Nº 14

Nº 14
05 Okt 07
Opisyal na lingguhang
pahayagan ng mga
mag-aaral ng Unibersidad
ng Pilipinas - Diliman
news | 03
Hazing cases
filed against
SR members
“Justify your
existence,” Roman
tells frats
kultura | 08
Timpla ng
Tanawin
Sa piketlayn ng mga
manggagawa sa Nestlé
On its 85th year, the
Philippine Collegian looks
back at eight decades of
headlines that saw print
on its pages & sent ripples
within and outside the
university.
2 OKT 1991
Faculty salary
increases
shelved
The Board of Regents in its meeting last September
30 temporarily shelved
the proposed salary increases for faculty members and employees of
the university. The postponement of the grant
of salary increases was
caused by the Board’s
desire to study further
“certain
aspects”
of
the proposed salary increases which should
have gone into effect last
July 1.
PhilippineCollegian Ika-85 taon
Blg. 14 Biyernes 05 Okt 2007
Impending
bloodbath
If anything, his resignation came
Editoryal
CO M E LEC Chair
Benjamin Abalos’s
resignation cuts
both ways. While
such removes from
the helm the person whose leadership of the commission has brought
about a flood of malevolence, it
also forebodes ill of the sinister
attempt at diverting public outrage
away from the real culprits.
Days after Abalos quit his post,
President Gloria Arroyo was quick to
declare that the National Broadband
Network deal is “dead,” in what seems
to be a desperate attempt to tame
the brewing tempest created by the
multi-million dollar deceit. Such declaration is supect, precisely because
it was made almost immediately after
the scandal drew its first blood, and
the sacrificial lamb was finally laid
at the altar.
Abalos’s resignation, however,
neither absolves him of allegedly brokering the $329.5- million contract
and of bribing former NEDA Chair
Romulo Neri with P200 million into
approving it, nor does it obscure the
attendant issues of chronic corruption in government and its inveterate
dependence on foreign monopoly
capitalists.
impeachment complaint, which, had
it commenced, would necessarily
dredge more malicious details about
the involvement of First Gentleman
Mike Arroyo and the president herself
in the scandal.
piya constantino
he fact of former
Notwithstanding her hostile behavior and racist slur, Sen. Miriam
Defensor- Santiago put it bluntly and
rightly so, that the NBN scandal is
nothing more than incensed scoundrels fighting over stolen kickbacks.
Not one of the key personalities in the
scandal, therefore, can be spared. Neri’s efforts at mitigating the scandal’s
damaging impact on the First Family
is unmistakable. Joey de Venecia III’s
being the whistle-blower does not
clear him of violations of RA 3029, or
the Anti- Graft and Corrupt Practices
Act, which prohibits relatives of government officials from participating
in government transactions.
Which is not saying that sans the
participation of a handful of crooks,
the NBN deal would have been a
worthy undertaking. Since its inception in 2005, the elaborate broadband
deal proved to be a most suspicious
one. The project surreptitiously went
underway, away from public scrutiny,
and the contract with ZTE was lost
– “stolen” – as soon as it was signed.
The ultimate point, however, is that
The cycle has
thus become
all too vicious,
and it would
have to take
more than
one sacrificial
lamb to quell
the imminent
bloodlust
the government would not have to
precisely what happened in such
borrow almost $400 million dollars
anomalous projects as the P1.3-billion
from China were it not for the lack of a
Automated Counting Machine with
national industry on information and
Mega Pacific, the P1.1-billion Diosdado
communications technology. While
Macapagal boulevard project, the
it is always an option to facilitate
P728-million fertilizer fund, among
transmission between government
others.
instrumentalities through telecom-
The cycle has thus become all too
munications services, the state’s
vicious, and it would have to take more
abdication of its obligation to provide
than one sacrificial lamb to quell the
ICT infrastructures should always be
imminent bloodlust. It would take
met with fiercest resistance.
more than Abalos, or even Neri and
It is thus with utmost circumspec-
De Venecia, to suppress the people’s
tion that the recent turn of events
growing discontent. The trail will
should be arrested, for it harks us
inevitably lead to the doorstep of
back to the same issues that could
Malacañang, where all these atroci-
have roused us from an apparent
ties began.
stupor, yet ended up buried in an
Let the bloodbath begin.
intricate design of pointless investigations and cover -ups. Such was
Philippine Collegian Opisyal na lingguhang pahayagan ng mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas - Diliman
Punong Patnugot / Jerrie M. Abella • Kapatnugot / Frank Lloyd Tiongson • Tagapamahalang Patnugot / Karl Fredrick M. Castro • Patnugot sa lathalain / Alaysa Tagumpay
E. Escandor • Patnugot sa Grapiks / Ivan Bryan G. Reverente, Alanah M. Torralba • Tagapamahala ng Pinansiya / Melane A . Manalo • Mga Kawani / Louise Vincent B. Amante, Piya C.
Constantino, Candice Anne L . Reyes • Pinansiya / Amelyn J. Daga • Tagapamahala sa Sirkulasyon / Paul John Alix • Sirkulasyon / Gary Gabales, Ricky Icawat, Amelito Jaena, Glenario
Omamalin • Mga Katuwang na Kawani / Trinidad Basilan, Gina Villas • Pamuhatan / Silid 401 Bulwagang Vinzons, Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, Diliman, Lungsod Quezon • Tele­fax / 9818500
lokal 4522 • Email / [email protected] • Website / http://philippinecollegian.net, http://kule0708.deviantart.com • Kasapi / Solidaridad - UP System-wide Alliance of Student Publications
and Writers’ Organizations, College Editors Guild of the Philippines
tungkol sa pabal at dibuho: ivan reverente. disenyo ng pahina: k arl castro.
T
across as a lame try at dodging an
Philippine Collegian | Biyernes 05 Okt 2007
Hazing, misconduct raps
vs 14 Sigma Rhoans filed
“Justify your
existence,” Roman
tells frats
John Alliage Tinio Morales
T
he UP administration filed
on September 28 formal
charges before the Student Disciplinary Tribunal
( SDT ) against 14 members and
officers of the Sigma Rho ( SR )
fraternity, who were believed to be
behind the death of hazing victim
Cris Anthony Mendez.
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Elizabeth Enriquez said SR
officers and members were charged
for violations of the university ’s
rules on hazing and “misconduct
affecting the good name of the
university.”
Students found guilty of par ticipating in a hazing resulting
in an injury or death could be
suspended for at least one year or
expelled from the university, said
Enriquez.
Diliman Legal Office Atty. Carlo
Castro said respondents must first
submit a written reply before any
formal hearing can start. He, however, refused to divulge details, as
the university’s confidentiality rule
covers disciplinary cases handled
by SDT.
The UP administration ordered
on August 30 a 30- day prevent i ve s u s p e n s i o n a ga i n s t S R ’s
high-ranking officials Raul Grap-
Close fight
ilon, Ronald Chua, Andrew Selah
Dela Rosa and Armand Lorenze
Sapitan.
Circumstantial evidence
Disclosing the circumstantial
evidence contained in a “confidential” report used for the case,
a member of an investigating
team, who requested anonymity,
said witnesses last saw Mendez
with SR members Juan Paolo Ante
and Fuzzy Clemente, who are also
public administration students, in
a black Corolla car on their way out
of the National College of Public
Administration and Governance
(NCPAG) building in the afternoon
of August 25.
Mendez , an NCPAG student
councilor, was allegedly recruited
to the SR fraternity by former
council chair Ante.
Out-of-court settlement
Meanwhile, Mendez’s aunt Ely
Andaya confirmed that an unidentified man recently offered Mendez’s
mother Cristina an out-of-court
settlement, which was relayed to
the family by a public official from
Tiaong, Quezon.
According to Andaya, the man
dissuaded the mother from filing a
case, as it could be a lengthy process and that there is no guarantee
that justice may be served.
“ No amount was mentioned.
It was just general information of
their willingness to settle outside
of the court,” Andaya said.
She added, “ The SRs are not
stupid to come out in the open for
a settlement offer. Maybe they just
want to get a feel if money can solve
their problems. It won’t. We want
the truth and justice.”
‘Ban on frats’
In an administrative directive,
President Emerlinda Roman ordered
Continued on P.11
Lady Maroons clinch 2nd place
Kristoffer C. Reyes
T
n Lady Maroon Camille Tomelden is swarmed by Ateneo Lady Eagles in the championship
game of the 70th Season of the UAAP Women’s Basketbell on September 29 at the Ninoy
Aquino Stadium. The Maroons suffered a heartbreaking loss, 58-62. Timothy Medrano
Also identified in the said confidential report were SR members
Miguel Francisco Cruz and John
Fajardo. Cruz and his father Dr.
Francisco Cruz brought Mendez
to the Veterans Memorial Medical
Hospital, while Fajardo was linked
to the car that took the victim to
the hospital.
Earlier refusing to submit himself to police investigation, elder
Cruz along with his lawyer, meanwhile, finally showed up at the
National Bureau of Investigation
on October 1 to issue his statement.
Prior to the summons, Cruz refused
to notify the police of Mendez’s
death and allowed the discharge of
the victim’s body from the hospital
without the family ’s consent, according to the source.
Atty. Carlo Vasquez, executive
director of NBI Anti-Terrorism
Division, however, admitted that
the NBI has yet to file a criminal
case, as they are still looking for
“principal” witnesses who would
directly point to those responsible
for Mendez’s death.
he University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Maroons’
championship bid ended
in the hands of the Ateneo
de Manila University (ADMU) Lady
Eagles in the UAAP Women’s Basketball tournament on September
29, 58-62.
The game started slow as both
teams committed several turnovers and poor shots, ending
the first quarter with the
teams’ scores tied at 9.
The second quarter
continued with
both teams per forming unpre dictably, but UP
intensified its halfcourt defense,
causing the Lady Eagles to commit
14 turnovers. The first half closed
with the Lady Maroons ahead,
23-20.
UP heated up the scoring in the
third quarter as the Lady Maroons
scored 22 points off fast break plays
and accurate passes to the shaded
area. The Lady Maroons led by as
much as 10 points halfway thru the
quarter, but the Lady Eagles, led by
the 6’3” trio of Cassie Tioseco, AJ
Baracoso and Crystal Ballentyne,
trimmed UP ’s lead as the quarter
ended, 45- 39.
The Lady Eagles played the final
quarter with sheer intensity using a
full court defense, as Eagles’ enormous frontline hauled 18 rebounds
and blocked three shots. The game
ended with Ateneo sweeping UP
in the best of three finals match,
62-58.
“ We had trouble bringing down
the ball and had crucial turnovers,”
said Maroon forward Sihaya Sadorra, who scored 12 points for the
UP contingent. Fatima Tolentino
also brought in 14 points and 13
rebounds for the Maroons.
The Lady Eagles proved to
be the Lady Maroons’ conqueror this season, as UP
bowed in all four games
with Ateneo. The
second-ranked
lady Maroons beat
the University of
Santo Tomas (UST) Lady Tigresses,
80-61 in the semifinals.
Victory in other sports
The UP men’s swimming team,
meanwhile, brough home the
championship as it bagged four
silver and one bronze medals in
the competition at Trace Aquatic
Center, Los Baños, Laguna on Septermber 20-23. The women’s swimming team also placed second to
UST, with two gold, a silver and two
bronze medals.
“ We have been practicing hard
this season; we made sure that our
team will be the best,” said men’s
swimming team Coach Noel Rivera.
The UP woodpushers in both
men’s and women’s categories
scored 24 and 25.5 points, respectively, to settle for the third place in
the UAAP chess event.
