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MondayNovember 3, 2014

Volume 28Number 4-5

MORE INSIDE02 NEWS SUCs Budget Increase by P5.2B

06 FEATURES The Unheeded Uprising09 CULTURE Hell Puyat

13 GRAPHICS #LifestyleCheckUPM14 OPINION Serve the People

15 EDITORIAL Rule of Thieves

02 NEWS Volume 28 Number 4-5November 3, 2014 | Monday

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COLLEGEBRIEFS

Four Biochemistry alumni of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) placed among the top ten passers in the recent Chemist Licensure Examination held last September 16 to 17. The placers are namely: Alvin J. Logronio (Rank 5th), Adrian Paul S. Tan (Rank 6th), Robinson Bryan C. Andres (Rank 9th), and John Thaddeus N. Campo (Rank 10th). Based on the results posted by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) was among the top performing schools with an 87.50 per cent passing rate. Among the 32 exam takers, 28 passed the board.

The UP Manila Information Management Service (IMS-UPM) is offering free use of resources and venue for video teleconferencing at its new office located in the Information Technology Center at the Old NEDA compound along Padre Faura. Faculty, students, and staff of UPM can access a faster internet bandwidth and Polycom teleconferencing equipment, desktop computers as well as LCD monitors and technical support by requesting schedule through e-mail at ims@post.upm.edu.ph.

ORGANEWS

The UPM University Student Council (USC) brings you the year’s ultimate crammer’s crash course for the National Medical Admission Test (NMAT). The review will be given by top-notch UP med students along with 99+ NMAT achievers at the main lecture room of the College of Medicine on November 8-9. Students who are interested can apply by sending their names, year and course, and contact details along with a photo of their school ID to nmatreview2014@gmail.com. The deadline for early registration is on October 17 while regular registration is until the Oct. 31. The NMAT 2014 Review is open to all.

The UPM Alpha Phi Omega (APO) in partnership with Public Health Artists Circle, Nursing Artist Corps: Himig, Youth for Christ UPM Music ministry, Biorhythm, and UP Salinlahi, presents the first and only all male a-capella singing competition in campus, “TINGAPAN: Tinig ng Ating Panahon” to be held on November 7 at the CAS Little Theater. For inquiries contact Bret: 0935-1654590 or visit facebook.com/UPMTINGAPAN.

The UP Biochemistry Society will be having a screening of the movie Mockingjay Part 1 on November 20 at Cinema 1 of Robinsons Manila. For tickets and more details, approach any UPBCS member.

Abad: Budget of SUCs increase by P5.2BYouth rep requests ‘vague’ funds to be reallocated to SUC budget

EZRA KRISTINA OSTAYA BAYALAN

According to Department of Budget and Management (DBM) secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, there was a Php5.2 billion net increase in the budget of State Universities and Colleges (SUC) from last year’s Php 38 billion to this year’s Php 43.3 billion.

Counter statement

Secretary Abad released a statement on October 2 amidst criticisms that the Aquino administration had not given the SUCs their proper budget allotment, and even had their budget cut, since 2010. Abad also remarked that the budget of SUCs had risen by almost half since then.

“These misleading pronouncements are just a rehash of last year’s concerns on education budget cuts and they’ve already been disproven. The budget of SUCs has been increasing year-on-year, from P23.8 billion in 2010 to P43.3 billion in 2015,” he said.

“Education is and will always be a top priority of the Aquino Administration. The Department of Education has the biggest budget allocation in the proposed 2015 national budget with P364.96 billion,” he adds.

Vague terms

In lieu with the recent issues of the Disbursement Acceleration Fund (DAP)

and the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam, Rep. Terry Ridon of the Kabataan Party-list requested an increase in budget for the country’s 113 SUCs by transferring questionable lump sum appropriations in the General Appropriations Bill to the schools.

Ridon requested that funds from lump sum items be transferred to the SUC’s Php41 billion 2015 budget in order to increase it to Php78.7 billion and in order to “augment the meager funding for tertiary education.”

Ridon sent a letter to House appropriations committee chairman Davao Rep. Isidro Ungab asking that P27,606,000 under “Budgetary Support to Government Corporations-Others” be allocated to the SUCs since these appropriations were vague and simply repeated the entry “Budgetary Support to Government Corporations,” which already had an itemization.

VP Binay faces impeachment raps EUNICE BIÑAS HECHANOVA

“It is thus clear that this line item is part of the presidential pork barrel, and the appropriations herein should be rechanneled instead to education,” Ridon said.

Ridon stated that his proposition would see a Php12.39 billion budget increase for the University of the Philippines (UP) and P1.1 billion more for the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Other SUCs would also have their budgets substantially increased.

“For years, our students and constituents have called for greater state funding for education. Yet, a nominal increase, such as what we see in the 2015 budget, hardly suffices,” Ridon said.

“What our state schools need is a substantial increase—an additional budget that could match their actual funding requirement,” he added.

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Budget Php 23.8B Php 23.7B Php 23.8B Php 34.9B Php 38B Php 43.3B

Under CHED ----- ----- Php 500M ----- ----- -----

Under MPBF ----- ----- Php 2.03B Php 2.20B Php 2.47B Php 4.32B

Under DAP ----- Php 4.28B ----- ----- ----- -----

GRAND TOTAL Php 23.8B Php 28B Php 26.4B Php 37.1B Php 40.5B Php 47.7BTable 1: Comparative table of the SUCs budget under different programs. Miscellaneous VPersonnel Benefit Funds (MPBF) Source: DBM

The alleged acts of corruption and betrayal of public trust committed by Vice President Jejomar Binay cite him to be probable for impeachment, according to Caloocan Representative Edgar Erice. The Malacañang Palace appointed the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to lead the inspection of the purported misuse of government funds of the vice president. Once the matter is examined, the House of Representatives is to decide whether an impeachment complaint is to be filed.

attaCks on Binay

During a Senate investigation, former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado stated that Vice President Binay did not include his properties in Batangas and Tagaytay in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities (SALN). Aside from that, he said that the vice president acquired money from buildings such as the Makati Parking Building through corruption.

Moreover, Mercado underscored that there was enough justification to impeach the seated vice president. He indicated the former Makati mayor alloted the proceeds taken from the overpriced buildings for his 2010 campaign for vice presidency.

Currently, Binay and his son, incumbent Makati City Mayor Junjun Binay, are

confronted by complaints regarding overpriced Makati buildings during Vice President Binay’s term as Makati mayor in 2007.triVial Claims

Nevertheless, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II discarded the idea of Binay being impeached. “I think that up to this point we have been discussing things before he became Vice President, and on that basis, I don’t think impeachment is something that’s called for,” disclosed Belmonte.

Additionally, Secretary General JV Bautista contended that Vice President Binay sold the Tagaytay tract last 2012 as an answer to Mercado's arraignment. He elaborated that the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) was still processing the shift in ownership, thus the title was still in Vice President Binay's name.

Bautista also reasoned that the 350-hectare state in Rosario, Batangas was bought by the Sunchamp Real Estate Development Corp. in 2010. He asserted that Mercado's evidences were not speculative and reliable.

Conversely, United National Alliance (UNA) interim president and Navotas City Representative Toby Tiangco pointed that Erice's intent of filing an impeachment case has motives of slandering Vice President

Binay.

ongoing sCrutiny

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima instructed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to inspect the issue about the Binay family's ill-gotten wealth and other controversies about his properties. She also emphasized that charges against the alleged corrupt official that have come up and those not discovered yet will be probed as well.

“We will be doing this investigation as a sort of parallel investigation to the one being conducted by the Senate blue ribbon committee and the Office of the Ombudsman,” De Lima explained. She furthered that the truth behind the statements of the whistleblowers would be confirmed after the investigation.

However, Bautista indicted that De Lima showed bias in ordering whistleblowers like Mercado under the Witness Protection Program of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Alternatively, Binay said his collaboration with the investigation depended on how DOJ would handle the case. “It is a sad day when the Department of Justice is part of the political circus,” maintained Binay's spokesman and Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla.

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Pagsasapribado ng LRT-1 at NAIA, ikinakasa ARIES RAPHAEL REYES PASCUA

Nagkasundo na ang gobyerno at ang Light Rail Manila Consortium (LRMC) na binubuo ng mga pribadong korporasyon sa pagpapalawig ng Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), samantalang naghahanda na rin para sa pagsasapribado ang Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Sa pagpirma ng pamahalaan sa P65 bilyong LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project noong Oktubre 2, pormal nang ipinaubaya ng administrasyong Aquino ang operasyon ng LRT-1 sa LRMC na binubuo ng AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. ng Ayala Corp., Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) ni Manny Pangilinan, at Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings Philippines PTE Ltd. ng Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure.

Ayon kay Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Secretary General Renato Reyes, Jr., “truly onerous” umano ang pagsasanib-puwersa ng Ayala Corp. at MPIC para sa proyektong ito, na pinagtibay pa ng Department of Transportation and Communcation (DOTC) kasabay ng pagpayag sa posbileng dagdag sa pamasahe nito.

Sa kabilang banda, hindi naman umano papaboran ng kalihim ng DOTC na si Sec. Joseph Abaya ang pagtataas ng pasahe ng LRMC nang walang sumusuportang pag-aaaral upang gawin ito.

Ayon kay Abaya, malaki ang maitutulong ng LRT Extension sa transportasyon lalo na

sa mga mamamayang nakatira sa Cavite, Batangas, Laguna at iba pang lugar na nasa labas ng Maynila. “This extension took over a decade to be planned, approved and tendered out. Having made it to this point, the DOTC is committed to the infrastructure development of this country,” wika niya sa contract signing ng proyekto.

Naniniwala naman si Ayala Corporation Chief Operating Officer Fernando Zobel de Ayala na ito na ang simula ng mahaba-haba at matrabahong proyekto upang palawigin ang LRT-1 sa mga malalapit na probinsya hanggang 2019.

“The LRT Line 1 is a vital component of our city’s transport network that will help ease the pressures brought about by the increasing development around the city,” sabi ni Ayala.

Sinisuguro niya rin ang mas pinadaling pagbabiyahe sa mas ligtas at episyenteng LRT-1 sa ilalim ng responsibidad ng kanilang grupo.

Sa kabilang banda, naglabas ng pahayag si Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares tungkol sa napipintong privatization. Isinawalat niya na ang mga kagamitang pampubliko, na para sa masa ay isinasapribado na at pinagtatakpan lamang ito ng tinatawag nilang “public-private partnership.”

Ayon din kay Colmenares, ang proyektong ito ay magiging sanhi lamang ng kahirapan ng

mga Pilipino, sapagkat, dahil sa kasunduang ito, binibigyang laya na ng gubyerno ang mga kumpanya upang magtaas ng pamasahe nang walang pagkokonsulta sa pamahalaan. Kapag nagkulang naman ang kita ng LRT-1, sa oras na “privatized” na ito, babayaran na ng gubyerno ang puwang sa kita ng mga malabuwayang kumpanya.

Nangako si Colmenares na hindi hahayaan ng kanilang partido na maghirap ang mga tao dahil sa LRT-1 privatization na ito.

Samantala, ang NAIA ay nakapila na rin para sa Public Private Partnership Program (PPP) at sinuportahan na ito ng Department of Finance (DOF). “Apparently, these proposals have been submitted to the PPP Center for approval as part of the PPPC’s official project pipeline,” ani DOF undersecretary Jose Emmanuel P. Reverente.

Ayon naman sa DOTC, kailangan na umano ang pagsasapribado ng paliparan sapagkat hindi na nito kakayanin ang paglobo ng buhos ng mga pasahero sa mga susunod na taon.

Kasabay nito, nagkakaroon na rin ngayon ng pag-uusap sa pagitan ng DOTC at PPP Center tungkol sa presyo at mangyayaring operasyon ng NAIA sa oras na naisapribado na ito.

