinig sa ‘yong pananatili dito sa UPM. “Ang ingay! Puro rally, hindi na lang mag-aral,” maaaring ganun pa nga ang iniisip mo. Kung gayo’y pasensya na.

Taglay kasi nila ang tapang, katatagan, at lakas ng loob para hamunin ang sistemang pahirap.

Kaya mo rin naman ‘yon eh. Habang maaga pa, simulan mo nang sanaying magkaroon ng rebolusyonaryong pag-iisip, at hangga’t maaari ay i-apply mo sa pangaraw-araw ang lahat ng teoryang matututunan mo dito sa UPM. Lingid sa kaalaman ng marami, ang aktibismo ang pinakamabisang sandata laban sa mga kawalang-hiyaan sa sistema sa loob at labas ng unibersidad. Bibigyan ka nito ng kamalayan, kritikal na pag-iisip, at imumulat ka sa realidad.

Sa huli, kusa ka nang sasali sa mga kilosprotesta, sapagkat alam mong ito ang nararapat gawin para maipaglaban mo ang karapatan at kapakanan ng kapwa mo Iskolar ng bayan.

Sa isang mundo kung saan ang mga mahihina ay inaalipusta ng naghaharing-uri, ang aktibismo ang natatanging mekanismong makapagbibigay ng balanse. Guguhit ito ng isang diretsong linya kung saan walang mas nakakaangat, at walang mas nakakababa— isang linyang nagpapakita ng tunay na pagkakapantay-pantay.

Habang maaga pa, dapat kang mamulat sa kabulokan at kawalang-katarungan ng sistema ng ating unibersidad, na kung hindi mo lalabanan, ay ang siyang magdudulot ng katapusan sa ‘yong matamis na pangarap.

Dahil ang pagiging estudyante sa UP ay hindi lamang pagiging matalino, kundi pagiging matapang, at matatag sa anumang uri ng pagsubok. At kung gusto mong mapagtagumpayan ang lahat ng hamong ibabato sa’yo sa loob at maging labas ng unibersidad, isabuhay mo ang tunay na esensya ng pagiging “Iskolar ng bayan”—magaral ka nang mabuti habang buong katapatang nagsisilbi sa bayan, at nakikipaglaban para sa karapatan ng lahat.

CULTURE 09

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Ang Krusada ng Wikang Filipino sa Loob ng Malakolonyal na Bansa THALIA REAL VILLELA GUHIT NI PRINCESS PAULINE CERVANTES HABLA

A

ng kaunlaran ng isang bansa ay nakasalalay sa tatag ng sarili nitong wika.

Dalawang taon na ang K-12 Program, isang hakbang ng Pilipinas para sa ASEAN Integration na magpapaunlad daw sa ating bansa kasabay ng mga karatig-bansa. Patuloy na natitibag ang mga pader ng bawat bansa at kultura, dahilan upang mailagay sa alanganin ang diwang makabayan ng bansa. Kamakailan lamang, inilabas ang CHEd Memorandum No. 20 Series 2013 na naglalayong tanggalin na ang mandatoryong pag-aaral ng ating pambansang wika sa kolehiyo, dahil ang asignaturang Filipino’y ituturo naman na raw sa ilalim ng K-12.

Sa panahong nananatiling malakolonyal, atrasado, at lumpo ang ating bansa, ang masidhing pagtatangi sa wikang Filipino ay tungkod natin upang makatindig na bilang isang bayan.

Para sa Makabayang Edukasyon Lagi tayong nakayuko dahil tumatak na sa ating mga utak na laging mas mababang klase ang wikang Filipino kaysa iba. Ito’y dulot ng ating mga naging mananakop, mga kapitalista, at imperyalismo ng Amerika.

Ayon sa konsepto ng class struggle ni Karl Marx, ang taglay na

kapangyarihan ng mga mayayaman sa isang lipunan, ay tumatagos hindi lamang sa mundo ng ekonomiya, kung ‘di pati sa paghubog sa dimensyon ng kultura, politika, at kasaysayan nito. Ang mapagsamantalang paraang ito ang nag-uuhaw sa kapitalistang makontrol ang lahat ng elementong pang-kaunlaran sa isang bayan -- pagkauhaw na nagdudulot ng mga iskemang hatid ay pagkabulok naman ng pagkilanlan ng mga tao bilang isang lipunan.