Ranking fifth in the Taekwondo
event held on September 15 at the
UST Gymnasium are the UP Maroon
Jins with a win and two losses. The
Lady Jins ranked second with three
wins.
UP ranked eighth and second in
men’s and women’s overall standings, respectively.
Joe Lipa’s dismissal
recommended
Meanwhile, the College of Human
Kinetics (CHK) recommended the
dismissal of Joe Lipa as coach of
the men’s basketball team on September 19, after the MBT suffered
its first winless season.
Lipa took over as the coach of
the UP Fighting Maroons last year,
two decades after leading the team
to its first and only title. The team,
however, failed to reach the final
four last year.
The CHK administration, however, clarified that Lipa has not
been officially terminated, contrary
to some news reports. “Coach Joe
Lipa is still the coach of the UP
Maroons unless the Chancellor
decides to fire him. What CHK filed
was only a recommendation and is
not yet final,” said Edwin Barbers,
sports director of UP.
Lipa could not be reached for
comment as of press time.
Philippine Collegian | Biyernes 05 Okt 2007
Tagibang
Limitasyon ng mga
tulong-pinansyal
sa pag-aaral sa UP
Noemi M. Gonzales
K
asabay ng humigit-kumulang 300 porsyentong
pagtataas ng matrikula
at iba pang bayarin sa
UP ngayong taon, naitala ng Office of Scholarships and Student
Services (OSSS) ngayong semestre
ang pinakamataas na bilang ng
freshman sa UP Diliman (UPD) na
nag-aplay para sa mas mababang
bayarin sa ilalim ng Socialized
Tuition and Financial Assistance
Program (STFAP).
Umabot sa mahigit 1,000 o halos
40 porsyento ng kabuuang 2,737
freshman ang nag-aplay para sa
STFAP, mula sa kadalasang 400
kada semestre.
Ang STFAP, na unang ipinatupad
noong 1989, ay binubuo ng mga programang socialized tuition, scholarship at student assistantship na
naglalayong magbigay ng tulongpinansyal sa mga mag-aaral.
Ngunit ani Student Regent Terry
Ridon, limitadong bilang lamang
ng mag-aaral ang maaaring suportahan ng STFAP, at pansamantalang
lunas lamang ang mga programang
ito sa tumataas na presyo ng edukasyon sa UP.
Bayarin ng iskolar
Ipinatupad ngayong taon ang
bagong STFAP, na nagtatalaga ng
matrikulang dapat bayaran ng mga
mag-aaral gayundin ang stipend
na kanilang matatanggap. Awtomatikong magbabayad ng P1,000
hanggang P1,500 kada yunit ang
mga freshman na hindi nag-aplay
sa STFAP, depende sa taunang kabuuang kita ng kanilang pamilya
na isinumite noong mag-aplay sila
para sa UP College Admission Test
(UPCAT).
Sa ilalim ng bagong STFA P,
limang bracket na lamang ang magiging pamantayan ng pag-alam ng
kaukulang bayarin ng isang magaaral. (tingnan ang sidebar 1) Ayon
sa isang sulat ni UP President Emerlinda Roman noong Marso ngayong
taon, “ The main objective of STFAP
is to provide a safety net for the
most economically underprivileged
of students who qualify to UP and to
minimize the public subsidy going
to those who are better off.”
Subalit batay sa tala ng OSSS
para sa UPD hanggang Agosto
ngayong taon, halos 85 posyento
ng mga freshman na aplikante
and Democracy, “Para ma-subsidize
ang edukasyon ng mahihirap na
estudyante, kailangang tumanggap
ang UP ng mas maraming nagbabayad na estudyante.”
ang naitalaga sa Bracket A , B at
C. Naitalaga sa Bracket E ang 4 na
porsyento, samantalang 11 porsyento naman ang nasa Bracket D.
Sa lumang STFAP, nakagrupo
naman ang mga mag-aaral sa siyam
na bracket, na may kaukulan ding
matrikulang babayaran at stipend na
matatanggap. (tingnan ang sidebar 2)
Maaaring mabawasan ng hanggang
P250 ang stipend kung makakakuha
ng mababang general weighted average ang isang mag-aaral.
Ayon sa datos mula sa OSSS para
sa UPD hanggang Agosto ngayong
taon, 71 lamang ng kabuuang 377
mag-aaral sa ikalawang taon pa-
1. Bagong STFAP bracket
Bracket
A
B
C
D
E
Taunang kita ng
pamilya
Higit sa
P1,000,000
P500,001
- P1,000,000
P135,001
- P500,000
P80,000
- P135,000
Hanggang
P80,000
Bayarin/yunit
P1,500
P1,000
P600
P300
Wala; may
stipend na
P12,000
bawat
semestre
Pinagkunan: 2007 STFAP Bulletin
taas ngayong semestre ang hindi
nagbabayad ng matrikula at tumatanggap ng stipend kada buwan.
Itinalaga naman sa Bracket 9 ang 44
porsyento ng mga nag-aplay.
Ani OSSS Chief Bella Villanueva,
nanggagaling ang pondo ng STFAP
mula sa matrikulang binabayaran ng
mga mag-aaral. Ayon kay Roland Tolentino, tagapangulo ng Congress of
Teachers/Educators for Nationalism
Pampuno sa mga kakulangan
Kasabay ng implementasyon
ng STFAP noong 1989, ipinatupad
ang student assistantship program
na naglalayong punan ang pangangailangan sa pinansya ng mga
mag-aaral sa pamamagitan ng pageempleyo sa kanila bilang clerk sa
mga aklatan o research assistant sa
mga kolehiyo.
Ngayong semestre, mayroong 103
student assistant (SA) at 7 graduate
assistant (GA) sa buong UPD.
Hanggang ngayon, nananatiling
P25 kada oras ang bayad sa mga SA
at P42 sa mga GA para sa pagtatatrabaho nila nang hindi lalagpas sa
100 oras bawat buwan.
Hindi sapat ang P2,500 buwanang suweldo ng isang SA , ani Nile*
na isang taon ding naging SA sa
Filipiniana section ng Main Library.
Aniya, halos pamasahe lamang papuntang UP at pauwi sa Pasig ang
kinikita niya. Bukod pa sa mababa
ang sweldo, madalas din umanong
mahuli ng ilang linggo ang dating
ng sahod.
“Dapat taasan ang suweldo ng
mga SA . They ’re doing similar
clerical work as non-academic
staff. Not because they’re students,
dapat ganun na kababa ang suweldo,” ayon kay Student Regent
Terry Ridon.
Ani Villanueva, sisimulan na
nila sa susunod na semestre ang
pag-aaral sa pagtataas ng sahod
ng mga SA at GA upang maipanukala ito sa administrasyon ng UP.
Dagdag niya, napoproseso lamang
ang suweldo ng mga SA dalawang
linggo matapos nilang makumpleto
ang 100 oras na trabaho.
Pagpapautang ng UP
Maaari ring humiram ng pera
In the hot seat
n An apparently nervous COMELEC Chair Benjamin Abalos watches former NEDA secretary
and current CHED chair Romulo Neri testify in the September 26 Senate hearing, where the
latter accused Abalos of offering a P200 M bribe for the approval of the NBN deal with ZTE
Corp. Youth groups, meanwhile, condemn Gloria Arroyo’s alleged involvement in the scandal
in a demonstration outside the Senate. C andice Anne Reyes
ang mga mag-aaral sa loan board
ng OSSS. Sa short-term cash loan,
hanggang P1,000 ang maaaring
hiramin ng mga mag-aaral, samantalang hanggang 80 porsyento ng
matrikula ang mahihiram sa tuition
loan. Maaaring bayaran ang utang
nang buo o hulugan, subalit dapat
itong mabayaran bago magsimula
ang kasunod na semestre.
Ayon sa tala ng OSSS, humigitkumulang P4 milyon kada semestre
ang ipinauutang ng UP.
Hindi tulad sa short-term loan,
kinakailangang tumayong guar antor ang isang regular na empleyado ng UP para sa mga magaaral na nais mag-aplay ng tuition
loan. Kung hindi mabayaran ng
mag-aaral ang utang nila, ibabawas
2. Lumang STFAP bracket
Bracket
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Taunang kita
ng pamilya
Mula 0
– P45,000
P45,000
– P55,000
P55,001
– P65,000
P65,001
– P80,000
P80,001
– P130,000
P130,001
– 170,000
P170,001
– 210,000
P210,001
– P250,000
P250,001 at
pataas
Bayarin/
yunit
--
P75
P150
P225
P300
necessary burden pa sa pamilya
nila ‘ yung utang,” ani Shahana
Abdulwahid, tagapangulo ng University Student Council.
Limitadong bilang ng iskolar
Bilang karagdagang tulong pinansyal, pinoproseso rin ng OSSS
ang pagkakaloob ng scholarship
sa mga mag-aaral. Ayon sa datos
ng OSSS para sa taong 2006 hanggang 2007, 1,837 mag-aaral ang
nakatatanggap ng scholarship. Sa
bilang na ito, 1,029 ang pinopondohan ng UP, 392 naman ang mula
sa gobyerno, at 416 ang ipinagkakaloob ng mga pribadong kumpanya o indibidwal.
Karamihan sa mga scholarship
na mula sa mga pribadong kumpanya ay para lamang sa partikular na mga kurso. Rekisito rin
para sa mga mag-aaral na nais
Stipend/
mag-aplay ng scholarship ang
buwan
matataas na grado at hindi pagP1,250
kakasangkot sa anumang gulo.
Halimbawa nito ang mga
P1,000
scholarship ng Metrobank Foundation, Inc. at Eduardo Coseteng,
P750
na para lamang sa mga magaaral ng College of Engineering.
P400
Bukod sa libreng matrikula,
nagbibigay din ang mga ito ng
buwanang allowance para sa
libro, tirahan at pagkain.
“Kahit may mga scholarship,
hindi naman ito makasasapat
sa karamihan ng populasyon
-ng mag-aaral na may pangangailangan sa pera. Kakaunti lang
talaga ang natatanggap sa mga
scholarship.” ayon kay Ridon.
Pinagkunan: March 2003 STFAP Bulletin
sa suweldo o sa retirement benefits
ng guarantor ang katumbas na
halaga ng utang.
Unang nangutang sa UP ng pambayad ng matrikula si Henry *,
nasa ikaapat na taon sa kursong
BS Chemical Engineering, noong
unang semestre ng 2006. Mula
noon, tatlong beses na siyang nagaaplay ng tuition loan.
“Para mabayaran ang utang ko
sa UP, nangungutang ulit ‘ yung
nanay ko. Sa susunod na sem,
nag-aaplay ulit ako ng tuition loan.
Paulit-ulit na lang ‘yung pangungutang namin, makatapos lang ako
ng pag-aaral,”ani Henry.
Naglabas ng desisyon ang Board
of Regents noong Setyembre 2005
na nagsasaad na hindi lamang
empleyado ng UP ang maaaring
maging guarantor kundi pati ang
kaanak ng mag -aaral na mangungutang. Ngunit hindi gaya ng
nauna nang palisiya, kailangan na
ring magkaroon ng guarantor ang
mga mag-aaral na mag-aaplay ng
short-term loan simula sa susunod
na semestre.
“ Band-aid solution lang ang
loans. Temporarily, natutugunan
‘yung problema sa pera ng mga estudyante pero eventually magiging
problema rin ‘yun ng mga pamilya
nila. Saan na naman kukunin ang
ibabayad sa utang? Nagiging un-
Hindi alternatibo
Ani Ridon, dumarami ang
mga mag-aaral na nangangailangan
ng karagdagang pagkukunan ng
tulong-pinansyal ngunit kakaunti
lamang ang kayang ipagkaloob ng
mga programa sa ilalim ng STFAP.