Hanggang ngayon, wala pa ring nailalabas na pahayag ang DOTC kung kailan opisyal na sisimulan at matatapos ang proyekto.

MISPLACED PRIORITIES. Last October 22, the Museum of the History of Ideas was opened to the public while the Student Center remain unfinished. Photo taken by Gayle Calianga Reyna

CONTINUING STRUGGLE. The People’s Initiative, a proposal to remove all forms of pork, went to UPM last October 23 and 24. Photo courtesy by the CAS Student Council

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04 NEWS Volume 28 Number 4-5November 3, 2014 | Monday

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DEBACLEA look back at the plight of survivors one year after Yolanda

SOFIA MONIQUE KINGKING SIBULO

NovemberTotal scarcity of resources followed immediately after Yolanda’s onslaught. The rescuers came after four days, so without food or water, the survivors resorted to looting closed stores in the first two days. However, despite of providing for their needs, the government’s response to this was addition of force from the Philippine National Police (PNP) to guard the stores and imposition of a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

JanuaryIn the New Year, the construction of bunkhouses for temporary shelters of homeless families has

raised questions about the direction and integrity of the government’s rehabilitation program alleged of overpricing and substandard work.

An alliance named People Surge was formed on January 24 by the typhoon survivors, calling for the government to speed up its rehabilitation efforts. Some 12,000 Yolanda survivors coming under the newly-formed alliance staged protests in Tacloban City from January 24-25 to condemn the Aquino

administration’s alleged incompetence in addressing the impacts of the super typhoon.

FebruaryMembers of People Surge were initially barred by Malacañang guards as they tried to bring to the president on February 17 a petition, signed by 17,585 Yolanda survivors, containing a list of their demands to the government. Among their demands are the provision of P40,000 financial assistance to every affected family, and the repeal of the “no-build zone” in Yolanda-stricken areas which they called as “anti-people rehabilitation.” The petition was reportedly snubbed by Aquino.

MarchThe National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the death toll has

reached 6,245 as of March 6. It also said 809,895 families were still displaced and served inside and outside evacuation centers.

Meanwhile, in an open forum, President Aquino apologized for the first time to the affected residents because of the government’s slow relief and rehabilitation efforts.

On the other side, the Commission on Audit (COA) in a report confirmed that the government did not have concrete system or office-in-charge for the disaster relief and rescue operations.

MayOn May 28, a mother and her six children were burned in their tent at the “tent city” while asleep. This incident highlighted the government’s slow progress in the resettlement of Yolanda survivors.

JulyPresident Aquino, in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28, detailed the government’s

“immediate response” after the onslaught of typhoon Yolanda, highlighting actions supposedly accomplished within a week after the devastation which includes the restoration of water supply after

two days. However, PNoy’s report was dismissed as lies by some of the victims. “I myself can testify that the national government sent no help one week after Yolanda,” Eflida Bautista, head of People

Surge, said.

AugustEight months after the devastation of Yolanda, Aquino finally received on August 1 the 8,000-page master plan for rehabilitation entitled “Yolanda Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan” from rehabilitation czar Panfilo Lacson amidst calls by militant groups for the latter to resign. The master plan details the P170.7-billion program to rebuild areas affected by the typhoon.

SeptemberMore than P736 million in cash donations for typhoon victims have remained unused and deposited

in the bank accounts of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), COA reported. The commission also exposed that relief goods for victims amounting to millions of pesos became

spoiled.

OctoberThe Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) reported on October 14 that only 142 households or about 0.06 percent of the 250,000 families in need of permanent housing have been given permanent shelters. The government is targeting to turnover 500 more permanent shelters on the first year anniversary of Yolanda on November 8.

President Aquino pinpointed on October 20 the government’s “bottom-up budgeting” as a cause of delay of his administration’s rehabilitation plan implementation. Moreover, the president said it also took time before the national government learned of the problems faced by affected municipalities.

It is almost a year since super typhoon Yolanda wreaked havoc in the country, particularly in Central Visayas, causing extensive damage to infrastructure and livelihood. Government figures estimate that the typhoon affected 14.1 million people and more than 1.1 million houses were damaged, while destroyed agriculture and infrastructure amount to more than P35 billion. Yet, despite these disturbing figures, the situation of the victims of and areas devastated by Yolanda had barely improved because of the unsystematic ways of the government to resolve the damage. Here are some of the events highlighting the Aquino administration’s incapacity in addressing the harsh impacts of super typhoon Yolanda.

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Mga Fulung-Vulungan ng nagjijisang

ITANONG KAY ISKO’T ISKA

Pwede ring ipadala ang inyong mga sagot sa pamamagitan ng pag-text sa 09175109496!(Pero bawal ang textmate!)

Ohhh looky looky huz vack ageeern for more kalokaretch na cheezmax!! It’s none otheeeer than yer juan-en-only gandiiiissss foreveeerdeen Lola Pat-oh-la-laaaaa. Midterms na falaaa mga affowzzzz still alive but barely breathing na va ang peg ninyoo? I hope not and well alive and kicking fa kayeerzzz, sa Dishemver fa ang kashokot shokot na malalang hell week so payt payt payt! Huwag mashadong magpa-haggardloo and take time to relaax erkeeeey?! Be lyk your Lola na forever young…inside! Charuuut. Everglowing parin naman on da outside ahihihi. Eniweizz by the high waayz, I will make isplukabells na all the chitchiritchit chikaboom na nasagap ng aking reydaaar this past few weeks!!!

VumuVugsong muli da yu-Fi anger games trilogy sumVong numVa Juan!!: WizzCona

makeriBells ang moodra sWings ni da FroppiCCi Code.

Grabigteh na ang cha-cha-cha ng moodra ni froppuccinong itechiwa, wiz khalifa na ma-keriboom ng aking mga affowz. Havey daw itech maka-hugoat hugoat sa class na wizna relate sa lesson and then mag-harhar alone si froppy. Out of the blue lagoon nalang rin magagalit sa aking mga affowz lalo when they try to ask.fm kweshunz about the lesson. Mala-bobonicles-ka-va-coz-di-mo-magetching-ang-inispuk-ko??!! NKKLK. Super ultra megaaaa bra-ta-tat sa bilis rin daw mag ispukabels ni froppy lalo na sa quizzes niyang di ma-Beyonce K n o w l e s k u n g s a a n g t a d y a n g n a h u goat ang mga kweshunzzz. Wizz pa nasulat ni affow ang first letter ng numver Juan nasa Trina si froppy and wiz khalifa i-repeat when you miss it. NKK-Pranellaaaaaaaaa salvador! Maldives mashado si froppy!!

Isplukembang ng isa kong affow e minsan dehins naman raytus ang bilang ni froppy, di naman gustooo ni affowz maging ekesenadora the explorer, pero naemberkeyyy si frooopy at kashokot shokot na pinagalitan si affoooow nung nag ask.fm siya kung anong numver na ba talaguuuh. LYK WUUUT?!! Even when I’m wrong, I’m right?

Isplukabels ng isa ko pang affow eh na-cross the ocean ni froppy ang sagooat niya kahit swak nemern iteeeyy kasi dehins napasa ni affow sa tamang liniment ang paepakwa niyaaa. Tia Pusit ang peg?! ANEEEEEEK. Napaka-harshtag rin raw ni froppuccino mag-comment sa mga affowz ko! Why you gotta be so rude?! Dontcha know my affowz are humans

too?!! Haggardo versoza masyadooo, wiz dapat majinits ang ulo. Keep Calm and don’t make away of my affowz, mara-wrangler ka lalowzzz!!!

VumuVugsong muli da yu-Fi anger games trilogy sumVong numVa Chuu!!: i’m hunger

games eVeryday!!

Fayatollah kumenis na ang mga affowz ko dahil wiz na sila malafang sa YuFiEm. Pagoda tragedy na nga sa acads pagoda tragedy pa lalooo sa Tom Jones dahil so once upon a time in a far away land pa ang bilihan ng fudz! Sumvong ng aking mga affowz eh Rebisco super thin na sila in an unhealthy waaaayy. Lalong na Haggardo Versoza! Kawawa naman ang mga affow ko. Wiz khalifa naman sila mga yamanechi, Mahalia Jackson ang lafang sa YuFi-annex! Huhukels crayola everyday lalo pa sa katagalugan ng pag homo erectus ng SanaCafeteria nalang. Hanggang kelan vaaah mag-wait ang aking mga affow?!

Isplukembang pa nila eh wiz allowable ang foodol fairz kasi delicates daw because of the konstrakshonzzzzz [huweeeeehh?!] Hiyala corporation naman ang shining shimmering splendid halls. BUUUUUT WAAAAIT, there’s more! Dehins lang mga affowz ko ang

nag-jijirits dahil sa tomguts, pati mga froppoccinos wizna ma-take ang

hunger games. Sovrang Hard R o c k cafe ang mag-aral at mag

h o c u s -focus lalo

pag haggardo versoza ang

i s k e d y u u u l ! ! Juice colored. NKKLK

talaguuuuh. Ivaaaaaaalik ang kaaaaanin!!! Givenchy

back the GutomAkoB3h ChakaAngFayat ko na to my affowzzz and their froppies!!!

Na-hunger games rin tuloy aketch dahil sa Stress Drillon ng mga jirits ng mga b3hb3h quu! Konte nalungs talaga eh papanain ko na ang mga mockingjeerz na nag-papasakit sa bangs ng mga junakiizzz affowz ko. Gawin ko kaya kayong trivuuutes?! Anotembang?! U want? Stahpilococcus aureus na kasi sa pag-papajirap ng lahat and kilos kilos rin haleeer anong pechay na vaaah. Erkheeey?!! Chuvaness aneksung na waley parin progresss.

So there youuu gooo my beloveyd affowz! Always remember youuur lovely gordyosang fierce and unkaboggable Lola P is here for youuu. Huwag itago ang mga jinanakitzzz at iisplukembang mo lang sa akin. So looong

mga v3h!! Mwaaaah mwaaaah hugxszz! Galingaaan sa exaams! Ahihihi.

Lola PatolaMockingay Edition

1 Anong isyu ang gusto mong unang tugunan ng bagong tsanselor?

Mabibilhan ng pagkain sa CAS. Mahirap mag-aral na walang laman ang tiyan. Ang layo nung mapagbibilhan. Like, totoo buh. Kahit booths lang sa may LT please. Desperate times. - AgentSkye, OrCom2015(HUHU)

Pagkain ng estudyante, mahal na tuition, mahal na renta sa facilities, pucha ang dami. - Hooligian, since 2010

MURA at MASARAP na food sa isang ACCESSIBLE at MALAPIT na CAFETERIA. Di ko po maikalma. IBALIK ANG KANIN!!! - Olats, 2012

Hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin matanggap ang kamahalan ng tuition dito sa UP. So, ayun. #nakakaloka - prolet, naCAScas, 2014

PAGKAIN. UTANG NA LOOB. WALA AKONG BREAK. KAHIT MAN LANG MAY MABILHANG TURON IN BETWEEN - pond’s facial, CAS, 20**

FOOOOODZ. Maraming naghihirap. Sana man lang payagang magbenta yung ibang orgs or magtayo ng booths. - masocheesestick, CAS, 2013

Nais kong tugunan ng tsanselor ang isyu tungkol sa SSWC at GAB sapagkat sa minimithing kinahinatnan ng isyung ito ay kapwa magiging adbentahe sa akin, sa iyo at sa ating lahat. - MapanuringEstudyante, 2014-*****, CAS

Simulan na gawin ang student center or kahit pamalit ng gab caf kasi juice colored ang hirap at ang gastos pumunta ng rob para lang kumain :(( - DMP, CAS, 2014-*****

Yung student center na hindi na natapos-tapos. Pati na rin yung ipinangako niyang pagbabalik ng GabCaf. -qtp2t, 2014-10022, CAS

