NEWS Features Culture Editorial

PANGANIBAN IS NEW PROGNOSTICATION WHERE DO WE GO IN RESCUE OF

ACTING CHAIR ARMED FARCES FROM HERE? IGNOBLE TRUTHS
UP TO ERECT MUSEUM FLIPTOP
Pages 2 to 5 Page 6 to 9 Page 10 to 12 Page 16

The Official Student Publication of the University of the Philippines Manila | Volume 24 NumberS 13-14 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2011
 NEWS
Panganiban is UPM USC Acting-Chair
Santos Stands Firm vs Disqualification
D ue to the ongoing disqualification case against University
of the Philippines Manila (UPM) University Student Council
(USC) Chairperson Cesarie Ann Santos, USC Vice Chairperson Mark
Panganiban is prompted to provisionally take over and assume the
chairpersonship post.
Based on a decision arrived at by the
UPM Committee on Readmission,
Retention and Graduation headed by
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Josefina G. Tayag, Santos has been
permanently disqualified as a UPM
student “on grounds of academic
delinquency.” The said committee
upheld an earlier decision made
by the College of Arts and Sciences
(CAS) Committee on the permanent
disqualification of Santos.
As of press time, the disqualification
case of Santos has been brought
for appeal to the Board of Regents
(BOR). A dialogue between the
concerned parties and new UP
President Alfredo Pascual is
scheduled on January 22 – 23.
Deliberations regarding the issue
shall follow on January 27 at the BOR
meeting.
Meanwhile, the General Assembly
(GA) of the USC on January 5 reached
a quorum recognizing Panganiban
as the temporary USC chairperson
until his oath-taking and official
assumption of office within the
month.
“Of course, I’m saddened by the case
because I really do believe in Ces
[Santos’] capacity to effectively lead
the USC. I look up to her because
I saw her dedication to serve the
students. But of course, I have to look
after my responsibility that arose
because of this issue as well. Hindi
naman pwedeng mapabayaan ang
mga gawain sa konseho dahil lamang
sa isyu na ito,” said Panganiban.
‘Academic Non-Compliance’
The disqualification of Santos as a
bona fide student of UPM ensued
after her failure to meet the academic
requirements set by the CAS Office of
the College Secretary (OCS) during
the first semester of AY 2010-2011.
Dr. Nymia Simbulan, Office of Student
Affairs (OSA) director, informed The
Manila Collegian that Santos was on
a “floating” status last semester. Such
standing was due to Santos’ dismissal
from the BS Biochemistry program
prompted by her intention to shift to
BA Development Studies program.
The CAS OCS placed Santos under a
probationary status, requiring her to
pass all her academic loads during
the previous semester to remain a
bona fide student of UPM.
The agreement made by the
CAS OCS also held bearing on
Santos’ intention of shifting to BA
Development Studies program.
“Unfortunately, Ms. Santos failed to
satisfy the condition set by the OCS,
i.e. to pass all her courses, resulting
to her disqualification,” Simbulan
2 • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
said.
Consequently, Santos appealed to the
University Committee on Retention,
Readmission, and Graduation
headed by Vice Chancellor Josefina
Tayag. The said committee, however,
decided to uphold the decision made
by the CAS OCS.
Removal from USC Post
The OSA on November took steps
to fill in the vacant position of USC
Chairperson, a post formerly held by
Santos. According to Simbulan, the
position of USC Chair is considered
vacant because of “the fact that
Ms. Cesarie Santos is no longer a
bonafide student of UPM since the
decision of the UPM Committee
on Readmission, Retention and
Graduation is final and executory.”
“Ang basis ng pagiging USC
chairperson ay ang pagiging bona
fide student mo ng UP Manila. In the
CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
Dalmacio is New
Faculty Regent
Outgoing FR Underscores Crucial University Issues
MON GABRIEL POSADAS DISTOR AND
ACE VINCENT PONSECA MOLO
D octor Ida F. Dalmacio of the Institute of Biological Sciences - College
of Arts and Sciences (IBS-CAS), University of the Philippines Los
Baños (UPLB) was elected as the new faculty regent (FR), and shall
represent the entire UP faculty to the university’s Board of Regents
(BOR).
In a university wide election held on
November 16 to 18, 2010, Dalmacio
bested 5 other contenders from
the UPLB faculty. Her term will
commence from January 2011 to
December 2012.
Dr. Dalmacio received her bachelor’s
degree as cum laude in Agriculture
and Master’s degree in Plant
Pathology in UPLB, and later served
as a research assistant and full
professor in IBS-CAS.
Dalmacio was a recipient of
Distinguished Teacher Award in
Biological Sciences and Outstanding
Alumnus Award for Research
Administration. Furthermore, she
served as executive director of the
Philippine Council for Advanced
Science and Technology Research
and Development (PCASTRD) under
the Department of Science and
Technology (DOST), from 1998-
2004.
WEDNESDAY
ANGELO LUNA MURILLO
TAKING THE LEAD. Cesarie Ann “Ces” Santos third from the left and at the forefront at one of her USC
duties during one of the mobilizations against the State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) budget cut. File
Photo
New FR Prioritizes Faculty
Advancement
According to her plan of action,
Dalmacio aims to participate
in “direction-setting, policy
formulation and decision making
concerning the UP System. She
further stated that her primary role
is to “represent the entire faculty on
all issues affecting them, particularly
their rights and welfare.
Dalmacio summarized her plan of
action with the Seven-Point Program
which focuses strengthening the
UP faculty. According to her, “it
[UP faculty] should be manned by
highly qualified faculty members
preferably those who have graduate
degrees.”
The new FR yearns to work on the
aspects of faculty tenure, promotion,
consultancies and income
generation, benefits, and mentoring.
On issues concerning the faculty
members preferring work abroad,
Dalmacio stated that “incentives
would have to be placed so that
they [teachers] will not be lured
elsewhere.”
Moreover, included in Dalmacio’s
program are transparency
and efficient dissemination of
information, especially policies and
decisions from the BOR, to concerned
members of the faculty. She likewise
intends to work in cooperation with
the Student and Staff Regents, “to
further promote the democratic
participation of all the UP personnel
in university governance.”
FR Taguiwalo Reports
Unresolved Issues
Outgoing FR Judy Taguiwalo
brings her term to a close with
an End of Term Report stating
accomplishments and actions in
her two-year term as FR, as well as
issues still needed to be addressed
by the BOR.
The report covers a summary of
reports to the BOR, updates on BOR
meetings, and common initiatives
of the Sectoral Regents. A major
highlight of the rundown is the
Office of the Faculty Regent’s (OFR)
coordination with the Offices of
the Student and Staff Regent in
organizing the Sectoral Regents’
Fora on the selection process for the
next UP President.
Also stated in the report are
questions regarding the selection
process of the new Faculty Regent,
which, according to Taguiwalo,
remained on the hands of the
UP Administration. The former
FR expressed disapproval on the
exclusion of some provisions
that was proposed by the OFR
concerning the selection process.
These include the rule which
motions the nominees to have to go
on leave from the All-UP Academic
Employees Union once they accept
their nomination, the removal
of the ‘no campaigning rule,’ and
the lack of consultation among
University Councils. Taguiwalo
calls for a more transparent and
independent FR selection process
in 2012.
Likewise, Taguiwalo gives a
review of unresolved university
issues hoping to be addressed
such as the non-implementation
of the tenure grant of Sociology
Professor Sarah Raymundo; the
Philippine General Hospital (PGH)
directorship dispute; the legality of
the Faculty Medical Arts Building
(FMAB) at UP-PGH; UPLB’s large
class policy on general education
subjects; the PAASCU accreditation
of UP Manila’s academic programs,
among others.
“…I have advocated for democratic
governance at all levels of the
University through transparency,
consultation, representation and
accountability and the principle
of democratic access to a UP
education by maintaining the status
of the University of the Philippines
as a public and public service
institution of higher learning that
aims to provide affordable quality
education for Filipinos,” Taguiwalo
concluded.
 Volume 24, Numbers 13-14 NEWS
UP to Erect Museum
Contract Irregularities Spark Controversies
YODHIM GUDEL GEPTY DELA ROSA AND
JEO ANGELO CHICO ELAMPARO

W ith the construction of the official University of the Philippines

(UP) System Museum ongoing at the UP Manila campus, the
ASM Francisco Construction Development Corp. (ASM) is allegedly
having conflicts with the UP Museum Committee due to several
irregularities in their construction contract.
be dismantled. However, the
Centennial Gift dismantling procedure is not
stipulated in the Php 16 million
Spearheaded by a six-person contract. The asbestos walls were
committee, the museum is a major allegedly “overlooked” by ASM
grant of former UP President, when they assessed the site of
Senator Edgardo Angara for the museum so they immediately WITH GRIM FINALITY. President Aquino, along with other budget proponents and members of the cabinet, signs the official
UP’s centennial celebration. sought for a change in order. budget of the Philippines for year 2011. Photo courtesy of Balita.ph
Accordingly, the museum aims to
promote the role of UP in national In effect, the committee has been
and health development. said to allot another Php 2 million
for the “accidental expenses” Badyet Para sa Taong 2011, Inaprubahan na
Panibagong TOFI, pinangangambahan
The said committee is composed which will cover the total
of Dr. Zorayda E. Leopando, Chair dismantling of the asbestos walls
of the Technical Working Group; and the materials needed for it.
Archt. Allen R. Buenaventura, Chief MARK JASON SANTOS FLORES AT BEANCA JHANINE MULATO SAMIANO
of Central Planning Development Several sources reveal that had

and Maintenance Office (CPDMO);
Dr. Manuel B. Agulto, Chair of UP
Manila Museum Committee; Dr.
Angelita Trinidad-Reyes, Adviser
of UP Manila Committee and
Former Regent of UP System;
Archt. Eduardo Calma, Architect
of Lor Calma Design, Inc.; and
Marianne P. Roces, Museum
Development Curator.
Contract of Agreement
The planning of the construction’s
technical aspects were all finished
by the committee in the latter part
of 2008. Having been the lowest
responsive bidder, ASM was
granted the construction contract
and is expected to finish the first
phase of building at the end of
January this year.
ASM priced the construction Php
16 million—a price relatively
lower than the allocation for the
Museum construction. The General
Appropriations Act of 2011
allocated a total of Php 20 million
for the first phase construction of
the museum.
ASM promised to complete the
construction before the start of the
next academic year.
“Accidental Expenses”
Incidentally, the old College of
Dentistry building, the will-be
site of the museum, is made up
of asbestos which ASM deemed
hazardous and should therefore
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AGAINST THE RISING COST OF PUBLIC
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the dismantling procedure been
stipulated in the contract, the
committee would have chosen
another construction company
that would cover everything for a
lower price.
Queries were also raised
regarding ASM’s conspicuous
winnings in every construction
bid in UP Manila when the same
sources disclosed that most of its
constructions were defective and
substandard.
Future Plans
According to Dr. Leopando, the
committee plans to promote the
museum and make it a venue for
educational learning experience.
The museum will house exhibits
depicting UP’s role in history as
the country’s premiere university.
In turn, the income generated by
the museum will be spent only for
its maintenance and other future
plans.
Consequently, another building
is set to be established as an
income-generating asset to aid
the museum’s other finances.
The proposed building will also
venture into partnerships with
private concessionaries to further
promote and develop the museum
facilities and services.
All students of UP shall have the
privilege of entering the museum
free of charge as soon as it opens
to the public.
M
atapos ang ilang linggong deliberasyon sa kamara, pinirmahan na ni Pangulong Benigno Simeon
“Noynoy” Aquino III ang 2011 General Appropriations Act (GAA) o R.A. 10147 na nagtatakda ng
P1.645 trilyong badyet para sa bansa sa taong 2011.
Kung pagbabasehan ang unang
panukalang badyet ni Aquino,
kaunti lamang ang nadagdag sa
inaprubahang pondo. Isa na dito ay
ang pag-amyenda ng karagdagang
P200 milyon sa badyet ng
Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (UP)
para sa patuloy na pagpapatupad
sa programa nitong Engineering
Research and Development for
Technology (ERDT) na naglalayong
magbigay ng iskolarship sa mga
inhinyero para sa mas mataas na
dekalidad ng masteral at doktoral
na antas ng unibersidad.
Dagdag-Bawas
Bagaman umabot sa P5.7 milyon
ang pondo ng UP bunga ng dagdag
na ipinasa ni Aquino, ito ay higit
na mas mababa pa rin ng P1.2
bilyon kung ikukumpara sa P6.9
bilyong pondo noong nakaraang
taon. Nanggaling umano ang P200
milyong karagdagan ito mula sa
pondong ibinawas sa programa
ng kalusugan na Family Health na
may maliit na alokasyon.
Inamendyadahan din ng kamara
ng P143 milyon ang badyet ng
SUCs pero ang P30 milyon sa
pondong iyon ay ibinawas din sa
ibang SUCs na mas mataas ang
alokasyon sa orihinal na panukala.
Matatandaang naglunsad ng
malawakang protesta ang mga
SUCs noong Nobyembre na
nilahukan ng libo-libong mag-
aaral, guro at manggawa. Natawag
nito ang atensyon ng ilang mga
senador at mambabatas na
nagsumite ng iba’t ibang panukala
ukol sa pag-amyenda ng badyet ng
SUCs. Sa huling pagdinig, ang P200
milyong dagdag ang naaprubahan
ng kamara para sa UP at P110
milyon naman ang para sa iba
pang SUCs.
“Dahil sa sama-samang pagkilos
ng mga estudyante noong
nakaraang taon at sa pagkakaisa
ng sektor ng kabataan sa paglaban
sa nakaambang budget cut,
nadagdagan ng humigit-kumulang
P300milyon ang badyet 112
state universities and colleges.
Tagumpay ito ng mga mag-aaral
gayun din ng mga magulang dahil
alam natin na kung hindi natin
ito ginawa ay madali lamang sa
mga mambabatas na ipasa na
lamang ang panukalang badyet
ni Pangulong Noynoy,” ani Mac
Panganiban, mula sa kinatawan ng
mag-aaral, UPM.
Sa kabila ng karagdagang
alokasyon ng gobyerno, iginigiit
pa rin ng maraming progresibong
mag-aaral na kulang pa rin ito
para matutustusan ang lumalalang
kalagayan ng mga SUCs. Sa pondo
ng UP, halos kalahati sa nabawas
na pondo ay galing sa Maintenance
and Other Operating Expenses
(MOOE) ng Unibersidad. Tanging
P654 milyon na lamang ang natira
mula sa P1.36 bilyong badyet para
sa MOOE noong 2010. Bunga nito,
nangangamba ang dating Faculty
Regent na si Judy Taguiwalo na
baka maging “white elephants” ang
mga hindi pa tapos na proyekto ng
unibersidad gaya ng Industrial/
Mechanical Building sa Diliman.
Dagdag pa ni Panganiban, “
hindi pa rin talaga sapat ang
karagdagang badyet na ito.
Imagine, 112 SUCs ang maghahati-
hati dito samantalang mahigit ang
pangangailangan ng mga kolehiyo
sa bansa.”
Maling Alokasyon Mahalaga na ang lupon ng
Sa kabilang banda, sinasabi
ng gobyernong Aquino na
nadagdagan na ang pondo ng SUCs
ng P310 milyon samantalang mas
mababa ito ng isang porsyento o
humigit kumulang P200 milyon
mula sa 23.8bilyong badyet noong
2010. Sa kasalukuyan, patuloy pa
rin ang pagbatikos ng mga kritiko
sa napakalaking alokasyong
inilaan ng gobyerno sa militar at
pambayad-utang ng bansa.
“Nakakalungkot isipin na sa
konteksto ng bansa ngayon,
mas binibigyang prioridad ang
militar sa kabila ng kabi-kabilang
kaso ng paglabag sa karapatang
pantao, mas binigyang pansin ang
pagbabayad ng utang panlabas ng
bansa at mas pinataas ang pork
barrel ng mga mambabatas na alam
nating pulpulan ng kurapsyon sa
bansa, at sa pag-apruba ng badyet,
nadagdagan pa ang pondo para sa
mga congressmen at senators,”ani
Panganiban.
Panibagong TOFI, nag-aamba
Kasabay ng mababang alokasyon
para sa Unibersidad ay ang
posibleng pagharap nito sa
panibagong TOFI. Napauna nang
kumalat ang sabi-sabi na plano
ng unibersidad na ibigay sa mga
estudyanteng nasa Braket A ang
full tuition na umaabot sa humigit-
kumulang sa P100,000 bawat
semester.
“Ang University Student Council,
sa pagkapasa ng 2011 budget,
ay patuloy na magiging aktibo
sa pagsulong ng karapatan sa
edukasyon sa pamamagitan ng
tuloy-tuloy na panawagan sa
pag-roll back ng tuition at sa
pagtanggal sa mga bayarin na
ipinapataw sa mga estudyante.
mga estudyante ay patuloy na
manindigan para sa kanilang
mga karapatan lalo na ngayon at
patuloy ang nakaambang pagtaas
ng matrikula,”ani Panganiban.