Ayon din kay Lia Mai Torres,
tagapangulo ng League of Filipino
Students- UPD, ginagamit ng UP
ang STFAP bilang alternatibo sa
tungkulin nitong makapagbigay ng
libreng edukasyon. Dagdag pa niya,
hindi sasapat ang mga scholarship,
student loan at student assistantship sa pangangailangan ng kalakhan ng mag-aaral sa UP.
Ayon kay Tolentino hindi rin
imposibleng pumasok ang unibersidad sa mga income-generating
scheme gaya ng pagpapaupa ng
lupa para madagdagan ang kita ng
UP at bigyan ng subsidyo ang pagaaral ng mga estudyanteng walang
kakayanang magbayad.
“[Ang STFAP ay] pagtalikod sa
responsibilidad ng gobyerno na
mag-provide ng democratic access
to education. Kung mas mataas ang
inilalaang budget sa UP, hindi na
kailangan pang maghanap ng mga
alternatibo ang mga estudyante,”
ayon kay Ridon. “In the end, it is
UP who loses its thrust to provide
education to the best and brightest
students.”
*hindi tunay na mga pangalan
Philippine Collegian | Biyernes 05 Okt 2007
In Memoriam
Executive Summary of the Office of
the Student Regent Policy Review
on the Tuition Increase
B
ased on official enrolment
and initial Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP)
application data, freshman perception surveys, and informal student
consultations, we have observed and
concluded the following:
Low enrolment in almost half
of courses in UP Diliman,
particularly in important courses
with perennially low enrolment
(low market demand) relative to
the course quota, notwithstanding continued low enrolment
relative to the course quota in
BS Fisheries in UP Visayas (UPV),
among others.
In some courses in UPV, low
enrolment relative to the UP
College Admission Test (UPCAT)
qualifiers were observed, despite
the relative market demand for
these courses ( BS Biology, BS
Marketing, BS Accountancy and
BS Management).
With the tuition increase, it
can somehow be said that UP, instead of being the default university of choice due to its comparative advantage of low tuition with
quality education, might now be
in a state of free competition with
other schools.
Parents and students relied
not only on family income
but on outside sources such as
salary loans, student loans, OFW
remittances, and scholarships
to finance the students’ enrolment.
These measures,
especially loans,
might be unsustainable if employed
throughout the students’ stay in UP.
Salary loans necessarily decrease the
disposable family
income for other basic necessities in the long-term, despite the
short-term benefit of facilitating
actual enrolment in UP.
There were reports by some
freshmen about difficulty
in accessing the lower STFAP
brackets, especially by those with
OFW parents with no Income Tax
Return ( ITR ) and low-income
families who do not regularly file
their ITRs.
While acknowledging that
every working person is obligated
to file his/her corresponding
ITR annually, UP must further
re-evaluate its socialized tuition
1
2
n Family and frieds attend a mass for hazing victim Cris Mendez at the NCPAG atrium on September 24, where the UP Alumni Association
gave P 45,000 to the Mendez family as financial assistance. Al anah Torralba
BOR defers TFI review
delibs until next meet
25 lawmakers want
probe of TFI effects
John Alliage Morales
T
he Board of Regents (BOR)
postponed the deliberation
on the proposal to review
the recently implemented
300-percent tuition and other fee
increases ( TFI ) pending further
study and consultations.
In the September 28 meeting
in UP Los Baños (UPLB), Student
Regent Terry Ridon presented the
final proposal for the review, asking
the BOR to suspend the implementation of the TFI next semester in light
of a drastic drop in enrolment this
semester. He said the BOR would
decide on the proposal in its October
meeting.
The proposal cited the misguided
thrust of the restructured Socialized
Tuition and Financial Assistance
Program (STFAP), the alarmingly
high number of UP College Admission Test qualifiers who declined
enrolment in UP, and low turn-out
figures in courses which are deemed
“unmarketable,” like BA Filipino,
and even in popular courses, such
as Business Administration and
Accountancy.
Following the adoption of the TFI
this semester, 65 percent UPCAT
qualifiers did not enrol in UP Iloilo,
48.5 percent in UP Tacloban and 42
percent in UPLB.
“Positibo ang pagtanggap pa rin
(ng BOR),” he said. Ridon disclosed
that he and President Emerlinda
Roman would talk and launch a
series of consultations with the students to finalize the recommendations to be adopted by the board for
the next meeting.
Although the review received a
favorable response from the BOR
members, Ridon, however, said that
the “only requisite” needed for the
suspension is not the policy paper,
but still the “collective action of the
students” against the increase.
University Student Council Chair
Shahana Abdulwahid, meanwhile,
raised concern that the postponement of the deliberation next month
would “not work for the student’s
advantage” as it would prevent students from holding protests against
the board’s actions in the semester’s
break.
President Emerlinda Roman, however, refused to comment saying she
has yet to read the policy review.
Congress probe on UP TFI
At the House of Representatives,
at least 25 legislators signed House
Resolution (HR) 245 calling for a
congressional inquiry into the effects of TFI in UP. The resolution,
filed on September 21, likewise asked
for corrective measures, particularly a temporary halting of the
implementation of the TFI while the
inquiry is underway.
In a Collegian interview, Bayan
Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño, the HR’s
principal author, said the resolution
directs the House Committee on
Higher and Technical Education to
investigate the effects of the newly
approved 300-percent tuition increase in UP. He said the resolution,
still pending at the committee, used
the enrolment data from the policy
review.
The TFI “has brought about a contradiction of UP ’s role in providing
quality, relevant and accessible
education to youth,” the resolution
read. Casiño said the UP administration has placed the burden of
paying the costs of education to the
students through tuition increase to
augment the university’s dwindling
state subsidy.
The resolution further stated,
“ The bases used by the UP administration to justify the increase in
tuition (are) now being used by other
state universities and colleges,”
citing the recent increase in Eulogio
Amang Rodriquez Institute of Science and Technology, Philippine
Normal University and the failed attempt in the Polytechnic University
of the Philippines.
“ The possible outcome (of the
probe) is a set of recommendations
by the Congress or a possible legislation on the matter. To stop the tuition
increase, you need legal action by the
courts or law passed by Congress or
a BOR ruling,” said Casiño.
3
program to incorporate in its
mechanism concrete social realities insofar as poverty and access
to education are concerned.
In autonomous units, most
of the freshman students
are in Bracket C, but students in
Brackets D and E number only in
the hundreds in UP units in Los
Baños, Manila and Diliman.
The low number of Brackets
D and E grantees might be due
to the difficulty in accessing the
lower income brackets, or per haps many students in the lower
income sections were precluded
from entering UP altogether due
to a confluence of factors, such
as the high incidental costs of
education and decreasing basic
education standards.
Based on the UPD freshman perception survey, 82.8
percent of the 405 freshmen consulted in the survey conducted by
the School of Statistics Student
Council do not approve of the
tuition increase and 66.9 per cent rejected the new socialized
tuition program.
The reports of De Dios on
the tuition structure and
Atanacio on the STFAP were also
revisited and reviewed.
The general policy declaration on greater dependence on
other resources than state support as declared by the De Dios
report seems misplaced in light
of the principle of democratic
access to education and widening
participation. The
UP administration
should correctly
situate its tuition
policy by considering the concrete
socio - economic
conditions of the
Filipino people.
Annual automatic tuition increases without student consultations do not have a place in the
democratic environment of UP.
The income of Bracket D
(P80,001-P135,000) and Bracket
E (up to P80,000) might not
constitute much to enable these
students to study in UP despite
lower tuition in their bracket.
UP must therefore reconsider the
P300 per unit tuition in Bracket D
as well, in favor, at the very least,
of the nominal payment of laboratory and miscellaneous fees.
5
6
7
With the tuition
increase, UP might
now be in a state
of free competition
with other schools
4
cONTINUED ON P.10
ERRATUM - Issue 11
BOR oks new REPS tenure rule in UPLB
(p.5): “As of this semester, UPLB has 82 REPS
comprising researchers, extension workers,
technical specialists, guidance counselors, and
librarians.”
Currently, UPLB has 390 REPS, 82 of which
are affected by the new tenure rule. REPS are
required to publish articles in refereed journals
and complete graduate studies before their tenure is secured.
Philippine Collegian | Biyernes Okt 07
T
he spiraling dialectical
contradictions had brought
the world’s socio-political
arena in the throes of fer-
ment.
Two contending superpowers,
the United States ( US ) and the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
(USSR), mapped a bipolar world
order. To curb the “communist
threat,” US bases were established
in strategic locations around China’s periphery, of which Philippines
is a part. Meanwhile, Washington
fueled its imperialist war against
the Vietnamese people even as
the civil rights movement called
for social justice. Reminiscent of
today’s War on Iraq, thousands of
American youth came back in body
bags while thousands more were
drafted to fight a war controlled
by select policy-makers miles away
from the battlefront. Students
across the world held antiwar and
anti-imperialism protests, a novel
phenomenon now known as the
Student Movement.
The world crisis was manifest in
the domestic front: a burgeoning
national debt, rampant inflation
and depressed wages. The restlessness was simultaneously contained and aggravated by then
President Ferdinand Marcos, who
permitted state agents to roam the
streets unrestrained. Even then,
more students linked with the
broader masses; their exhortations
against the local elite increasing
in vehemence. On September 23,
1972, Marcos declared Martial
Law as a solution to the “social
volcano.”
More than three decades later,
however, the social ferment remains.
“The upsurge of the
student movement
will inevitably promote an
upsurge of the whole
people’s movement.”
-Mao Zedong
The air was electric with an
impending turbulence.
In the midst of the conservative - liberal debate within the
University of the Philippines (UP),
a lanky, chinky-eyed student extolled the revolutionary literature
of Renato Constantino, Karl Marx
and Mao Zedong. Jose Maria Sison,
founder of Kabataang Makabayan
(KM), led protests against a host
of issues, from the tuition increase to the Vietnam War, thus
alerting the youth to the moribund
system. Journalist Luis Teodoro
states that the ensuing discourse
was never tame. Students became
impassioned with radical ideas
– propositions aimed, not merely
at reformation but at the complete
dismantling of the “hegemonic
order.” Thus, KM expanded at a
phenomenal rate, fanning from
UP to the university belt, where
the slogan “Serve the People” found
advocates even in exclusive, sectarian schools.
Bonifacio Ilagan, former chair person of KM-UP, shares that the
discourse provided a consciousness
that contested the prevailing order.
Yet, the status quo still held sway
over a segment of the populace. They
called themselves “social demo crats,” reform-minded individuals
opposed to KM ’s militant stance,
most notably National Union of
Students of the Philippines (NUSP)
Chairperson Edgar Jopson. Joint
protests meant an uneasy gathering
between “moderates” and “radicals.”
On one hand, there was the polite lot
of NUSP, whose sectarian education
from Ateneo and La Salle trained
them to be always courteous, lawabiding and respectful; on the other,
there was the rowdy, loud and irreverent crowd from KM who chanted
derisively “Marcos! Puppet!”
From such terse gatherings began
the First Quarter Storm (FQS), an
unprecedented period of intense
student resistance. “Those who make peaceful
revolution impossible
will make violent revolution inevitable.”
-John F. Kennedy
Violence erupted like a chain of
convulsions.
