Setyembre-Oktubre 2018

Mapagpalayang kaisipan sa malayang pahayagan

Tomo 45 Setyembre-Oktubre 2018

UPB welcomes 735 freshmen BALITA

Progressives rage against AFP’s Red October Plot page 7

KULTURA

Why laughter isn’t the best medicine? page 8

LATHALAIN

Unholy Trinity page 10

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knowing the symptom T

hree years ago a new president was proclaimed as the new commanderin-chief of the Republic of the Philippines.

This president is someone many Filipinos voted for as they got tired of traditional politicians whose main credential is being the child of past politicians. He promised to rule with an iron fist to tackle the problems of drugs and corruption that plague the Philippines. However, these problems are merely symptoms of an underlying and deep-rooted problem that permeate and promulgated by the current system.

Duterte’s war on drugs, a campaign he launched to tackle the supposed drug problem of the country, continues up to this day under the guise of different names such as Oplan Tokhang and Oplan Double Barrel reloaded. This war did not solve the country’s drug problem, but rather left thousands of Filipinos lifeless in blood-stained streets lifeless; a war which left thousands of Filipinos orphaned.

Not long after, the president decided to impose martial law in Mindanao, instigated by the siege in Marawi.

“It is merely a symptom of decades-long oppression that continues to spread and is further promulgated by the current fascist system.”

However, months after the Marawi siege, with the help of his cronies inside the House of representatives, Senate, and Supreme Court, the president extended martial law in Mindanao. Its implementation, contrary to its supposed task to establish order, is riddled with human rights abuses committed by the very institution who swore to serve and protect the Filipino people. Martial law in the Philippines is not an isolated incident in Mindanao --the whole archipelago is haunted by the specter of undeclared martial law.

Undeclared martial law, or de facto martial law, is evident through various programs implemented by the state. This breach of human rights is felt by majority of the Filipino people, especially those who are part of the lower class. Workers who are peacefully protesting within their picket lines are continuously met with force and harassment as they fight for national industrialization. Farmers and agricultural workers who till unproductive lands to produce crops that would sustain their everyday life are met with guns and harassment by state forces as they fight

Opisyal na Pahayagan ng mga Mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas-Baguio mapagpalayang kaisipan sa malayang pahayagan

Patnugutan Punong Patnugot Daoden Kate Sarmiento Kawaksing Patnugot John Rey Dave Aquino, Quimberlyn Ranchez Tagapamahalang Patnugot Nicole Falcasantos Patnugot sa Kultura Kimberly Joy Alejo Patnugot sa Balita Jemimah Cresencia Patnugot sa Disenyo Maria Elaine Pamisaran Kawani Alexandria Ravago, Chelsea Serezo, Charlene Favis

for genuine agrarian reform. Activists and human rights defenders are continuously tagged as terrorists subjecting them to harassment that could lead to unwanted arrests or, worse, death. It is ironic that those who risk their lives everyday to fight for the rights and welfare of the masses, are the ones who do not enjoy what they are fighting for.

It must be realized that martial law, declared or not, is not the main problem that plagues the Philippine society. It is merely a symptom of decades-long oppression that continues to spread and is further disseminated by the current fascist system.

It is important that we, Outcrop, help expose these narratives to the student body, and to the Filipino people. We believe that the issues of the students are issues of the Filipino people as well. It is imperative that we participate in actions that aim to tackle national issues. Also, it is our role and responsibility as Iskolars ng Bayan to not limit ourselves to the fight of the student sector, but rather be one with the broad masses in their fight for their democratic rights.

Miyembro ng College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) at Solidaridad, Alyansa ng mga Pahayagang Pangkampus sa UP Email: upboutcrop@gmail.com upboutcrop@gmail.com Facebook page: “UP Baguio Outcrop” Unang Palapag ng Alumni Center Building, UP Baguio, Gov. Pack Road, Baguio City

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UPB welcomes freshies for 2018-2019 \\ Kimberly Joy Alejo & Harlene Christine Dugay

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niversity of the Philippines Baguio (UPB) welcomes 735 freshmen students as the first batch of K-12 graduates enters college this academic year 2018-2019.

Based on records from the Office of the University Registrar (OUR), there are 229 enrollees in the College of Arts and Communication (CAC), while 314 in the College of Science (CS), and 192 in the College of Social Sciences (CSS).

On August 7, the UPB University Student Council (USC) together with the UPB administration organized the first event for the newlyenrolled students of the university --the UPB Freshman Welcome Assembly.

According to Noah Gajo, UPB USC Freshie Desk Head, USC encountered some difficulties while organizing the event, but it did not stop them from making it a successful event for the freshmen.

However, some freshmen were disappointed because of the chosen venue for the activity which was the UPB Main Lobby. The lobby and parking lot can supposedly accommodate almost 800 freshmen excluding other students and staff facilitating

the event and equipment used in the event. That is why some freshmen were not able to finish the event, plus it suddenly rained and there was not enough space to give them the leisure to watch. For them, the university should have been more prepared, especially that the first day is the very important day for the freshies.

On the other hand, freshmen acknowledged that the seniors and the UPB staff were very approachable and informative during the orientation, which made them feel welcomed. “‘Yon ‘yung starting point ng college life namin, so, parang naganahan ako nung very first day namin dito sa UP. Of course, madadala mo ‘yon na magaganahan ka na all throughout your college life.

So, ang saya nung welcome assembly, feel ko masaya na rin ako all throughout my UP life,” Carlo Amigable, a BS Physics freshman said.

Aside from the assembly, the UPB USC also held activities for the Freshie Week on September 3 to September 7. This year’s freshie week

had the theme, “Tumindig, Lumaban, Magtagumpay!

Iskolar ng Bayan, Tignay!”

The events for the freshmen students included the “Pride is Protest: A Gender-Related Photography Contest,” and the “Stand For Climate Justice: An Environmental Video Making Contest” on August 29 to September 4, “Alternative Classroom

Learning Experience,” and “The Amazing Freshie Race” on September 3, the Book Sale on September 4 to 7, the “Ooopps... Issue: A Quiz Show on Current Issues Faced by the Students and the People” on September 5, the Batch Song-Making Competition on September 6, and the Consolidation Night on September 19.

The said activities tackled current issues the country faces, such as gender equality, climate change, land grabbing in Cordillera, mental health, neoliberalism in education, and other issues under the Duterte regime.

In line with this, Gajo said that the USC will continue continue to page 7

fRESHIE fIRST dAY FIGHT. UPB Community welcomes almost 800 new Iskolar ng Bayan at the Freshman Welcome Assembly as academic year 2018-2019 commence on August 7, 2018.

\\ Kuha ni Quimberlyn Ranchez

Millennials, victims commemorate 1972 Martial Law \\ Dayanella Jucutan, Zyrah Rapatalo & Christel Baptista

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tudents and representatives of different progressive groups from the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) resist the current administration’s tyranny as they commemorate the 46th anniversary of the 1972 Martial Law on September 21.

A MARCH TO REMEMBER University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB) students led a protest action in commemoration of the 46th anniversary of the 1972 declaration of Martial Law. “Crisis is happening, we must face it together. Only in militant struggle, does the best in youth emerge,” Sherwyne Sanchez, UPB University Student Council chairperson expressed during the protest. “Ibig sabihin nito, mga kabataan at buong sambayanang Pilipino at lahat ng nakikinig ngayon dito, huwag po tayong matakot makibaka. Tayo po ay lumaban.” Sanchez explained.

The Youth Act Against Tyranny (YANAT) convenor Marben Panlasigui said during the protest that unlike what the Marcoses said on how the youth already forgot what

happened during the Martial Law era, the protest shows how the youth will always remember the human rights violations during that time.

“Hindi natin kailanman malilimutan at hindi natin kailanman lilimutin ang mga nangyaring karahasan noong Martial Law,” Panlasigui said in his speech. The students who joined the protest expressed their empowerment towards the protest by actively joining in the program.

For Peter Gajo from UPB, since it is his first time to join a protest, he felt proud and empowered because it opened his mind.

“Bilang kabataan, kumilos tayo, makisama at makilahok,” Gajo said.

Saan to Manen!

