Philippine Collegian Issue 17

Frat violence mars sem opening — Page 4Philippine CollegianOpisyal na lingguhang pahayagan ng mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas - Diliman22 Nobyembre 2011Taon 89, Blg. 17

Progress*

Terminal CasesDelfin Mercado

Notes from prisonFeatures Page 9

Masama bang tawaging abnoy si Budoy?Kultura Pahina 6-7

Break-up blues Opinyon Pahina 10

Artwork by Ysa Calinawan

Be patient, they say. These things are without a

doubt, necessary. The forced evictions, the smashing of homes, the relocation of families from their places of work to some unknown site near mountains are all part and parcel of a grand development plan. Whole families, with children who can barely walk and talk, might wander the streets after everything, but be consoled. There are no casualties, everyone got out of the rubble alive. Some were injured. Still, most survived the clearing operations without a scratch. Clearly, they have enough experience in this business to perform like professionals.

You see, these things happen all the time. These things are so common; no one

really thinks much of them. That is the way it should be, in this age where some good things are traded for better things. Like the homes of thousands for big, tall buildings for businessmen and investors. Like communities for sprawling spaces of gray concrete and fake greens.

Their rationale for uprooting communities sounds like an overused sales pitch, but they are confident and reliable. Believe them when they say: the best is yet to come.

In a few years time, these pieces of land now occupied with shanties will be commercial centers brimming with life. The buildings, made of concrete and glass, will shine when light strikes them, bright enough to blind us, and there will be parks with fountains and palm trees from the beach. The air inside these buildings will be rid of the smell of impoverished urban life; instead, the air will smell of apples, red and green, and lemons. People would want to walk in these buildings just to take a whiff of the fruity air of commerce—the addictive fragrance associated with posh places and overseas loot.

The imagery does not sound so bad. These buildings could only be erected

once these areas are cleared—of homes, of people. Demolitions and evictions are thus needed. Fires, especially in strategic times, are also plausible recourses in these clearing operations. That doesn’t mean, however, that they burn homes. Most of the time, fires just happen by accident.

These acts of violence, as some are won’t to call them, are a small sum to pay for the promise of the revitalized metropolis. Who hates air-conditioned malls? No one. Who does not want to walk in modern parks, and stroll hand-in-hand with a lover or with friends? No one.

Who opposes progress? No one.No one. And yet, they need to remind

us to be patient. ●* On the dawn of November 20, a fire razed

a portion of a residential area near the National Irrigation Administration. Four died, while 500 families lost their homes and properties. The place where the fire occurred is part of the land area allotted for the Quezon City Central Business District.

2 Editorial

Coup de grâce A decade of travesties. A decade of lies. And now finally, a glimpse of justice.

2 • Kulê Opinyon Martes 22 Nobyembre 2011

Coup de grâce QUOTED

We have waited long enough. Finally, more than four years after Gloria Arroyo committed electoral sabotage in the 2007 elections, 17 months after Benigno Aquino III assumed the presidency, Arroyo has finally been arrested.

Indeed, Arroyo’s hospital arrest is the first step to justice. Yet, amid this victory, vigilance must be practiced to ensure that this first step will end in her conviction. Given the numerous crimes Arroyo has committed during her term as president, electoral sabotage barely touches the tip of the iceberg. For beyond the charges of electoral sabotage, over 20 criminal charges remains to be filed against Arroyo. And she must be held accountable for all of them.

After all, the 2007 elections is not the only instance wherein Arroyo allegedly rigged the election results. In 2004 — after breaking a public vow that she would not run for President after finishing her predecessor Joseph Estrada’s term — Arroyo won by a margin of one million with the help of former Election Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, in what would become known as the “Hello Garci” scandal.

What Arroyo has done to obtain power is nothing compared to what she has done while she had it as president.

Arroyo’s term was tainted with numerous corruption scandals such as the National Broadband Network – ZTE Corporation deal and the fertilizer fund scam. Her lavish lifestyle at the height of her power – spending P1 million for a single meal during a state trip to the United States of America – was a stark contrast to the condition of the vast majority of Filipinos who struggled with less than P50 a day for food; a harrowing reminder of how detached she has been to her

constituents who bore the brunt of her palliative economic policies.

How Arroyo has remained in power even after committing all these crimes can only be attributed to the methods she used in gaining allies and silencing her critics. Arroyo’s term was one of the bloodiest in terms of human rights

violations (HRVs), with more than 1,000 victims of extrajudicial

killings and hundreds of political prisoners, of which most were journalists and activists,

her staunchest critics. Even UP students are

solidly opposed against her regime. Two of the victims of these HRVs, in fact, are UP students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan, who were abducted in 2006 by military elements and until now, remain missing.

When Arroyo faced the threat of becoming a prisoner herself, she tried to leave the country, citing that her conditions bone mineral deficiency and hypoparathyroidism

were in need of immediate foreign treatment when in fact the treatments of such diseases are readily available here in the Philippines. When she was blocked from leaving the country, her family members branded the act as “cruelty.”

Certainly, the sight of the former president confined to a wheelchair, strapped with braces, is a pitiful sight. Yet no amount of pity should distract the current administration from the pursuit of justice. Not to mention, after a track record riddled with lies, even Arroyo must be expecting the skepticism from those who challenge the severity of her condition.

The Aquino administration, however, has failed to take a strong stand against Arroyo. For instance, when Arroyo insisted to have her treatment abroad, Aquino sought a compromise by offering to use public funds to ferry in foreign doctors. This, indeed, is a ridiculous suggestion. If Arroyo distrusts the local medical community, she must

Editoryal

Philippine Collegian www.philippinecollegian.orgPunong Patnugot Marjohara S. Tucay Kapatnugot Pauline Gidget R. Estella Tagapamahalang Patnugot Dianne Marah E. Sayaman Panauhing Patnugot Glenn Diaz,

Larissa Mae A. Suarez Patnugot sa Lathalain Mila Ana Estrella S. Polinar Patnugot sa Grapiks Chris Martin T. Imperial, Ruth Danielle R. Aliposa Tagapamahala ng Pinansya Richard Jacob N. Dy Mga kawani Ma. Katherine Elona, Kevin Mark Gomez, Marianne Rios Pinansiya Amelyn J. Daga Tagapamahala sa Sirkulasyon Paul

John Alix Sirkulasyon Gary Gabales, Ricky Kawat, Amelito Jaena, Glenario Ommalin Mga Katuwang na Kawani Trinidad Gabales, Gina Villas Pamuhatan Silid 401

Bulwagang Vinzons, Unibersidad ng Plipinas Diliman, Lungsod Quezon Telefax 981-8500 lokal 4522 Email [email protected] Website philippinecollegian.org

Kasapi Solidaridad: UP Systemwide Alliance of Student Publications and Writers Organizations, College Editors Guild of the Philippines

If the US government is supporting the Philippine government to kill people, to launch wars against the civilians, then they must stop.—Mohaliden Mama, a Maguindanaoan farmer and victim of a government aerial attack, aljazeera.com, November 15, 2011

507 days is 507 days. If somebody can go to heaven after 100 days, how come President Arroyo is still not sent to hell after 507 days? —Fernando Hicap, national chair of Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas, allvoices.com, November 20, 2011

My father died two weeks ago of heart attack after learning I was going to testify in this murder case. My father died because of the Maguindanao massacre.—Aldrin Forro, Scene of Crime Operative Inspector, gmanews.tv, November 17, 2011

Janno Gonzales

spend her own money instead. Amid the spectacle of Arroyo’s

attempted flight, subsequent arrest, and pending trial, however, we must not forget the core principle at stake: the pursuit of justice. We remind the Aquino administration that this does not only involve prosecuting Arroyo. Countless other crimes of her regime remain unresolved, from political prisoners still unjustly imprisoned to victims of extrajudicial killings whose murderers remain at large.

Arroyo’s arrest for electoral sabotage is only the beginning. As Arroyo continues to have allies in the Supreme Court, in the legislature and in local government units, the road to justice will be a tumultuous one. Vigilance then becomes necessary. The people’s welfare and clamor for justice must triumph over Arroyo’s attempts to evade justice. The people have waited long enough. It is then Aquino’s task to ensure that there is an end to the waiting.●

Luigi Almuena

3 • Kulê Balita Martes 22 Nobyembre 2011

Kevin Mark Gomez

Student leaders slammed Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Florencio Abad’s latest pronouncement that additional cuts may be imposed on state universities and colleges (SUCs) in the coming years if state schools are unable to prove that they still cater to the poor.

“If you don’t show reform, then there will no longer be appetite in the government to invest in SUCs,” Abad said in a special assembly of SUC officials in the Cordillera and Ilocos regions at Benguet State University on November 12.

Administrators of SUCs need to reexamine the demographics of their students to ensure that majority of students enrolled in public higher education institutions still belong to the lowest income brackets, Abad said.

The budget secretary explained that insufficient funds have shaped a new policy on tertiary education, adding that an actual data showing which SUCs serve their “intended clientele” will help in the determination of regional universities.

President Aquino wants SUCs to define their strengths and eventually specialize on courses related to priority industries like business process outsourcing (BPO) and electronics and semiconductors among others, while those that would not pass as regional universities can focus on research and development or become community colleges, Abad said.

However, the changing demographics of students enrolled in state schools can be rooted to the lack of government support for SUCs, Student Regent Maria Kristina Conti said. With the decreasing allocation for SUCs in the past years, schools were compelled to increase tuition

‘Changing student demographics result of decreasing state subsidy, TFI’

and other fees, and in effect limiting the capacity of students from low-income families to enroll.

“Kung lumabas mang hindi nagkecater ang isang SUC sa mga mahihirap, nangangahulugan lang itong hindi naaabot ng mga mahihirap kahit mismo ang mga pampublikong pamantasan dala ng mataas na bayaring idinulot ng patuloy na pagkaltas sa badyet ng edukasyon,”said UP Diliman University Student Council Student Rights and Welfare Committee Chair Soraya Escandor.

In UP Diliman, for example, enrollment dropped by 4.5 percent in academic year 2008-2009 after the implementation of the 300 percent tuition and other fees increase in 2007. Rising student loan trends were also recorded in subsequent years, signifying that more students are unable to afford the higher rates, Conti explained.

Dubious intentionStudent leaders have also

expressed reservations on the government’s intention to reduce the numbers of SUCs, and establish regional universities that focus on industries that “do not support the country’s genuine development,” Conti said.

“Kahina-hinala itong key industries na target ng mga regional universities, especially BPO where capital is concentrated on other countries,” she added.

“If Abad’s pronouncement is implemented, it will promote the establishment of regional centers unfit for the country’s archipelagic nature and would only undermine diversity the academe holds dear,” Conti explained. ●

Isabella Patricia Borlaza

The Senate has proposed increases in the allocation for state universities and colleges (SUCs) next year, rechanneling funds from other government agencies to fund research in agriculture, science and technology and other vital industries in the country.

As senators wrap up the plenary deliberations on the 2012 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) on November 21, Senate Finance Committee Vice Chairman Edgardo Angara disclosed that an estimated P322 million has been realigned to SUCs from the budget of departments, including the Department of Science

Senate to increase SUCs budget by P322Mand Technology, Department of Agriculture, and the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd).