Isang halimbawa nito’y sa pamamagitan ng pagmamanipula ng ating mga nalalaman at napag-aaralan. Nagagamit bilang “Ideological State Apparatus” o ISA -- institusyong nasa labas ng direktang kontrol ng pamahalaan pero nagagamit ng estado upang makapagimpluwensya -- ang sektor ng edukasyon upang ang porma ng ating edukasyon ay maging komersyalisado, at nakapanig sa interes ng mga dayuhan at kapitalista. Imbes na nakatutok sa kung paano natin maisusulong ang ating agrikultral na bansa tungo sa pambansang industralisasyon, ang sistema ng edukasyon sa Pilipinas ay tinatrato at inihahanda lamang tayo bilang magiging mga produktibong manggagawang (labor power) magtatrabaho sa ilalim ng at para sa mga kapitalista’t dayuhan.

Isang hindi halatang pagpapaigting sa ganoong kalakaran ay ang panukalang tanggalin ang pag-aaral sa mas mataas na antas ng ating sariling wika. Matindi ang pagmamanipula sa ating edukasyon sapagkat alam nila na ang makapagbabagsak sa pananamantala sa madla ay isang makabayang porma ng edukasyong mapagpahalaga sa sariling wika.

Dito rin nagsisimula ang isang sistema ng pag-aaral na nagsisilbi sa tunay na interes ng mga Pilipino. Idagdag pa na, bilang wikang naiintindihan ng lahat, mainam itong pambuklod sa atin at sa mga nasa kanayunan tungo sa nasyonalismo.

Ang pagtanggal ng wika sa mataas na antas ay marapat tutulan sapagkat marami pa rin ang may kakulangan ang kaalaman sa pambansang wika -simpleng tamang paggamit na nga lang ng ‘nang’ at ‘ng’, at ng ‘rin’ at ‘din’ ay hindi pa rin alam. Hindi natin nakikitang malaking problema ito sa ating mga sarili sapagkat ang ilusyon at panlilinlang na Ingles ang lenggwahe ng mga henyo ay ibinusal sa atin upang patuloy nating sambahin at pagsilbihan ang mga dayuhan.

Ang isyu sa CHEd Memorandum Order No. 20 ay hindi lang kawalan ng trabaho ng mga propesor, korapsyon, pagpapanatili ng kamangmangan natin sa sariling wika o iba pa.

Isyu ito ng buong sambayanang tinatanggalan ng boses, karapatan at pagkakakilanlan bilang Pilipino.

Para sa Isang Malaya’t Nayonalistang Bansa Ang wikang nakakabit sa ating kultura at pagkakakilanlan, o cultural identity ay nagiging malabo dahil na rin sa ating makadayuhang oryentasyon. Kaya’t patuloy na nakapagpapabgal ng ating pag-unlad bilang bansa ang wika, hanggat hindi ito nabibigyan ng atensyon at pagpapahalaga.

Malaki ang magagawa ng sariling wika sa bansa tungo sa pagkakaisa’t pag-unlad dahil nagbibigay-linaw ito na hindi tayo isang lahing may halo ng mga karatig-bansa at mananakop.

Ngunit, sa pagsabay sa modernisasyon, hindi naman talaga maitatangging Ingles ang lenggwahe ng globalisasyon. Mismong pamahalaan na nga natin ang nagsabi na mahalaga na maging mahusay tayo sa paggamit nito upang maging globally competitive tayo -- isang hakbang daw tungo sa inaasam na pambansang kaunlaran. Bukod dito, naroon ang kagustuhan nating matanggal ang inferiority complex natin sa ibang bansang bihasa sa ingles. Buong akala nating mga Pilipino, ang pananalita ang wika ang tanging paraan para umangat sa buhay.

Pero, "kaunlaran" nga ba para kanino? At meron nga bang nawawalang kapanatagan bilang kapantay ng mga dayuhan?

Habang naaalis-kuno nga ang ating inferiority complex, doon naman nawawala ang pagrespeto’t pagkilala natin sa ating wika. Ang resulta, naglalaho na rin sa kamay natin ang kaunlarang hinahangad. Kung tutuusin, walang pag-unlad na nangyayari. Ang iniisip nating mga Pinoy na inferiority complex ay mali. Ang totoong inferiority complex ay ang pag-iisip at pagpapa-uto nating mas makabuluhan ang wikang banyaga kaysa Filipino.