According to Ilagan, the FQS
was a manifestation of the students’
rebellion against the Establishment, which “maintained the oppressive system” through physical
and symbolic violence. For instance,
police and military brutality were
condoned by Marcos, so long as his
regime was protected from the “subversives.” Meanwhile, US launched
an anti-communist propaganda to
monopolize the world order. Thus,
the students learned, emancipation
can only be realized through violent retaliation. By the time Marcos
declared Martial Law, the NUSP
Alaysa
Tagumpay
E. Escandor
turned “radical,” and Edjop,
revolutionary.
At the height of the FQS, students identified the root causes
of the country ’s backwardness:
imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism. From such
criticism arose the movement
for national democracy, which
aims to eradicate foreign intervention and oligarchy, and empower the national majority – the
peasants and workers. Bayan
Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo asserts
that national democracy can be
achieved through “the revolution
of the…political and economic
conditions.”
By undauntingly confronting
the challenges of their age, the
FQS generation has become an
exemplar for the succeeding
generations.
“Every generation needs a new
revolution.”
-Thomas Jefferson
Today, the semifeudal and semicolonial conditions continue to
perpetuate an oppressive system.
Parallelisms have been drawn
between the Marcos and Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo regimes: fascist rule, systemic repression,
and systematic deception. Victims of political killings have
reached exactly 888, the pace of
assassinations unmatched even
by Marcos. Yet, Ilagan concedes,
the current student movement
has failed to match the ferocity
of the FQS resistance, owing to
the unique considerations of the
times.
With the downfall of USSR ,
the world has become unipolar.
The success of the US anti-communist propaganda is such that
deviant countries and people’s
struggles have become targets
of the global “ War on Terror.”
Red-baiting has continued from
Jimmy Carter to George Bush, legitimizing US intervention in sovereign
nations. Concurrently, Jonathan
Beller, associate professor of English and Humanities at The Pratt
Institute, states that US ’ forceful
coercion is packaged as “security,
democracy and the rule of law.”
According to Ocampo, the same
deception is employed by Arroyo, who
has increasingly relied on the military
to stay in power. The flagrant militarization of select urban and rural areas
and the proclamation of repressive
directives reveal a “creeping martial
law.” Yet, resistance has generally
been lukewarm, precisely because
martial rule is undeclared. Additionally, Beller points that
globalization has facilitated the
development of high finance capitalism such that the people’s aspirations are “commandeered by
capital.” Following the discourse
of sociologists Theodor Adorno
and Max Horkheimer, the resulting
commodity culture manipulates the
people into passivity and docility.
Capitalism has thus developed new
modes of exploitation wherein the
youth’s energies are “co-opted by…
consumerist culture,” Beller adds.
The movement’s errors have also
contributed to the people’s further
disenfranchisement. According to
Prof. Arnold Alamon of the UP Department of Sociology, the “internal
problems and external challenges
in the 80’s…led to purges and a
debilitating split in the 90’s.” The
resulting two factions are the Reaffirmists, who assert the validity of
the revolution, and the Rejectionists, who shifted to insurrection and
adventurism. This made the movement especially vulnerable to redbaiting tactics, which serve to vilify
the struggle from the populace.
To correct its errors, the movement
has successfully enacted a “rectification movement” which asserts the
primacy of the “protracted people’s
war,” Alamon declares. Ten years of
mass work has enabled the cadres to
reestablish their ties with the mass
base. Moreover, Ilagan points that
the state’s machinations “should not
detract us from the validity” of the
semifeudal and semicolonial analysis
of Philippine society.
History illustrates that the youth
is a critical catalyst of the revolution. Now that the Establishment
has intensified its coercion, the
students are called upon to formulate new modes of engagement. For
the world is still characterized by
dialectical contradictions; to remain
passive is a grave transgression.
References:
Adorno, Theodor (1991). The Culture Industry:
Selected Essays on Mass Culture. Routledge,
London.
De Quiros, Conrado (1997). Dead Aim: How Marcos
Ambushed Philippine Democracy. Foundation for
Worldwide People’s Power, Pasig City.
Lacaba, Jose (2003). Days of Disquiet, Nights of Rage.
Asphodel Books, Manila.
Raymundo, Sarah and Tolentino, Rolando (2006).
Kontra-Gahum: Academics Against Political Killings. IBON Foundation, QC.
T
he clock struck
twelve midnight. The
brothers
snuck out of a
safehouse in Pangasinan where
they were allegedly detained by
elements from
the 24th Infantry Battalion
and hurried
towards the
highway. Unlike
their previous attempt to flee, this
time they suceeded.
Raymond
and
Reynaldo Manalo, two
farmers from Bulacan,
are the first victims of
enforced disappearances
under Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo’s regime to escape and testify against
the atrocities that occur
behind closed military
doors.
Systemic
photo: piya constantino. art work: ivan re verente. page design: mark angelo ching.
“Man is born free, but everywhere is
in chains.”
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Micaela Papa
optimum psychological impact.
blurred by the AFP.
According to McCoy, it is possible that the
Indicative of the government’s attempts
“script” for these activities comes straight
to suppress any dissent is the attempt to
from the desks of the Central Intelligence
militarize urban areas where people’s
Agency (CIA). From 1950 to 1962, the CIA
organizations are situated. The AFP has
conducted covert coercion research, expericategorically denied allegations that
menting with methods such as electroshock
troops were deployed to depressed
treatment, hallucinogenic drugs and sensory
communities, such as Tondo and
deprivation. The fruit of the study was a new,
Payatas, since November 2006, admitmore efficient brand of torture – more psychoting only shortly before the May 2007
logical than physical.
elections that the deployment is
One of the infamous torturers during the
in line with counterinsurgency
Martial Law era was Lt. Col. Rolando Abadilla.
operations of the government.
Abadilla was sent to study at Fort Leavenworth,
The subsequent militarizathe United States’ (US) Command and General
tion of select areas points to a
Staff College in 1978. Lt. Rodolfo
“creeping martial law,” wherein
Aguinaldo, Abadilla’s replacement,
democratic space is constricted
assumed the position in 1980
by the military.
after six months of training under
According to Dr. Rolando Tothe CIA . McCoy notes, “Marcos’s torlentino, chairperson of the Conturers carried [the CIA’s] techniques a
gress of Teachers/Educators for
step closer to perfection.”
Nationalism and Democracy, the
The Philippines
is a signatory of the
United Nations Agreemilitary ’s resulting attack on
Symptomatic
ments on Human Rights,
people’s organizations roots from
Taguiwalo notes
which “bans torture under
the fact that these groups serve
that the accounts of many victims
all circumstances” and “reto uplift the downtrodden conof human rights violations under the
quires states to take effective
ditions of marginalized groups,
Arroyo regime resemble those of political
legal and other measures to prevent
such as farmers and workers. This
detainees during the Martial Law era. She
torture.” However, human rights group
intention clashes with that of the
declares, however, that the Arroyo regime
KARAPATAN reports that there are over
the administration’s benefactors
is worse than the Marcos regime.
800 documented cases of torture under
– landlords and business moguls
“[ Sa] panahon ng martial law,
Arroyo’s regime.
- whose life blood comes from
outright na malinaw you’re under
In a statement, KARAPATAN details how
the exploitation of these same
military rule. Ang difference
the Manalo brothers were forcibly taken from
sectors.
ngayon, meron pang pretension
their home after refusing to cooperate with
The people’s organizations’
[that] we’re in a democracy.”
military elements to locate a neighbor. For
attempts to disrupt the status
Arroyo even lauded retired Maj.
18 months, they suffered whippings using
quo and to expose the adminisGen. Jovito Palparan in her 2006 State
barbed torture implements, water cure, and
tration’s frailties and shortcomof the Nation Address, despite being
rotten food consumption. The experience
Taguiwalo, “[May]
ings is in itself a big threat to
condemned by both local and international
left Reynaldo so traumatized he could not
magegain ng symthe ruling power. To preserve
human rights advocates. Palparan has
produce a handwritten statement detailing
pathy mo, at may papower, the Arroyo adminisearned the title “butcher” due to his alhis experiences. The brothers’ ordeal gave
pasok na parang kontratration resorts to brutal actions to
leged participation in the spate of human
way to a landmark decision by the Supreme
bida agad.” She adds that
silence opposition.
rights violations
Court that granted protective custody over
the two are often used in conArroyo’s terror tactics are but
The proliferation of human rights
the two farmers. Raymond, in his sworn
junction. “Kung di ka makuha sa hard, kukunin
symptomatic of a government that
violations in Arroyo’s regime is in line
statement, identified Lt. Gen. Hermoka nila sa soft. O yung hard, magpapalambot
is decadent, for only an administrawith the government’s Oplan Bantay
genes Esperon and retired Maj. Gen.
sa’yo, para magsalita ka na.” Taguiwalo, despite
tion so desperate can commit barbaric
Laya (OBL) and the US’ “ War on Terror.”
Jovito Palparan, as well as other membeing four months pregnant, was still subjected
transgressions behind closed doors. The
In 2005, the AFP released a Power bers of the Armed Forces of the Philto psychological torture when she was detained
appearance of the Manalo brothers and
Point presentation entitled “Knowing
ippines (AFP) and the Citizens’ Armed
on January, 1984.
their damaging testimony, however, will
the Enemy.” Therein, the AFP tagged
Forces Geographical Unit, as participants
Historian Alfred McCoy explains that the
be the key to bring these violations out in
legal people’s organizain their torture.
asymmetry of power plays a big role in efthe open.
tions like Gabriela and
Torture, classified as either “physical”
ficient torture. For Taguiwalo, the worst
Kilusang Mayo Uno, as
or “psychological,” is used by the military
References
part was the feeling of helplessness and
communist fronts, and
McCoy, Alfred W. (1999.) Closer
to extract information that would either
the “absolute control” her captors had over
than Brothers: Manhood at the
consequently, enemies
implicate the captives or point to other
her. “ They can do anything with you…. [In]
Philippine Military
potential arrests. It reflects a culture of sys‘shock’ ka na. Minsan nag-a-out-of-body of the state.
A cademy . Ma n i la: A nv i l
Despite
being
nontemic violence in interrogation reminiscent of
Publishing.
experience ka, like you’re looking at somebody
combatants, members
Guillermo, Ramon. (2006.)
the atrocities of the Marcos regime.
else [being tortured].”
Panimulang Pananaliksik na
of these organizations
Dr. Judy Taguiwalo, president of the UP AllOpen Source Kaugnay ng Diskurso ng OPLAN Bantay-Laya.
Systematic
are often subjected to political
Academic Workers’ Union, became one of the 3500
Kontra-Gahum: Academics Against Political Killings. Quezon
McCoy observes that the nature of torture
harassment. The military acvictims of torture during the Marcos era. Taguiwalo
City: IBON Books.
is
similar
to
a
theatrical
production.
The
room
tively pursues sectoral groups,
Tolentino, Rolando B. (2006.) Spectacle ng Politikal na Pagpaslang
states that while she was repeatedly transferred to
at ng Tunay, STD (Short-Term Deficiency) ni GMA. Kontrawhere interrogation occurs is referred to as
as shown in the OBL’s impledifferent military camps, the torture methods were
Gahum: Academics Against Political Killings. Quezon City:
the “production room” in the Philippines.
mentation of “ Target Research
the same, indicating that the military follows a
IBON Books.