The realignment is part of a plan to form “innovative clusters,” an intergovernmental effort which aims to fund research in qualified institutions to “find solutions to the nation’s problems through innovation programs,” Angara explained.

While the exact figures of the proposed amendments for the budget of SUCs are set to be finalized within the week, Angara assured that the amount will “definitely increase.”

On October 11, the House of Representatives approved on third reading a budget of P22.09 billion for all 112 SUCs for next year. This is P200

million higher than the P21.89 originally proposed by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in the 2012 National Expenditure Program.

For the UP System, the Senate proposed an additional budget of almost P300 million for the purchase of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and an X-ray machine for the Philippine General Hospital, Angara said.

Senators are wrapping up the budget deliberations and are set to pass their version of the GAB on third reading within this week. The Bicameral Committee, composed of representatives of both chambers of Congress, will then meet to reconcile the two versions of the bill. The consolidated GAB will then be

submitted to Aquino to be signed into law before the year ends.

To benefit from the Senate’s proposed realignments, SUCs need to focus on developing “practical technologies to resolve national issues such as food security, health and wellness, and knowledge access,” Angara said.

For instance, CHEd’s Higher Education Development Fund will share funding with SUCs in Cordillera for “cultural preservation, biodiversity protection and climate change adaptation,” according to Angara.

Meanwhile, institutions under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) have also agreed to collaborate with chosen SUCs for projects, such

BLAZING PROTEST. In relation to the recent visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the country, students burn a fake US flag (Above) in front of Palma Hall on November 17. Condemning the skewed US-RP relationship, the group called for the immediate abolition of the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement. (Left) Meanwhile, the police violently dispersed the protesters who blocked Clinton’s convoy. Chris Martin Imperial and Danny Pata

as Cloud Computing and Software as a Service, Smart Agriculture and Precision Farming, Responsible Mining Technologies, and Natural Health and Nutritional Products.

Though the additional funding for research is a “welcome development,” SUCs still need to receive additional funds for maintenance and other operating expenses to pay for utilities such as water and electricity expenses, and capital outlay for building infrastructures, said UP Diliman University Student Council Chair Gemimah Grace Garcia.

“Kaya’t tuloy ang panawagan para sa sapat na budget for education and social services,” Garcia added. ●


LLAMADO. Masusing inooperahan ni Anacleto Oliva, 52, ang mga sugatang manok sa isang sabungan sa Bay,Laguna. Sa loob ng mahigit 20 taon, nahasa siya bilang “cut doctor” na nagsasalba ng mga sugatang manok. Kumikita si Oliva ng tinatayang P1,500 linggu-linggo, na pilit niyang pinagkakasya para sa pang-araw-araw niyang pangangailangan. Airnel T. Abarra

Frat violence mars sem openingKeith Richard D. Mariano

The second semester began with yet another spate of fraternity-related violence inside and outside the campus, with numerous clashes between members of the Alpha Sigma (Masig) and Alpha Phi Beta (APB) fraternities recorded in the past days.

Members of the two fraternities were tagged in a car chase incident along the University Avenue on November 16.

University Student Council (USC) Councilor Raphael Pangalanan was dropping off a Masig colleague in front of College of Science (CS) Library when five APB members on board a Starex van allegedly hit the rear window of his car with pipes.

Driving his damaged vehicle, Pangalanan ran after the APB members’ van from CS to the University Avenue. The chase ended when the said van crashed into a traffic signage at the center island of the University Avenue, according to Pangalanan’s statement to the UP Diliman Police.

However, a guard dispatched at the Security Checkpoint along University Avenue said he saw two cars, a Toyota Vios and a Toyota Crown, chasing the van. When the van got stuck in the center island of the University Avenue, a Masig member then got off one of the two Toyota cars and smashed the van’s windshield and windows, the guard – who requested anonymity for fear of retribution – told the Collegian.

The APB members managed to escape but the police recovered the

driver’s license of Jaime Sandino from the van. Pangalanan, meanwhile, identified Ravelaez Medina as one of the five APB members involved in the car chase.

APB and Masig signed a truce at the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (OVCSA) on November 18, two days after the said incident.

“We really want to end it. Hindi lang naman kasi kami ang naapektuhan kundi buong UP. Hopefully, we will learn a lesson from this,” said APB Chancellor Ricky Sabornay.

“It has been our policy not to engage to violence [but] it was unfortunate na maraming sumusubok sa amin that we are pushed to the wall to defend ourselves,” Sabornay added.

The Collegian tried to reach Masig for their comment on the issue but the representative of the said fraternity cannot be reached as of press time.

‘Series of unfortunate events’The clash between the two

fraternities started on August 16 when School of Economics (SE) Student Council Chairperson Kehrl Reyes and another member of APB were hurt in a rumble with Masig members along Roces Street near Palma Hall.

On October 13, the OVCSA brokered a truce between the two fraternities, with representatives from each fraternity signing a Memorandum of Agreement to “voluntarily and finally cease and desist from any and all hostilities, within and without the premises of the University of the Philippines.”

However, on October 17, APB members allegedly hit Masig member

Ivan Valcos in one of the comfort rooms at Palma Hall. The incident prompted the OVCSA to order the preventive suspension of all the officers of the two fraternities from October 18 to November 16.

“The Preventive Suspension issued is not a penalty but an administrative action to prevent further escalation of violence,” explained VCSA Ma. Corazon Tan.

While officers of the said fraternities were suspended, incidents allegedly involving APB and Masig continued. On October 23, a Masig alumnus allegedly went to Reyes’ house and hit the APB member. About three weeks after, APB members allegedly hit Masig member Lloyd Cunanan during an event held at the Sunken Garden on November 11.

On November 13, Masig members allegedly broke the windows of Reyes’ car parked at SE. An explosion was heard in front of Reyes’ house two days after.

The SDT is currently conducting a preliminary investigation on members of the Masig and APB fraternities for possible violation of the Revised Rules and Regulations Governing Fraternities, Sororities and other Student Organizations.

Under Section 1 of the Revised Rules, “member and officers of fraternities, sororities and other student organizations shall be subject to disciplinary action [for] participating in any rumble, engaging in fisticuffs with, or physically attacking a member of other fraternities, sororities or student organizations” among others.

Keith Richard D. Mariano

The UP Diliman (UPD) administration is planning to implement a new Student Manual (SM), which will consolidate the provisions of the 2010 draft Code of Student Conduct (CSC) and the draft Student Handbook of Rights and Responsibilities (SHRR), next academic year.

The Office of the Chancellor (OC) and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (OVCSA) are currently in the process of combining and harmonizing the 2010 proposed CSC drafted by several members of the faculty and the SHRR created by students.

On June 21, 2010, the University Council (UC) approved the adoption of the 2010 draft CSC, which was supposed to replace the 1976 Student Guide. The CSC, a set of rules governing all affairs on student discipline and conduct, was first drafted in 2009 and later revised in 2010.

However, various student organizations criticized the CSC primarily due to the non-inclusion of a student representative during its drafting period.

Then VCSA Elizabeth Enriquez and members of the CSC drafting committee did not allow a student representative to take part in the creation of the CSC, explaining that only faculty members can be part of any UC subcommittee.

“The fact na hindi represented ang mga estudyante sa drafting committee, hindi paradigm ng mga estudyante ang nangibabaw. Ang

Admin expects new student code next AY

hinahanap ng mga estudyante ay isang code na hindi kikitil sa kanilang karapatan bagkus ay magsusulong pa lalo nito,” said UPD University Student Council Chairperson Jemimah Grace Garcia.

When Chancellor Caesar Saloma assumed office in March, he formed the Student Review Committee (SRC) to review and suggest amendments to the 2010 draft CSC. The committee was headed by Garcia and UP Student Regent Ma. Kristina Conti.

The SRC decided to abandon the CSC and crafted the SHRR instead. The proposed handbook is entirely different from the CSC as it aims to highlight the rights of students, said Garcia. The review committee submitted the SHRR to the OC on September.

However, the administration cannot disregard the CSC since it was already approved by the UC, explained Saloma. The new SM will combine the contents of the 2010 CSC and the 2011 SHRR, he added.

The OC is set to report the status of the draft SM to the UC in December. The final draft of the manual will then be presented to the UC for approval in April, in time for implementation in academic year 2012-2013, said Saloma.

“[The new SM] should not only contain [provisions] and [their] corresponding penalties. It should also explain the rights of students as well as their obligations and responsibilities to their fellow students, teachers, and duly-appointed UP officials,” Saloma said. ●

The penalty for any violation of the Revised Rules ranges from suspension to expulsion.

Anti-frat violence watch relaunched

With the consecutive fraternity-related incidents in the campus, meanwhile, the Student-led Anti-Fraternity Related Violence Watch (SAWA) reconvened on November 18.

SAWA is an alliance of student organizations and councils campaigning for the end of fraternity-related violence in the campus. The alliance was first created by the National College of Public Administration Student Council (NCPAG SC) in 2007 following the death of Cris Anthony Mendez.

Mendez, a member of the NCPAG SC, died in August 2007 due to alleged hazing activity by the Sigma Rho Fraternity.

UP Alyansa ng mga Iskolar para sa Bayan (ALYANSA), the convenor of the present SAWA, called on the administration to review and “properly” implement the rules governing fraternities in the university.

“Make those members of fraternities who are directly involved and identified in cases of fraternity-related violence legally accountable in the Student Disciplinary Tribunal. Peace accords are not enough,” according to ALYANSA.

“While we all continue to work with the administration in formulating measures to ensure safety for the UP community, the ultimate solution depends on our conviction to act for change. It is in their internal decisiveness that will end this cycle of violence,” according to a statement issued by the USC. ●


MAPAGMATYAG. Hawak ng isang lalaki ang placard na nagpapahayag ng kanyang kahilingang panagutin at huwag payagang makaalis ng bansa si dating pangulong Gloria Arroyo sa isang kilos-protesta sa harap ng Korte Suprema noong Nobyembre 18. Bumoto ang Korte pabor sa pag-alis ng bansa ni Arroyo, ngunit naipawalang-bisa ang desisyon matapos maglabas ng warrant of arrest laban kay Arroyo ang Pasay Regional Trial Court bunsod ng kasong pandaraya sa eleksyon. Richard Jacob Dy

Joan C. Cordero

With Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo now under hospital arrest, militant groups now call on the Aquino government to hasten the filing and processing of other cases against the former president.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and Commission on Elections (Comelec) Joint Investigating Committee charged Arroyo with electoral sabotage in connection with the 2007 presidential elections, barring her from leaving the country amid an unprecedented standoff between the Supreme Court (SC) and the Executive Branch last week.

After a preliminary investigation of the case, the DOJ-Comelec panel recommended the filing of charges against Arroyo, former Comelec Chair Benjamin Abalos Sr., Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and Former Election Supervisor Lintang Bedol.

On Friday, Comelec filed the election sabotage case against Arroyo. Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 112 promptly ordered a warrant of arrest against Arroyo.

“After more than 500 days in office, the Aquino government finally has a criminal case filed against GMA...It is indeed possible to hasten the filing of cases against the former president,” said Renato Reyes, secretary-general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN).

