June-July 2020 Tabloid

1

vol. 73 issue 02

J U N E - J U LY 2 0 2 0

S

E

R

V

E

T

H

E

P

E

O

P

L

E

A farmer smiles while listening to a mass leader during the SONA ng Bayan protest action

Photo by Marienel Calma

Cabalen youth defies Anti - Terror Bill

By Jhon Marco Magdangal Student councils, organizations and three hundred students from various universities and colleges in Pampanga led

by Anakbayan Pampanga signed a unity statement opposing the draconian and repressive Anti Terror Bill.

In the unity statement posted in the official Facebook page of Anakbayan Pampanga, the group condemned the controversial bill asserting that the draconian provisions and measures in the bill will trample on democratic rights and freedom of speech.

“We, the united students and leaders from different Cabalen schools, colleges, universities and organizations in Pampanga, stand firmly against and vehemently condemn the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Bill,” Anakbayan stated.

The signature campaign and the unity statement was joined by the University of the Philippines Diliman Extension, Holy Angel University University Student Council, Angeles University Foundation Student Council, Our Lady of Fatima University Student Council, Angeles City Sci-

ence High School Student Government, Chevalier School Supreme Government, Anakbayan HAU, League of Filipino Students HAU, Bahaghari HAU, Bahaghari San Fernando, Anakbayan AUF, Anakbayan, and The Angelite.

The campaign also drew a total of 313 individual signatories composed of students from the aforementioned universities and colleges.

Angelites opposes Terror Bill The University Student Council, the College Stu-

dent Councils (except for the College of Criminal Justice and Forensics), student publications and organizations of the University also showed their dissent in a unity statement to lay out the objections of the student body against the controversial bill.

“This will weaponize the law and warrant the State to vehemently erode our civil rights and liberation enshrined in the constitution.” stated in the official statement posted by the University Student Council.

Furthermore, the statement also pleads to the in-

cumbent congressmen in Pampanga to retract their vote. However, all of the Pampanga legislators voted yes except for one who claimed that he did not vote.

Meanwhile, the Holy Angel University opposes the said bill as well. In an exclusive email to the Angelite the University President pleads to the government to focus on what is truly important and needed during this perilous time.

Student activists speak out against impunity for Independence Day Student activists in Angeles City gathered to protest in Plaza Miranda alongside the nationwide protest for the 122nd Philippine Independence Day. Physical distancing and other proper health measures were observed as activists from Bahaghari HAU, Anakbayan Pampanga, Kabataan Partylist Pampanga, College Editors Guild of the Philippines - Central Luzon, and other civilians engaged in the short protest action.

“Lalong mahalaga ang pagiging outspoken ngayon dahil mas malalim na ang pagpapatahimik at

pagtugon ng dahas ng estado sa mga dissenters. Ibig sabihin ay sila mismo ang takot sa paglakas pa lalo ng boses ng masa, kung kaya’t mas lalo pa dapat itong palakasin,” Anakbayan HAU Chairperson Cheska Nolasco said.

The peaceful demonstration calls to junk the Anti-Terrorism Bill as it can be twisted and abused to serve as a weapon by the state in the guise of its legality once passed as a law.

Other calls from the protest include the overdue justice from the government’s incompetence in handling the COVID-19 pandemic as the people continue to struggle to

By Erica Clare B. Garcia make ends meet. More frontliners, OFWs, unemployed workers and their families are yet to be more recognized with sufficient help.

“Ang ating pakikilahok sa mga isyung panlipunan [at mga protesta] ay tanda na ang kabataan sa ating henerasyon ang bumubuhay sa mga pahayag, na ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan,” HAU-BSEd student and chairperson of CEGPCL Denisse Macalino said in an interview.

Police officers lingered around the area, taking pictures of the student activists themselves. Eyeing them, they were also followed after the dispersal and were

asked of their names and organizations. Nothing else proceeded afterwards.

Notorious history of abuse The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN OHCHR) released a comprehensive report early this month about the widespread killings under the Duterte administration, stating that the government’s “heavy-handed” focus to diminish national security threats have led to severe human rights abuses while reinforced by the “harmful rhetoric” of government officials.

According to World Report 2020: Philippines of

the Human Rights Watch, state security forces and government-backed paramilitaries continue to harass, threaten, arbitrarily arrest, and in some instances attack and kill political activists, environmentalists, community leaders, and journalists.

With the Anti-Terror Bill yet to be signed, critics are concerned for the law that would allow arrest without warrant, longer detention, gained power of the executive branch, and the possibility that anyone could be tagged as a terrorist by the authorities, duly suppressing basic rights such as freedom of expression.

2

vol. 73 issue 02

J U N E - J U LY 2 0 2 0

S

E

R

V

E

T

H

Progressive group slams red-tagging amidst pandemic

By Klenia Ern B. Mendiola Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Gitnang Luzon (BAYAN GL) condemned the red-tagging of human rights advocates, labor and youth activists, including two former editors of The Angelite by ways of online posts, distribution of pamphlets, and pinned tarpaulins.

Jaypee D. Cabral, former editor-in-chief of The An-

gelite 2017-2018 and Lester Mae Castillo, former literary editor 2014-2015 were among those implicated.

“As we continue to defend human rights, the government must ensure medical intervention instead of state militarization, we have been subject to both online and offline vilification from March and still ongoing as of this writing,” stated by Au Santia-

go, the Secretary-General of BAYAN Gitnang Luson.

According to BAYAN GL’s official statement, the tarpaulins were hanged in major cities around Pampanga, Bataan, Tarlac, Bulacan, and Aurora tagging legal activists as ‘NPA recruiters’.

These printed materials included images, names, and even addresses of each personality.

PUJ drivers, operators struggle to resume operations

Photo by John Jozef Timbol da ng jeepney. Pero pinagaaralan pa po paano magkaroon ng social distancing sa ating mga jeepney,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Laging Handa press briefing on May 30.

The loosened quarantine measures were announced by the government only three days before their implementation on June 1st, with the government strongly affirming the continued suspension of PUJs. Pampanga PIO on Facebook posted on May 31 that this restriction does not apply to provinces set in

P

E

O

GCQ. Such an announcement was a clarification that many did not know since the government is keen on reminding otherwise.

However, adjustments are still occuring in Pampanga as drivers of mass transport must first seize a special permit from LTFRB - Region III to authorize their comeback. To date, an exact number of active jeepney drivers are yet to be reported in spite of the already approved number of units allowed to roll out per route.

Coordinator and Spokesperson of Pinagkai-

P

L

E

Number of enrolled students, halfway thru target With the first month of enrollment over, the number of enrolled students have reached 4,690 or 59.5% of the given target which is 7,878 as of July 09, according to Dr. Jess Panlilio, the university registrar.

Dr. Panlilio added that the enrollment is still ongoing until the end of July, which means a month remains to reach the given target.

Almost 9,000 college students were enrolled last semester but many are forced to stop their schooling in the midst of the public health crisis due to various reasons.

Problems and difficulties in enrollment.

“Throughout the enrollment, students and parents have experienced difficulties especially in payments due to the wrong inputs of student numbers and the wrong entry of the semes-

By Erica Clare B. Garcia

A week in after Pampanga shifts to the general community quarantine (GCQ), measures to allow the resumption of public transport are still adjusting, particularly public utility jeepneys (PUJs).

From the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) guidelines, PUJs remain withheld from operating again as the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) is still studying how they will be able to return, already almost three months since the Luzon-wide quarantine has taken place.

“Pasensiya na po sa ating mga kapatid na namamasa-

E

sang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) - Central Luzon Allan Bonifacio stated it has definitely not reached at least half of the 3,711 traditional jeepney units expected to operate in the 84 established routes in the province, and many are still waiting to receive their own special permit.

“Inilabas ng LTFRB Reg. 3 ang approved numbers per ruta ng mga bayan sa buong Region 3. Pero ang [mga] numerong yun ay di ibig sabihin ay may katumbas na PUJs nang makakabyahe dahil nga sa special permit na pahirap sa mga drivers at maliliit na operators. May ibang ruta na kailan lang nakakuha ng special permit,” Bonifacio said on an interview with The Angelite last June 9.

