uplb perspective volume 34 issue 5
TRANSCRIPT
OPINION CULTURE /p11/p14
VOLUME 34ISSUE 5
March 10, 2008
05
Sayaw sa bubog* Dis(kurso):
uplbperspective ThE OffIcIaL STUdEnT pUbLIcaTIOn Of ThE UnIVErSITy Of ThE phILIppInES - LOS bañOS
NEWS: Security cams to be set up in UPLB /p5
joinST sectors rally for truth,justice
Armed with placards bearing slogans such as “Oust GMA” and “Fight for truth and justice,” a 500-strong contingent from various sectors of Southern Tagalog (ST) joined the interfaith prayer rally last February 29 at Ayala, Makati City despite being held for more
than five hours at Calamba National Road by the Philippine National Police and Special Weapons
and Tactics of Calamba City. Bayani Cambronero, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-ST (BAYAN-ST) coordinator,
said the police stalled the protesters carried by jeepneys as they passed along the highway so that they would not be able to participate in the rally called by various religious organizations. The said rally was held amid calls for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s resignation in the face of renewed charges of corruption in the National Broadband Network deal with China’s ZTE corporation.
He said the growing number of people in the rally will “scare” the administration.
On the other hand, a certain Col. dela Cueva, who refused to give Perspective his first name, said the Calamba Police did not block the protesters; instead, the protesters themselves blocked the highway.
Dela Cueva said the protesters were blocked because the jeepney drivers that were supposed to bring the protesters to Ayala refused to show their
ST Sectors/p4
prOGrESSIVE ObLE. Student activists place
posters and hang banners with calls for
the immediate ouster of scandal-ridden President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on UP’s foremost icon.
FEATURES
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Babae, Muslim, Lider Estudyante
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Despite police attempts to block protesters
Pagsipat at Pagtunggali sa Pain ng Akademya
ST sectors/p4
by Christian Ray Buendia and Faith Allyson Buenacosawith reports from Rogene Gonzales, Nikko Angelo Oribiana and Daryl Magno
newsUPLB PERSPECTIVEThE OffIcIaL STUdEnT pUbLIcaTIOn Of ThE UnIVErSITy Of ThE phILIppInES LOS bañOSVOLUME 34 ISSUE 5 | March 10, 20082 news UPLB PERSPECTIVE
ThE OffIcIaL STUdEnT pUbLIcaTIOn Of ThE UnIVErSITy Of ThE phILIppInES LOS bañOSVOLUME 34 ISSUE 5 | March 10, 2008
3
Festivities mark UPLB Centennial Feb Fairby Nervalin Aminah Lindo and Harriet Melanie Zabala
For five nights, Freedom Park was transformed into a place jam packed with people eating, partying, and escaping from academic work.
The entire UPLB community celebrated the Centennial February Fair (Feb Fair) with the theme “100FAIRcent UPrising” last February 11 to 15.
This event is spearheaded by the University Student Council (USC) and sponsored by different student formations and business establishments.
Hundreds of people including students, teachers, faculty members, employees and
even people from nearby communities joined this annual festivity. This year’s Feb Fair was also a part of the UP Centennial celebration.
Back TrackCharisse Bernadine Bañez, USC Vice
Chairperson, said the Feb Fair originally started as a form of protest during Martial Law. It was held to show dissent on the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, whose term saw the suppression of democracy and people’s rights and freedom.
Bañez added that it was then celebrated every September but with the re-establishment
of the student council in 1977, the celebration was transferred to February.
“Hindi ito nag-umpisa bilang kasiyahan lamang ng mga estudyante kung hindi isang uri ng protesta, at sana ito pa rin ang maging mensahe [ng Feb Fair] hanggang sa ngayon,” Bañez added.
Fair HighlightsThe Fair was officially opened by a torch
and candle lighting ceremony participated by heads of UPLB student organizations, fraternities and sororities.
Then a week long exposition of different competitions such as singing contests, rock band competitions, beauty pageants, dance contests and other activities like concerts, film showing, fora and symposia, all sponsored by student organizations, sororities and fraternities spiced up the fair.
Then, aside from these series of activities and competitions, two of the county’s famous local bands, Typecast and Sugarfree, added excitement all throughout the last two nights of the fair.
“Ang Feb Fair 2008 ay isang makabuluhan at napakasayang pangyayari kung saan nagkaroon ako ng mga bagong karanasan at mga kaibigan,” said Kenneth Alambra, BS Civil Engineering ‘07.
Bryan Gramata, BS Computer Science major, also a freshman, added, “Successful naman siya at enjoy pa rin kahit na may mga exams. Pwede ka pa ring magpunta at magrelax o magsaya lalo na sa mga activities
ng mga orgs.”However, Dwight Jason Ronan, BS
Development Chommunication ’04 said “Kahit maganda at naidaos lahat ng activities, hindi naging ganoon katindi ang participation ng mga estudyante.”
Shyla Maldecir, BS Civil Engineering student ‘05 shared her comment regarding the relocation of the commercial establishments. She said, “Advantageous nga kasi malapit sa booth namin. Wala naman akong nakitang masama doon.”
Also, UPLB homegrown talents showcased their abilities through various performances to entertain the crowd. The series of activities and performances gave life to the whole event from the first day up to the last.
CallingChancellor Luis Rey Velasco showed his
support to the event in his message delivered during the last night of the celebration.
In Velasco’s speech, he commended the USC and all the student formations who participated in the event for their collective effort to organize the Centennial Feb Fair.
Up until the last moment of the Fair, the USC and student councils from different colleges reminded the students that it is their responsibility to “serve the people.”
In her closing remarks, Bañez said, “ang mga Iskolar ng Bayan ay dapat may pakialam at mapanuri sa mga issues na nangyayari sa lipunan kasi isa sa mga responsibilidad niya ay alamin ang mga ito at gumawa ng pagkilos hinggil dito.” [P]
It is already the first week of March and the absence of election posters and other campaign gimmicks makes students wonder if there would still be a University Student Council and College Student Council (USC-CSC) elections this year.
As of press time, the Central Electoral Board (CEB), which is tasked by the USC Constitution to oversee student council elections, is yet to convene for the approval of candidates after a debate on the revisions made in the qualifications for candidacy ensued and resulted in a standoff.
Decisions during CEB meetingIn the CEB meeting last Jan. 10, the board
decided on the qualifications of candidates for the 2008 USC-CSC elections.
Using a parliamentary system, amendments that included the abolition of academic and one year minimum residency requirements were adopted by the CEB.
On Feb. 5, the CEB again convened to approve the list of candidates. However, many points including the validity of last meeting’s decision were raised by some members of the CEB.
OSA Director Severino Cuevas, acting ex-officio Chairperson of the CEB, said the revisions in the qualifications of candidates run counter to a provision in the University of the Philippines Code (UPC) that explicitly states that both academic requirement and
a year of residency is a must for all aspiring leaders of the university.
UPLB USC Chairperson Leo XL Fuentes,however, said Article 4342 of the USC-CSC 1989 Constitution states that only the council’s constitution will govern the USC and CSCs. He added that the USC-CSC Constitution has superseded the detailed qualifications of the UPC. He furthered that Cuevas’ point regarding academic qualifications for the USC-CSC candidates was based only on the constitution of UP Diliman. He stressed that different UP units follow different standards.
Established during Martial Law when student organizations have been repressed, the 1977 USC-CSC Constitution was instituted by the Katawang Tagapag-ugnay ng mga Mag-aaral, the transition council from Council of Student Leaders to USC. Fuentes described it as the “charter of student organizations.” He added that the 1989 USC-CSC Constitution is the highest law governing the student councils.
The CEB is composed of College Secretaries, Head of the Student’s Organization and Activities and Organization, College and University Student Council representatives, UPLB Perspective and the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) Director.
1977 vs. 1989 ConstitutionDebates on whether the 1977 or the 1989
USC-CSC Constitution should be followed arose among members of CEB.
Cuevas said the only constitution recognized by the UPLB administration is the charter ratified in 1977. He also said the 1989 constitution did not undergo due process. Nevertheless, he said the UPC is still the most influential authority in the UP system.
“The only thing I am guilty of is allowing the CEB to discuss an issue that should never have been tackled. The UP code should have never been challenged,” Cuevas added.
However, Fuentes refuted Cuevas by noting that the implemented charter is the 1989 USC-CSC Constitution. He reasoned that this can never be denied as provisions of the said constitution include moving the USC-UCSC election from August to February and increasing the members of the CEB from a group of six to a conference of more than 20. He added that it was the 1989 constitution that gave the college secretaries authority to be part of decision-making regarding the guidelines for the USC-CSC election.
Stand of the student body
Regarding the issue, two of the leading political parties of UPLB, Samahan ng Kabataan para sa Bayan (SAKBAYAN) and BUKLOD, released a united stand. Both parties uphold the decisions made during the Jan. 10 CEB meeting.
BUKLOD Committee on Elections Member Abigail Anne Tuviera Manalo said they respect and believe in the power of the CEB Meeting.
USC-CSC elections on hold, CEB yet to conveneby Anna Mae Lamentillo and Daryl Magno
She added that the only thing they are fighting for is the student’s desire for an election.
However, according to Alessandra Monica Lazo, BS DevCom ’07, the freshmen are unfit to lead since they do not have enough experiences to stand as vanguards of student’s welfare. Nevertheless, she agreed on the retention of student’s good academic standing as she said an individual can never be a good leader if he is not a “role model.”
Ma. Christina Joana Mae Salipot, BS ComSci ’05, said for her the grade requirement is not a problem since she believes it is a vital trait of a student leader. She added that part of a leader’s role is its function to influence fellow students to exemplify the true character of an Iskolar ng Bayan. She added that the delay of the whole electoral process has dismayed the student body.
Fuentes reasoned that the qualifications involved in the SR selection, the highest position a student can attain in the University, do not involve good academic standing. Any grade requirement is never tantamount to an individual’s selfless student leadership, he added.
The Power Struggle However, Cuevas said he will not convene
the CEB unless student leaders who are members of the CEB make a compromise with the administration.
“I am ready to file my resignation if this explicit violation of the UP Code takes place,” Cueves ended. [P]
LIGhTS On. The Centennial Feb Fair, though not perfect, highlights UP’s 100 years of academic excellence and students’ struggle for a mass oriented, scientific and nationalist education. PHOTO: Karmela Mirriam Ebreo
The combined forces of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), Office of the Vice Chancellor for Instruction and Graduate School ruled in the recently concluded Centennial Palarong UPLB last February 7 to 9.
Other winners were White Team (overall 2nd Placer), composed of the College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development, followed by Green Team (3rd Placer) which consists of the College of Agriculture and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension. (See side box for the overall tally of scores.)
Game ProperA parade by competing teams marked
the start of the Centennial Palarong UPLB. It started at the Heritage Park and ended at UPLB Grandstand. Next in line was the opening program, which included the lighting of the Palaro Torch and the Executive
Fun Run, which were participated by the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, Deans and Associate Deans of the University.
Cheers and dances filled the air as the competing teams for cheer dancing competition, the first major event in the Palaro, showcased their talents. Philippine games and athletic events were held during the afternoon of the same day.
Meanwhile, all ball games started on Feb. 7, followed by the swimming and archery competitions the next day. Moreover, the Miss Mutya ng Palaro, Lovely Darling T.C. Aldovino from CAS, was crowned on the fourth day, immediately after the Ballroom dancing contest and championship games. This day was considered the highlight of the Palaro.
The Commentators Games were held simultaneously in
different courts inside UPLB so that students, teachers and staff will at least be able to watch one of the events at a time.
But according to Nicolle, a UPLB student
Blue Team emerges Palarong UPLB champsby Caselyn Shane Marasigan
who refused to give her full name, “hindi ko gaanong na-enjoy ‘yung Palaro this year, kasi nga may pasok. Para kasing na-restrict tayong mga estudyante na manood at i-enjoy yung Palaro.” Another student, who asked for anonymity, said, the players were not really motivated to play because most of their friends were not there to cheer for them.
Game Plan: Under ConstructionDepartment of Human Kinetics (DHK)
Chairperson Prof. Genaro Cuaresma said the arrangement of the teams for this year will be permanent since this year’s Palaro provided fair distribution of winners among all teams. He added that the “Mutya ng Palaro” will become a regular part of the Palarong UPLB. [P]
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bayanIhan. Members of IBS orgs and certain fraternities unite for the symbolic transfer of the orgs’ tambayans from SU Building to the humanities steps as a form of protest against IBS tam-bayan eviction PHOTO: Jovy de Manuel
The organizations’ tambayans have existed for decades in the IBS building, but now they are temporarily replaced by native mats while the “landscaping of the IBS grounds” is ongoing.
Last January, a series of dialogues were conducted between the Institute of Biological Sciences (IBS) administration and the IBS- based student organizations together with the College of Arts and Sciences Student Council and University Student Council (USC) regarding the tambayan “eviction” in the IBS building.
During the said dialogues, the IBS admin decided that in February 15 of this year, the relocation of the tambayans from the IBS building to the Student Union building will have to push through.
But it was in Feb 25, a non-working holiday, when the tambayans were finally relocated to the SU building.
Meanwhile, student organizations are also holding a series of meetings to discuss their continued response to the issue. This includes laying of native mats on the present location of their tambayans which serves as their temporary tambayans after the administration decided to pursue their plan.
James Patrick Santiago of the MicroSoc said “yung tambayan lang ang
ililipat, hindi kami.”In response to students’ reactions,
Dr. Macrina Zafaralla, head of UPLB Occupational Health and Safety Standards Committee, said “the tambayans were requested by the IBS to move to SU as an ad hoc measure on the pending landscaping of the IBS grounds which is expected to
IBS orgs lay native mats as tambayansby Nikko Angelo Oribiana
On tambayan “eviction”
integrate the tambayans in the landscape.”In line with this, the USC, with the help of
members of the IBS based organizations, Beta Sigma Fraternity, Omega Alpha Fraternity and Sigma Rho Fraternity, spearheaded a mobilization and “symbolically” transferred the organizations’ tambayans from SU building to the Humanities steps. [P]
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TEAM STUDENT TEACHER TOTAL OVERALLRANK
BLUE 762 759 1,521 1st
GREEN 645 582 1,227 3rd
RED 544 454 998 5th
WHITE 810 573 1,383 2nd
YELLOW 589 490 1,079 4th
Table 1. Overall Tally of Scores in the recently concluded Palarong UPLB (Source: Department of Human Kinetics)
UndEr SUrVEILLancE. Admin says security cameras to be placed around the campus are for added safety, others note that this step is quite alarming.PHOTO: Karmela Mirriam Ebreo
newsUPLB PERSPECTIVEThE OffIcIaL STUdEnT pUbLIcaTIOn Of ThE UnIVErSITy Of ThE phILIppInES LOS bañOSVOLUME 34 ISSUE 5 | March 10, 20084 news UPLB PERSPECTIVE
ThE OffIcIaL STUdEnT pUbLIcaTIOn Of ThE UnIVErSITy Of ThE phILIppInES LOS bañOSVOLUME 34 ISSUE 5 | March 10, 2008 5
Unang linggo ng Pebrero, isang mensahe sa text ang kumalat at nagbanta na ang University Health Service (UHS) umano ay tumanggap ng isang pasyenteng may sintomas ng Meningococcemia. Nagdulot ng pag-alala at takot ang mensaheng ito sa lahat ng nakatanggap.
“May pasyenteng tiningnan dito sa infirmary na may sintomas ng Meningococcemia. Pero ang sintomas na nakita namin ay general,” ayon kay Dr. Ma. Victoria Turalba, direktor ng UHS.
Ang nasabing pasyente ay agad dinala sa Asian Hospital and Medical Center pagkatapos ng konsultasyon sa infirmary.
Ayon pa kay Dr. Turalba, walang dapat ipag-alala ang mga tao tungkol sa kumakalat na text dahil hindi totoong may “outbreak” ng nasabing sakit.
Nais linawin ng mga doktor at iba pang kawani ng UHS na walang Meningococcemia outbreak at walang dapat ikatakot.
“Sana bago magkaroon ng tsismis tungkol sa ganito kaselang bagay ay alamin muna kung ano ang totoo para maiwasan ang pagkalat ng maling impormasyon,” dagdag pa ni Turalba.