Aside from election-related cases, Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño also filed a complaint on the National Broadband Network – ZTE Corporation (NBN-ZTE) anomaly, although only election cases were acted upon as of press time.

StandoffOn November 7, the DOJ-Comelec

Investigating Committee issued a travel ban prohibiting Gloria Arroyo and several colleagues from leaving the country. In response, the Arroyo camp filed a petition before the SC to lift the DOJ’s order and allow her to travel for medication.

The SC issued a Temporary Restraining Order on November 15 which allowed Arroyo and her collegues to leave the country after satisfying three conditions – posting a P2-million bond, regular reporting to the Philippine Embassy, and

‘Convict GMA of crimes against nation’

appointment of a legal representative who will receive subpooenas and legal documents in thePhilippines.

However, DOJ Sec. Leila de Lima declared the watch order remained effective even after the SC issued the TRO, prompting a standoff between the two branches of government.

In the morning of November 18, Friday, the SC upheld the unconstitutionality of the travel ban since no cases were filed against Arroyo at the time.

On the same day, the Comelec filed nonbailable electoral sabotage charges against Arroyo, former Maguindanao Ampatuan Sr. and former Comelec Election Supervisor Bedol. A warrant of arrest was released in the afternoon by Judge Jesus Mupas of the Pasay City Regional Trial Court, and was served by the police to Arroyo in her hospital room at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City.

“Had President Aquino accompanied the rhetoric and blame game with prompt and concrete legal actions in prosecuting the Arroyos as part of its campaign against corruption, it would not have come to this high drama,” said Attorney Edre Olalia, secretary-general of the National Union of People’s Lawyers.

‘Unfinished business’Meanwhile, militant groups urged

the Aquino administration to file other cases against Arroyo, including plunder and human rights violations. “Aquino should see to it that the cases filed by the Morong 43 and UCCP vs. GMA, et al will be given immediate and due course,” said Cristina Palabay, convenor of End Impunity Alliance.

As of press time, the government has filed only two electoral sabotage cases charged against Arroyo.

“It has always been the people who have been decisive in levelling charges against GMA like the NBN-ZTE, the fertilizer fund scam, and her liability in perpetrating extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances,” according to the National Union of the Students of the Philippines.

“The Aquino government should ensure that Arroyo will finally be made accountable for plunder, gross human rights violations and election fraud,” according to BAYAN, an alliance of sectoral organizations. ●

H T T P : / / W W W. P H I L I P P I N E C O L L E G I A N . O R G

6-7 • Kulê Kultura Martes 22 Nobyembre 2011

“Pro

prie

ty

is

the

first

de

fens

e of

th

ose

who

fee

d fr

om p

ower

”- Ar

nold

Al

amon

, 201

1

Rece

nt e

vent

s ac

ross

the

glob

e se

em

to

have

ca

ptur

ed

the

imag

inat

ion

of o

rdin

ary

peop

le.

The

need

to

a co

ntex

t for

a m

ultit

ude

of s

timul

i and

in

terp

reta

tions

can

not b

e ov

erst

ated

. O

ne

of

thos

e si

gnifi

cant

si

tes

of

cultu

re a

nd re

sist

ance

took

pla

ce ri

ght

here

whe

n ou

r ve

ry o

wn

Broa

dcas

t Co

mm

unic

atio

n M

ajor

and

Phi

lippi

ne

Colle

gian

Ed

itor-

In-C

hief

M

arjo

hara

Tu

cay

inte

rven

ed i

n a

prog

ram

tha

t fe

atur

ed S

ecre

tary

of

Stat

e H

ilary

Cl

into

n.

His

m

ode

of

inte

rven

tion

appr

oxim

ates

a li

ghtn

ing

rally

usu

ally

he

ld b

y gr

oup

of a

ctiv

ists

to

prot

est

an u

rgen

t is

sue.

Wha

t di

ffer

entia

tes

a lig

htni

ng

rally

fr

om

a m

ass

dem

onst

ratio

n is

its

ch

arac

teris

tic

swift

ness

th

at

com

es

with

a

bom

bshe

ll eff

ect.

Tuca

y’s in

terv

entio

n sa

tisfie

s al

l tha

t, ex

cept

for

the

fac

t th

at it

was

a s

olo

act

of d

efian

ce. H

e bu

rst i

n rig

ht o

n th

e sc

ene

prot

estin

g th

e M

utua

l D

efen

se T

reat

y an

d th

e V

isiti

ng F

orce

s Ag

reem

ent.

This

act

of

defi

ance

was

not

onl

y ad

dres

sed

to H

ilary

Clin

ton,

it d

efini

tely

aff

ecte

d sp

ecta

tors

of

glob

al T

V as

wel

l as

m

anag

ers

of c

orpo

rate

med

ia.

But

mos

t di

stur

bing

and

stu

nnin

g of

all

is

the

linge

ring

mes

sage

em

bodi

ed i

n Tu

cay’s

act

: Jou

rnal

ism

wou

ld n

ot b

e w

orth

an

hour

’s tr

oubl

e if

it di

d no

t be

ar u

pon

itsel

f the

dut

y of

impa

rtin

g a

criti

que

of th

e hu

man

cond

ition

.

Obje

ctiv

ity a

nd E

thic

s As

the

man

of

the

hour

, Tu

cay

mad

e a

TV

gues

ting

in

How

ie

Seve

rino’

s sh

ow t

he f

ollo

win

g da

y. W

hat w

as s

uppo

sed

to ta

ke p

lace

was

an

inte

rvie

w b

etw

een

two

jour

nalis

ts.

It

only

to

ok

a fe

w

sent

ence

s fo

r ho

st

How

ie

Seve

rino

to

indi

cate

th

at h

is s

how

is a

bout

to

veer

aw

ay

from

the

usu

al i

nter

view

for

mat

to

acco

mm

odat

e hi

s se

rmon

for t

he d

ay:

“Sye

mpr

e, a

ng e

xpec

tatio

n sa

isa

ng

mam

amah

ayag

ay

hind

i mag

prot

esta

ku

ndi

mag

tano

ng;

Yung

m

ga

old-

fash

ione

d jo

urna

lists

kat

ulad

ko,

yun

g tr

aini

ng a

y na

gcoc

over

; May

cho

ice

ka

dun,

kun

g an

o an

g m

agig

ing

actio

n m

o:

mam

ahay

ag o

pro

test

er.”

His

mod

e of

ser

mon

izin

g be

gins

w

ith t

he d

eplo

ymen

t of

a b

inar

ism

: th

e jo

urna

list

vers

us t

he p

rote

ster

. Th

is

cons

truc

tion

inco

rrec

tly

rend

ers

thes

e tw

o id

entit

ies

as

mut

ually

exc

lusi

ve a

nd ir

reco

ncila

ble.

M

oreo

ver,

Seve

rino’

s pe

ncha

nt

for

rela

tivis

m i

s re

veal

ed w

hen

he

ques

tione

d Tu

cay’s

act

ion

whi

ch, t

o hi

s m

ind,

did

not

con

side

r ot

her

peop

le’s

stan

d ex

cept

his

ow

n. B

ut w

hy f

ault

Tuca

y fo

r di

sreg

ardi

ng t

he s

tand

of

the

GRP

and

the W

hite

Hou

se o

n th

ose

issu

es w

hen

his

poin

t w

as p

reci

sely

to

mak

e kn

own

that

as

an a

ctiv

ist-

jour

nalis

t, he

rep

rese

nts

a si

gnifi

cant

se

ctor

opp

osed

to th

e M

utua

l Def

ense

Tr

eaty

?In

ot

her

wor

ds,

Seve

rino’

s co

ntra

dict

ing

stat

emen

ts m

irror

s hi

s fie

ld’s

stra

tegi

es i

n cu

ltiva

ting

and

rein

forc

ing

a do

min

ant

disp

ositi

on

tow

ards

glo

bal

issu

es t

hat

invo

lve

ineq

ualit

y an

d vi

olen

ce. S

uch

stra

tegy

, as

it a

ppea

rs, c

ombi

nes

an in

sist

ence

on

rel

ativ

ism

tha

t de

man

ds r

espe

ct

for

ever

y po

sitio

n-ta

king

alo

ngsi

de

a st

rong

pre

scrip

tion

to u

phol

d th

e po

sitio

n of

nat

ion-

stat

es o

ver t

hat o

f th

e pr

otes

ting

peop

le. Y

et in

pra

ctic

e,

and

as d

emon

stra

ted

by S

ever

ino’

s re

ckle

ss

hand

ling

of

Tuca

y in

hi

s ow

n sh

ow,

the

clai

m o

n re

lativ

ism

is

a c

ard

up h

is s

leev

es t

o be

dra

wn

whe

n a

cont

rary

pos

ition

is s

tron

gly

regi

ster

ed

and

gain

s m

ains

trea

m

mile

age.

The

re is

just

no

obje

ctiv

ity,

muc

h le

ss e

thic

s, i

n a

prac

tice

that

ch

ides

fel

low

citi

zens

on

acco

unt

of

corp

orat

e m

edia

’s bi

as f

or d

omin

ant

inst

itutio

ns a

nd le

ader

s of s

tate

s.

The

Colo

nize

d Ga

teke

eper

The

gate

keep

ers

in e

very

fiel

d ha

ve

the

prer

ogat

ive

to

deci

de

who

mus

t be

tak

en in

, who

mus

t be

filte

red

out

and

who

mus

t no

t ge

t an

ywhe

re n

ear

thei

r te

rrito

ry.

Obj

ectiv

ity a

nd e

thic

s ar

e tw

o va

lues

th

at a

re a

lmos

t al

way

s ci

ted

in t

he

gate

keep

ers’

filte

ring

proc

edur

es.

In

resp

onse

to

so

me

issu

es

rais

ed i

n a

Face

book

not

e en

title

d “R

eflec

tions

on

th

e he

cklin

g”

by

med

ia p

ract

ition

er, A

lays

a Es

cand

or,

Seve

rino

enga

ges

by

post

ing

the

follo

win

g co

mm

ents

:(1)

“…W

ala

akon

g an

gal k

ung

nais

m

agpr

otes

ta s

a fo

rum

o m

amba

to n

g sa

pato

s an

g is

ang

tao.

Jus

t do

n’t

call

your

self

a jo

urna

list.

Hin

di y

an a

ng

Gaw

ain

ng is

ang

jour

nalis

t”(2

)“The

be

st

jour

nalis

ts

that

I

have

enc

ount

ered

in

23 y

ears

in

jour

nalis

m,[…

]wou

ld n

ot u

se a

for

um

or p

ress

con

to s

hout

slo

gans

—no

t be

caus

e th

ey h

ave

no p

erso

nal b

elie

fs

(we

all

do)

but

for

very

pra

ctic

al

reas

ons:

no

on

e w

ould

in

vite

us

or

allo

w u

s to

gai

n ac

cess

to

any

even

t w

here

we

can

ask

ques

tions

an

d ga

in

info

rmat

ion

that

th

e pu

blic

nee

ds t

o kn

ow.