Yung availability ng pagkain within campus, ano pa ba? Lalabas na ang Mockingjay, Hunger Games pa rin ang UPM. - whorecom, 2011, CAS

Please lang pakibalik na yung Gab Caf o kung anumang makakainan na mura at masustansya sa CAS ASAP - Mikayyy - CAS - 2014-00488

Ang kawalan ng cafeteria ng Kolehiyo ng Agham at Sining dahil sa kakulangan sa baon ng mga estudyanteng katulad ko na wala nang oras gumawa ng baon kaya pera nalang. Pero kakarampot ‘yon kaya kelangan pagkasyahin. San ka naman kukuha ng murang pagkain sa Robinsons? O kung saan man sa tabi tabi? KELANGAN NG MAS MALAPIT AT MAS MURANG BILIHAN NG PAGKAIN OKAY - Jhong, 2014-20355 CAS

Hindi ito issue, actually. Pero sana mabago na yung sistema ng dutdutan ng bag. Nag-e-effort kasi ako magbukas ng bag kahit sobrang dami at bigat ng mga dala ko, tapos tutusukin lang bag ko. Hindi naman tsini-check yung laman. - Ironman, CAS, 2014-27635

Yung gym tsaka yung Student Center. Nauubusan na kami ng pera sa pag-rent ng

ibang mga kamahal-mahal ng gym when the university should be providing us one. Pagod na ako sa pabalik-balik sa Ministop na laging mahaba ang pila tapos ang bagal pa ng cashier, kaya nala-late pa tuloy ako sa class. Haysst sorry nag-rant. Yun lang. Hi Chancy! - IAmSoNotOkay, 2012-35xxx

Para sa’kin, siguro dapat niyang unahin ang GAB Caf issue. Alam naman natin nakailan nang groundbreaking diyan and yet, mga coco lumber pa lang ang nakatayo. So far, wala pang bakal, semento, hollow blocks, buhangin, grava, etc. na nadagdag sa construction progress. Dagdag pa diyan ang daing ng mga estudyanteng nagpapa-RK na (kahit hindi naman talaga) para lang makakain sa Rob which is the most accessible place for us atm. Itigil na ang vague delaying tactics please! - CAStronaut, CAS, 2014-20831

2 Anong nagpapakalma sa iyo tuwing hell week?

Kalmado na talaga ako ‘pag hell week e. Resigning myself to my fate. *cries* - AgentSkye, OrCom2015(HUHU)

Ice cream na may kasabay na vodka shots kasama ang tatlong malalapit kong kaibigan - G

Ngiti lang ni crush, szh4p4t n4h. - prolet, naCAScas, 2014

Iniistalk ko yung page ng ex ko. Weirdly calming. Masakit pero I like pain. - masocheesestick, CAS, 2013

Nothing calms me during hell week. I am thrown into the throes of responsibility. I need someone to calm me down. Possibly give me a shot or two of barbs. - goodbadgirl, CAS, 2014

Sa panahon ng “hell week,” nagbabasa ako ng mga nobela at nagsusulat ng mga tula upang ipahayag ang aking sarili. - MapanuringEstudyante, 2014-*****, CAS

Anong nagpapakalma sa akin? Christian songs!! Lalo na iyong mga solemn. Naiinternalize ko kasi iyong message. Na despite “hell week”, He is always there. Kaya nagiging “heaven” week na. Yehey! Aaaaand... yolo pa ngayong first year first sem e. Kaya ‘di pa ganoon ka-helly ang hell week. - Jesuisbelle

DOESNT EXIST. SYNTAX ERROR. THE THOUGHT OF GETTING THRU THE DAY ALIVE “KINDA” CALMS ME. - chel-cas-201423955

WALA. T*NGIN* HELL WEEK PANO KA KAKALMA NUN HAHAHAHH CHOOOOS =))) Ang nagpapakalm sakin ang Cell Group namin sa SoNs =))) - Jhong, 2014-20355 CAS

Kapag stressed na ‘ko sa pag-aaral o sa kahit anong bagay, nilalabas ko sa pagpalo sa drums yung emosyon ko. Sarap! - Ironman, CAS, 2014-27635

Di uso yang kalma-kalma na ‘yan pag hell week! Tungga pa ng energy drink at kape, mga beh. - whorecom, 2011, CAS

Pagkain, pagkain, at pinakaimportante sa lahat, inspiration hahahahah joke pagkain pa rin :))) - BabyCarlos CAS

06 FEATURES Volume 28 Number 4-5November 3, 2014 | Monday

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Despite its constitutional mandate to prioritize the education of its people,

the government remains inutile, deaf and callous to its suffering sector.

Yet the teachers wage the war with their weapons raised, mindless of the insufferable state they experience as educators of the Filipino People.

T H E R E V O LTThe salary of public school teachers has not been raised for an ultimately long time - their pleas and petitions continue and remain ignored and unheard.

The Philippine Constitution states in Article XIV, section 5(5) that “The State shall assign the highest budgetary priority to education and ensure that teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents through adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment.” This is further emphasized by the enactment of Republic Act 4670 (RA 4670) or the Magna Carta of Public School Teachers. In this regulation, the State shall provide and insure the improvement of the social and economic status – as well as working conditions – of public school teachers. However, even with the mandate given by the constitution, the teaching sector remains in the shambles of insufficient budget appropriation.

For instance, the administration’s response to the petitions of a raise in teachers’salaries has been denied. Moreover, the initial motion of budgeting for the salary bonuses of the teachers has been removed and replaced by the Productivity Enhancement Incentive (PEI) and the Performance-Based Bonus Program (PBB). These two policies raised on 2012 both hold the proviso of tax deductions, thus adding to the debit of what was to be the teachers’salaries. The PBB is a scheme that is both deceptive and conflicting; seemingly letting the teachers perform better yet it is just another diversion for the reduced bonus that will only be given to selected teachers. The PEI and PBB cunningly limit the previous proposal of an across-the-board raise –letting only those who are considered demonstrative of remarkable performances as recipients of the said incentives. It is the manifestation of the reduced budget allocation for the teaching sector as only 1% of the teachers received monetary incentives. Furthermore, another financial obligation roots from the high tax deductions of teachers in the Philippines. Public school teachers pay high taxation with an average of Php 35,592 as tax payment every year, as shown in the tax revenue ran by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Department of Finance (DOF).

No monetary value could ever be at par to the arduous task of being an educator serving the underserved and the marginalized; however an adequate support is necessary for the continuity of their service to the Filipino masses. The governmet's outright neglect to the teachers does not only provide a ground for accountability-- it creates an emerging clamor and basis of revolt for the abused sector.

T H E R E F O R MAside from being underpaid, public school teachers now have the added weight of the

curriculum shift along with their mandated job to supervise on every election.

The K+12 program presented a revision of the Philippine basic education curriculum through the addition of two more years to the ten-year length of basic education. Since then, it has left the teachers asking for aid in order to fully cope, cooperate and comprehend the sudden transition in teaching.

The detrimental effects of the K+12 on the economy, lesser societal units and the students, has been tackled on many public debates yet it seems again that the teachers and their condition have been overlooked.. The method of instruction has changed, leading the teachers to not only upgrade their lesson plans, but upgrade themselves as well. Moreover, the teachers are threatened to be removed from their jobs due to the dropping of subjects in accordance to the new curriculum. Dr. Raul Alvarez, the director of the Commission on Higher Education, said that only 36 units from the existing 63-unit general education will be retained in the new curriculum. The aid of the government that was previously guaranteed has not been enlisted, and even the resources that were said to be provided were not given out. Indeed, the educators bear a heavy brunt of the impact.

Outside the classroom and beyond school hours, teachers have another job—a perilous commitment to the Filipino people—found in election supervision. The Omnibus Election Code states that public school teachers cannot refuse to do service on or during the election period, leading no exemptions from service during the bouts of elections. Once election period starts, the risk to teachers’ lives set in, the tangible insecurity of their lives rooted in the history of election violence and the political threats fired to those who are merely doing what they have been ordered to do as poll workers. Filomena Tatlonghari and Nelly Banaag – both teachers – died protecting ballots during the election period. House Bill 444 – by ACT Teachers Party-list representative Antonio L. Tinio – proposes the amendment of Republic Act 6656 or the Electoral Reforms Law of 1987. In this proposition, teachers will no longer serve a mandatory service as Board of Election Inspectors. Poll-watching will be made voluntary for the teachers as well as the other registered citizens who wishes to volunteer during the election period. However, up until the present, the House Bill has not advanced significantly.

The only compensation given by the government to teachers upon p e r f o r m i n g the risky task is a measly amount of

P1,000 to P2,000 according to Resolution No. 9640 of the Commission on Elections. But still, the said honoraria were not received by the teachers who served during the elections. The administration remains indifferent with the plights carried by the teaching sector.

T H E T H R E A TThe educators of the tertiary level are subjected to coercive policies that lead to the suppression of their tenure.

The infamous publish-or-perish centers around the premise of an educator publishing scientific or academic material in order to be recognized as an official academia of the university or institution. This policy adds burden along with the already-existent requirements and requisites of being a professor, with the added weight of the published material in tow.

The publish-or-perish policy lives up to its name, with the academics forced into writing or left unrecognized without tenure. This policy continues to be the terrifying cause of why majority of professors give up on their careers, not wanting to be hard-pressed to write for a tenet or topic that they feel no tolerance for. The progression of careers, job securities and the rise in pay all

rests on the publication of an academic work.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

THE UNHEEDED UPRISING

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For more than a century, the southern part of the country has

been characterized by the perennial armed conflict between the Philippine government and the Bangsamoro people asserting independence. It has been a blatant excuse for some to blame the difference of religion between the Muslims in Mindanao and Christians from the other parts of the country to remain complacent on the issue; however, the difference

on religion is simply not sufficient to explain the urge of the Bangsamoro

people who are desperate to seek liberation. People

could live in peace with different manners of faith but

there is no peace in inequalities and injustices inflicted to the

b r o a d e s t section of the people.

The exploitation of the government which resulted to their poverty has been the continous cry of the people in Mindanao. This is the ground behind every call of freedom-- a freedom from severe inequality and social injustice.

DisplacementThe people of Bangsamoro consist of 13 ethnolinguistic Muslim tribes historically governed themselves until a new government of the Philippines placed them under its terms leaving them suddenly part of a culture alien to them. Following the government's immediate subjugation of the Bangsamoro people without even consulting them, it also stole the lands of the Moro through a massive land resettlement project in the 1930s. As Manila and the rest of Northern and Central Luzon experienced severe poverty, a widespread uprisings of farmers confronted the then government. In order to pacify the emerging revolts,

the government gave false hopes to the farmers of Luzon by

transferring them to Mindanao and making them freely own the ancestral lands of the Bangsamoro people. This did not only deprive the Bangsamoro people of the economic value of their land but also the profound sentiments of their identity. It also further polarized both set of communities--the Muslims and the Christians-- instead of empowering and uniting them. The oppressive policy triggered the thirst for autonomy of the Bangsamoro people as the government made them powerless under a system of upper class dominance.

These policies along with other experiences of violence added fuel to the rage of the Bangsamoro people. Some of these experiences include the ejection of poor families in General Santos City to pave the way for the construction of a government Philippine Fisheries Development Authority International Fishport, Moro communities were demolished to construct a park and hotel for tourists, the Badjaos' homes were demolished to make way for the expansion of a wharf, and a community was demolished for the expansion of an international airport. Even a cemetery was not spared to give way for the construction of a shuttle bus terminal. Furthermore, staple crops planted by Mindanao farmers were replaced by exportable crops at the expense of the poor people. Not only did the government set up new communities and resettlements in Mindanao deprecating the property of the Moros, it also took advantage of the resources of their land for foreign capitalist welfare.