Nakakalungkot na halos sa tuwing nagtatagumpay lang tayo sa larangan ng sports at iba pang talento natin inaangkin at niyayakap ang ating pagka-Pilipino, ngunit mismong sa sarili nating wikang atin lang talaga ay hindi natin maipamalas nang husto.

Makapagbibigay ng ebidensiya ang kasaysayan ng ibang bansa sa paghahanap natin ng kasiguraduhan na ang pag-unlad ay wala sa pagtangkilik ng dayuhang wika. Nariyan ang bansang Japan, China, at Korea na nagsimula sa pagpapa-unlad ng kanilang edukasyon sa sarili nilang wika.

Bukod dito, kailangang kilalanin natin na karamihan sa ating mga kababayan ay hindi nakakadama ng “sense of belongingness” lalo na ‘yung mga nasa kanayunan — dahil ang wikang

itinataguyod ng bansa ay ang wikang tanging mga taga-lungsod ang madalas na nakagagamit.

Marami ang hindi nakakapag-aral dahil nakatali pa rin sa pagsasaka, sa pangingisda, o sa iba pang pamprobinsyang paghahanap-buhay.

At walang ibang mas epektibong paraan upang pukawin ang kanilang interes tungo sa pambansang kaunlaran at pagkakaisa, kundi ilapit sa kanila ang pag-aaral sa wikang naiintindihan nila -- Filipino.

Ang pag-unlad natin ay hindi dapat mahadlangan lalo na sa ating unang hakbang -- ang paglilinang ng pambansang wika. Ang masiglang wikang naiintindihan ng lahat ang dapat nating mithiin at gawing kasangkapan sa pambansang industralisasyon, na atin namang gagawing pundasyon ng Pilipinas upang tuluyan nang makalaya sa dayuhang dikta at makatayo na sa wakas sa sarili nitong mga paa.

Maliwanag na taliwas sa mandato ng CHEd na "to establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of education relevant to the needs of the people and the society" ang sariling panukala nito.

Nakakalungkot na ang mga dapat tumutugon sa tunay na pangangailangan ng bawat Pilipino at ng bansa, ang mismo pang mga nag-aalis ng hakbang tungo sa nasyonalismo at pambansang industralisasyon.

Ang patuloy na pag-aaral ng pambansang wika ay kailangan sapagkat ito lang ang tanging paraan upang matutunan nating mahalin ang ating wika dahil kung hindi, habambuhay nating hindi makikilala ang ating sarili’t bansa. Walang mas nakakalungkot pa sa isang bansang magaling ngunit hindi ito nakikita dahil lang sa mayroon siyang pamantayang malayo sa dapat niyang sundin at pagtagumpayan.

Ang wikang Filipino, na kaluluwa’t salamin ng ating lipunan at sagisag ng pambansang pagkakakilanlan, ang nalalabing diwa ng ating damdaming makabayan at pambansang pagkakaisa na pangunahing susi natin sa pagsulong ng totoong kalayaan ng Pilipinas.

Dahil ang tatag ng wikang Filipino ay lakas ng ating pagka-Pilipino.

10 OPINION

Volume 28 Number 1 August 11, 2014 | Monday

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DILATED PUPILS

LITANIES AND EPIPHANIES

Jamilah Paola Dela Cruz Laguardia

Y

OU DIED. YET, NO PANG OF SORROW HAS EVER REGISTERED IN MY CONSCIOUSNESS. It was only ten seconds, but I could not bear to look at you any longer. It was not fear or remorse that had kept me from viewing your corpse in that elegant, white casket -- it was that feeling of absurdity and frustration that crept in my core. Hindi ikaw 'yun. Remarks about your handsome look were religiously given by my mother and cousins since the first Wednesday. They said you look serene, even giving a hint of a crooked smile.

But not for me. There was a nagging, questioning voice, insisting in my subconscious, that there might have been an exchange of bodies in the funeral parlor.

When I learned of your death, I did not stifle a cry. I just gushed all the air filling up in my lungs and hurried to my next task -- preparing your clothes. I must say the Barong Tagalog looked cozy on your lanky body. I was also tasked to look for a photo of yours that will be framed atop your casket. Finding one that will suit the atmosphere of your wake was a real challenge, because in all of your snapshots, you are either serious or grumpy.