And

if ot

her

“jour

nalis

ts” u

se t

hose

occ

asio

ns n

ot

to g

ain

info

rmat

ion

but

inst

ead

push

a

polit

ical

age

nda

or b

e di

srup

tive

it cr

eate

s a

clou

d of

dou

bt a

bout

the

m

otiv

atio

ns a

bout

the

mot

ivat

ions

of

othe

r pro

fess

iona

ls.”

(3)”Y

oung

jour

nalis

ts h

ave

a ch

oice

ab

out w

hat k

ind

of jo

urna

list t

hey

will

be

. I n

eede

d to

rai

se t

hese

con

cern

s w

ith M

arjo

on

the

show

, les

t an

yone

th

ink

that

I app

rove

d.”

Seve

rino

owns

up

to t

he r

ole

of a

ga

teke

eper

who

chur

ns o

ut co

nflic

ting

orde

rs

to

aspi

ring

jour

nalis

ts,

orde

rs t

hat

are

cons

iste

nt w

ith t

he

dom

inan

t lo

gic

with

in t

he fi

eld

of

mas

s m

edia

. Firs

t, he

mak

es a

str

ong

stat

emen

t ab

out

how

Tuc

ay’s

act

is

unbe

com

ing

of a

jour

nalis

t. Th

en h

e su

dden

ly p

lays

goo

d co

p by

cla

imin

g an

acc

omm

odat

ion

for

ever

y yo

ung

jour

nalis

t’s

choi

ce.

He

even

ci

tes

prag

mat

ic r

easo

ns f

or d

isco

urag

ing

jour

nalis

ts

from

ac

tivis

m.

That

pr

otes

ting

jour

nalis

ts m

ight

not

get

in

vite

d to

the

nex

t im

port

ant

med

ia

even

t be

tray

s Se

verin

o’s

very

ow

n ca

reer

ism

an

d op

port

unis

m

whi

ch

he m

isre

pres

ents

as

ethi

cs f

or t

he

youn

ger g

ener

atio

n of

jour

nalis

ts.

Curio

usly

, Se

verin

o re

gard

s a

polit

ical

po

sitio

n-ta

king

as

“pe

rson

al b

elie

f” n

ot

to

be

expr

esse

d by

jo

urna

lists

. “Ju

nk

VFA

!” an

d “T

here

is

noth

ing

mut

ual

in

the

Mut

ual D

efen

se

Trea

ty!”

wer

e Tu

cay’s

re

soun

ding

sta

tem

ents

. H

is

act

of

defia

nce

is

not

base

d on

a

pers

onal

be

lief

but

on

an

hist

oric

al

stru

ggle

of

co

loni

zed

peop

les

agai

nst

colo

nial

an

d ex

pans

ioni

st

viol

ence

, ag

ains

t m

assi

ve

loot

an

d m

urde

r of

hu

man

kind

on

acco

unt

of

Amer

ica’s

dirt

y w

ars.

Tha

t Se

verin

o po

rtra

ys t

his

as

mer

e pe

rson

al

belie

f is

te

lling

of

hi

s ab

ject

po

sitio

n in

the

his

tory

of

the

colo

nize

r an

d th

e co

loni

zed.

Whi

le re

cent

ev

ents

pr

ove

that

pe

ople

ev

eryw

here

ar

e in

deed

fig

htin

g ba

ck,

the

disp

ositi

on

of a

few

col

oniz

ed c

itize

ns

rem

ain

timid

an

d co

mpl

iant

am

idst

bra

zen

viol

ence

infli

cted

by

the

colo

nize

r, ye

t ove

rbea

ring

and

dism

issi

ve

tow

ards

th

e st

rugg

ling

peop

le.

So m

uch

for o

bjec

tivity

and

eth

ics,

Se

verin

o-st

yle.

For

the

mal

adie

s of

po

wer

hav

e ve

ry w

ell d

ispl

ayed

wha

t is

valid

and

wha

t is v

ile.

●*P

rof.

Sara

h Ra

ymun

do

is

a fa

culty

mem

ber a

t the

UP

Cent

er fo

r In

tern

atio

nal S

tudi

es.

Mar

amin

g ta

wag

ka

y M

ang

Rica

rdo*

– p

ilay,

puto

l-pa

a at

ang

pin

akam

asak

it sa

la

hat,

inut

il.

Gaa

no m

an k

asak

it an

g m

ga

salit

ang

ito,

hind

i na

la

ng

ito

pina

pans

in n

i M

ang

Rica

rdo,

55.

D

ahil

sa

kany

ang

kala

gaya

n,

wal

a si

yang

mak

uhan

g tr

abah

o at

na

uwi n

a lam

ang

sa p

anlil

imos

sa ta

pat

ng i

sang

sim

baha

n sa

Con

cepc

ion,

M

arik

ina.

Pin

utol

ang

kan

yang

mga

pa

a da

law

ang

taon

na

ang

naka

lipas

m

atap

os s

iyan

g m

abun

dol

ng i

sang

m

alak

ing

trak

. M

aram

i m

ang

mga

sa

litan

g na

ririn

ig s

i M

ang

Rica

rdo

mul

a sa

ib

ang

tao,

hin

di n

iya

iyon

alin

tana

. Ba

gkus

ay

nagp

apas

alam

at p

a si

ya a

t na

buha

y si

ya. T

angi

ng a

ng k

apak

anan

ng

ka

nyan

g pa

mily

a an

g ka

nyan

g in

alal

a.

Bans

agM

ay

mga

sa

lita

raw

na

da

pat

itaw

ag

sa

mga

ka

tula

d ni

M

ang

Rica

rdo

na n

akab

atay

sa

pam

anta

yan

ng m

aayo

s na

pag

sasa

lita

at p

agki

los.

Sa

hal

ip n

a “p

utol

-paa

,” mas

hig

it da

w

na

was

to

ang

salit

ang

“phy

sica

lly

disa

bled

” o

“diff

eren

tly a

bled

” pa

ra

sa m

ga ta

ong

pipi

, bul

ag, p

ilay

at m

ga

taon

g m

ay k

ung

anu-

ano

pang

pis

ikal

na

kap

ansa

nan.

Pin

apar

usah

an a

ng

mga

tao

ng g

umag

amit

ng m

ga s

alita

at

ide

yang

ipi

nagb

abaw

al n

g ba

tas

sapa

gkat

pin

anin

iwal

aan

na i

to a

y “p

oliti

cally

inco

rrec

t.”“H

ealth

y ex

pans

ion

of

mor

al

conc

ern”

ang

pak

ahul

ugan

ni

Noa

m

Chom

sky,

isan

g Am

erik

anon

g lin

gwis

ta,

sa

polit

ical

co

rrec

tnes

s.

Naa

ayon

daw

ito

, an

iya,

sa

tam

ang

pag-

uuga

li.

Ilan

sa

halim

baw

a ng

pa

gigi

ng

polit

ical

ly-c

orre

ct

ang

pagt

awag

na

“hor

izon

tally

cha

lleng

ed”

sa m

ga ta

ong

mat

atab

a. S

aman

tala

ng

“chr

onol

ogic

ally

adv

ance

d” n

aman

ang

ta

wag

sa

mga

mat

atan

da b

ukod

pa

sa

salit

ang

“sen

ior.”

Taon

g 19

60s

nang

lum

itaw

ang

Am

eric

an N

ew L

eft,

pana

hon

nang

m

agsi

mul

ang

kum

alat

ang

pol

itica

l co

rrec

tnes

s.

Nag

ing

mal

akin

g im

pluw

ensi

ya

rito

ang

pags

asal

in

sa I

ngle

s ng

Mao

ist

liter

atur

e, n

ang

mag

karo

on n

g m

agka

iban

g sa

lin a

ng

dala

wan

g m

agka

tung

galin

g pa

nig,

an

g “r

ight

” at

“le

ft.”

Kung

sa

una

ay

isa

lam

ang

itong

por

ma

ng s

impl

eng

tuks

uhan

, sa

ka

laun

a’y

naha

luan

ito

ng

is

yu

ng

kons

erba

tism

o,

na

nagp

asim

ula

sa

deba

te

ukol

sa

po

litic

al co

rrec

tnes

s.Sa

Pili

pina

s, u

nang

nak

ilala

ang

ko

nsep

to n

oong

198

0s,

kung

kai

lan

tala

mak

an

g pa

gbab

ago

ng

mga

pa

lisiy

a, e

tika

ng w

ika

at k

urik

ulum

ng

mga

inst

itusy

on a

t pa

aral

an s

a ib

ang

bans

a.

Mul

a sa

pa

gigi

ng

sim

plen

g pa

gpap

abul

aan

sa p

anun

ukso

, nag

ing

para

an it

o up

ang

ipak

ita a

ng ti

la a

wa

sa m

ga m

argi

naliz

ed.

Sa

pagl

ipas

ng

pa

naho

n,

ipin

atup

ad

ang

isyu

ng

pa

gbab

awal

sa

ila

ng

mga

sa

lita

hang

gang

sa

ugat

in n

ito

ang

isyu

ng

kons

erba

tism

o.

May

m

ga

inst

itusy

on

ding

na

glab

as

ng

mga

ka

utus

ang

ipin

agba

baw

al

ang

pagg

amit

ng

ilang

m

ga

salit

ang

sina

sabi

ng

polit

ical

ly in

corr

ect.

Isan

g ra

dika

l na

ha

limba

wa

nito

an

g pa

gbab

awal

ng

salit

ang

“boy

” at

“g

irl”

sa

La

Trob

e U

nive

rsity

sa

Au

stra

lia,

dahi

l sa

pa

nini

wal

ang

wal

a pa

ng

kasa

rian

ang

mga

bat

a.

Dah

il hi

ndi

pam

ilyar

an

g ila

n tu

ngko

l sa

isyu

ng

polit

ical

cor

rect

ness

, mid

ya

– tu

lad

ng t

eleb

isyo

n, r

adio

, at

pe

likul

a –

ang

nagi

ging

da

an u

pang

mam

ulat

sila

sa

gani

tong

usa

pin.

Bant

ay-s

alak

aySa

Pi

lipin

as,

mid

ya

ang

isa

sa

mga

na

gpal

agan

ap

ng

idey

a ng

ka

gand

ahan

g as

al

at

polit

ical

co

rrec

tnes

s sa

pu

blik

o.

Ang

Mov

ie

and

Tele

visi

on

Revi

ew

and

Clas

sific

atio

n Bo

ard

(MTR

CB)

at

Kapi

sana

n ng

mga

Bro

adka

ster

ng P

ilipi

nas

(KBP

) an

g na

gsis

ilbin

g ba

ntay

at t

agap

amah

ala

sa p

agsu

suri

at p

agka

klas

ipik

a sa

mga

pro

gram

a at

pe

likul

ang

ipin

apal

abas

sa

tele

bisy

on.

Mar

ami s

a m

ga n

asur

ing

pala

bas

ang

ipin

agba

wal

ng

MTR

CB a

t KB

P da

hil

sa m

ga b

asto

s na

sal

itang

nak

apal

oob

dito

at

mga

gaw

ing

hind

i an

gkop

sa

mga

bat

ang

man

onoo

d.