Ayon pa sa doktor, dapat panatilihin natin ang malinis na kapaligiran, katulad ng lagi nang sinasabi, upang maiwasan ang kahit anong uri ng sakit.
“Importante rin ang kalinisan ng pagkain at ng tubig na iniinom natin. Ang Meningococcemia ay nagiging pangkaraniwan na, kahit sa ating bansa, kahit sa loob ng ating komunidad, kaya kailangan pa rin ang ibayong pag-iingat,” dagdag pa niya. [P]
“Walang meningo outbreak“-UHSby Liberty Notarte
campus, as suggested by Fisher. “Pero of course ‘yung mga
talagang vital [na blue guards] nandoon pa rin sila. Pag-uusapan pa rin namin ‘yun, hindi pa rin kami finalized,” he said.
Fisher will assess if the current blue guards fit their standards but the blue guards they will choose will most preferably be those who come from the local community.
As of press time, the Sto. Niño agency’s blue guards have not yet been informed of the exact measures regarding their turn-over to Fisher.
A blue guard, who refused to be named said the installation of the surveillance cameras would affect not only them but the whole UPLB community.
“Hindi naman madedetect [ng surveillance camera] ‘yun kasi halimbawa dito sa dorm, papaano nila madedetect ‘yung mga patagong pumapasok?” he stated.
He said that as explained to them by the Santo Niño Security Agency, the number of guards per dormitory will be reduced from two to just one.
He also stated that Fisher’s requirements have an age cut-off of 25-40 years old. Since a lot of blue guards are already over 50 years old, he said this would either result in their loss of jobs or change as “reliever” posts.
“’Yung mga baguhan hindi naman nila alam ang pasikot-sikot dito. Lalo na ang diskarte rito. Ang mga bata, kapag may problema, kami ang parang magulang,” he explained.
Meanwhile, another blue guard, who also requested for anonymity, said the Sto. Niño blue guards’ applications would be prioritized.
“Kung gusto nilang maabsorb [at] maging empleyado, mag-aaply sila. Marami na rin nag-a-apply sa amin,” he said.
He also stressed that relocation of the blue guards would be implemented by Fisher.
“’Yung ibang gwardiya ilalagay doon sa pwesto o building na walang gwardiya. Parang ikakalat lang,” he stated.
Connected to CommercializationUSC Chairperson Leo XL Fuentes Jr.
said students should be more critical to the
Eight surveillance cameras will be installed at certain key points in the campus.
This was confirmed by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs (OVCCA) during an interview with Assistant to the Vice Chancellor Elipidio Agbisit.
Fisher Comprehensive Security Services and Systems Preparations, a private security firm, will replace Santo Niño Security Agency that currently holds the security guards of the campus also known as “blue guards”. Fisher’s contract with UPLB administration will start on Feb. 29.
Agbisit said the agency will start placing the cameras in “strategic areas” during last week of February. He assured that the cameras will not be installed inside buildings
and dormitories. According to Agbisit, cameras covering dark areas inside the campus will be equipped with infrared vision.
The cameras, upon installment, will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These cameras will be used until Fisher’s contract with UPLB expires.
Dominador Bautista, area manager of Fisher, asked that the exact locations of the cameras be kept secret to prevent misuse of information. Baustista, however, refused to tell any more information regarding the cameras without the administration’s permission that Perspective was not able to obtain.
Feb fair “Test Run”Agbisit revealed that four surveillance
cameras were installed around Freedom Park during the February fair last Feb. 11 to 15.
Two cameras were set up along Chico road while the other two along Waling-waling road. The cameras relayed real time footages of the field to a control room located inside the Office of Student Affairs.
“It was a test run of the incoming private security agency [Fisher] na hinire ng UPLB,” he said.
Agbisit added that the test run was done to check if Fisher’s cameras were working and will have reliable use in the campus.
Aiding the UPFThe operation was not part of UPLB’s
Centennial preparations, Abgisit clarified, but is a branch of the administration’s general security program as of 2007.
Blue guards were hired to help the University Police Force (UPF) in maintaining peace and order. But since UPLB has a very large area, limited blue guards were able to roam in the whole campus, Agbisit said.
“Luckily dumating itong security agency that is willing to render service with surveillance cameras,” Agbisit said. He stressed that the university did not spend anything since the cameras were part of Fisher’s package.
UPF Chief Norlio Aquino expressed support to the OVCCA as well as to Fisher’s plans.
“Sa assistance ng security agency with the help ng surveillance camera, malaking tulong ito sa amin [UPF] sa pagmamaintain ng peace and order ng campus,” Aquino stated.
Fisher has yet to orient the UPF on the exact functions of the surveillance cameras and on how the UPF would coordinate with them during unexpected circumstances, he added.
Possible Replacement for Blue GuardsAccording to Agbisit, the installation
of the cameras would possibly lead to the replacement of some blue guards in the
implications of the installation especially in UP.“Sa lipunan natin nagagamit mismo
‘yung surveillance against sa mga hindi lang estudyante, [ngunit] sa parte ng mga progresibong lider, nakakatakot [at] nakakaalarma,” he stressed.
Fuentes stated that though the concept of installing cameras is good as a security measure, this would still not replace the manpower of the UPF and the blue guards. Instead, the administration should prioritize the additional number of UPF, he said.
According to him, the installation of cameras implies the administration’s move on commercialization.
“Posible na konektado sa commercialization through the ecotourism project. Mas kinacater natin ang market sa mga tourist [at] pinapakita natin na maganda ‘yung security natin,” he explained.
Fuentes stressed that in any new implementation, there should not be a compromise on the rights of the students and other constituents of the university.
“Ang mga kamera ay hindi preventive. Ang pagbabawas ng mga gwardiya ay maaaring maging problema [pa] sa seguridad natin [dahil] iba pa rin ‘yung presence ng authorities,” he added. [P]
Security cams to be set up in UPLBby Rogene Gonzales
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Protesta laban sa pagkabinbin ng CEB convention inilunsad
Isang mass-up ang isinagawa ng Samahan ng Kabataan para sa Bayan (SAKBAYAN) noong ika-11 ng Pebrero bilang pagpapakita ng pagkadismaya sa nakabinbin pa ring pagpupulong ng Central Electoral Board (CEB). Ito umano ang naging sanhi ng pagkaudlot ng eleksyon para sa University Student Council-College Student Council (USC-CSC).
Ang CEB ay isang lupon na binubuo ng mga College Secretaries, direktor ng Office of Student Affairs (OSA),pinuno ng Student Organizations and Activities Division, mga kinatawan mula sa CSC ng bawat kolehiyo, USC at Perspective. Ang CEB ang nagtatakda ng mga kwalipikasyon para sa mga kandidato gayundin ng mga patakaran para sa gaganaping eleksyon.
Ang pagpupulong ng CEB ay pansamantalang nahinto habang wala pang naitatakdang mga kwalipikasyon para sa mga kandidato. (Tingnan ang kaugnay na artikulo sa pahina 3).
Ayon sa pahayag na inilabas
by Sugar Marie Baula
panaWaGan. Naninindigan ang mga lider estudyante na kailangan nang ituloy ang CEB meeting para sa kapakanan ng lahat PHOTO: Mark Angelo Ordonio
EnOUGh. Southern Tagalog Sectors form an alliance against corruption in the government and to call for truth and justice regarding the NBN-ZTE scandal PHOTO: Niña Catherine Calleja
ST Sectors... from p1license upon inspection. The drivers, he added, were “out of line.”
DeadlockWhile protesters were blocked, they
conducted a program to air their grievances to the people and police of Calamba.
The protesters, 60 of which came from UPLB and headed by the University Student Council and Samahan ng Kabataan para sa Bayan, were to wait until past 2 p.m. before they decided to disperse their ranks and commute to Ayala. On the way to Ayala, some of the ST contingents were once again blocked by police along the South Luzon Expressway, but they were immediately released.
The night before the rally, Philippine National Police Chief Avelino Razon declared that all protesters from outside Metro Manila will be allowed to join the rally.
But groups of protesters from various provinces were stopped by police at different checkpoints on the day of the rally.
Prayer RallyAt about 5 in the afternoon, the ST
contingents finally arrived in Ayala where they were welcomed by thousands of protesters already there. Organizers of the rally estimated the peak number of protesters at 85,000 while police pegged it at 15,000.
Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, the whistleblower of the alleged corruption behind the $329 million ZTE-NBN
deal addressed the protesters. Famous personalities such as actress-singer Armida Seguion Reyna, former presidents Corazon Aquino and Joseph Estrada, and opposition spokesperson Adel Tamano graced the program.
In his speech, Lozada said that the people present in Ayala were the people who gave importance to the rights of those who were oppressed and those who are victims of corruption.
He also stated the “little” truth that he knows about the ZTE-NBN Broadband Deal. He requested the people in Makati to fight for truth not because of anger or hate but because of love for those who are victims by corruption.
“Ang gusto kong pamamaraan ng pagkilos na ito ay dala ng pagmamahal natin sa ating kapwa na mga nabibiktima ng korupsyon dahil po kahit sino pa ang pumalit diyan at ipagpapatuloy pa rin ang korupsyon, sana po hindi pa rin tayo titigil dahil may mga nabibiktima pa rin,” Lozada said.
He ended his speech by pointing out that one major reason for poverty is corruption that results in many Filipinos being forced to do crimes just to survive everyday.
Meanwhile, outgoing Student Regent James Mark Terry Ridon said of the rally, “Simple lang ‘yung statement, parang pagpapalawak lang talaga ito ng kilusang pagpapatalsik kay Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Ibig sabihin niyan hindi na lamang po mga progresibong organisasyon ang talagang nananawagan kundi lahat na, kasama ‘yung mga negosyante (at) simbahan.”
When asked why he joined the rally, Christian Manoy from Philippine Christian University said, “Kasi ‘tong rally na ito, bilang mga Pilipino, kailangan na malaman ang katotohanan laban sa pamahalaang Arroyo. Bilang mga taga-PCU, handa kaming lumaban at gusto (naming) malaman ang katotohanan.”
“Well ang stand natin ay for truth, accountability, and reform… So the reason
for having this rally is to find a common ground for the religious, for the leftist, or for the activist (and) for the schools. So what they came up with is for truth, accountability and reform, so everyone is here,” Lyan Carlos from the Ateneo Human Rights Center related.
Rachel Rañosa, a member of Student Alliance for the Advancement of Nationalism and Democracy in UP, said a viable alternative if ever President Arroyo would be ousted would be a transition government where all sectors of society will have a right to representation and not just the ruling class.
Past Actions, Future PlansPrior to the Ayala rally, other protests
activities were also held in Crossing, Calamba calling for the ouster of President Arroyo.
A rally coinciding with the 22nd anniversary of the People Power I uprising was held last Feb. 25 as part of simultaneous nationwide protests demanding for “truth and accountability.” The said mobilization was participated by different sectoral groups and individuals from the provinces of Laguna and Quezon.
The night before the Feb. 29 interfaith prayer rally, a vigil was conducted various ST groups where participants held a program until midnight before they marched to a train station where they slept. They went straight to the interfaith rally the day after.
Last Monday, a forum on the ZTE-NBN deal was held. Speakers were Sonny Quirejero from Center for People’s Empowerment in Governance and Bayani Cambronero from ST organization and People’s Network Against Poverty, Corruption and Attack on People’s Rights.
Also, a national day of protest spearheaded by YOUTH ACT NOW, an alliance of students from different universities and colleges calling for the ouster of President Arroyo, will be held on March 6. [P]
fOrMIdabLE ranK. Various sectors protest against alleged rampant corruption of the Arroyo administration with the cry “STOP NA!”. PHOTO: Jovy de Manuel
ng SAKBAYAN, ang pangyayaring ito ay isang malinaw na “represyon sa mga karapatan ng estudyante.”
Samantala, sa isang panayam kay OSA director Severino Cuevas, sinabi niyang ang pagpapalit ng mga kwalipikasyon para sa mga kandidato ay hindi sumusunod sa ilang probisyon ng University of the Philippines Code.
Habang isinusulat ang artikulong ito, wala pa ring naitatakdang petsa ng pagpupulong ang CEB. [P]
Slash in number of blue guards seen
features UPLB PERSPECTIVEThE OffIcIaL STUdEnT pUbLIcaTIOn Of ThE UnIVErSITy Of ThE phILIppInES LOS bañOS
VOLUME 34 ISSUE 5 | March 10, 2008 7breathing life/p15
LAYO
UT B
Y: A
brah
am F
inne
y Sa
ntos
LETTER TO THE EDITORUpLb Occupational health and Safety Standards committee
Office of the Vice chancellor for community affairs
20 February, 2008
Christian Ray BuendiaEditor in ChiefUPLB Perspective
Dear Editor:Please note the following corrections to and elucidations on thew published article “Los
Banos fire department conducts fire drill” written by Harriet Melanie Zabala in the February 13, 2008 issue of the Perspective:
a) Not a fire drill; rather, a fire exit drill was conducted.b) The Los Banos Fire Department (LBFD) did not conduct the fire exit drill. Rather it was the
UPLB Occupational Health and Safety Standards Committee that executed the fire exit drill with the assistance of the LBFD on invitation of the Committee. As per traditional practice, LBFD is there to add realism to the drill for improved compliance/cooperation by building occupants.
c) Fire exit drills are semestral exercise implemented by the Committee. The end of each drill is capped by a short explanation on the value of preparedness and other tips on how to avoid casualties in the event of fire.
d) The LBDF cannot carry out any activities relevant to fire exit drills and building inspections on university grounds without being invited.
The UPLB Commmittee does not consider the tambayans as “fire hazards”. Rather, since some tambayans can become obstructions to the free flow of people, and to the firemen and their equipment in the event of fire, the student organizations that own the material structures of tambayans have been requested to temporarily relocate these at the Student Union until such time that the landscaping of the IBS grounds shall have been complete. The expectation is that the tambayans will be integrated in the planned landscape.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Macrina T. Zafaralla (sgd.)Committee Chair
newsUPLB PERSPECTIVEThE OffIcIaL STUdEnT pUbLIcaTIOn Of ThE UnIVErSITy Of ThE phILIppInES LOS bañOSVOLUME 34 ISSUE 5 | March 10, 20086
Hijab, damit na may mahabang manggas, pantalon at sapatos – ito ang mga karaniwang suot ng mga taong madalas
kapkapan ng mga security guards sa kung saanmang pila ng mga pampumblikong lugar.
Sila ang mga madalas tapunan ng mapanghusgang tingin sapagkat nariyan ang sinasabing pangamba at ang pagtatatak sa kanila ng salitang “terorista.”
Si Shahana Abdulwahid, o Shan, ay tulad ng iba pang Muslim na kababaihan na noon pa man ay hinusgahan lamang ng lipunan sa panlabas na kaanyuan, base na rin sa pagkakaiba ng paniniwala at kultura.
Ngunit karamihan sa mga nanghuhusgang ito ay hindi nalalaman ang kanyang tunay na papel sa loob ng akademya at sa lipunang kanyang ginagalawan.
ang Unang Muslim SrSi Shan ng UP Diliman ang hinirang
na bago at kauna-unahang Muslim na Student Regent (SR) ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas sa ginanap na General Assembly of Student Councils noong Disyembre 21 sa UP Baguio.
Ang SR ang nagsisilbing kaisa-isang kinatawan ng mga estudyante ng UP sa Board of Regents (BOR), ang pinakamataas na lupon sa administrasyon ng UP na gumagawa ng mga polisiya para sa buong unibersidad.
[p]: “Ano ang pakiramdam mo noong nahirang ka bilang bagong SR?”
Shan: “Kinabahan na masaya, humbling. ‘Yung ibinigay na trust sa iyo ng mga student councils tapos noong moment na ‘yon, hindi mo alam kung matutuwa ka ba o iisipin na kailangan mong maging maayos sa pamamalakad mo.”
[p]: “Ano naman ang pakiramdam na maging unang Muslim SR?”
Shan: “It is an honor na maging unang Muslim SR pero at the same time, kinakabahan kasi titingnan ka ng mga tao kung ano ‘yung mga magiging actions mo, either iki-criticize ka o maayos ‘yung pagtingin sa iyo, nakakatakot na dapat maging extra careful sa ginagawa.”