Every detail is scrupulously positioned,
on Sectoral Organizations.” Thus,
standard procedure in torture.
from
the
sparse
lighting
to
the
lack
of
the line between combatants and
One technique utilized is the “Good Cop, Bad
non-combatants is often intentionally
Cop” or Hard and Soft strategy of torture. Says windows, in order to achieve the
Only an administration
so desperate can commit
barbaric transgressions
behind closed doors
Philippine Collegian | Biyernes 05 Okt 2007
Trip mo bang mgliwaliw? Hindi ka ba pinatatahimik
ng makakati mong mga paa? May nunal ka ba
sa talampakan? Tara at sumama sa kakaibang
biyahe. Sa isang iglap, mararating mo mula
Luzon hanggang Mindanao. Paalala: Hindi
problema kahit walang pera. Walang tiket,
basta’t kami ang iyong kasama.
n
pangulo ng
unyon ng mga
manggagawa
sa Nestlé;
pinaslang
noong 22 Set
2005
Louise Vincent B. Amante
P
sa
pik
e tl
“Sa
ganitong
laban
ng mga
manggagawa,
kaisa rin
namin ang iba
pang sektor ng
lipunan, pati ang
mga dayuhan.”
Ka Noel
pl
a ng
n
ta
Paninindigan
N
g
n
“kundi ito’ y lalo pang
palaputin ang pagkakaisa
ng mga manggagawa ng
Nestlé at ng kanilang pamilya.” Sa ganitong mga okasyon
nila kinakausap nang masinsinan
ang mga kasamang humihina ang
paninindigan.
Gayunman, marami na ring pagsubok
ang dumaan sa unyon upang matinag ang
kanilang pagkakaisa. Nariyang kinasuhan
ang mga lider ng unyon ng kung ano-anong
nilikhang kaso, ma-blacklist silang lahat sa
mga kompanyang nais nilang lipatan, at ang
matinding paniniktik. Kahit ako’y biktima
rin nitong huli. Habang kinukunan ko ng
retrato ang pabrika, kinukunan din ako ng
mga pulis at militar.
May mga panahon ding nananamlay ang
ilan dahil sa katagalan ng hustisya. Ayon kay
Ka Vic, may mga nabalitaan at nakumpirma
na silang mga nabayaran na ng management.
Hindi naman masisisi ang mga ito, ani Ka Vic,
dahil marami na rin sa kanila ang nagkakasakit at walang matakbuhan. “Hindi namin
sila kinagalitan oras na matuklasan naming
nagpabayad sila. Isinasama pa rin naman
sila’t pinatatag ang kanilang kalooban,” ani
Ka Vic.
Nagpaalam na ako kina Ka Noel, Ka Vic, at
sa mga manggagawang nasa piketlayn. Pauwi
na ako’y hindi pa rin nauubos sa labas ng
planta ang mga unipormado’t deriple, kahit
padilim na ang paligid.
Patuloy na nababalot ng tensyon ang
lugar na iyon. Lagi’t laging nakaamba ang
panganib. Subalit, para sa mga manggagawa
ng Nestlé, isa lamang iyong pagsubok upang
lalo pa nilang mapapatatag ang kanilang
kalooba’t pananalig.
a
w
a
g
ayn
a
g
ng mga mang
Aakalaing isang tunay nang tirahan ang
piketlayn ng unyon. Dito sila nagluluto,
nagpupulong, tumatanggap ng mga bisita’t
nagdaraos ng mga pag-aaral. May TV at
DVD player din dito para sa pagpapanood
sa mga bisita ng bidyo tungkol sa kanilang
welga noong 2002 at kanilang tribute sa
pagkamatay ni Ka Fort noong Setyembre
22, 2005. “ Wala kaming pondo para sa mga
bidyong ito. Gawa ito ng mga estudyanteng
sumusuporta sa amin, partikular ‘yung mga
taga-UPLB,” ani Ka Noel. Sinusugan ko namang marami sa mga mag-aaral ay anak ng
mga manggagawa. Tango at ngiti ang isinigot
ni Ka Noel.
Sa tagal ng pakikipaglaban nila, marami
na silang kaisang mga samahan mula sa
loob at labas ng bansa. Nagbibigay din ng
tulong pinansyal sa UFE - DFA - KMU ang
mga kaalyadong manggagawa mula sa ibang
kompanya bilang suporta. Nakapagdaos na
rin sila ng pa-Bingo’t kompetisyon sa bilyar
habang nasa piketlayn. Sa biglang tingi’y
aakalaing pampalipas-oras na lang nila ito
para maging masaya kahit paano dahil sa
kawalan ng trabaho. Idinagdag pa ni Ka Noel,
hindi ito basta fund raising lang upang masustentuhan ang pangangailangan ng unyon,
w
a
dibuho: ivan re verente. disenyo ng pahina: k arl castro.
tim
n
i
es t
lé
atuloy na nababalot ng tensyon ang lugar na
iyon. Lagi’t laging nakaamba ang panganib.
Pagbaba ko pa lang sa highway ng Cabuyao,
Laguna, isang hapon ng Lunes, binati na ako
ng dambuhalang planta ng Nestlé Philippines, Inc. Tila pinaliguan sa gatas ang
kaputian nito. Dito nagmumula ang mga
inuming gatas pambata at pangpamilya,
at tsokolate na nabibili sa mga tindahan. Narito na ako sa
aking pakay, sabi ko sa sarili. Subalit, hindi ko inasahang
may malalaking container vans sa harap ng pabrika. At
kayraming guwardiya, pulis, at mga sundalo. Lalo pa
akong binagabag nang makitang ilan sa kanila’y may
nakasakbat na mga riple. Kahit sa kabilang gilid ng
kalsada’y may mga unipormado rin.
Kung bakit ganito ang larawan ng hapong
iyo’y madaling matutukoy mula sa di kalayuang
gawang istruktura ng mga manggagawa ng
Nestlé. Ilang taon na rin mula Enero 2002
nang magwelga ang Union of Filipro Employees-Drug Food and Allied WorkersMarami
Kilusang Mayo Uno (UFE -DFA-KMU)
sa mga mangng Nestlé. Hanggang ngayo’y hindi
gawa ng Nestlé
pa rin sila natitinag sa kanilang
ay beterano na sa
pakikipaglaban.
pabrika, mula nang
itayo ito noong 1976.
Pagpapasya
Kaya’t may karapatan
Nasa kabilang gilid ng kalsila sa retirement benesada ang piketlayn ng mga
fits. Subalit ito ang panmanggagawa, halos katgunahing tinututulan ng
apat ng Gate 1 ng planta.
management ng Nestlé.
Nasa loob ng bakuran ni
“ Taong 1987 pa’ y nais
Gng. Norma Baterina,
na itong tanggalin ng
isang retiradong guro
management sa Collecng Cabuyao Elementary
tive Bargaining Agreement
School. Nasaksihan niya
( CBA ) namin,” wika ni Ka
noong 2002 at 2004 ang
Vic Batayon, isa sa mga kasapi
mararahas na dispersal
ng lupon ng unyon. Nagwelga ang
sa mga manggagawa.
unyon nang taon ding iyon sa
Gumamit ang mga uniparehong usapin. Ang katwiran
pormado ng mga pang management ay walang
malo, bato, tear gas, at
monetaryong ambag ang
tubig na ibinubuga ng
mga manggagawa para sa
fire truck. Kaya’t inalok
kanilang retirement pay.
niya sa unyon ang isang
Umabot ito sa Korte Suprema
bahagi ng kanyang lote para
(SC) at noong 1991, nagpasya
sa kanila. “Ang sabi ko’y dalaang SC na bahagi ng CBA ang
wang taon lang,” pahayag ng
pagtalakay sa retirement benefits
ginang. Subalit naririto pa rin ang
ng mga manggagawa. “ Isa iyong matmga manggagawa.
ingkad na tagumpay ng mga manggagawa ng
Nakapaskil pa rin sa labas ng piketlayn
Nestlé, at ng mga manggagawang Pilipino,”
ang mga banner na “Boycott all Nestlé proddagdag niya.
ucts!” at “ There’s Blood in your Coffee…”.
Subalit, noong Hunyo 2001, sa pagsiDumating ako roong may mga dayuhang
simula ng isa pa sanang pagtitibay ng mga
bisita ang unyon mula sa sektor ng mga
panuntunan para sa bagong CBA , mariin
relihiyoso. Nakikipag-usap sa kanila si Ka
ang management na huwag pag-usapan ang
Noel Alemania, tumatayong pangulo ng
retirement benefits. Tumutol ang mga mangUFE -DFA-KMU. “Sa ganitong laban ng mga
gagawa. Umabot ang Pasko subalit matigas
manggagawa, kaisa rin namin ang iba pang
ang management.
sektor ng lipunan, pati ang mga dayuhan,”
Nagpasya ang mga manggagawa. Isa
aniya. Ilang oras na lang ay magsisimula
iyong unfair labor practice ng management.
na ang General Assembly ng mga kasapi ng
Pumabor sa isang botohan ang 708 na kasapi
unyon, na tuwing Lunes ginaganap. Pinaghang unyon para sa isa na namang paglaban.
handaan din nila ang ikalawang anibersaryo
Enero 2002: nagwelga ang mga mangng pataksil na pagpatay kay Diosdado “Ka
gagawa ng Nestlé.
Fort” Fortuna, pangulo ng unyon.
Diosdado
“Ka Fort”
Fortuna,
Philippine Collegian | Biyernes 05 Okt 2007
Switch On
S
imula.
Ala-siyete ng umaga, maingay
ang paligid, Lunes na naman kaya
nagmamadali ang lahat ng tao sa
bahay. Na-alimpungatan siya nang gisingin ng kanyang inang balisang-balisa,
“Anak meron ka ba d’yan kahit singkwenta,
pambaon lang ng kapatid mo?” Sa kabila
ng pagtatrabaho ng kanilang ama sa ibang
bansa ay may pagkakataong gipit pa rin sila
sa pera. Unti-unting didilat ang kanyang
mga mata at aayusin ang pagkaka-upo sa
computer chair kung saan siya nakatulog
dahil sa pagpupuyat sa isang raket na tatlong araw na niyang ginagawa. Kukunin
niya ang manipis niyang wallet at aabutan
ang aburidong ina, ilalagay naman nito
ang isang tasa ng mainit kape sa gilid ng
computer at magpapasalamat.
Paglipas ng ilang sandali ay tuluyan na
siyang gigising, kasabay nito ang paglukot
ng kanyang mukha sa pagharap sa computer na kasabay niyang nagpuyat at ‘di
nagpahinga. Tatambad sa kanya ang mga
trabahong ‘di pa niya natatapos sa kabila
ng pagkapal ng kalyo sa kanyang kamay.
Sasabayan pa ito ng pag-alarm ng kanyang
cellphone na nagpapaalala ng oras ng kanyang deadline sa kliyente niyang maarte.
Mapapabuntong-hininga na lamang siya
at muling hahawakan ang mouse na kanina
Batang Papel
pa naghihintay sa kanyang palad upang
muli na namang magtrabaho sa opisina na
tinatawag niya ring bahay.
Pagkatapos ma-save ng files na kailangan
ng kanyang kliyente para sa kanilang
proyekto ay mag-aayos na sya para umalis. Sa kanyang paliligo ay hahagkan ng
malamig na tubig ang pagod nyang mga
mata, kasabay nito ay yayakapin ng lamig
ang pagal nyang katawan, habang inaanod
naman ng sandali ang kanyang isipan.
Parang slow motion
sa isang pelikula
na kung maari lang
sana ay maging mas
matagal pa. Ngunit sa
ilang saglit ay bibilis
na naman ang lahat,
oras na para umalis.
Sa MRT, siksikan ang mga tao at samu’t
saring amoy ang malalanghap. Nakasiksik
sya sa isang gilid at halos ‘di na makahinga, ang amoy niyang bagong paligo ay
matatabunan ng pawis galing sa iba’t ibang
taong kaparehas niyang nagmamadali.