Map

apan

sin

sa m

ga p

rogr

ama

sa

tele

bisy

on a

ng u

nti-u

ntin

g pa

gigi

ng

mai

ngat

ng

mga

art

ista

, rep

orte

rs a

t ku

ng si

no p

a na

gum

agam

it ng

salit

ang

“hom

osex

ual”

(bak

la,

shok

la,

badi

ng,

bina

bae)

, “vi

sual

ly c

halle

nged

” (bl

ind)

, “v

ertic

ally

ch

alle

nged

” (m

idge

t),

“pat

holo

gica

lly

high

-spi

rited

” (p

sych

otic

) at

m

aram

i pa

ng

iba.

D

ahil

dito

, nag

karo

on n

g pa

niba

gong

di

men

syon

ang

mga

dat

i’y in

osen

teng

sa

lita. An

g po

litic

al co

rrec

tnes

ss a

y isa

ng

“ideo

logi

cal

viru

s”

na

nagd

idiin

sa

pa

gbab

ago

o pa

gsas

alin

sa

anum

ang

pani

niw

ala

ng

isan

g ta

o,

ayon

sa

En

glis

h ar

tist n

a si

Mic

hael

Bar

nard

.M

ay

saril

ing

pers

onal

idad

an

g m

idya

; ito

an

g na

gded

esis

yon

kung

ano

ang

tam

a at

mal

i. Ila

n sa

m

ga

prog

ram

ang

tinat

angk

ilik

sa

tele

bisy

on a

ng m

ga p

alab

as k

atul

ad

ng B

udoy

, Bak

ekan

g, N

ita N

egrit

a —

ku

ng s

aan

tinut

ukso

ang

mga

bid

a sa

ka

nila

ng

kala

gaya

n,

sina

sabi

han

ng

mas

asak

it na

salit

a at

kin

akaw

awa.

Sa m

ga p

alab

as n

a ito

, gin

agaw

ang

mad

ram

a an

g bu

hay

ng m

ga b

idan

g m

ay

kapa

nsan

an.

Itin

atam

pok

ng

mid

ya a

ng m

ga is

tory

ang

nagp

apak

ita

ng k

anila

ng p

agpa

paha

laga

sa

mga

ta

ong

kaap

i-api

sa

lip

unan

.

Sa

baw

at

tagp

o ng

ek

sena

, m

akik

ita

na

mor

alid

ad

ang

pang

unah

ing

pam

anta

yan

ng

kwen

to.

Ngu

nit

kasa

bay

nito

ang

pag

tata

guyo

d sa

sa

rilin

g in

tere

s ng

mid

ya, k

agay

a ng

ra

tings

at p

agka

mal

ng

kita

. Ka

ya n

aman

mai

ngat

ang

mid

ya s

a pa

g-ee

re n

g m

ga g

anito

ng p

rogr

ama

at b

inab

anta

yan

ang

baw

at s

alita

ng

bini

bita

wan

ng

mga

kar

akte

r, re

port

er

at a

rtis

ta. N

ais

nito

ng ip

atam

pok

ang

isan

g im

ahe

sa p

ublik

o na

sen

sitib

o sa

kal

agay

an n

g an

uman

g se

ktor

sa

lipun

an.

Bala

tkay

oKu

ng

gayo

n,

maa

arin

g tin

gnan

na

mag

anda

ang

lay

unin

ng

polit

ical

co

rrec

tnes

s da

hil

naka

kaw

ing

ito

sa

pagg

alan

g at

ta

man

g pa

gkilo

s.

Gay

unpa

man

, usa

pin

pa r

in i

to k

ung

tutu

usin

ng

mor

alid

ad a

t m

agin

g ng

tu

ngga

lian

ng ka

pang

yarih

an n

a si

yang

bi

nuo

ng li

puna

n.

Pang

unah

ing

pina

g-uu

gata

n ni

to

ang

kons

epto

ng “O

ther

,” isa

ng p

araa

n ng

pag

tingi

n sa

tao

bata

y sa

kan

yang

ka

ibah

an s

a na

kaga

wia

n o

norm

ativ

e va

lues

. Sa

agh

am p

anlip

unan

, gi

naga

mit

ang

“oth

erin

g”

sa

pags

asan

tabi

ng

is

ang

grup

o sa

m

ga

taon

g pi

nani

niw

alaa

ng

hind

i na

baba

gay

sa

lipun

ang

kani

lang

gi

naga

law

an.

Tina

tang

kang

pa

gaan

in

ng

polit

ical

co

rrec

tnes

s an

g ka

raha

sang

na

kapa

loob

sa

mga

sal

itang

“pi

lay,”

“b

ulag

,” “ba

kla,”

“neg

ro,” “

pata

y gu

tom

” at

iba

pa.

Sa u

nang

tin

gin,

tila

sin

usub

ukan

g itu

wid

ng

polit

ical

cor

rect

ness

ang

m

atag

al n

ang

tagi

bang

na

kata

ngia

n ng

lip

unan

. N

guni

t ku

ng s

usum

ahin

, sa

hal

ip n

a ha

rapi

n an

g m

ga g

anito

ng

di-p

agka

kapa

ntay

-pan

tay,

lalo

lam

ang

pina

patin

gkad

ng

pagi

ging

pol

itica

lly

corr

ect

ang

anum

ang

bata

yan

ng

kaib

ahan

ng

isan

g ta

o o

sekt

or.

Sa k

alag

ayan

ni M

ang

Rica

rdo,

hin

di

na ra

w n

iya

alin

tana

ang

mga

sina

sabi

sa

kany

a ng

iban

g ta

o, a

num

ang

salit

a an

g ga

miti

n ni

la.

Laha

t ay

par

e-pa

reho

ng

saki

t ang

dul

ot sa

kany

a.Is

a la

man

g si

ya s

a m

ga t

aong

labi

s na

nasa

sakt

an m

agin

g pol

itica

lly co

rrec

t m

an

o hi

ndi

ang

kaus

ap.

Sapa

gkat

iw

asto

man

nito

ang m

ga sa

litan

g uko

l sa

kany

ang

kapi

ntas

an, i

pina

mum

ukha

pa

rin n

ito a

ng m

arah

as n

iyan

g ka

laga

yan.

An

iya,

wal

ang

dahi

lan

upan

g ip

agpi

litan

an

g an

uman

g sa

lita.

Al

am

niya

ng

hind

i nad

adaa

n sa

law

ay a

ng t

unay

na

resp

eto.

●

*Hin

di tu

nay

na p

anga

lan

OF

GATE

KEEP

ERS

AND

YOUN

G TU

RKS

Sara

h Ra

ymun

do*

TULA

K NG

BIBI

GM

ary J

oy T.

Cap

istr

ano

Dib

uho

ni R

d Al

ipos

a at

Lui

gi A

lmue

naD

isen

yo n

g pa

hina

ni R

oann

e D

esca

llar

8 • Kulê Kultura Martes 22 Nobyembre 2011

Katherine Elona

Para sa ilang estudyante, ang library ang ideyal na tambayan.

Dito, pwedeng mag-internet, magbasa o magpanggap na nagbabasa, at higit sa lahat, pwedeng matulog nang walang naninita. Simple lang naman ang mga patakaran: huwag maingay, huwag magnanakaw ng libro, magbasa muna ng panuto bago magtanong sa masungit na librarian.

Masuwerte ang mga taga-UP Diliman at 36 na library ang pwede nilang bisitahin, kabilang ang Main Library at mga lokal na aklatan sa bawat kolehiyo. Pwede tayong mamili ng library kumporme sa subject matter na kailangang i-research, lamig ng aircon o presko ng hangin o kaya swak na ambience para mainam tayong makapag-aral at makakuha ng mga kaalamang maaari nating matutunan sa Unibersidad.

Paunang salitaBago ang ikalawang digmaang

pandaigdig, ang library sa UP na dating nasa Padre Faura ang kinikilala bilang pinakamahusay at pinakamaayos sa Asya. Hanggang sa kasalukuyan, ipinagmamalaki pa rin ng UP ang lawak ng koleksyon nito. Taglay ng bawat aklatan ang iba’t ibang libro, academic journals, peryodikong inilalathala ng iba’t ibang institusyon at marami pang iba.

Ang College of Arts and Letters library ang isa sa mga pinakabinibisitang library. At sa mga koleksyon ng mga tekstong naririto, pinakamarami iyong tungkol sa language and

literature na may 33, 316 titles kumpara sa 486 titles ng Filipino. Gayunpaman,

ang Filipiniana section sa Main Library ang nananatiling

isa sa pinakamalawak na koleksyon ng

unibersidad. S a kabila

n g

malawak na koleksyon, hindi laging nakaeengganyo ng mambabasa ang mga aklatan sa UP. May ilang library na hindi gaanong nabibisita, maaaring dahil hindi ito gaanong kilala at relatibong maliit kumpara sa iba. Ang Asian Center Library, halimbawa, ay mayroon lamang humigit-kumulang 5, 000 bisita noong nakaraang taon samantalang lampas sa 10, 000 ang bisita ng iba pang mga aklatan.

Bukod sa pagiging lunan ng mga kaalaman, umaalingawngaw din sa mga pahina ng libro sa mga library ang mahahalagang usapin na kinakaharap ng higit na mas malawak na espasyo sa labas nito.

Ayon sa end-of-term report ni dating UP President Emerlinda Roman, isa sa mga layon ng unibersidad ang pagkakaroon ng “better use of knowledge in real-world applications.” Mababatid rito ang pag-igpaw sa karaniwang tunguhin ng isang unibersidad, dahil bukod sa pagkalap ng mga kaalaman o knowledge, maaaring mga impormasyon na lamang na may pakinabang sa tunay na mundo ang ipinupunta natin sa library at pinag-aaralan natin sa kalakhan.

Tala ng nilalaman Mahalaga ang ginagampanang papel

ng UP at mga aklatan nito bilang daluyan ng mga diskurso at institusyong pampubliko.

Ayon sa pilosopong si Michel Foucault, ang library ay isang “network of

references” na nagsisilbing daluyan ng mga ideya.

Sa bawat aklat na naisusulat at

naililimbag, m a y

“semi-silence” na natitira’t hindi naisasama sa mga ito.

Sa tuwing nagsasaliksik tayo sa library, hindi natin nakikita sa iisang libro ang lahat ng kailangan nating hanapin. May mga puwang ang bawat aklat at ito ang pinupunan ng iba pang babasahin. May mga patlang din sa itinuturo ng mga propesor at dinidikta ng required readings sa klase, at inaasahang sa library matatagpuan ang mga materyales na makapupuno sa mga patlang na ito.

Sa kabilang banda, ipinagpapalagay ng pagsusuri ni Foucault na hiwalay ang mga library sa mundong nasa labas nito. Para bang walang nagtulak sa atin na pumasok sa library at walang kinalaman sa lipunan ang mga inaaral natin.

Sa katunayan, sinasalamin din ng nilalaman ng mga silid-aklatan ang pulitikal na klima at kasaysayan ng bayan at ng mundo.