WEDNESDAY • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 • 3

 NEWS
Bludgeoned and Burdened:
Scrutinizing the Toll and Fare Hikes
ANGELA MARIZ ULEP CAUDAL AND ALYSSA NICHOLE CACHO GRATIL
M anifested as an aftermath of the Aquino administration’s “controversial misallocation” for its 2011 national
budget, the burden of toll and fare hikes is unreasonably passed on to the riding public – particularly the
students – as series of whopping fare toll increases inevitably faced them as the new year arrived.
Increasing rates in transportation
has been an ever recurring issue.
Burdened by hikes that are meagrely
explained, the public are persistently
subjected to an even more expensive
fare.
Passing on the burden to ordinary
citizens, the Toll Regulatory Board
(TRB) formally announced that two
of the country’s major expressway
operators implemented an increase
in toll rates on New Year’s Day.
Figure 1. Triple Tribulation. This table shows the transformation of the
2010 SLEx, NLEx, and SCTEx toll rates as it was multiplied to three in the
recently approved toll increase. Source: Bulatlat.com
Moreover, the Land Transportation
Franchising and Regulatory Board
(LTFRB) which posted new taxi rates
on December 23 already took effect
on January 7. In addition, Metro and
Light Rail Transits (MRT and LRT)
proposed to carry out its almost
100% fair augmentation within a
span of three months.
The newly-approved 2011 toll rates
are evidently higher than the 2010
rates, as seen in Figure 1. Seemingly
minimal increases by the centavo
as laid out here are exacerbated if
to be computed per kilometer and
would thus reveal its dread. This
300% toll hike at the beginning of
the year directly contradicts what
Manila North Tollway Corporation
President and chief executive officer
Robert E. Franco described as that in
a “very reasonable level.”
Apathetic Approval
Contrary to President Benigno
Aquino III’s announcement
on January 2 pertaining to the
imposition of a “graduated increase”
in toll rates to pacify its effects to
the commuters, the TRB heedlessly
mandated the one-time-big-time
300% toll hike on both South and
North Luzon Expressway (SLEx and
NLEx).
Anakpawis, Kilusang Mayo Uno
(KMU), the League of Filipino
Students, among other progressive
4 • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
student and mass organizations and other critics of the toll hike, the
denounce the hasty approval of the public was not truly ‘invited’ because
300% toll hike petitioned by the of the low-intensity advertisement
South Luzon Tollway Corporation of the hearing.
(SLTC) and MNTC, operators of SLEx
and NLEx, respectively. Labelling By virtue of the Presidential Decree
it as “treachery”, Taxpayers’ Unity No. 1112 or the Toll Operation
vs Toll Hike in SLEx (TUTOL- Decree, the TRB possesses regulatory
SLEx), an alliance of commuters, authority over all toll facilities in the
drivers, peoples’ organizations, Philippines, and is authorized under
businessmen, local government its charter to enter into contracts
officials and other taxpayers also in behalf of the Republic of the
conveyed their disapproval of the Philippines, with qualified persons
for the construction, operation
and maintenance of toll facilities.
Progressive groups believes this
paves the way for international
contractors into the regular
taxpayers’ pockets.
Mulanes relayed that the TRB’s
justification concerning the 300%
toll hike petitioned by the SLTC and
MNTC is truly questionable, since
what they were mandated to do
was to act as a representative of the
government, with the sole purpose
of protecting the taxpayers from
abusive private contractors.
Unjust Fare Augmentation
In a press conference on January
5, Presidential Communications
decision. Strategy Secretary Ricky Carandang
described the MRT and LRT fare
Members of Tutol-SLEx alleged hikes as “slight” and “reasonable”,
that the TRB could not even be but for Metro Manila railroad riders,
completely transparent on the the case is otherwise.
processes and bases of computing
the toll rates. “Though the proposed fare hikes on
MRT and LRT were only approved
“There was no public hearing,” in principle, the commencement
Figure 2. The Face of a Burden. This table shows the comparison
between the 2010 and 2011 fare rates of MRT, LRT, and taxis and how i/t
is not believable that these changes are within reason. Source: ABS-CBN
News Online
Sammy Malunes, co-convenor of of the LRTA board, which is the
Tutol-SLEx, said in an interview of final approving body on January
Bulatlat.com during one of their 11 shall mark the true affirmation
protest movements. “We do not of the increase,” according to
consider as genuine that so-called Transportation Secretary Jose de
public hearing they conducted last Jesus in an interview.
December 10,” he further explained.
The TRB reportedly called for a The biggest functional portion
public hearing in their head office last of the 2011 national budget was
week with minimal announcements allocated in the educational sector,
and notices to concerned parties. yet it is a fact that the budget of
According to Tutol-SLEx, drivers’ State Universities and Colleges were
and operators’ organization PISTON,
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
WEDNESDAY
ORGANEWSATION
The Manila Collegian reserves a space for announcements, gigs,
and rendezvous tidbits of organizations in UP Manila. Submit your
announcements via email to themanilacollegian@gmail.com. Max of 100
words
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
The UP Manila Bible Readers Society invites you to a Bible Study entitled,
“Biblikasarian I: Kapwa ko, Mahal ko” Get to know what the Bible really says
about homosexuality on December 9 at the College of Nursing tambayan. For
questions, please contact Carlson 09278249297 or Lea at 09154862267
•••
UP Panitikan is looking for potential and aspiring applicants for this semester.
For inquiries about the application forms and process, contact Faye at
09159437703
•••
The UPM Indayog Dance Varsity will be holding a dance concert entitled
“UniberSiyudad” tickets are available at Php180 (Pre-selling rate) and Php200
(Concert day rate). For more information, approach any Indayog members.
•••
Get to know more about Jesus as the UPM Campus Crusade for Christ invites
you to their ” Movements Everywhere”. To know more about this event, contact
Garet at 09065474492 or Hannah at 09177536162 and visit www.ccc.org.ph
•••
Philippine Stagers Foundation launched an encore run of Ako si Ninoy: The
Musicale on January 8 at Cinema 9 SM City North EDSA. The musicale is
directed by Atty. Vincent Tanada, Palanca and Aliw awards champion for best
musical (2009) . All proceeds of the musicale is for the benefit of World Vision,
UNICEF and One Kind Mankind foundations.
•••
The UPM Seeds of the Nation invites you to come and join their Bible Study and
worship masses every Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Philippine
Bible Society. For inquiries, contact 09274923687
•••
The Mu Sigma Phi Fraternity will hold the Quisumbing Escandor Photo Fest
themed, “Sa Ngalan ng Ama at ng INA” Get a chance to win Php 20,000 for
the Grand Prize, Php 10,000 for Black and white and Colored divisions and
Php 5,000 for the People’s Choice award. Email your entries to qephotofest@
gmail.com. Photo Fest Awards Night and Exhibit will be on February 19.
Deadine of submission will be on January 30. For more information, contact
09178230209
•••
San Beda College of Medicine invites incoming first year applicants from UP
(preferably with honors) to avail a four year scholarship and a Php 25,000
book allowance for first three years. For more information, visit fcid@sanbeda.
edu.ph
•••
The University Wide- ACLE has been moved to February 15. Interested
organizations may text Mudir Estrella at 09161126145 or 09152941193
•••
The Philippine League of Sociology Students is calling for papers for
presentation on its Congress on Feb.14 at UP Diliman. Papers on the topic of
sociology and of other related fields are welcome.Text 09173878057 for more
details.
•••
In line with the Health and Environment Week, the USC will be launching
the following activities: January 31: I am One with the Earth (Mixed Media
Art Contest), Exhibit: Jan 31-Feb4; LT Walk, February 1: The Will for RH Bill:
Addressing its Imperfections (8am-10am; BSLR-E UP College of Medicine),
February 4: Klima, Kalusugan, karapatan-Ang Bagong Laban (1pm-5pm;
Science Hall, UP-PGH)
•••
Kapatirang Dramatista ng UP Manila will hold open auditions on Jan 25, Gab
103 5:30, jan 27, rh 221, 5:30 pm to 7pm, Jan 29, rh 221 9am to 5pm. for more
info, contact 09154861247 or 09063017877
COLLEGE BRIEFS
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
The UPManila Political Science Committee in partnership with the UP
Political Science society has celebrated its annual Political Science Week
from January 17 to 21 with the theme Courting Justice: The Continuing
Struggle for Social Justice.” Forums were held regarding the Philippine
Judicial System, the Morong43, and Health and Development. A series of
film showing events were further held and featured foreign acclaimed films
Orapronobis and Persona Non Grata. A Quiz Bee and a variety show was
held to showcase the student s of the Political Science program.
COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY
UP Manila maintains 100% passing rate at Dentistry Licensure
Examination
TOP TEN
Pia dela Cruz Briones -- 1st Andrianne Ang Gomez – 6th
Leonida Pascua Garcia – 2nd Katrina Pe Lo – 7th
Dindo Agustin Rabino – 3rd Roxanne Dela Pierre Donato – 8th
Ariane Torreres Sadiang-Abay – 4th Ulysses Catacutan Patalinhug – 9th
Ma. Fatima Bernaldez Dolor – 5th
 Volume 24, Numbers 13-14 NEWS
QCRTC: ‘Reinstate Mga Fulung-Vulungan ng Nagjijisang...

Gonzales as PGH Lola Patola

HAGARAPAKETGARAPAKETFULOFZUNZHAYN I GOT LOVE

Director’ AND I KNOW THAT IT’S ALL MINE OW-UWO-OW…..