Fortunately, I was able to find one where you look so jovial -- it was as if someone made a terrific knock-knock joke that had really tickled your funny bone.

On the last night of your wake, I was one of the last few persons who remained. My two cousins beside me are already snoring their way to dreamland, and my mother was busily re-arranging the rows of stargazers around your casket, as if by doing so, you would rise up and admire her handiwork. All the while,

I just stood there, staring at your casket, thinking that if I dare close my eyes, you will get up and yell, "Aba! P*tangina! Ano ba 'yang pinaggagawa mo?", just like how you scold me whenever I refuse to drink your "special" medicine concoction for cough and colds.

I unconsciously put my hand on the heartshaped scar on my arm, as I remembered those curse words. Whenever I close my eyes, I can still hear the shrill panic in your voice, the rise of temper that was evident in your furious eyes, as you rush to my side and beat the hell out of my brother when the clutches of his bike accidentally pulled my skin with it. You are repeatedly shouting "P*tangina

“

WE ARE ALL PRODUCTS OF HOW WE WANTED TO BE REMEMBERED WHEN DEATH WAVES ITS ADROIT FINGERS TOWARDS US.

kang bata ka!” -- the same words and pitch I always hear whenever I try to climb the guava tree in your backyard.

But you do not remember that now, do you?

The last time you said those words to me was when I sat beside you last New Year's celebration. The only difference is that before, you are fond of calling me "Jam-Jam". Now, you just stare into my eyes blankly, and do not recognize the same kid you always bring to the town's carnival to enjoy the majestic, but dangerously rusty Ferris wheel. You were not able to beat Alzheimer's, just like how Undertaker was not able to defend his flawless streak to John Lesnar. Oh, I guess

STORED VALUE

AITULAK NA AKO SA ISANG POSISYONG HINDI KO PWEDENG IWANAN.

Wala nang atrasan ‘to. Ilang taon kong inaasam na makaabot ako sa puntong ito ng aking buhay sa pamantasan. Sa wakas, senior na ako. Akala ko noong una, hanggang sa unang semestre lang ang maaabot ko. Pero, bukod sa pag-aaral, ang tunay na nagbibigay sa akin ng halo-halong emosyon ay ang pagiging isa sa dalawang pinakamatanda sa The Manila Collegian.

Noong una akong pumasok sa MKule, inisip ko na agad kung ano ang magiging buhay ko habang bahagi ako nito. Alam kong papasok ako sa isang institusyong hindi basta-basta ang pagtatrabaho at sakripisyo. Pero, hindi ko lubos na naisip na darating ako sa puntong ito.

Dala na rin ng komposisyon ng mga kabatch kong pumasok noon sa MKule ang isang dahilan kung bakit hindi ko naisip na magiging tagapangasiwa ako ng publikasyon ngayong taon. Magagaling sila at inakala ko noon na hindi sila aalis sa institusyon. Pero dahil hindi namin hawak ang buhay ng isa’t isa, napunta sila sa ibang landas, at isa ako sa natirang naglalakad sa landas ng pagiging manunulat. Ang mga pagkakataong iyon ang bumuhat sa akin sa lugar na ito — sa harap ng bagong taong pang-akademiko — bilang isang lider-estudyante.

The word "end" does not really possess any sort of concrete existence here in the universe -- life is just a series of pauses and breaks.

Humans just put "ends" to quell one's feeling of exhaustion, of fatigue, of frustration. Life is a never-ending continuity that challenges people to realize the beauty and essence of living, and that time is but a figment of one's imagination.

Death is always just around the corner -- it perpetually lingers, randomly selecting who will pick the next goodbye. We are all products of how we wanted to be remembered when death waves its adroit fingers towards us. It is ironic; we have always feared death when we are actually, throughout our lives, we are perennially preparing for it. We socialize with people that will aid us in preparing the best funeral in town, the individuals who will choose the most memorable epitaphs on our graves, and the persons who will immortalize us through flowers and candles.

When my grandfather died, I did not let anguish brim my sanity, nor did I exhibit waterworks with my eyes.

You died, but I have never felt more connected with and cherished by you, because of the memories you left, Tatay.

FIRST DRAFT

Angelo Dennis Aligaga Agdeppa

N

you do not remember watching Raw and Smackdown with me too, do you?