Sr ng Ika-isandaang Taon Bilang Centennial SR, naniniwala si
Shan na ang nagiging mukha ng UP sa ika-isandaang taon nito ay pagbubukas sa posibilidad na maging katulad ng ibang pambansang unibersidad gaya
SR Shan: Babae,Muslim,Lider Estudyante
ng sa Singapore.Subalit natatakot siya na maaaring
maapektuhan nito ang interes ng mga estudyante. Nakikita niya sa oryentasyon ng administrasyon ng UP na nawawala na ang paghulma nito sa mga karapat-dapat ngunit may kakulangan sa perang mga estudyante. Mas natutuon na aniya ang atensyon ng administrasyon sa pagiging “profit generating” ng UP.
[p]: “Ano sa tingin mo ang hamon sa pagiging Centennial SR?”
Shan: “Given na ‘yung challenge, pero ang tanong, ano ‘yung pwede mo pang magawa? Hindi enough na honor lang siya sa part ko kundi ano ‘yung pwede pang macontribute para maging mas maayos ‘yung pamamalakad [bilang SR].”
pinagmulan at pinatunguhanIpinanganak noong Nobyembre
7, 1983 at ikalawa sa apat na magkakapatid, si Shan ay tubong Zamboanga City. Nagtapos siya ng elementarya at sekundarya bilang first honorable mention sa Zamboanga Chiong Hua High School.
Nagtapos siya ng kursong BA Philosophy, cum laude, sa UP Diliman. Sa kanyang mga unang taon sa UP ay nagkaroon din si Shan ng pag-a-adjust sa “cultural barrier” mula sa pinagmulang konserbatibong Chinese school.
Sa kasalukuyang nasa ikalawang taon na siya sa kursong MA Islamic Studies sa ilalim ng His Royal Highness Prince Salman Scholarship Grant. Tatapusin na lamang niya ang kanyang thesis sa susunod na semestre.
Ugat ng prinsipyoNaniniwala si Shan na tinatawag
tayong “Iskolar ng Bayan” dahil mayroon tayong utang na kailangang ibalik sa sambayanan na masusuklian lamang ng paglilingkod.
Aminado siya na noong mga unang taon niya sa UP ay hindi siya sumali sa anumang organisasyon. Noong nasa ikatlong taon na niya lamang naisipang maging bahagi ng Muslim Students Association, Labyrinth (isang academic org ng mga estudyante ng Philosophy) at Debate Society.
[p]: “Ano ang pinakamakabuluhang karanasan mo bilang estudyante?”
Shan: “Sa student council work. Inalok akong tumakbo noong third year na ako. Pero wala talaga akong plano to get into campus politics. Naging College Representative ako para sa USC ng College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. After noong college rep,
diretso akong [tumakbo bilang] USC Councilor.” Si Shan ay tumakbo sa konseho sa ilalim ng
partidong Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (STAND-UP). Ipinagpapatuloy ni Shan ang pagbibigay serbisyo sa pamamagitan ng pagiging kasalukuyang USC Chairperson ng UP Diliman. Kung isasama ang kanyang darating na termino bilang SR, bumibilang na sa apat na taon ang pagiging parte niya ng isang pang-estudyanteng institusyon.
Tulad ng kanyang mga iniidolo na sina Lorena Barros, Lean Alejandro, Andres Bonifacio at Nelson Mandela, inaasam ni Shan ang pagkakapantay-pantay ng lahat lalo na sa hustisya at pagtatanggol sa mga nagiging biktima ng represyon.
pagbuo sa Kanyang mga planoNinanais ni Shan bumaba sa “grass roots” at maging
rehente na mas malapit sa mga estudyante. Nais niyang makihalubilo hindi lamang sa mga student councils kundi maging sa mga ordinaryong estudyante.
[p]: “Ano ang konkretong General Plan of Action (GPOA) na naisip mo na ngayon?”
Shan: “Ang isang plano na binubuo namin ng [SR] staff ay magkaroon ng SR union tapos gagawa ng malaking project ang mga dating SR. May proposal din si outgoing SR [James Mark Terry] Ridon, na magkaroon ng 100 markers for student martyrs. Tapos isa pang suggestion niya ay ‘yung pagkakaroon ng alternative centennial lecture series kung saan tatalakayin natin hindi lamang ‘yung academic issues kundi pati isyu ng mga tao, farmers at iba pang social conditions natin.”
[p]: “Anu-ano ang mga isasagawa mong hakbang ukol sa Tuition and other Fee Increases?”
Shan: “May inilabas si SR Terry na policy review. Maganda siguro kinisin natin yung policy review na ‘yun tapos kung may mga bagong data na papasok, ilagay natin para magkaroon tayo ng enough justification na mayroon talagang malaking negative implication ‘yung pagpapasa ng TOFI.”
Aniya, magiging mas demokratiko, sa pamamagitan ng mga konsultasyon, ang kanyang termino ngunit dapat maging matibay pa rin ang paninidigan pagdating sa mga isyu.
Ukol sa mga usapin ng Up[p]: “Ano ang
masasabi mo sa naipasang UP Charter noong nakaraang buwan?”
Shan: “May tagumpay ang mga estudyante
[p]: “Ano ang paborito mong gameshow?”Shan: “Deal or No Deal. Masaya ‘yun!”[p]: “Ano ang pinakagusto mong pasalubong?”Shan: “Tsokolate. Mahilig din ako kumain ‘nun kapag stressed.”[p]: “Favorite expression?”Shan: “Yahoo!”Su
per R
egen
t Q
uest
ions
by Rogene Gonzales
Sr Shan/p15
Student assistant (SA) salary has been delayed for the months of December 2007 and January 2008, affecting 591 SA.
The said problem occurred because the processed payrolls needed for the compilation of last year’s accounts have been submitted later than the deadline set by the Commission on Audit (COA).
“Nagkaroon ng problema sa suweldo ng mga SA kasama ang ibang funds dahil na-submit ang payroll after ng cut-off date na ni-require ng Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration (OVCA) para sa year-end accounts report [last year],” said Ethel Cabral, Chief Administrative Officer of the Department of Budget and Management.
She said the OVCA issued Memorandum No. 35, which states that the deadline of submission of payrolls, vouchers, purchase orders, contracts and other payables for the year 2007 is on Dec. 14. The late submission of payrolls for SA allowance from the Office of the Student Affairs (OSA) resulted in delayed issuance of salary.
On the other hand, Milagros Lafuertesa, Junior Scholarship Affairs Officer declared that SAs follow a set of guidelines, one stating that the submission of the Daily Time Record
(DTR), a recording of the total office hours a student assistant incurred in their respective offices, should be during the second working day of the succeeding month. She said the DTR for December 2007 should have been submitted last January 2008.
“Marami pa rin kasing SA ang patuloy na nagpapasa ng DTR after ng deadline kaya nasubmit ‘yung payroll second week na ng January,” she added.
Meanwhile, affected SAs expressed various reactions regarding this issue.
“Wala namang pinagbago. Medyo tumagal lang ngayon pero palagi naman kasi kaming naghihintay,” said Dolly Lucero, BS Agriculture ’05.
She added that this is one of the worst experiences a student assistant could have since they cannot use their salary for personal purposes.
Another student assistant, who requested for anonymity, said, “kapag tumatawag kami sa Cash Division, wala silang ibinibigay na kongkretong sagot kaya naman pinagpapasa-pasahan lang kami ng iba’t ibang opisina.”
He added that the immediate release of their salary is important to all SAs since they will use this for their daily expenses.
As of press time, the SA payroll is still being processed by the Accounting Office. [P]
Late processed payrolls delay SA salaryby Daryl Magno
AKADSby Chino Carlo Aricaya
Dr. Zafaralla,
We have published in our fourth issue two news articles that converge on at least two common grounds: first, the fact that these articles were angled in such a way that they underline the perceived effects of issues tackled on the people primarily concerned (in this case the students and faculty members), and second, which is corollary to the first, that these articles were intended to enlarge on the struggles of student organizations in the face of tambayan “eviction.” The articles I am referring to are those written by Nikko Angelo Oribiana (“Biosci orgs face tambayan ‘eviction’”) and Harriet Melanie Zabala (“Los Baños fire department conducts fire drill”). A perusal of the said articles in light of the above mentioned explanation will help support our following points:first, that while we recognize our lapse in calling the fire exit drill a fire drill, this is partly due to the exigencies of the news article’s angle. Mr. Oribiana related to Perspective’s Editorial Board that the term fire drill has been repeatedly used by Biosci organization members and faculty members to refer to the fire exit drill both during and outside the dialogues between IBS administration and the organizations.
Second, it is explicitly stated in our article that the fire exit drill was “spearheaded by the Occupational Health and Safety Committee, in cooperation with the Los Baños Fire Department and Municipal Fire Marshall.” We never stated that the fire department initiated the drill, only that it conducted or performed it since it has the necessary technical skills and equipment.Third, that we were careful not to make sweeping statements in Ms. Zabala’s article regarding the regularity the fire exit drill’s conduct. As such, we interviewed Prof. Aida Lustria from ICS so that readers will be able see from the point of view of a participant of the drill. Actually, we planned to hold an interview with the building administrator of Physical Sciences building and someone from your office, but time consideration that is the nature of our line of work precluded this attempt. fourth, while Ms. Zabala’s article stated that org tambayans in IBS building are fire hazards, this term is not our own but is quoted from students and faculty members themselves. In foresight, we followed this with the explanation that they block the exit points of IBS, aside from attaching “allegedly” before the contested phrase.Lastly, the word “temporarily” in the third paragraph of Mr. Oribiana’s article indicates that the IBS administration does not intend to transfer permanently the org tambayans at the Student Union Building. At the moment the article was being written, however, the IBS admin has not yet laid out concrete or at least preliminary plans for these tambayans. Also, we cannot easily overlook Dr. Rachel Sotto’s statements that “lahat ng mga tambayan around the campus will likewise be demolished…” and “Hindi daw talaga magbibigay ang university ng mga areas outside the building for tambayan.” In any case, we appreciate your taking time to bring to our attention these corrections and elucidations. It is from our readers’ constructive criticisms that the publication learns to exceed its current performance.
For the students,
christian ray buendiaEditor in Chief
This space is alloted for comments, suggestions, rebuttals, public apologies, and what not. We reserve the right to edit for brevity and clarity.Only signed letters will be published but names can be withheld upon request. e-mail us at [email protected] or drop by the [P] office
what’s Molding the Truth behindthe nation? ZTE-nbn deal
This
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Sena
te h
earin
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t. 26
last
year
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balo
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him
a
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ppro
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et th
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nin
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vit
date
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rent
ly
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requ
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st G
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man
Mike
A
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. He
also
sai
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was
with
Aba
los
whe
n the
form
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cha
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et w
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dem
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d
mon
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offic
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Rodo
lfo N
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Jun”
Loz
ada
Jr.,
calle
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som
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“pro
bins
yano
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Intsi
k,”
was
the
form
er P
resid
ent o
f Ph
ilippi
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ores
t C
orpo
ratio
n. H
e al
so s
erve
d as
Ner
i’s T
echn
ical
C
onsu
ltant
fo
r pr
ojec
ts be
ing
eval
uate
d by
NED
A,
incl
udin
g th
e N
BN
proj
ect.
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y,
he
stand
s as
the
sta
r w
itnes
s on
th
e Se
nate
he
arin
gs
on
the
alle
ged
corru
ptio
n re
gard
ing
the
scra
pped
pro
ject
.Th
e co
ntro
versi
es re
gard
ing
the
“ove
rpric
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NBN
pro
ject
he
ight
ened
w
hen
Loza
da
left
the
Philip
pine
s fo
r Ho
ng
Kong
, a t
rip fr
om J
an. 3
0 to
Fe
b. 5
, whi
ch w
as a
llege
dly
arra
nged
by
Mal
acañ
ang.
He st
ated
in th
e pr
evio
us
hear
ings
tha
t th
e C
abin
et
and
Pala
ce o
ffici
als
sent
hi
m
to
Hong
Ko
ng
on
Jan.
30
to a
void
Sen
ate
hear
ings
.
by Liberty Notarte
UD
REN
EMPL
MEN
Y
T
CALLANSWERINGhello to the call center Industry:
you w
ear y
our to
ga a
fter fo
ur ye
ars
(or m
ore)
of s
trugg
ling
thro
ugh
exam
s, he
ll w
eeks
, sle
eple
ss
nigh
ts, a
nd s
eem
ingl
y en
dles
s ho
urs
of m
enta
l tor
ture
. “fin
ally
,” yo
u sa
y to
yo
urse
lf. a
ll you
r har
d w
ork
seem
s to
pay-
off a
fter a
ll. yo
ur n
ame
is ca
lled
and
as y
ou g
o up
the
stage
som
eone
ha
nds y
ou y
our d
iplo
ma.
you
acc
ept
it w
ith a
ll the
prid
e yo
u co
uld
mus
ter.
you
cher
ish y
our p
assp
ort t
o th
e re
al
wor
ld. n
ow, y
ou b
elie
ve th
at a
goo
d fu
ture
is w
aitin
g fo
r yo
u ju
st ou
tside
th
e ga
tes o
f the
uni
versi
ty.
So M
any
Gra
duat
es, S
o Lit
tle Jo
bsIn
mos
t cas
es, b
elie
ving
that
a jo
b w
ill w
elco
me
grad
uate
s afte
r the
y le
ave
the
acad
eme
is no
thin
g bu
t wish
ful t
hink
ing.
In
rea
lity,
man
y of
the
se g
radu
ates
will
end
up jo
bles
s.Th
e nu
mbe
r of c
ompe
tent
gra
duat
es
exce
eds
the
dem
and
of c
ompa
nies
for
empl
oyee
s. Th
is is
the
sam
e ol
d sto
ry th
at
repe
ats i
tself
over
and
ove
r aga
in.
With
effo
rts o
f try
ing
to st
op th
e ra
ising
un
empl
oym
ent,
the
call
cent
er in
dustr
y ga
ve
hope
less
gr
adua
tes
and
othe
r un
empl
oyed
a n
ewly
foun
d ca
reer
with
th
e em
erge
nce
o fth
is lu
dicr
ous
indu
stry
from
the
glob
al m
arke
t.
Indu
stry’
s deu
s ex
Mac
hina
Fore
ign
busin
essm
en c
hose
to
build
ca
ll ce
nter
s in
the
Phi
lippi
nes
beca
use
of t
he l
ow l
abor
cos
t in
the
cou
ntry
co
mpa
red
with
oth
er E
nglis
h sp
eakin
g co
untri
es. A
side
from
this,
they
are
abl
e to
pa
y th
eir a
gent
s big
ger s
alar
y co
mpa
red
to
oth
er jo
bs.
Mai
nly
beca
use
of t
he g
ood
sala
ry,
Filip
inos
res
pond
ed t
o th
e ne
ed f
or c
all
cent
er a
gent
s th
e w
ay th
ey d
id w
hen
a ne
ed f
or n
urse
s ar
ose
a fe
w y
ears
ago.
W
hen
the
glob
al d
eman
d fo
r nur
ses r
ose,
m
any
Filip
inos
took
up
nursi
ng, a
nd se
vera
l co
llege
s and
uni
versi
ties t
ook
adva
ntag
e of
this
“fad
” by
offe
ring
such
cou
rse. S
ome
busin
essm
en e
ven
took
tim
e, m
oney
and
ef
fort
to o
pen
up n
ursin
g sc
hool
s.Th
e ca
ll ce
nter
fad
is n
ot s
o di
ffere
nt
from
the
nursi
ng fa
d th
at h
appe
ned
a fe
w
year
s ag
o. N
ow t
hat
a de
man
d fo
r cal
l ce
nter
age
nts i
s on
the
rise,
a C
all C
ente
r A
cade
my
open
ed in
San
ta R
osa,
Lagu
na
last
2007
whi
le se
vera
l cal
l cen
ter t
rain
ing
cent
ers o
pene
d in
alm
ost e
very
pro
vince
in
the
Philip
pine
s.W
hene
ver a
n em
ploy
ee is
over
wor
ked
an
d un
derp
aid
or w
hen
a pe
rson
is un
able
to u
se h
is or
her
trai
ned
skills
for t
he
job,
they
are
said
to b
e un
dere
mpl
oyed
. Pe
ople
ar
e un
dere
mpl
oyed
be
caus
e th
ey w
ork
for j
obs t
hat d
o no
t fit t
he sk
ills
they
lear
ned
whi
le e
arni
ng th
eir d
egre
e in
col
lege
.A
ccor
ding
to
the
Nat
iona
l St
atist
ics
Offi
ce, a
s of 2
007,
6.3
per
cent
of F
ilipin
os
are
unem
ploy
ed
whi
le
18.1
pe
rcen
t ar
e un
dere
mpl
oyed
. The
se s
tatis
tics
are
actu
ally
low
er i
f co
mpa
red
with
200
6 da
ta.