JOANNA MARIE ICASAS UDARBE

H alllleuer mga evah-dearest kowng afowshiwa! Dijamismey? I
know. I missed me too. Hekheks. Jokla! Hamusta naman yung evah
havaaaaaaa niyong becky-syown grande eh? Or iz it still vitin? Hamustasa
ang Krismas? Ang Nyuyir? May nagfafafutok vah at may nafutukan naman

A year following Dr. Jose Gonzales’ ouster, Quezon City Regional Trial
Court (QCRTC) released a resolution dated December 22 ordering the
reinstatement of Gonzales as the rightful and duly-elected director of the
Philippine General Hospital (PGH).
The resolution also stated that the
Board of Regents (BOR), the highest
policy making body in the University
of the Philippines (UP), should fully
recognize the decision of the court
and immediately unseat Dr. Rolando
Enrique Domingo.
Judge Luisito Cortez of Branch 84
of the QCRTC declared in a writ of
preliminary injunction that Gonzales
is the legitimate PGH director.
Furthermore, the UP system was
ordered by the court to recognize
his legitimacy until the case filed
against the BOR regarding his ouster
is resolved.
Domingo ordered to step
down
Domingo, in turn, received a copy
of the writ, stating that he should
“restrain and desist from exercising
the powers and performance of the
duties of PGH director.”
In a statement dated December
28 addressed to UP Manila (UPM)
Chancellor Ramon Arcadio, Domingo
expressed his disagreement with
the decision of the trial court on the
grounds that the writ was signed by
Pairing Judge Maria Filomena Singh
and not by the presiding judge. UP
Vice President for Legal Affairs
Theodore Te also questioned the
resolution on similar grounds.
Domingo continues to uphold
the legitimacy of his directorship
appointment despite the resolution.
However, he added that “since the
copy of the Writ seems authentic,
I shall abide by it and refrain from
exercising the powers of PGH Director
as stipulated.”
Gonzales was duly appointed as PGH
director on December 18, 2009 and
was supposed to take oath of office
on January 4, 2010. However, due
to protests made by Malacañang
appointee Regent Abraham
Sarmiento, the oath taking was put on
hold. The position was then declared
vacant, on the grounds that former
Student Regent Charisse Bernardine
Bañez’s vote was considered null and
invalid. The BOR resolved then to hold
another election wherein Domingo
emerged as the new PGH director.
Domingo’s appointment was met
with a series of protests coming from
the staff of PGH as well as students
from UP. Aside from the violation of
the appointment’s due process, the
nullification of Banez’s vote served as
a neglect to the rights of the students
to representation in the BOR.
Despite his ouster, Gonzales continued
to stay at a small office near the PGH
director’s office.
Gonzales’ reinstatement served as a
victory not only for the PGH director,
but to the whole UPM community as
well, claimed former UPM University
Student Council Chair Cesarie Ann
Santos.
“Pagpupugay sa lahat ng mga doktor,
kawani, konseho, organisasyon, at
mga Iskolar ng Bayan! Nagtagumpay
ang ating laban upang ibalik ang
tama! Tagumpay ng sama samang
pagkilos,” said Santos.
vah? Siniguradechiwa niyo vey na gumamit kayech ng froteksyon vago
magfafutok? JOKLA! Haynakows! Nalelerkey na naman akech dahil todo-
todo, major-major, super-super, mega-mega ang ginawey namin ng aking
finakamamahal na Lolo Upo noong nakaraang becky-syown. Havay fagod na
fagod naman talagey ang Tanging Lola Nyong Lahat! Sa katunayan, ihi lang
ang pahinga kow. Hekheks. Heniwey, isa fang nakakafagfalerkey sa akech ay
ang mga fasaway sa YuFiEm! Havay Nyuyir na fero wiz pa rin siley nagvavago!
At ngayon, you will feel Lola P’s wrath! NYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA –
eheym, eheym – HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Not So Pocketful of Sunshine Useless COUNZILOR? Eherm.
Cheezymax Numvah ONE:
Fasaway na Mananayaw! Sinechitechiwho ang gaydanz
counzilor na itey ang hindi naman
responsive to the needs of my afows?
Sinechitechiwa na miyemvro ng
jizang danz grup ditey za YuFiManila Havaaaaaa! I smell something fishy!
Kwento ng afows ko, gumora sila sa
ang NAHULI KO MISMO na kumuha
ng maraming kepyas este kopyas ng ofisiney ng gaydanz counzilor na itech.
At fagdating na fagdating niley doon,
Kulengot at finamvalot ng kanyang
havay chumorva agad ang councilor
gift gate! Azar talagey itech si kuyang
na, “Imfortantatious ba itech? About
Bad Manners
walang malasakit at inencourage
niya fa ang iva niyang kasamahan what ba, aber?” Nung zinavi naman
Haneklavoo itech na naririnig ko? May
na gamitensils ang Kulengot para ng mga afow ko na fersonal frablem
mga eztudyante raw ng YuFiEm ang
pambalot! OUCH! ARAY! ARAGUY! NA- ang dafat nilang i-consult, havay
nagtatafon ng mga pleyts at utensils
chumorva ulit itech counzilor ng,
HURT NAMAN AKO DON MGA AFO! na finofrovide ng ating canteeners?
D’ya wanna clue? Orayt! Itechiwang “Fersonal lang naman fala eh. Di
KALERKEY! Haneklavoo talaga ang
kuya na itey ay jizang fresh na fresh naman mesyadong imfortantatious!”
series of shameful events na itechiwa!
student mula sa DaSimpSons! At ang HAVA! NA-HIGHVLAAAD AGAD
Nakakahiya talagey ang mga afow ko
initialz ng kanyang course ay ang AKECH nung inistory-telling itech
na gumagawa nitey. Kawawa naman
unang dalawang letra ng nazaving ng afows ko. Gravacious lang ha.
ang ating mga canteeners! Vaka
defartamentow. YON! Dear Kuya, Hindi tama iyon! In the pers pleys,
maloogee na siley za ginagawa niyo
nais lang ifaalam sayech ni Lola handito nga ang mga kagaya niley
at vaka eventually, mag-exoduslaloo
na hindi famvalot ng kung-ano- fara ma-intendyez ang mga afow ko
na siley! Wants nyo va na maglaho na
ano ang Kulengot! Vawat izzue za kanilang fersonal frablem dava?
siley all at once bcoz of your fractice?
ay finaghihirafan ng mga rayters At fano kung maveegat talagey ang
Haynako. Kafag di kayo toomigil, I
ditey at finagbubujusan ng dugo froblem ng afow ko at wiz niya
will disown you! Nagkakaintindihan?
at napakaraming fawis (dahil tinanggaf? Vaka nagsui-zaido na yon
Goooooood. LOL.
kazalukuyang wasak ang mga ng waley za oras? MALI ANG GINAWA
MO counzilor! Wrong na wrong
erkon za ofisina). Kung fwede lang Hay nako afows, marami pa sana
talagey! Kung di mo keri na i-help
gamitin mow ang kulengot ng tama. akech gusto i-storytell fero I
ang mga afow ko sa mga froblema
Kundimokeri, doncha touch it at all, have a plane to catch. Lolo Upo
nila, aym sureness na makakahanaf
marami ang eztudyanteng guztong and I are going to have our 9,
fa ang YuFi ng samvadee na kaya!
magvasa nitow. HANDERSTAND, 000th honeymoooon! I can’t wait
Handerztand? Hmmmpppfff!
LOW-RAINS? SAGOT! actually! Hangsweet naming noh?
Heniway, I will miss you all! Fulang
Not So Pocketful of Sunshine Not So Pocketful of Sunshine fula ang buhay ni Lola! Ahahahay!
Cheezymax Numvah THREE: See you soon! XOXO.
Cheezymax Numvah TWO:

NEWSIskotistics ...from page 4

deliberately cut down despite the protests
raised by thousands of tertiary-level students.
In spite of these, the relative importance given
by the 2011 budget to the military constituency
by raising their budget by 80% somehow
violates the constitutional mandate to give
primary importance to education.
This gesture reflects not only the curtailment of
the rights of the students for quality education
but also the state abandonment on the citizen’s
basic social services. In effect, health and
medical amenities are also hampered if not
totally made unattainable for the poor populace.
Instead of fulfilling the needs of the majority,
the administration overlooked the demands
and went on fattening the counter-insurgency
budget, which is in the first place disagreed
upon by critics and human rights advocates.
Aside from the fare increase in the two most
commonly used mode of transportation in
Metro Manila, taxis and buses, especially the
ones passing through the NLEx, SLEx and
SCTEx, also petitioned for fare hikes. South
Luzon Bus Operators Association (SOLUBOA)
filed a fare hike petition of 50 centavos per
kilometer on January 5 in order to cope with
higher toll rates. Since fare hikes necessitate
consultation processes and hearings at the
LTFRB, the SOLUBOA asked for a provisional
30-centavo increase.
Meanwhile, the first taxi fare rate increase since
2004 was approved on December 23, 2010. The
said hike has been implemented since January
7. The flagdown rate shot up to from P30 to
P40, while succeeding charges now cost P3.50
from the previous P2.50 (See Figure 2).
Burden Officially Turned Over
Being frequenters of transportation services,
the general public cries out with the newly-
acquired burden at the beginning of the
year. This measure that the government
advances to allegedly “counter economic and
social instability” is the same old ploy that
the previous governments used. The bogus
reform program repackaged as Private-Public
Partnerships (PPP) scheme they are putting
forward is a clear picture of commercialization.
The PPP is a government service or private
business venture which is funded and operated
through a partnership between the government
and one or more private sector companies.
Capital investment is made by the private
sector on the strength of a contract with the
government to provide agreed services while
the cost of providing the service is borne
wholly or in part by the government. The cost is
treated as an obligation of the government, but
in our country’s case, it is rechanneled to the
tax payers through various forms of increase
in tolls and fares that are controlled by the
government. In turn, these hikes further call for
increase in the prices of commodities, which
then pushes the general public to demand
higher wages.
Because of the Palace’s justification of
implementing fare and toll hikes: to be able
to abide by its obligations to the private
contractors of the expressways as well as
to entice more foreign investors – Aquino
overlooked the welfare of his people. PPP
program, thus, is a manifestation of the real
government’s priority; investors over people.
Unavoidably, it has become a venue for abusing
the rights of the people.
Hence, in the context of MRT, LRT, taxi and
bus fare hikes, it is evident that students will
suffer greatly, if not as much as the working
commuters. Being non-earners and depending
on allowances for transportation and other
expenses, budgeting a meagre amount of
money for humungous costs will be harder
than before. Not only on the transportation
sector, the students will also be affected in the
aspect of commodity prices, because it is for
sure that common goods will also increase their
rates with respect to the heightened tariffs
on vehicles transporting the merchandise.
All these because of the incompetence of the
government to execute the obligations that they
are mandated to fulfill.
Now, the burden was rechanneled to the
innocent: the general public, especially the
unprivileged and the poor, by the government’s
suddenly approved toll and fare hikes all within
the first month of the year, while they turned
deaf and ignored all the demands of the public
and trashed it just as fast. It is vexing to recall
the President’s promise of a better future for
our country while witnessing these hardships
dropped to the people one after the other.

WEDNESDAY • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 • 5

FEATURES Volume 24, Numbers 13-14

Visiting Farces:
of American soldiers from
Philippine jurisdiction except
for “special” cases, the passage
of exports and imports by the
merely state that act as qualified
under “activities” and it would
be legalized, however heinous or
unlawful it may be. Government

The Flaws and Fraudulence of the VFA

military free from taxes, the
exemption of American military
personnel from regular visa and
passport procedures and the
JESSE NICOLE RUBIO SANTOS ILLUSTRATED BY KAT CAPULONG unrestrained movement of US
officials who asserted that the
word “activities” meant military
exercises should realize that
in the entirety of the VFA, the
phrase “military exercises” has

E
military vessels in the country. never been used.
ven in the modern era, ancient colonialism still reveals its oppressive implications,
provided that the colonizer employs trickery to keep the former colony under The VFA became the portal The VFA contains loopholes
its control. of the US in the East, in which make room for the
further advancing its political Philippines’ so-called friend to
The relationship between the US and the Philippines has been criticized for its utter enterprises, as the Philippines’s make adjustments legalizing its
lack of mutuality. The colonization of the latter by the former–a ghost which keeps on geographical location makes it harmful endeavors and intents.
ideal for political and militaristic The agreement is manipulated
haunting the Philippines even after nearly a century of supposed independence–was
strategies. In working for its not only in accordance to the
significant in the formation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). However, it is
endeavors, it had total disregard needs and desires of one party
the desire of the US to prolong its hold on its Southeastern ally which established the to what these may cause the but also to excuse the crimes
agreement. The constraints on the country’s independence and progress caused by Philippines. Undeniably, history they commit.
the dominance of foreign influence and the interplay of foreign interests now manifest is witness to the fact that the
itself through the VFA. Implemented in 1999, the agreement cements this parasitical Philippines unceasingly paid the
and duly one-sided relationship.
Unrevealed Inequalities
price for the exploited gains of
the US. The country continues More than just being lawful
Eleven years of abuses committed under the name of the VFA should be more than to suffer from the malevolence grounds for foreigners to exploit
sufficient to convince the Aquino administration to work for the agreement’s rightful hidden between the lines of the Philippine territory, the VFA also
termination. But as of now, only a committee overseeing review of the draft is under agreement, since the birth of the authorizes the trampling of the
way. The abuses and illegalities unjustly experienced by the Filipinos are more VFA (see sidebar). Philippine Constitution. The US
than enough grounds for its abrogation. A law without actual benefits for its true abuses the power it holds under
constituents should not be implemented in the first place. Overlooked Irregularities the VFA, and this confuses where
sovereignty in the Philippines
The succeeding Philippine truly rest.
Extended Exploitation the two countries became when its extension was
administrations after the VFA
largely beneficial to the US, as unabashedly created in 1999.
was enacted showed high The VFA is wrought with
The aftermaths of World War II their position in the Philippines
regard for the VFA, erstwhile vagueness, most notably
left the Philippines, particularly allowed them not only to gain The VFA serves as the legal
referring to it as a treaty when those provisions concerning
Manila, in utter ruin. True enough economic benefits, but also to framework for military exercises
the US only considers it an crimes committed by American
the US offered rehabilitation in continue their campaigns in the participated in by both Filipino
executive agreement. It was soldiers within Philippine
$620 billion, to its ailed friend in East, as the Cold War begun at the and American soldiers, to
not even submitted to the US jurisdiction. The Philippines
the Southeast. But of course, the time. The MBA was terminated proceed. It is a
Senate for ratification as a apparently is impermissible
financial aid came with strings in 1991, but its adversities once bilateral pact,
treaty. Both countries differ in to subject American soldiers
attached. again wreaked havoc in the comprised
their perception of the VFA, and within its territory under its
Philippines of two
even with this, an immediate own Constitution. The core of
The Military Bases individual
inequality can be seen, more the agreement which is Article
Agreement (MBA) of so experienced by the actual V, Section 3 (d) considers
1947 shaped US- implementation of its provisions. American soldiers immune to
PH relations for By this, the agreement is not its laws and courts, as it requires
the decades equally binding on both parties, the Philippines to relinquish
that would which violates a Constitutional the exercise of jurisdiction over
come. Military provision in the Philippines that crimes involving US soldiers,
and financial foreign troops are not allowed unless it is deemed of special
assistance were entry in the country, lest a treaty importance. But even this
given to the equally implemented in both warrants permission from the
Philippines, countries is in effect. US.
and in return,
the US would Aside from the unclear Even after years since gaining
maintain provisions, the VFA contains independence from the
military bases documents,
ambiguous words, which can be superpower, the VFA serves as a
in the country. The the VFA or the
manipulated to accommodate reminder of how the Philippines
US also VFA-1, which
convenience for the so-called still remain under its control.
outlines the
friend. The words “visit”,
provisions
“temporary”, and “activities” in The controversy surrounding the
for American
the VFA spark debate as these Subic Rape Case of 2006 wherein
soldiers in the
are not provided adequate a Filipina dubbed “Nicole” was
Philippines
definitions. The vagueness allegedly raped by American
and the VFA-2,
of the words “visit” and soldiers the prime suspect being
e n j o y e d for Philippine
“temporary” allow US troops Daniel Smith, illustrates the
parity rights in personnel in the
to stay indefinitely in the lopsided nature of the VFA. The
the Philippines, US. The basic
country, causing the Philippines case represented the unlawful
allowing them tenets of the VFA
to become a hotbed for US extrajudicial acts committed by
to exploit the include that
military presence. As for the the US, as it exercised jurisdiction
country’s of military
word “activities”, when a certain over the accused. Injustice stems
n a t u r a l aid, the
act violates the Philippine not only from the crime itself, but
resources. The deal between exemption
Constitution, the US could also from the fact that through