At your burial, in spite of mother and aunts' wailings, I still did not shed a tear. Does that make me a truly self-acknowledged apathetic and ingrate? No. Because your passing away introduced me to a new definition of life and death – a definition that makes your demise more memorable and bearable.

Wala pang pormal na pangkat ang mamahala sa publikasyon, kaya bilang nakatatanda at bahagi ng nakaraang Editorial Board, ako ang nangangasiwa. Kailangan kong itawid ang MKule hanggang sa tuluyan itong magkaroon ng mga pinuno. Mukhang madali, pero ang katotohanan ay taliwas sa inaakala ng marami. Katakot-takot na paghahanda ang kailangang gawin ng mga natitirang miyembro upang makabuo ng pinal na itsura ng dyaryo. Bawat isa sa amin, bahagi ng isang sistemang kailangang gumalaw nang

“

ANG THE MANILA COLLEGIAN AY PATULOY NA TITINDIG AT MAGMUMULAT NG MGA KAPWA NILA ISKOLAR NG BAYAN, SINOMAN ANG NAMUMUNO.

tama. Mula sa kabuuang tema hanggang sa pinakamaliliit na detalye ay binibigyangpansin.

Bagamat maraming araw at gabi ang inilaan namin sa paggawa ng dyaryo, masasabi kong malayo ito sa pagiging perpekto. Sa mga pagkakamali at pagkukulang ding ito ako tuluyang kinakabahan — maraming tao ang huhusga, mga kaibigan man o kaaway, kakilala man o hindi. Ganoon man kabigat

ang pressure sa tungkuling ito, ginagawa ko ang lahat dahil pinagkatiwalaan din ako ng lahat. Mahirap maiwan at mamuno, ngunit alam kong naging mahirap din naman sa mga alumni na iwan ang pamilyang nakasama nila ng ilang taon. Nirerespeto ko ang tiwalang ibinigay nila, at hindi ko sila bibiguin. Higit doon, may mga Iskolar ng Bayan akong dapat imulat.

BASAG-ULO Lean Sandigan KAKAIBABE* Parang napakahaba ng araw na ito, parang napakatagal bago matapos. Wala namang okasyon eh, sadyang naalala lang kita kasi kailangan kong magsulat tungkol sa iyo. Madali ko sanang maisusulat ito kung mayroong namagitan sa ating dalawa. Pero walang nangyaring ganoon kasi nagmahal akong mag-isa.

Pusang gala, oo na, cliché na.

Habang sinusulat ang column na ito, may dalawang babaeng nag-uusap sa lamesang malapit sa akin. Maganda sila at mukhang matalino. Pero habang pinapakinggan ko silang mag-usap, tama nga ako — mukha lang talaga silang matalino. Napaisip tuloy ako kung ganito ka rin ba, maganda, pero mababaw. Hindi mo naman kasi ako nabigyan ng pagkakataong makilala ka. Naging hamog ka sa aking madaling araw, nariyan, perpekto ang timing sa isang payapang umaga — pero mabilis na naglalaho, na ang tanging iniwan ay mga luha kong nakadampi sa mga dahon ng aking ulirat.

Pero kahit pa kasalanan mo ang lahat, kung bakit ilang araw na akong huli sa press schedule na ibinigay sa akin, hindi ko pa rin kayang kumbinsihin ang sarili kong kamuhian ka. Iniisip ko kung may pag-asa kayang maging pantay ang oras natin, parehong puyat sa parehong dahilan.

Naisip ko rin bigla kung makikita ko bang kumislap ang mga mata mo, o mai-uukit ko ba ang pangalan ko bilang dahilan ng iyong matatamis na ngiti.

Pumikit ako at sinubukang ibalik ang huling saglit na kaharap mo ako. Dumilat. Bwiset, hindi na nga kita maabot, nagmumukha pa akong tanga rito sa coffee shop.

Oo, mga babaeng suntok sa buwan ang type ko. Ang kaso minsan, mayroon talagang nakakakatok sa kalawakan para matupad ang mga hiling. Alam kong imposibleng maging tayo, pero yun din naman ang sinabi sa akin nung kumuha ako ng Math 11.

Ang dami kong gustong gawin, pero ang pinaghalong matamis mong ngiti at mapait na alaala ang sumasamhid sa aking lalamunan. Ang hirap mag-isip at maghanap ng lunduyan.