A whole-day forum titled “Saan To Manen!: Never Again To Martial Law” was also

conducted at the University of the Philippines Baguio on September 21, 2018.

The forum coordinated by different organizations and groups including Outcrop, Cordillera Movement against Tyranny (CMAT), Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto – North Luzon (SELDA-NL), All UP Academic Employees UnionBaguio Chapter, Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA), UPB College of Social Sciences, and Alliance of Concerned Students. The forum tackled historical revisionism, the events during martial law and the present national situation under the Duterte administration.

Joanna K. Cariño, an alumna of UP Baguio and former editor-in-chief of Outcrop, talked about the events during Martial Law under the Marcos

regime that made it the darkest time in Philippine history.

She recalled the different aspects of the Marcos Martial law that brought terror to Filipinos, from media blackouts and human rights violations to crony capitalisms and foreign debts, which she described as a “déjà vu” of the occurrences under the Duterte administration.

Also, she discussed the issue of historical revisionism in the country, saying that the millennials seem to have a ‘collective amnesia’ about the events during the Martial Law, pointing out that “the truth about Martial Law is not taught in schools.”

As a victim of human rights violations, particularly illegal detention and torture, she testified that those were indeed proofs of the state’s fascism and the resistance of people

against Marcos dictatorship.

“70,000 people were imprisoned, 34, 000 were tortured and 3,240 were killed. These are the figures of Amnesty International and I was only one among all of those 70,000 people imprisoned and 34,000 tortured,” Cariño stated.

Jeanette Ribaya-Cawiding from the Alliance of Concerned Teachers discussed the present national situation under the Duterte administration.

She specified the topic into three situations, which included our country’s economic situation, particularly on the TRAIN Law and inflation rate, political situation that included the administration’s plan of charter-change,peace-talks and state repression, lastly, the country’s cultural situation,

continue to page 7

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CYC: PH education commercialized \\ Alexandria Ravago

uition and other T school fees in several colleges and universities in Cordillera continue to increase and the government is letting it happen.

21ST OF SEPTEMBER. Amid the rain, students from the University of the Philippines Baguio, together with different sectors in Baguio City, commemorated the 46th year of 1972 Martial Law declaration. The people clamored against the injustices during the Marcos regime and the evident de facto martial law under the Duterte administration. \\ Photos by Shem Peter Acal & Joemariequeen Del Rosario

Itogon small-scale miners restricted after Ompong \\ Christel Baptista & Dayanella Jucutan

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mall-scale miners in Itogon, Benguet resist as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) bans them from conducting mining operations.

DENR sees small scale mining operations as the cause of the massive landslides that occurred in Itogon, Benguet during the onslaught of Typhoon Ompong.

For DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu, cancelling permits of small-scale miners to conduct mining operations is just to prevent endangering more lives.

The affected miners then resisted the decision since according to them, it is their main source of livelihood.

“Hindi natin sinisisi ang small-scale mining kasi bago sila nandyan sa retrieval area ay nandoon yung malalaking tunnels ng Benguet Corp. na siya ang pinakamalaking sanhi kung bakit nangyayari ang mga pagguho dito sa Itogon.”

Rima Mangili, one of the residents of Itogon said.

In earlier interviews, Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan, also saw the

large-scale mining company Benguet Corporation as someone responsible for the the issue of the miners and their families living near the mining area.

The site of the landslide is under the jurisdiction of the Benguet Corporation which failed to provide a safer housing for their miners.

Large-scale mining in the area According to Santi Mero, spokesperson of Cordillera’s People Alliance-Tontongan Ti Umili, (CPA-TTU), smallscale mining is part of the Indigenous Socio-Political System in Itogon, and is done by the people for many years now.

He said that this type of mining requires resource management to avoid harming the environment.

The situation in Itogon changed when large-scale mining started to operate in Benguet, which greatly

affected the people of Itogon by its destructive nature.

“Doon nakikita na ang epekto at ang mga tragedy na dinulot ng pagmimina sa Benguet. 100 years na silang nandito at hanggang ngayon ay wala pa silang ginagawang hakbang para tingnan ang mga nasira rito,” Mangili said, expressing her concerns on the destructive effects of large-scale mining.

Based on the data of the CPA-TTU, 75% of the land area in Itogon are mined.

Large-scale mining such as Lepanto Mining, Philex Mining and Benguet Corporation dominated the mining claims in Benguet and built underground tunnels and operated mechanical mining leaving the land weak.

Sinkholes are caused by underground tunnels which are dangerous to the community. Despite these destructions, large-scale mining continued to operate.

Agro-Tourism after Mining After the banning, Mayor Palangdan introduces agrotourism as an alternative livelihood after the typhoon.

Palangdan hopes to form Itogon into an agricultural area and stop mining as their main livelihood.

All over the region, AgroTourism is already apparent such as the strawberry farm in La Trinidad.

In fact, the main livelihood of Itogon before mining emerged is agriculture, according to CPA-TTU. But agro-tourism seems difficult, according to Palangdan, as 50% of Itogon’s constituents depend on mining as a source of income. Both the local and national government then proposed livelihood programs to help the affected constituents.

According to the Cordillera Youth Center (CYC) the provisions of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Memorandum Order (MO) 3 dated in 2012 legalizes the yearly increase of tuition and other fees of Private Higher Educational Institutions (PHEIs).

The memorandum states that increaseing of tuition fees for new incoming students in higher educational institutions is legal even without consultation with the students.

Saint Louis University (SLU) is one PHEI that experiences increases in its tuition fee yearly, which contradicts the statement of their administration.

Its tuition fee will increase to P316-459 from Php 319-396 per unit.

Other PHEIs with yearly increase of tuition fees are University of the Cordilleras, University of Baguio, Pines City Colleges, Cordillera Career Development College, and King’s College of the Philippines.

While collection of development fees in miscellaneous fees is prohibited by CHED, some PHEIs still continue to do it.

Examples of which are the Physical Education (P.E) development fee, research development free, land infrastructure and maintenance fee, and audio-visual development fee.

Fees like admission, medical, dental, and athletic fees are also collected in most PHEIs according to CYC. In some schools, their library fee reaches Php 1000 and above, with an Internet fee of Php 300 and above.

The said amounts and different kinds of fees mostly collected miscellaneous fees are deemed to be unreasonably expensive and redundant by the CYC. CYC further claims that school fees increase because the government fails to allocate decent budget for education in the region.

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2019 SEA games facilities construction displaces Tarlac Aetas \\ Harvey Sapigao

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housands of native Aetas were subjected to abusive labor practices in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac for the construction of sports facilities, in preparation for the 30th SEA games that will be held on November 2019.

Said Aetas were trained as masons, carpenters, and welders to help in building the sports complex. The Aetas, whose previous livelihood is working on their fields, now consider the construction of the facilities as their main source of income.

Kaisahan ng mga Artista at Manunulat na Ayaw sa Development Aggression (KAMANDAG) condemned this abusive labor practices set out by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) since it exploits the native Aetas through contractualization and poor wages.

“Ang ginagawa kasi ng mga nagtataguyod ng New Clark City, kinukuhang

mga trabahador yung mga Aeta, pero sila ay subject din sa kontraktwalisasyon, mababang sahod, at walang kasiguruhan sa kanilang trabaho – panandalian lang,” said Stum Casia, one of the organization’s members, to Philippine News Agency (PNA).

Aside from contractualization and poor wages, the Aetas are also at risk of losing their native land. Forty hectares of land where the Aetas reside will be allotted for the planned construction of New Clark City, a “smart, green, and resilient metropolis,” as described by the BCDA. According to Bamban tribe leader Carlo Tolentino,

BCDA promised to relocate them to a nearby town where they have better access to food and water.

However, some Aetas expressed their disapproval regarding the proposed relocation plan.

Earlier in January, the BCDA vowed to follow Republic Act 8371, or the Indigenous People’s Rights Act

(IPRA), for the construction of government centers and modern sports facilities – a linked project to the SEA games – in native communities in Capas, Tarlac and Mabalacat City, Pampanga.

The said RA is primarily concerned with the protection of the rights of the indigenous people, particularly of their ancestral domain.