Off the road Jeepney drivers themselves are also expected to design and regularly disinfect the inside of their

By Precious Medina

ter,” said Dr. Panlilio.

He also mentioned concerns such as that some senior high students were accidentally given the wrong student number, and some irregular students are having difficulty in accessing the student portal.

“The enrollment committee actively addresses these difficulties as soon as we can.” Panlilio added.

HAUSC financial outlook deems relevant Back in April, the Holy Angel University Student Council conducted a survey to give an overall financial outlook of the students.

With 858 respondents, the report showed that the majority answered Probably Not as regards to the students’ settling of financial obligations, capacity to settle entrance fee, and decision to enroll given the most recent guidelines.

The full document can be viewed on their Facebook page. jeepneys out of their own pockets. Aside from such expenses, those that are already able to operate cannot earn livable wages due to the limited capacity of the trips.

Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda introduced a program called Tulong Pasada on June 5, where 500 jeepney drivers and operators in the whole province will receive a temporary subsidy worth PHP600 for fuel and other expenses.

“Then we are going to assess. Tignan ho natin kung kulang pa rin o papano. Titignan ho natin yung mga problema pa nun,” Gov. Pineda said.

Pampanga PIO has yet to update any details such as whether this is a ‘first come, first served’ basis, how many so far have already received the subsidy, how long this program will last, or whether all of the approved number of drivers will someday be accommodated.

3

vol. 73 issue 02

J U N E - J U LY 2 0 2 0 Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon (AMGL) held a dialogue with the Department of Agriculture (DA) on June 10 following a request filed to discuss concerns regarding the livelihood of local farmers amid the global pandemic with the Regional Director. The dialogue was held in the Regional Office of the DA between members of the agency and Joseph Canlas, the chairperson of the AMGL. Two results stemmed from the dialogue: the first one being that the Regional Office of the DA provided a list of the farmers who have been given relief goods as well as financial assistance by the government though they did not give a list of those who have yet to be given the assistance.

The second result was the agency’s agreement of the AMGL proposed Peasant Stimulus Package and offered to help should the request be approved as part of

S

E

R

V

E

T

H

E

P

E

O

P

L

E

AMGL SEEK AID AMID COVID-19 PANDEMIC

By Andrea Feller

the national fund by the government.

Assistance for Agriculture “Ang pangunahing laman na piniling namin na pagusapan sa diyalogo

Photo by Joaquin Punzalan

sa DA Regional Office ay ang Social Amelioration Program ng gobyerno para sa magsasaka at tsaka ung tinatawag nilang Financial Assistance na halagang 5,000 sa mga magsasakang may lupang di bababa o lalagpas ng isang hectaryo pero pwedeng bumaba sa isang hectaryo,” Joseph Canlas stated.

Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act states that each low-income household is to receive a subsidy ranging from P5,000 to P8,000 per month for two months.

Canlas also added that there are problems regarding the distribution of relief goods

and financial assistance for farmers. The issuing of assistance for the farmers was slow-paced and was limited as only a few families were able to receive it.

“Ngunit napakalimitado ang bilang na nakatanggap bukod sa mabagal, napakakonti ang mga nakatanggap.

‘Yon ang isang inihapag namin na ‘bakit ganun?’.

Bakit ganyan ang naging pagturing ng gobyerno sa aming magsasaka sa kabila ng tulad din sa ibang sektor na dumaranas din ng matinding kahirapan sa panahon na pagpapatupad ng ECQ ng gobyerno sa ilalim ng Covid-19 pandemic.” stated Canlas.

Photo by Justin Basco

In a press release by Peasant Watch CL, the DA has reported that a total of 94% of farmers have received financial assistance.

Canlas disputes this, saying that the report was given by the LGU and not the farmers themselves, therefore the data is not accurate.

Another issue brought up is the Philippine Economic Stimulus Act of 2020 (PESA) wherein the AMGL proposed the Peasant Stimulus Package in the dialogue to provide and prioritize financial assistance to peasant farm workers as Canlas stated that the agricultural sector is not prioritized or noticed in the PESA.

“Samantalang dapat sana ang gobyerno natin, ito ang pangunahing bigyan ng diin—’yong agrikultura natin. Dahil ang agrikultura natin, ito ‘yong pinakapangunahing batayan sa laylayan ng ating ekonomiya.”

Canlas added.

He also mentioned that if the government does prioritize citizens working in the agricultural sector, then 75% of them would less likely struggle.

Canlas lastly stated that true land reform is still needed as well as precise planning with guidelines to strengthen production for farmers.

Photo by NCC Philippines

Group commemorates enviro activist death

By Jhon Marco Magdangal In the 8th death anniversary of the environmental defender and activist William Geerthman, progressive groups went out to the streets of Angeles, and Mabacalat to protest the signing of the Anti Terror Law. Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) , a coalition of progressive organizations, claimed that the murder of William Geerth-

man proves that even without the Anti Terror Law activists are already being killed.

“Patunay na mula noon, hanggang ngayon, sinusupil na at kinikitil ang mga aktibista at progresibo,” said Pol Viuya, the chairperson of BAYAN.” William Geerthman was active in defending the environment against unsustainable mining, and

aggressive development, particularly in the Central Luzon region.

The group firmly believes that the murder of Geerthman was politically motivated.

In 2019, a man was convicted for the murder of the activist however despite these critics still believes that the mastermind is still at large.

5

vol. 73 issue 02

J U N E - J U LY 2 0 2 0

S

E

R

V

E

T

H

E

P

E

O

P

L

E

EMERGENCE OF FAKE ACCOUNTS; HUNDREDS OF

ANGELITES VICTIMIZED

By Luis Bonifacio

More than a hundred of Angelite students have been victimized by the emergence of fake accounts on Facebook.

In The Angelite’s Facebook post last June 7 regarding the emergence of fake accounts, it asked the students to comment the profile link of “any suspicious accounts bearing your name.” The post, as of June 11, garnered 538 comments, mostly of profile links from students and a total of 865 shares.

While HAU responded through its official Facebook page by posting an infographic on social media account protection.

Fake accounts response to activism?

This explosion of dummy accounts from many Facebook users in the country happened during the weekend, a day after the arrest of eight activists at UP Cebu with the hashtags, #FreeCebu8 and #JunkTerrorBill last June

11. The former calls for the release of the 8 activists who were protesting against the railroading of the Anti-Terrorism bill, which many critics and lawyers opposed for having “vague” and “unconstitutional” provisions that can be used to silence dissent.

The said bill has already been sent to the Malacañang and is only waiting for the President’s signature.

Although, even without the President’s signature, after 30 days, the bill will naturally turn into law.

Various reports and social media statements reveal that these dummies allegedly harassed and sent death threats to the real account owners thereby showing their true purpose. Many of those created with fake accounts were usually vocal on political matters in their social media account.

A new strategy Jonathan Corpus Ong, a researcher on disinformation, said in a Twitter

thread that the unexpected emergence of dummy account breaks from the previous strategy used by trolls which are; use of micro-influencers and infiltrators to influence a closed group through the use of the populist narrative of DDS-vs-Dilawan and; the “doubling-down” of this said divisive narrative.

Ong then questioned Facebook and cybersecurity investigators if this attack was either “automated or manually operated,” and if there was a data breach because of the gravity of legitimate personal accounts faked.

He also added that those people behind these fake accounts were not handled by the likes of Mocha Uson but those who are “high-level strategists” that oftentimes flash these operations to interested political clients.

Facebook and controversies with populist administrations

During the 2016 Presidential election period, Facebook became the fertile ground for systematic disinformation or the so-called “fake news,” which many experts believe is linked with the data breach from Cambridge Analytica that may have helped strengthen the political bases of two authoritarian Presidents Rodrigo Duterte and Donald Trump of the US. Despite various calls from lawmakers in the US, Facebook strongly maintains its position against fact-checking political ads as to protect “free speech.” Many experts also believe that the populist disinformation campaign is synonymous to the country which may have also paved the way to the rise of its current President, Donald Trump.

Characteristics of a fake account The fake accounts that emerged have a set of characteristics; the false user

can be seen with the profile info as “recently joined;” the account has no profile picture, cover photo and basic information; the name of victim is used in different styles that may differ in spelling and; with some reports, the said accounts harass online.