Halimbawa na lamang noong panahon ni dating pangulong

Ferdinand Marcos kung kailan higit na matining ang

pagkiling ng bansa sa Estados Unidos. Ang “Americanization” ng unibersidad ang isa sa mga kinahaharap na isyu ng UP noon. Maraming general education courses ang Western-oriented at mayroon ding mga Amerikanong guro na nakikibahagi sa mga usapin ng pagpapatakbo ng paaralan.

Tagos sa mga dingding ng aklatan ang Americanization ng UP. Karamihan sa mga librong nasa Main Library noon ay pagpapalalim sa mga konseptong maka-Amerikano. S a m a n t a l a , nananatili sa basement ang iilang teksto patungkol sa sosyalismo na itinuturing na kalaban ng d e m o k r a s y a n g Amerikano, ayon sa editoryal na nailathala sa Philippine Collegian noong 1969.

Ang pagpili sa mga librong bibilhin

at ilalagay sa library ay batay sa suhestiyon ng mga guro, librarian at estudyante. Sa kasalukuyan, marami sa mga koleksyon ng library sa UP ang galing sa mga alumni, at mayroon ding mga binibili ang mismong institusyon taon-taon.

Mahalaga para sa kahit anong institusyong pang-kaalaman tulad ng aklatan ang pagiging updated. Sa panahon kung kailan knowledge-based na ang ekonomiya, anang mga mananaliksik na sina Andrew Barry at Don Slater, higit na mahalagang pag-ibayuhin ng mga library sa UP ang papel nito bilang aklatan ng premyadong unibersidad ng Pilipinas.

IndexIsa ang globalisasyon sa mga

palisiyang pang-ekonomiko na nagtulak sa pagkakaroon ng madulas na pagdaloy ng

impormasyon sa gitna ng sala-salabid na merkado nang iba’t ibang bansa. Sa pagdami ng mga scientific, teknikal at panlipunang impormasyon, sa teknolohiya kumapit ang mga gobyerno’t iba pang industriya upang ayusin ang mga kaalamang hawak nila.

Maging ang mga aklatan sa UP, layon na rin ang “full automation.” Sa pamamagitan ng teknolohiya, waring may tikas ng demokrasya pagdating sa kakayahang mahanap ang mga impormasyon. Subalit kakabit ng usapin ng pag-unlad ng teknolohiya ang pangangailangan sa pinansiya upang pondohan ang mga ito.

Naapektuhan din ng teknolohiya maging ang bilang ng mga taong bumibista sa library sa UP. Mula dalawang milyon noong taong 1982, pababa nang pababa ang bilang ng mga bumibisita rito at umabot na lamang sa higit 900, 000 noong 2010. Maiuugat ito sa pagiging available ng mga online journal at e-book, ayon sa datos ng General Reference Section ng Main Library.

Kumpara sa makakapal, mabibigat, at mahal na halaga ng pagpapakopya ng readings, higit na mainam ang mga e-book, o mga librong maaaring basahin gamit ang computer at iba pang electronic gadget.

Bagaman hindi lahat ay may kakayahang bumili ng gadget para sa e-book, tanyag na ang pagkakaroon nito sa buong mundo. Sa katunayan, binabago nito ang hubog ng larangan ng paglilimbag at pag-access ng mga aklat. Pinaniniwalaang sa tulong ng internet, nagiging mas accessible ang mga libro sa mas maraming mambabasa. Dulot nang mas malayang interaksyon sa digital world, tila wala nang pinag-iba ang pagbebenta ng libro at ordinaryong produkto, ani Bill McCoy, executive director ng International Digital Publishing Forum.

Gumagapang man ang katahimikan sa loob ng silid-aklatan, hindi natin maikakaila na apektado ito ng mga ingay ng pagbabago sa labas. Mistulang payapa man ang palitan ng diskurso sa loob ng library, nagpapatuloy pa rin ang digmaan ng mga teorya’t paninindigan.

Observe silenceMga Inilihim na Tunggalian

sa Aklatan

Mga Kuha ni Chris ImperialDisenyo ng Pahina ni Roanne Descallar

9 • Kulê Lathalain Martes 22 Nobyembre 2011

Marc Jayson D. Cayabyab

Metal bars surrounded men who sang karaoke and women who gossiped with one another. They were expecting visitors, and the prospect of seeing loved ones excited them. The mood of the political detainees of Batangas Provincial Jail lightened up the solitary and grim atmosphere of the prison that detained them despite their innocence.

Moments later, Maricon Montajes, the youngest among the detainees dubbed as the Batangas 7, emerged from the jail cell and greeted her visitors. A former Film student from the UP College of Mass Communication (CMC), Montajes shook hands with the journalists and activists who had come to see her and fellow inmates’ condition. “Kilala ko pa kayo from [CMC] a,” she told them, smiling.

The Batangas 7 comprises of Maricon, Romiel Cañete, Ronilo Baes, Charity Diño, Sonny Rogelio, Billy Batrina and Arnold Evangelista – members of progressive organizations who were arrested while documenting and researching on the peasant plight in the province. Maricon, Cañete and Baes were arrested June 3, 2010 on charges of possession of fire arms, rebellion, among others while doing documentation work in Taysan, Batangas.

Defiant filmmakerAfter quick introductions, Mrs.

Concepcion, Maricon’s mother, unwrapped the pancit bihon and fried chicken she had brought for lunch. Maricon’s experience in a strict Christian school probably instilled in her an attitude of defiance towards authority, especially when she believes

those authorities to be unreasonable or unjust, Mrs. Concepcion muses.

Perhaps, Maricon’s mother explains, this is why Maricon grew up to become an activist and fight for peasant rights. Maricon’s involvement in the farmers’ struggles began during her stint as photographer for Outcrop, the official student publication of UP Baguio. In her second year, she transferred to UP Diliman and joined the film organization UP Sining at Lipunan (UP Silip), where she learned how to effectively document the struggle of the oppressed masses.

Halfway through finishing her Film degree, Maricon left the academe and became a full-time activist. Outside the university, she used films to expose landlessness and the injustice of the feudal system. “Kayang salaminin ng pelikula ang tunay na kalagayan ng bansa,” Maricon says.

Her progressive filmmaking, however, did not sit well with authorities. While she was doing community work and documentation, she was arrested by elements of the Philippine Air Force on charges of being a member of the New People’s Army, which has been waging a nationwide agrarian revolution since 1969.

Detained activistThe Batangas 7 were arrested in

Talisay and Taysan in the middle of community work with farmers and fisherfolk. The Talisay 3–Charity, Sonny and Billy–were arrested while inviting fisherfolk to a protest action on a planned demolition in the area. Maricon, Romiel and Ronilo comprised the Taysan 3.

It was three in the morning when the 743rd Squadron Combat Group of the

Philippines surrounded the house where the Taysan 3 temporarily stayed. They peppered the house with bullets, screaming “Lumabas na kayo dyan! Mga NPA kayo!” Maricon lay down on the floor trying to escape the bullets, but rubble from the house hit her head and knocked her unconscious.

Maricon was hospitalized for treatment, sparing her from military interrogation. The other six weren’t as lucky. Baes recalls how he was made to drink water with soap while being beaten by bayonets. Diño recounts being made to walk naked before sitting on the lap of a military official.

The news of her daughter’s arrest drove Mrs. Concepcion to depression. “Struggle as a mother (na matanggap ang pagkakulong ng anak ko),” she says on coping with her daughter’s ordeal, especially as she is aware of her daughter’s illegal arrest.

Behind bars, the Batangas 7 has campaigned for their release through wearing black shirts and holding hunger strikes. They are set to tattoo themselves this December in protest of the national government’s rampant arrests and prolonged detention of activists who critique policy and court hearings similar to the Batangas 7 which often proceed at a slow pace. Yet, the unjust detention fails to break Maricon’s spirit. Somehow she takes pride in being a political prisoner – after all, she was incarcerated for fighting a repressive government.

Political prisoner Whenever confronted by

families and supporters of people like Maricon, the national

government denies the reality of political persecution. Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda maintains that there are no political prisoners in the country. Most of the recorded cases were actually criminal in nature, he explains in news reports.

However, human rights watchdog Karapatan has recorded that out of the total 354 political prisoners in post-Marcos regimes, 77 are under the Aquino administration. Political prisoners are detained based on his or her political beliefs, according to Karapatan.

While presenting a picture of democracy, the government chooses to ignore the situation of political prisoners in the country by arresting progressive individuals, volunteers and cultural workers according to their ideologies, says Angelina Ipong of Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at para sa Amnestiya (Selda). The Supreme Court long ruled that political beliefs should not serve as grounds for incarceration.

In a system where social injustice suppresses the rights of its citizens, the government resorts to violence to silence its staunchest critics. “Ang kulungan ay bahagi ng pagpapanatili ng karahasan at ang bulok na sistema ng hustisya sa b a n s a ,”

Maricon says. Inside the provincial jail, Maricon continues with her organizing work. She has a small cooperative that sells goods and items to sustain the prisoners’ livelihoods and finance their campaign for their release. Before the visitors left, Maricon handed over a handkerchief from her small cooperative. The handkerchief was silkscreened with the words “Free all political prisoners.” Indeed, nothing can break the resolve of the Batangas 7 to fight for their rightful release.●

PRISON BREAK

Artwork by Richard Jacob DyPage Design by Roanne Descallar


Three years. And all I get is a space in this column page.

I must admit. There was a time when I found joy seeing my name printed in one of Collegian’s pages. By the time I joined the weekly publication, I knew nothing of the Collegian’s prestige, of its respected stature in campus journalism, or its contribution to the university and Philippine society. Everything felt new, and it felt like I had the world for my own. Here in UP, we have a term for this: freshie, newbie, bibo kid, eager beaver.

I still remember the days when I looked forward to filling a space in Collegian outside my regular assignment as a features writer. I recall how I practically hoarded the Collegian issue where I wrote my first article. It was about peasants who endured walking hundreds of meters under the scorching heat of the sun, if only to rightfully assert their calls for genuine land reform.

I always thought it was fun for a first article—I interviewed one of my sisters as a primary source, I chatted with peasants who did not seem

to bother marching their way from Southern Tagalog. I attended my first People’s SONA to stalk the peasants wherever they went.

Looking back, that first assignment is probably one of my most remarkable experiences in the student paper, my first bold attempt to actually explore my side as a writer. But that was back then. Indeed, time really has its own way of extracting life out of me. And yes, that included turning my back from things I thought I knew all too well.

So I attempted to leave the Collegian thrice, but I never quite succeeded, obviously. At times, I tried to leave Room 401 desperately, like how Gloria Arroyo would attempt to flee the country and seek medical treatment overseas for a flu not a pill can cure.

I always had my reservations—another close friend’s birthday celebration missed, an org activity I simply cannot attend, family occasions I conveniently skipped, my bland style of writing, my grades I amusingly liken to capitalism’s inherent nature of inevitable decline, all the meals and

sleep skipped just to beat (though quite unsuccessfully) deadlines—all the hardships that only a Collegian staffer could think.

But I’m not invoking self-pity. I know, and I just do, that I don’t belong to this kind of lifestyle. In the proper scheme of things, I should not be here. And no one would believe me, not even Collegian. In fact, I have so far convinced only two persons in this bid.