The severe abuse and social injustices that the Mindanao people experience led to the formation of Mindanao Independence Movement (MIM)-- a movement which seeks to expand consciousness among the people in Mindanao to fight for their ethnic interest. The group later became Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) headed by Nur Misuari.The Moro's resistance was furthered by the persecutions, abuse and explorations by the ruling class over the minorities in Bangsamoro. It has been necessary to form a political movement (MNLF) in order to consolidate and eliminate the national oppression of the dominant system to the Bangsamoro people.

DeceptionsThe first Peace Agreement between the state and the Bangsamoro was the Tripoli Agreement on 1972 under the term of Marcos. When Cory Aquino assumed office, the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao(ARMM) was established. However, this did not provide any genuine

reform for the Bangsamoro people but rather made a partnership between the government and the ruling class in Mindanao which served as an extension of government corruption.

Recently, President Benigno Aquino III signed the final framework of peace agreement--a framework which still refuses to recognize the historical institutions of the Moros and their exercise of sovereignty-- an agreement which is doomed to fail. No genuine peace could be expected as long as the roots of the problem remain unadressed. Only more war and rage is awaiting to a government does not listen to the demands of its people and keeps serving the interest of the few.

Time has witnessed the exploitation and denial of the basic human rights of the Bangsamoro despite of their struggles for change. Furthermore, the existence of the Moro culture in Mindanao is a manifestation of the colonizer's inability to subjugate the region and a symbol of the successful struggle of indigenous Mindanao inhabitants. Historical accounts prove that long before the arrival of the colonizers, when there was still no Philippine state, there are already Muslim indigenous communities in what is now the Bangsamoro. The automatic subjugation of the Bangsamoro region under the Philippine state when a central government was established is a direct bastardization and onslaught to the ethnic independence the Bangsamoro had fought for. And now, given the neocolonial character of the Philippines, it seems that the Bangsamoro is being double jeopardized as they are colonized by a neocolony itself--the Philippine state. In fact and in truth, they receive double the subjugation, double the oppression.

There is no genuine peace in a society that goes against the welfare of minorities. Only by changing the unacceptable status quo the country shall have a harmonious relationship and sustainable peace. A call for solidarity with the Bangsamoro people is imperative in order to reassert their right to self-determination--a solidarity that guarantees the pursuance of freedom from the chains of dominance, violence and oppression. So long as the roots of the conflict persist, a viscious cycle of uprisings and peacetalks are bound to repeat itself. Generations will experience the same conditions and soon might end up to the total disintegration of the Bangsamoro.

THE BANGSAMORO STRUGGLE

FUELLING THE RAGE THAT SEEKS THE LIBERATION OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO

JOLEEN AIRA RESTERIO ESTELLA

ILLUSTRATION BY LIZETTE JOAN CAMPAÑA DALUZ

08 FEATURES Volume 28 Number 4-5November 3, 2014 | Monday

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Chained in a decaying system of deceptions and injustices, the life of the

peasant has long been withered.

Agrarian laws passed by different administrations were not only futile; they were ineffective, deceptive and counter-productive. Its goals were nothing about genuine land reform but rather to pacify the peasants' rightful claim over the lands they till-- where they became mere tenants and the landlords profited enormously from their labor.

With a powerful elite and an inutile government that claim not only the lands but also the lives of the farmers, the struggle is not only for legal ownership; it is for survival.

DeracinationThe struggle of the farmers in the Philippines began when the Spanish conquistadors imposed a rule known as the royal land grants or Encomienda. This rule forced the natives to surrender their lands to the colonizers and work for them in exchange of protection, education and the promise of salvation through the Catholic religion. This also gave the encomiendero the right of collecting tributes and taxes from the natives tilling the land. The tributes were soon converted into land rents and those who were once landowners became mere tenants. The farmers were forced to work as sharecroppers or hired laborers under the elite who now claims to be the owners of the lands. These kinds of abuses have allowed the emergence of the “feudal system” in the Philippines, wherein the landlords rule over those who farm the land.

The experiences of the natives during the colonial times are no different to the oppression experienced by the peasant sector from the land elite in the present society. For instance, the wage of the farmers in many haciendas has never let the peasants able to have a decent living. Thus, the feudal system that the former colonizers practiced is still not abolished, remains prominent and even intensified.

Extermination Facing the reproach of the peasants for its inaction, the government fabricated land reform programs which placed the sector into a deeper quagmire of suffering.

One of the most notable and ineffective land reforms is the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program or CARP. It was enacted in 1988 and was supposed to end by 1998, but has been extended for many times by different administrations. This resolution purportedly aimed to redistribute 90% of the private agricultural lands to the peasants. Having been extended for two decades, CARP has been supported by CARPER, or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms bill, which extended CARP for another five years. Under CARPER, landlords are given the liberty to arrange alternatives aside from the physical distribution of lands, such as just profit sharing as well as the sharing of crops to tenants. These supposed grants had done nothing to better the conditions of the peasants-- their communities are still poverty-stricken and they remain landless.

CARP and CARPER did not alleviate the misery of the peasant sector—moreover, it allowed the land elite to take advantage of the loopholes in their provisions. For instance, the Cojuangco clan in Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac has been fencing prime lots in the area and allotting them for commercial purposes, one of which is the Luisita Golf & Country Club. Such acts are done without the consent of the farmers, who are supposed to have a say on the land that they supposedly own. The same situation was experienced by the people in Hacienda Looc, Arloc and Ilimnan, whose areas are being claimed by those in power, such as political figures and

real estate developers. Aside from being severely underpaid for their farm labor, the peasant sector also experiences being displaced from the lands they till as the landlords use it for commercial purposes. These land conversion scheme is only one of the strategies used by the landlords in order to exempt their haciendas from being distributed to the peasants since the land reform laws only cover lands which are declared agricultural.

When current President Noynoy Aquino took over, his administration stated that all CARP-eligible land will be finally distributed by the end of his term in 2016. According to DAR, as of June 2013, at least 694,181 hectares remained undistributed. CARP, being one of the longest running agrarian reform programs in Philippine history, has been considered by Filipino farmers as a “waste of time and money” for the government. During its two decades of implementation, only less than a half of the targeted 90% of lands were distributed to the farmers and according to Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), 82% are ongoing cases due to the actual distribution not taking place.

Ineffective is an understatement to describe these laws that did nothing for the oppressed yet serve everything in a silver platter to the powerful.

ReprisalIn spite of the seemingly deaf ears the government has lent to them, the peasant sector remains dauntless in asserting their rights and reclaiming what is rightfully theirs.

For decades, farmers have progressively voiced their call for genuine agrarian reform. In the process of fighting for their right, violence, instead of justice, was served to

them. In November 16, 2004, labor unions of the Hacienda Luisita held a strike before their landlords and it resulted to a massacre wherein 7 laborers died and 121 were injured after being suppressed by the police forces. Before the Hacienda Luisita tragic incident, 13 got killed, 39 were wounded and 20 suffered various injuries in the Mendiola Massacre in 1987. Water cannons and tear gas were used to block those on the picket line, and the melee caused the firing of gunshots; the same measures were applied during the 2004 Hacienda Luisita Massacre. During both strikes, the police, who were supposedly the protectors of the people, did not show signs of hesitation in taking their lives as commanded by the landlords and the government.

The peasants who were merely calling out for the government to recognize their rights were even more devoid of it as they were murdered by the people who should have been protecting them. Now, justice is still not served to the farmers who are not only deprived of the land that should have been theirs for long, but also with their lives.

About 75% of the Filipino population belongs to the peasant sector; a vast majority being mistreated and being deprived of services. They are the majority in numbers yet minority in power--this is the feudal character of the Philippine society.

Laws are made not to bring justice but to mask the perpetuation of injustice. The peasant sector is kept bound by the chains of feudalism for as long as there is no genuine agrarian reform that upholds the rights of the farmers. In an administration ruled by the landlords and bureaucrat capitalists, a political will guided by ethical principles must be instilled in order to have a government centralizing to the needs of the people. But as the agricultural system of the country continues to be plagued with issues of oppression, the indomitable will of the farmers to fight will not be subdued.

The struggle is not over.

IN T

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LIEZL ANN DIMABUYU LANSANG ILLUSTRATION BY PRINCESS PAULINE CERVANTES HABLA

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ES OF PEASAN

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Alas-sais na at nasa bahay ka parin, tulog na tulog pagkatapos gawin ang 30-page

essay na sinimulan mo ng ala-una kanina. May 7 am na klase ka diba? ‘Luh, gising na, beh. O kaya cut ka na lang ulit doon sa klase mo, di naman major eh. Pero last na talaga ‘to, ha. Dapat di ka na lang natulog. Hay, buhay.

Di ka ba nagsasawa? 'Di ka naman ganito noon ah. Tulog ka na nga dapat ng ala-una. Ang paggawa’t pagtatrabaho sa oras ng pagtulog ay marahil bunga ng isang pagbabagong hindi mo man namamalayan, ay patuloy mo paring nararanasan.

Baitang 1: Homo Sapin-Saping-mga-gawain

Bahagi ka ng isang lipunang sinusukat ang isang tao sa dami ng trabahong kaya niyang isiksik sa to-do list niya. Kahit hambalusin man siya ng isang libong tipo ng gawain, okay lang basta't ang kapalit nito ay mas mataas na pagtingin mula sa ibang tao. Ang tanging tumatakbo sa isip niya ay ayos lang gawin lahat ito. Kailangan eh, pag natapos, makakatulog na, matutuwa pa si Boss. Kung hindi naman, tiyak lagot. Baka mawalan pa ng paraang mag-hanap buhay.

Nakapaloob na kasi ang tao sa isang sistemang ang mekanismo ay nakalapat sa walang hanggang demand para sa bago at maraming produkto at ang tanging sagot lamang dito ay ang walang hanggang produksyon. Ang sobra-sobrang demand na ito ay nagtuturo sa atin na magtrabaho hanggang sa tuyo’t lanta na tayo dahil dito nakasalalay ang kaunlaran ng ating buhay.

Dahil ganito ang sisema, ang paraan ng paggantimpala ng lipunan ay nakasalalay sa dami ng magagawang produkto ng isang tao, sa pinaka-mabilis na panahon. Di bale na kung umagahin, di bale na kung abutin at gawing background music ang malakas na tilaok ng tandang sa umaga. This battle must be won, ika nga. Sa bawat maayos na pagtatrabaho ng tao ay nabibigyan niya ng rason ang lipunan upang pagkatiwalaan siya at ipataw sa kanya ang mas marami pang trabaho. The more, the merrier ang abot.

Ang mga gawaing ito ay patuloy na nadadagdagan, ngunit ang dami ng oras para gawin ang mga ito ay siya pa rin at walang ipinagbago, hindi nadagdagan, at (buti na lang) di nabawasan. Ito’y isang sitwasyon na pumipilit sa atin na ipagkasya ang nakalaang oras para sa lahat ng takdang gawain. Bumumuo rin ito ng isang pananaw na it’s now or never, na wala naman talagang konsepto ng “sapat na oras”.

Baitang 2: Homo Habilisanmongmagtrabaho

Ilabas na ang kape at Extra Joss. May oras pa, alas-diyes pa lang, pero kailangang bilisan upang matapos. Oras na para sambitin ang mala-battle cry na “Rak na itu!”

Tuluyan nang nagsimula ang ebolusyon ng tao. Makikita na ang pananaw niya sa oras ay sadyang napaka-distorted na. Itinutulak nito ang pagpapahalaga natin sa sense of urgency ng mga trabaho at nagbibigay ito ng maling kamalayan sa ideya ng pagtatrabaho.