Simula pa lamang ito ng taon. Marami pa kaming matututunan, dahil marami pa kaming pagsisilbihan. Ang The Manila Collegian ay patuloy na titindig at magmumulat ng mga kapwa nila Iskolar ng Bayan, sinoman ang namumuno. Ang paghahanap sa katotohanan ang magiging lakas namin upang manatili sa harap ng unos o ginhawa.

Ilang araw na lang, magiging abala nanaman ako sa ibang bagay; at sa bawat araw na lilipas, susubukan kong palitan ang pangarap upang gawin tyansa. Para kahit uminog man ang mundo, at tuluyan tayong maging estranghero, walang nasira sa akin.

At ako, bilang miyembro nito, ay makikibaka para sa maunlad na kinabukasan, hanggang makamit ang tagumpay.

Kung sakali mang magbago isip mo, sigawan mo lang ako, babalik ako para sa’yo. Naks!

Hahakbang na ako palayo, pero iniwan kong bukas ang pinto.

*pahiram ako ng napakaganda mong kanta, Donnalyn

Mayroon ka bang gustong i-spluk kay Lola?

I-PM mo siya: facebook.com/lolapatola

EDITORIAL 11

Volume 28 Number 1 Monday | August 11, 2014

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NEWS CORRESPONDENTS Ezra Kristina Ostaya Bayalan Elizabeth Danielle Quiñones Fodulla Adolf Enrique Santos Gonzales Eunice Biñas Hechanova Carlo Rey Resureccion Martinez Ronilo Raymundo Mesa Gayle Calianga Reyna FEATURES CORRESPONDENTS Jennah Yelle Manato Mallari Angelica Natividad Reyes CULTURE CORRESPONDENTS Angelo Dennis Aligaga Agdeppa Jamilah Paola dela Cruz Laguardia Jose Lorenzo Querol Lanuza Thalia Real Villela RESIDENT ILLUSTRATORS Lizette Joan Campaña Daluz Daniel John Galinato Estember Princess Pauline Cervantes Habla Joanne Pauline Ramos Santos RESIDENT PHOTOJOURNALIST Janny Mary Camama Dagun RESIDENT LAYOUT ARTIST Patrick Jacob Laxamana Liwag OFFICE 4th Floor Student Center Building, University of the Philippines Manila, Padre Faura St. corner Ma. Orosa St., Ermita, Manila 1000 EMAIL themanilacollegian@gmail.com WEBSITES issuu.com/manilacollegian www.facebook.com/ themanilacollegian www.twitter.com/mkule themanilacollegian.tumblr.com MEMBER

Solidaridad - UP College Editors Systemwide Alliance of Guild of the Student Publications Philippines and Writers’ Organizations

The Cover

Illustration by Lizette Joan Campaña Daluz

JOANNE PAULINE RAMOS SANTOS

Bating Panimula AGING BAHAGI KA NG PAMANTASAN N SA PANAHON NG MATINDI NITONG SULIRANIN. Sa pagbubukas ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas sa buwan ng Agosto, malugod na binabati ng matinding problema ang mga Iskolar ng Bayan. Sa pagsisimula ng pamantasan sa panahon sa kalagitnaan ng taon dahil sa Academic Calendar Shift, ang mga estudyante ay patuloy na binabalot ng mga isyung makahahadlang sa kanilang mga pangarap.

kagamitan ng isang pamilya sa kanilang bahay. Isa itong malabong paraan upang malaman kung makakapagbayad ba ang isang estudyante ng matrikula.

Bagamat madali para sa nakakarami ang mag-apply dahil online, ang kapintasan ng sistemang ito, ay higit pa sa kapintasan ng mga ninuno nitong STFAP at Iskolar ng Bayan Program, mga programang pinagmulan ng patuloy na humuhusga sa mag-aaral sa pinansyal na kakayahan nila.

Ang “tuition discounts” na ipinamamahagi ng STS ay malaking patunay na untiunting namamatay ang UP bilang isang institusyong nagtataguyod ng libre at dekalibreng edukasyon.

diploma. Ang patuloy na pagbabawas sa badyet ng UP, hanggang sa mga paraan upang makalikom ng matrikula, at pagbababa ng palisyang represibo ay nagtutulak sa pamantasan upang iwan nito ang kanyang pampublikong karakter.