Reporting on Facebook In the social media giant’s statement released on June 7, it encouraged its users to continue reporting accounts that are deemed to be inauthentic users. It also said that it is “investigating reports of suspicious activity” and will be taking actions that are found to be violating its policies.

Reporting the account should be prioritized assoon-as-possible.

In the mobile application version, select “Find Support or Report Profile,” then select “Pretending to Be Someone” option and choose who the account is faking to be.

Pampanga lawmaker authors ATB

By Hannah Rica Pineda Photo by CNN

Pampanga 3rd District Representative Aurelio ‘Dong’ Gonzales is allegedly one of the Principal Authors of The

Anti-Terrorism Bill Act of 2020. However, on June 2, 2020 his name is no longer included in the list of principal authors

after receiving backslash.

The lawmaker claimed that he does not have any idea on why his honorific took place on the pen-pusher’s list of the controversial bill.

He further stated that he did not inscribe and endorse the House Bill 6875 which attempts to amend the Human Security Act of 2007. He also added that he was not capable to vote because he is presiding the

plenary.

Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto III lambasted Anti-Terrorism Bill critics labelling them as “epal” (annoying person).

“Napakaraming naririrnig at nagbabasa sa social media na mukhang hindi naiintindihan eh, katakot-takot na pintas, Hindi alam itong anti-terrorism bill na bago. Ang daming epal, ika nga. Tapos ang dami namang pumipintas, ‘yung pinipintas nila wala doon sa bill.”

Sotto said.

On the other hand, Sotto assures that upon its drafting stage, it acts in accordance with the constitution as it was consulted by former justices of the Supreme Court.

A total of 173 legislators voted in the affirmative, with 31 members opposing and 29 abstaining as the speaker verifying the bill as “urgent” Summoning its passing prior to the Congress.

6

vol. 73 issue 02

J U N E - J U LY 2 0 2 0

S

E

R

V

E

T

H

E

P

E

O

P

L

E

EDITORIAL

WakaSONA ang pasismo F

our years into his pres idency, Duterte has left nothing but a trail of blood, impunity, and a nation at the brink of economic collapse. In all of his state of the nation addresses, Duterte always turns a blind eye to the actual grave condition of the country and the Filipino masses under his fascist rule. The speech he delivered today that lasted for 100 minutes which garnered 44 claps, did not accomplish its real purpose.

The state of the nation?

Worse than worst. Despite having the longest government-imposed lockdown in the world, the Duterte administration is yet to take accountability and a science-based approach to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

State forces took advantage of the grave situation by intensifying human rights violations. The Commission on Human Rights

(CHR) revealed that they have received almost 1,000 complaints about human rights offenses since the community quarantine occurred. We have lain witness to the cost of the militaristic response the State has implemented, the Asia Pacific Research Network recorded 10,000 arrests due to curfew violations.

The Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Education pushed their agendas without any concrete plans for a safe school opening and an inclusive and accessible mode of learning. Pushing for an alternative learning system disregarding the fact that many Filipinos do not have access to the Internet and gadgets required for online learning.

The marginalized sectors were pushed to the edge. Demolition jobs still occurred in urban poor communities which dis-

placed hundreds of families, jeepney drivers were forced to ask for alms to survive, while farmers and workers from distant provinces were not given adequate relief and assistance.

The lack of government support caused the death of doctors and nurses, while discrimination grows rampant among recovered patients.

Thousands of lives have been taken away because of the incompetence of the

Duterte administration.

While those in power fail to effectively control the virus due to the militarized approach against the health crisis, the Filipino masses continue to suffer in all aspects—physically, mentally, and financially.

It is evident and clear that Duterte and his cabal of corrupted and despicable public officials do not care about the lives of the Filipino people. His interest lies in favor of the United States

and China, with trillions in debt from the US debt trapping apparatus, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, and the continuous military exercises of the US while China is reclaiming the West Philippine Sea. Duterte is but a traitor to the Filipino people and our call echoes the call of the true SONA ng bayan, the ouster of the despicable traitor and fascist president Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Ang hamon sa takipsilim M

atagal na makulimlim rito, sa katunayan hindi ko na maalala kung kailan huli suminag ang araw. Sa bawat sulok dama ang paghahasik ng takot, ang sapilitang pagsupil sa mga boses. Kailan lang may dinakip doon sa may kanto, masyado raw bulgar ang pananalita at iyon ang pinaka ayaw nila. Marami na rin ang napilitan mana-

himik na lang pero mas marami ang tumitindig kahit minsa’y nanginginig ang boses.

“Junk terror bill!”, ang sigaw nila sa lansangan, kalat-kalat ang tinig at dinig ang kalinawan ng mga boses sa kabila ng takip sa bibig. May mga bitbit na plakard at magkakahiwalay silang nagmartsa, habang nakamasid ang mga militar.

‘

Sa panahon ngayon, hindi opsyon ang manahimik laluna’t ang mismong boses natin ang nakataya.

Andiyan din ang mga pambabatikos, Mga bayaran!

Umuwi na lang kayo! Takot kasi terorista! Sa mga ganoong pagkakataon, siguro nakakapanghina ng loob pero hindi dapat tayo titiklop.

Kailan rin may personal na pag-atake akong natanggap, matalino raw ako ngunit nagpapalinlang.

Sa hulihan nabanggit na huwag daw magpapalinlang sa mga tulad namin, pero sino ba ang tunay na mapanlinlang? Hanggang ngayon wala pa rin lehitimo at konkretong plano para sa mass testing sa kabila ng anunsyo

no’ng Abril. Madaming pagkakataon na rin may pagtatangka sa ating soberanya, sa mismong pagkakakilanlan natin bilang mga Pilipino ngunit bawat pagkakataon ay pagkabigo.. Mukhang wala na rin ibang tatanggol sa atin kun’di tayo tayo na lang.

7

vol. 73 issue 02

J U N E - J U LY 2 0 2 0 Ngayon nasa yugto tayo ng papalapit na dilim, pahigpit nang pahigpit ang tanikala--- ang hirap na huminga. Sa panahon ngayon, hindi opsyon ang manahimik laluna’t ang mismong boses natin ang nakataya. Akala malaya, deka-dekada sinusubo sa atin ang huwad na kasarinlan. Sa mga isla natin iba ang umuokopa, habang

S

E

R

ang mga pulis at militar ibang interes ang pinaglilingkuran, ultimo mga nakaupo hindi kaya sundan ang mga sariling panukala. Ahh malaya, malayang manlamang ng kapwa.

Sa ilalim ng Terror Bill, walang puwang ang mga panawagan nating mapagpalaya at maisasabatas ang walang basehan na pagtatak sa mga mamamayan

V

E

T

H

bilang terorista. Marami na ang nagkaisa para sugpuin ang panukala, para iparating sa mga mambabatas na hindi ito tama, sobra na. Kaliwa’t kanan ang patayan, kasabay pa ng pandemyang hindi matanaw ang katapusan. Mga mamamayan kumakalam na ang tiyan, yaong iba inaresto pa nga. Ngayon nga’y lantaran na ang kilabot, paano pa

E

P

E

O

kaya ang magiging kalagayan natin sa pagpasa ng Terror Bill.

Sa kabila ng lahat ay may mga nananatiling matatatag at patuloy na naniniwala, hindi sa mga salita ng sinumang pulitiko o kaya naman silang nagwawalang-bahala na lang. Mga masa na patuloy lalaban nang walang-kapaguran sa mukha ng tiranya.

P

L

E

Mga kamaong lagilagi tataas sa ngalan ng pagkakaisa ng diwa. At ang simbuyo ng damdamin, ang pagiging likas na rebolusyonaryo natin kailanman ay hindi papawi. Ang hamon na kasin-tanda na nila Andres, “Kabataan, handa ka bang paglingkuran ang sambayanan?”

The Good, The Bad, and The Criticisms

A

s COVID-19 strikes along the way, affecting the below par, joint struggles are at play to create a one paramount dilemma –poverty. To take off, we think of feasible course of actions that would elude ourselves from the boiling pot of deprivation.