6 • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 • WEDNESDAY


the VFA, American soldiers are
spared from sentences rightfully
passed on by Philippine courts
and laws.
Injustice wracked not only the
victim of the case but also the
Filipino people, upon gaining
the epiphany that the VFA may
not be as amicable and helpful
as it seemed. The Subic Rape
Case mirrored US-PH relations
perfectly–the VFA was created
to aid only the US fulfill their
masked intents, regardless
of it being detrimental to the
Philippines. Some Philippine
lawmakers are always ready to
allow it, displaying their intent
for the country to be favorable in
the eyes of the US government.
Concealed Offenses
Since the VFA does not specify
the sort of actions the Philippine
and American military
personnel should be engaged
in, constitutional lines were
crossed in various regions in
the Philippines. Of these, the
most controversial include the
permanent settlement of US
troops in the country and the
participation of Philippine and
American soldiers in actual
combat which presents a
deviation from military exercises
which the VFA legalizes.
The Constitution contains a
provision which is specifically
against the permanent stationing
of foreign military battalions in
the country. While the fact that
permanent stations have been
established in the country by
US troops is often ignored by
In late 2010, former US President
Bill Clinton subtly vouched for
the VFA during a one-day visit.
US officials would stress the
VFA’s supposed importance as
an agreement which manifests
the mutual partnership of the US
and the Philippines. While this
may seem largely beneficial, it
still remains as plain diplomatic
rhetoric hiding the true nature of
US-PH relations. What transpires
in reality lies in sharp contrast to
what the US presents it to be, as
numerous anomalies associated
with or caused by the VFA would
prove.
With the new regime in tow, the
VFA was bound to be revisited.
Philippine President Benigno S.
Aquino, III has been criticized for
between the country’s apparent
need for financial assistance
and its rightful sovereignty. It
may well be that what fuels
the Philippine government’s
continued ratification of the VFA
lie in recognizing the country’s
apparent material insufficiency
and the ignorant view that the
strings attached may not be so
difficult to deal with. The VFA’s
existence and the Philippines’
continued accommodation
give way to another stark,
harsh reality–that past
administrations undoubtedly
failed in fulfilling its duties and
instead, resorted to outside help
to fill its inadequacies, even if it
means sacrificing sovereignty.
Furthermore, as the country
embarks on the continuance
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
of this bogus partnership, the
longer it is insinuated that the
“boosted” defense system will
work to the benefits of the
Filipinos,
Sovereignty should never
be exchanged for military
assistance, because it is not
worth it. In fact, nothing is.
The existence of the VFA mirrors
the incapacity of the Philippine
government in fulfilling their
duties of governance. It has
been the failure of the past
administrations. And the new
one should be careful not to
commit the mistakes of adhering
to the ill-wishes of an abusive so-
called ally.
FEATURES
Shadowed
Abuses
The monstrosity of the
VFA extends beyond verbal
manipulation and indiscretion.
The abuses committed under its
name pose a threat not only to
the victims but to all Filipinos.
However wrong the atrocities
may seem, it is undeniable that
the Philippine government
ignores the claims, and instead
only turns its attention to the
ones which heightened public
interest.
The joint US-PH Balikatan
exercises present the most
violent consequences. 16-month
old Rafaella Polvorido died,
six children were injured and
three women were traumatized
when the Philippine military
held preparatory exercises for
the arrival of the US soldiers in
Albay, Bicol. On July 5, 2002, as
US-RP forces were conducting
military exercises, American
soldier Sgt. Reggie Lane shot
Buyong-buyong Isnijal in his
house in Basilan. May 25, 2004
saw the killing of Ulong Malla,
Jumadil Malla and lbrhaim
Malla, as joint US-PH military
personnel raided the area of
Umapoy Island, Tawi-Tawi. Also,
in June 21, 2004, Arsid Baharon
was shot in a place designated
as a firing range for the military
exercises in Barangay San Roque,
Zamboanga City. These incidents
reveal the engagement of US-
PH forces in armed combat, an
obvious violation of a term in
the VFA.
Some US soldiers commit
crimes outside the boundaries
of military exercises. March
2000 saw the beating of Marcelo
Batestil, a taxi driver in Cebu, by
US soldiers. An assault resulted
to the deaths of eight Filipinos
in Maimbung, Sulu on February
4, 2008. There was a recorded
sighting of US soldiers in the

the Philippine government, it
has nevertheless been proven as
civilians testify to this account.
The mere presence of American
troops is infringement enough,
more so that the defective
execution of the Balikatan
exercises, engaged in by both
Philippine and American
soldiers, cause harm to civilians.
The vile occurrences caused by
the Balikatan exercises prove
all the more that there is real
combat between the US-PH
troops and not just exercises.
These abuses became grave as
mere violations caused violent
crimes inflicted on Filipino
civilians. Most cases remained
as simple witness accounts, and
were not tried in Philippine
court (see sidebar).
Renewed Interests
failing to discuss the VFA with US
President Barack Obama during
his visit to the US in September
2010. The visit resulted to
$2.8 billion in investments for
the Philippines, which may
explain the Palace’s silence
concerning the VFA. In October
2010, Aquino enacted Executive
Order (EO) no. 9 calling for the
reorganization of the committee
tasked to review the VFA. There
is no mention of the real goal of
the review, as it is plausible that
the new administration is vying
to be in the good graces of the
superpower which deceptively
showered it with bountiful
investments.
Unexpected Repercussions
More than extraterritorial
and constitutional issues, the
whole controversy of the VFA
waged an invisible internal war
T
company of Philippine military
he VFA provides the illusion that the Philippines cannot
personnel at the incident.
stand on its own two feet–a fraudulent notion masking
the true intent of the treaty’s installation.
Two rape cases involving US
soldiers were recorded. On
The country does not need a reminder of the past shackles Novemeber 1, 2005, “Nicole”,
which imprisoned true independence for its people. The a 22-year-old Filipina was
allegedly raped by Lance
VFA, brimming with controversy, is the breeding ground Corporal Daniel Smith, who
for neo-colonization. Its existence is rooted in the
was convicted, jailed in the
assurance that the US keeps a tight grip on the Philippines, Philippines, and handed over
while somehow allowing the country’s government to run to the custody of the US, where
he was eventually pardoned.
independently–an act they have absolutely no right to
The crime questioned the
impose. provisions of the VFA concerned
with the exercise of Philippine
The VFA is but a mere extension of the MBA–an jurisdiction over accused US
augmentation of obvious trickery–which considers the soldiers in the Philippines. On
Philippines a lowly entity and more of a property than an
May 14, 2009, Vanessa, also a
22-year-old Filipina, claimed
ally. The country is seen merely as nothing more than a that she was raped by a US
means of security and source of economic and political marine inside a room in a Makati
gains for Uncle Sam. hotel on April 29.
These crimes have defined the
There is no need for the VFA, especially when its detriments VFA not according to its purpose
supersede the unilateral benefits. Various abuses under the of aiding the Philippine military,
name of the VFA are more than enough to reveal the fact but that of the clear illustration
that US-PH relations have never been equal. It never will of the unrelenting inequality
between the superpower and
be, lest the VFA be terminated and the Philippines achieve
the Philippines.
genuine independence from its colonial imprisonment.

WEDNESDAY • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 • 7

FEATURES Volume 24, Numbers 13-14

T
he Philippine General Hospital (PGH), the nation’s premier
public healthcare institution, contends to promote quality
medical services for the Filipino masses. But despite the
insufficient government subsidy, the mandate to serve the people
in the country, any move undertaken
by PGH administration dictates doom
of the rest. Its mere existence serves as
an extremely startling threat not only
Prognost
Disclosing the Repercussions o
to PGH but to the entire public health
now seems to be a path that is impossible to tread. Being at the JORE-ANNIE RICO
centers as well.
forefront of public hospitals and other state-subsidized medical
centers, PGH symbolizes the worsening health system proffered Another searing subject in the FMAB
by the government to its citizens. Faced with undermining threats arguments takes in the competition
of internal debts, declining quality of professional doctors and between its medical laboratories,
lack of modern medical facilities, PGH epitomizes the actual
health scenario suffered not only by the country’s urban hospitals
pharmacies and other concessions
with those offered by PGH. Despite
the fact that FMAB’s renting payments
A decade
but also rural medical centers as well.

Due to inadequate funding and support from the government,

guarantee a source of returns for the
hospital, it is still inevitable that the
competition among the services would
of state
PGH resorted to dealing with private concessionaires to account
on its financial problems. Income-generating schemes were
adopted to ensure its survival. The limited budget of the University
render PGH into a loss and not profit. It
is ironic that the supposed revenues to
be collected from the state-subsidized
neglect...
of the Philippines, where PGH acquires its annual allotment of one medical equipment and procedures
billion pesos, became the springboard for accepting donations from PGH itself would be competed by a
and establishing ties with private corporations. However, the privatized hospital functioning inside its
latter step taken by the previous Roman administration garnered own grounds.
stern mass disapproval from the public. The ill-famed case of
this public-private partnership is the construction of the Faculty Dialysis: Severing the Inferences
Medical Arts Building (FMAB) located inside the derelict hospital.
As a national university hospital,
due to its aid on income generation while PGH serves as a training ground for
Anamnesis: Probing the Records prospective medical practitioners who
Gonzales, a BOR appointee, opposes
it due to its appalling implications on will be working in service of the Filipino
The establishment of PGH-FMAB people. But its current set-up promotes
traces its roots from the Board of the hospital’s operations. This schism
on PGH administration rends negative an atmosphere of business and not
Regents (BOR) approval of the lessor- service. Commercialization masks the
lessee agreement between Daniel O. feedbacks from its workers and indigent
patients who both anticipate a pro-poor deteriorating health system along with
Mercado Medical Center (DMMC), a its horrid repercussions. Behind the
private hospital in Batangas, and the health agenda and not a self-serving
health enterprise. deceitful benefits of income generation
University of the Philippines last June lie the capitalistic agenda of profiteering.
18, 2009. As stated by the contract, the
old Dispensary Building of the PGH, Diagnosis: Scrutinizing the Medical students of the University of the
which served as the old out-patient Establishment Philippines-Manila, otherwise regarded

department of the hospital, would be
leased to DMMC for their FMAB venture
for twenty-five years starting August 28,
2009. Based on the agreement, FMAB
...mark
as Iskolar ng Bayan, are consequently
The Philippine health system has a exposed into the horrors of privatized
peculiar attribute that sets it apart health service and its dreadful

would house leasable private spaces for
eligible medical doctors and staff of PGH
who would want to engage in private
practice.
The multi-million peso FMAB
construction is entirely shouldered by
DMMC. After two and a half decades,
DMMC would be required to pay one
million pesos a month to UP for rent
spacing. The 25- year rental of DMMC for
FMAB’s space will render P815 million
income for PGH. What makes this matter
more critical is that FMAB’s health staff
is provided solely by the University of
the Philippines while DMMC attends
only to the need for utilities.
However, FMAB’s establishment would
not be pursued without the incessant
support of President Roman and her
appointees. This incidence is the
ground for the rift on PGH directorship
between Dr. Jose Castillo Gonzales and
Dr. Rolando Enrique Domingo. Domingo,
being a Roman appointee, favors FMAB
from other health systems worldwide:
mass exodus from the country’s
public health sector is the result of the
negligence committed by the previous
administrations. Even worsening this
situation is the derisory compensation
received by doctors and health staffs
from the government, forcing them to
run into private practice as an additional
source of income. Due to meager
salaries and benefits, coupled with
harsh working atmosphere, professional
doctors resort into private practice to
sustain their necessities. Agonizing as it
may seem, this is the real daily working
scenario inside the grounds of the
neglected hospital.
Even provincial hospitals are eventually
converted into semi-private institutions
due to lack of professional doctors and
budget constraint. For this reason,
FMAB is the most substantial evidence
of the rising commercialization of
the nation’s health sector. Being the
forerunner of all other public hospitals
public d
aftermaths. The mandate to serve the
indigent patients must be prioritized
despite overwhelming opportunities
abroad. As brain drain continuously
renders unrelenting health dilemmas,
the will of the Iskolar to ensure
the welfare of the common people
pursues. The hope of the destitute
masses lies on the patriotic duty
of the Iskolar to prioritize national
service rather than self aspirations.
FMAB has been regarded by few as
a successful attempt in initializing
income generating scheme to salvage
PGH from its internal deficits. However,
the real picture lies beyond the
recognition and commendations earned
by FMAB. Hidden amidst the promise of
cost effectiveness and faculty retention,
FMAB reiterates the same old agenda
of capitalist corporations. The risk of
losing an annual P30 million income on
PGH’s pharmacy only to FMAB’s annual
rent of P12 million is a materialization of
jeopardy. In the first place, the rationale

8 • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 • WEDNESDAY

 Volume 24, Numbers 13-14 FEATURES

tication:
of FMAB on Health Privatization
behind FMAB’s foundation is to mitigate
budget shortage of the PGH. Deplorably,
it turns out to be in exact opposition of
what was agreed upon by the BOR and
In the face of unconstructive feedbacks
garnered by FMAB from various sectors,
it still features certain advantages and
support to PGH. Though it is apparent
Team aims to regulate ceiling prices to
maintain consumerism and affordability.