Sa sala-salabat na problema sa edukasyon, makikita na ang ugat ng pagdarahop ng bawat Iskolar ng Bayan ay nasa pagkukulang ng gobyerno upang ibigay ang karampatang badyet na kailangan ng mga institusyon. Hindi kailanman dapat ipinapataw sa mga mag-aaral, lalong lalo sa mga mag-aaral ng pampublikong paaralan, ang bigat ng pinansyal na responsibilidad kasabay ng pagsisikap.

Ang kabataan ay wala dapat patunayang anomang pinansyal na kapasidad para makapag-aral.

Maituturing mang bago ang kalendaryo, hindi naman ito nangangahulugang nawala na rin ang mga problema ng nakaraan. Ang ibinaka ng mga kawani at estudyante ng UP para sa ikagaganda ng Ngunit hindi nagtatapos sa isyu ng STS sistema ng edukasyon ay nagpapatuloy ang sasalubong sa mga Iskolar ng Bayan. sa panibagong taon, na kadalasan ay binabago lamang Ngunit ang mga problema sa ng pangalan para akalain ANG KABATAAN AY WALA DAPAT PATUNAYANG UP at maging sa sistema ng ng madla na mayroong pag- ANOMANG PINANSYAL NA KAPASIDAD PARA edukasyon ay hindi mawawala unlad. Subalit, ang pagbabago sa pagtatalakay lamang MAKAPAG-ARAL. sa pangalan ng isang polisiya sa kung ano ang nawala at ay walang kaibahan sa isang mawawala pa. Kinakailangan ahas na nagpalit ng balat — ng kagyat na pag-organisa makamandag pa rin ito at nakamamatay. Sa patuloy na pag-aaral at pakikibaka sa at pag-mobilisa ng mas malawak at mas Sa pananatili ng matagal nang huwad at karapatan sa edukasyon, pilit namang matibay na hanay ng mga estudyante upang pagdadag ng ilang bagong represibong pinuputol ang hanay ng mga progresibong siguraduhin ang pagtanggol sa karapatan polisiya, lalong mas tumatapang ang estudyanteng tungo sa pag-unlad, sa sa edukasyon ng bawat mamamayang lason na nagpapabulok sa sistema ng pamamagitan ng pagpapataw ng mga Pilipino. Sa mundo ng mga dapat, bilang edukasyon. batas at palisya. Hindi tiyak ang mga mga Iskolar ng Bayan, inaasahan ng bansa Iskolar ng Bayan sa kung ano ang maaaring na ang koletibong lakas, tapang, at talino Bakasyon pa lamang, agad nang pinatikim sunod na ipababang utos, ngunit mas ay maiaalay sa bayan. sa mga Iskolar ng Bayan ang una nitong di- magiging hindi tiyak ang seguridad ng mga makatarungang proyekto, ang Socialized karapatan kung walang magiging mulat Matagal nang itinuro sa atin ng UP at Tuition Scheme o STS. Ang dating Socialized sa pang-aabuso. Ang bawat pag-abuso ay ng kasaysayan na ang pagbabago ay Tuition Financial Assistance Program nakaaapekto hindi lamang sa mga Iskolar makakamit lamang sa pakikibaka. Walang (STFAP) ay nagbabalik sa bago nitong ng Bayan kung hindi maging sa mga kawani halaga ang karunungang taglay ng bawat pangalan at sa mas anti-estudyante nitong at guro ng pamantasan, hanggang sa mga Iskolar ng Bayan kung mananatili itong pamatanyan ng paghahati sa mga Iskolar ng manininda sa campus. nakaupo at nag-oobserba.

Bayan. Isa itong sistema ng pagpapangkat sa mga mag-aaral ng UP batay sa kanilang Dito makikita na ang sistema ng edukasyon Ang edukasyon ay isang karapatan. Higit kayamanan, kung saan ang sitwasyon ng sa UP at sa bansa ay patungo sa isang kailanman, ang panahon ng suliranin bawat indibidwal ay kailangang ilahad, kinabukasan kung saan ang tanging sa pamantasan ay dapat magmulat sa mula sa kabuuang kita ng pamilya sa kayang magbayad sa matrikula ay ang bawat Iskolar ng Bayan. Panahon ito ng isang taon, hanggang sa kung ilan ang tanging makakatanggap ng inaasam nitong pagkamulat, pagtindig, at paglaban.

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