For all three years of frustrated escape, I believe I have grown immune to all sorts of classic arguments my editors would throw at people who sought hiatus from the publication. I think I’ve heard most of them, and consequently developed my own arguments. But there’s always this single one I just can’t overcome—

Para kanino?Then I’ll simply return to myself,

defeated once again, and would begin my legwork for my assigned article as I patiently wait until my next attempt. ●

NEWSCAN

Parang hindi na natin kilala pati ang ating mga sarili

Time really has its own way of extracting life out of me. And yes, that included turning my back from things I thought I knew all too well

Break-up blues

Escape plan

MARITES REYES

KEVIN MARK GOMEZ

A forum on secured social networkingUP Diliman Gender Office in partnership with UP Diliman Office of Anti-Sexual Harassment, Foundation for Media Alternatives, College of Engineering, College of Mass Communication, and Gabriela Youth would like to invite you to “A forum on secured social networking” on Friday, November 25. 1pm – 5pm. College of Engineering Theatre. Snacks will be served. For inquiries, text 09058777636 or 09261494262.

Happy birthday, Jesus!This December, come and take part in a special celebration for the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ - a Christmas festivity with theatre act, dance, Christmas carols, and lights for Christ. Join us on December 10, 2011 in Engineering Theatre (3rd Floor Melchor Hall) from 6:30-8:30 PM. Tickets at P60 each. Contact 09175905912 or 4260386 for more details.

Love photography? Join UP OPTICS!The UP Photography Society (UP OPTICS) is a duly recognized university-wide organization of the University of the Philippines Diliman, committed to the promotion of photography as an art and the establishment of training grounds for the continuous development of its members’ skills. Established nine years ago, it continues to be the leading photography organization in the University. Photography enthusiasts are welcome to join the UP OPTICS Applicants’ Orientation on November 28! Venue, Time and Date: UP Grandstand, 9am-12nn and 1pm-4pm, November 28, 2011. For more info, text Pao (09156744937) or Danica (09327050308).

Hi ACLE Orgs! The ACLE Orientation/1st GA will be on Wednesday, 23-Nov-2011, 4pm at the Alcantara Hall, Vinzons Hall (beside the USC Office). And also, 1 required event and 1 alternative event will take place tomorrow. Kindly check the UPD ACLE 2011 Facebook Page for specific details. You need to send 3-4 representatives for the event to be credited. Thanks!

Korni na o baduy pero gusto ko lang sabihing hindi naman masamang mang-iwan kung mas makabubuti ito para sa inyong dalawa. Sabi nga ni Derek Ramsey sa pelikulang Once More Chance, “it’s better for two people to break up so they can grow up.”

Hindi madaling tapusin ang halos dalawa’t kalahating taon nating pagsasama. Nami-miss ko na nga ang madalas nating pagtambay sa Sunken matapos mag-ikot sa buong UP. Tuwing napadadaan ako sa Shopping Center, naaalala ko ang pagkain natin ng tindang siomai malapit sa Lutong Bahay.

Dati, halos araw-araw mo akong sinusundo sa ikaapat na palapag ng Vinzons. Pero dumating ang panahong umaabot nang isang buwan bago mo ako dalawin rito, kahit na napakalapit ng bahay mo sa kampus.

Minsan iniisip ko kung makasarili ba ang ginawa ko. Pero hindi ba’t kailangan rin nating magdesisyon para sa ating mga sarili kung tayo ba talaga hanggang sa huli. Paano kung hindi pala talaga tayo ang para sa isa’t isa?

For the record, wala akong iba, hindi gaya mo. Sabi mo ako lang ang love mo. Naniwala at nagtiwala ako sa

‘yo. Inalagaan kita pero hindi mo halos ipinaramdam na mahalaga rin ako sa ‘yo. Para na nga akong nanay, at ikaw ang suwail kong anak. Minsan, iniisip ko kung nagkulang ba ako. O baka naman sumobra? Sa loob ng mahabang panahon, nakasentro sa iyo ang buhay ko, pero unti-unti mong binalewala ang pagpapahalaga ko sa ‘yo.

Dumating ang puntong makailang ulit ka nang nagsisinungaling sa ‘kin. Kahit sobrang close natin, ayaw mo nang sabihin ang lahat dahil gusto mo na ng privacy. Ako man, kinailangang magtago sa ‘yo ng mga bagay para lang hindi ka magalit. Napadalas ang mga away natin na parang hindi na natin kilala pati ang ating mga sarili. Nakailang wrong sent na text messages ang natanggap ko mula sa ‘yo, na nagpapatunay sa matagal ko nang mga hinala, pero binalewala ko lang ang lahat. Nalaman ko pa noon na makikipagkita ka sa ex mo; nagpaalam ka nga at alam mong magagalit ako, pero ang insensitive mo lang dahil tinuloy mo pa rin ang pagkikita ninyo.

Napuno ako. Naisip ko na hindi na lang kaya tayo maghiwalay kung unti-unti naman nating nararamdaman na hindi na tayo masaya sa isa’t isa. Nakiusap ka sa akin; humingi ka ng

pagkakataon para maitama ang mali at maisaayos ang lahat—humiling ka ng isa pang pagkakataon para bumalik tayo sa dati. Ngunit buo na ang desisyon ko. Sabi nga ni Basha, “kailangan ko ‘to, kailangan mo rin.”

Subukan mong tanungin ang sarili mo kung ano ba ako sa ‘yo. Isa lang ba akong reserba in case mawalan ka ng babae sa hinaharap? O katulong lang ba ako sa lahat ng mga bagay na kailangan mo?

Kaya ngayon, iniisip ko na lang na bakit ko naman sasayangin ang ganda kong ‘to sa isang tulad mo? Marami namang naghihintay diyan para sa akin; pwede ko naman ilaan ang aking puso sa mas karapat-dapat kaysa iyo. ●

Get free publicity! Send us your press releases, invitations, etc. Please be concise with your announcements. DON’T TYPE IN ALL CAPS and, go easy on... the punctuation! ? 100 words maximum. We only accept announcements via email.


INBOX EKSENANG PEYUPS

TEXTBACK

Ze three mystereys edishun!Oh migod, like seriously? It’s like one month na lang before done na ang first half ng sem. Excited! I can’t make pigil my excitement na sa baby boys who will run with their patoytoys (*gasp* I’m so bastos) for public consumption. But that’s sooow tagal pa, and marami pang pwedeng mangyari, here in our universitey that is full of misterey! (effort ng rhyme, keri). So you better watch out, and you better not cry, you better not pout, coz I’m telling you whyyyyyy!Mysterey #1

Like there’s this one tigang tanghali inside the hideout of mga Kulutera. When they were sharing their dirtiest kuwento with isa’t isa, biglang nag-open ang door from Mount Olympus to reveal the highest ranking beauty sa balat ng whole university (laaaaaa! <angel’s chorale>). It’s like so scary! Like it’s so nakakahiya lang for him to see the office’s glorious mystery—altar ni yummy Coco-loco, graffiti ng mga birdie, and other images for the Kuluteras to make abot the climax! Eh why ba naman kasi hindi magpasabi so hindi kami mahuli?Mysterey #2

From the ivory tower, let’s make lipad naman down there sa isang center of inutile powers. Siyempre we still have our bonggang bonggang correspondent that’s always on-the-go kahit medyo, uhm, mukhang yagit. Eto naman kasing Kulutera eh, he’s like so ambisyoso to make salita to another high ranking beauty while not far ang gayak sa isang pureza mae saison. Tuloy, denied na nga ang access sa heavenly gate, they treated him pa like an angry ape. “Pababain mo, pababain mo yan,” the Kulutera heard from up above. It’s like wafaz!Mysterey #3

So like nung Friday, I was making sakay the jeep of Manong na bound for Katipunan and it was like so sikip. When nag-pass na the jeep sa faculty center, may girl who was like making para. Eh hello, it’s so full na kaya so hindi na nag-stop in the name of love si Manong. Pero si girl, nag-shout bigla ng very loud na “MANONG, PLEASE!! WHAT THE FUCK!!” And I was like this: @.@ The pasaheros were all making tawa dahil the girl was so like duh.

I have many kuwento pa pero ubos na kasi the space eh. I’ll make alis na! Byerz! ●

Payag ka bang palabasin ng bansa si Gloria Arroyo? Bakit o bakit hindi?

Former president Gloria Arroyo has not been convicted of any crime. She still retains the right to free movement. 2011- 40547

Dapat hindi kasi tatakas siya sa mga kasalanan nya 2011-10950

Hindi ako payag lumabas si arroyo. Kung lalabas ng bansa yan, malamang sa hindi magtago na yan at di na bumalik dahil alam nyang magkakalecheleche siya dito sa Pinas. 2011-11765 freshie bs-hrim

Hindi dapat lumabas ng bansa si Gloria Arroyo dahil bagaman wala pang kasong nakasampa laban sa kanya, hindi pa niya tapos panagutan ang mga iskandalo niya at ito ay isa lamang ang pag-aabroad sa mga taktika niya upang makatakas. Ang galing ng mga abogado niya 2010-24127 BSGE

Hindi ako payag na palabasin nila si Gloria sa bansa. Minsan lang tayo nagkatransformers, paalisin nyo pa ba? :] ‘11-27985 BSMath

Pra s akin d dpat pygan n plbasin ng bansa c Gloria Arroyo. According s nbsa kong article about the issue, my mga d0kt0r s Pilipinas n kilala at bihasa s paggam0t sa krmdman nya, so hnd n nya kailangan pang umalis ng bansa. 2011-11783

Kung totoo ngang sa ibang bansa lang available yung medications na kailangan ni PGMA, okay lang na magpagamot siya doon. Ayoko pa siyang mamatay. Death is such an easy escape. 2010-05114 Psycho

Oo ba! Basta sa Iraq siya pupunta. 2004-03120

feeling ko dapat syang palabasin ng bansa for spinal treatmenta and for spinal treatment only. Kahit na evil sya, tao din yan - may feelings. 201162071

Oo, di dahil sa gusto ko pero dahil sa iyon ahg tingin ng korte suprema na tama. Respeto lng sa KATAAS TAASANG hukuman DOJ. 2011-41190

hindi, hindi, hindi. bakit pa niya kailangan umalis ng bansa para magpagamot? marami namang doktor at albularyo sa Naspi ah. hindi ako naniniwala napagpapagamot lang ang pakay niya sa ibang bansa, nais niyang tumakas sa lahat ng kasalanan niya sa Pilipinas. ang pinili pa niyang mga bansang “pagpapagamutan” ay iyong mga bansang walang extradition at extraterritorial power ang Pilipinas. malinaw na iba ang tunay niyang pakay. ONCE A CORRUPT, ALWAYS ACORRUPT :) 201126136 BA AG PUL :)

hindi dapat palabasin si gma .may atraso pa siya sa bansa.baka mamaya tatakas lang sya:D 2011-12331

Di ako payag palabasin ng bansa si

Arroyo. Kung gusto nya talaga gumaling, kahit saan basta may doktor at equipment papayag sya. Kung malala ka na, di mo na gugustuhin magbyahe, pramis! 0319906

OO, papayag ako, dahil may karapatan sya, at muka namang nagbabayad na sya ng kasalanan dahil sa kanyang kalagayan, makalabas man sya ng bansa wala namang kasiguraduhan na malulunasan agad agad ang kayang sakit. 2010-01762

HINDEEEE! HINDI SIYA MAAARING LUMABAS NG PILIPINAS NG BUHAY! GO DE LIMA! GO GO DE LIMA GO! Ebrebadeh dance! 2007-11054

Anong tingin mo sa pagkapanalo ni Manny Pacquiao laban kay Juan Manuel Marquez?