Sa taong naghahanap-buhay upang

matugunan ang mga pangunahing pangangailangan ng sarili at kanyang pamilya, ang pagtatrabaho ay paraan upang mapanatili ang seguridad ng buhay. Dahil nakakulong na sa isip ang ideya ng tuloy-tuloy na pagtatrabaho upang mapanatili ang seguridad na ito, nagiging sapat na rason na ito upang madalas na magpuyat. Kinalaunan, napasama ka na sa lipunang ang tanging pokus ay sa walang katapusang produksyon

Kaugnay ng tuloy-tuloy na trabaho, ang oras ay nawawalan na ng halaga. Ito’y nagiging isang dimension na lamang kung saan nakabatay ang takbo ng mga gawain at kailangang magmadali. Ang oras ay nagsisilbi na lamang isang palatandaan ng nalalabing mga gawain, isang instrumento na naghihikayat ng mas masigabo pang pagtatrabaho. At dahil ito’y limitado at wala sa kontrol ng tao, nagiging bilanggo sila sa takbo nito at nakokompromiso ang kalidad ng trabaho.

Kasabay nito ang panganib ng unti-unting paglaho ng pagpapahalaga ng tao sa kapwa, sa kaibigan, at higit sa lahat, sa pamilya. Bilang isang lipunan ng mga family-oriented na mga indibidwal, isang napakabigat na dalahin ang malayo ang loob sa pamilya ng dahil sa pangangailangan magtrabaho, at sa kakulangan ng oras upang magawa ito. Nagdudulot ito ng paradohang naisasabuhay ng tao; ang angking kasipagan sa trabaho bilang hadlang sa ganap na kasiyahang pantao at ang kasipagan na siya ring susi rito.

Baitang 3: Australopithecus Fulfilledensis

‘Nyare sa mata mo? May scary, dark shade na sa bandang ilalim. Nasobrahan ba sa eyeliner o ruma-rak en rol ka na ngayon? Bakit ang lamya mo, anong oras ka ba natulog? Sabi na nga ba puyat na naman. Baka magkasakit ka.

Pero ayos lang, napapalitan naman iyan ng matinding tuwa sa tuwing nagkakaroon ng positibong resulta ang puyat mo. Kasi nga naman, naipasa sa deadline ang proyekto, iwas singko. Nakapag-present at nagustohan ito ni bossing. Ayun, may tsismis tuloy ng promotion sa susunod na buwan. Sulit talaga!

Ang mga positibong resultang ito ay nagpapaigting ng paniniwala ng tao na kailangang magpuyat, kasama na ang pag-udyok ng lipunan na gawing batayan na ito ng halaga bilang tao. Ayon dito, ang pagpupuyat ng tao ay isang indikasyon ng kanyang pagiging produktibo at isang matibay na pahayag ng kanyang kasipagan, respeto, at pagmamahal sa kanyang trabaho.

Sa kabaligtaran, ang pagtalikod sa nakatakdang trabaho ay magdudulot ng di kanais-nais na resulta. Hindi kailanman nagiging paraan ng pagtakas sa sistemang ito ang pagsuko at pagtanggi sa responsibilidad. Ang pagtulog imbes na paggawa ay isa sa mga paraan upang tuluyang mapahamak ang katayuan ng tao sa lipunan, upang mabansagang isang walang kwentang mamamayan.

Ang pamamaraang ito ay naipapaliwanag ng Theory of Reasoned Action kung saan ang galaw at kilos ng tao ay inaayon niya sa kung ano sa palagay niya ang magiging

resulta. Sa pagpupuyat, ipinagpapalagay niya na kung maubos ang mga nakalista sa kanyang to-do, magkakaroon siya ng pabuya sa anyo ng pag-puri sa trabaho, sense of fulfillment, at pagtanggap sa kanya sa lipunan.

Isa na rin itong batayan ng pakikipagkompitensya ng tao sa kanyang kapwa. Naipapasok ang pag-iisip na ang sinumang mas naglaan ng oras sa paggawa o pagpupuyat ay siyang may mas matimbang na output. Ang sinumang matulog o magpahinga, talo. Ang taong nagpuyat at nagtrabaho ay siguradong gagantimpalaan. Maari na siyang matulog ng kaunti mamaya (hallelujah), may incentive pa dahil siya ang naging mas produktibo’t kaaya-aya sa lipunan.

Baitang 4: Homo Haggardis

Sa patuloy na pagdami ng mga mga taong itinulak ng lipunan sa walang katapusang paggawa,mga working zombie na maituturing, naihuhulma ang lipunan bilang isang yunit ng mga nilalang na ang nagiging pakinabang na lamang ay ang pagiging masipag, kahit nakakomporma pa rin sa dikta ng iba.

Dumadami rin ang naiimpluwensyahang ipagsawalang bahala ang kahalagahan ng kalusugang pisikal at mental sa pagnanais na maging produktibo. Sila ay bilanggo sa sistemang siya mismong nagpapairal ng pang-aabuso. Isa itong uri ng structural violence na kumakain sa oras, kalusugan, at esensya ng pagiging "tao". Ang puno't-dulo ng hinagpis ng tao ay ang walang hanggang pagpupuyat, ngunit, ang solusyon na nais makagisnan ay nasa pagpupuyat din.

Subalit, hindi na maturol ang karahasan na namamayani, sapagkat naging natural, at pang-

Hell PuyatPAGKAHUBOG NG LIPUNAN SA WALANG TULUGANG KULTURA

PIA KRIEZL JURADO HERNANDEZ

ILLUSTRATION BY JOANNE PAULINE RAMOS SANTOS

IPAGPATULOY SA PAHINA 12

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Rebelde, pasaway, matigas ang ulo, hooligan—ilan lamang ‘yan sa mga

maririnig na popular na bansag sa kabataan ngayon. Madalas ay kasama pa nga ng mga palayaw na ito ang sermon kapag lumampas ng curfew, o di kaya nama’y dagliang pagsara ng pintuan sa mukha kapag “usapang matanda” na ang nagsisimula.

Subalit, sa kasaysayan man o kasalukuyan, nananatiling iba ang tugon ng kabataan sa sinasabi ng lipunan. Katulad ng taguri sa kanila, ang kanilang mga aksyon ay rebolusyonaryo.

Tagumpay ng NakaraanKabataan ang sumusulat sa kasaysayan.

Mula sa pagpapaalis sa mga dayuhang mananakop, hanggang sa paghamon sa mga karumal-dumal na karahasan noong Batas Militar. Kung tutuusin, karamihan sa mga martir at lider na dinakip sa ilalim ng diktaturyang Marcos ay mga estudyante. Anomang panahon, naging mahalaga ang malawakang pagkilos ng kabataan. Ginamit nila noon ang lakas ng kanilang bilang, pwersa’t kasiglahan upang ihulma, at, kalaunan, bigyan ng makabuluhang pagbabago ang lipunan. Resulta ng kanilang dugo, pawis, at paghihirap ang mga pribilehiyo at kalayaang tinatamasa ng mga mamamayan sa kasalukuyan.

Ngunit hindi kasing bait ng kasaysayan ang kasalukuyan. Sa panahon ngayon, madalas nalilimutan ang lakas at potensyal ng kabataan — lalo na kung taliwas ito sa gusto ng

magulang. Nakukulong ang kabataan

ngayon sa

taguring irrelevant at rash. Masyado raw bata at naive para maintindihan ang lipunan. Naroon ang social exclusion sa kabataan. Ang nakakalungkot pa, ang mga magulang na nagsasabi niyan ngayon, ay ang mga progresibong kabataan noon.

Ayon kay Goran Cars, isang sociologist, umiiral ang social exclusion sa isang lipunan kapag ang isang bahagi nito ay pinagkakaitan ng sari-saring mga karapatan—sa kalidad na edukasyon, serbisyong pangkalusugan, hanggang sa demokratikong partisipasyon, freedom of expression at marami pang iba. Dahil sa kawalan ng mga karapatang ito, naglalaho ang kapangyarihang aktibong makilahok at makiisa sa lipunan. Isa sa mga pinakaapektado rito ang mga kabataan.

Mayroon kasing malawakang paghusga at maling kuro-kuro tungkol sa kasalukuyang henerasyon. Sapagkat lumaki sa panahong ang daloy ng impormasyon ay nakukuha sa isang click lamang, kaagad ipinintang walang pasensya, self-absored at self-entitled. Natuturing na "rebelde" kapag kumawala at hindi umayon sa nakagawian. Ginagawang pamantayan ang edad bilang sukat o antas ng kamulatan.

Sa sitwasyong ito nakasalalay ang bukas.

Hamon sa Kasalukuyan at Kinabukasan

Ang hamon ay ang umaksyon habang nakapaloob sa masalimuot na sitwasyon. Sa isang lipunang mali ang pagtingin sa pagrerebelde kahit ano man ang dahilan, mahirap maatim ang pagbabago. Subalit ang mahirap ay hindi nangangahulugang imposible.

Ngunit may mga pagkakataong may sumisilaw na pag-asa sa kadiliman. Kamakailan lang, kabataan ang nanguna sa mga kilos-protesta sa Hong Kong. Sa kabila ng mga klase sa pamantasan, hindi sila nag-atubiling lumahok sa pagkikilos. Mapapansin na hindi hiwalay sa kanila ang pag-unlad at pag-aaral. Doon din lalong tumataas ang tingin ng ibang tao sa kabataan. Rebelde man, hindi maitatanggi ang mga ipinaglalaban nito.

Sa Pilipinas naman, laging may hadlang sa mga kilos-protesta — concrete barriers sa kalsada, nakatatandang kakilala naman sa pamantasan at tahanan. Kung tutuusin, tila mahirap nang baguhin pa ang Pilipinas para sa mga kabataan, kahit na sila ay may

malaking bahagdan sa populasyon. Pero, dito rin naman nasusukat ang iba pang hamon — ang hamon sa kanilang mga sarili.

Sa mismong pagiging socially excluded din matutuklasan ng mga kabataang Pilipino ang mga kakayahan at hamon para sa gusto nilang pagbabago. Sa pagiging sektor na ibinabalewala, mas mabubuksan nila ang iba’t ibang paraan upang marinig. Sanhi rin ng hindi pakikinig ng lipunan sa kanila ay ang mas matapang at mas matalas na boses para sa kanilang ipinaglalabang panlipunang pagbabago.

Ngunit ang estado ay gumagawa rin ng mga mekanismo na makapagpapahina sa pwersa ng kabataan. Hanggang ngayon, marami pa ring mga kabataan ang dinudukot, pinahiran at ikinukulong, dahil sa pagnanais mg mga itong gisingin ang lipunan sa mapaniil na sistema. Pati ang social media ay ginagamit na rin ng estado upang makapanlinlang at makahamig ng ilang mga kabataan sa baluktot nilang prinsipyo at paninindigan, umaasang madadaan nila sa makukulay na at mapang-engganyong mga slogan ang kanilang opinyon.

Bagamat nagbubukas ng maraming daan ang teknolohiya at karunungan, mananatiling pangarap ang mga ito kung hindi mismo lalabanan ng kabataan ang sariling katamaran. Mula sa pag-iisip ng taliwas sa ipinaglalaban, hanggang sa pag-iwas sa tungkulin, naroon ang pakikibaka. Sa huli, ang pagkawala sa mga kadenang ito ang magbibigay ng sandata sa kabataan para labanan ang anomang pagtangka na supilin ang pagbabago.

Saksi at testigo ang kasaysayan na ang mga kabataan ang tunay na pag-asa ng bayan; hindi dapat matakot gumawa ng paraan upang madinig at mapatunayang mainam na parte ng lipunan ang mga kabataan gamit ang mga armas na tanging sila lamang ang mayroon-- sapat na dunong, lakas, at mahabang oras (na may kaakibat na hinog na pagkakataon para sa mga bagay-bagay). Matuto na sana silang manindigan, dahil ang tangi't patuloy na makapagpapalaya lang sa mga kabataan, at, kinalaunan, sa bayan ay sila-sila lamang din.

Lalo mang maging “rebelde” sa mata ng mga matatanda, hindi nito mababago ang katotohanang signos ito ng pagkamulat ng murang kaisipan dahil sa pagiging radikal, matatag, palaban, at makabayan.