Despite the advantages offered by

ILLUSTRATED BY NEIL GABAYERON
what was anticipated by the people
to ensue. The Roman administration’s
pursuance of FMAB establishment has
vested interests that reveal self-seeking
motives.
Due to insufficient legal requirements
and auditorial documents, FMAB
faces illegality matters. The violation
of Section 23 of the new UP Charter,
which involves the legal analysis of asset
disposition clause, is affirmed by the
Department of Justice (DOJ). Despite
the proposal of DOJ to suspend FMAB
establishment, the UP administration
still seek to pursue the plan. The
Commission on Audit (COA) also
that FMAB is in direct competition with
PGH, it also offers assistance for patients
in times of inevitability. For one, its
laboratory procedures which include
laparoscopy, endoscopy, and CT scan can
be readily availed by charity patients
in the same price as that of the offered
rates of PGH in case of temporary
unavailability. Drug prices at FMAB’s
pharmacy, although proved to be more
expensive than those of PGH’s, still be of
assistance in times of urgent necessity.
To ensure appropriate supervision of
the rates of products and services, the
FMAB Management Team is established.
Composed of seven delegates, four
coming from UP, FMAB Management
FMAB, the detrimental consequences
outweigh the compensations on a long
term projection. Not only does FMAB
provide an atmosphere of competition
with PGH’s medical services, it also
demonstrated the growing reliance of the
government on private concessionaries
to provide the necessities that the health
sector roughly needs. The blame that
was supposed to be warranted on the
negligence of the government is readily
passed on to private institutions through
their spontaneous collaboration. The
government uses FMAB as a sheer
scapegoat to avoid the blatant conviction
from its one and only boss, the masses.

expressed doubts on the deficient
auditorial accounts of the twenty-
five year lease contract of FMAB.
Aside from the arising qualms from DOJ
and COA, FMAB’s lacks of permit from
the National Historical Institute (NHI) to
convert the old Dispensary Building of
PGH into a full-scale commercial space
is reprehensible. As part of the historical
PGH complex, the old Dispensary
Building should not be modified without
compliance from the NHI. Clearance from
the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources and an assessment
from the Investment Coordination
Committee from the National Economic
Development Authority (NEDA) are also
lacking.
T
he government’s continuous disregard of the national public
healthcare system led to alarming privatization schemes
which aim to institutionalize and commercialize medical services.
Privatization turns medication into a commodity, instead of
dispensation, among the lower classes. The fervent support of the
current Aquino administration in public-private partnerships poses
a great deal of setbacks in providing the constitution’s mandated
services to the public. As affirmed by the issues between PGH
and FMAB, public-private partnerships render more devastating
than constructive aftermaths.
It is imperative for the government to prioritize basic social
services, such as health care, education and others, to ensure the
welfare of the people. Conversely, the health sector has long been
abandoned in exchange of globalization. As the Philippines strives
to be a part of the newly-industrialized countries of Asia, trade and
commerce becomes the focal point of previous administrations.

ks the era of With these controversies surrounding

FMAB’s legal position, the verdict
Currently, the government is blinded by the assumption that
globalization alone is the catalyst for economic advancement.
However, the precedence to attain economic stability must never

decimation.
lies in the hands of the people. The
resilience to counteract the decisive
move of establishing privatized
health institutions despite the need
for an accessible public healthcare is
an essential basis to assure that the
government does not disregard its
mandate to provide the basic necessities
of the masses.
Medication: Curing the
Misdiagnosed
replace the will to serve the citizenry.
As health privatization earns regard from the government and
business sectors, it is not impossible that as globalization ensues,
public medical institutions will be privatized. It is not impossible
that PGH would turn into a full-scale exclusive hospital in the
near future. Nonetheless its distinction for being the premiere
state hospital must never vanish only in exchange with fund
outsourcings. As Iskolar ng Bayan, it is a contractual obligation to
the masses to assure PGH’s public responsibility and to assert the
need for higher state subsidy.

The support given by the newly-

elected UP President Alfredo
Pascual to FMAB exposes the UP
community to prospective income
generation schemes that his term
will adopt. As a staunch advocate of
democratic governance, Pascual’s
consideration of the FMAB venture is
still deeming its long-term outcomes.
The consequences of the President’s
appraisal, however, are yet to be
determined.
Itanong kay Isko’t Iska for next issue:
1. Pabor ka ba sa pagliban ng mga propesor sa
klase bilang pagprotesta sa delayed na sahod?
2. Kung may mukha ang puso mo ngayong
balentayns, kanino ito at bakit?
Ipadala ang mga sagot sa 09052917380 o
i-email sa themanilacollegian@gmail.com
Bawal textmate :)

WEDNESDAY • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 • 9

CULTURE Volume 24, Numbers 13-14

T
here is this thin line differentiating learning and education.
Education is what the society prescribes of us as it suffices the
needs and requirements of an established economic and political The whole concept
structure. Learning, on the other hand, is what we should gain from the of public education was
anomalies that surround our society. In this age where we live by what structured and conceived during
the economy is asking from us, it is imperative to rummage what has the Industrial Revolution of the 1
19th century, when the factories started to d
been going on for centuries of educational and economic inconsistencies.
dictate the economic conditions. Children fro
It seems that the economy requires us to be “educated” rather than sixteen were subjected to compulsory edu
“learned”. After much blame on the current political drawbacks, in turn obligated them to participate labor
we have to look closer on how the very foundation of the society’s economic progress. This is how publ
Filipino education deteriorates its spirit for learning and or education in general, depicted itself in a
nationalism. Filipinos may be educated, but what urbanized society. Education functions as an
for human capital. Its purpose was to mold i
have they learned? be instruments for economic development.

Where Do We G
A n E d u c at i o n
MARIE KRISTEL ANTONIO GABAWA
So where do we go from here?

As
2010,
for Higher Edu
in-demand courses o
restaurant managemen
it is that the governme
On an individual persp
go abroad. The countr
resources. Our governm
regard the dismal living
Putting analysis on how this system of education affects learning, we have seen courses borders to earn money,
from the arts, humanities and social sciences move towards abolition due to their lack of imprinted on the mind
global competitiveness in terms of labor force. BA Filipino in UP Diliman has been facing and only option is to
threats of abolition due to its being not lucrative. This course could catapult the cultural
identity that we are lacking but since it does not exa ctly ensure a sufficient salary
for its graduates, it remains obscure. Some would shut down their artistic senses and
inclinations for in this kind of society dependent on exports, it simply and exhaustibly
not liveable. We created a society where people’s proclivities do not coincide with the
economic productivity. We are still held on our necks by those who hold our economic
power.

10 • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 • WEDNESDAY

 Volume 24, Numbers 13-14 CULTURE
This relationship between human labor and economy may seem to be rational
The Americans, by the early 20th century,
enough. People should work to participate in economic productivity, thus, uplifting
introduced a public education that was intended
the lives of the members of society. But then again, inequality cannot be denied
to turn our youth into their protégé. Filipino
in the system where opportunities are disproportioned. Factories (now turned
youth were forced to study English language,
multinational, transnational, and international corporations) are the stalwart
making it the medium of instruction. More than
of economic progress and it is conspicuously owned by a very few. Wages then
the manipulation of language, the Americans
and now are barely sufficient and employment is never a security. If this is the
poisoned the minds of the Filipinos by convincing
kind of prototype our system of education was sketched after,
that their way of life are far more better than that
g then education and its composition are
of the natives. Hence, it turned our people to look
18th to working towards the progress of
over the other land. A country needs its people
dominate and a very few. And by mere
and so long that the people would not prioritize
om ages six to observation, we have
witnessed how power is
its own land, it is bound to destruction. Those
ucation which who did not receive their kind of education were
riously in the so static that those few
who hold the economic ostracized, thus highlighting the demarcation of
lic education, social classes further by labelling those who are
almost every resources are more
than reluctant “educated” and the “uneducated”. The Americans
n investment turned our people to become foreigners on their
its citizens to to disperse their
wealth. They are own country.
the owners of our
economic machinery,
the rest are laborers.

Go from Here? Tragically, the foundation of the Philippine, or rather foisted,

educational system imposed by the Americans was less than

n a l Pa r a d i g m
pedagogical and its intentions are more than malevolent. It is not
after educational means, it is after intellectual deterioration. It is not
after the country’s economic development, it is after the American
ILLUSTRATED BY ABIE MIOLE imperialist move. It is not after cultural identity, it impels nonentity.
The most effective means of subjugating a people is to capture their
minds, Prof. Renato Constantino contended. An institution that was
drafted with cruel intentions will have the same impact regardless of
time. Thus, whatever kind, system, or method that the public or private
education is feeding us, it works toward not on our economy or our
benefit whatsoever.

s of June
the Commission
ucation declared that the most
of the generation are nursing and hotel and
nt. Both of which are globally marketable. Ironic
ent is the one brazenly encouraging this trend. As the society moves in a mechanism
pective, we cannot blame those who pursue to where education should always be
ry is in hunger while its imperialists prey the of economic benefit, generations
ment failed to provide jobs just as it failed to of youth who are put responsible
g conditions. Our people need to go outside our for its country’s future sustenance
y, thus, to live. Meanwhile, the standard is being have been fed to this causality: you Disturbing it is to find that after the
ds of the Filipino youth that the best go to school, you study hard, you do wicked intentions of the Americans
find a career outside the country. well, you graduate, you get a job. unfold right before our eyes and being
The anomaly enters when we start enlightened by their education aimed
to ask who provide the jobs and for subjugation; this education
what kind. Jobs that are available system still runs the country. It
are either abroad, or a company did not appropriate itself with our
owned by foreigners such as in call economic meanders and geographic
centers. Us, being educated in this assets thus resulting t o
country will work for the economy the country’s overall
of another. disintegration.

WEDNESDAY • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 • 11

CULTURE Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
B Pinoy Style Flip Top
akit ako magpapapogi, bakit
ako magpapa-Belo, digma
ang pinunta ko at hindi pag-
momodelo.
-Target
Kakaiba. Astig. Nakabibilib. Maangas ang dating.
Panalo sa mga hirit. Over the top ang panlalait.
May tatak Pinoy.
Ilan lamang ito sa mga pangunahing reaksyong
maiuugnay ng mga Pilipino kapag tinanong kung
ano ang flip top. Ang sinasaklaw nito ay higit pa sa
bawat tugma ng salita, kagyat na pag-iisip, at bilis
ng dila. Higit sa pansariling kasiyahan o libangan,
mainam tignan na ang flip top ay manipestasyon
ng napapanahong kultura at implikasyon ng
kasalukuyan nating lipunan.
Hindi lahat ng sumusubok ay nagtatagumpay
ngunit bawat isa ay maituturing na matalas.
Hindi lamang mismo paligsahan ang hinaharap ng
mga sumasali ngunit mas lalo ang napakaraming
tao na naghihintay sa palitan ng hirit at asaran.
Tila isang perya kung saan ang pinaghuhugutan
ng katuwaan ay ang paglampaso sa yabang ng
isa’t isa. Parang isang laro kung saan ang taya ay
naisasaalang-alang ang dignidad at pagkatao ng
isang indibidwal na umaabot na sa paninira.
Tinatawag mang balagtasan ng makabagong
henerasyon dahil kailangan ng ritmo sa
pagbibitiw ng mga tirada ay mas maikukumpara
ang istilo nito sa rap na nagiging debate sa
dalawang magkatunggali. Higit sa ritmo at
mabilis na beat, ang kahanga-hanga sa mga
lumalahok sa flip top ay ang mabilis na pag-
iisip ng isasagot na banat kahit sa maiksing
oras na ibinibigay sa kanila.
Ngunit sa lipunan natin kung saan
ang pagiging kakaiba ay itinuturing
na kapintasan, maaaring tignan
ang flip top bilang animo’y
kababawan. Iniuuri ang mga
lumalahok na kabilang sa mga
taong hindi nakatanggap ng
pormal na edukasyon dahil sa
pamamaraan ng komunikasyong
nakapaloob dito. Sa ating lipunan
kung saan iilan lamang ang
nakakatanggap ng edukasyon,
tila nagiging pamantayan ng
galing ang madiplomasya’t aral na
paraan ng pananalita. Ngunit higit
sa mga balbal na banat at “gangster”
na pananamit ng mga kalahok nito
ay isang subkultura na umuusbong sa
pagkukulang ng kasalukuyan at siyang
repleksyon ng kultural na pangangailangan.
Subukan mo lang akong
tapatan ng mga salita mo,
ipapakita ko sa iyo ang
tunay na galing ko
Marahil ay maraming nabibilib
sa pagratsada ng mga bibig ng
magkatunggali habang pilit nilang tinitira
pababa ang isa’t isa ngunit marami rin
ang naiinis sa paraan ng paggamit ng
mura o masasamang salita. Kung iisipin
wala naman talagang konkretong sagot
sa tanong ng marami kung bakit uso ang
pagfi-flip top sa mga kabataan ngayon.
Maaaring tignan ito sa perspektibo ng
isang globalisadong mundo: na ang flip top
ay umusbong sa mga battle rap na nauso
sa Estados Unidos, Pransya, at Alemanya.
Bagaman ang mga katimpalak ay
gumagamit ng banyagang salita paminsan
minsan, ang mala-balagtasang pang-uuyam
na sadyang swak sa damdaming Pinoy ay
nagmumungkahi ng sa kabilang banda.
Kung gayon, maaari ring sabihin na kultura
ay hindi isang matatag na konsepto,
ngunit ang isang patuloy na pagbabago at
pagsasaayos ng proseso. Ang mga kalahok
dito, bilang actor panlipunan, ay kabilang
sa pang-araw araw na lumalahok at
aktibong kasangkot sa proseso ng kultura
12 • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 •
BALAGTASan sa lansangan
CRISELLI LAGONOY ENDAYA
at ang pagbabago nito. Kaya naman ang mga
batalyang nagaganap sa arena ng flip top ay
aktwal na pakikibaka para baguhin ang kultura
ayon sa pagkakaalam natin. Dagdag pa nga
rito, ang sangkap ng pakikipag-kumpitensya
ay halos naitatatag na nai-institusyonalisa
sa pamamagitan ng p a k i k i p a g s a g u t a n
at panunukso sa kalaban, kung
WEDNESDAY
ILLUSTRATED BY EHCEL HURNA
saan hinihingi ng labanan na makapag-isip ng
matalas na pagsagot sa kalaban. Nilalarawan
lamang nito ang isang dinamikong proseso
na siyang umiiral sa labas ng ng nakakakahon
nating mga konsepto ng kultura at aktibong
nilalahukan ng isang lehitimong aktor ng
pagbabago. Kung tutuusin, sa lipunang
tinuruang mag- isip ng “by-the-
book”at ang mga sagot o answer key sa mga
problemang kunwa’y makikita sa likod ng pahina,
ang talas ng isipang ibinabansag sa flip top ay
isang mainam na pagbali sa mga nakagawiang
konsepto ng karunungan.
Kaya kung tatalakayin ang ekonomiko at
panlipunang estado bilang ugat ng mga
pangyayari, ang flip top ay alternatibong uri
ng sining na nahahanay sa pagbibigay ng
estratehikong solusyon para bigyang-punan ang
mga umuusbong na pangangailangan. Ang flip
top, kung sa gawing ito titignan, ay alternatibong
gawi ng pag-ani ng respeto kung saan edukasyon
at materyalismo ang batayan ng tagumpay.
Sa totoo, ang negatibo pa nga ng dating sa
mga manonood kung makaririnig sila ng
nagdedebate na minumura ang isa’t isa bukod
pa sa masasamang salita na pang-asar. Nilagay
na natin sa ating isip na dahil sa kawalan ng
edukasyon kaya nagiging balbal ang mga salita
na ginagamit ng mga lumalahok. Pero sa ganitong
usapin, hindi dapat kalimutan na ang kakulangan
nga ng edukasyon ang dahilan kung bakit nag-
usbungan ang mga alternatibong sining.
Wag m o ko n g h u s ga h a n da h i l sa
h i ts u r a ko,
A n g t i n g n a n m o i ya n g sa r i li
m o n g m u k h a n g as o
Kung titignan, tama namang maging mapanuri
tayo sa mga bagong nauuso sa kabataan natin
ngayon sapagkat ito ang manipestasyon ng
nagbabagong mukha ng ating kultura sa
kasalukuyan. Subalit sa ilan, tila higit
sa pagiging kritikal ang nagiging
intensyon kundi lantarang supilin at
pigilan ang pag-usbong ng flip top
sa bansa. Bakit hindi muna natin
suriin ang ugat nito, at ang
maari nitong marating.
Tulad ng nangyari sa isyu
ng mga jejemon, na pang-
mamata ang inabot
sa mga nakaaangat sa
lipunan, ay ibinase na
naman ang indibidwal
na pagkatao ng mga
sumasali sa flip top ayon
sa antas ng dayuhan at
burgis na perspektibo.
Dahil marami sa ating
mga Pilipino ang may
kaisipang kolonyal,
hinuhusgahan natin ang
paggamit ng sarili nating
wika bilang pangunahing
armas na ginagamit sa flip top.
Ito ay manipestasyon na sa ating
historya na katulad ni Apolinario
dela Cruz o mas kilala bilang Hermano
Pule na kahit walang pormal na edukasyon ay
lumaban gamit ang sariling paniniwala na may
mas nakatataas na kapangyarihan kaysa sa mga
prayle. Sa lipunan na salat sa armas at edukasyon,
ang tanging sandata ng mga mamamayan ay ang
kanilang abilidad at pinaniniwalaan.
Sa perspektibo natin, kawalan ng kakahayang
maging bihasa sa Ingles ang sagot kung bakit
balbal na salita sa Tagalog, mura sa Tagalog at
salitang kalye sa Tagalog ang ginagamit ng mga
nagfi-flip top. Subalit kung titignang mabuti
ang mga batas sa flip top ay makikitang hindi
binibigyang halaga kung saang antas ng lipunan
ka kabilang sapagkat galing lang ang tanging
mahalaga sa pagharap mo sa kalaban. Ito ay tila
isang pagtakas sa mundo na ang basehan ay ang
yaman. Hindi mahalaga kung nakapag-aral ka o
hindi, mayaman o mahirap ka man basta may
ibubuga ka pang hirit ay maipaparating mo ang
ideyang nakatago sa mga malulupit na salita.
Ngayon sa tanong na ano ba ang mga ideyang
ipinaparating ng mga nagfi-flip top ay maaaring
may dalawang pananaw. Una, gumagamit sila
ng matitinding salita dahil may gusto silang
patunayan sa kanilang sarili gamit ang sariling
kakayahan at lalo na sa mga taong humuhusga
CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