Bitin. Dapat di na hinayaang maging by decision yung laban. Sana ay tinuloy hanggang may ma-KO para manahimik na si Marquez. 2007-42631

Technically, nanalo si pacquiao. Visually, si marquez ang nanalo. 2011-10950

Sa palagay ko ‘di naman luto. Sobrang close fight lang kasi at sanay kasi tayo sa taob kaya nakakapanibago. 2011-02451

Sa aking opinyon, si Manny Pacquiao talaga ang nararapat na manalo, kasi dedicated siya sa pagkapanalo. Hindi lang niya ito gnagwa para sa kanyang sarili o ang kanyang pamilya, ginagawa niya ito para magbigay ng karangalan sa bansang pilipinas. Kaya lagi siyang binibiyayaan ng pagkapanalo, kahit sinu man ang kanyang kalaban. WOHOO! PROUD 2 BE PINOY xD 2010-00140 2nd Year B.S. Industrial Engineering

nkakatamad pero walang luto. partida nanalo pa c manny kh8 nccra footwork nya,tinatapakan ni marquez eh..hello kay jovel canlas at kay joana! uten_15521 2nd yr. geodengg

Tama lang yun, kahit nkakabitin ang style ni pacman, kahit daig pa ng pinaasang suitor na binreak ang puso ang sinapit ni Marquez, c Manny pa dn tlga, FTW... X) 2011-21485 Freshmen BS ECE

Wag tayo magmagaling, pinapahina lng natin ang loob ni pacman, mga pinoy nga naman oh. 2011-41190

.okay naman yung pacquiaomarquez3. Si pcman talaga panalo .Masyadong lang kcng mataas expectations kay pacman..ang inaasahan ng tao knockout..kaya ganun nlang makareact ang iba=p 2011-12331

CommentsMataas na pagpupugay kay ninalyn

uy sa kanyang article na paano ka ba magiging akin. Puchat! For sure katulad ko, napakadaming nakarelate na asyumera. Sagad sa buto, unang linya pa

Remembering NovemberTomorrow, we will once again commemorate the anniversary of what has been dubbed as the “single deadliest attack on journalists in recent history.” The Maguindanao Massacre took the lives of 58 people, 32 of whom were journalists who accompanied the Mangudadatus in filing the gubernatorial certificate of candidacy of Esmael Mangudadatu.

It comes as no surprise that such blatant acts against free expression send a “chilling-effect” to the media. In a system where the ruling elite control political affairs, journalists find their freedom suppressed when they attempt to tackle controversial issues concerning the most powerful personalities in the country. To counter brave and hard-hitting reportage of journalists, the ruling class has perpetuated a climate of impunity; powerful families kill journalists to stop them from revealing the truth.

The Maguindanao Massacre has served as a venue for journalists to find a common cause amid an unjust system. As an organization upholding a pro-masses, pro-student stance on issues, the Union of Journalists of the Philippines – UP (UJP-UP) demand that immediate justice be given to the victims of the Maguindanao Massacre.

We reiterate our stance to uphold the right of the families of the victims to a speedy trial and resolution of the case. We believe that press freedom–the right to the reportage of the truth, and the right to be critical of our public officials–must be protected.

There is no time for silence and neutrality.

STOP THE KILLINGS! END IMPUNITY! JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE!

Join us as we commemorate the

International Day to End Impunity on November 23, Wednesday.

1pm - Short program at the UP College of Mass Communication2:30pm - March around Academic Oval3pm - Head to Mendiola4pm - Program and Torch Parade

UJP-UP

lang ng articke. Inistatus ko agad sa fb!! Hahaha 08-78869 maskom. kim dimal <3

Wagas ang ‘paano ka ba magiging akin?’ ni ninalyn uy! Sana mabasa niya at sana lumevel up na yang love story na yan na parang movie lang ni vice ganda: pak na pak! Sana may sequel pag kau na! 07-39423 bsSkimper

re: the gift of death. Delfin mercado, I just became a fan. Well written and very touching 01-20594 MBA

Cool ng komiks! First time ‘kong natawa ng todo-todo. He He! Good job, kule! 11-36972

dun sa photo na WALANG PAUMANHIN, November 14 sya naganap. Hindi september. Salamat. :) 1o-49979

Love love love <3 ko yung article na “Paano ka ba magiging akin?” meron pa din palang ganitong story sa loob ng UP. Sana puntahan ka nung guy @ sana madagdagan pa yung ganitong article dahil maraming nakakarelate.Mag-aabang ako nextweek. :) 10-01762 bs tour

Siya nga pala, napakaganda ng pitak na sucker punch (pareho kami ng silakbo ng isip ni elizabeth shie) ah at they, too, deserve justice. kudos kule! isang mapagpalayang second sem sa mga staffs ng kule lalo na kay shie(ikaw ang hinihintay na bagong writer ng kule)! ipagpatuloy ang magandang simula ng second sem issues :) 201126136 BA AG PUL :)

coment lng, gux2 ko ng mamatay! ang lupet ni kuya delfin! kung cnu man xa.tpos bat ung pic ng rali xa page 3, like.centered is the stunning legs of ate unkn0wn. like! 1015521 2ndGE

Ay hello po, may katanungan lang po, bkit ang laki po ata ng printing at photocopy ng usc? Mas malaki pa sa food nla xD -2011 28841

Next week’s questions 1. Anong masasabi mo sa mabagal na pag-usad ng hustisya para sa mga biktima ng Maguindanao Massacre?2. Kung dadalawin mo si GMA, anong dadalhin mo para sak anya?

Send in your opinions and feedback via SMS! Type KULE <space> MESSAGE <space> STUDENT NUMBER (required) YEAR AND COURSE (optional) and send to:

09175312630

Kulê The Back Page Martes 22 Nobyembre 2011

Crack the code

Active involvement in the budget deliberations ensures that the people’s interests are considered. However, with the government controlling the bulk of the

budget preparation, little room is left for democratic citizens’ participation. A closer scrutiny on the annual budget cycle reveals that the people can contribute and join in

the preparation and enactment of a budget that best represents its interests.

Unlocking the people’s potential to participate in the budget process

Part One: Budget PreparationStep 1: Budget Call (December -April)

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) issues the National Budget Call which contains the guidelines, limits and standards in preparing the national budget, taking into consideration macroeconomic parameters like inflation rate, population and gross national product growth. These will serve as guide for agencies in preparing their budget proposals.

People’s Participation: Attend various budget fora wherein the budget parameters are explained. After the issuance of the budget call, the people can craft and submit alternative budget proposals to their agencies for inclusion. In UP, students, faculty and staff can submit their proposed budgetary allocation to the administration, instead of leaving the drafting of the budget proposal to UP officials.

Step 2: Crafting the President’s Budget (April-July)

Once agencies finish submitting their proposed budget to DBM, the said department will then conduct Technical Budget Hearings to review the proposals. The results of the review are consolidated into the document called the National Expenditure Program (NEP), which contains the details of the DBM-approved allocation for each agency. Usually, DBM approves only a small percentage of the original agency proposals, citing the inadequacy of funds. The NEP or the “president’s budget” is submitted to Congress for legislation after the State of the Nation Address in July.

People’s Participation: While DBM is still finalizing the NEP, submit alternative budget proposals that reflect the immediate needs of the people. Lobby for the decrease in allocation for debt servicing or even call for debt cancellation. As the amount allocated for each department is not yet finalized, revisions can still be made.

Part Two: LegislationStep 1: Subcommittee Hearings (July-October)

The budget deliberations in the House of Representatives begin in the Appropriations Committee and its sub-committees. In these hearings, sectoral representatives are invited to scrutinize the DBM-approved budget for their particular agencies. After the consultations, initial amendments are included in drafting the General Appropriations Bill (GAB), which will be introduced in the plenary for first reading.

People’s Participation: Attend the subcommittee hearings and ensure that lawmakers take note of initial concerns in the NEP before it is adapted into the GAB. Concerns such as debilitating cuts and questionable increases in budget allocation should be pointed out before the Lower House finalizes the draft GAB.

Step 2: Second and Third Readings (October-November)

In the GAB’s second reading, lawmakers propose amendments in the budget proposal, mainly in the form of realignments. No increases can be made in the total national budget, but transfer of funds from one agency to another can be proposed. Once the proposals are approved and incorporated in the GAB, the Lower House will then vote and pass the appropriations bill on the third and final reading.

People’s Participation: Lobby for realignments in the proposed budget, and call for the slashing of questionable allocations and transferring the said funds to agencies that lack funding. To add pressure to solons, participate in demonstrations that call for budget amendments.

Step 3: Senate Deliberations (November-December)

Once the GAB is passed in the Lower House, it will then be transmitted to the Senate where it undergoes the same legislative process followed in the Lower House. Amendments to the GAB can be submitted and incorporated until the second reading. Once all revisions are done, the bill is presented to the Senate plenary for the third and final reading.

People’s Participation: Efforts undertaken in the Congress deliberations may also be applied in this step. Attend the Senate deliberations and intensify public clamour for revisions and greater state subsidy in vital agencies.

Step 4: Bicameral Conference (November-December)

Once the Lower House and the Senate approve their versions of the GAB, the two chambers of Congress will then need to combine their versions of the bill. This will be accomplished by representatives from the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Finance Committee who make up the Bicameral Conference Committee (bicam).

People’s Participation: The bicam wields vast powers in amending the consolidated appropriations bill, as members of this joint committee can insert additional provisions without needing approval from other members of Congress. Exert pressure on this group by heightening the people’s call for budget revisions and talking to individual bicam members.

Step 5: President’s Veto and Enactment of GAA (December)

The bicam submits its consolidated version of the GAB to the President for approval. Once signed into law, it becomes the General Appropriations Act. The president can, however, veto some items in the GAA which DBM considers to be contradicting with the budget parameters set by the DBCC.

People’s Participation: Through lobbying and mobilizations, urge the president to veto items that are detrimental to the people’s interests. If essential provisions and amendments in the GAA are vetoed by the president, lobby in Congress to override the veto with a two-thirds vote in favor of GAB.

Part Three: Execution and Accountability (January-December)

Once the national budget is signed into law, DBM will be in charge of disbursing funds and implementing programs and projects contained in the GAA.

People’s Participation: Remain vigilant all year round. Watch out for potential fund mishandling and corruption activities. Report anomalies to Commission on Audit and Sandiganbayan for prosecution. ●

By Axl Ross Tumanut

Artwork by Marianne Rios Page design by EJ Tagaro

Philippine Collegian Issue 17

Documents

Transcript of Philippine Collegian Issue 17