Frat violence mars sem opening — Page 4 Philippine Collegian Opisyal na lingguhang pahayagan ng mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas - Diliman 22 Nobyembre 2011 Taon 89, Blg. 17
Coup de grâce A decade of travesties. A decade of lies. And now finally, a glimpse of justice. Editorial
2
Artwork by Ysa Calinawan
Notes from prison
Break-up blues
Features Page 9
Opinyon Pahina 10
Masama bang tawaging abnoy si Budoy? Kultura Pahina 6-7
Progress* Terminal Cases Delfin Mercado
B
e patient, they say. These things are without a doubt, necessary. The forced evictions, the smashing of homes, the relocation of families from their places of work to some unknown site near mountains are all part and parcel of a grand development plan. Whole families, with children who can barely walk and talk, might wander the streets after everything, but be consoled. There are no casualties, everyone got out of the rubble alive. Some were injured. Still, most survived the clearing operations without a scratch. Clearly, they have enough experience in this business to perform like professionals. You see, these things happen all the time. These things are so common; no one really thinks much of them. That is the way it should be, in this age where some good things are traded for better things. Like the homes of thousands for big, tall buildings for businessmen and investors. Like communities for sprawling spaces of gray concrete and fake greens. Their rationale for uprooting communities sounds like an overused sales pitch, but they are confident and reliable. Believe them when they say: the best is yet to come. In a few years time, these pieces of land now occupied with shanties will be commercial centers brimming with life. The buildings, made of concrete and glass, will shine when light strikes them, bright enough to blind us, and there will be parks with fountains and palm trees from the beach. The air inside these buildings will be rid of the smell of impoverished urban life; instead, the air will smell of apples, red and green, and lemons. People would want to walk in these buildings just to take a whiff of the fruity air of commerce—the addictive fragrance associated with posh places and overseas loot. The imagery does not sound so bad. These buildings could only be erected once these areas are cleared—of homes, of people. Demolitions and evictions are thus needed. Fires, especially in strategic times, are also plausible recourses in these clearing operations. That doesn’t mean, however, that they burn homes. Most of the time, fires just happen by accident. These acts of violence, as some are won’t to call them, are a small sum to pay for the promise of the revitalized metropolis. Who hates air-conditioned malls? No one. Who does not want to walk in modern parks, and stroll hand-inhand with a lover or with friends? No one. Who opposes progress? No one. No one. And yet, they need to remind us to be patient. ● * On the dawn of November 20, a fire razed a portion of a residential area near the National Irrigation Administration. Four died, while 500 families lost their homes and properties. The place where the fire occurred is part of the land area allotted for the Quezon City Central Business District.