NEWSPanganiban...from page 2
first place, hindi ka makakatakbo
kung hindi ka bona fide student.
Sa kasamaang palad, hindi niya
natugunan ang basic requirement na
ito,” Simbulan added.
Simbulan also said that in
accordance with the UPM Election
Code, Panganiban – being the vice
chairperson – is mandated to take
over once the chairpersonship post
is vacated. She noted, however, that
Panganiban begged-off from the
scheduled oath-taking at the OSA on
January 5.
“Ito ay dahil ginagalang ko ang
naunang desisyon ng USC na i-uphold
pa rin ang pagkapangulo ni Ces.
Noong mga panahong iyon ay hindi
pa nakakapag-general assembly ulit
ang USC upang talakaying muli ang
isyu,” explained Panganiban as to his
absence on the said oath-taking.
“I am very sad with what happened
with Ces Santos. But I think the
university was fair in her case
particularly on her academic
delinquency. The university was
lenient, actually. Unfortunately,
she was not able to comply with
her requirements as an Iskolar ng
Bayan,” said Simbulan.
‘Admin Repression’
Santos remains resolute in her stand
against the disqualification case,
stating that such is a form of ‘admin
repression’ on her part.
Primarily, Santos contests that the
technicalities were inappropriately
used against her. “May ibang cases
tulad ng sa akin na nagrerequire na
ipasa lahat at hindi nasasatisfy, and
yet nakaka-enroll pa rin naman sila.
Yung kaso ko, 50% [ng subjects]
yung naibagsak ko. Pero under
sa rule sa handbook, hindi siya
nagwawarrant ng disqualification
kaagad. Good standing naman ako
noong past semesters. At isa pa,
hindi natin maaaring ikahon ang
“Hindi pala ako tinanggap sa Devstud
program, pero all these times
nakakadaan at pinapayagan naman
sa CAS OCS yung mga enrollment
sa mga nakaraang semester. Medyo
oblivious ako na may mali na pala
talaga sa enrolment,” she said.
Furthermore, Santos takes issue on a
memo released by OSA, exposing her
grades to a number of guards and
security personnel and banning her
from the premises of the university.
“Parang porma na rin ito ng public
humiliation kung tutuusin. At kahit
disqualified ako, they cannot ban me
from the premises of the university
dahil naging estudyante naman ako
ng university.”
In this regard, Simbulan reportedly
retracted the memo.
“Ang pagtrato ng UPM
administration, particular ng CAS-
OCS at OSA sa kaso ko ay pagpapakita
lamang ng represyon. Hindi lingid
sa kaalaman ng administrasyon
yung matagumpay na pangunguna
natin sa pagmomobilisa ng mga
estudyante laban sa iba’t ibang
isyung ating kinakaharap...Sa
kabila nito, ang ibinabalik nila sa
atin ay represyon at pagsikil sa
ating posisyon sa konseho. Hindi
na ito bago sa karanasan ng mga
lider-estudyante at mga aktibista
na nagiging biktima ng represyon
dahil sa kanilang pampulitikang
paninindigan,” Santos said.
USC’s Continued Operation
Meanwhile, Santos recognizes
Panganiban’s need to take on the
chairpersonship duties for the
continued operation of the USC.
“Mac [Panganiban] is still the vice
chairperson, but he would take on
the chairperson’s technical duties
such as the signing of documents
since I am not being recognized by
the UPM administration. Ngunit
hindi nito ibig sabihin na ako ay
CULTUREFliptop...from page 12
sa kanila. Pangalawa, nagiging daan
ang fliptop upang mapahayag ng
mga kabataan ang kanilang mga
natatagong saloobin na hindi naman
nabibigyang pansin. Tanggapin man
o balewalain ng mga nanonood, ang
mahalaga ay naipaparating nila sa flip
top ang mga opinyon at saloobin nila
bilang isang mamamayan ng ating
bansa.
Sa ganitong pagtingin ay makikita
ang malaking pagkakapareho ng
flip top sa ating politika kung saan
tuwirang inaatake ang bawat isyu
base sa panlabas na katangian nito.
Nagiging bangayan tuloy ang sistema
ng pagresolba sa isang isyu dahil
mismong mga senador at kongregista
ang nagsisiraan. Kung ganito ang
kaso ay wala silang pinagkaiba
sa mga lumalahok sa flip top na
naglalayon lamang na patunayan
ang kanilang punto sa halip na
ipagtanggol ang sarili. Sa anggulong
ito ay hindi maikakailang nagbunsod
ang Pinoy style flip top mula sa
kultura ng tunggalian at pagalingan
na nangingibabaw sa ating lipunan.
Maaaring manipestasyon ang flip
top sa mga kaugaliang nakakintal na
sa ating pagkakakilanlan bilang mga
Pilipino.
Paalala lang pare sa battle
bawal ang pikon maya maya
barado ka parang ilong na
may sipon.
-Loonie
Huwag nating tanggalan ng boses
ang mga taong nakahanap ng
kalayaan at pananaw sa mundo ng
flip top. Hangga’t patuloy nating hindi
kinikilala at sinusupil ang talento at
galing ng mga naiiba at nasa ibaba
ang antas sa lipunan ay lalo lamang
tayong tumutulong sa pagpapalaki ng
bitak na naghihiwalay sa mayaman
at mahirap, sa edukado at hindi
P INT
BIGKIS-UPM New Year Statement on the New UP President
BLANK by BIGKIS-UPM (Bigkis ng mga Iskolar Para sa Bayan Tungo sa Makabuluhang Pagbabago)
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14 FREESTYLE
edukado, sa katanggap-tanggap nito ang Flip top wave, huwag nating
at hindi. Totoong sumasailalim na hayaang malugmok na lamang ito sa
tayo sa tinatawag na intelektwal mga kwartong pinagdadausan ng mga
na elitismo kung saan nagiging paligsahan at marinig sa mga videos sa
batayan ang paraan ng pananalita YouTube. Sana ay magamit ang galing
at pagsusulat kaysa sa kabuluhan at sa wika at bilis ng isip na napaglinang
esensya ng ideyang ipinapahayag. sa pagfi-flip top sa paghahanap ng
Kumbaga mula sa perspektibo ng solusyon sa mga isyung binabato ng
isang edukado ay nagiging balewala ating gobyerno sa kasalukuyan. Sana
ang mga taong hindi nabigyan ng ay huwag makulong ang galing nila
kapantay o higit pang kalidad ng sa pakikipagtalastasan sa mundo
edukasyon. Kaya sa ating lipunang lamang ng flip top at sa halip ay
ginagalawan kung saan lahat ay maging daan ito para maipakilala ang
sinusukat at inuuri batay sa salapi, isang lipunan kung saan lahat ay may
ang flip top ay laban lamang ng mga pantay na karapatan sa pagpapahayag
taong nagpupumilit na makiuri sa ng sarili. Hayaan natin silang
ibang nakaaangat. mabilib, maastigan, maangasan, at
pumalakpak sa talento na totoong
Nagsisimula pa lamang umusbong may tatak ng Pilipino.
FIRST PERSONPayong Make-Up...from page 14
Ang foundation na may 3.7244ppm na lead at 0.0153ppm na cadmium
ay maaaring magdulot ng masamang epekto sa katawan kapag palagiang
nalulunok. Ayon sa US FDA, 0.1ppm ang katanggap-tanggap na dami ng lead
sa mga kendi at ayon sa FAO/WHO, 0.05ppm naman para sa cadmium na
matatagpuan sa mga tsokolate. Kaya sa ikaapat na bilin, higit na mag-ingat
sa pagbili at paggamit ng lipstick doon, branded man o hindi kasi mataas
ang lamang lead nito na 3.7551ppm at may cadmium na 0.0209ppm. Ito
ang malimit na gamit ng mga kababaihan para mapatingkad ang kanilang
ganda. Ito rin ang pampaganda na sadyang sa labi nilalagay at walang mintis
na nadidilaan at nalulunok!
Ang lead ay nakakaapekto sa bone marrows, central at peripheral nervous
system at ang cadmium naman ay maaaring magdulot ng sama sa bato. Kaya
‘te huwag mong bale walain ang mga payong ito ukol sa make-up ha. Ang
mga numerong inilahad ay bunga ng pananaliksik. Ito ay naiulat na sa 23rd
International FAPA Congress sa Taipei, Taiwan noong Nobyembre 2010 at
napasama din sa Book of Abstracts ng nasabing pagpupulong.
Ayan, at least makakahinga na ako kasi naibahagi ko na ang mga
mahahalagang bagay mula sa aking pananaliksik. Hawak mo na ang
kaalaman para sa iyong matalinong pagpapasya para sa iyong kalusugan. O
paano, shopping na ba ng murang make-up o magmumuni-muni ka muna?
*Dr. Judilynn N. Solidum is an Associate Professor at the College of Pharmacy
and the Director of the Sentro ng Wikang Filipino
This University Can Be Great Again

usaping ito sa teknikalidad lamang,”

she defends.
As provided by the official rules from
the OSA handbook, a permanent
disqualification shall be imposed
on “any student who, at the end of
the semester or term, obtains final
grades below “3” in 100 percent of
the academic units in which he/she is
registered, and shall be permanently
barred from readmission to any
college of the University.”
Santos adds, “Yung ‘must-pass all’
rin na conditions ay walang concrete
academic basis. Binibigay yun sa mga
dismissed lang noong nakaraang
semester, batay na rin sa scholastic
delinquency rule. So dapat hindi ako
binigyan noon.”
When asked about her ‘unwarranted’
enrolment in the BA Development
Studies program, Santos claimed
that she was oblivious of the case.
nagbibitaw sa posisyon. Ayaw
lang natin na maantala ang mga
proyektong nais nating ilunsad para
sa mga Iskolar ng Bayan nang dahil
sa isyung ito,” she asserted.
“The USC remains on its stand that
until there’s no finality on my status
as a student, the institution upholds
my chairpersonship,” she added.
“Naninindigan tayo sa pagiging
tagapangulo ng konseho hindi dahil
nais nating manatili sa posisyon para
sa sarili natin kundi alam natin na
sa gitna ng maraming isyu na ating
haharapin - state abandonment
sa edukasyon, komersalisasyon,
at iba pang isyung panlipunan -
ay kailangan ng isang konseho na
mangunguna sa kanila. Hihinto
lamang tayo sa pagiging tagapangulo
ng mag-aaral kung hindi na natin
tinutupad ang mga dahilan kung
bakit tayo binoto,” Santos explained.
A s we, students of UP Manila,
embrace the new year 2011,
we also welcome the newly-chosen
president of the University of the
Philippines,  Mr. Alfredo E. Pascual,
whose six-year term will commence
on February 2011. President Pascual,
a proud alumnus of chemistry and
business administration, a former
executive at the Asian Development
Bank, and recently a UP Alumni
Regent, was selected from amongst
11 nominees by the Board of Regents
last December 3.
In his Vision Statement that
he presented during the series
of fora conducted before the
selection, President Pascual laid down
the pillars that make a great university
in the 21st  century  – a leader in
national development, a bastion of
academic excellence, a birthplace of
knowledge through relevant research,
a community of excellent faculty and
staff, a learning place for outstanding
students and global citizens from all
walks of life, a financially sustainable
institution, and a model for good
governance to the country it serves.
 