Among the sports facilities being constructed is the athletic stadium which is expected to accommodate up to 20,000 people, and an Athletic Village exclusive for up to 1,000 athletes. All the facilities comprised in the “world-class sports complex” is estimated to cost 13 billion pesos.

UP Master Development Plan, patuloy na isinasagawa \\ Zyra Cabudoc & Angela Dela Cruz

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atuloy ang pagpapatupad ng Master Development Plan (MDP), isang malawakang plano para sa mga pagpapatayo ng mga bagong istruktura at pasilidad sa University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB).

Plano Nakasaad sa “The UPB Campus Masterplan” ang mga proyektong isinasagawa at isasagawa pa lamang sa ilalim ng MDP. Ayon dito, natapos na ang mga proyektong Sabkil Field Research Station sa Sabkil, Benguet, Museo Kordilyera, Teatro Amianan, at Green Campus Project.

Patuloy naman ang konstruksyon ng iba pang mga gusali. Itinatayo ngayon ang Balay International para sa mga internasyonal na estudyante ng UP Baguio, na magsisilbi ring panuluyan ng mga bisita ng Unibersidad. Bahagi rin ng gusali ng Balay International ay magiging bukas para sa mga seminars at upang tirahan o paupahan ng mga empleyado ng pamantasan.

Samantala, kasalukuyang isinasagawa ang Cultural Hub (Bulwagang Juan Luna) at Human Kinetics Program Gym. Bukod sa mga natapos at mga isinasagawang impras-

truktura, isa sa mga panukalang proyekto ng unibersidad ang Campus-wide Interconnectivity and Accessibility. Ayon kay Ginang Jessica Cariño, Vice-Chancellor for Administration, planong magkaroon ng mga elevator at boardwalk upang mas maging bukas ang UP sa publiko gaya ng mga taong may kapansanan.

Badyet Ayon din kay Ginang Cariño, mayroong Php 21-M na badyet ang unibersidad mula sa General Appropriations Act, ang batas na namamahala sa badyet ng mga state universities at colleges (SUCs). Naglabas rin ng parehong halaga ang UP System para sa pagtapos ng mga proyekto gaya ng Museo Kordilyera.

Naglaan ng Php 100-M para sa mga panukalang proyekto, ngunit mahigit Php 116-M ang kinakailangang badyet para lamang sa Campus-wide Interconnectivity and Accessi-

A DECADE ALREADY. A candle-lighting ceremony for James Balao was held on September 18 as people commemorate the 10th year of his disappearance. Students from University of the Philippines Baguio, family, and friends of James Balao attended the ceremony. \\ Photo by Alexandria Ravago

bility. Hindi pa kabilang dito ang ibang proyekto tulad ng Cultural Hub. Nakikipag-ugnayan na ang kasalukuyang administrasyon ng UP Baguio sa isang pribadong donor na magbibigay ng halos Php 50-M para sa Cultu- ral Hub. Espasyo Ayon kay Jay-em Serapion, kinatawan ng University Student Council, nagkakaroon ng

kakulangan sa mga silid-aralan na magagamit ng mga estudyante lalo na sa pagdagdag ng populasyong dulot ng pagpasok ng mga bagong iskolar ng bayan.

Kung hindi limitado, naaantala rin ang mga kaganapan ng mga kolehiyo at organisasyon dahil sa kulang na pasilidad.

Bukod pa rito, hindi sapat ang mga pasilidad para sa pagsasanay ng mga atleta, lalo at host ang UP sa gaganaping

Baguio-Benguet Educational Athletic League (BBEAL).

Dagdag pa ni Serapion, hindi na lamang pampublikong institusyon ang UP, kundi sentro na rin ng negosyo tulad nang pagtayo ng UP Town Center sa Diliman. “Inuuna ang mga bagay na hindi kailangan, at hindi inuuna ang pangangailangan ng mga estudyante,” pahayag niya.

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Baguio Students’ Day Highlights Issues on Philippine Education \\ Kricel Garcillan

ABAnte babae. Student Relations Officer, Ms. Doris Wilson, joins the One Billion Rising movement led by the InnabuyogGabriela Youth organization during Salakniban 2018. \\ Photo by Shem Peter Acal

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he 6th Baguio Student’s Day and 2nd Rise for Education (R4E) Metro-Baguio Summit held at Quirino Hall, Teachers’ Camp on September 23 discussed the attacks on the youth’s right to free education. Students from different universities and colleges in Metro-Baguio participated in the activity.

The said activity aimed to deepen students’ awareness on the different issues faced by the Philippine’s education system such as commercialization of educational institutions, lack of funding for RA 10931 or the free education law, and injustices against students’ democratic rights.

Kara Lenina Taggaoa, Rise for Education (R4E) National Convener, said that the yearly tuition hike in private universities disregards students’ democratic rights as school administrations do not consult students prior to tuition increase.

She added that the administrations just merely disseminate the information which violates Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) mandate to consult students before declaring tuition hike.

During the activity, breakout sessions took place that pave way for students to interact with each other.

Saint Louis University (SLU) and Pines City Colleges (PCC) students said in the workshop/open forum of the event, that they encounter numerous tuition

hikes in a year.

Also Marben Palansigui, R4E Baguio-Benguet Convener, said that the admission process in state universities became tighter such as in Cagayan State University (CSU) and Mountain Province State Polytechnic College (MPSPC) because the allotted budget for the law could not accommodate all student applicants.

“Naipasa yung ‘free education’ kaya dapat tuloy-tuloy yung paglaban diyan, yung genuine na free education [at] hindi yung may mga conditionality pa rin,” [sic] Palansigui said.

Moreover, the R4E alliance which upholds every student’s right for free education, held an orientation for students who wants to be involved in the constant fight for unrestricted education and democratic rights of students inside their respective universities.

“Marami palang kabataan ang hindi nakakapag-aral kaya dapat patuloy pa rin tayong magmulat ng ibang kabataan tungkol sa mga issue dahil kung mas marami tayo mas malaki

Kaliwang Sulok ANGHEL NG TAGIS \\ Kuha ni Kimberly Joy Alejo

ang magagawa natin,” Christopher Batulan, a student from SLU said as he joined the R4E orientation.

Furthermore, the importance of educational discussions was also pointed out by Taggaoa.

She emphasized students joining educational discussions do not stop from gaining knowledge from it. Rather it is the start for students to actualize what they learned and immerse themselves in underserved communities.

“Mahalagang susi ang pagsama at pagpunta mismo sa hanay ng mga manggagawa dahil kung hanggang antas-teorya lang tayo, hindi natin ito maaactualize. At mahalaga ang papel natin [kabataan], kaya tayo naturingang pag-asa ng bayan, dahil tinatangan natin ang hamon ng panahon,” Taggaoa stated.

Speakers also encouraged the participants to fight for their rights through awareness and action. \\ Angela dela Cruz otal of 63 student organizations in the University of the Philippines Baguio were officially recognized for the academic year 2018-2019.

63 student orgs recognized, a crucial year ahead

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According to Ms. Doris Wilson, UPB Student Relations Officer (SRO), the Executive Staff considered the appeals of the organizations to allow the recognition of organizations which have a few members.

Given that there were no new students for two years, this academic year, all organizations were given a chance to make themselves known to freshmen.

In addition, the SRO claims that this year will be a crucial year for all organizations.

The SRO, as well as the student organizations of the UPB, are hopeful that new students would be interested in joining organizations.

The Salakniban Week was held last September 24-28, 2018.

The Salakniban Night, which was the recognition program for the student

organizations was held on September 28, 2018 at the UPB Court A. This year’s theme for the Salakniban was “Balikwas: Kasaysayan at Kinabukasan ng Ating Paglaban.”

The theme “Balikwas” which means to look back and or to resist aims to remember the brave acts of the organizations to resist in their own ways the oppressions that happen years ago and to continue the call for the end of state fascism and oust Duterte.

Amnesty International UP Baguio received their second Gawad Salakniban Award in the said event.

The Gawad Salakniban Award is annually awarded to organizations that showed remarkable performance for the university and community.

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Progressives rage against AFP’s Red October Plot \\ Reginald Flores & Kate Tayco

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rogressive youth groups in Baguio-Benguet gathered for the national day of action, “October Rage,” to fight and rage against the red-tagging and ouster plot accusations of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and its other atrocities on October 12 at the Malcolm Square.