However, evaporation fails to come off as the heat goes down and down, leaving us into submerging.

The Good As COVID-19 threats every possible living, one of the protocols the government is strictly imposing is the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). This requires people to stay at home and restricts people from going out except for necessity, work, and health circumstances as a response to a rapidly growing number of positive cases in the country.

For almost four months since the total lockdown, workplace for some are still banned for operations. Thus, people decided to procreate something

which helps them survive despite the inconsistency of the financial aids and all.

Quaranthings have

‘

Being “walang pake” in this failed system manifests a great achievement of neglecting your commitment to being a Filipino. As being a Filipino comes with a voice of your choice, whether pro or against.

been introduced which connotes the things occurred during the quarantine period. A variety of these things were put up out of boredom for some, but out of necessity for majority. These include doing tiktok, home workout, cooking, binge on Netflix, DIY haircut, home services, and the massive hits online selling, vlogging/blogging, and cycling as a way of exercise or mode of transportation.

The Bad As majority relies heavily on these quaranthings, the government sees that

it paints bandwagon effects as these became swift trends online. Thus, the government makes sure to put barricades in every way possible, imposing taxes where no one could ever possibly think of before quarantine period.

Last June 11, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) reminds the online sellers to register their businesses on or before July 31 to pay their taxes including their past sales. However, those of which abruptly booming are small or part-time businesses, earning smallscale profit barely makes their everyday needs.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, BIR also sees the need to get additional tax revenues from digital economy –Facebook ads, Netflix, Google, bloggers, and YouTubers. This is to finance the programs used in combatting the pandemic crisis. However, as the Philippine economy dried up for the first time in more than two decades, the government borrowed funds from World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and Asian Development Bank (ADB) –to name a

few. These loans left Filipinos into worrying as the public debt is certainly at its peak while continuously dehydrating the digital economy.

As public transportations are limited due to jeepney phase-out, bicycle lane has been established to give way to those who don’t have private vehicles. However, BIR also eyes for prompted calls of registration program for bicycles. Seemingly, BIR tends to forget that bicycles are being introduced due to incapacity to have private vehicles which cost more than any poor life. And yet, they still manage to think of a registration fee amidst poverty-stricken condition.

As we confront the burden of the virus through these avenues, the government still robbed us every detailed way of making it a survivable country.

There are plenty of issues that need to be addressed, however, they are consistently solving the wrong problems.

The Criticisms

I, myself enjoy

quaranthings as my personal getaway from the substandard happenings and my means of combatting every nuisance I encounter during this pandemic. Of all the quaranthings I perfectly achieved, my prime favorite is to criticize the events hitting our system –pros or cons.

Being “walang pake” in this failed system manifests a great achievement of neglecting your commitment to being a Filipino. As being a Filipino comes with a voice of your choice, whether pro or against. Still, you have the voice that criticize and a choice that lies within you.

Thus, criticism is part of us. As to criticize is to be a keen observer; to criticize is to get involved with the current social issues; to criticize is to be the voice of the underprivileged and marginalized; to criticize is to protect every right we have from oppression; and mostly, to criticize is free from taxes, truth is the only investment. And you, how do you criticize?

8

vol. 73 issue 02

J U N E - J U LY 2 0 2 0

S

E

R

V

E

T

H

E

P

E

O

P

L

E

Oras na, Gising Na sa lahat sa mga U nanagbabasa nito wala akong pake sa sasabihin ninyo, kung tingin ninyo pangit ang article ko o maganda nasa inyo na ‘yon at kung may problema kayo PM ninyo ako sa Facebook .

Ngayong nagkaliwanagan na tayo, gusto ko lang sabihin sa’yo kung tulog ka pa ito na ang oras para gumising ka na. Madami na nang yari sa Pinas, may COVID-19 pandemic at ang gobyerno nating walang kwenta, pabaya, at mas pinipili pa na mag-deploy ng mga berdugo sa lansangan kesa sa maglunsad ng mass testing tulad ng Viet Nam o New Zeland. K asabay nito, nagpatupad pa sila ng batas na basically Martial Law pero pinabango at

‘

Kaya sa ganitong panahon kung saan nananaig ang pasismo, ano ang gagawin mo? Ano ang gagawin natin?

sa totoo lang ay mas malala pa sa Martial Law ni Marcos.

K ailan lang ang pagpasara sa ABS-CBN na hindi naman ako fan pero putcha imagine ilang libong Filipino ang mawawalan ng access sa balita, at impormasyon lalo na sa panahon ng pandemya at ang masaklap ay mawawalan ng trabaho ang libo-libong empleyado ng ABSCBN. Nagsara ang ABS at nagpatupad ng batas na mala-martial law, hindi ito pawang coincidence lang. Malamang sa malamang ,

Love, Xinjie

D

ear life, what’s going to happen next?

Somewhere in life we question ourselves. The endless questions we tend to ask when we look in the mirror trying to pick up the point – yes, the point in trying. The sense of no matter how much you work at it nothing good

will happen. An endless cycle of pain and suffering. Ah, the futility of life.

We tend to search for too much of “something”. The number of questions that lead to further questions.

Why everything just seem to be against me? Who else am I going to meet in the future? How? When?

What?

Just how many W’s and H do you think you’ll ask just to get the answers you’re looking for? You see, what’s wrong with us?

We tend to look for the future, we tend to ask for

sinadya ito ni Duterte para higpitan ang tanikala na pinalupot niya sa ating leeg lalo na sa panahon kung saan tayo ay gutom, at galit. Samantala, naglalaway naman ang mga alipores ni Duterte, gustong bilhin at palitan ang ABS ng mga hinapuyak na tuta ng mga instik tulad ni Dennis Uy na nagmamay-ari ng isang telecom company kasapakat ang Tsina, putcha.

Matunog din sa balita ang mga pulis ngayon, patayan diyan at patayan doon.

Ayon sa isang imbestigasyon ng UN Human Rights council napatunayan na mahilig talaga magtanim ng droga at revolver ang mga hinayupak na mga pulis na ito. Mahilig din sila pumatay ng mga inosente tulad ni Kian delos Santos

‘

I think that maybe the only time we can stop the futile of life is to search for it. Instead of asking it, why don’t we take our backpack and do an adventure. the future. I’m not going to be hypocrite but yes, I always ask this myself.

Lying around the floor questioning my entire existence. Which made me forgot to live in the present. Unfortunately for us human beings, we tend to care for the future too much that we forget to decide something to be happy about.

The problem is that we are not quite sure what

na pinatay habang nakaluhod, o ‘yong dota player na pinatay din nila at pinaratangan na nagpaputok pabalik . K ahit nga mga sundalo napapatay ng mga hinapuyak na ito, ganoon sila kasahol.

K aya sa ganitong panahon kung saan nananaig ang pasismo, ano ang gagawin mo?

Ano ang gagawin natin? Siguro iniisip mo na mananahimik ka na lang tutal wala naman mang yayari sa’yo kung hindi ka naman maingay. Subalit kapatid doon ka nagkakamali, sapagkat marami tayo p’wedeng gawin at hindi nararapat na tayo ay manahimik na lamang. K ailangan natin putulin ang tanikala na nakapalupot sa atin dahil wala naman mawawala kung tayo ay lalaban, kailangan

happiness is. Sometimes we feel great, sometimes it feels bland and mostly we think it’s painful. We look for something that satisfy us. Something that fill our empty cup. We want to be considered as important – something that we could fit in. Thus, we question ourselves further.

I think that maybe the only time we can stop the futile of life is to search for it. Instead of asking it, why don’t we take our backpack and do an adventure. Search for the meaning thoroughly and sincerely answer it. There’s nothing going to happen in sitting around asking the sky, what is life? In some point of our life, we’ll have wrinkles and

din natin magkaisa sumali sa Anakbayan o The Angelite kung trip mo ay journalism at sama-sama natin bigwasan ang tuta na naka-upo ngayon sa Malacañang.

Hindi natin tiyak kung kailan pero dadating ang panahon ay maging ikaw ay maaari mapatay at paratangan na adik o terorista.