greatness, not just in Asia but even
within the country. The deterioration of
our infrastructure, the draining of our
resources, the diaspora of our first-rate
teachers and students, and the decline
of democracy, nationalism, and deep
moral values have demoted our dear
university from its pedestal of greatness.
But President Pascual’s promises for a
return to greatness ushers a new hope
and opportunity.  We fervently support
his commitment to upgrade teaching
and research as well as faculty and
staff support, his plan of democratizing
admission and strengthening the general
curriculum to make it both national
and global, his mission to make the
government fiscally accountable to UP
as well as tap resources from within
and outside the university, his oath to
keep to the minimum the tuition costs,
and his pledge to uphold transparency,
accountability, representation, and
ethical conduct in UP leadership at all
levels.
 
Let the new President and the new
administration be reminded:  the road
to greatness requires great imagination
development model, health care and
educational system, state of the natural
and built environment, and situation
of democracy and human rights. We
patterned from the present our old-
fashioned curriculum, our slowly-
progressing research agenda, and our
reactionary band-aid measures.
Now is the time for UP to challenge
the present and create the future. We
must design new models and systems,
propose new ideas, cross new frontiers,
and anticipate new challenges. We
should stop reacting and start acting.
This new paradigm, which we hope
President Pascual will adopt in his
leadership, will certainly make our
University great again.
 
Joel Barker once said, “Vision without
action is merely a dream. Action
without vision just passes time. Vision
WITH action can change the world.” A
combination of both will indeed
change a university – it can make the
University of the Philippines a great
institution once again. President
Pascual has already painted the vision,
and we the UP community should

LIBRE KAPE SA KULE There is no doubt that these are the

elements that form a great university.
We have seen these qualities in many
Kung marunong mag-drawing, mag- great universities abroad, and in varied
occasions, we even witnessed them
layout, at gusto ng kape, text lang sa in our University during its hundred-
09064417656. Bawal textmate. year history.  But great changes have
also occurred which diluted UP’s
and deep courage.  In recent years, we
have been complacent with the status
quo, adjusting to the present needs
work full force with the president in
turning this vision into reality. He will
lead us, and with both willingness
while being stuck in the norms of the
past. We, the national university, being
and vigilance, we should follow.  We
should not make waste of this unique
looked up to by the Filipino people for
leadership and guidance, have become
opportunity, and we look forward to
President Pascual’s new leadership as
satisfied with our existing economic we march our way to greatness. 

WEDNESDAY • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 • 13

Freestyle Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
Pet President
Grafeats
by Katrina Joy Capulong
Mga Uri ng Reaksyon ng Katawan
Pagkatapos ng Christmas Break
ni Neil Gabayeron
Hot bod - Ito ang mga taong hindi
nagpatinag sa tukso ng Noche Buena at
Media Noche. Yung iba sa kanila Disyembre
palang sinimulan na agad ang new year’s
resolution. Kung may mga ganito, bibihira
lang ang mga taong ganito.
Haggard - Ito ang nangyari sa mga araw-
araw na puyat sa kakagimik o sa kakaaral
buong bakasyon dahil sa dami ng school
requirements. Kitang kita sa mga naipong
eyebags.
Blooming! - Kabaligtaran ng #2. Ito naman
ang mga taong napuno ng good vibes
ang kanilang Pasko at New Year. Maaring
natanggal na sa SMP o di kaya’y naging
hiyang sa ilang linggong bakasyon. ‘Yung
iba sa kanila ngayong bagong taon mo
lang mapapansin.
NR - “No Reaction”. Mga taong kahit
anong kain at tulog ang ginawa noong
bakasyon, hindi pa rin halata.
Christmas Belly - Ito ang pinaka-
common. Kitang kita ang ebidensyang
nagpaka-“bum” lang sa buong
bakasyon. Alam na kung saan napunta
ang Christmas ham. Kung meron ka nito,
huwag mong ikahiya. Sabi nga nila, “If
you got it, flaunt it!”.
14 • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 • WEDNESDAY
AS WE STAND FIRM AGAINST PAASCU AND PACUCOA ACCREDITATION
by College of Arts and Sciences Student Council
W e, the University of the
Philippines Manila College
of Arts and Sciences Student
Council condemn the efforts of
the UP Manila Administration in
pushing for the accreditation of its
different colleges and programs
to PAASCU and PACUCOA, both
of which are private accrediting
institutions.
These past several months, there
have been continuous efforts from
the UP Manila Administration to have
the different degree programs and
colleges accredited by PAASCU and
PACUCOA (for the College of Dentistry.
The administration claims that having
external accreditation will help raise
the quality of education and give more
prestige to the University.
The CAS Student Council firmly opposes
having external accreditation on the
following grounds:
TRAMPLING ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM
Impinging on both the academic
freedom of students and faculty,
external accreditation may lead to
significant changes in terms of academic
curriculum, style of teaching, learning
techniques, research topics, etc. Though
it is true that the accreditors do not
have the power to impose changes
on the said aspects, however, they
may always recommend and In light of
the administration’s determination to
pursue accreditation we can expect full
compliance with all recommendations
to complete the process.
Those who are eagerly pushing for
external accreditation also claim that
more grants and scholarships will also
be available to us after having been
accredited. Where will these grants
and scholarships come from? Definitely
not directly from PAASCU or any other
external accrediting institution. These
accrediting institutions may just give
us more connections with private
corporations, institutions, etc. The
danger that comes with these benefits
is in terms of Research. Being indebted
to the private sector for the funding of
academic researches, this may lead to
having researches that will benefit the
profit-oriented private sector instead
of fulfilling its role as Health Sciences
Center in engaging in researches that
will contribute to the improvement of
the lives of the Filipino people.
IRRELEVANT VALIDATION OF ITS
PRESTIGE AND EXCELLENCE
The University of the Philippines does
not need a validation of its prestige
or excellence from an external body,
especially that of a private-accrediting
institution. This is not because we think
that we are beyond
the standards of any other school in the
country, rather, because it is unfitting
to subject a state university to the
evaluation of accreditors coming from
the private sector whose judgment and
recommendations may be biased with
the profit-driven orientation of the
private sector. The relevant validation
that we must seek is whether the
University has truly lived up to the
principles set by the Oblation - of serving
the nation. And this validation need not
be given by any external accrediting
institution but by the University itself
(including the different sectors which
are its stakeholders) thru self-evaluation
of how we have contributed to the
betterment of this nation.
POSSIBLE IMPLEMENTATION OF
as one of the benefits that external
accreditation will effect is having greater
budget. He explained that if we can prove
REPRESSIVE POLICIES that we provide quality education, there
is greater chance that the government
In the experience of private schools will give us more budget. We believe
that have undergone the accreditation that this kind of reasoning is illogical
process, certain policies have been and downright insulting to the mandate
implemented just to create the of the University. It is an insult to say
impression of “excellence” to be able that we have to prove we are worthy
to receive the highest possible level of of higher subsidy from the government
accreditation. Repressive policies may when in fact it is their obligation to give
include imposing dress code; No ID, No us the due budget as a state university.
Entry Policy; and others, depending upon
PAASCU/PACUCOA’s recommendations. In the face of the new form of
commercialization and repression
THREAT OF FURTHER through external accreditation, the CAS
COMMERCIALIZATION OF EDUCATION Student Council stand firm in intensifying
THROUGH INCREASES IN TUITION FEE, our fight for our democratic rights. Thus,
MISCELLANEOUS FEE, LABORATORY we firmly call on the UP
FEES, ETC. Manila Administration, especially
Chancellor Ramon Arcadio to stop
In line with the Government’s Medium its efforts in pushing for external
Term Higher Education Development accreditation of the different colleges
Plan or MTHEDP which blatantly claims and degree programs. Instead of
a stress on increasing privatization depending upon private institutions to
schemes in the education sector, assist us financially and depending on
there is always the threat of increasing prestige and “excellence” to prove its
tuition and other fees in state colleges worth for subsidy, we appeal to the UP
and universities in the country. The Manila Administration to be one with
odd advent of having a state university us in our continuing call for a greater
undergo external accreditation from state subsidy, which we truly deserve,
a private-accrediting institution may as the premier state University of the
be one of the means in making the Philippines. Also, instead of seeking
MTHEDP a success. To cope with the prestige and focusing on competing
standards of the accrediting institution, with other universities, more so, private
recommendations with regard to schools, colleges and universities; let us
improvement of facilities may result be united in ensuring that the University
in generating funds from the students lives up to its ideals of serving the nation
by increasing tuition, laboratory fees, – catering to the poor but deserving
miscellaneous fees and the like. students and producing graduates who
will sincerely serve the Filipino people.
NEGLECT OF THE FIGHT FOR GREATER
STATE SUBSIDY Oppose PAASCU/PACUCUOA
Accreditation!
In a dialogue of some student leaders Fight for Greater State Subsidy!
with Chancellor Arcadio, he mentioned Fight for Our Democratic Rights!
Fight for the University of the People!
M ga P ayong M ake - up
ni Dr. Judilynn N. Solidum*
Pssssst…. mahilig ka bang magpamanicure, pedicure, foot,
hand at hair spa? Type na type mo bang magpaganda ‘te? Sa
aking panananaw marami sa ating kababaihan ‘oo’ ang tugon sa mga
katanungang ito. Ang problema nga lang kapag walang pera pano na?
Malolosyang ka nga ba?Papangit ka na nga bang tuluyan? Naku, wari
ko ang sagot dyan ay isang malakas na hindi! Nadiskubre na kaya
ng ating mga lola ang lugar kung saan ang lahat ay mura. Sige ating
ikukubli ang lugar na ito sa pangalang Divisoria, Maynila. Barato
ang mga paninda dito. Ang mga make-up ay sadyang affordable at
huwag isnabin, branded ang ilan sa mga ito. Yun nga lang sa aking
sapantaha mga true fake sila. Pero pwede na, kasi makakalagpas
ang mga ito sa hindi masyadong mapanuring mga mata. Mas marami
ang may mga di kilalang pangalan pero ayos na rin kasi matingkad
namang magbigay ng kulay sa ibat-ibang bahagi ng mukha.
Sandali lang ha bago ka mamili meron muna akong mga payo para sa
iyo. Una, ayos bilhin sa Divisoria ang mga whitening cream. Puputi ka
na, mababa pa ang makukuha mong lead (0.3268ppm) at cadmium
(0.0247ppm) mula dito kumpara sa ibang uri ng pampagandang nasuri.
Ikalawa, hindi makabubuti ang pagbili ng mga pressed powder doon dahil
mataas ang laman na lead (6.5116 ppm) at cadmium (0.1178ppm) nito.
May kalapitan ang dami nito sa USP standards na 10ppm para sa lead
at 3ppm naman para sa cadmium, kumpara sa ibang make-up na nasuri.
Ikatlo, makakamura ka sa mga foundation doon. Kaya lang siguraduhing
hindi mo ito ilalagay sa iyong mga labi kasi madidilaan mo ito at malulunok.
Lalabas na para na itong kendi o tsokolate na iyong karaniwang kinakain.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
Is there a certain issue you feel strongly about? Whether it’s social,
political, economic, or a mix of the three; whether it’s university-
based, national, or international in scope; we want your stand to be
read in print. Email us at themanilacollegian@gmail.com or visit us
at the Manila Collegian office. Talk, defend, and deliver your views, in
first person.