“October Rage” was the retaliation of various youth groups to baseless accusations of the AFP that some universities in the Philippines are recruitment grounds of communist rebels and the New People’s Army (NPA).

Late September this year, the AFP and Philippine National Police (PNP) revealed information regarding an alleged ouster plot against President Rodrigo Duterte by opposition groups headed by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and some members of Liberal Party (LP).

According to AFP Chief General Carlito Galvez Jr, the “Red October Plot,” allegedly spearheaded by CPP, started in the successive mass mobilization last September 21, that will be progressing in October. Moreover, the plot will be culminated on CPP’s 50th anniversary on December.

Galvez also emphasized that there are 18 universities in Manila that has been reportedly organizing the students to join the plot to dethrone Duterte, including University of the Philippines (UP) and Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP).

Youth organizations released

statements condemning the government’s adamant red-tagging, saying that it endangers the lives of students and that it is a clear violation of human rights and freedom of expression.

In a statement by Youth Act Now Against Tyranny, they said that Duterte and AFP’s ‘Red October Plot’ is nothing but a “futile and desperate attempt to declare nationwide Martial Law.” The post also condemns the tagging of universities as a poorly fabricated, clearly unfounded and baseless accusation.

“Nine complaint cases were filed at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR-CAR) office last October 23, against the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) for red-tagging (in social media, AFP and PNP forum in schools, among others), surveillance, intimidation and harassment for the past months” Kabataan Partylist – Cordillera (KPL-CAR) Spokesperson, Christian Ruz said in an interview.

The most recent of which, were social media posts by the BCPO tagging organizations and youth leaders as “terrorists” and “recruiters of CPPNPA” for the purported “Red October

Plot” propagated by the AFP. “Cordilleran youth groups have started a dialogue with CHR-CAR Director Atty. Romel Daguimol, wherein it was disclosed that directive to all regional offices of CHR to conduct investigations regarding redtagging have already been forwarded

by CHR National Chairperson Chito Gascon following the dialogue between KPL National Office and the CHR last October 11” added Ruiz.

The regional office also plans to call for a community-based dialogue involving the youth and student organizations, educational institutions, PNP and AFP if “all parties may be amenable.”

In light of the October Rage campaign, artists, activists and opposition figures came together for a collective display of commitment to freedom of expression and all other basic rights on October 20 at Quezon City. The “Red October Fest” concert was organized by the Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP), Let’s Organize for Democracy and Integrity (LODI) Arts and Media Alliance, and the Movement Against Tyranny.

UPB welcomes freshmen

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to conduct events that are not only fun but socially-relevant for the freshmen students to be molded to be leaders because they are the next in line.

“Ang goal natin ay to train them to be the next leaders, since bilang mga Iskolar ng Bayan, mandato natin ay to Serve the People, so ‘yon ‘yong i-iinstill natin sa kanila habang freshie pa lang kasi sila ‘yong mga susunod na leaders,” he stated.

Millennials and victims commemorate 1972 Martial Law continued from page 3

criticizing the administration’s action towards the people and different sectors of our society.

“Since we, millennials are skeptical nowadays about the things that happened in the past, parang yung iba naghahanap talaga ng proof. Well, the forum is evidently one of them. It is a living proof na nangyari talaga siya and maraming namatay, nawala at natorture,” said Andrew Diano, a freshman student in UP Baguio who attended the forum.

Tribal filipino week. Indigenous people together with youth groups and other progressive organizations in Cordillera gathered for this year’s Tribal Filipino Week. Through cultural activities and discussions, the event aim to protect and strengthen different indigenous knowledge, systems and practices (IKSP) in the Cordillera. \\Photos by Joemariequeen Del Rosario

Kumusta naman kayo? Sana basahan niyo itong dyaryo namin dahil pinaghirapan namin ito nang todo-todo!!! (at para magkajowa na EIC namin)

8 KULTURA

Outcrop Tomo 45 Isyu 1 Hulyo-Agosto 2018

A

fter a stressful day at school, I turn my phone on, open social media apps, check my newsfeed and catch sight of the latest trends to let off steam. Like many of you, I too indulge in social media. I also laugh at memes and funny videos. But lately, the subjects of these trends in social media have shifted to more serious social issues.

In this era where social media has become a platform for political propagandas and fake news, it seems that it’s apparently becoming a thing for making parodies of the present issues. Yes, this makes the issues more widespread and known to the masses but the stigma to these issues is completely altered. These trends are becoming a political agenda to divert attention from serious matters.

THE GIRL WHO CRIED DAO MING SI During President Duterte’s latest SONA, heads were turned when former president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was installed as the new House speaker. What bothered me most is that what went viral in social media was not the fact that a former fraudulent ruler was being reinstated into a position of power but of edited clips of Arroyo shouting when the speakers seemed to malfunction. I have to admit, some of the memes made me laugh a bit but will making fun of pressing matters make things any better? Definitely not!

It is okay to still have a sense of humor even in critical situations, but it’s quite problematic. The problem is that this kind of behavior breeds a culture that is not only ignorant but also chooses to run away from the issues than trying to face it head on. It reduces something that is indicative of a looming fascist development in our government to a simple meme template that people just poke fun of. It may be just for laughs but this kind of issue is no laughing matter.

“MGA BOBO-O NG BUHAY MO” Atty. Larry Gadon was made internet famous after a video of cussing “mga bobo” and raising a middle finger to protesters went around social media. Apparently, there is this new trend where Gadon has the power of “hindi mga bobo” certification. We think it’s funny and somewhat cool but little do we know, this small scheme is feeding the popularity of Gadon and immensely increases his chances of winning in the next senatorial elections.

Let us not forget when Gadon, in a news interview, expressed his disagreement with the passing of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and even suggested that he’d kill all Muslims, including children, mice and even cockroaches, in Mindanao.

The same goes for the notorious Mocha Uson, although she functions a little bit differently. Mocha draws a lot of attention through her silly antics. She makes such a huge buzz online that it overshadows current national issues that should be the ones that we talk about. It works like a well thought of political ploy. Whenever a major issue arises, the government finds itself under hot water and people become alarmed of the present realities. Uson then barges in, does something stupid and steals the spotlight away from the issue.

Eventually, the issue fades while all attention is on Uson when in reality, Mocha Uson is completely irrelevant.

Instead of realizing our sorry state, we’ve made “siling labuyo” into a running gag that would make the typical Filipino laugh their ass off while the marginalized poor are starving to death.

WHY LAUGHTER ISN’T THE BEST MEDICINE \\ Adrianne Paul Aniban Iginuhit ni Joemariequeen Del Rosario Disenyo ng pahina ni Maria Elaine Pamisaran

WHAT’S SO SILLY IN “SILI”?

Prices of basic commodities have risen dramatically since the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law was imposed, but what is our response? “Siling labuyo” memes. Of the basic commodities whose price went up, red chili peppers caught the most attention because of reports of red chili peppers being priced at Php 1000 per kilogram.

Instead of realizing our sorry state, we’ve made “siling labuyo” into a running gag that would make the typical Filipino laugh their ass off while the marginalized poor are starving to death. “Sili” jokes reek of privilege, it supports the notion that the inflation rate is normal. Beyond the exaggerated price of red chili peppers, we cannot deny the fact that the TRAIN law is really making us suffer. Even when we’re being forced to milk out more funds for the government, we still afford to make jokes on “sili”. We’re laughing so hard on these “sili” jokes that we fail to hear the cries of the ones who are truly suffering the effects of the inflation rate.

These trends, funny videos or memes, while being a light-hearted response to serious issues, are just shiny distractions from what really matters. It smokescreens our vision of the bigger picture – extra judicial killings, constant injustices, blatant corruption, human rights abuses etc.

Looking at your social media news feeds, you’ll notice people clamor for the oddest memes or videos but fail to notice the current state of our country. Filipinos are now sick of intellect and reason, we only take notice of what’s relatable and funny. You’ve heard that where there is smoke, there is fire. But all we’re seeing is the smoke, only noticing the fire when it has already burned us.