Kung hindi man ikaw, p’wede ang pinsan mo, kaibigan mo, kapitbahay, tatay, nanay, o syota, kaya hihintayin mo pa ba na mabigwasan ka bago mo piliin na makisa para sa paglaya ng ating bayan?

sore bones and we’ll think of memories we regret we missed. We tend to look for these things in other people, that we forget we can still get them within ourselves.

If you think God can help us like how Solomon found it. Then look for the spiritual answers. If you think having party and all makes you happy, then so be it. There are a lot of things to discover. It’s like climbing the mountain up and climbing it down back again. It will be difficult, gives you a lot of trouble but the reward of being on top of the mountain is satisfying. I hope that one day, we’ll see the answers we were looking for.

9

vol. 73 issue 02

J U N E - J U LY 2 0 2 0

S

E

R

V

E

T

H

E

P

E

O

P

L

E

Sa pula o sa puti

Ang mga suB abala: musunod na pahatid na mga mensahe ay may kakayahang mang-inis at manindak sa mga kulang sa pansin at sa mga mahihilig magpapansin.

Ngunit ang masasabi ko lang ay wala akong pakielam. Bato-bato sa langit, ang matamaan ay ‘wag magalit!

Sa pula o sa puti: Sino ang magwawagi? Ngunit isang tanong, isang sagot.

Babae ka ba o lalaki? May bumalot bang pagkabagabag sa’yo? Kaibigan, ipagpatuloy mo lang ang iyong pagbabasa. Kung ni isang hapyaw ng sapantaha sa iyong kaibuturan ay huwag ka masayadong makampante. Malay mo, may hindi ka pa naaaninag sa kailaliman na misteryong bumabalot sa iyong kasarian.Para sa mga may hinuhang banal na maituturing, dalawa lamang ang kasariang katanggap-tanggap sa mundong ibabaw at sa lipunang iyong ginagalawan na nakasaad na rin sa Sagradong Kasulatan.

Bagamat naglipanan na ang pagkagulo at pagkalito na ang lumagok sa alinlangan kung ano nga ba talaga ang sekswalidad

ng mga tao.

Hindi pa diyan nagtatapos ang argumento, mas pinaigting pa ito ng mga “kelot” na may pusong mamon at mga dilag na ang hanap din isa ding dalaga, hindi pa nagtatapos diyan at may isa pang usapin pa ang hindi matapos tapos at nagnanasang maliwanagan. “Opo tomboy ako. Bahala na po kayo, Lord. Alam ko naman pong Siya yung nagga-guide sa akin.

Ang dasal ko po, sana po, eventually po matanggap po ako ng mga tao na gusto kong matanggap ako— meaning yung family ko po. Sa mommy ko, kay Carl, sana po mas naging open pa ako, mas naging honest pa po ako.

Sa lahat ho ng ibang mga kabataan diyan na ka-age ko, mga tao na pinagdaraanan ito, always be true to yourself. Alam natin sa sarili natin kung sino ka, life is too short to play games. Just be free” Ang pahayag na ito ni Charice Pempengco ay ang hudyat na siya ay buong pusong nagladlad na sa publiko bilang isang ‘tomboy’.

Oo, ang mga bisexual, bakla, at tomboy ay nagmamahal ng walang alinlangan sa kung anong kasarian ang kanilang mapupusuan at iibigin.

Para sa kaalaman ng lahat, ang mga mga ti-

natawag na “sireyna” at “paminta” ay mga lalaking nahuhulog sa kapwa nila lalaki sapagkat hindi nila mapag kakaila na sila ay may pusong babae. Sa kabilang banda naman, ang mga “kute” naman ay ang mga babaeng na tila ang kilos, pananalita, pananamit at damdamin ay panlalaki na may damdamin para sa kapwa niya babae. O kaya naman ang isang “bisexual” o “bi” na lalaki o babae ay kapwa pumapatol sa anumang kasarian.

Buhol na talibugso na mga pangangatwiran ay ang nagpapasadlak sa diwa ng taong-bayan.

Kung ika’y isa sa mga nabanggit at may tinatagong lihim ng pagtingin sa kapwa mo babae o lalaki sa hindi inaasahang pagkakataon ay kung maari lamang ay huwag ka masyadong maghisterikal sapagkat ang humanga sa kapareho mong kasarian ay normal lamang maliban na lang kung ang iyong “paghanga” ay may kalakip na romantikong saloobin at damdamin, wala namang dapat ipangamba kung ganon nga ang iyong nararamdaman kung alam mo ang iyong hangganan nang hindi na umabot pa sa puntong magulumihanan ang iyong gunita.

“Salot sa lipunan” kung ituring ang mga ta-

‘

Tatag

ng

loob

lakas ng paninindigan upang ika’y makasabay at makatagal sa lipunang ito sapagkat kung ikaw ay naging mahina, tiyak na ikaw ay maaalipusta. Hindi mo kailangan magbalatkayo upang ika’y matanggap sa mundong mapagpanggap.

ong kabilang sa LGBTQ community. Animo’y parang isang ketongin ang mga taog ito kung ituring na tila bagang isang taong may malubhang sakit na nakakahawa. Kaliwa’t kanang pangungutya ang kanilang natatanggap, mula sa kanilang sari-sariling pamilya hanggang sa kanilang mundong ibabaw na nagreresulta sa pagkahabag sa sarili at kawalan ng kumpyansa.

Isa lamang yan sa mga suliraning hinaharap ng mga miyembro ng LGBTQ community.

Nakakalungkot at nakakabalisa kung iisipin mo na madami ang nananaghoy na ang kasalukuyang henerasyon ay tumutugon ng positibo sa pagkapantay-pantay ng iba’t-ibang sekswalidad sa lipunan. Isa itong malaking kasinungalingan na kahit balabaliktarin mo ang mundo, meron at merong tumutuligsa at diskriminsayong nagaganap mula sa simpleng

paggamit ng palikuran hanggang sa karapatang magtamo ng pagmamahal at pagtanggap mula sa lipunan na mapanghusga. Taliwas man sila halos sa paningin, sila ay may damdamin din.

Isa pang katanungan ang namamalagi sa isipan, bakit hindi magawang matanggap ng sangkatauhan ang mga taong ito? Dahil ba ito sa Banal na Kasulatan o baka dahil sila ay nagsasantu-santohan? Sinasabi sa Banal na Aklat na mahal ng Diyos ang bawat nilalang na nabubuhay sapagkat sila ang tao ang kanyang pinakamataas na likha. Ngunit, hindi man diretsahang nakasaad na hindi Niya tanggap ang mga pangatlong uri ng sekswalidad, mapapaisip ka na lang na isa itong kabalintunaan sapagkat ang mga bisexual, bakla,tomboyat transgender ay hindi maikukunbling tao din at kung totoong may pagsibulan ng pagibig ang isang nilalang hindi ba’t nararapat na sila ay iyong tanggapin hanggang sa kaibuturan ng kanilang pagkatao?

Tatag ng loob lakas ng paninindigan upang ika’y makasabay at makatagal sa lipunang ito sapagkat kung ikaw ay naging mahina, tiyak na ikaw ay maaalipusta. Hindi mo kailangan magbalatkayo

10 J U N E - J U LY 2 0 2 0 upang ika’y matanggap sa mundong mapagpanggap. Malaman mo dapat ang paraan ng pakikisama upang ika’y tuluyang matanggap. Kung maaari, ikaw ang umintindi sapagkat mahirap magpaliwanag sa mga taong sarado ang utak. Iyon bang tipong kailangan mong maging mapagkaila masabi lang na ikaw ay kabilang sa kanila?

Kaibigan, hindi mo lang niloloko ang ibang tao, niloloko mo din ng mas higit ang sarili mo.

Para sa mga tinamaan: Ngayong nagkaroon ka na ng ideya sa mensaheng nais iparating, sana naman ay huwag ka nang magbulag-bulagan at magtaingang kawali pa. Ikaw rin, baka pag ipinagpatuloy mo ‘yan ay ika’y matuluyan.