REBELUSYONTUNAY NA LAKAS NG KABATAAN SA KONTEKSTO NG

PAGREREBELDE THALIA REAL VILLELA AT GABRIELLE MARIE MELAD SIMEON

DIBUHO NI JAMELA LIMBAUAN BERNAS

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You’re staring aimlessly at your flashy monitor. You decide to stay on Twitter

for a while to get a hold on whatever’s trending. Scrolling down, you read non-sequitur statements on homely activities by someone personified by a photoshopped picture of Sen. Cynthia Villar. Though funny enough to catch attention, it has nothing to do with politics. What’s being retweeted is how it’s similar to what our Titas do.

The comedy caught on. You’re not the only one who found it funny, but thousands of you. At the same time, ten more similar accounts germinate, allowing a peek into the lives of various groups in the society – you have Probinsiyanos, Iskwaters and you even have Conyos of Manila. Their familiarity is what makes it hilarious, thus fueling popularity.

But a thousand tweets after, comedy turns to tragedy, one’s amusement turns into another’s embarrassment – the real Probinsiyanos, Iskwaters and Conyos defying the virtual reality.

@SuperficialityOfManila

@RelativesOfManila, @ManilaWorkers, @YouthOfMNL – these are among those brand new storytellers in mass media that have been taking over the Internet over the past few weeks. Building territories on Twitterverse, their tweets amuse based on superficiality, coming up with the simplest of observations such as what they are wearing or where they are heading to. Without the context from which these tweets come from, the [insert proper nouns] of Manila, it would appear jumbled.

Being highly relatable, little to no originality is required if all you need to set up is procure a profile photo encompassing the culture of your choice and start tweeting exaggerations of their traits. Being clever is a bonus; being borderline mean can be a hit or miss. Lazy, if you ask, but that’s the price of today’s entertainment value.

Besides the hilarity based on familiarity, what is also slightly different with these accounts is the medium used in its proliferation – Twitter. With its text messaging format, users have to compress their message into 140 characters, no more no less and spaces are included. Despite this cut off, it only made its audience talk more. One click is all it takes for @OfManila accounts to pull off the giggles, tidbits of mindless blabber equivalent to junk food for thought. No wonder it gained a steadfast following.

But stripping these accounts of all their superficiality, a question may be asked: do these accounts really offer anything new? The concept may seem original to most, which is primarily because of its medium, but the message has been echoed before. Here is a brand of comedy that has been recycled many times through different media. The bandwagon effect, knowing that Twitter gave platform to wide (and even international) readership, turned the supposed diversity of these accounts into white noise. As petty as it sounds, one argument coming from an @OfManila user himself said that those people who don’t like their tweets may choose to leave.

Netizens can always have the choice to hate

on them if they like. Loyalists meanwhile may continue to respond but if these users continue to make use of stigmas, we can’t help but offer distinction between parody and offense: parody is reality distorted to a laughable extent; offense is demonizing. For example, reading @blah_of_manila clearly shows it parodies other @OfManila accounts while the anti-feminist @DbagsOfManila leans towards the latter.

We can only wonder who these people are behind the nameless façades but it’s obvious these were made “just for laughs”, as @ManilaSkwaters noted on their header. They may not even hold any agenda while managing it, but they show no signs of stopping as long as they keep earning attention. Fame, in the form of positive feedback, triggers near-addiction. And as this trend becomes addictive, underlying damage can avoid becoming noticeable.

@RealityOfManila

Crack a single tweet from any of these accounts to oblivious people and it wouldn’t come out as a joke. The reference is still needed but maybe, being mundane is the comic part. Listed under top replies, some users protest stereotyping is what they do whether the ones tweeting or its followers are ignorant to this fact or worse, aware yet still chose to be indifferent.

With the sudden influx of these accounts which only job is to view things seen through the filter of a single persona, their overall quality becomes subdued and bland. Others already see it as disturbing, if not boring or annoying. Another purpose perhaps is to look out for people who share the same sentiments and do the same activities as the one tweeting, a sort of collective round-up. Those outside the calling just sit by to ridicule (or maybe even envy) on things unrelated to them.

Many places, usually in and around the Metro, followed this idea but it still originated in Manila: a city known for skyscrapers contrasting with shanties as the common scenery. Everyone who lived here knows that people are divided into hierarchical stratifications. The same differences between the far ends of the socio-economic spectrum are starkly propagated by @OfManila in the public eye. The primness of conyos is celebrated while the culture of iskwaters is mocked.

Users themselves are conscious about it, as @IskonyosOfDiliman demonstrated, “Unfortunately, the marginalized rural poor aren't given the same voice”, but only to be polarized by their current pinned tweet “secretly judges classmates in maong-tsinelas”. Another example, this time from @NotFromManila: “Friend: So, do you like, buy your milk? Or do you have to milk a cow or something?” shows how probinsyanos are ridiculed by how Manileños treat them as traditional outsiders. @ConyosOfManila’s “omg she still uses iphone 4... we can’t make friends with her na” already rubbed people the wrong way and yet their existence still provide followers a total misrepresentation.

Those underrepresented subgroups, the ones curated by the often-embarrassing accounts, have the entire internet as its stage to be represented accurately fair. What happens

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

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OFManila

The Dilemma of Misrepresenting Culture in Tw

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is their ideas remain unheard of because thoughts projected by these accounts are misaligned. Stereotyping reduced them into groups. This will continue to happen if our role as a society neglects to break this because the more we acknowledge it as normal — the more we’re letting people from each sector repress themselves into unreality and is therefore out of reach for any possible unification.

We all fall under the illusion of the influence of technology, having a blurred outlook on which is authentic and what is fake. The theory of hyperreality clearly quotes this phenomenon that today’s generation is having a hard time culling out the truth (the content of the tweets) from what is imagined (the tweets itself). Escapism is what’s feeding on the people’s mind

whenever they remove themselves

from grasping a w a r e n e s s , even if it wasn’t

deliberate.

Despite utilizing Twitter’s potential to shed a clearer picture, these accounts

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araw-araw na lang itong bahagi ng buhay. Sabi nga sa konsepto ng habitus, "Ganyan, talaga eh." Tinitingnan na walang kakayahan ang taong kumawala sa sistema, sapagkat isa na rin siyang kasangkapan sa lalo pang pagpapalawig ng karahasan -- pagpupuyat is deemed as the new black. Paano nga ba makakakilala ng pang-aabuso sa hindi pang-aabuso ang isang taong lunod na sa pagpupuyat at ang tingin sa kapahingahan ay kahinaan?

Pangarap ng tao na dumating ang isang umaga na hindi na kailangan pang pindutin ang snooze button ng alarm clock. O huwag nang mag-alarm nang tuluyan.

Ang pagpupuyat ay isang tahasang

HELL PUYAT MULA SA PAHINA 9

TITIGJENNY MARY CAMAMA DAGUN

LIZETTE JOAN CAMPAÑA DALUZ

OFF WITH @OFMANILA FROM PAGE 11

highlight them as typecasts. As instant comedians and easily-tickled readers drive this hype, the topic itself, real people juiced out for humor, becomes vaguer than genuine. Rather than give these depictions a better chance to showcase more than what’s perceived, the audience only observe caricatures. Desensitizing ourselves into thinking that this is all they really are means we’re oppressing them. These little deeds of retweets and favorites suggest little help but alienate them from society.

One hundred forty characters and threads of it are not enough to represent complex identities. Highlighting or exaggerating the idiosyncrasies of different groups of the

OFF WITH @OFMANILA FROM PAGE 11

Another already-evident form of oppression has been the suppression of academic freedom in the Philippines. The 1987 Philippine Constitution states that, "Academic Freedom shall be enjoyed in all institutions of higher learning." Yet this has not been carried out, for academic freedom is much restricted by administrators. Academic freedom has no longer become a right, and it continues to be curtailed and concealed, leaving professors and students no space for pursuing knowledge without fear of being pressured or restricted by law or regulations.

The promise of academic freedom is not new and not unheard of, yet it seems unreachable as the very system and administration itself barricades the truth and its conquest. The terrible example set by the case of the University of the Philippines Diliman professor Sarah Raymundo and her non-tenure puts into mind the kind of system that threatens the academic freedom which should be achievable by all. Her nine years and level of service have not been considered, instead, the mere concept of her being a part of progressive faculty has not let her be granted tenure, and instead achieved with a delay of two years, with the fight for academic freedom continually being raised.

The academics are standing on a declining slope, with the challenge of the publish-and-perish policy and the promise of academic freedom covert. Their only hope for redemption is that these policies be put down, and that proper requisites to achieving tenure and academic freedom reign.

The educators of the Philippines more than deserve the acknowledgement that they have been striving for. These teachers are the individuals who chose to serve the Filipino people and bring upon reputable change—and the most rewarding requital they could receive is to be given the credit that is long overdue. The fault lies in those of higher ranks who continue to remain apathetic and adamant in their administration. Those who are being educated hold great relevance to the oppression being experienced by the educators—and it is only right that we move toward the collective cause of academic freedom and expression of rights.

manipestasyon ng pagmanipula ng lipunan at sistemang ating kinapapabilangan. Nagdulot ito ng ebolusyon ng mga taong subsob sa trabaho. Nagpadama ito ng karahasan sa pamamagitan ng paglagay sa mamayan sa entablado kung saan kinakailangan nilang makipagkumpitensya. Higit sa lahat, nagiging galamay ito ng sistema upang unti-unti tayong itulak sa ating posibleng kapahamakan.

Filipino population may be an excuse for us to chuckle, but such inability to coordinate these differences together towards a more universalistic development, blinds us to the reality these groups face, thus further enlarging the stratification between the classes in the society.

You may laugh at the tweets and jokes presented in these accounts, at your first chance of reading them. But having these accounts around cloned from out of the absence of imagination, the jokes were made out of the disparities that still rule us out, persisting to rot society – the joke is on us.

Sa kabilang banda, resulta din umano ang STS ng pagpapabaya ng pamahalaan sa mga unibersidad nito. Ayon kay Naco, ang STS ay isang manipestasyon ng Roadmap for Public Higher Education (RPHER) na isinagawa ng kasalukuyang administrasyon. Ang RPHER ay isang polisiya na naglalayong gawing 50% na lamang ang ambag ng gobyerno sa pagpapatakbo sa 22 nangungunang State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) ng bansa pagdating ng 2016. Dahil dito, mapipilitan ang administrasyon ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas at iba pang SUCs na gumawa ng mga panibagong hakbang upang magtaas ng taunang revenue para mapunan ang pagkukulang na dulot ng pag-abandona ng pamahalaan.

Dagdag pa rito, ayon sa Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office, Php7.3 bilyon ang inaasahang kabuuang koleksyon ng 112 SUCs sa matrikula para sa taong 2014. Mapapansin na barya lamang ito kumpara sa Php177 bilyon na inilaan sa di-konstitusyonal na Disbursement Acceleration Fund (DAP) ni Pang. Aquino III para sa taong 2014.

BALATKAYO FROM PAGE 11

May sumvong ba kayo mga affowzz?

I-spluk mo na beh.facebook.com/lolapatola

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The Walking Dead - Typical na mukhang makikita pag hell period. Dahil sa gabundok na aralin, patong-patong na papers na dapat isulat, at mahahabang duty, ilang gabi na siyang nagpupuyat. Mga 2-3 sleepless nights na lang, magiging

zombie na 'yan.

Kendra Crammer - Good music. Nice ambience. Tranquililty. ‘Yan ang karaniwang habol ng nag-aaral sa mga coffee/milktea shops. Soshal sa tingin ng iba, pero study mechanism niya ito. Nakakailang bili na rin siya ng kape at

pagkain para ‘di siya mapaalis.

Anak ng Diyos - Dahil sa 250-300 na IQ level niya (halimaw), tsiken lang ang acads sa kanya at nagagawa pa niyang tumawa kahit hell week. Malamang, ikaw na nagdurusa ngayong hell week ang

tinatawanan niya.