“Bakit ba kami nagmamadali? naisip nya.
“Hindi ba pwedeng bumagal ang oras kahit
ilang saglit lang, para lang maka-nakaw ng
konting idlip, para lang makakwentuhan pa
ang mga kaibigang hindi na nakikita, para
lang mas makasama ng konti ang pamilya
Hindi ba
pwedeng
bumagal
ang oras
kahit ilang
saglit lang?
Switch Off
P
uTaNG…eNaH!!!
Matagal- tagal na rin akong
‘di naku-kuryente. Kamakailan,
may bago kasing computer sa
bahay. Matapos i-setup, inayos ko ang
pagkaka-plug nito sa volt-regulator, na
isasaksak naman sa outlet, na nakaluwâ na,
hubad pa. At kailangan ko pang hawakan
‘yung pinagkakabitan nitong frame para
makapagsaksak ng plug. Maraming beses
ko nang ginamit ang outlet na ‘yun sa ganung kundisyon nang hindi naga-ground,
kaya malakas ang loob ko. At kaya nga
naman ako nakuryente.
Feeling? Ayun, ang sarap! Para akong
hinigop. Gumapang yung kuryente mula
ulo ko hanggang bewang. Nabuo ko yung
sigaw kong “putangenah” bago nakabitaw
sa outlet. Tapos parang umugong ang tenga
ko… konti. Tapos natigilan saglit. Tapos
umalis ako sandali, kumuha ng tuyong
basahan. Tapos pagbalik ko sa saksakan
nagtaka ako kung ano nga pala ang gagawin
ko sa basahan.
Na-bobo ba raw? Nararanasan naman
siguro ng kahit sino na ma-bobo paminsanminsan. Pero kung sa akin, mukhang napahaba – mag-a-apat na buwan na siguro.
Naging phase.
Kung ano ang pinag-ugatan, marami.
Basta. Ma-drama, mahaba, saka nakakainis lang kung iisa-isahin pa dito. Pero
‘yun nga daw ang problema sa akin sabi
ni Istar, masyado ko raw yatang naipon
ang mga ka-dramahan sa buhay. Hindi
na halos ‘di ko na kilala?” Ilang buwan pa
lang ang nakakaraan nang siya’y nagtapos
ngunit pakiramdam niya’y matagal nang
panahon ang lumipas, at hanggang ngayon
ay hindi pa rin niya alam kung saan siya
pupunta. Maliligaw ang kamalayan niya sa
paglagpas ng bawat istasyon, makikita niya
ang dati niyang buhay bilang estudyante
kung saan mas magaang ang lahat, mas
simple at mas malinaw ang direksyon.
Ilang saglit pa ay bababa na siya kasama
ng ilang pasahero, bubukas ang mga pinto
na parang sa karera ng mga kabayo at
lahat ay kakaripas ng takbo para mauna.
Kasama siyang magmamadali sa pagbaba
sa hagdan at parang isang agos ng malamig
na tubig, maya-maya lang ay wala na. Ang
pagpunta sa destinasyon ay parang isang
mahabang biyahe na sa ilang saglit lang ay
matatapos na. Magkikita sila ng kliyente
niyang mas komportableng makipagkita sa
isang mamahaling kainan, ibibigay nya ang
cd ng kanyang mga disenyo at kasabay nito
ay ang pag-abot sa kanya ng tsekeng nagkakahalaga ng isang buwang gastos. Babagal
na ang lahat pagkatapos nito, makakuwi na
sya at makakatulog. Hanggang sa muling
pagtunog ng kanyang telepono.
“gud am pare, may raket ako para sayo,
ano game ka?”
Bembol B.
raw ako nagku-kuwento ng mga totoong
nangyayari sa akin, ng mga totoong naiisip,
ng mga totoong nararamdaman. Kumakalat ang mga usapin kapag tinatangkang
buksan ang problem folder. Kaya mahirap
resolbahin.
Lumilipas ang mga linggong hindi
nagre-reply sa mga text message. Ayoko
muna ng kamustahan. Parang ayoko na ring
magpakita sa mga tao. Gusto ko munang
mag-hibernate. Pero madalas hindi ako nakakatulog, dahil hindi pa rin pala totoong
nasu-switch-off ang utak. Hanggang sa
magsawa ring makipag-kuwentuhan sa
sarili. Sumuko rin
ako, dahil ayoko ring
maburo.
Ti na n gk a k o n g
“ayusin” ang buhay
ko. Kinumusta ko’ng
mga ka-tropa, para kumustahin din nila
ako. Mga matiyagang pakikinig, palitan
ng mga karanasan, samu’t saring payo.
Nakagaan ng pakiramdam… pero nahihiya
akong ipagtapat sa kanila: na mas lalo yata
akong naguluhan. Komo’t lumuwag ang
dibdib, akala ko okey na ‘ko. Balik ulit ako
sa lungga, nung napansin kong nadidiskaril na naman ang tren -- papunta na ulit
sa bangin. Disconnection ulit.
Minsan nai-kuwento ko kina Meg at Ron
ang anti-social tendencies ko. Na minsan
ayoko nang magpakita sa kanila, tulak
man ng hiya o pag-iwas sa kamustahan o
takot na baka hindi nila ako maintindihan.
Kailangan
dumanas ng
hirap nang
makausad
Kinowt na lang nila si Piaget (na pagkatapos ay inamin din nilang wala naman
ganung sinabi si Piaget. Tsk! Gagung Meg
at Ron.) - “Na ang tao ay patuloy na tumatalas kung tuloy lang din ang interaction nito
sa society niya”. Kaya siguro pakiramdam
ko pumupurol na kong tuluyan, lalong
nawawalan ng tiwala sa sarili, nawawalan
ng focus. Nagiging bobo. Bobo- ang lutong
pakinggan!
Minsan lang akong bumitaw. Minsan
lang akong tumakas. Minsan lang akong
huminto. Pero bakit ngayon ko lang namalayang napakalaki ng damage na nilikha
ng desisyon ko? Hindi lang sa mga taong
nagtitiwala sa akin, kundi higit sa lahat,
sa sarili.
May gusto na sana akong gawin: magreformat, re-install ng ilang programs, at
iligtas ang mga importanteng files gaya
ng computer. Magsimula sa maliliit, at
madadaling bagay, payo ni Istar. Pero sa
listahan nga pala ng mga pinaka – kasama
ng takot, pride, pagsuko at pagbabago, ang
pagsisimula ang pinakamahirap - dahil
grounded ang saksakan. Pero mukhang
ganun na talaga. Kailangan dumanas ng
hirap nang makausad. Ayusin ang mga
kable, di bale na sigurong makuryente.
Ang mahalaga ay mapindot na ang power
button.
Now Loading…
Chris S.
Agrava
Twins
I
arrived home late, rather on purpose, on
the day my uncle arrived from the States.
There has always been some degree of
fanfare involved when preparing for the
arrival of balikbayan relatives. I, however,
have long learned to stay out of sight when
that happens. As I said before: just to evade
those caustic questions.
Like what the heck am I doing back here.
A slight bout of trepidation caught me offguard as I was about to enter our flat. I cringed
at the thought of seeing my father.
Tito Teming is my father’s identical twin.
Born on the same day, bearing the same bald
spot, speaking with the same husky lighthearted
tone, dragging the same set of flat feet. We shook
hands firmly as a sort of “manly” gesture, to
signify confidence – a way of restraining a nagging jadedness.
Seeing him would have overwhelmed me. So I
tried to focus my attention on their dissimilarities. Tito Teming is fatter than my father. He is
also still hooked on cigarettes, something my
father quit eight years ago because of a mild
stroke.
But I longed for my father during that very
instant. My sister once remarked that I am very
much like our father. Stubborn, unrelenting,
confused, and disorganized. That must be
why, my sister added, I insisted on going home
against my parents’ wishes. We bear the same
blind pursuit of some evasive, fleeting ambition which we, ourselves, do not know how to
describe. It bought me a one-way ticket back.
My father, meanwhile, always harbored
grandiose dreams of starting a successful construction business. He was a respected architect
in our province. His small construction firm,
however, never really took off because of large
unmanageable loans from a cooperative. Pressured by my mother’s illness, whose treatment
he could not afford, my father chose to migrate
to the States to look for a panacea.
He now works as an obscure carpenter in the
States. I know that he could not even bend his
knees and lift heavy objects anymore. I also got
news that he will be needing a heart by-pass
soon.
This man, this man who taught me how to ride
a bike, who forced me to learn to play the guitar,
who trusted me enough to let me drive our car
through treacherous mountain slopes, who
never nagged me about grades, who always said
he was proud of me for my accomplishments...
This man, I last saw him as I was about to depart from the Los Angeles International Airport,
on the eve of his birthday.
Yet there he was, shaking hands with me. And
I could not even look at his eye.
Philippine Collegian | Biyernes 05 Okt 2007
Contact us!
write to us via snail mail or submit a soft copy to Rm. 401, Vinzons Hall, UP Diliman, Quezon City. ••• Email us [email protected]. Save Word attachments in Rich Text Format, with INBOX ,
NEWSCAN or CONTRIB in the subject. ••• Fax us 9818500 local 4522. Always include your full name, address and contact details. ••• Contributions We are open for contributed articles from
student writers, subject to the approval of the Editorial Board. All submitted articles should have a maximum length of 400 words.
RP-China Agricultural Agreements:
Deceiving and burdening the Filipino people
A
s the President comfortably travels
to China today, she would further
strengthen ties with the foreign
country trying to occupy 1.24 million
hectares of Philippine land, consequentially displacing 1.3 million landless,
poverty-stricken and hungry farmers
who painstakingly till the land under
scorching heat.
The 19 agricultural agreements (18
of which were signed last January 15-16)
between China’s government and private
corporations will bring further misery
to the toiling masses – the farmers, agricultural workers, as well as fisherfolk.
The Memorandum of Understanding on
Expanding and Deepening Agriculture
and Fisheries Cooperation is one of these
deceitful agreements which purportedly
aim to strengthen RP- China ties in developing food processing, agricultural
technology, mechanization of agriculture, biotechnology, and marketing
technologies among others. Using the pretext of agricultural productivity and wider market for export,
inflow of technology and increased rural
development, the government continues
to deceive the peasants and the Filipino
people. Contrary to what they profess,
these agreements will only benefit the
Chinese economy to the detriment of the
local agriculture and economy. China’s
rapid economic expansion translates to
its increased consumption of fuel and demand for bio-fuels. This is precisely why
Executive
it eyed the Philippines to be the source
of this energy requirement. Energy crops
(cassava and sugarcane), or those used as
feedstock of bio-fuels will be the primary
crops to be cultivated in soon-to be converted thousands of hectares of lands.
The Departments of Agriculture,
Agrarian Reform, and Environment and
Natural Resources have hastily identified
127,000 hectares of land in Central and
Northern Luzon “ready for investment.”
While the government speedily sells and
leases its lands to foreign countries and
corporations, it sluggishly grants land
ownership under its rotten Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program to its own
farmers who feed the nation. Based on
NSO’s Census of Agriculture, 52% of the
agricultural lands are still under tenancy
system and other forms of land lease.