Tigilan mo na ang pagbabalat-kayo at oras na para ikaw ay magladlad at ipagsigawan mo ang tunay na kulay mo. Para naman sa mga maka astang akala mo’y sila’y malinis, mag isip-isip ka nang isang daang beses bago mo gawin o sambitin. Tandaan mo, tao din ang mga miyembro ng LGBT community at hindi sila dapat iwasan na parang taong leproso.

Wala silang sakit na nakakahawa bagkus kayong mga mapanghusga ay ang may malalang karamdaman. Karamdaman sa kababawang pag-iisip.

Para sa mga hindi

vol. 73 issue 02 S

E

R

makasabay: Tigilan niyo na ang pagpapasakit sa inyong mga sarili na pilit niyong intindihin ang lahat ng ito para hindi na umarangkada ang inyong pagkabalahaw. Kumak andili ang umiintindi. Sa pula o sa puti: Sino ang magwawagi? Sa pula, huwag umastang lahat ng pagkakamali’y sinasadya sa pagsindak sa pagpuna sa kapwa. Sa puti, kasama na nais payuhan ako sana’y huwag kamuhian.

Yakapin at tanggapin ang kalingatan sa dangal ay hindi magiging kabawasan dahil sa huli, ang bahaghari ang magwawagi.

“Pride will only cease to be a protest when there is nothing left to fight for.”

Ang balunlugod ay isang kilos protesta; ang aninag nito ay ang buhay at ang katahimikan ay kamatayan, walang sinuman ang makakabili sa aming kapalaluan dahil ang pagmamahal ay siyang magwawagi

V

E

T

H

E

P

E

O

P

L

E

Paperbag Unpacking memes

By Erica Clare B. Garcia love meW homes,doesn’t right? They’re practically littered all over social media. It’s like anything can have an equivalent meme about it posted somewhere and hundreds to millions of people are able to come across it. These memes can even spark up a debate or intellectual discourse that widens its horizons from just being a form of entertainment.

Although that’s not always the case, is it?

Your newsfeed is more or less customized similar to how ads on the internet arrange what they want to show you. The groups, pages and people you follow and are friends with basically construct the information you get from your feed, and they play a pretty heavy role in influencing your perspective on things. And every now and then, if not all the time, you’d see a pretty twisted ‘meme’ that you’d disapprove of or may understand as satire. Although looking at the comments, you’d see horrifying remarks that totally agree with its message.

In the political climate, such accounts are labeled as trolls. Now,

imagine those that don’t openly roll out their agreement but still support the sick message as the truth behind what you would consider as memes. It’s crazier if you take into account the different communities on the internet that share the same views. It’s like a breeding ground of misinformation and disinformation that cultivates a stronger mob of misled people.

Others would simply feign indifference because they think these memes are baseless, similar to the idea that they can pass off as personal opinions and preferences. It’s gotten worse that meanings of what and what isn’t satirical are just lost along the way.

It enables the system that strengthens how basic human rights are still debatable when they shouldn’t be in the first place.

Memes create both an understanding to those who view the same ideas and a misunderstanding to those who don’t. It’s also worth noting that many, in whatever way they may interpret them, utilize memes as their only reference of nfor-

mation about a certain thing. It’s crazy but it’s frankly how many people are lile that, and how dangerous it could be if it’s about politics.

Altogether, it just goes to show how memes are becoming tools of fake news and limiting information for those who don’t seek or are unable to educate themselves further. There are certain communities on the internet that devour corrupted memes as though they aren’t problematic in spite of knowing better.

The damage this causes just perpetuates a warped mindset for those who believe it’s true.

No one’s robbing anyone their right to like memes. Just like one’s freedom, there are consequences tied to your choices. It’s more important than ever to become more educated, especially in times like this when more human rights abuses are still rampant and certain memes pacify mouths that crave for false information.

In short, share your memes reponsibly.

Page Design by Hazelene Vasquez

‘To Serve and Protect,’

–Us or Themselves?

By Andrea Feller It was in the evening of February 26, 2012, when Trayvon Martin unknowingly spent the last few moments of his life walking home.

George Zimmerman, a volunteer neighborhood-watcher, spotted the 17-year-old African-American and it was in that moment he concluded to himself that Martin looked suspicious.

When he dialed 911, Zimmerman followed the boy despite the dispatcher advising him not to.

When a confrontation ensued between the two, Trayvon was shot dead.

Martin’s death was the nail in the coffin for a lot of African-Americans and when Zimmerman was acquitted of all charges, the Black Lives Matter movement began. Initially stemming from the unjust murder of an unarmed Martin, the movement called for the end of police brutality on African-Americans.

His death was one among many of black Americans killed by the hands of police.

21 years ago, Amadou Diallo—a 23-yearold immigrant from Guinea—was shot outside his home as four policemen believed him to be a rape suspect from a year prior. He was shot 41 times.

The four policemen were declared ‘not guilty’ in the trial for Diallo’s death.

In 2014, Eric Garner uttered the words “I can’t breathe,” as he was held in a chokehold by NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo. When Garner was admitted to the hospital after the altercation, he was declared dead. It was only in 2019—five years later—that Pantaleo was fired, but the Justice Department announced that they would not press charges against him.

In the same year of Garner’s death, John Crawford was gathering some snacks for a family gathering. While scouring the aisles of the store, he sees a toy gun for sale and picks it up as he continues shopping. A man sees Crawford and calls 911, suspecting the gun to be real. When the police arrive, the officer shoots Crawford and he dies shortly after. Officer Sean Williams was not indicted.

This year marks another critical moment for the Black Lives Matter movement as video of police arresting George Floyd goes viral on the internet. He was accused of passing a counterfeit $20 bill when police arrested him. Officer Derek Chauvin is seen pressing his knee on Floyd’s neck in order to immobilize him. Floyd pleaded with the officers, repeating the same words Garner said in his last moments: “I can’t breathe.”

Floyd’s death caused an uproar not only in the United States, but international outrage ensued.

Protests occurred globally as people fought for the conviction of Derek Chauvin and the three accompanying officers who did nothing to help Floyd breathe.

Police killings in the Philippines The police institution’s abuse of authority poses a major threat to the citizens they are meant to protect. In the Hong Kong protests, a person had spray-painted the question that now lingers in people’s head, “Who do you call when the police murders?”

With the war on drugs campaign that was heavily endorsed by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, extra judicial killings (EJKs) have taken place in order to rid the country of drug dealers. Police forces were also given a goal to reach when it came to the death of drug dealers.

The abuse of authority in the Philippines amid the drug war was an especially brutal one with the United Nations estimating the death toll to be in the tens of thousands as of June 2020. At least 73 of those who were killed were children.

The UN Human Rights council voted to investigate the killings from the drug war, with the Philippine government rejecting the resolution, citing it to be “ill-advised” and “politically motivated.” The report showed that police would regularly raid homes without warrants and coerce the suspects into making self-incriminating statements. Proof has also suggested police in planting guns to further incriminate the suspect.

The government also rejects this, saying all deaths occur during legitimate police operations.

During a drug operation in Barangay 160, Caloocan, police officers shot and killed Kian delos Santos, an 11th grade student. The police officers suspected delos Santos to be a drug runner and claimed that the boy had shot first, prompting the officers to shoot back. Filipinos expressed their outrage over the killing as protests and rallies began in the following days.

The death of delos Santos was seen as a result of the flawed and detestable handling of authorities over the citizens. The policemen were found guilty of murdering delos Santos over a year after the shooting.

Similar to the police killings of black Americans, Kian was one victim out of the thousands that were killed under Duterte’s administration.

Carl Arnaiz, 19, was shot by police officers as they claim he exhibited unlawful aggression, prompting them to shoot the teenager. Although, forensics contradicted this when it was found that Arnaiz’s body displayed signs of torture and that he was kneeling when he was shot.

Authority in a global health crisis In the time of the Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of lockdowns all over Luzon and more parts of the Philippines, another citizen fell victim to the mishandling of authority. Winston Ragos was a discharged soldier who was mentally ill after serving time battling communist guerrillas.

As he was at a store near a quarantine control point, police officers shot him as he reached into his sling bag, thinking it’d be a gun. Video of the incident circulated the internet and witnesses can be heard yelling at the officers for immediately using force.

Winston Ragos was declared dead later that afternoon. He was only 33-years-old.