Mar
chin
g in
to th
e “r
eal w
orld
”W
orkin
g at
a c
all c
ente
r, ho
wev
er, i
s sa
id to
be
a pr
imar
y opt
ion
for g
radu
atin
g stu
dent
s. Bu
t for
Kat
*, a
BS D
evel
opm
ent
Com
mun
icat
ion
’04
stude
nt, w
orkin
g at
a
call
cent
er w
ill be
her
last
reso
rt af
ter
grad
uatio
n.“B
eing
an
empl
oyee
of a
cal
l cen
ter
is no
t re
ally
pa
rt of
m
y pl
ans
afte
r gr
adua
tion.
I
am
look
ing
forw
ard
to
havi
ng a
job
that
is w
ell-r
elat
ed t
o m
y co
urse
. But
I’d
rath
er c
hoos
e to
be
a ca
ll ce
nter
age
nt th
an to
be
unem
ploy
ed,”
sh
e ex
plai
ns.
Boy
Geo
rge*
, a
BS A
gric
ultu
re ’
04
stude
nt, w
ho, l
ike, K
at w
ill gr
adua
te th
is se
mes
ter,
said
that
he
will
not w
ork
in a
ca
ll cen
ter.
“Hin
di. K
asi s
ayan
g yu
ng p
inag
-ara
lan
mo.
San
a ‘d
i ka
na la
ng n
agta
pos
ng
four
-yea
r co
urse
ka
si pw
ede
nam
an
ang
two-
year
col
lege
exp
erie
nce
lang
[s
a ca
ll cen
ter],
” he
said
.
So M
any
Gra
duat
es, S
o Lit
tle Jo
bsIn
mos
t cas
es, b
elie
ving
that
a jo
b w
ill w
elco
me
grad
uate
s afte
r the
y le
ave
the
acad
eme
is no
thin
g bu
t wish
ful t
hink
ing.
In
rea
lity,
man
y of
the
se g
radu
ates
will
end
up jo
bles
s.Th
e nu
mbe
r of c
ompe
tent
gra
duat
es
exce
eds t
he d
eman
d of
com
pani
es fo
r em
ploy
ees.
This
is th
e sa
me
old
story
that
re
peat
s itse
lf ov
er a
nd o
ver a
gain
.W
ith e
fforts
of t
ryin
g to
stop
the
raisi
ng
unem
ploy
men
t, th
e ca
ll ce
nter
in
dustr
y gav
e hop
eles
s gra
duat
es
and
othe
r un
empl
oyed
a
new
ly
foun
d ca
reer
w
ith
the
emer
genc
e o
fthis
ludi
crou
s in
dustr
y fro
m
the
glob
al m
arke
t.
feat
ures
8-9
UP
LB P
ERS
PE
CTIV
ETh
E O
ffIc
IaL
STUd
EnT p
UbLI
ca
TIOn
Of
ThE
UnIV
ErSI
Ty O
f Th
E ph
ILIp
pIn
ES L
OS
bañ
OS
VOLU
ME
34 IS
SUE
5 |
Ma
rch
10, 2
008
Indu
stry’
s deu
s ex
Mac
hina
Fore
ign
busin
essm
en c
hose
to
build
ca
ll ce
nter
s in
the
Phi
lippi
nes
beca
use
of t
he l
ow l
abor
cos
t in
the
cou
ntry
co
mpa
red
with
oth
er E
nglis
h sp
eakin
g co
untri
es. A
side
from
this,
they
are
abl
e to
pa
y th
eir a
gent
s big
ger s
alar
y co
mpa
red
to
oth
er jo
bs.
Mai
nly
beca
use
of t
he g
ood
sala
ry,
Filip
inos
res
pond
ed t
o th
e ne
ed f
or c
all
cent
er a
gent
s th
e w
ay th
ey d
id w
hen
a ne
ed f
or n
urse
s ar
ose
a fe
w y
ears
ago.
W
hen
the
glob
al d
eman
d fo
r nur
ses r
ose,
m
any
Filip
inos
took
up
nursi
ng, a
nd se
vera
l co
llege
s and
uni
versi
ties t
ook
adva
ntag
e of
this
“fad
” by
offe
ring
such
cou
rse. S
ome
busin
essm
en e
ven
took
tim
e, m
oney
and
ef
fort
to o
pen
up n
ursin
g sc
hool
s.Th
e ca
ll ce
nter
fad
is n
ot s
o di
ffere
nt
from
the
nursi
ng fa
d th
at h
appe
ned
a fe
w
year
s ag
o. N
ow t
hat
a de
man
d fo
r cal
l ce
nter
age
nts i
s on
the
rise,
a C
all C
ente
r A
cade
my
open
ed in
Sant
a Ro
sa, L
agun
a la
st 20
07 w
hile
seve
ral c
all c
ente
r tra
inin
g ce
nter
s ope
ned
in a
lmos
t eve
ry p
rovin
ce
in th
e Ph
ilippi
nes.
Whe
neve
r an
empl
oyee
is ov
erw
orke
d
and
unde
rpai
d or
whe
n a
perso
n is
unab
le to
use
his
or h
er tr
aine
d sk
ills fo
r the
jo
b, th
ey a
re sa
id to
be
unde
rem
ploy
ed.
Peop
le
are
unde
rem
ploy
ed
beca
use
they
wor
k fo
r job
s tha
t do
not fi
t the
skills
th
ey le
arne
d w
hile
ear
ning
thei
r deg
ree
in c
olle
ge.
Acc
ordi
ng t
o th
e N
atio
nal
Stat
istic
s O
ffice
, as o
f 200
7, 6
.3 p
erce
nt o
f Filip
inos
ar
e un
empl
oyed
w
hile
18
.1
perc
ent
are
unde
rem
ploy
ed. T
hese
sta
tistic
s ar
e ac
tual
ly l
ower
if
com
pare
d w
ith 2
006
data
.
Mar
chin
g in
to th
e “r
eal w
orld
”W
orkin
g at
a c
all c
ente
r, ho
wev
er, i
s sa
id to
be
a pr
imar
y opt
ion
for g
radu
atin
g stu
dent
s. Bu
t for
Kat
*, a
BS D
evel
opm
ent
Com
mun
icat
ion
’04
stude
nt, w
orkin
g at
a
call
cent
er w
ill be
her
last
reso
rt af
ter
grad
uatio
n.“B
eing
an
empl
oyee
of a
cal
l cen
ter
is no
t re
ally
pa
rt of
m
y pl
ans
afte
r gr
adua
tion.
I
am
look
ing
forw
ard
to
havi
ng a
job
that
is w
ell-r
elat
ed t
o m
y co
urse
. But
I’d
rath
er c
hoos
e to
be
a ca
ll ce
nter
age
nt th
an to
be
unem
ploy
ed,”
sh
e ex
plai
ns.
Boy
Geo
rge*
, a
BS A
gric
ultu
re ’
04
stude
nt, w
ho, l
ike, K
at w
ill gr
adua
te t
his
sem
este
r, sa
id th
at h
e w
ill no
t wor
k in
a
call c
ente
r.“H
indi
. Kas
i say
ang
yung
pin
ag-a
rala
n m
o. S
ana
‘di k
a na
lang
nag
tapo
s ng
fo
ur-y
ear
cour
se
kasi
pwed
e na
man
an
g tw
o-ye
ar c
olle
ge e
xper
ienc
e la
ng
[sa
call c
ente
r],”
he sa
id.
The
cal
l cen
ter E
xper
ienc
eJa
nette
M
alat
a,
instr
ucto
r in
th
e D
epar
tmen
t of H
uman
ities,
used
to w
ork
in a
cal
l cen
ter.
She
starte
d w
orkin
g fo
r eT
elec
are
Glo
bal
Solu
tions
rig
ht
afte
r sh
e pa
ssed
her
the
sis m
anus
crip
t ev
en
befo
re h
er g
radu
atio
n.“K
asi
that
tim
e,
yun
ang
pina
kam
adal
ing
pasu
kan
kasi
one
day
hirin
g ta
laga
sila
and
I ha
ve t
o se
nd a
yo
unge
r sist
er to
scho
ol,”
she
said
.In
her
one
yea
r and
a m
onth
sta
y in
th
e ca
ll ce
nter
, he
r sa
lary
rea
ched
a
max
imum
of P
hp21
,000
. She
said
that
she
lear
ned
to b
e po
lite a
nd to
be
atte
ntiv
e to
wha
t pe
ople
tel
l her
whe
n sh
e w
as
wor
king
as a
cal
l cen
ter a
gent
.M
alat
a di
d no
t th
ink
that
she
was
un
dere
mpl
oyed
sin
ce s
he w
as a
ble
to
use
her s
kills
as a
spee
ch c
omm
unic
atio
n m
ajor
in th
e jo
b.“M
aram
i kan
g sk
ills n
a na
gaga
mit
at
nade
deve
lop.
Tap
os m
as n
aded
evel
op
yung
crit
ical
thin
king
at y
ung
logi
c. A
nd
then
mul
ti ta
skin
g ta
laga
. Mag
-aay
os k
a ng
syste
m h
aban
g na
kikip
ag-u
sap.
Hin
di
siya
naka
kabo
bo k
atul
ad n
g sin
asab
i ng
iba,
” sh
e ad
ded.
How
ever
, sh
e so
on q
uitte
d he
r ca
ll ce
nter
job
bec
ause
she
fel
t th
at h
er
heal
th w
as a
lread
y be
ing
jeop
ardi
zed
sin
ce h
er j
ob r
equi
res
her
to s
tay
up
all n
ight
. Sh
e sa
id h
er jo
b af
fect
ed h
er
rela
tions
hip
with
her
fam
ily a
s wel
l.“H
indi
na
ak
o na
kaka
-atte
nd
ng
Chr
istm
as p
arty
sa b
ahay
nam
in. U
maa
lis
ako
kasi
tuw
ing
Pask
o at
Bag
ong
Taon
ka
si ka
ilang
an k
ong
mag
traba
ho,”
she
sh
ared
.O
n th
e ot
her
hand
, A
gath
a*,
a BA
Ph
iloso
phy ’
02 st
uden
t is c
urre
ntly
wor
king
as a
cal
l cen
ter
agen
t in
Ala
bang
whi
le
she
is do
ing
her t
hesis
. She
eating
Th
e Ro
man
Cat
holic
C
hurc
h le
ader
ship
in
th
e Ph
ilippi
nes
said
th
e ex
posé
s m
ade
by L
ozad
a an
d
busin
essm
an J
DV
III on
th
e al
lege
d kic
kbac
ks
by
som
e go
vern
men
t of
ficia
ls in
the
NBN
pro
ject
m
ay
have
sa
ved
the
coun
try f
rom
the
grip
of
scan
dalo
us d
eals,
per
sona
l an
d fa
mily
inte
rests
.Lo
zada
fu
rther
ed
that
th
e N
BN p
roje
ct w
as ju
st on
e ex
ampl
e of
a “d
ysfu
nctio
nal
gove
rnm
ent
proc
urem
ent
syste
m.”
The
dram
a of
the
proc
ess
It w
as in
deed
a d
ram
a in
Lo
zada
’s l
ife w
hen
he w
as
take
n ag
ains
t hi
s w
ill by
six
sold
iers
from
the
Arm
ed F
orce
s of
the
Phi
lippi
nes
as h
e w
as
retu
rnin
g fro
m H
ong
Kong
last
Fe
b. 5
. It
serv
ed a
s a
thre
at t
o hi
s life
and
fea
r ov
erw
helm
ed
his l
oved
one
s.D
urin
g th
e Se
nate
he
arin
g,
the
beha
vior
of t
he “
abdu
ctor
s”
mad
e th
e “p
robi
nsya
nong
Insti
k”
feel
m
ore
thre
aten
ed.
Dur
ing
his
testi
mon
y he
sa
id,
“I w
as
surro
unde
d by
sold
iers
and
I kno
w
how
sold
iers
spea
k.”
Whe
n Lo
zada
trav
eled
with
the
six s
oldi
ers
he d
id n
ot e
ven
know
, an
d w
ho d
id n
ot c
are
to in
trodu
ce
them
selv
es,
he s
aid
it re
ally
cam
e to
a p
oint
whe
n he
cal
led
all t
he
sain
ts be
caus
e of
the
situ
atio
n he
w
as
into
. He
ev
en
look
ed
back
at
the
tim
e w
hen
Bubb
y D
acer
, a
Publ
ic R
elat
ions
Offi
cer
of S
enat
or
Panfi
lo L
acso
n, w
ho,
alon
g w
ith h
is dr
iver
was
mur
dere
d in
200
0 af
ter h
e th
reat
ened
to
expo
se c
ontro
versi
es
of f
orm
er p
resid
ent
Jose
ph E
strad
a’s
adm
inist
ratio
n.
“I’ve
su
ffere
d lo
ng
enou
gh a
goni
zing
over
thi
s,” L
ozad
a sa
id in
a p
ress
con
fere
nce.
He
said
he
has m
ade
a lo
t of t
hing
s in
his l
ife w
hich
he
real
ly is
not
pro
ud o
f, an
d be
ing
the
star
witn
ess
of t
he c
ontro
versi
al N
BN
proj
ect i
s one
of t
hese
. Yet
, he
keep
s on
testi
fyin
g in
the
Sena
te h
earin
gs fo
r tru
th’s
sa
ke.
In t
he s
erie
s of
Sen
ate
hear
ings
and
in
terv
iew
s by
the
med
ia,
Loza
da e
njoy
s hi
gh b
elie
vabi
lity a
mon
g Fil
ipin
o vi
ewer
s. Bu
t he
said
this
is no
t wha
t he
is af
ter.
He
testi
fies
not t
o be
per
ceiv
ed a
s a
parti
san
politi
cal e
xerc
iser,
but,
as m
an g
ivin
g hi
s re
colle
ctio
n to
his
coun
try a
ccou
nts o
f how
th
e m
anip
ulat
ions
in th
e N
BN p
roje
ct w
ere
exec
uted
.
Add
itiona
l flav
ors
The
star
witn
ess
seem
s to
ha
ve
all
the
supp
ort
from
th
e C
atho
lic
Chu
rch,
bu
sines
smen
, for
mer
gov
ernm
ent o
ffici
als a
nd
othe
r pro
gres
sive
grou
ps. T
he p
raye
rs of
thos
e w
ho su
ppor
t Loz
ada,
and
thos
e w
ho b
elie
ve in
hi
s tes
timon
ies,
serv
e as
his
shie
ld a
s he
testi
fies
in th
e Se
nate
. And
it s
eem
s th
at h
is su
ppor
ters
just
keep
incr
easin
g, g
ivin
g ad
ditio
nal fl
avor
s to
the
proc
ess.
“I th
ink
that
I’m
not
def
endi
ng t
he t
ruth
an
ymor
e. It
’s t
he t
ruth
tha
t is
defe
ndin
g m
e,”
Loza
da sa
id.
He is
now
rega
rded
by
tele
visio
n vi
ewer
s as a
ve
ry c
redi
ble
witn
ess—
one
who
onl
y te
lls th
e tru
th
thro
ugh
his
reco
llect
ions
. Som
e ev
en c
all h
im a
“h
ero”
for t
estif
ying
abo
ut th
e ov
erpr
iced
pro
ject
, w
hich
invo
lves
gov
ernm
ent o
ffici
als a
nd e
ven
the
first
fam
ily.
From
th
e sta
rt,
Loza
da
has
been
re
ceiv
ing
deat
h th
reat
s fro
m t
he o
ffici
als
invo
lved
in
the
cont
rove
rsial
pro
ject
. He
reca
lled
Aba
los t
ellin
g hi
m
thro
ugh
a ph
one
call
last
Janu
ary
2007
: “H
uwag
ka
ng m
agpa
pakit
a sa
akin
, ani
mal
ka.