Evidently, the RP- China agreements
will only intensify rampant land-use
conversions and displacement of farmers
in the countryside. Furthermore, with
these agribusiness schemes, the number
of exploited agricultural workers suffering from cheap and docile labor in
the plantations for high value crops
and energy crops will increase as they
will be pushed by unemployment and
underemployment. Small fisher folk are
not spared from this predicament as they
will also be displaced by large-scale fishprocessing and aquaculture programs of
Guangdong Ocean and Fishery Administration. National food security would
Send in your opinions and feedback via SMS! Type:
KULE <space> YOUR MESSAGE <space> STUDENT
NUMBER (required), NAME and COURSE (optional)
and send them to
0915.941.4460
Non-UP students must indicate any school, organizational or sectoral affiliation. WARNING: We don’t
entertain textmates.
We welcome questions, constructive criticism,
opinions, stands on relevant issues, and other
reactions. Letters may be edited for brevity or
clarity. Due to space constraints, letters must
have only 400 words or less.
also be in peril should these agreements
push through. Local food production
would be threatened to heed the needs
of globalization.
The government has once again
shown its deliberate propagation of its
distorted concepts of development and
industrialization under the framework
of neo-liberalism. We, as the youth upholding the struggle of farmers for land
and life concretely denounce the government’s efforts to push the deceitful
and exploitative RP- China Agricultural
Agreements. We demand it be junked
and instead implement G E N U I N E
AGRARIAN REFORM – distribution of
lands at no cost, improvement of agricultural cooperation and production in
the countryside through modernization
of agriculture. Only then can we achieve
national industrialization for genuine
economic development.
Amihan Mabalay
Chairperson
National Network of Agrarian
Reform Advocates-Youth Sector
from p.5
ANO’NG MASASABI MO SA
PANUKALANG ILIPAT ANG PASUKAN
SA BUWAN NG SETYEMBRE?
pno un?magsa-sumr tau s tg-ulan? D nman
july-august ang sumr natn eh! ska klngan tlga
gwn un? D nman ah! 05-11106
ibg sbhn nun july-aug ang bkasyon? Waah
wla ng SUMMER VACATION! Panu tau mgbbeach
qng bmabgyo?!ü 05-20484 BSChE
Hindi ko masyado alam kung ano magiging
epektong malaki maliban n lang n dahil hndi
ito bagay s panahon s pilipinas ay maghahasik
ito ng katamaran s buhay estudyante. 0ktubre
p lang malamang marami nanag suspension
of classes. Nobyembre at disyembre ay puno
ng bakasyon. So ano n nangyari s first sem.
Pagdating ng march-june, dapat beach time
yan. Tapos may pasoK? Ubod ng init. 04-11599
Sheena bsce
Ok lng..tga valenzuela aq at bhain plce nmin
kya hrp pumzok pgtgulan 05-05536
Parang ang hrap nun, c0me summer season.S0brang init, tpos haba p ng clases.Mdaming mhheat-stroke. 04-01104
aw0w parang h0gwartz ah.. teka an0 bng
p0int para ilipat sa sept?Marami pa kayang
kailangan pagtu0nan ng pancn..bat yan pa..
07-63828 jm bs.p6
Ayaw ko n sept ang pasukan. Ibig sbhin nun,
my pasok lahat ng public skuls s summer. Imagine kung gaano kalaki ang gast0s sa kuryente
nun. Not to mention, pano n summer breaks
ntin? Wag n tau gumaya sa ibang bansa, iba
nman klima nila. 03-54785
nyeh!pmuv muv p ng psukan ina2pg!nunal
n lng ni gloria,itry nla imuv!bsyds,prob p kng
an0 n ittwg s kplit ng “sumer”clases kc d n xa
2wng sumer! 06-35194 vin
Ang benepsyo nito ay ang kbwasan s mga
suspended classes dahil s mga bagyo. Magigng
mas sm0oth ang progress ng pgaaral. Pero dpt
cguro pgaralan ang impact nito s iba’t ibang sector. AKlungkot dn, hndi n maeenjoy maxado ang
summer. 02-49604
Mas maganda nga kung septmber ang pasukan e. Para d tau sinasalubong ng mga bagyo sa
unang araw ng pasukan. 07-10761,d0ng
September?0.oyoko nga!ehdi nwalan aq ng
summer vacay.but on second thought,ndi nman
pla tlga aq mkkpgcvacay dhil summer ang OJT
nmen.ö.05-72035 aj journ
Ampanget,mgi2ng mgulo ang skul yr.pg
1st semmy mti2rang 1 m0nth,halanganamang
pgxmas vcati0nin nla tau ng january.no
way!tska,pan0 n ang sumer classes, anu ung
twag sknia??? 06-08526
bd3p un! anu namang pakul0 yan. Pan0 un
!! Summer mei clas tapos bakasyon umuulan!
N0 time para magbeach! Lang kwents. per0 ok
lng dn naman, kc pag june tagulan mdmi suspendd na clases! Sayang lng ung bnbyad. ang
mhal pa naman ng tuition namen, la nang natutunan, cncram pa lahat. Tsk. 07-03774
KUNG IKAW AY ISANG
HALAMAN, BAKIT?
Download the Philippine Collegian in PDF!
http://kule0708.deviantart.com
Fellow deviants, add us up :)
ang tan0ng n kung aq ay isang halaman,bkt?
Ay parang tanong n if ur a cactus,y? *wla lng* Fil
q,ak0’y isang damong ligaw. .Hehe. .Kc marami
aqng frends n mukang f4.At chaka i cn survive
on my own.Indpendent naman aqng m22ring
hndi puro asa s iba. .ü. . 07-67911, jb, bs bi0
kung hlman aq,dhil iyon ms gugustuhin
qng mmtay s pgklanta s kwalan ng 2big kysa
mmtay s kwalan ng YOSI! Putang A0 07-70! 0630259 Pula
ako ay halaman kc gulay n gulay nko s
kakulangan sa tulog. kng hnahatsing hlaman
pg mlamig, gnap n hlaman nako.05-11106
halamang dagat, sulit kaht paulit ulit sisirn.
04-15505, ana
ako ay isng cactus dhl wlang ngt2ngkng
lumlapt skn. Bka mtusok cla. 06-14205
Isang bamboo!,kc lalo i2ng 2mata2g habng
lumalkas at 2mtndi ang ihip ng hangin, at mga
pwrsng gus2ng mgp2mbe d2. 07-78470
Cactus!ü Dahil ‘mathinik’ at ‘mathibay’ ako
–eps, 05-17149, bs math
Kung ako’y isang halaman? 0o! 07-05630
Jeff
Cactus dahil sadyang ako’y matinik at nakaka.survive sa init na dala ng UP..echos..0763828 jm bs.p6
halamang artipisyal pra im0rtal. 06-79514
kadin ChE
if i’d b a plant, i wud lyk 2 b a coconut tree
since all its parts r bnficial 2 us. It also symbolizes Filipino’s resiliency. 06-16896 DJ Mark
, BA Journ
kung ak0y isang halaman... Labo naman
nyang tan0ng. Hwahaha. Nways...Edi Gus2
k0ng magng palay! Hahaha. Kc kulay g0ld...
G0lden grains pare! 07-10761
COMMENTS
Ayaw ninyong gumawa ng article tungkol
kay INDAY, ala character analysis at kung bakit
sya naging patok sa masa, at kung paano ang
mga saga na tulad nya ay maituturing format
ng panitikan? 98-32321 Monse SLIS
to mr.F.L. Tiongson, ang ganda ng article
mo. Nakaka-bad trip. Hindi ako smoker kaya
hindi tayo magkaintindihan pagdating sa issue
ng yosi. Mukha namang nag-eenjoy kang gawing pugon yang bibig mo kailan mo man nais,
pero alam ko at sana alam mo na rin, sampu ng
mga katulad mong nagyoyosi na sa huli, sarili
nyo ring kalusugan ang maniningil sa inyo.
Mararamdaman nyo rin side effects nyan. Kaya
sige lang, sunugin nyo pa baga nyo. 06-03962
Mamon
payag aq s sm0kng ban, pro naawa lng aq
s mga adik n s cigs. true, mwwlan ang sm0kers
ng freed0m,pro pano nman kmi n may skit dhl
s usok ng ibang tao? An0 un, iwas kmi plgi? Kya
aq d mksali s org eh dhl s yosi. Opini0n lng h.
-05-08060
Wla nman aqng glit s mga smokers, pro sna
mas rspnsble ang mga taong mngrlyo.Ung d
ngttpon ng mga upos at d nngrlyo s jeep at mga
lugar n matao.Tska sna wag naman ung attitude
n “my body, my ruls”, dhil nkkptay rin ang 2ndhand smoke. 06-18680
Gus2 ko lng po mgcomment 2ngkol dun sa
question nyo 4 dis wik. Kung ikaw ay isang halaman, ano ka at bakit? Kc parang ang gara anung
pgkktanong, parang ang ibg sbhn kng ako’y
isang halaman, bkt aq isang halaman?! Hehe,
ngcomment lng poh. 06-11337 bsbm
Ang vague ng question#2 nyo! 03-29955
buti nga sa PUP isang palapag ng gusali lang
e yung satin? MUKHANG MALL! Tapos gagawing
practicum yung pagkocall center kaysa public
service? NAMAN! Ano ba naman ate! 06-03692
Mamon
Yey! buknoy buknoy buknoy buknoy
buknoy! 1. may namumuo pong buknoy fans
club! Dlwa n kming mems!ü 2.sna may ka-luv
team c buknoy! Go inday! 06-12124 Vida
I want to be a part of kule but my parents
keep on saying na mamamatay lng aq jan.+h0pe
i can stand up 4 wat i really want to d0..+ eilen
07-01185..cmc ba bc..
ang gnda nung crca2r s 13th isue! Gr8
mtaphr 4 bush nd hs ironic war 0n teror: a grdy
bear hu dstrys h0mes jst 2 gt wat d swit swit
h0ney. Kudos! 07-29478
grabe ang pagdownplay ng kule laban sa
mga perpetrators ng hazing laban kay cris mendez, nakakahiya. 98-25690
awkward nga ang espasyong free sa page
11. per0 di kaya’t masmaganda kung nilagay
ny0 d0on yung c0tinuation ab0ut d0on sa
ebidensiya laban sa SR? di ba ky0 ang nagsasayang ng mga ‘awkward’ na espasyong yan?
09064679***
sundan sa p.11
Philippine Collegian | Biyernes 05 Okt Set 2007
n a s a’ n s i l a ?
alanah torralba
Hazing
to 06-03692:huh?Anung cnsbi mu
jan?Negativ n nman.I bliv n kht nabuo p ung
pyramid ng uste, mnanalo prin tau n0h. 0401104
to 01-20113, ang tanda m0,institusy0n
k na. r u fr0m up? Do u kn0w anythng b0ut
cheerledng?d pl nkkablib ha.wel,mgtrain k
ksma cla bk mhimty k s gngw nla. 04-32960
to 01-20113: madaling sbhn para syo na “ndi
NEXT WEEK’S QUESTIONS
1. Ano ang masasabi mo sa performance ng Kulê
nitong nakaraang sem?
2. Ano ang gusto mong mangyari sa susunod
mong sem?
Bukas pa rin ang Kulê para sa mga bagong
retratista, layout artist, ilustrador, web staff,
at mga manunulat sa balita, lathalain at kultura
[ W r i t e r s ] Bring two bluebooks, a pen, and a portfolio of sample works (may be
submitted later). You may join News, Features, or Kultura. Filipino and/or English writers welcome. [
A r t i sts ] Submit a portfolio of your works (to be returned, don’t worry). Illustrators,
bring bond paper and art materials of your choice. Photographers, web staff and layout artists, bring
two bluebooks and a pen. Exams may be taken anytime at the Kulê office, Room 401, Vinzons Hall.