People nowadays are short-sighted from the current goings-on in our country. We only see what we want to believe in. At best we’re optimistic, but in truth we’re simply covering our eyes from reality. We can’t just laugh our problems until they go away. Let’s not jump on the bandwagon, let’s be more critical, prove that we are in fact “hindi mga bobo.” It’s all fun and games in the beginning but we have to realize that while were laughing here, there’s an impending doom that awaits us.

LATHALAIN 9

Outcrop Tomo 45 Isyu 2 Setyembre-Oktubre 2018

Nasa isip mo lang ‘yan S

Mental Health Law at mga implikasyon nito

iraulo, lukaret, buang, baliw, sintu-sinto. Mahaba ang listahan ng mga katatawanang bansag sa mga may sakit sa isip sa Pilipinas. Sa isang Katolikong bansa kung saan inaasahang “ipasa-Diyos na lamang” ang halos lahat ng mga pinagdaraanan, tila isang malaking kasalanan ang maghanap ng remedyo upang mapagaan ang pansariling karamdaman. Maliwanag na indikasyon ang halos dalawang dekadang pagkakabinbin ng Republic Act No. 11036 o Philippine Mental Health Law, sa patuloy na pagbabalewala ng estado sa kasalukuyang kalagayan ng mental health sa ating bansa.

Labimpitong taon na ang lumipas bago naipasa ang RA 11036, isang komprehensibong batas na nagtatatag ng pambansang mental health policy upang mapabuti ang paghahandog ng mga mental health services; layunin nitong ipalaganap at protektahan ang mga karapatan ng mga taong gumagamit ng serbisyong nakalakip sa batas na ito. Nakasaad din dito na ang lahat ng mga mamamayan ay may karapatan sa mental health service na hindi mahigpit, makatao, at bukas para sa lahat. Kinikilala din ng batas na ito ang pagkalulong sa droga bilang isang sakit, na kailangan gamutin katulad ng karaniwang sakit.

Bilanggo ng isipan, binigo ng taumbayan Sa isang bansa na inabot ng ilang dekada ang paggawa ng isang batas na makatutulong upang kilalanin ang sakit sa pag-iisip ng mga Pilipino, hindi na nakapagtatakang hindi pa rin lubusang tanggap ang usapin hinggil sa mental health. Bagamat isa sa bawat tatlong Pilipino ang nakararanas ng sakit sa pag-iisip, marami kung susumahin, ayon sa pagsasaliksik ng University of the Philippines College of Medicine, hindi pa rin hayagang pinag-uusapan ang isyu hinggil sa mental health illness sa bansa.

Kung susumahin, ayon sa isang artikulo ni Rainier Ronda, humigit-kumulang 28 milyong Pilipino ang may karamdaman sa pag-iisip.

Maliban kasi sa pangungutya sa mga may sakit sa pag-iisip, nakaugalian na ring igapos o di kaya’y ikadena ang mga apektadong indibidwal, na tila ba mga hayop na hindi pwedeng makawala sa kural. Bagamat hindi naman nananakit lahat ng may karamdaman sa pag-iisip, nagiging ritwal na ang paggapos sa mga taong ito na tila ba toro ang mga ito na sasakmal na lamang nang wala sa oras.

Sa halip na bigyang kalinga at suporta ang mga taong ito, lalo lamang nagkakaroon ng lamat sa mga isipan nito. Sa katunayan, ayon kay Patricia Simon, isang sikolohista, isa sa mga sanhi ang hindi lubusang pagtanggap sa mga may sakit sa pag-iisip sa paglobo ng populasyon

\\ Chelsea Serezo & Reginald Flores

ng mga undiagnosed sa bansa.

Gayunpaman, nakaaalarmang kamakailan lamang ay naging isang ganap na batas ang Republic Act No. 11036 o Mental Health Law. Layon ng R.A. 11036 na obligahin ang gobyerno na maglaan ng sapat na pondo, para sa libreng konsultasyon at gamot ng mga may sakit sa pag-iisip. Bibigyang prayoridad din ng batas ang pagpapatayo ng mga mental health facility sa bawat komunidad. Hindi man binigyan ng malinaw na saklaw ng batas ang mga uri ng mental health illness, marahil upang hindi malimitahan ang pagkaka-unawa sa mga ito. Isang halimbawa ang ulat ng CNN Philippines na sa dinami-rami ng nakakaranas ng schizophrenia sa bansa, isa sa mga mental health illness na tumatama sa mga Pinoy, kaunti lamang ang nakaaalam kung ano ba talaga ito.

Ayon sa World Health Organization (WHO), tinawag nilang hindi sistematiko ang kalakaran ng pangangalaga ng kalusugan sa Pilipinas. Bukod kasi sa pagbibigay ng prayoridad sa mga may kaya, kakaunti rin ang bilang ng mga propesyonal na manggagamot sa ating bansa. Base sa datos ng Department of Health (DOH), isang doktor lamang ang nakalaan sa bawat 33,000 mamamayan at hindi rin nasusunod ang bilang na isang nars kada 12 pasyente sa mga pampublikong ospital.

Litaw na nga ang kakulangan sa mga

tauhan ng pampublikong pagamutan, pinagkakakitaan pa ang pagpapagaling sa mga may sakit sa kaisipan. Wala tuloy magawa ang mga kapamilya ng mga apektadong indibidwal kung hindi magbayad nang dilat, una sa pagpapakonsulta at pangalawa sa pagbili ng mga nakasaad sa reseta. Kumbaga, walang ibang pagpipiliang hakbang kundi ang magbayad ng malaking halaga para sa ikagagaling ng isang indibidwal. Nauuwi na lamang tuloy sa mga hindi makatao at barbarikong paraan, gaya ng pagtali sa mga may sakit sa pag-iisip upang kahit mabawasan ang nararamdaman ng mga ito.

“Gawa-gawa lang ‘yan” Unti-unti nang nagkakaroon ng pag-unawa ang iba’t-ibang bansa sa kung ano ba talaga ang karamdaman sa pag-iisip, at lumolobo na rin ang bilang ng mga kilusang nagpapalawig ng diskurso upang lalong maliwanagan ang lipunan sa kung ano ba talaga ang nararamdaman ng mga apektadong indibidwal. Gayumpaman, masasabing hindi pa lubusang tanggap ng lipunang Pilipino ang pagkakaroon ng sakit sa pag-iisip, sapagkat sa halip na maging instrumento ng pagkamulat ang mga iba’t-ibang malalaking personalidad, sinasalubong nila ng mga makikitid at hindi maalam na pananaw ang isyu hinggil sa mental health, katulad ng ideya na ang mga may

karamdaman sa mental health ay delikado at mag-aanyong babala sa lipunan, at na ang pakiramdam na ito ay kayang patayin na tila “off switch”. Nilayasan na nga ng katinuan sa pag-iisip, dinodoble pa ng lipunan ang pasakit ng mga apektadong indibidwal.

Pagbabalangkas ng hakbang tungo sa pagtanggap Pagkatapos ng isa’t kalahating dekada ng pagtitiis sa mga nakasanayang panggagamot sa mga may sakit sa pag-iisip, mayroon na tayong konkreto at tiyak na patnubay upang baguhin ito. Sapagkat hindi na nananatiling ignorante ang administrasyon sa pagtulong sa mga Pilipino na nakararanas ng mental illnesses, nagsanib pwersa ang DOH, WHO, at Natasha Goulbourn Foundation sa isang proyekto, ang “Depression and Suicide Hotline” na maaaring tawagan ng mga apektadong indibidwal kung kinakailangan; ngunit kumalat sa ilang social media platforms na ang uri ng serbisyong ibinibigay ng mga taong nasa likod ng linya ay hindi de-kalidad.

Dahil dito, litaw ang hindi pagbibigay ng sapat ng atensyon ng administrasyon sa usaping mental health, kahit sa pinakamababaw na antas na lamang. Sa katunayan, 5% lamang ng pangkabuuang badyet ng kalusugan ang inilalaan ng pamahalaan sa usapin ng mental health. Bilang mga mamamayan, kinakailangan natin maging mausisa at kilatisin nang mabuti kung naihahandog ba nang wasto ang serbisyong ipinangako ng gobyerno.