Ipap
apat
ay
kita.
” Th
ese
thre
ats
basic
ally
em
erge
d fro
m
his
invo
lvem
ent i
n th
e pr
ojec
t tha
t lea
ds to
the
disc
losu
re
of g
rave
cor
rupt
ion
and
selfis
h in
tent
ions
of t
he p
eopl
e be
hind
the
proj
ect.
With
the
Filip
inos
’ su
cces
sful s
how
ing
of c
olle
ctiv
e ac
tion
amid
co
rrupt
ion
alle
gatio
ns
houn
ding
th
e A
rroyo
adm
inist
ratio
n, C
atho
lic B
ishop
s Con
fere
nce
of
the
Philip
pine
s pr
esid
ent
and
Jaro
(Ilo
ilo)
Arc
hbish
op
Ang
el L
agda
meo
pra
ised
the
natio
n fo
r suc
h ef
fort.
He
even
urg
ed th
e Fil
ipin
os to
stag
e a
“bra
nd n
ew p
eopl
e po
wer
to a
chie
ve g
ood
gove
rnan
ce.”
pres
enta
tion
of th
e ca
keTh
e ZT
E-N
BN d
eal is
cur
rent
ly th
e bi
gges
t iss
ue th
at fi
lls
ever
y co
nver
satio
n in
the
Philip
pine
s. So
me
say
that
this
coul
d be
the
key
in v
iew
ing
clea
rly h
ow n
eces
sary
it is
to
oust
the
pres
ent a
dmin
istra
tion
and
the
politi
cal s
yste
m in
ge
nera
l.
The
cont
rove
rsies
rega
rdin
g th
e “o
verp
riced
” de
al a
re
now
bei
ng c
aref
ully
bak
ed. S
pect
ator
s are
wai
ting
for i
t to
be p
erfe
ctly
pre
pare
d an
d sh
aped
. It m
ay ta
ke a
long
er tim
e be
fore
it c
an b
e la
id in
to a
per
fect
pla
te to
be
pres
ente
d
to th
ose,
who
, for
a lo
ng ti
me,
hav
e be
en c
ravi
ng fo
r suc
h sw
eet d
elic
acy
to b
e se
rved
. But
for s
ome,
the
wai
ting
may
en
d so
oner
than
exp
ecte
d. A
nd th
e sw
eete
st de
licac
y th
at
coul
d be
taste
d by
Filip
inos
, who
se c
olle
ctiv
e ac
ts co
ntrib
uted
to
the
shap
ing
and
resh
apin
g of
onc
e di
storte
d tru
th, w
ill be
se
rved
topp
ed w
ith ju
stice
. [p]
Refe
renc
es:
ww
w.g
man
ews.t
v/zt
e-nb
n Ph
ilippi
ne D
aily
Inqu
irer:
Feb.
19,
Feb
. 18,
Feb
. 11,
Feb
. 8, F
eb. 7
[200
8]
The
by Fai
th A
llyso
n Buenac
osa
OF
hello
/p12
LAYOUT BY Paul Andrew Manuales | GRAPHICS BY Kervin Gabilo and Sheric Keigh Tablac
features6 UPLB PERSPECTIVEThE OffIcIaL STUdEnT pUbLIcaTIOn Of ThE UnIVErSITy Of ThE phILIppInES LOS bañOSVOLUME 34 ISSUE 5 | March 10, 2008 culture10 culture 7UPLB PERSPECTIVE
ThE OffIcIaL STUdEnT pUbLIcaTIOn Of ThE UnIVErSITy Of ThE phILIppInES LOS bañOSVOLUME 34 ISSUE 5 | March 10, 2008culture 11
LAYOU
T BY Pau
l An
drew
Man
uales | G
RAPH
ICS BY
Jacob
Labita
“ComArts ka kasi, kaya gamay mo na ‘yan .”
Nakaupo si Angel* sa klase niya sa ENG1 nang marinig niya ang mga katagang ito. Nag-uusap ang dalawang kaklase niya na nakaupo sa kanyang likuran. Ang isa ay Communication Arts major, nagrereklamo sa pangalawang pasada ng kanilang leksyon tungkol sa paraphrasing at précis writing, at ang isa naman ay hindi niya mawari kung sino at anong kurso.
Com Arts ka kasi. Madalas niyang marinig ang mga salitang ito sa kanyang mga kaibigan.
Pag-uwi ni Angel sa kanyang dormitoryo pagkatapos ng kanyang klase, napansin niya ang pagkokopyahan ng sagot sa isang take-home exam nila sa NASC1. Hindi lang ngayon nangyari ito, maging sa MATH1 assignments ng kanyang dorm mates. “Hanapin niyo si Mark*. Chem Eng ‘yun e, alam niyang sagutan ito,” ang madalas niyang naririnig mula sa kanila.
Ito ang nakasanayang sitwasyon ni Angel, kung kaya lagi’t lagi na rin niyang nagagaya at ginagamit ang ganitong mga dahilan. Para sa kanya, mukhang tama lang din namang paniniwalan ang mga ito.
Ngunit habang sinusubukan niyang sagutan mag-isa ang take-home exam niya, napaisip siya: hanggang sa anong aspeto ba gagamitin ang ganitong dahilan pagdating sa labas ng mundo ng akademya? Sapat bang gamiting dahilan ang kahinaan at kalakasan niya at ng iba pang mag-aaral sa kursong kinukuha nila para malaman kung sino sa kanila ang mas magaling?
pamumuhunan sa edukasyonMadalas iniuugnay sa kurso ng
isang estudyante ang kanyang kakayahan. Sa mga okasyong babanggitin ng estudyante ang kanyang kurso, parang naka-program na sa utak ng makaririnig ang dapat asahan mula sa estudyanteng ito. Kaya marahil naging esensyal na sa tuwing magpapakilala ang isa’t isa kasama ang kurso sa usapan. Sa ganitong paraan ay parang ipinahahayag na rin ang kakayahan maging ang limitasyon ng isang estudyante.
Sa puntong ito, nagkakaroon ng herarkiya ang mga kurso, kung saan tinitingnan ng ilan sa atin kung alin ang mas magaling o ang mas may pakinabang. Ang kapakinabangang ito ay madalas nababatay sa kursong makasisiguro ng trabaho o minsan ay iyong makapagbibigay ng mas mataas na sahod o kita. Ang ganitong kaisipan ay hindi malayong tanawin ng isang estudyanteng nasa lipunan kung saan namamayani ang kapitalismo, kung saan ang mas pinahahalagahan ay ang indibidwal na pag-unlad bilang bahagi ng panlipunang kaunlaran. Dagdag pa rito ang kalagayan ng Pilipinas bilang isa sa mga “developing countries,” dahilan upang ang naghihikahos nitong mamamayan ay unang pagtuunan ng pansin ang sariling pag-angat
Isang bus mula UPLB patungong Ortigas at dyip na dadaan ng Greenhills ang sinakyan naming ng kasama ko. Mahigit dalawang oras na biyahe iyon mula Laguna, kung susuwertehing hindi sasalubungin ng mala-impyernong trapik sa South Luzon Expressway hanggang sa pagpasok ng Skyway.
Imahinasyon: Larawang hindi pa nasisilayan
Sabi ng isang kasamahan ko sa Perspective, itinuturing daw ng marami na “shoppers’ haven” ang Greenhills. Hindi ko naman naitanong kung bakit at hindi pa man ako gaanong nakakapag-desisyon kung pupunta ba ako o hindi, sa simpleng pagbanggit ko pa lang sa lugar na “Greenhills,” marami na akong natanggap na habilin mula sa mga kaibigan at sa aking mga magulang. “Nagsi-sim swap din kaya ‘dun? Patanong naman.” “Tingnan mo nga kung magkano ang NSeries.” “Tanong mo nga kung bibilhin nila ang 5300 ko, five months ko pa lang nagagamit ito.” Puro cellphone. Naisip ko tuloy, kaya ba tinawag na shoppers’ haven ang Greenhills ay dahil popular ito sa pagbebenta ng mga uso ngunit murang cellphone? At hindi nga ba’t sikat ang Pilipinas sa pagiging “texting capital” sa buong mundo? Dahil kaya rito kaya pumapatok ang Greenhills maging sa mga turista? Aba, ewan ko. Teorya ko lang naman ito. Basta nasa bus ako pa-Cubao at dalawang oras mula ngayon, nandoon na ako.
Impresyon: pagsabay sa agos ng mga tao
Matapos ang halos tatlo at kalahating oras (oo, tatlo’t kalahating oras dahil na rin sa trapik at ilang beses na pagkaligaw), narating na rin namin sa wakas ang Greenhills. Isang
Litratoni Juan dela Cruz:
KulturaImaheng Nakapaloob
sa mga
sa
Divisoria. Baclaran. Quiapo. Ilan lamang ito sa mga kilalang lugar sa maingay at magulong mundo ng Maynila, dahil na
rin ito sa mura o hindi makabutas-bulsa nilang mga bilihin. Ngunit pasosyalan man o mga tiangge ang usapan, hindi na bago sa pandinig ng mga mamimili ang Greenhills.
mga umuupa ng pwestong paglalagian
ng kanilang mga ilalako. Para sa mga fashionista, nakamamangha talaga ang mga damit na nasa
uso ang disensyo at mabibili sa murang halaga. Para
naman sa mga hindi nagpapahuli sa mga pinakausong modelo ng cellphone, nagkalat ang mga manininda nito rito.
“I like the bags,” simpleng sagot ng isang Rusong namimili nang itanong ko kung anong binabalik-balikan niya sa Greenhills. Sa kabilang banda, marami naman sa mga Pinoy na nakausap ko ang sumagot na cellphone at gadgets pa rin ang hanap nila rito. “’Yun nga lang, walang warranty,” komento ng isang taga-Lipa na dumayo pa talaga para lang makabili ng modelo ng cellphone na gusto niya sa mas mababang halaga. Praktikal nga sigurong mamili sa Greenhills. Ngunit kalakip ng salitang ito ang pangangailangan ng pagiging maingat din nila sa pagpili.
detalye: pagsipat sa ImaheKung susumahin, parang
kombinasyon ng Divisoria at SM ang Greenhills. Tinanong ko ulit ang kasamahan ko sa dyaryo, “bakit nga ba naging shoppers’ haven ang Greenhills?” Ang sagot niya sa akin ay dahil maraming produkto raw dito ang ibinebenta sa mababang halaga ngunit halos walang pagkakaiba sa dating ng orihinal. Class A imitation, ika niya. Oo nga naman, marami talagang Pilipino ang talagang brand-conscious. Malaki ang epekto ng pangalan ng isang produkto kumpara sa pisikal nitong kagandahan. Naging malaki ang epekto ng colonial mentality at pagiging import dependent ng Pilipinas sa pagkahumaling ng mga Pilipino sa tatak ng produkto: colonial mentality dahil sa pagtingin na mas nakaka-angat ang ibang bansa sa atin sa lahat ng aspeto at import dependent dahil sa pag-aakalang ito ang makapagliligtas sa bumabagsak nating ekonomiya.
papel at barya: pagpapa-ikot ng SalapiAyon na rin sa Law of Supply and
Demand, ang pag-mura ng isang
produkto ay isang dahilan para tumaas ang demand dito. Sa isang malaking pamilihan na halos ibinebenta ang lahat ng pinaka-uso at pinakakaakit-akit na bagay, sa halos hindi mo mapaniwalaang mababang presyo, aasahan na talaga ang magandang resulta nito para sa mga namumuhunan sa Greenhills. At dahil na rin sa malaking interes ng mga Pilipino sa cellphone, nagluwal ang naturang pamilihan ng murang bersyon ng mga produktong kinahumalingan ng marami. Isa na rin itong paraan upang maging ang mahihirap (kung saan maka-kategorya ang karamihan sa mga Pilipino) ay makasasabay sa pabago-pabagong labas ng modelong patok sa masa.
Katulad din sa mga obserbasyong nabanggit ang kapansin-pansing mas pagdagsa ng mga tao sa Divisoria, Quiapo, Baclaran at Greenhills kung ikukumpara sa Galleria, Podium, o TriNoma. Maaaring dala nga ito nang katotohanang kahit maraming mahirap sa bansa, nananatili ang kagustuhan nila sa mga produktong “branded” at sa mga lugar tulad ng Greenhills nila nakita ang kanilang hinahanap.
Impresyon: Sa pagtulak pabalikBuo pa ang mga tanong sa aking
isipan nang lisanin namin ang Greenhills. Sadyang napakalaki ng naging epekto ng teknolohiya at kamalayang Kanluranin sa kultura ng mga Pilipino, lalo na sa mga may-kaya (at sa ilang nagpapanggap lang). Naging mataas, at tumataas pa, ang pagpapahalaga ng maraming Pilipino sa salapi at bagay na hindi nila nakakamit. Kaya siguro patuloy ang pagdami ng mga “piniratang” produkto sa Pilipinas ay para madali itong mabili sa murang halaga, hindi kagaya ng mga orihinal na kopya. Ngunit sa ibang bansa tulad ng Nigeria at razil, mahigpit itong ipinagbabawal.
Pagiging praktikal at pagkakaroon ng kagustuhang makasabay sa uso – ito ang mga malinaw naming napagtanto kung bakit sa Greenhills, ang mga Pilipino maging ang ilang mga banyaga, sa kanilang pamimili, ay iniisip muna ang presyo ng produkto bago nila ilabas ang pera upang ito ay bilhin.
Sa patuloy na pagharap ni Juan dela Cruz sa pagbabago, hindi nagpapahuli ang Greenhills sa pamamagitan ng iba’t ibang anyo ng mga larawan nito. [p]
Sanggunian: http://www.wayodd.com/the-philippines-reaffirms-status-as-text-messaging-capital-of-the-world/v/8783| http://www.economyprofessor.com/economicaltheories/theory-of-consumer-demand.php| http://www.rakista.com/viewtopic.php?t=10251&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30 | http://www.businessdayonline.com/Maritime/4141.html | http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2006/05/article_0003.html
karanasan na marahil ay maaalala ko tuwing
maririnig ang pangalang “Greenhills” ay may kinalaman sa mga habilin sa akin kanina: cellphone, mp3, iPod, digicam, at iba pang mga katulad na iniluwal ng teknolohiya. Sinubukan ko noong ilabas ang sarili kong cellphone at digicam at naglibot ako sa nasabing lugar. Hinabol ako ng mga gutom na matang may malaking interes sa mga hawak ko. Hindi para nakawin ito kundi upang bilihin. Habang gamit ko ang aking digicam sa pagkuha ng mga larawan, nag-uunahan silang lumapit sa akin na may iisang sinasabi: “Boss, ibebenta mo ba ‘yan? Mataas ako magbigay.”
Hindi lang pang-Pinoy ang mga produktong ipinagbibili sa mga naglipana ring food stalls at tiangge ng Greenhills. Mula rito ay matatanaw na ang ilang babaeng Muslim na naka-hijab, mga batang Intsik, at mga dalagang kulay-mais ang buhok – mga mukhang Caucasians. Sa simula pa lang ng paglilibot ko, napansin ko na agad kung gaano karaming dayuhan ang namimili o namamasyal dito. Marahil dahil ito sa lokasyon ng Greenhills, maraming hotel kasi ang nakapalibot dito. Iba’t iba ang hitsura ng mga tao, mula sa mga simple hanggang sa mga mukhang may-kaya. Halo-halo - ganito ko mailalarawan ang mga abalang taong makikita sa Greenhills.
Imahe: Larawan sa MalapitanGaya ng karamihan, minsan ko
ring nasabi na ang Greenhills ay isang malaking department store ng mga karangyaang dala ng teknolohiya: mula sa mga naglalakihang gamit sa bahay, naggagandahang mga damit, hanggang sa munti ngunit makikinang na alahas. Maraming pagpipiliang stalls dito – nagsisiksikan at ipagpipilitang makita ang kani-kanilang paninda dala na rin ng mahigpit na kumpetisyon ng
GREENHILLSnina Beverly May Indino at Mark Angelo Ordonio
“Com Arts
ka kasi, kaya
gamay mo na ‘yan.”