Freshies are most welcome! For questions, text Jerrie 0920.308.2303 or email [email protected]
The Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP invites
everyone to take in part in our sembreak
activity, “Integration with the Basic Masses:
Those we devote our education to.” Communities of workers, peasants, and urban
poor will be visited for two days to learn
first-hand the hardships and struggles
of the people. It will start this weekend,
Oct. 6-7, at the Old Balara and UP Ripada
communities. Contact 0906.292.5636,
0921.443.7568 for more info.
“MOVEMENT”
The B.S. Clothing Technology senior class
of 2007-2008 would present a fashion
show entitled “MOVEMENT” in the UPD Main
Theater lobby on Oct. 5, Friday at 7 p.m. “MOVEMENT” is a non-profit fashion show
featuring six (6) collections from (6) students of the graduating class from the Department of Clothing, Textiles and Interior
Design of the College of Home Economics. Each collection is inspired by art movements such as Art Nouveau, Constructivism, Illuminism, Fauvism, Abstract Expressionism, and Superflat.
Heart bleed and Nose bleed
Noong Yu-ey-ey-pi womens at nag-interbyu ako matapos ang laro:
Peyups coach: (snub, masakit ang
loob)...
Player mula sa
kabila: (tinanong
siya in Filipino) the
lady eaglets have
played all throughout the season and
blah blah blah english english...
Hanggang dito
na la Miseleynyus
Etong hardcore.
Isang editor ko
ang nakaiwan ng
blusang itim at ATM
sa ref! Hwooh!
ng. Rak en Rol!
SAGUTAN
STAND UP sembreak outing
Yeah, dude!
Matapos akong
manood ng koreanovela sa isang
sinehan diyan, me
narinig akong hardcore ingglesera saying, “I don’t know exactly what the film is all about, it’s like
uhmm...” oh yeah… kanis.
y fire coach joe lipa?hndi xa ang pROBLEMA
Ng team,.It’s d players, i’ve beEN watchng every
UP game..Magagaleng nMAN cla pero ndi cla ngeEXert ng enough en0ugh efF0RT, parang ayaw
nilang itaAS ung level ng game nila,06-57160
ipagpa2loy lng ang ncmulan,pukawin ang
na22log na diwa ng taong bayan pra makamit
ang kalayaan at katarungan! Komik section
needs mpr0vment.. 04-50244
waah!ang gling ng kule!sna p0 mer0n dng
secti0n ng pngsma-smang aricles mula s ib’tibng units ng up.ü 06-56699
tanung lng: tama bng makialam ang OSH s
dorm activitys? Kc i dnt thnk dpt cla mkisawsaw..cguro hanggang advice, bt 4 them 2 decyd
w/c activtys 2 “aprove”? Parang umbridge perS0nifyd. Hehe. 03-28574
Matapos akong paratangang homophobic ng editor ko eh pasusulatin ako
ng EPng bading? No way dude!
Kaya sensya na ha, angas mode muna
EP ngayon.
from P.11
Get free publicity! Email us your press releases,
invitations, etc. DON’T TYPE IN ALL CAPS and,
go easy on... the punctuation!? Complete
sentences only. Dnt use txt lnguage pls.
Please provide a short title. Be concise, 100
words maximum.
nkKbilib”ang r0utine ng UP pep kc ndi m0alam
ang pag0d at hirap na dinaAnan nila pRa magchamp.subukun m0 kyang gawin ung mga gnagawa nila,tp0s dun m0 sbhn kung nkKbilib pa rn
sya o hnd. 07-34713
to 03-21181: 06-01454 ws obviusly rfrrng
to d 300-to-1000 ncrease dhl 1000 ung base
tuition. At kht 1500 p, 400% naman un at hndi
300%. To Ed -> d b s ibng cmpuses ang ncrease
ay frm 200 to 600? So 200% increase lng un
db? Or is it 200 to 800? 06-10647 engg
to 091796125***, magbasa ka muna kasi.
Ano? Naunawaan mo na ba? 06-03692 Mamon
to 07-63828: hindi grey ang font color nun.
Sadyang hindi lang kinaya ng makinarya ang liit
ng font dun. 06-03962 Mamon
to 04-01104: knya knyang pov lng,dude..
hehe i just knw that he s.my source is reliable,nd
mtagal lko narn nsubaybayb ang buhay nya.bt
then, pt taken. Hehe media CAN b fabricatd..wink
03-28574
grabe.nk2tk0t nmn ungmga sumg0t k 0601454.ate/kuia,lht p0 ng ta0 ngk2mli.pgpsensyahan ni0 n p0.cn0 p bng dpt mgmhln kundi
taung mga isk0lar ng byn?ü 06-56699 aran,ba
pSych
RakEnRolAngasEdition
txtback
from P.3
Angasan Blues
Hardcore mga tropapips ko sa Mapanuring Pangongopya 173. Grabe! Bargasan kung bargasan! Tapos me seat in
samin na maangas pa kesa mga enrolled
sa klase namin! At
kung sino pa yung
mukhang ewan ang
gawa sila pa yung
malakas manlibak!
Hwoow!
International Day of the
Disappeared, 20 Ago 2007
Philippine Collegian Nº 14
Biyernes 05 Okt 2007
Story and artwork: Mikael Angelo S. Francisco. Page design: Karl Castro.
B
anners on newsstands around
the city bear the silhouette of
a capped man and the words
“Ang Pagbabalik ng Komiks!”
and “Carlo J. Caparas’s KOMIKS - P10
lang!” The man hailed by media as the
“Komiks King” - with over 800 published komiks under his belt – promises
to deliver. For ten bucks, it may just be
worth a shot.
Amazing Fantasy
Komiks, the term used to refer to
Filipino comic books, trace its roots
to Dr. Jose Rizal’s illustrated fable
“The Monkey and the Tortoise” in the
late 1880s. It was not until 1929, however, that Tony Velasquez’s “Kenkoy,”
the first regularly published komiks
character, first appeared in Liwayway
Magazine.
The first komiks magazine, Halakhak in 1946, adapted the format of
the comics brought
by American soldiers after the second
world war. Since then,
komiks had seen many
prolific creators and
colorful characters.
Unfortunately, the industry suffered a decline towards the early
90s, partly because of
the advent of television and the Internet
as primary sources of
entertainment.
Director and writer
Carlo J. Caparas, recently awarded the Presidential Medal
of Merit for what Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo cites as his outstanding
accomplishments in the komiks industry, has since been working on
“the revival of the komiks industry.”
Caparas’s “ Komiks Caravan” project
involves komiks writing workshops set
all around the country. The National
Commission for Culture and the Arts
(NCCA) is also supporting Caparas’s
Komiks projects. Caparas’s giant-sized
strip, “ To Have and To Hold”, moreover,
can also be read six times a week in the
Philippine Daily Inquirer.
industry.” While Caparas advocates the
traditional komiks, the so-called modern
komiks seem to be ignored in his ambitious undertaking.
Alanguilan, part of the circle of
“modern” komiks makers, maintains
that komiks never really died, but “grew
up,” citing evolving themes in modern
komiks as proof. Arnold Arre’s “After
Eden,” for example, employs a fantasy
setting to tackle complex relationship
issues infused with existential dilemmas
and religious references.
Since the decline in the 90’s, most
of the companies that offered cheaper
publications folded, and thus, aspiring
creators had to publish their komiks
themselves. Printed on high-quality paper
and sold in bookstores and malls, modern
komiks tend to be presented as more sophisticated pieces of literature that could
be deemed “acceptable” to members of
the higher social strata, and one may
argue that the themes
present in such works
mainly cater to the preferences of the middle
class. As a result of private publishing, however,
these komiks come with
a more expensive price
tag and thus become less
accessible.
The narrative is not
unlike television
serials that merely
feature upward
social mobility...
as the panacea
for all the world’s
dilemmas
New Avengers
Komiks writer Gerry Alanguilan
writes in his online journal that “Caparas’s efforts should be advertised not as
the return of komiks but as simply the
return of Caparas himself to the komiks
Secret Identity
UP professor and
comics enthusiast Emil
Flores observes that Caparas’s efforts seem to
be focused solely on the
revival of traditional komiks, which have
unconsciously reflected Filipino society
in the past. This is best exemplified in
“Kenkoy,” which Flores describes as “a
satire of the Filipino trying to willfully
assimilate into American culture.”
Traditional komiks are those that
feature “a large number of stories which
boldly delineated the pervasive injustice
in the city and in the barrio,” according to
an essay by Soledad S. Reyes, a professor
at Ateneo de Manila University. Stories
about superheroes such as Mars Ravelo
and Nestor Redondo’s Darna demonstrate
this. Reyes also notes that traditional
komiks usually portray “a dark, oppressive atmosphere where violence and injustice lurked at every turn,” an example
being Mars Ravelo’s “Roberta”, the story
of an abused orphan girl.
Art Studies professor Dr. Alice Guillermo states in an article that traditional
komiks functions as a “leveler” or “equalizer.” In this respect, komiks reveals the
state of the masses by “caricaturing”
daily life - the transgressions, the irony,
and the contradictions - to allow the
readers to cope with these conditions in
real life. In such medium, social hierarchies are rendered malleable through the
use of satires often to ridicule people of
great power or wealth. Under such interaction, the locations and contingencies
of power are exposed through humor or
disgust towards the quintessential rich
antagonist.
Tangled Web
The cited characteristics identified
with traditional komiks, however, fail
to manifest in Caparas’s current crop
of works despite his claims of reviving
the genre.
The artwork of “ To Have and to Hold,”
for instance, crudely illustrates the development of the narrative in storyboard
fashion. The formal composition of the
text, which in traditional komiks served
to emphasize the use of the Filipino
language, has instead degenerated to a
rough deployment of “ Taglish” in the
dialogue. Apparently, Caparas’s projects
have assumed the type of language employed by audio-visual mediums.
“ To Have and To Hold,” moreover,
merely rehashed the tried and tested
sentimental theme of “love in the face
of adversity.” The narrative is not unlike
television serials that merely feature the
upward social mobility of the protagonist who views economic capital as the
panacea for all the world’s dilemmas.
Such is the sort of fantasy being forcefed to the Filipino audience by mainstream television and film, which construe such plots as sure investments.
The same can be said for Caparas’
other Komiks projects. As seen, Caparas does not draw strictly from the
rudiments of the traditional komiks. Far
from heralding the revival of traditional
komiks, the stories in Gwapo Komiks,
Klasik Komiks and Caparas’s other titles
actually signal the medium’s capitulation to television and film, with their
inane plots and repetitive characters.
Instead of the impetus for original plots,
Caparas exemplifies the drive for sure
return of investments.
The komiks industry, in the end, did
not actually die. Efforts like Caparas’s,
however, might really kill it.
REFERENCES
Alanguilan, Gerry. (19 October 2006.) ‘Yes, Komiks Are
Here! (Were They Ever Gone?)’. Komikero Komiks
Journal. Retrieved 19 September 2007 from http://
forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=88232
Guillermo, Alice. (1990.) Ang Komiks Bilang Sining Biswal.
Diliman Review. Vol. 38 No. 3. pp. 34-44.
Ong Pang Kean, Benjamin. (19 October 2006.) ‘Celebrating
120 Years of Komiks from the Philippines I: The History
of Komiks’. Retrieved 19 September 2007 from http://
forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=88232
Reyes, Soledad S. ‘Romance and Realism in the Komiks’. In
Marcelino, Ramon R. ed. A History of Komiks in the
Philippines and Other Countries. Philippines, Isla Filipinas
Publishing Co., Inc. 1985.