Maliban sa paglagda sa isang batas na makapagpapagaan diumano ng kondisyon ng mga apektadong Pinoy, mahalagang magbalangkas muna ng mga hakbangin tungo sa epektibo at mataas na kalidad na mental health care facility sa bansa. Mahalaga ring ipaunawa sa bawat mamamayan ang pinagdaraanan at paghihirap ng mga may karamdaman sa pag-iisip upang hindi sila ipagtabuyan, sa halip unawain ang kanilang mga nararamdaman.

“Sa halip na maging instrumento ng pagkamulat ang mga iba’t-ibang malalaking personalidad, sinasalubong nila ng mga makikitid at hindi maalam na pananaw ang isyu hinggil sa mental health...”

Iginuhit ni Joshua Gallardo Disenyo ng pahina ni Maria Elaine Pamisaran

10 KULTURA

Outcrop Tomo 45 Isyu 2 Setyembre-Oktubre 2018

UNHOLY TRINITY U

muugong na naman ang agamagam na ang mga gumimbal sa bayan ay magbabalik nanaman, at sa ngayon hindi isa, hindi rin dalawa ngunit tatlo na sila. Animo’y pagbabalik ni Lily Cruz mula sa hukay, magarbo, nakagugulat at nakapapangilabot dahil aniya “… Just like gold I am indestructible.” Sino nga ba ang iconic na unholy trinity ng Pilipinas ngayon?

Bakit sila muling nagbabalik mula sa kanilang pagkakahimlay?

The Dark Father Ayon sa isang mito ukol sa mga unang tao sa Pilipinas, may isang malaking ibon na tumuka sa isang kawayan at doon lumabas si Malakas at Maganda.

Kung tutuusin napakagandang mito nito na nagpapakita ng lokal na bersyon ng mga Pilipino sa pagpapaliwanag ng pagkakaroon ng tao sa bansa. Ngunit tila ba’y nasira ang mitong ito nang angkinin ni Ferdinand Marcos ang bansag na malakas, samantalang ang kaniyang asawa na si Imelda ay si Maganda.

Marahil ay totoo din naman ang kinuha niyang pangalan, Malakas.

Malakas ang loob na maging diktador at hawakan sa leeg gamit ang kaniyang bakal na kamay ang mga Pilipino.

Malakas manghikayat ng mga kakampi na katulad niyang ganid sa kapangyarihan at siyang gagawa ng mga maruruming gawain. Malakas ang sikmura na pumatay ng libo–libong tao na sumasalungat sa kanyang mga polisiya. At malakas ang kumpiyansa sa sarili na dinala hanggang sa kamatayan dahil siya’y ihinimlay sa Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Sa kabilang banda naman ay si Maganda na may magandang damit, magandang sapatos, magandang buhok, magandang bahay at magandang ari – arian na mabibili ng napakaraming kayamanan na halata namang kinamkam mula sa bayan. Ang malala pa rito ay kahit naisapubliko na ang pagnanakaw, ay hindi pa din nagpatinag si Maganda, patuloy niyang ipinaglaban na ang kaniyang magagarbong kagamitan ay hindi nanggaling mula sa milyun - milyong ilegal na raket ng kaniyang asawa. At hanggang ngayon, makikita natin si Maganda, suot ang kaniyang bonggang kamiseta, hindi din kumupas ang tinding ng buhok niya, at higit sa lahat marami pa ring pera.

The Sinful Son Kilalang kilala hindi lamang sa bansa kundi pati na rin sa buong mundo ang ating kasalukuyang pangulo, si Rodrigo Duterte. Hindi mahirap maniwala sa masasarap at matatamis na salita na lumalabas mula sa bibig ng isang taong tila ba’y matagal nang may

Iginuhit ni Michelle Jade Lazaro Disenyo ng pahina ni Maria Elaine Pamisaran

\\ Gianne Alexandria Marinas

napatunayan sa sarili niyang bayan.

Masarap pakinggan ang pangakong kaya niyang sugpuin ang droga sa loob lamang ng anim na buwan, masarap ring pakinggan ang bruskong pangako niyang siya mismo ang pupunta sa teritoryo ng Pilipinas na inaangkin ng mga Tsino at doo’y magtatanim ng watawat. Siya’y nagbalatkayo at nagkunwang isang bayani na magsasalba ng isang bansang animo’y isinumpa, ngunit nang umupo sa pwesto ay saka lumutang ang katotohanan ng kaniyang mga salita.

Hindi dahil sa napaunlad niya ang Pilipinas, ngunit dahil sa libo-libong naging biktima ng kaniyang OPLAN Tokhang na walang habas na pumapatay sa mga mahihirap, pusher man o user, may kasalanan man o inosente, basta ‘nanlaban’ sa pulis makikita ang huling hantungan.

Namana yata niya sa kaniyang amain na si Marcos ang pagkauhaw sa kapangyarihan at pagnanais ng ganap na kon`trol hindi lamang sa iba’t ibang sangay ng gobyerno ngunit pa rin sa buhay ng mga normal na mamamayan.

Magkaiba lamang ang pamamaraan nila––mabilisang pagpapatupad ng Batas Militar ang ginawa ni Marcos, na sa isang pitik nahawakan niya ang buong Pilipinas bilang diktador.

Samantalang tila dahan-

dahan ang proseso ni Duterte, nag-umpisa sa pagtatalaga ng mga kaalyansa sa Korte Suprema, ilegal na pagpapakulong sa mga tumututol sa kanya, pagsusulong ng pederalismo at bagong kontitusyon na isang malaking hakbang sa pagpapanatili ng kanyang kapangyarihan. Hindi rin natin maitatanggi na naging usap-usapan at mahabang debate ang paglilibing kay Marcos sa Libingan ng mga Bayani, na tila ba’y sinadyang hindi isapubliko.

Ang paglilibing na ito ay may basbas ni Duterte: Sino nga bang anak ang ayaw bigyan ng karangalan ang kanyang amain?

The [Dying] Spirit Naging trend na yata sa gobyerno ang magkasakit o magkaroon ng neck brace pagkatapos ng termino at makasuhan dahil sa mga kalokohan habang nakaupo sila sa pwesto gaya ni Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Namawis ang likod ng small but terrible na presidenteng

“Ang estado ng pulitika sa bansa ay naikulong sa bilog, paikot- ikot, paulit – ulit, walang pinatutunguhan. Pabalik – balik sila sa tuktok nang tatsulok, at patuloy pa ring may mga bulag na mamamayang sumusuporta sa kanila.

ito sa halos sampung taong pagiging presidente, kasabay ang 182 kaso ng desaparecidos na pumapangalawa ang bilang kay Marcos mismo. Sa loob din ng sampung taon ay walang pagbabago sa kalagayan ng bansa, sa katunayan matapos ang kaniyang termino ay nakasuhan siya ng plunder dahil sa maling paggamit ng P366 milyon mula sa Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). Maaalala rin natin ang sikat na Hello, Garci! scandal, kung saan napatunayang nandaya si Arroyo noong eleksyon ng 2004.

Patung-patong ang naging kaso ng ginang, ngunit sa kabila nito ay naihalal pa rin siyang Kinatawan ng Pampanga at ngayon, sa tulong ng makasalanang anak ng ama ng kadiliman, siya ay muling nabuhay at naitakdang House Speaker matapos patalsikin si Pantaleon Alvarez. Tulad ng pakikinig sa bulong ng Espirito Santo, si Duterte ay nakikinig at sumusunod sa mga adhikain ni Arroyo, mula sa reporma sa buwis hanggang sa muling pagkabuhay ng Charter Change. Ang akala nating tuluyan nang nawala ay muling nagbabalik, at ngayon, wala na siyang neck brace.

The Descendants Hindi natatapos sa mga magulang ang hangarin na kumamkam ng kapangyarihan at kaban ng bayan, sa katunayan nag-uumpisa na ring magsanib pwersa ang anak ng mga Marcos, Arroyo, at Duterte. Nakaraang Agosto lamang nang magkaroon ng malawakang koalisyon ang siyam na partido at tinawag itong Hugpong ng Pagbabago. At hindi na nakagugulat na si Sara Duterte ang nagsimula at kasalukuyang tagapangulo ng samahan at kaanib nila ang Ilocano Timpuyog na pinamumunuan naman ni Imee Marcos.