Dis(Kurso):pagsipatpag
at
sapainng
akadem
ya
tung
gali
mula sa kahirapan.Sa kasalukuyan, ang mga
ginagawang popular na kurso ay nasa linya ng Engineering, Accounting and Management, Nursing, at ilan pang katulad na kurso. Sa mga ito, sinasabi ng marami na mas malaki ang oportunidad para sa trabaho at malimit na mas mataas ang sahod. Kung kaya, tinuturing ang mga kursong ito na mas mahalaga.
Bagamat sa maraming larangan ay lubos ring kailangan ang mga graduates na iniluluwal ng mga kursong tulad ng BA Communication Arts, BA Sociology, BS Forestry, BA Philosophy, BS Development Communication at iba pa, mayroong stereotypes na madalas iugnay sa mga ito, dahilan upang hindi pahalagahan ng marami ang ganitong mga kurso. Nakalulungkot mang isipin, kapag tinatanong si Angel kung ano ang kanyang kurso, madalas ibinabato sa kanya ang mga komentong, “Wala kang makukuhang trabaho pag-graduate mo, hija,” at “Naku, mag-shift ka na, hindi ka kikita diyan.”
Maging ang UPLB ay sumasalamin ng ganitong herarkiya ng mga kurso. Sa basbas ng mga polisiyang ipinatutupad ng administrasyon, ang UP ay mayroong oryentasyong bigyang-pansin ang pangangailangan ng mga korporasyon na tinuturing na nagpapakilos sa ekonomiya ng bansa. Halimbawa ng mga polisiyang ito ay ang pagbabago ng General Education (GE) Program noong 2002 at ang pagbabawas sa quota o bilang ng mga tinatanggap na estudyante sa mga kursong hindi masyadong popular. Maging ang pakinabang mula sa mga thesis ng ilang graduating students ay napupunta sa mga malalaking pribadong korporasyon sa loob at labas ng bansa, sa halip na sa taumbayan.
pagkalulong sa hungkag kaisipan
Ang herarkiya ng mga kurso ay nagkakaroon din ng manipestasyon sa stereotyping ng ilang estudyante ng UPLB sa GE courses. Hindi
maipagkakaila na may pagpapahalaga ang
isang estudyante sa kanyang mga asignatura, depende
sa kanyang kurso. Sa Bachelor of Science
major students, marami sa kanila, kung di
man lahat, ang
‘di napagtutuunan ng pansin ang mga asignatura sa Arts and Humanities domain (e.g. ENG1 at HUM1) at Social Sciences and Philosophy domain (e.g. SOSC1 at PHLO1); habang ganoon din sa Bachelor of Arts major students sa kanilang mga asignatura sa Math, Science, and Technology domain (e.g. NASC1 at MATH1).
Malimit mangyari sa mga estudyante ang self-handicapping, kung saan ginagamit nilang dahilan ang kanilang “kahinaan” sa ibang larangan upang maipaliwanag ang hindi nila paglinang dito.
paglilingkod sa bayanSa namamayani ngayong
oryentasyon ng mga unibersidad na mag-alok ng mga kursong patok sa merkado, maging ang UPLB ay mistulang naghuhulma ng mga mag-aaral na individualistic. Sa pananantili ng ganitong kaayusan, ang pagpasok ng ilang mag-aaral sa UPLB ay may pangunahing dahilan: ang makapagtapos ng kurso at makamit ang diploma bitbit ang paniniwalang sa pamamagitan nito, mas maraming oportunidad para sa kanila (at sa kani-kanilang pamilya) upang magkaroon ng disenteng hanapbuhay.
Gayong may karampatang halaga pa rin naman para sa ganitong interes, ang pag-aaral natin sa UPLB ay pagtangan sa tungkuling maglingkod sa mga Pilipinong sa pamamagitan ng kanilang buwis ay nakakamit natin ang edukasyong UP: magsilbing pangunahing pwersa para sa pag-unlad ng bansa mula sa larangan ng siyensya at sining, hanggang sa
industriya, pamumuno, at komersyo. Ito ay
upang tugunan
una sa lahat ang tunay na pangangailangan
ng mga Pilipino sa lungsod maging sa
mga pinakaliblib na komunidad, hindi ng iilang
pribadong korporasyon. Ang ganitong mentalidad
din ang siyang bubuo ng pagkakakilanlan ng Pilipinas
bilang isang nasyon.Sa ganitong perspektiba,
walang herarkiya ng kahalagahan ng mga kurso;
lahat ay mahalaga, dahil lahat ay maka-aambag sa pag-unlad
ng bansa.
Gantimpala ng lipunanNang nakita ni Angel si Mark,
hindi na ito nagdalwang isip na magpatulong na sagutan ang take-
home exam nila sa NASC1 para sa paglinang ng kaalaman—hindi dahil
“bobo” siya rito o hindi niya ito kailangan sa kanyang magiging trabaho. Para naman kay Mark, ang pagtulong niya kay Angel ay pagbabahagi ng kaalaman, hindi para ipagmalaki ang kanyang karunungang hinahasa sa loob ng kanyang kurso.
Tulad ni Angel at Mark, tunay na ang dahilan sa pagpasok sa kolehiyo ay upang pagtuunan ng pansin ang sari-sariling espesyalisasyong ating pinili habang binibigyang halaga pa rin ang ibang bahagi ng kaalaman sa pamamagitan ng GE program.
Ang pagtutulungan nina Angel at Mark ay larawan ng mga Iskolar ng Bayan na nag-aaral hindi lamang para sa sariling ganansya kundi para sa pag-ambag sa panlipunang pag-unlad.
Ito ang ideyang pumapaloob sa Iskolar ng Bayan sapagkat sa ating mga kamay ipinagkatiwala ng taumbayan
ang kahihinatnan ng bansa. [p]*hindi tunay na pangalan
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culture12 UPLB PERSPECTIVEThE OffIcIaL STUdEnT pUbLIcaTIOn Of ThE UnIVErSITy Of ThE phILIppInES LOS bañOSVOLUME 34 ISSUE 5 | March 10, 2008
graphics UPLB PERSPECTIVEThE OffIcIaL STUdEnT pUbLIcaTIOn Of ThE UnIVErSITy Of ThE phILIppInES LOS bañOS
VOLUME 34 ISSUE 5 | March 10, 2008 13
KOMIKSni Chino Carlo Aricaya
SKET
CHPA
DAlmost a month?! Is this some kind of a joke or what? What are you saying man?! You’re probably out of your mind.
Matt said, almost in a scream.
Yeah, you heard me right, almost a month. I may be crazy but I’m definitely telling the truth. No joke.
It can’t be! Three people need me! They’re waiting! I need to get out of this fucking room!
Matt stood up. Already hysterical. And before he was able to open the hospital room’s door, the nurse came back with the doctor.
“Where are you going?” the doctor asked frantically.
I’m gonna get out of this stupid place! So better get out of my way! Get lost! Otherwise, you’ll have your ass kicked!
Matt tried to get pass the two. But he was stopped by the doctor.
“Nurse!” the doctor called.
Three nurses immediately responded. One carrying a straight jacket. Matt was forced to wear it. The nurses tied his arms. He struggled, trying his best to break free.
Let me go! I told you, three people dreadfully need me! They need help. Immediate help! They’re waiting for me! Let me go! Let me go!
Matt begged.
“They’re dead.”
Shut up, you sucker! Of course not! I’ll rescue them. Let me help them! Let me go!
“It’s been a long time. You’ve been in coma for almost a month. They hardly endured the pain. It’s too late Matt. They’re gone,” the doctor explained.
Fuck! Son of a bitch! You’re lying!
Matt shouted in front of the doctor’s face and then spat.
The nurses exerted more effort to control Matt. He was taken to another room while struggling to be let go. Sobbing, still in a state of denial, still thinking of the three men. Hoping that in spite of everything, he could, in any case, save their lives.
At the other room, Matt sat. Solitary, he continued to whimper. [P]
Denial*Transcendent
Hello... from p8took the job to support herself in her last year of stay in the university.
She has been working at the call center for 10 months already. Being awake all night is not a problem for her since she is already used to this kind of lifestyle even before she worked at a call center.
She said, “Sanay naman ako sa puyatan. Kaya nga lang, iba’t-ibang activities at functions na hinawakan mo [sa pagtratrabaho sa call canter].”
“Siguro pinaka-haggard na part ay yung kailangan kong bumiyahe mula Los Baños papuntang Alabang pabalik,” she continued.
More than her everyday experiences at the call center, she excelled in what she was doing but still she felt as if being a call center agent is merely a job to her. She does not enjoy her job or grow because of it.
“Kung meron mang isang industriya na madali kang makakapasok para kumita ng relatively malaking halaga as compared to other jobs, call center yun,” she explains.
According to Agatha, it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that unemployed or even underemployed citizens get the right job for them. She also said that the call center industry was not able to provide what people need most in their jobs: holistic development and services for the welfare of the masses.
Joining the fadAccording to a news article titled “COA finds CHEd
project anomalous” posted last Feb. 12 on Inquirer.net, the Commission on Higher Education started building call center laboratories last year for its call center training project. This aims to train students from different universities in the country and make them competent call center agents. Only this February, the project was put on hold because the government auditors found the project to be “irregular and grossly disadvantageous to the government.” The project was also found to be overpriced.
Even the UPLB administration planned to construct a
call center within the university. An article published last Nov. 2007 in UPLB Link, the monthly community newsletter of UPLB, stated that the administration plans to tie up with IBM Company in building a Client Service Center and a Software Solutions Center inside the university. The said plan was called the “Earn-As-You-Learn” program and aims to provide part-time jobs to the students. Part of this plan is to build a call center inside the university.
However, the plan did not progress because IBM had a difficult time processing papers in the country and moved their project to Indonesia instead.
choose: Underemployment or Unemployment?Call centers may promise employment and a good
salary for some, but we cannot disregard the fact that this job is a classic example of underemployment in the country. Call centers do not seem to offer jobs that would really suit the skills that most employees obtained from the college degrees they finished.
The growing call center industry can just be a manifestation of the government’s inability to provide quality jobs that will suit the abilities of the country’s graduates.
The call center industry only provides temporary jobs to the increasing number of graduates. With the present condition of our country, many of the Filipinos, usually professionals, cannot find jobs in the country. In search for a source of living, these professionals are forced to work abroad to be able to provide for their families. This diaspora deprives the Philippines of professional workers who were trained in the country.
It is sad that education does not assure graduates a good job anymore. Despite the abilities and skills graduates acquire in their college education, they are still welcomed by very few choices outside the academe.
The choice is either to leave the country or to be underemployed--or to be unemployed--at all. [p]
*not their real names
Boba! kaya nga OMG GUHRLZ! more than one! kaya kung wala ako walang OMG GUHRLZ
Eversince dumating ka, naging mas corny na ang komiks na ito!
Ang kapal ng Bangs mo! E Mas korni ka ka! korni na boba pa! korni!
lord! Tang-galin mo na sana lahat ng KORNI sa mundo!
O sige! mawala na lahat ng KORNI! che!
watda?OMG>
Hanggang ngayon, di ko parin lam kung bakit andito ka sa OMG GUHRLZ
SALBAbida drowing ni Jacob Labita
calling all UpLb students, faculty, staff, alumni, residents, friends and foodies…
Let out those nostalgic and recurring thoughts of food in and around UPLB. Help immortalize Los Banos community’s bountiful and colorful food scene. Be a part of CHE Centennial Coffee table book: UPLB eats : A Centennial keepsake of Recipes and Food Memories
Share your food stories and recipes today! Start constructing those essays on food facts, memories and experiences on: • Local Folklore • Traditional and Contemporary food and food uses/ practices for all walks of life, across the lifecycle. • Food places/ hubs/ hangouts • Food activities and Programs.or anything that has/had influence on Los Banos’ (and its environs’) food use and meanings or alternately on the food scene’s effects on the inhabitants’. The tentative outline below might be of help to you in starting up.Send in your tried and tested recipes, artwork (poetry, photographs, and illustrations) and other interesting materials relating to UpLb/Lb’s food culture.
prescribed format for EntriesEssays should be no longer than 500 words. For those submitting recipes, we highly encourage you to submit as well anec-dotes/description and photos of the recipes and recipe information as cooking tips, yield (no. of servings), preparation/cooking time and serving suggestions.Electronic copies of documents and images are preferred. Entries should be submitted in MS Word (for text) and JPEG format (for photos/ images). Images should not have sizes/ resolutions lower than 3.2 mega pixels or 300DPI (for scanned images) The entries should include the name of the author/s (articles may have multiple authors), address, e-mail address, Phone number, UP batch and course or UPLB position/ affiliation.Let us all take pride of and celebrate our community’s food ways. Write your recipes and food essays today!Submit your materials on or before: april 30, 2008For submission and inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact:prof. Melanie h. narcisoInstitute of Human Nutrition and Food, College of Human Ecology, UPLBOffice Phone No.: (49)536-2445 / E-mail: [email protected]
NOTE: The Coffee table Book Committee regrets that no all entries may be included in the book due to space limits.
KWAD
RAD
O
Nagkakaisang Pagkiloskuha ni Karmela Mirriam Ebreo
OMGguhrlz
Episode 5: “corny”
v
15UPLB PERSPECTIVEThE OffIcIaL STUdEnT pUbLIcaTIOn Of ThE UnIVErSITy Of ThE phILIppInES LOS bañOS
VOLUME 34 ISSUE 5 | March 10, 2008opinion14 UPLB PERSPECTIVE
ThE OffIcIaL STUdEnT pUbLIcaTIOn Of ThE UnIVErSITy Of ThE phILIppInES LOS bañOSVOLUME 34 ISSUE 5 | March 10, 2008
opinion
*coffee
Nakita kita, pero tulad ng mga araw at gabing wala pa sa sampung hakbang ang layo natin sa isa’t isa,
hindi mo ako nakita. Matapos ang kaguluhan at ingay ng klase, unti-unting naubos ang mga tao hanggang sa tayong dalawa na lang ang natira sa kahabaan ng puting pasilyo. Palubog na ang araw at aaminin kong gumaganda kang lalo sa pagtama ng gintong kulay ng dapit-hapon sa iyong balat. Alinsunod sa iyong pagkinang sa liwanag ay ang payak kong kaligayahan na matanaw ka sa likod ng mga anino. Sa dinami-dami ng mga pagkakataong muntik na tayong magkasalubong, mas maraming beses na pinili kong umiwas. Para sa akin, mas mainam pa ang makita kita sa malayo kaysa ang daanan mo, harap-harapang lagpasan na parang hangin. Ilang beses na rin tayong naging magkaklase. Sa hinaba-haba ng mga semestreng ‘yon, wala akong ginawa kundi mangarap, managinip at isulat ang pangalan mo, kakabit ang apelyido ko. Gusto kitang tabihan kaso baka hindi ko na magawang tumingin pa sa iyo. Namumula ako sa tuwing pinagmamasdan ka, kaya bago ka pa man lumingon, agad na akong tumutungo. Nahihiya rin akong kausapin ka sa takot na baka ni isang kataga, wala akong mabigkas kapag kaharap ka na at sa huli, lalo lang akong magmukhang katawa-tawa. Lubhang kagiliw-giliw ang pagiging palangiti mo. Sa tingin ko, maligaya ka na at hindi mo na kailangan pa ng pabigat sa mundo mo. Narito ako, pero sa katauhan ng isang tagahanga, hindi bilang isang mangingibig. Oo, mahal kita, sapat na ‘yon, at ito ay hindi mo na kailangang suklian pa.