Their names are: Trayvon Martin, Amadou Diallo, Eric Garner, John Crawford, George Floyd, Kian delos Santos, Carl Arnaiz, and Winston Ragos. They are only a handful of people who have undergone the barbarity of a prejudiced authority. With the Anti-Terror Bill looming upon us, it is essential that we must confront those that threaten to strip us of our right to speak out on the injustice faced by our people.

11

Owe to Heal?

B y C a l v i n K e n e d y Tu a z o n Pa g e D e s i g n b y X i a X i n j i e

Up to what extent can trillions help during this pandemic?

Filipinos are yet to swallow a dose of a bittersweet pill as its debt continues to balloon amid addressing the lashes of the ongoing COVID-19 virus.

The said pandemic has caused a significant toll among various countries in the world. People’s regular and day to day activities abruptly shifted while the majority have been forced to clasp the ‘new normal’ ,a brand-new way of living where work and interactions with other people are in lieu with safety measures. Some governments continue to struggle in terms of various aspects of life (social, economic, and health aspects) as this pandemic stabbed them at their very core.

Decreasing human resource, human mortality detriments plus the deflating economy, this virus’ devastation is a heavy weight to carry.

Philippines, in this manner, continues to rackup loans and debts to boost the COVID-19 response and to address the necessities needed therein. However, are these loans really worth it? Where shall we lay our feet, money and budget wise, at this point of the pandemic?

12

DEBT LIST The first wave of the Philippines’ COVID-related debt is a whopping $500 million (Php 25.2-billion) loan approved last April 9 by the World Bank.

This tranche aims to strengthen Philippines’s dire financing necessities on COVID-19 response. Philippines will pay this loan for 29 years with a grace period of 10 and a half years.

Added on the list is that debt inked last April 22, amounting to $100 million from the World Bank. This huge loan was said to be utilized in augmenting vital healthcare and medical services, in purchasing medical devices and increasing the number of test kits.

One more surge-off of our country’s pain in the pocket is reflected with another loan permitted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) last April 24, with a surmounting amount of $1.5 billion. This loan serves to reinforce the government’s dealings in helping its people cope-up with the virus’ social, economic, and health costs.

Seems like the previous loans aren’t still enough, as the Philippines on April 27 withdrew another loan from

ADB. This time, the $200 million aims to be used as an auxiliary for the households susceptible as this novel coronavirus continue to cripple. The funds herein also serve to provide emergency subsidies to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) conditional cash transfer recipients.

The Philippines seems to have bitten the bait of the infamous Chinese debt-trap as another COVID-related loan, backed with “Chinese help”, has augmented its financial crises. In fact, this debt-trap diplomacy had already cornered Djibouti, Tajikistan, Maldives, Madagascar, and Pakistan. The said loan broadcasted last May 29 was from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), totaling to $750 million. This Chinese-backed loan is intended to increase the numbers of testing capacity, as an assistance to the exposed sectors of the country, and to also provide shoulder to less-fortunate families.

Last May 29, the World Bank announced another $500 million loan of Philippines that would be used in lessening the COVID-19’s impact to poor households and give financial reprieve to small

and medium enterprises (SMEs). As of midMay, the borrowings for Covid-related response of our country peaked at $4.858 billion (about ₱246 billion).

Fresh from the headline is another ₱23.5 billion loan secured by Philippines from the country of Japan last July 1. It is also worth mentioning that the government had realigned ₱245 million from the 2020 budget on top of the ₱27.1 billion initial spending plan for COVID-19 response.

How much more should we expect?

DEBTS & DOUBTS Nevertheless, there seem to be difficulties in terms of distributing cash aids, as numerous complaints were raised by the recipients themselves. Some local government heads were said to cut-down the amount that must be duly given, while some were being selective to who must truly need the subsidy. The issue of “palakasan” and “kumare/kumpare” were also seen as threats to a proper cash assistance distribution. It is not just the virus per se but also acts of bribery, are our foes amidst this crisis.

With the unimaginable amount of debt we already had, we

still yet to achieve the authentic “mass-testing” and eradicate the condemnation this virus has brought to this nation. Is this the reflection of the government’s incompetence in dealing with such debacle? Is it the result of several barks of our government at the wrong tree?

One way or the other, with these overwhelming amount of debts our country reaped in just few months, our future seems to swim in a pool of financial obligations.

COVID-19 cases in our country are still rampant. With that in mind, we must be skeptical to “where do all those loaned money went”.

While the amount of loans and its supposed utilization seem unparallel, Filipinos’ fight against this virus seem to get even worse. The sum of borrowings to be payed by our country escalates to the extent we never wanted. After all, even with all the money in the world, the spread of the pandemic cannot be stemmed if those who govern the country don’t spend it wisely. Perhaps, not only proper handling of funds but great leadership, in general, is what we really need to stop the bleeding this pandemic have had brought to our lands.

Pa g e D e s i g n b y X i a X i n j i e

A J e o p a r d i z e d P a ra d i s e

By Jay-Ar M. Turla

With a disastrous sphere filled with uncertainties, whether it’s an act of God or an act of Man in law subject, being competent enough in authorizing every core ruling will be of utmost substance, further, equal rights must be fought at full measure.

This year, ample catastrophes have crossed the line of the Promised Land. However, it was fabricated years ago due to incompetence and indecisive precepts, from a blissful atmosphere down into a domain of serpents embedded with deceitful tricks.

From Amazon rainforest wildfires, Jakarta floods, Australia bushfires, and down to the current state of pandemic crisis, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), 2020 is indeed a tragic year welcoming every depth of crisis in the world. However, it became more of a crisis due to the blatant oppression provoked by unbearable authorities who misdirected the country from the healing pathway.

Holding the highest number of coronavirus cases in Southeast Asia, the Philippines is continuously coping with the invisible enemy with a powerless and insufficient control over it. With thousands of people being displaced from their workforce, financial assistance that is deemed inconsistent, and the newly proposed bill which silences the voice of those who oppose the current administration, the country is seemingly at stake of offering every Filipino life down the perils.

Mass testing, mass healing

With the public’s collective call for free mass testing, the administration fails to heed the wide concerns due to a prime cause of finding it difficult to interpret the true meaning of mass testing. Nevertheless, its simplest meaning is to enable a free and accessible testing for those who need it suchlike the Person under Monitoring (PUM), Person under Investigation (PUI), front liners, those people in close contacts or people with exposure, and those in high-risk communities or vulnerable population to urgently plump for easy isolation.

However, the administration discerns it at all flawed, confusing themselves to what extent mass testing could possibly outstretch. With the public call that seems inconceivable, House Bill No. 6848 or the Free Mass Testing Act of 2020 was filed on May 27 by legislators belonging to the Makabayan bloc which seeks to access

free mass testing to vulnerable sectors and to establish public testing centers in every region.

With an incompetent government in confronting the forefront issue, private sectors and various celebrities took its responsibilities of supplying the needs of the underprivileged.

This is an act of ‘bayanihan’ as raising funds and donation drives turn out to be their prime concerns in alleviating the burden of maybe not all, but an ample of, which the government fails to see.

The terror in Anti-Terror Bill

Amidst the outspread of the virus is the newly proposed bill wanting to silence the voice of many. This bill seeks to amend the provisions of the Human Security Act of 2007. It allows the detention of suspected terrorists for up to 24 days sans a warrant of arrest. The bill also permits a 60-day surveillance with an allowable 30-day extension that can be conducted by the police or the military against the suspected terrorists.

With today’s juncture of flooding criticisms towards the government’s poor policies, calling out to stop impunity and selective justice, this bill also authorizes to cease the power of youth activists because it perceives that activists and terrorists are alike. However, activists are just the voice of the marginalized sectors, not the enemy of the government because at this point of the pandemic, the virus is.

Additionally, press media nowadays have become the prey of the ravening fangs of these venal predators, after ABS-CBN renewal franchise issue, Rappler intrudes the lane of attacking press media as CEO Maria Ressa was found guilty of cyber libel. Evidently, a glimpse of déjà vu has been drifting down this year as Marcos in 1972 took over and controlled all newspapers, magazine, and radio and television facilities to silence the wrongdoings the administration grooms.