Tila ba inuulit lamang ng kasaysayan ang kaniyang sarili. Marahil sa mga susunod pang taon ay sila-sila pa rin ang nasa tuktok at magiging malayo pa rin tayo sa hinahangad na pagbabago.

Wala nang bago, at wala nang nagbabago. Ang estado ng pulitika sa bansa ay naikulong sa bilog, paikot- ikot, paulit – ulit, walang pinatutunguhan.

Pabalik – balik sila sa tuktok nang tatsulok, at patuloy pa ring may mga bulag na mamamayang sumusuporta sa kanila. Kahit ano pa mang kasalanan, walang napaparusahan dahil sila ay mas mataas sa batas.

Sa kasalukuyang mga kaganapan, hindi na malayong makaranas pa tayo ng mas malalalang krisis laban sa ating mga karapatan bilang mga Pilipino, bilang tao. Sa kabila nito, huwag tayong mapapagod lumaban at lalo pang palakasin ang boses ng mamamayan, maging bukas sana ang mga mata ng mga Pilipino sa kung ano ang tama sa mali, at ang mabuti sa masama.

OPINYON 11

Outcrop Tomo 45 Isyu 2 Setyembre-Oktubre 2018

Duterte changes nothing good \\ Luisa Angela Sandoval

I

n hopes of getting answers relating to current issues faced by the country, I could not help but shake my head because of frustration as President Rodrigo Duterte, in his one-on-one televised interview with Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo last September 11, failed to give any concise answers regarding Filipinos’ basic social needs.

Gone are the days where a twenty peso bill could give you a biscuit, a soft drink and the remaining change, a jeepney ride home.

Today, I could not even budget the same bill as my allowance for a day. Duterte, in his one hour and thirty minutes “talk show,” tried to reason out that he is aware of the high inflation rate and defended that his team was already acting upon the issue. But he failed to address the fact that this inflation greatly affects the people of low social class.

The recent increase in the minimum fare of jeepneys, alongside the increase in prices of other basic necessities such as electricity bills and food prove that price hikes indeed add more burden to poor Filipinos.

That being said, the high inflation rate, in turn, worsens with the continuation of Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN Law. Although Duterte claims that he will not stop the implementation of the TRAIN Law for it funds his projects, IBON Foundation reveals that TRAIN only puts more money to the pockets of the rich. In fact, Duterte’s Build Build Build (BBB) Project benefits not the poor but the rich, for it gives a profit to the businessmen, neglecting the 17.2

“If the Filipino people have once ousted a gluttonous, fraudulent dictator before, the Filipinos can and will definitely do it again.”

million poor Filipino households that pay their taxes amid low personal incomes; this only shows who Duterte is really for.

Duterte did not forget to babble about federalism. He argues that a federal government would be a solution to distributing the wealth of the country to all the regions.

However, his plan ironically focuses on the main and highly-urbanized cities in the country like Metro Manila, Clark, Davao, and Cagayan De Oro. Aside from that, a fascist president will always deny fascism. Duterte claimed that “petty” crimes have lessened in the streets because of the crackdown on drugs, which statistics showed otherwise. According to the Philippine National Police (PNP), the National Capital Region (NCR) garners an average of 84.43% of criminality rates monthly, a major increase compared to the 65.11% monthly criminality rate back in the year 2013.

If the increase in criminality rate is Duterte’s way of providing safety to his countrymen, then I would rather feel the opposite. The contagious attack of the administration to the youth especially to those who are less privileged and uneducated implies that as long as you have no money, and as long as you are a helpless lowbrow— then you’re most likely to drop dead one night, because of our president’s crackdown on drugs.

Duterte claims that Martial Law in Mindanao has lessened criminality by and

large, but the only thing it has lessened are innocent lives of his people. Ever since the proclamation of Martial Law in Mindanao, over 14,000 cases of human rights violations have been recorded according to the regional Commission on Human Rights (CHR) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Of all the countless issues faced by the country today—Free education, LGBTQ discrimination, EJKs and many more— Duterte fails to address not even one— he just cleaned his already bloodied hands in front of the whole nation. The audacity of Duterte to say that everything is okay only shows how unconcerned he is when it comes to the poor and to the majority of the Filipinos. He indeed brought change to the Philippines— our prices have never been higher, crimes have never been worse, the poor has never been poorer.

Duterte’s critics are living proofs that the people are not blinded by his lies, and that the countrymen will never let a misogynistic -fascist Duterte swindle their rights as Filipinos. He may think that he is stirring the people away from the real issues, but the people are awake and together, the fight against fascism and the anti-poor administration shall continue. If the Filipino people have once ousted a gluttonous, fraudulent dictator before, the Filipinos can and will definitely do it again. Who is he to think that we cannot oust him? He is just Duterte; we are Filipinos.

Pag-aangkat na nakakaurat \\ Joshua Gallardo

Ang Pilipinas ay napapalibutan ng katubigan at mayroong matatabang kalupaan.

Ang ating bansa ay hitik sa agrikultura at mga hilaw na materyales na dapat sanang nagpapa-unlad sa ating lahat. Ngunit nakapagtatakang ang ating bansa ay patuloy na naghihirap at ang likas na yaman nito ay hindi napapakinabangan ng lubos ng sambayanang Pilipino. Ito ang masaklap na katotohanang paulit-ulit na sumasampal sa atin.

Sa kabi-kabilang balita ng pag-aangkat dito sa Pilipinas, ako’y napapaisip kung ano na nga ba talaga ang tunay na kalagayan nito.

Ang pagharurot ng mga dayuhang produkto at kompanya dito sa ating bansa, ay sumasagasa at umuungos sa kabuhayan ng napakaraming Pilipino.

Lumaki akong malapit sa mga kamaganak kong magsasaka, kaya naman nakikita ko kung anong hirap ang kanilang dinaranas upang mabuhay lang ang kani-kanilang mga pamilya. At sa pagputok ng mga balita tungkol sa pagbibigay halaga ng ating pamahalaan sa pag-aangkat ng mga produkto tulad na lamang ng bigas, galunggong at iba pa. Nalulungkot akong isiping magiging malaking dagok ngayon ito sa kanila gayundin sa mga mangingisda at mga manggagawa

sapagkat binigyan sila ng isang malaking kakompitensya at nanganganib na matabunan at maitsapwera ang kanilang kabuhayan.

Sa madaling sabi ang mga yaman natin ay tila di nagagamit at di napapakinabangan ng mamamayang Pilipino dahil sa patuloy na pagbigay ng halaga ng ating pamahalaan sa mga mayayamang dayuhang kompanya kaysa sa sarili nating mga lokal na mangingisda, magsasaka at mga mangagagawa.

Ang mga ito ay tila sumasalamin lamang sa pagiging tuta ng ating pamahalaan sa malakonlonyal, at burukratang kapitalismong sistema na siyang patuloy na nagpapahirap sa ating lahat. Malakonlonyal sapagkat ang bansa natin ay nagpapakontrol at patuloy na nagpapaalipin sa sistema ng ibang bansa tulad na lamang sa pagdepende natin sa mga dayuhang produkto. Burukratang kapitalismo na nagtatali naman sa ating ekonomiya sapagkat ang mga industriya rito ay limitado lamang sa mga malalaking kompanya na siyang tumatapak sa lokal na industriya.

Lumalala na ang mga suliraning kaugnay sa agrikultura at sa iba pang sektor ng lipunan, at sa ngayon ang tanging nangingibabaw sa akin ay ang bulok na sistema ng ating pamahalaan.

Imbes na tapalan lang nila ang mga suliranin at mag-angkat ng kung ano-ano, dapat nilang

“Sa ngayon, ang mga aksiyon ng ating pamahalaan ay parang mapait na tabletang pilit pinapalunok sa sambayanang Pilipino.”

paigtingin o palawigin na lamang ang mga programang tumutulong sa mga mangingisda, magsasaka, at manggagawa rito sa atin para sa mas matagalang benepisyo ng nakararami.