* * * *Nilapitan kita, pero tulad ng mga araw
at gabing wala pa sa sampung hakbang ang nagagawa kong paglapit, agad kang lumisan. Matapos ang kaguluhan at ingay ng klase, unti-unting naubos ang mga tao hanggang sa tayong dalawa na lang ang natira sa kahabaan ng puting pasilyo. Lumapit ako sa liwanag para maaninag ka pero mabilis kang nilamon ng mga anino. Sa aking muling pag-iisa, wala akong nadama
kundi ang kalungkutan sabay ng pagtama ng gintong kulay ng dapit-hapon sa aking balat. Mas gugustuhin ko sanang madama ang init na ito, kung ito ay manggagaling sa mga bisig mo. Naalala ko tuloy ang mga pagkakataong hinahanap kita sa kasikipan ng madla para lang malapitan ka, pero sa tuwing makakasalubong ka na, sa isang kisapmata ay naglalaho kang parang bula. Sinisisi ko ang mga paang hindi magkandaugaga sa paghabol sa iyo, kung mas bumilis pa sana sila ng konti, naabutan sana kita. Laking ligaya ko sa tuwing magkaklase tayo. At sa hinaba-haba ng mga semestreng ‘yon, maraming beses kong inalis ang atensyon ko sa iyo sa takot na sa oras na mahalata mo ang pagtingin ko, baka lumayo at iwasan mong lalo. Hindi mo man ako tinabihan kahit minsan, masaya na ako, ang mahalaga ay alam kong sa paglingon ko, nariyan ka kahit lagi kang nakatungo. Kung alam mo lang kung gaano ko ginustong maging parte ng mundo mo. Ang mga luha ng pangungulila ko sa iyo ay pilit na tinabunan ng ngiti. Mahal kita ngayon, pero napapagod din ang puso. At sa iyong paglayo, baka dumating din ang araw na pagod na ang puso kong habulin ka.
* * * *Pinagmasdan ko kayo, at tulad ng mga
araw at gabing wala pa sa sampung hakbang ang distansya ninyo sa isa’t isa, hindi man lang kayo nagkausap. Pinabilis ko na ang oras, tinapos agad ang kaguluhan at ingay ng klase, unti-unting hinawi ang mga tao hanggang sa kayong dalawa na lang ang matira sa kahabaan ng puting pasilyo. Itinapat ko na ang gintong kulay ng dapit-hapon sa dalaga upang higit na
mabighani ka pero ikaw duwag na binata, hindi ka man lang lumapit, bagkus, naroon ka sa likod ng mga anino at kuntento na sa pagmamasid. Ikaw naman nagbubulag-bulagang babae, alam kong alam mo na nasa likod mo lang ang binata at pinagmamasdan ka, pero sa hindi malamang dahilan, hindi ka man lang lumingon. Sa dinami-dami ng pagkakataong pinagsalubong ko kayo sa daan at pinagsama sa isang silid, hindi man lang kayo nagkalapit. Hay naku, sayang lang ang sumpang nilagay ko sa bakanteng upuang iyon. Ang mga torpeng katulad mo binata, mamamatay na lang ng humahanga. At ang mga pakipot namang tulad mo dalaga, sa kapipigil ng damdamin, lilisanin ng kabataan at tatandang mag-isa. Kayong dalawang pinaulanan ko ng palaso ng pag-ibig kung kuntento na sa pag-iisa, mabuting huwag nang umibig pa. Hindi sa lahat oras kakayaning ipagpaliban ang pagtingin at pigilan ang damdamin, kaya kung hindi rin lang gagawa, maiging tapusin ko na ang buhay ninyo. Dahil sa ang pagmamahal, walang saysay kung isahan lang. Aanhin pa ang pesteng palaso kung maghihintayan lang din kayo. Eh, kung karit ni Kamatayan ang gamitin ko sa inyo? Eh ’di mas natuwa pa ako. Kung mananatiling sarado ang puso, ano pa ang pinagkaiba ng tao sa bato? Ikinalat ko na nga ang mga butil ng pag-ibig pero hindi naman pinupulot. Bobo. [P]
bobo
“Oo, mahal kita, sapat na ‘yon, at ito ay hindi mo na
kailangang suklian pa.”
Campus Forum
[p]: ano ang mga isyu na nais mong pagtuunan ng pansin ng susunod na
termino ng USc?
Abraham Finney Santos
Umay
“Ay! Sa ating pag-uugali ay luhang nangapit ang pagsamba sa ningning at pagtakwil sa liwanag.”
–General Emilio JacintoSawa na nga ba tayong magkaisa para sa
pagbabago? Sarili na lang nga ba ang ating iniisip?Kamakailan lamang ay inilahad ni Rodolfo
“Jun” Lozada Jr. sa Senado ang umano’y katiwalian na naganap sa National Broadband Network (ZTE-NBN) deal. Marami siyang idinawit na mga prominenteng mga tao tulad nina dating Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos, Philippine National Police Chief Avelino Razon, at si First Gentleman Mike Arroyo. Kung ito man ay totoo, ito na nga siguro ang pinakamalaki at pinaka-nakapanlulumong insidente ng korapsyon na naisiwalat (hindi natin inaalis
ang posibilidad na may iba pang mas malaking insidente ng korapsyon na hindi pa nadidiskubre) sa kasaysayan ng ating bansa. Maaaring itinuturing si Lozada bilang matapang at kahanga-hanga ng nakararami at baliw naman ng iilan , ngunit hangad lamang ng lahat ay ang katotohanan, hindi lamang parte ng katotohanan kundi ang kabuuuan nito.
Pilit pinabubulaanan ng mga nadawit sa kontrobersyang ito ang mga paratang na binitiwan ni Lozada at sinasabing ang hustisya ay hindi kailangang idinadaan sa emosyon at paiyak-iyak kundi sa legal sa proseso. Ngunit pati ang legal na proseso natin ay pinagdududahan; hindi naman lingid sa ating kaalaman na ang administrasyong ito ay napakahusay sa pagbabaluktot ng mga batas na pabor sa kanila(sa “legal” na paraan). Maaaring kaya bulok ang sistema ng hustisya natin sa kasalukuyan ay dahil hindi magkaalinsabay ang depenisyon at persepsyon ng mga kinauukulan sa kung ano ang hustisya at kung ano ang legal.
Marahil nagising si Lozada sa katotohanang ang “ningning” ng pera ay hindi lamang ang pinakamahalagang bagay dito sa mundo. Maaaring nakita niya ang liwanag at ang matinding pangangailan ng pagbabago sa bulok na sistema ng ating gobyerno na dahilan ng hindi natin pag-unlad. Ngunit kailangan nating maintindihan na ang pagbabago ay hindi katulad ng instant noodles na madaling makuha. Ito ay isang proseso na pangmatagalan. Sabi nga ni Chairman
Mao Zedong, ang mahabang lakbayin ay nagsisimula sa isang hakbang. Ito ang unang hakbang natin sa pagbabago-ang paghanap sa katotohanan. At magsisimula ito sa atin, sa ating mga Iskolar ng Bayan na nakaiintindi sa mahigpit na pangangailangan ng ating bansa sa pagbabago. Ngunit sawa na nga ba tayo dahil walang nangyayari? Sabi nga ni Abraham “Ditto” Sarmiento, “kung hindi tayo kikibo, sino ang kikibo? kung hindi tayo kikilos, sino ang kikilos? kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa?” Nawa ay huwag maghari ang pagsasawalang-bahala sa ating mga ulirat, sana ay maibalik natin sa taong bayan ang pribilehiyo at responsibilidad na iginawad nila sa atin.
Habang ipinagtatanggol ni Lozada ang katotohanan na kanyang ipinapahayag, abalang-abala naman ang gobyerno sa pagtatangol hindi ng “katotohanan” kundi ng kanilang mga sarili. Sinasabi Political Science na, ang mahusay na pamamalakad ng gobyerno ay nangangailangan ng pagbibigay importansya sa structural (sistema) at sa agential (ang mga nagpapatakbo ng sistema).
Hindi natatapos sa panawagang OUST Gloria ang ating tungkulin, ngunit patuloy sa walang sawang pagbabantay at pagpupursigi na makamit ang lipunang ating inaasam- isang lipunang may hustisya hindi lamang para sa iilan kundi para sa lahat.
Hindi natin alam kung ano ang mangyayari sa hinaharap, kung sino ang mga maparurusahan, ang mga mapawawalang-sala at patuloy pang madadawit. Ngunit patuloy sana nating hanapin ang “liwanag” at itakwil ang mga “ningning” na nakasisilaw lamang sa ating mga mata, isipan at puso. Si Lozada ay hindi ang ating tagapagligtas, siya lamang ang ating kinatawan upang sa ating paraan ay maaari nating matuklasan ang katotohanan kahit pa parang bumabangga tayo sa isang hindi mabuwag-buwag na pader. Walang panahon para magsawa. Habang marami pang mga tiwali sa gobyerno, habang marami pa ang inaapi at habang marami pa ang nagugutom sa ating bansa, huwag tayong magsawa. Makialam at hanapin ang liwanag, mga pag-asa ng bayan. [P]
“Ito ang unang hakbang natin sa pagbabago-ang paghanap sa katotohanan. At
magsisimula ito sa atin, sa ating mga Iskolar ng
bayan na nakaiintindi sa mahigpit na
pangangailangan ng ating bansa sa pagbabago.”
No Fury So Loud
Mumblings
Buwan ng Pebrero, buwan daw ng pagbabago. Ano’ng klaseng pagbabago? Ano sa palagay mo? Bumaha ng pangako. Lason ay isinubo.
Tuloy sa pagkakapako. May utang pati apo.Halos patapos na ang Buwan ng mga Puso.
Pero hanggang sa huli, hindi pahuhuli ang mga isyu na nagbigay kulay sa buwan na ito. Patunay na hindi lang pula ang moda ng Pebrero. May mga isyung singberde ng mga damo sa Freedom Park, may sing-itim ng pagpupulong Central Electoral Board (CEB), at may singpula ng panawagang patalsikin na si Gloria.
Kasinungalingan. Isang kahangalan. Walang libreng kalayaan, ito’y pinagbabayaran.
Karaniwang reklamong naririnig natin sa katatapos na February Fair ay ang pagbabawal na magtayo ng booth sa bahagi ng Freedom Park na pinakamalapit sa D.L. Umali Auditorium, gayundin ang presensya ng mga booth ng mga tiangge at kainan sa loob ng FebFair grounds. Ito ay dahil sa ayaw umano ng admin na ipagamit ang kalahati ng upper field dahil masisira ang mga damo. Inihahanda umano ang mga ito para sa nalalapit na centennial graduation. Ipinasok naman ang mga tiangge at kainan sa loob ng FebFair grounds dahil maookupa raw ng mga ito ang “pathway” sa gilid ng Freedom Park. Kailangan din umanong bigyan
ng konsiderasyon ang mga taong naglalakad dito at ‘yung mga nagjo-jogging sa umaga at upang hindi magkaroon ng trapik sa nasabing lugar. Nakiusap umano ang University Student Council na panatilihin ang mga booth na ito sa dating lugar ngunit sinabi ng admin na kapag hindi sila inilipat ay hindi bibigyan ng kuryente ang buong Fair. Kaya ayun, katulad ng una nang naibalita dito sa Perspective, isang “FebFair to be remembered” nga ang naganap. Ang husay ano?
Palabas na moro-moro, ito kaya ay totoo? EDSA ng pagbabago, saan? Kailan? Kanino?
Habang isinusulat ko ang artikulong ito, hindi pa rin nasusundan ang pagpupulong ng CEB matapos maputol ito sa bahaging aaprubahan na dapat noong Pebrero 6 ang mga kandidato para sa USC-CSC elections.
Sa bahagi ng inyong lingkod, na isa sa mga miyembro ng CEB, personal akong nananawagan sa iba pang miyembro ng CEB lalo na kay OSA
Sayaw sa Bubog*Jovy de Manuel
Director Severino Cuevas at sa mga college secretaries na pulungin na sa lalong madaling panahon ang CEB. Isantabi na muna natin ang mga hindi pagkakasundong ibinunga ng mga maiinit na debateng naganap sa ating mga pulong. Paumanhin, kung sa palagay ninyo ay nabastos ko kayo sa anumang paraan. Nangyari iyon hindi dahil sa pinlano ko ito o may mga personal akong galit o puna sa inyo, kundi dahil ibinunga na rin ito ng mga palitan natin ng mga argumento at palagay.
Bilang mga kasapi ng CEB, malaki ang ating responsibilidad na pangalagaan ang kredibilidad ng USC-CSC elections. Lalo na kayong mga miyembro ng administrasyon ng UPLB. Marapat pasalamatan at kilalanin ang inyong papel sa pagbibigay ng importansya sa mga demokratikong proseso sa unibersidad. Ngunit sa patuloy na pagtangging pulungin ang CEB, isinasangkalan natin ang demokratikong karapatan ng mga estduyanteng mamili ng kanilang mga pinuno.
Kaya naman nais kong ulitin ang pakiusap na ito: pulungin na sa lalong medaling panahon ang CEB. At pangalagaan natin ang isa sa pinakamakasaysayang pangyayari sa isandaang taong pag-iral ng UP.
Sayaw. Sayaw. Sayaw sa bubog. Ang naglalakad ng tulog, ay tiyak na mauuntog.
Ilan pang mga isyung patuloy na pinag-uusapan sa elbi: May walong surveillance cameras na ikakabit sa ilang bahagi ng kampus. Para umano ito sa dagdag na seguridad sa kampus. At dahil mayroon na nito, mababawasan na umano ang pangangailangan sa ating mga security guards. Sana marunong humabol ng mga kriminal at mga frat na nagrarumble ang mga cameras na ito.
Sayaw. Sayaw. Sayaw sa bubog. Ang naglalakad ng tulog, ay tiyak na mauuntog.
Nagsagawa ng isang tigil-pasada ang mga
“...siguruhin mong hindi ka pahuhuli sa paglikha ng
kasaysayan.”
Hodge Podgedrayber ng jeep sa UPLB kaugnay sa pagbabalik ng dati nilang ruta at sa pagkuha ng ID bilang rekisito sa pagkuha ng sticker na magsisilbing gate pass ng kanilang mga jeep sa kampus. Nakasaad umano sa papeles na kailangang isumite ng mga drayber ang mga salitang “ako’y nangangakong tutupad…sa mga batas na ipinapatupad sa loob ng UPLB…”
Ayon sa mga drayber, nangangahulugan ito na hindi sila pwedeng magreklamo sa ma polisiyang ipapatupad ng administrasyon. Para bang iginigisa sa sariling mantika ang mga tsuper na ito. Kaya isinakripisyo nila ang isang araw na kita para sa mas malalaking pagbabagong hinahanap.
Sayaw. Sayaw. Sayaw sa bubog. Ang naglalakad ng tulog, ay tiyak na mauuntog.
Ilang buwan nang pinag-uusapan ang milyon-milyung dolyar na ZTE-NBN broadband deal sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at China. Pero umakyat sa pinakamataas na lebel ng panuri ng sambayanang Pilipino ang isyung ito ngayong Pebrero matapos lumantad si Jun Lozada. Lumabas na rin ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema na iparinig ang Hello Garci tape sa lahat matapos itong ipagbawal noon. Mukhang nauubos na ang glorya ni Gloria.
…ang naglalakad ng tulog, ay tiyak na mauuntog.Matatapos na ang buwan ng Pebrero. At habang
sumasayaw sa bubog ang mga naghahari-harian, siguruhin mong hindi ka pahuhuli sa paglikha ng kasaysayan. Walang panahon para magpatulog-tulog. Lalo pa’t tumitindi ang pagkalabog ng mga makakating paa papunta sa Edsa. [P]
*awitin ng The Jerks, isang kombo
“’Yung paglilipat ng tambayan namin [Bio Sci]. Sa ngayon naman,
sinusuportahan naman kami [ng USC]. Sana ipagpatuloy lang ang suporta
nila sa mga orgs.”Leah, bS bio ‘05
“TOFI pa rin o kaya ‘yung improvements na dapat nakikita natin
dahil sa ToFI.”Jannah, bS MST ‘05
“UP ChaCha, kasi ‘yun ‘yung mag-e-establish ng image ng UP in the
next 100 years—lalo na ‘yung mga dangerous provisions nito.”
Kezy, ba philo ‘02
“Ipagpatuloy pa ang mga campaign sa mga issues at sa mga anti-student
policies, o ‘yung mga issues na malaki ang epekto sa mga estudyante.”
ryan, ag Econ ‘04
“Jeepney rerouting, kasi ngayong year, masyadong nabago ang ruta nila [drivers]. Hindi lang estudyante
ang naaapektuhan, ‘yung mga jeepney drivers din, kasi malaki rin talaga ang nakakaltas sa kanilang
kita. Sana maibalik sa dati [ang ruta].”Mei, bS devcom ‘04
“Sa UPLB, siyempre continue pa rin ‘yung campaign against ToFI…
[magkaroon ng] information dissemination on [UP] ChaCha so that
alam ng mga estudyante ang mga implikasyon nito sa mga buhay nila. Sa National [level], since last leg na ng term ni GMA, [sana] continue pa
rin na maging critical sa presidency ni Gloria.”