The Naked Truth

Through the adversities the Philippines has gone through, there’s no such way as defrauding the colors of the Rubik’s cube to get its pattern. However, there’s such a way of manipulating each unmatched color to pull off the game. This analogy applies to the government’s coping strategies that would only praise the visible and trick the unseen.

If #MassTestingNowPH had been materialized as soon as the virus stepped in the country, alongside travel bans and early notice lockdowns, the Philippines will be in great shield from the virus and would have been ahead of the pandemic.

If the Anti-Terror Bill was vetoed by the President this is the calls of the unheard, #JunkTerrorBillNOW, press freedom will get the liberty it deserves and oppression will not reign above, the oppressed will.

As these acts desire to silence the voice of truth, stick fast to what the trend taught us – to stay woke. Being apolitical at these pressing issues is already a choice. Be involved at every possible way, take a stand for not just what is easy but for what is right, and fight for every right we have because if we don’t, who will?

13

How do you feel about Lesbian, Gay, bi-sexual, transgender, Queer, Asexual+ (LGBTQA+) community? What do you think of LGBTQA+ community? Some people have a say against them.

While some of them despise them just because the world taught us that we are only allowed to love the opposite sex. Others support them; be it a straight or part of the community.

Some see them as an entertainment and ideal for beauty such as Vice Ganda, Bretman Rock and many more icons. Well for other people they just don’t care, for them they are just human and a part of the society– they will not treat them any differently.

Growing up, I have been curious about the LGBTQA+ community. I have been surrounded by these people since my birth. They live with us everywhere. They could be our family, friends, or they could be you. There is much more into this community that has been long closed in my black and white book which I haven’t fully read yet.

With a rainbow ink, a transgender man colored my achromatic book giving me a clearer and deeper knowledge. Opening a portal for me to this colorful universe.

Rainelle Allison Canlas or Raine ,(19), as his friends call him, is one of the few transgender students in Holy Angel University (HAU) who shared his rainbow-after-the-rain-story. He heard about transgender people before, but he settled from what he learned as a kid.

That there are only three existing gender identities which are gay, lesbian and straight. He was also young when he first discovered how different his feelings were. Which sometimes got him pondering upon the question - “What if in another world I was a man?” However, much to his knowledge, he brushed off the thought until, in his 5th grade, he started to like girls. He knew when he had relationships with girls - there were much more than he was feeling back then.

Raine started to learn more about the community in his seventh grade, “I have given it a lot of research; and first, I thought I was bisexual but that didn’t really click with me enough. So, I researched more and more, then eventually I got my first haircut and I got more comfortable with myself. So, I label myself as a lesbian but I was more comfortable with the term gay.” he said in an interview.

His strong feeling makes him more uncomfortable as if there was still something missing in him. He felt like he was not showing his true self enough and felt bothered with it. When he was going out with his ex-girlfriend at the time people have called him “sir” and he was fine with it. That’s when he realized that he could be a transgender. He kept looking for the truth about him online. Sometimes he finds himself lying on the bed searching for videos in YouTube about the transgender community. He kept looking for answers for 3 years until he learned that he is a transgender but that didn’t come out right away.

He was forced to keep it inside him doubtful if anyone would support him. However, he managed to step out of his closet and came out last year to his dad.

He said, “During that time I explain to him everything, like how I am a transgender. I want to change hormones, there’s this thing called gender dysphoria wherein transgender people feel. This is where we feel constant dissatisfaction and discomfort because our gender iden-

14

tity didn’t match our biological sex. I explain that to them, everything. It’s hard in a country like this to be accepted in a community. Because we’re Trans people some of us want to transition, though it is hard to explain that because they think it’s a choice but it’s not really ours to do so.”

Gender Dysphoria Gender Dysphoria is a conflict between a person’s physical or assigned gender. People with dysphoria tend be very uncomfortable with their biological sex. They often experience significant distress between the way they feel and think of themselves. According to Endocrine society (ENDO, 2020), research found that depression and suicidal thoughts are common among transgender teen. The study found 78.5% had a mental health condition, with depression the most common (66.5%). Suicidal thoughts were more common among affirmed males (70%) than among affirmed females (49%). In addition, self-injuring (cutting) was more common among affirmed males (56%) than among affirmed females (25.5%). People with dysphoria express their gender in different ways; some cross-dress, others socially transition or medically transition.

This may occur in early age but mostly develop at puberty.

Despite the hardships and health risks awaiting him in medically transitioning himself to who he

really wants, he said no matter what they may decide; it would be the only way he could be true himself. Even if it takes his life, he would still go through it. And now he is a man he truly wants himself.

Discrimination in the Pride Community However, Raine along with the other LGBTQA+ students still experienced discrimination as being part of the community. Despite transitioning to a male, the university doesn’t allow cross-dressing, with this he tried to keep his personal life from the admins and the university. Thus, some of the people who knew him have no idea of his gender identity. Even, some of the students discriminate and share jokes about the LGBTQA+ community. The community has a new existing organization called Bahagri HAU chapter that advocates a fight for the LGBTQA+ community’s rights and all other forms of expression.

Raine said that he experienced various abuses such as verbal abuse, and harassment because of his gender identity - which I must say, a lot from the LGBTQA+ community still experience the same discrimination, some of them worse. From United Nation News back in 2012, a gay man from Chile was tortured and killed by group of Neo-Nazis, the reason for attacked was provoked by homophobia and hate crimes. A transgender woman from Pangasinan, Jessa Remiendo, was hacked to death. Jake Zyrus, the first celebrity transgender man, also received a backlash from netizens after he opened up about his gender identity; this includes his family – in his autobiography “I am Jake’’, he shared his experience of transitioning into a man and how he suffered from depression during this battle. Jennifer Laude, a Filipina transgender from

Olongapo City, Zambales was also killed by United States (US) military, who had been unaware of her gender. From a human right watch, Patrick (not his real name) from De La Salle University was bullied for being feminine as a child. Raine also shared how traumatizing and painful it is for him. Especially, the first time he experienced a discrimination against his first girlfriend’s religous parents that cursed him for his gender identity. This haunts him almost until today.

He shared his sentiments, “Any right that actually protects the community and guarantees our basic human rights. It is sad for me to know that people against it are the privileged people, and keeping a blind eye on it. Basically the community is only asking for equal rights and the rights that have been long deprived of.”

SOGIE Bill Which up until now, the LGBTQA+ community are continuously deprived of their rights. In fact, last year 2019 the sexual orientation gender identity and expression (SOGIE) bill was filed to petition in court. However, President Rodrigo Duterte has no plans of certifying the SOGIE bill as urgent and that he favors the anti-discrimination law instead. SOGIE bill protects LGBT persons from discrimination and promotes program for non-discrimination. It gives equal access to LGBT people to employment, education and social services. The bill provides programs to protect LGBT children in schools and penalize who discriminates LGBT people. All in all, it extends equal rights to all persons regardless of their gender identity.

Raine expressed his thoughts that too many people from the LGBTQA+ community suffered from abuse and worse. The community is often deprived of self-care and just how many people do we have to lose in order to attain the basic human rights they all deserved.

Rainelle Allison Canlas was just a person who hid from the raging storm keeping all his things intact inside him but now we can say that he is a rainbow full of brightness and truth. For the last time, his voice was a free bird saying, “I think it’s important to remember that pride is a protest we would not have the pride we would have now, if like the transwomen, queer full of color like Marsha P. Johnson and many more who have fought bravely and raised our rights even if it cost them their lives.”

Up until now, there are more stories like Raine waiting for its wings to be spread and hidden in the closet waiting to be told out in the open; more flags that have been waiting to be waved around . And there are stories even worse than he could experience. Many LGBTQ members in the Philippines still receive backlash from their fellow Filipinos with lots of discriminating jokes sometimes foreshadowing as banter. Even the government itself still prohibits the rights of these good souls. There are still countries that still fight for what they love, raising their flags and shouting their rights. With this, I hope that one day we can all walk in the same path holding our RIGHTful flags without hiding our skin.

15

Pa g e D e s i g n b y M a r i e n e l C a l m a

16

17

18

19