Sa ngayon, ang mga aksiyon ng ating pamahalaan ay parang mapait na tabletang pilit pinapalunok sa sambayanang Pilipino.

Ang kanilang mga programa ay kasing lansa ng mga isdang inaangkat at kasing bukbok ng bigas na kanilang pinabayaan. Ang kanilang walang katiyakang gawain ay mas lalo lamang nagdudulot ng pagdurusa at mas lalo lamang nanggigipit sa mga mahihirap.

Hindi madaling ipagsawalang bahala ang mga nabanggit na iskema ng pang-aapi at pang-aagrabyado ng ating pamahaalaan sa mahihirap. Imbes na tangkilikin ang sariling atin at bigyang importansya ang kabuhayan ng lahat, mas pinili pa ng ating pamahalaan na paunlarin ang ibang bansa sa pamamagitan ng pagtangkilik sa mga dayuhang produkto at panghihikayat sa mga malalaking kompanyang maghari-harian. Kung ang lahat ng ito ang siyang nagkukulong sa pag-unlad ng mamamayang Pilipino, kailangan ang pag tindig at pagkakaisa ng lahat na siyang susi upang kumawala sa sistemang mapang-api at mapansamantala.

12 12 KULTURA

Outcrop Tomo 45 Isyu 2 Setyembre-Oktubre Outcrop Tomo 45 Isyu 2 Setyembre-Oktubre 20182018

JAMES BALAO: Writer, Activist, Desaparesido \\ John Rey Dave Aquino & Nicole Falcasantos

T

en years have passed since the enforced disappearance of former Outcrop editor-in-chief and Cordillera Peoples Alliance founding member, James Balao, and still no trace of him.

Victims of enforced disappearances, or desaparesidos, disappear when state forces snatch themㅡfrom the streets, their houses, their officesㅡ who later refuse to admit the deed. James disappeared during Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’ presidency in 2008. Human rights alliance Karapatan recorded 206 desaparecidos during Arroyo’s term, James among them, but that number is only a portion of the recorded 1,996 desaparesidos in the country.

James disappeared on September 17, 2008, when he was on his way home. He was abducted by unidentified men who dragged him inside a white Mitsubishi Adventurer. Witnesses heard the men say “’Wag kayong makialam, drug pusher ’to, dadalhin namin sa Camp Dangwa.” Nothing has been heard from him since.

Remembering James James’ family remembers him as a quiet person who had a lot of interest in books. Winston Balao, James’ brother, describes him as an introvert who liked to just stay in his room and read books. “Madalas makikita mo sa labas na nakahawak ng libro, nagbabasa...

[Tapos] tahimik lang siya, as in, hindi mo alam kung ano yung isasagot [tuwing kinakausap].”

Winston also describes his brother as a great researcher who united family members of different clans. James gathered the clan members from their father’s and mother’s family, dedicating most of his time to forming family trees and reuniting clan members. In fact, before when he disappeared he was president of the Oclupan Clan Association and the Vice-President of the Ngalatan-Yami Clan Association.

Nonette Balao, James’ sister, added that he was very sincere and dedicated in his job and in their clans that he did not get married despite his friendly nature.

“Binuhos niya yung time niya sa pagbuo ng clan, hindi na siya nag-asawa. Pero mahilig siya sa mga bata, very, very close siya sa mga kids,” she stated.

James was also described by his siblings as a good son who looked after their mother who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease before he moved far from their house because of his work. Despite the distance from his family’s house and his residence, he still managed to visit their mother. However, after finding out he was under surveillance, his communication with his family was cut to only text messages and emails.

Nonette reminisced the times when James distanced himself from his family after knowing that his family members were also under surveillance. “Ayaw niyang madamay kami, kaya medyo lumayo siya sa amin. Hindi na siya masyadong pumupunta sa bahay kasi pati na rin kami, sinusundan.”

Writer for the people James entered UP in the late 70s, when Martial Law (ML) was still in place. He became part of Outcrop, UP College Baguio’s (now UP Baguio) official student publication. He served as feature editor in 1979, then as editor-in-chief from

A.Y 1980-81, Tomo 6 to AY 1981-82, Tomo 7. His activism started in the publication which was revived after being closed down in the early years of ML. Winston recalls that he did not even know James was editor of Outcrop back then. “Tambay ako d’yan sa Outcrop [noon],” he recalls, pointing to the JL building where Outcrop’s office was, “pinapaalis lang nila ako kapag magle-layout na sila.” He said he sometimes came with James to interviews and remembers one particular instance when James interviewed Ibaloy families displaced when government started building Marcos Highway. James later published that article, titled “A Tourist Park Called Marcos Park” (Tomo 5 January-February 1980).

Audrey Beltran, vice-chairperson of the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA), remembers James in alumni gatherings of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), an alliance of tertiary student publications to which Outcrop belongs. She says she cannot forget when James once told them that writing should serve the interests of the people: “Saan ba nanggaling ang datos kundi sa kalagayan at karanasan ng masa? Kaya kung manunulat ka, dahil nanggagaling sa masa ang katotohanan, ibinabalik natin ito sa kanila sa porma ng mga artikulo o maging information materials para magsilbi sa interes nila.”

A lifetime commitment After James graduated from UP Baguio in 1983, he continued to write about Cordillera issues. He became a staff of the Cordillera Studies Program (CSP), the research arm of the Cordillera Schools Group (CSG), “...he was an efficient propagandist, as if he had the ‘calling of writing’”

a group of private schools in the region back then, and the Cordillera Resource Center on Indigenous Peoples Rights (CRCIPR).

James is also a founding member of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA), an alliance of progressive peoples organizations in the region. He headed the CPA’s Education and Research Commission.

Joanna Cariño, his CPA colleague and also former Outcrop editor-in-chief, said that he was an efficient propagandist, as if he had the ‘calling of writing.’ She said they wrote many of the CPA’s papers together, “He would write up very fast, he would draft it then we would work on it together, then I would finalize it.”

Cariño also said when the new Constitution was being written after Marcos’ ouster, James became a staff of Ponciano Bennagen, one of the commissioners appointed by Corazon Aquino. Cory had earlier agreed to put a CPA representative in the constitutional commission but later turned back on her promise, disregarding CPA’s role in the antidictatorship struggle. But that did not stop the CPA from lobbying for the inclusion of the provisions on ancestral land (Article XII, Section 5) and regional autonomy (Article X, Section 15).

Until 1993, James was with the CPA Regional Office. In 1994, James worked with the Ifugao Research and Development Center and the Ifugao Peasant Leaders Forum. From his days as a collegiate activist to being a full-time organizer, James continued his commitment to serving the people.

Surface desaparesidos!

Enforced disappearances may happen to activists and members of progressive organizations, like James, which the government deems rebellious or even terrorist. The CPA is one such organization which Duterte considers as fronts of the New Peoples Army (NPA) without clear evidence.

Beltran says of enforced disappearances, “Isa ito sa pinakamalalang forms ng violation dahil walang pagsasara, walang closure. Dahil enforced disappearance, inalis mo ang isang tao mula sa protection ng law kaya kayang gawin ng kahit sino sa poder ang gusto nila.” Torture and sexual harrassment comes after the abduction, unknown to the victim’s family.

Recently, Major General Jovito Palparan, perpetrator of human rights abuses, was convicted in the disappearance of UP students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan. His conviction sends a message to all human rights abusersㅡmilitary, police, even the president itselfㅡthat justice will be given to human rights victims as long as the people demand it from the state.

As the state of the human rights worsens in the country, under a president whose vocabulary is limited to patayin and NPA, it is imperative for us to continue calling for justice to human rights violations. James is only one of thousands of victims of the state’s disregard for human rights—farmers massacred, protesting workers violently dispersed, thousands of people killed for no clear reason.

As long as James remains missing, his family and friends will continue to call for him to surface.

PIPOL

Ito ay isang bahagi ng seksyon ng ku;ltura kung saan tinatampok ang isang tao, sikat man o hindi. Dito natutunghayan ang mga taong hindi binibigyan ng boses ng mainstream media at mga talk show sa telebisyon.

Iginuhit ni Adrianne Paul Aniban Disenyo ng pahina ni Elaine Pamisaran