PAGSINSAY*
Aries Joseph Armendi Hegina
N angamoy-bakal ang aking mga daliri ng nadampi ko ang
pulang dumadaloy mula sa aking sugat. Mahapdi, masakit,
ngunit pinabayaan ko lang siyang umagos. Nakakadiri,
nakakanguluntoy ngunit tiningnan ko lang. Hindi ko maipaliwanag
kung bakit wala akong ginagawa. Na kung bakit pinapabayaan
ko lang mag-iba ang anyo nito; mula sa pagiging matingkad,
ito ay naging malamlam. Ngunit, biglang kumirot yung parte na
kung saan nanggagaling ang pulang likido, at naputol ang aking
pansamantalang pagsasawawalang bahala.
Tawagin niyo na akong weirdo pero hindi ako natatakot sa dugo. Mas natutuwa pa nga ako
sa mga pelikula at palabas sa telebisyon na kulang na lang ay umapaw na ang dugo mula sa
screen. Pero, kapag sa totoong buhay na at naging totoo na rin yung mga napapanood ko,
ibang usapan na yan.
Ang dugo, para sa akin, ang siyang nagtatali sa tao sa kanyang simula at katapusan bilang
isang mortal. Mula sa kanyang paglabas sa mundong ibabaw, dugo ang siyang una niyang
kasama. Sa oras na siya ay umiyak pagkapanganak, ang dugo na nanalaytay sa kanya
ang siyang responsable upang siya ay mabuhay. Hanggang siya ay humihinga at patuloy
na lumalaki, ang pusong tumitibok ang nagpapalaganap ng dugo sa iba’t-ibang parte ng
kanyang katawan. At sa kanyang mga nalalabing sandali, sa pangyayaring tumigil na ang
pag-igtal ng kanyang puso, ang dugo ay titigil na din sa pagdaloy, na siyang magiging sanhi
ng kanyang pagkasawi.
MISS INDEPENDENT Aktibista Bang Maituturing
Joanna Marie Icasas Udarbe
B ata pa lang ako ay nakikita ko na sila – pampaingay sa
lansangan, pampabagal ng trapiko sa umaga dahil sa
kanilang pagmamartsa, walang humpay na sumisigaw, ngunit
para saan? Ano nga ba ang silbi ng pagiging aktibista?
Pinalaki ako sa isang pag-iisip kung saan ang isang isteryotipikong aktibista ay isang taong
laging nasa lansangan, nagrarally, hinuhuli ng pulis, sinasaktan, nagsasayang ng oras, at sa
huli ay mauuwi rin sa wala. Kaya sa oras na tumuntong ako sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas,
natakot akong maging katulad nila.
Sa kabila ng lahat ng negatibong reaksyon ng mga tao—na ang mga aktibista ay “salot”
lamang sa katiwasayan ng lipunan dahil “wala silang ibang alam na gawin kundi mambatikos
ng administrasyon”—ay namulat pa rin ang aking isipan kung bakit mayroong mga aktibista
sa mundo.
Marahil kahit isang beses man lang ay sumagi ang katanungang ito sa mga isip natin: “Ano
ang mapapala sa pagrarally?” Bago natin sagutin ang katanungang ito ay marapat lamang
na sagutin muna natin ang isa pang katanungan: Bakit nga ba nagkakaroon ng mga rally at
mobilisasyon?
Ito ay dahil nauunawaan ng tao na natatapakan ang karapatan niya, at hindi kaya ng
matinong usapin ang pagbibigay sa kanya ng karapatang dapat ay natatamasa niya.
Nauunawaan rin niyang hindi niya kaya itong matamo ng mag-isa. Samakatuwid ay
kailangan ng kolektibong aksyon upang maitaguyod at maiparinig ang kanilang hinaing,
na hindi lamang natatapos sa simpleng pagtamasa ng karapatan, ngunit tumutungo sa
paghubog at pagbago ng lipunan.
May napapala ba sa pagrarally? Unti-unti, nahuhubog ang lipunan at napupukaw ang mga
mamamayan upang kumilos tungo sa ikabubuti nito. Ngunit totoong hindi lamang pagrarally
ang paraan ng pagbabago ng lipunan.
Kinikilala natin na ang anyo ng lipunan ay nananatiling mala-kolonyal at mala-pyudal. Dahil
sa mga ito ay umusbong ang sari-saring pagmamaltrato sa karapatan ng mga tao sa ngalan
ng kasakiman at pansariling interes. Ilan sa mga isyung makikitaan ng ganitong katangian
ay ang pagkaltas ng badyet ng mga serbisyong panlipunan tulad ng edukasyon at kalusugan
upang pondohan ang mga pambayad sa utang panlabas na hindi naman napapakinabangan
ng taumbayan. Nandito rin ang isyu ng pang-aagaw ng lupain mula sa mga magsasaka upang
mas mapalawak ang lupain ng iilang naghaharing uri.
Volume 24, Numbers 13-14 Freestyle
Dugo
Sa isang banda naman, napagtanto ko din na ang dugo ay isang importanteng elemento
upang tayo ay maging isang bansa. Nagsimula sa isang blood compact sa pagitan natin at
ng mga itinuring kaibigan, patungo sa mga dugong dumanak noong Rebolusyon laban sa
mga Espanyol at ang Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig. At sa kasalukuyan, binuwis ng mga
biktima ng mga paglabag sa karapatang-pantao at ang mga pinatay na mga mamamahayag
at nasa mardyinalisadong sektor ang kanilang dugo para isulong ang kanilnang mga
ipinaglalaban.
Ang dugo, ay hindi lang isang likidong bumubuhay sa tao kung hindi, isang simbolo ng
pagharap ng tao sa kanyang tadhana at pagsulong ng kanyang pinaniniwalaan. Na sa bawat
patak nito, maaring isang kasaysayan ang nabubuo o isang buhay ang napipigtal.
SA BAWAT PATAK NITO, MAARING ISANG
KASAYSAYAN ANG NABUBUO O ISANG BUHAY
ANG NAPIPIGTAL.
Nasa palad ko pa rin ang bakas ng pulang likido. Naamoy ko pa rin ang mala-bakal na samyo
nito. Kinuha ko ang alcohol at ikinagat ko na aking labi― paghahanda para sa sakit na
daranasin.
*Pagsinsay - a Filipino word which means “to defy”
At ngayon, heto nanaman ang isang bagong isyung inilantad sa atin ng kasalukuyang
administrasyon. Pagkatapos ng sunod-sunod na pagkaltas sa badyet ng serbisyong
panlipunan, sunod-sunod namang tataas ang pamasahe ng pampublikong transportasyon
tulad ng LRT at MRT, at mga bayarin sa mga toll tulad ng SLEX at NLEX.
Pataas ng pataas ang mga bayarin, ngunit pahirap ng pahirap ang taumbayan. Tama bang
sa mamamayan iatas ang responsibilidad ng pagbabayad sa mga utang ng mga naluluging
pribadong kompanya? Solusyon ba ang pagsasapribata ng mga pampublikong pasilidad?
Isinasampal sa atin ang mga kamalian ng administrasyon. Higit pa rito, iginigiit sa atin
na wala tayong magagawa laban sa pagtapak sa mga karapatan natin – pagtapak na
ipanapahiwatig sa pagbabalewala sa ating karapatan, pagbabalewala sa ating kolektibong
kakayahan.
UNTI-UNTI, NAHUHUBOG ANG LIPUNAN AT NAPUPUKAW ANG
MGA MAMAMAYAN UPANG KUMILOS TUNGO SA IKABUBUTI NITO.
Tumataas ang pangangailangan nating ipakita ang ating kakayahan at magtipon-tipon sa
lansangan.
Totoong hindi lahat ng nasa lansangan ay aktibista, at hindi lahat ng aktibista ay nasa
lansangan. Ang salitang aktibismo ay nagmula sa aktibo, na ang pakahulugan ay pagkilos.
Ang ilang aktibista ay nagmumulat sa pamamagitan ng pagsusulat. Ang ilan, sa pamamagitan
ng pagtuturo. Ang iba ay nagsasapraktika ng mga teoryang binuhay ng kasaysayan sa
pamamagitan ng pagtungo sa kanayunan.
Kung hangad mo ang pagbabago sa bulok na sistema ng lipunan, ang pagkakapantay-pantay,
ang pagwaksi sa paglabag ng karapatang pantao, at higit sa lahat, hangad mo ang kalayaan
at demokrasya, oras na para sagutin ang tanong na ito: handa ka na bang kumilos upang
matamo ang mga ito? Handa ka na bang maging aktibo? Handa ka bang maging aktibista?
WEDNESDAY • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 • 15
Editorial Volume 24, Numbers 13-14
In Rescue
of Ignoble
Truths
D
eafened ears and blinded eyes have further
afflicted the already impassive government.
In the face of the most difficult issues that
has yet to be resolved, the fate of the Filipino people
lie in the hands of a brazenly callous administration.
The past year has become a milestone due to a series of
events that would forever change the course of history. A
new president heralding himself as the agent of change,
different controversies that put the Philippines in a
shameful state and infamous new policies that burdened
the masses― all of these and more in store, are those that
changed the history of our nation.
The portrayal of such events has been, however, skewed.
Public agenda, as it is being shaped by the mainstream
media has transformed into a wall that obstructs the
public to the most pertinent of issues the country faces.
From time and again, bourgeois media has maintained
its tendencies to oppress the marginalized, and this has
shown through 2010.
They are considered to be the backbones of society, yet
they, the workers, are the ones who are given the least
priority and their pleas are the least that are likely to be
heard. About 1,000 workers marched in the streets to
demand higher wages. The new government gave them a
20 peso increase last year, instead of the demanded 6,000
pesos, which is an absurd move to satisfy the worker’s
clamor for a wage increase. They are the ones deserted by
the government in a fate of vulnerability in the recent and
future events of price, toll, and fare hikes.
Another event that is left untouched by the mainstream
media concerning the labor sector would be the mass
lay-off that happened in the country’s largest television
network, ABS-CBN. 114 workers, most of them rendered
more than 10 years of service to the TV network, were
left unemployed by the management. This bitter irony
of a total media blackout was implemented and because,
accordingly, these workers established a union and fought
for their regularization in the network. Farmers were
still not given lands to till and the Hacienda Luisita SDO
agreement has been a blatant example of this injustice.
Haciendas in different parts of the country ousted farmers
to give way to commercial undertakings. By repressing
basic rights such as establishing unions and giving lands
to farmers, ill intentions of different powers are slowly
showing off. These events are insults to the sector of the
country which strives to survive the hardest and only
reflects that the government is not concerned with the
perennial struggle of the working class and the attainment
of social justice.
The first automated election in the Philippines is a
milestone in its history. Yet, from the battle to ascendancy
up to the proclamation of the second Aquino to be the
15th president of the republic still is hounded with
controversies, but the doubts staining the administration
has been continuously underplayed. Noynoy Aquino
has been the undisputed media darling during the polls
and this intensified because of the rumors being spread
against Senator Manny Villar being the secret candidate
of the previous regime, or the so called Villaroyo, even
these rumors were never found to be substantiated. Red-
baiting marginalized contenders for the local and national
positions were wide-spread as some forces tagged them as
illegal and underground and placing them in the danger of
being killed. Liza Maza and Satur Ocampo’s posters were
assaulted with anti-communist propaganda and some
contenders upholding the marginalized were sent death
threats. The results of the polls were challenged because it
is said that the first automated elections are manipulated
by the Arroyo administration, the Aquino family and the
US Central Intelligence Agency. This accusation however
16 • 2 FEBRUARY 2011 • WEDNESDAY
died down as the parties concerned disputed the claim. Yet,
according to Jose Maria Sison, there are enough evidences
to prove that pre-programming took place six weeks
before the elections. For one, the automated elections THE M ANIL A COLLEGIAN
lacked safeguards despite the fact that a foreign company Magna est veritas et prevaelebit
manages the machines and a rushed reconfiguration of CF
cards took place. And two, the empty promise of Aquino
to persecute Arroyo and investigate her nine-year regime
which until now, has not took place. The establishment
ALLANA RUTH GARCIA DELA PEÑA
Editor-in-Chief
of the triumphant new regime beneath a murky base
of unresolved contentions will definitely amount to
precarious futures. A N G E LO LU N A M U R I L LO
Associate Editor for Internal Affairs;
News Editor; Features Editor
The government swore to protect the foundation of its
existence: the people. Yet it seems that last year, the
M A R I E K R I S T E L A N TO N I O G A B AWA
government has forgotten this mandate. The mysterious
deaths of Gregan Cardeño and Capt. Javier Ignacio were
Associate Editor for External Affairs;
Culture Editor
the first that happened in 2010. Cardeño was later found
out to bear torture marks, and Ignacio, which helped in
examining the case, was also killed. These two deaths J OA N N A M A R I E I C ASAS U DA R B E
were given little poring over by the media, just like all
Managing Editor
the cases that concerned American soldiers staying in the
country because of the still-controversial Visiting Forces EHCEL SAÑGA HURNA
Agreement. The culture of impunity and militarization Graphics Editor
in the country still remains and is persisting as human
rights violation continues. 22 Extrajudicial killings were
done and more political prisoners are not yet released. O F F I C E A N D C I R C U L AT I O N S M A N A G E R
Militarization in various parts of the country still persists C R I S E L L I L A G O N OY E N D AYA
and civilians flee from their homes due to this. OFWs are
constantly being ignored by the state and if they did not do NEWS CORRESPONDENTS
hunger strikes, they will not be noticed. Lastly, privatization YO D H I M G U D E L G E P T Y D E L A R O S A
schemes of the various government offices and entities DEONAH ABIGAIL LUGO MIOLE
which have caused thousands to be unemployed and a
blatant reflection of the state’s avoidance of fulfilling its F E AT U R E S C O R R E S P O N D E N T
responsibility to the people. J E O A N G E L O C H I C O E L A M PA R O
The new administration, through the help of bourgeois I L L U S T R AT O R
media, had held the masses captive in the dark through M AY A N G E L I Q U E J U S I M A G B O O
the power inherent in their positions. The danger of never M A R I O N C A R L A Q U I N TO B I O L E N A
awaking to the true state of the nation awaits the people
who fail to look past petty and shallow truths offered in
smorgasbord by those who seek to maintain the decaying WEBSITES
status quo. Consequently, a people who do not fail to h t t p : //w w w. t h e m a n i l a c o l l e g i a n . n e t
h t t p : //w w w. t h e m a n i l a c o l l e g i a n . m u l t i p l y. c o m
assess the state of affairs are robbed of the future that has h t t p : //w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / t h e m a n i l a c o l l e g i a n
long been delayed. h t t p : //w w w. t w i t t e r. c o m /m k u l e
h t t p : //w w w. s c r i b d . c o m / t h e m a n i l a c o l l e g i a n
h t t p : //w w w. m k u l e .w o r d p r e s s . c o m
The rescue of such ignoble truths and the cognizance
of their necessities have become the springboard of
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alternative press, and this thriving media form allows
us artillery against the system dominated by the few.
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The Manila Collegian, along with other collegiate and University of the Philippines Manila,
P a d r e F a u r a c o r. M a . O r o s a s t s . ,
alternative publications will remain grounded on our Ermita, Manila
loyalty: the people and the just. We remain staunch on
what is important and right, despite resisting against MEMBER
the pressure of powerful. In the dawn of another decade, College Editors Guild of the hilippines (CEGP)
U P S O L I DA R I DA D
we continue to be firm with and repeat that the truth is
mighty and shall prevail.