Mr. carlos piocos IIIDepartment of Humanities
[p]: ano ang masasabi mo sa feb fair ngayong taon?
“Bakit nasa gitna ang mga tindahan? Tapos nasa far-fetched area ang
ibang org booths?”Kyla, chem Eng ‘05
“Maayos ang pagkaka-layout ng mga booths compared last year.”
John, agri Eng ‘03
“Magulo ang Feb Fair. Kasi hindi ba sanay tayo na nasa labas ang mga
kainan kaya madaling makita? Ngay-on, effort na para makakain lang.”
Mayang, bS Math ‘05
“Kaunti ‘yung tao. Kaunti ‘yung mga booths. Hindi ko masyadong
na-enjoy.”Jay, bS. bio ‘06
“Okay naman. Kasi kahit papaano nag-participate naman ang
mga tao.”peter, bS aMat ‘04
“Eventful compared last year. Siguro dahil this is inline with the centennial
celebration. Mas special siya.”Ms. Ma. Stella hilario
Department of Social Sciences
sa inaprubahang student charter at kailangan nating maging mas keen sa papaano lalaruin ng BOR or administrasyon ‘yung UP Charter kasi halimbawa, ‘yung funds, ima-manage siya ng mga certain corporations. Ang interpretasyon ni Senator Villar ay mas [magiging] recommendatory body lang sila pero nakalagay kasi sa Charter na sila ang magdi-direct ng policies ng BOR. Kailangan nating maging vigilant pa rin bagama’t meron na tayong mga gains.”
[p]: “Ano ang pagtingin mo sa umano’y planong ikomersyalisa ang edukasyon ng UP?”
Shan: “Firmly, ino-opose natin ‘yung komersyalisasyon ng edukasyon, lalo na sa UP and other state universities. Ayokong maging mode of commercialization ang education in the future [dahil] magke-cater na lang ang UP education sa iilang makaka-afford nito.”
pagtingin sa Kalagayan ng UpLb[p]: “Ano ang iyong palagay sa
panukala na gawing “ecotourism” spot
ang UPLB?”Shan: “Tatanungin natin kung
makaka-enhance ba siya ng development ng mga students at sa UPLB in general or is it only a means of generating income for the university? ‘Yung budget na ibibigay sana sa ecotourism ay ibigay na lang sa development ng students and faculty.”
[p]: “Ano ang palagay mo sa pagpapaalis ng mga tambayan ng mga orgs sa BioSci?”
Shan: “Isang form siya ng pagsagasa sa karapatan ng mga estudyante. Kailangan ng democratic process ang mga pangyayaring ito. Maaaring magset pa ng precedence na gumawa pa ng mga represibong policies ang administrasyon ng UP.”
pagsabay sa kanyang paghahandaHinihintay na lamang ni Shan ang
pagtatapos ng termino ni SR Ridon at ang pag-apruba ng Malacañang sa pagkakapili sa kanya upang makapagsilbi na bilang unang Muslim at Centennial SR. Sa ngayon ay ginugugol niya ang kanyang oras sa pagbuo ng kanyang
mga plano kasabay ng kanyang pagiging USC Chairperson ng UP Diliman.
Ngunit gaano man kapabor sa mga estudyante ang kanyang mga ipinapanukala bilang SR at gaano man kabuo ang kanyang kagustuhang maging malapit sa kanyang mga pinagsisilbihan, mawawalan ito ng saysay kung ang mga estudyante mismo ang didistansya sa kanya.
Sa panahon ngayon, kung saan ang karapatan ng mga estudyante ay tila ipinagsasawalang bahala ng administrasyon, ang “pinakamapangyarihang” lider-estudyante ay mahihirapang gawin ang nararapat kung siya ay nag-iisa lamang sa laban.
Katulong ang buong hanay ng mga mag-aaral ng UP, pinatunayan ni Shan na ang mga babaeng Muslim ay hindi malilimitahan ng mga panghuhusga ng lipunan. At sa oras ng krisis at paniniil sa ating mga karapatan, ang mga taong pinararatangan nating “terorista” ang isa sa mga mangunguna sa pagtatanggol ng lahat ng Iskolar ng Bayan. [p]
SR Shan... from p7
Kasabay ng paglalabas ng listahan ng mga estudyanteng nakapasa sa nakaraang UPCAT noong Enero ay ang agarang pagkilos ng mga mamamahayag ng Perspective upang mangalap ng sapat na datos at impormasyon. Ito ay pagtugon lamang sa tungkulin ng pahayagan na ipaalam sa mga estudyante ang kumpletong detalye hinggil dito. Bilang pagsunod sa mga polisiyang ipinatutupad ng Office of the University Registrar, isang opisyal na liham ang ipinadala ng Perspective upang humingi ng mga datos sa pamunuan ng nasabing opisina.
Ngunit makalipas ng ilang linggong pagpapabalik-balik sa nasabing opisina ay tanging mga limitadong sagot lamang ang natanggap ng Perspective na kung susumahin ay hindi sapat upang makabuo ng isang maikling balita.
Kung babalikan ang mga nakaraang schedule ng pahayagan, ang balitang ito ay dapat nailathala noon pang ikatlong isyu, ngunit sa ngayon ay hindi pa rin ito nakasama sa ikalimang paglilimbag. Wala namang masama kung malaman ng mga estudyante ang mga simpleng numero at interpretasyon sa mga bilang na ito.
Halos makailang ulit nang naranaasan ng mga miyembro ng Perspective ang ganitong pangyayari. Patuloy na hindi pinauunlakan ng mga kinauukulan ang pagbibigay ng impormasyon hinggil sa mga importanteng isyu na dapat sana ay isasama sa mga nakaraang paglilimbag nito.
Bilang pahayagan na naglilingkod sa kanyang mga tagapaglathala, isa pang pangyayari ang ninais ipaalam ng Perspective sa mga tagapaglathala nito. Ilang tao lang kaya ang nakaaalam, na habang ang lahat ay abalang nagsasaya noong February Fair, may mga surveillance camera na inilagay sa poste ng Freedom Park nagmamasid sa mga nagaganap? Kaalinsabay ng balitang ito ay ang planong palitan na ng mga kamerang ito ang mga guwardiya para sa ating seguridad. Ngunit tulad din ng iba pang karanasan, ang Perspective ay pinaunlakan lamang ng isang panayam matapos ng ilang beses na pagpapabalik-balik sa opisina ng Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs (OVCCA)kahit na ilang beses ang ginawang pagtanggi nito.
Isinasaad sa artikulo III, ikapitong seksyon ng 1987 Philippine Constitution na “ang bawat mamamayan ay may karapatang malaman ang mga impormasyon na nakakaapekto sa kanila. Ang lahat ay may kalayaang humingi ng anumang records at dokyumento
higgil sa mga transaksyon o desisyon at maging ang mga research data na basehan ng mga pampolisiyang kaunlaran, ang paglabag sa probisyong ito ay may karampatang parusa na naaayon sa batas.”
Malinaw na nakalagay sa ating konstitusyon ang karapatan ng mga mamamayan kasama ang mga estudyante, na malaman ang anumang datos na may kinalaman sa kanila. Ngunit tila ang kautusang ito ay unti-unting nilalabag ng mismong pamunuan ng ating unibersidad.
Gaano nga ba kahalaga na malaman ang tama at sapat na impormasyon? Ang importansya nito ay ilang beses nang napatunayan hindi lamang sa pang araw-araw na pamumuhay lalo’t higit sa mundo ng pamamahayag. Ang mga isyung sinubaybayan sa loob at labas ng kampus tulad ng kamatayan ni Along, TOFI, NBN-ZTE scandal at marami pang iba ay nangailangan ng masusing pangangalap ng datos at impormasyon. Paano kaya kung ang mga ito ay basta-basta na lamang isinulat na ang tanging basehan lamang ay ang mga narinig na haka-haka? Marahil, matinding pagkalito at kaguluhan ang madudulot nito lalo na at ang mga ito ay pawang mga sensitibong isyu na may malaking epekto sa interes ng mga estudyante.
Ang publiko ay nagnanais na malaman ang mga pangyayari sa kanyang paligid dahil ito ang kanilang basehan upang gumawa ng pagpapasya. Kaugnay nito ay ang palagiang pagtatangka ng Perspective bilang isang responsableng pahayagan na ibigay ang dalawang panig ng pagbabalita. Bago pa man ilabas ng pahayagan ang anumang artikulo nito ay sinisiguro munang nilalaman nito ang lahat ng mahahalagang panig ng isyu na kalimitan ay ang administrasyon at ang mga estudyante.
Ngunit dahil na rin sa patuloy na pagtanggi ng kinauukulan ay madalas na panig lamang ng estudyante ang nailalabas ng Perspective na nagbubunga ng bintang na paminsang-minsang pagiging biased nito sa panig ng mga estudyante. Ang paratang na ito ay nais linawin ng Perspective, ang isang balita ay kailangang agarang mailabas ng agaran matapos na ito ay mangyari. Kung gayon, ang pagkakaroon ng delay sa isang balita ay magreresulta sa tuluyang hindi paglalathala nito dahil ito ay hindi na napapanahon. Ang ganitong pangyayari ay mayroong malaking epekto sa mga estudyanteng kailangang makaalam ng mga balitang ito.
Upang tugunan ang ganitong suliranin, ang Perspective ay naglalabas ng balita sa kabila ng kawalan ng impormasyon mula sa panig ng administrayon ngunit, malinaw na inilalagay sa dulo ng mga balita na ang manunulat ay patuloy pa rin na nangangalap at naghihintay ng mga datos. Ito ang paraan ng Perspective para ipakita ang panig ng administrasyon.
Bilang responsableng mamamahayag pang-kampus, ang UPLB Perspective ay hindi umaasa sa mga haka-haka lamang. Kaya naman pinipilit nito na makakuha ng sinasabing “first-hand information.” Hindi naman nito gusto na maglabas ng mga balitang naglalaman ng maling detalye.
Subalit dahil nga sa kahirapang kumuha ng sapat na impormasyon mula mismo sa mga taong nakakaalam nito, malinaw na ang mga mamahayag ng Perspective ay hindi pwedeng sisihin kung may ilang pagkakamali sa mga nakaraang isyu nito dahil isinulat lang ng mga mamamahayag ang kung anong impormasyong binigay sa kanila ng kinauukulan. Ang mahalaga ay ang hindi pagbabago ng anumang datos upang mapaganda lamang ang pagbabalita.
Ang UPLB ay isang unibersidad na matimtimang pinapahalagahan ang kalayaan sa pamamahayag at ang karapatan ng bawat indibidwal sa tamang impormasyon. Kung ang prinsipyong ito ay patuloy pa rin nating inaari at ipinagmamalaki hindi lamang sa mga kapwa-Iskolar ng Bayan kung hindi pati sa buong mundo, bakit ang mga kinauukulan ay tila unti-unting ipinagkakait sa mga estudyante ang mga mahahalagang impormasyon sa loob ng kampus?
Bilang mga estudyanteng patuloy na naniniwala sa kanyang mga karapatan, ito ang umpisa ng matimtimang pagmamatyag at pagkilos. [P]
Editorial
The possibility of a “no election” has stricken the existence of one of the autonomous student institutions in
UPLB, the University and College Student Councils (USC–CSC). And this only means another blow to the students’ struggles, since the primary right and responsibility of students to vote has nearly been repressed by the University’s powers-that-be.
It all started with one of the meetings of the Central Electoral Board (CEB), when an argument about changing the qualifications for electoral candidates was raised by Office of Student Affairs Director and CEB Ex–officio Chairperson Severino Cuevas and was agreed upon by college secretaries present in the meeting. These qualifications were already decided upon in the previous meeting of the CEB and were announced to the University by the body. But after a heated and debate, nobody in the CEB filed a motion to rescind or to nullify the decisions made during the meeting, so the qualifications were maintained. Later on, this “stand–off ” led to a worse situation where the election could be suspended until sometime in March, technically violating the USC Constitution which states that the USC–CSC elections should be held three weeks before the end of the semester. According to USC Chairperson Leo “XL” Fuentes, Cuevas already resolved to convene the CEB, but only if the college secretaries will also attend the meeting. The student councils, however, are firm in standing by what they know is right and just.
According to Article 434 of the UP Code, the USC Constitution should govern the qualifications for the electoral candidacy. These qualifications are as follows: a.) at least one semester of residence in UPLB and b.) not a graduating student for the first semester in the next academic year. Unless the involved UP unit does not have a governing student council and its corresponding constitution, Article
440 will be followed. This article includes good academic standing in the qualifications for the candidates aside from the previously cited ones.
But since there is already an existing USC here in UPLB, it is only right to follow their Constitution for the conduct of student elections. This means that the qualifications set by the CEB did not violate any provision in the UP Code. In fact, the existence of CEB as a governing body for student elections is only mandated by the USC Constitution and not by any provision in the UP Code.
The points are these: why change the qualifications for electoral candidacy if they were properly voted upon and were already set by the majority block of the CEB? Why revoke the guidelines if they were decided via legal procedures? Why hold the campaign and the elections when it will just compromise the student leadership for the following year? And why restrain the power of the majority if it was really for the right position?
No-El (?)
Any attempts to abolish the student councils are not just an institutional issue but an issue of the whole studentry. Abolishing student councils is tantamount to lambasting students’ right and welfare. And abolishing the sole representative of the students to higher policy–making bodies in UP means depriving the students their right to participate in the development of the University in next hundred years of struggle and academic excellence.
With all these issues hounding the USC-CSC elections, the existence of an alternative administration is again put to a more difficult test. But how long will it be left hanging? No one could say, or maybe when the powers-that-be at least take one step back and respect the rule of the majority and the principle of deliberation. But that is actually like expecting to see the Oblation wearing clothes. [P]
“The points are these: why change the
qualifications for electoral candidacy if they were properly voted upon and were already set by the majority block of the CEB? Why revoke the
guidelines if they were decided via legal procedures? ”
Under Scrutiny
Remelizza Joy Sacra
chrISTIan ray bUEndIa EDITOR IN CHIEF | JOVy dE ManUEL ASSOCIATE EDITOR, FEATURES EDITOR| aarOn JOSEph aSpI MANAGING EDITOR | bEVErLy chrISTcEL LaGUarTILLa BUSINESS MANAGER |MarK VIncEnT baracaO CULTURE EDITOR | nErVaLIn aMInah LIndO NEWS EDITOR | EULa MarIE ManGaOanG COPY EDITOR | chInO carLO arIcaya GRAPHICS EDITOR | abrahaM fInnEy SanTOS LAYOUT EDITOR |
nIKKO anGELO OrIbIana, harrIET MELanIE ZabaLa nEWS |SUGar MarIE baULa, bEVErLy May IndInO, KIM arVIn fanEr, anGELIca MEndOZa cULTUrE | faITh aLLySOn bUEnacOSa, rOGEnE GOnZaLES, LIbErTy nOTarTE fEaTUrES | KErVIn GabILO, paUL andrEW ManUaLES prOdUcTIOn | rEMELIZZa JOy Sacra ManaGInG |KarMELa MIrrIaM EbrEO, caMILLE GarcIa, JacOb LabITa, anna MaE LaMEnTILLO, daryL MaGnO, caSELyn ShanE MaraSIGan, LyKa ManGLaL-Lan, SaLVaTOrrE dE VIncE OLanO,MarK anGELO OrdOnIO, JOnaThan rayMUnd pandI, ELLySa rOSaLES, ShErIc KEIGh TabLac apprEnTIcES | EdITOrIaL OffIcE: rOOM 11 STUdEnT UnIOn bUILdInG UnIVErSITy Of ThE phILIppInES LOS bañOS cOLLEGE LaGUna
UPLB PERSPECTIVE is a member of the college Editors Guild of the philippines and Solidaridad-Up Systemwide alliance of Student publications and Writers [email protected] | http://uplbperspective0708.deviantart.com
UPLB PERSPECTIVE | ThE OffIcIaL STUdEnT pUbLIcaTIOn Of ThE UnIVErSITy Of ThE phILIppInES LOS bañOS
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