Sisa - Nagagawa rin niyang tumawa kahit hell week... matapos niyang isigaw ito: “To hell with this &@%#*! YOLO!” Deep inside, sumisigaw na siya ng, “I’m doomed!” Pero kebs, magma-marathon na lang siya ng

paborito niyang series.

Orgtimus Prime - Toxic na toxic na siya... sa orgs o institusyon kung saan siya nagsisilbi. Acads? What acads? Ain’t nobody got time fo’ dat! Gusto rin naman niyang mag-acads pero... trabaho muna. (Magpasalamat sa kanya dahil siya ang bumubuhay sa org o

insti niyo habang naga-acads kayo)

Sloth - Wala siyang paki sa mga nagma-mantra ng, “Sleep is for the weak!” Basta siya, saktong aral at saktong tulog lang. Priority rin naman niya ang acads... kaso

priority din niya ang pahinga.

DEONAH ABIGAIL LUGO MIOLEMGA URI NG ESTUDYANTE PAG HELL WEEK

Kakaibabe - Halimaw siya pagdating sa time management kaya hindi niya kailangang mag-cram pag hell week.

(Pangarap mong maging tulad niya)

Huhu Martin - Pati pag-asa pinagkait na sa kanya ng hell week. Wala na siyang magawa kundi humiga nang naka-fetal position at humagulgol. Oh, acads, why are you so cruel? Good bye, acads world, good bye! (Pero drama lang niya ‘yan, mag-aaral din ulit dahil may dalawang exam pa ‘yan

bukas)

#LifestyleCheckUPM PATRICK JACOB LAXAMANA LIWAG AND JENNY MARY CAMAMA DAGUN

Name: Jhomel BasadaOccupation: Janitor (Cancer Institute)

Monthly salary: Php 10KWhere does the income go: Family

Name: Rico BrionesOccupation: Security Officer (SOJR)

Monthly salary: Php 19KWhere does the income go: Family

Name: Dr. Ronald M. HensonOccupation: Part-time professor (DAC),

researcher, consultant, authorMonthly salary: Php 60-70K

Where does the income go: Family

Name: Sherly HerreraOccupation: Security guard (Pharmacy,

OPD)Monthly salary: Php 21K

Where does the income go: Family, Utilities

While it may seem that these people are capable of providing to their respective families, the various problems in our country do not allow them to do so. The ever-rising cost of products, rampant corruption and other issues hinder the Filipino people from obtaining the lifestyle they dream of and are working hard for. This reflects our government’s failure to provide to the masses and to alleviate poverty in our country. As such, we must stay vigilant and demand that the government be responsible for the sorry state our country is in. While our government is a zoo filled with pigs and crocodiles, we Filipinos will continue to suffer.

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SECOND LOVEHIRAYA MANAWARIAngelica Natividad Reyes

S A N A D A L A W A A N G P U S O K O

BASAG-ULOLean Sandigan

Siguro may mga pag-ibig lang talagang hindi mo alam kung paano simulan, kasi hindi mo alam kung sino ang pipiliin. Pakshet, pag-ibig nga naman.

Ang hirap simulan ng column na ito. Ganoon pala talaga, hindi mo kayang dumugo ng mga salita kapag nasasaktan ka nang matindi, at hindi mo kayang umiyak sa sakit kung hindi mo alam kung nasaan talaga nanggagaling ang sugat.

Ang hirap magtapon ng pagmamahal, lalo na kung ang isa ay binibigay mo sa isang tao, at ang isa ay ibinibigay naman sa iyo ng iba. Lalong humihirap kasi walang kasiguraduhan kung sino ba talaga ang mas matimbang at mas may pag-asa. May mga pagkakataon talagang ang hirap pumili kung sino ang papayagan mong masaktan. Sigurado na ‘yan eh, may masasaktan — ikaw o ang iba.

Parang multiple choice na exam ang pag-ibig, mahirap kapag hindi ka sigurado.

Una kitang nakita sa klase, at sa totoo lang, kaklase pa rin kita ngayon. (Hello phouwszx) Hindi kita napansin noong una kasi hindi naman talaga ako naghahanap ng lovelife noon. Well, nangangarap na magkaroon, pero hindi naman talaga siya top priority. Siguro hanggang ngayon, ganoon pa rin, kaya siguro hindi ako makagalaw.

Hindi ka kapansin-pansin, siguro dahil masyado kang tahimik. Ikaw yung tipo ng taong hindi nakikipag-agawan sa atensyon, ikaw yung tipo ng taong kailangan ng isang UP student — siguro naiintindihan mo kasi UP student ka rin. Alam mong hindi ang pakikipagrelasyon ang prayoridad mo, bukod pa, sa pag-aaral, naroon ang kagustuhan nating umunlad ang bayan.

Ikaw ang prinsesa kong hindi ko pa nakikilala. Wala akong ibang alam kung ‘di ang iyong pangalan. Pero hindi ko maisantabi lahat ng pangarap na makilala ka pa at makasabay kang maglakad sa mga lumang halls ng pamantasan.

Siya naman ang babaeng kilala ko. Nakilala ko siya sa isang student formation dito sa peyups. Masayahin siya at may pagkadekadente ang pamumuhay. Pero unti-unti niyang napapansin na may mali sa lipunan, at unti-unti siyang sumasama sa mga pagbabago ng lipunan.

Isa siya sa mga kakaunting taong nakapansin sa akin. Siya yung isa sa mga taong inamin na gusto ako, at hindi natatakot na sabihin ito sa iba. Ang kaguluhan ng mundo sa paligid namin ay hindi naging hadlang sa kanya para titigan ako at bigyan ako ng atensyong akala ko ay hindi ko matatamo habang nasa pamantasan. Sa totoo lang, siya ang taong gumulat at bumuhay sa akin.

Minsan pangarap kong makilala ka ulit hindi dahil sa isang org. Sa pangarap ko, sana makilala kita sa isang coffee shop, at

You have your first relationship, and then you had your first relationship-- the first

time you got your heart broken and the time that you thought you will never fall in love again. And then it happens. Someone else came along and made you once more feel special.

The second time you get entangled in this experience of being involved with another person, it will feel a lot different from the first time. Your first love is when you let your sanity escape your being. With the second person, you will try to be more rational, more in control. You might even find yourself comparing this new person with your first love. You’ll remember how you and your first love were able to sustain a six-hour conversation just talking about your views on politics, religion, and life in general. Then you wonder why the hell this one does not even start a word, and seems content with you just staring and smiling to each other. The unfamiliarity of the new patterns might leave you confused and disoriented at first. But as you grow closer, you will realize how amazing this new experience is. You will see how this second person is in so many ways different from your first love. He is not worse, nor is he better. He is a different case altogether.

He might not appear as opinionated as your first love. He might not be as confident as the type of men who usually catches your atention. But he has these things that really capture you. His humbling smile softens your heart; his little ways make your utterly bad day feel better. And you’ll figure out that he is just as intelligent and opinionated as the others. It’s just that he is mature enough to handle his thoughts and be in charge with his words. And you

admire him more for it. Then, you begin to think that probably you might fall in love with him. Chances are you already fell in love with him.

As you begin to admit to yourself that there might be a possibility that you are in love

with this second person, insecurity enters the picture. You’ll realize at some point that you too are not the first one who came to this person’s life. You’ll realize that there is a previous person whom he has shared a feeling with, or perhaps a connection that you two could never have. You might even compare yourself to his previous love and wonder why he is pursuing you instead of her. You think of yourself as his rebound love and that if he has the chance, he would rather go and get her back. But what you oversee is the fact that he likes you for a reason. He might have his previous love but now he has you. And you are not worse; nor are you better. You are a different case altogether.

So stop punishing yourself by thinking about your rank in his heart. You might not be his first love, and he isn’t your first relationship, but you both have the chance to make what you have now last. What’s important is that you are both certain on what you feel for each other. Stop saying that you probably love him when you know that, deep in your heart, you do. After all, you can’t sort of be in a relationship because you kind of love each other. You have to love one another wholeheartedly, unconditionally.

SERVE THE PEOPLEELECTROPHILEPatrick Jacob Laxamana Liwag

“THE MASSES NEED SOMEONE WHO WILL NOT ONLY HELP THEM BUT ALSO WILL FIGHT FOR THEM AND THEIR

RIGHTS.

What does the nation need more nowadays, a doctor who will cure the

masses or a teacher who will point the youth to the right path?

I entered the University of the Philippines to become a doctor. Ever since reading about the human body in Grade I Science, I wanted to become a doctor. That’s why, when I was applying for the UPCAT, I chose pre-medicine courses. Imagine my happiness when I’ve been accepted to the BS Biochemistry program.

In my first two years studying in UP, I was already dead set in becoming a doctor. Every time I pass through the Philippine General Hospital, I simply want to reach out to every patient I see and help them. Circumstances such as the privatization of public hospitals, such as the Philippine Orthopedic Center and the loss of privileges of Class D patients in PGH, simply added fuel to my desire to become a doctor.

However, during my second year in UP, I started tutoring some friends in various subjects such as Math 11, Math 14, and Chem 14. During these tutorial sessions, I found out that there is happiness in teaching. This experience, together with the love I found in doing various laboratory experiments, led me to hesitate in pursuing medical school after graduation — instead, I could teach here in UPM and have the simple life of a professor.

Until today, I am torn between becoming a doctor and becoming a teacher. Taking up Medicine will mean studying for another six to seven years and additional expenses for

my family. Becoming a professor, on the other hand, would not allow me to fulfill my dream of directly helping the poor and sick. I then reflected on a simple phrase that served as my inspiration ever since I heard it during my Freshman Welcome Assembly: Serve the people.

The situation of health and education in the Philippines is dark. In the case of health, public hospitals are being privatized and the access of the poor to affordable, if not quality, healthcare is being revoked. Similarly, in the education

sector, the government’s K-12 program and Roadmap for Public Higher Education Reform (RPHER) prove to be ineffective in improving the state of education in this country. Whether you are a doctor, a professor, or a simple citizen of this nation, the masses need someone who will not only help them but also will fight for them and their rights.

Regardless whether I become a doctor or a professor in the end, serving the masses will always be my top priority.

“AND YOU ARE NOT WORSE; NOR ARE YOU BETTER. YOU ARE A DIFFERENT CASE

ALTOGETHER.

sana maging interesado tayo nang sabay sa isa’t isa. Nakakatuwa siya, at balang araw, baka may pagkakataon na mahulog na rin ako sa kanya. Sana maintindihan niya, na ginulat niya kasi ako, at kailangan ko ng oras para masanay.

Siya ang prinsesang naghihintay sa akin, at kung hindi madidiskaril ang tren, didiretso ako sa yakap niya.

Haaaay, ang gulo. Pakshet, pag-big nga naman.

IPAGPATULOY SA PAHINA 14

SANA DALAWA ANG PUSO KO MULA SA PAHINA 14

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EDITORIAL 15Volume 28 Number 4-5Monday | November 3, 2014\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

THE COUNTRY IS BUT IN CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

In a country governed by corrupt men, there is little room for genuine change. For almost four years, the government main campaign was to remove corruption. Yet all efforts against corruption are still unfelt. Different campaigns against corruption seem to attack only the rival thief. In a country ruled by thieves, anti-corruption campaigns are only used to denounce thief, only to be changed by another. At the end of the day, the campaigns against corruption are just battles of thief against thief — and the mass-oriented developments are forgotten in the process.

In a country where public officials deceit people with band-aid developments, there is a need to see which campaign is rooting out the real problem. Thieves are experts of subtle diversions and hand tricks, sometimes what people see are all part of a show. A vigilant and militant citizenry is important to rise above the clutter of traditional and deceitful anti-corruption campaigns.

In the array of the successful campaigns that the government claims, the people must know which victory is for the poor and oppressed. Successes and bright lights can be just tricks for a larger thievery.

Under the regime of a president that does not respect the highest law of the land, justice, change, and genuine accountability can hardly be expected — which makes curbing the corruption even more imaginary. For the past months, President Benigno Simeon Aquino III continuously defended the pork barrel of the legislative and executive arms of the government. It is only after a public outcry against the two recently declared “unconstitutional” were these given a different view. Yet again, this abolishment is just for the show. The pork barrel is still in the system, hidden as lump sums and savings. Apparently, corruption becomes institutionalized because the highest authority of the state himself screens and commits such. The assistance of Department of Budget Management Secretary Butch Abad, the executive maneuvered presidential pork barrel—Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), which is ten times of the pork barrel given to congressmen. It was used for various culpable purposes; one was as token for the senators and congressmen who voted for former ex-Chief Justice Corona’s impeachment. It cannot be denied then that there exists government bias too in fighting corruption.

The fight among thieves in this country has snowballed and has been the talk of the town. The Aquino administration has extensively continued the investigations, even to the vice president and the chief justice of the Supreme Court. A bold move towards ending corruption, yet defending his allies in the Liberal Party with corruption issues is even a bolder move.

There are no proceedings yet in the hearings set to investigate officials under Liberal Party who are linked to various cases of corruption, namely Butch Abad, Proceso Alcala, Jun Abaya, Dinky Soliman, Balsy Aquino, and Joel Villanueva. In contrast, three member senators of the opposition are already jailed — Senators Bong Revilla, Jinggoy Estrada, and Juan Ponce Enrile — as if removing them and weakening the other political party is with utmost importance.

The notable bias of the Aquino administration

does not end there — the investigation of the Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima’s controversial mansion was defended by the president himself, as if tipping the scales to the advantage of his fellow. Moreover, the protection of the police chief is simultaneous with its stark contrast — a full blown investigation against the vice president’s mansion.

Yet a bigger crime and a bigger hacienda should be given more attention. This is a hacienda that is not only overpriced, but is fought by toiling farmers over and over. Hacienda Luisita, which is far bigger than others’ lands, is supposed to be already distributed to the farmer tenants three years ago in accordance with the SC’s ruling. In addition to the questionable actions, or lack thereof, there’s still the unexplained billion parts of DAP funds, which came from our

bare pockets, that were used to compensate Aquino-Cojuangco hacienda kins, and were alloted to Tarlac for dubious road construction and repairs.

Putting again the Hacienda Luisita case to the limelight is timely for the ongoing peasants’ month and for the upcoming 10th year since the inhumane Hacienda Luisita massacre, in which justice is gravely still not served. Such is just among other problems that are products of corruption. All sectors of the society are suffering-- be it joblessness, increasing poverty rate, inflation rate, lack of land reform, etc.

This is the kind of justice that the government serves, but the people do not deserve. Corruption campaigns by this administration may be getting the attention of the Filipinos, but the people are still stalled and tricked.

These anti-corruption campaigns do not end the corruption that impedes growth, but rather to eliminate thieves from a rival gang. There is no progress, and there is no justice, as long as thieves and tyrants rule the country.

Filipinos remain divided, which prominent thieves take advantage of. A lot of citizens still do not exert effort in joining mass organizations and in channeling to alternative media. However, corruption in the country continues to exist because aside from the lack of action, organization, and empowerment, majority of the civil society of the Philippines remains unaware, which because the system makes and sustains them to be so.

It is apparent that the corruption and the corrupt system of our government hold back our country towards the aim genuine progress. These two are enormous obstacles

for the Filipinos for these bring environment and social effects. A country cannot advance in any way if its government has attention on other thieves, but has not enough attention to its toiling masses.

The Philippines is ruled by leaders who are in conflict of interest with the Filipinos. As there is still no true and promising governance in the country, the challenge now is already on the hands of the civil society to spread awareness and to gather strength in order to combat corruption.

In a country where kleptocracy seems to rule over democracy, there will always be social unrest. The sovereign Filipino people must not cease continuing the struggle for the genuine and long overdue accountability, justice, and systemic change.

YET A BIGGER CRIME AND A BIGGER HACIENDA SHOULD BE GIVEN MORE

ATTENTION.

NEWS CORRESPONDENTSEzra Kristina Ostaya Bayalan

Elizabeth Danielle Quiñones FodullaAdolf Enrique Santos Gonzales

Eunice Biñas HechanovaCarlo Rey Resureccion Martinez

Ronilo Raymundo MesaGayle Calianga Reyna

FEATURES CORRESPONDENTSJennah Yelle Manato Mallari

Angelica Natividad Reyes

CULTURE CORRESPONDENTSAngelo Dennis Aligaga Agdeppa

Jamilah Paola dela Cruz LaguardiaJose Lorenzo Querol Lanuza

Thalia Real Villela

RESIDENT ILLUSTRATORSLizette Joan Campaña Daluz

Daniel John Galinato EstemberPrincess Pauline Cervantes Habla

Joanne Pauline Ramos Santos

RESIDENT PHOTOJOURNALISTJenny Mary Camama Dagun

RESIDENT LAYOUT ARTIST Patrick Jacob Laxamana Liwag

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LIZETTE JOANNE CAMPAÑA DALUZ

Ngayong taon ay isang panibagong sistemang pang-matrikula ang inilunsad ng UP System na kinilala bilang STS o Socialized Tuition System. Ayon sa administrasyon, layunin umano nitong mas mapabilis ang proseso ng pag-aapply sa mga tuition bracket, isaayos ang income bracket ng mga estudyante, at mapalawak ang tulong pinansyal sa mga kapos-palad na mag-aaral sa pangunahing unibersidad ng bansa.

Gayunpaman, nagbunsod pa rin ito ng iba’t ibang pagkilos ng mga mag-aaral at pagpapahayag nila sa social media ng labis na pagkadismaya sa resulta ng STS kung saan nanawagan silang ibasura ang programang hindi umano makatarungan.

Baluktot na reporma

Inaprubahan ng Board of Regents ang STS noong Disyembre 13, 2013. Ang nasabing iskema ang naging kapalit ng Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP) na naging sistema ng unibersidad simula pa noong 1989. Matapos maratipika ang STS, dinagsa agad ito ng mga batikos at pagtutol mula sa iba’t ibang grupo sa loob at labas ng unibersidad.

Kaugnay nito, nanawagan ang Katipunan ng mga Sangguniang Mag-aaral sa UP (KASAMA sa UP), STAND UP, UPM USC, at UPV USC sa pagbabasura ng nasabing reporma at pagtatanggal ng lahat ng bayarin at matrikula sa unibersidad. Nagkaroon din ng mga pagkilos sa loob ng kampus ng UPM noong Agosto 7 kung saan hinimok nito ang mga mag-aaral na mag walk-out sa kanilang klase bilang protesta sa nasabing iskema.

Sa bagong iskema, itinaas ng 30% ang income cut-offs ng Bracket A, B, C, at D dahil umano sa implasyon. Samantala, hindi naman nagbago ang income cut-off ng Bracket E, kung saan walang binabayarang matrikula ang mga mag-aaral.

Dagdag pa rito, ayon sa administrasyon ng UP, mas pinabilis ng iskema ang proseso ng aplikasyon dahil nabawasan ng dalawa ang dating apat na nagbibigay indikasyon sa pagpili ng bracket para sa

mga mag-aaaral. Ang tatlong indicators na ginamit sa STFAP ay pinalitan ng MORES instrument habang hindi naman pinalitan ang indicator na nagsasabi ng taunang kita ng tahanan na kinabibilangan ng mag-aaral. Ipinagmalaki din nila na mula sa labing-apat na pahina na application form ng STFAP ay naging dalawa na lamang ito sa ilalim ng STS. Ang nasabing pagbabago ay binatikos ng ilang mga estudyante dahil hindi umano ito nagbibigay ng kumpletong imahe sa totoong kondisyon ng tahanan na kinabibilangan ng aplikante. “Yung questions din ay vague and don't justify the results,” ani Jhaypee Naco, tagapangasiwa sa Komite ng Sining at Kultura ng UPM USC.

Ayon pa kay Naco, nagkaroon din ng mga

insidente kung saan ang mga magkakapatid ay nakakuha ng magkaibang bracket sa kabila ng pagkakapareho ng tahanang kinabibilangan at pagkakatulad ng mga kagamitan sa bahay.

mapanlinlang na iskema

Ipinagmamalaki ng mga kinauukulan na higit na marami umano ang nag-apply sa STS na nagtala ng pinakamaraming bilang ng beneficiaries kumpara sa bilang ng mga nakaraang beneficiaries ng STFAP. Makikita ang pagtaas ng bilang ng mga mag-aaral na napaloob sa brackets C, D, at E ngayong taon mula sa resultang inilabas ng Office of the Student Affairs (OSA).

BALATKAYO PAGSIYASAT SA RESULTA NG MAPANLINLANG NA STS

ADOLF ENRIQUE SANTOS GONZALES AT ARTHUR GERALD BANTILAN QUIRANTE

Gayunpaman, mas maraming estudyante ang nakakuha ng “No Discount” o napaloob sa Bracket A ng STS na nasa 23.5% kung ikukumpara sa mga nakaraang taon ng STFAP simula 1992, 2007-2010, at 2012-2014.

Ayon pa sa mga datos mula sa OSA, tumaas ng 662% ang bilang ng mga mag-aaral na umapela sa kanilang nakuhang resulta kumpara sa mga nakaraang taon. Masasalamin na tila lumobo ang bilang ng mga estudyante na hindi sumang-ayon at labis na nadismaya sa resulta. Pinapakita lamang nitong bigo ang STS na tukuyin ang tunay na pinansyal na kapasidad ng mga mag-aaral.

Ipinapakita pa ito sa ibang UP campus kung saan umabot sa 3,200 ang bilang ng apelang inihain sa Diliman, 2,700 sa Los Baños, habang may napakalaking bilang ng mga mag-aaral ang umapela sa Manila.

Sa kabilang banda, ayon sa ilang grupo at kay UP Student Regent Neill John G. Macuha, ang nasabing iskema ay isa umanong anyo ng TOFI o Tuition and Other Fees Increase dahil tumataas ang baseline tuition fee sa tuwing magkakaroon ng mga ganitong reporma. Dagdag pa rito, tulad ng mga nauna nang nabanggit, iminungkahi din ni SR Macuha na ibasura na ang mga ganitong mapanlinlang na iskema at sa halip, tanggalin na ang lahat ng mga bayarin sa unibersidad o isakatuparan ang full state subsidy.

pagkakait ng liBreng edukasyon

Samantala, ayon sa datos mula sa OSA, isa lamang ang nadagdag sa bilang ng mga benepisyaryo ng Bracket E1 at E2 para sa A.Y. 2014-2015.

Dagdag pa rito, sa unang taon ng Socialized Tuition Scheme noong A.Y. 1989-1990, 26% ng mga benepisyaryo ang nakakuha ng libreng tuition, samantalang 30% naman noong A.Y. 1991-1992. Matapos ang ilang pagpapalit-pangalan at reporma sa iskema, lumiit nang lumiit ang bahagdan at bilang ng mga Bracket E1 at E2.

IPAGPATULOY SA PAHINA 12

Pagkukumpara sa distribusyon at bilang ng mga benepisaryo ng sistemang pang-matrikula ngayong taon at nakaraang taon. Sanggunian: Office of the Student Affairs

Bilang ng mga umapela para sa mas mababang bracket sa ilalim ng STFAP at STS. Sanggunian: Office of Student Affairs

Bahagdan ng mga mag-aaral na napaloob sa “No Discount” bracket ng STFAP at STS, ng mga benepisyaryo ng sistemang pang-matrikula na nakatanggap ng libreng edukasyon at datos sa pagtaas ng baseline tuition fee. Sanggunian: Office of Student Affairs

INFOGRAPHICS BY LIZETTE JOAN CAMPAÑA DALUZ