Philippine Collegian Tomo 90 Issue 27

7/29/2019 Philippine Collegian Tomo 90 Issue 27

1/12

Opisyal na lingguhang

pahayagan ng mgamag-aaral ng Unibersidad

ng Pilipinas - Dilman

Tomo 90, Blg. 27

Marso 7, 2013

Lathalain

FOR HOLDING KEY GOVERNMENT POSITIONS, WOMEN

HAVE SEEMINGLY TRANSGRESSED THE DOUBLE STANDA

AND SOCIAL NORMS THAT HAVE ENSLAVED THEM FOR

LONGEST TIME. YET TRUE EMPOWERMENT GOES BEYO

HOLDING SEATS OF POWER, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE

DISMAL CONDITION OF WOMEN CONTINUE OUTSIDE

TTHE HALLOWED HALLS OF GOVERNMENT OFFICES.


2/12

sa mga lugar na naapektuhan ngbagyo. Sa postura ng pagtulong samga nasalantang Pilipino, patuloynilang iginiit ang kakayahan nilanglabagin at yurakan ang soberanyang Pilipinas, na siya namang

hinahayaan ng gobyernong Aquino.Malayo sa Maynila ang mga

biktima ng bagyong Pablo, ngunithindi nalalayo ang kanilangkaranasan sa sanlaksang mahihirapna hindi agad makabangon tuwingmay dumarating na sakuna. At sahalip na tulungan silang makaahon,ipinupukol pa sa kanila ang sisi sadahilan ng kanilang pagkasadlaksa kahirapan.

May sakuna man o wala,humupa man ang baha at bumutiang lagay ng panahon, nananatilipa rin ang batayang mga problemang mamamayan na hinditinutugunan ng pamahalaan. Higitpa sa mga donasyong bigas anghiling ng mamamayan. Nananawagansila para sa nakabubuhay na

trabaho, sa sariling lupang masasaka,sa proteksyon sa kanilangkarapatang pantao.

Hindi habambuhay magtitiis angmga Pilipino. Hanggat hindi nilatinatamasa ang kanilang karapatansa batayang serbisyo, hahantongat hahantong sila sa tugatog ngpananahimikat darating angpanahon kung kailan sisingilin atbabawiin nila ang matagal nangdapat ay sa kanila.

Punong Patnugo

Kapatnugot

Patnugot sa Balit

Patnugot sa Latha

Patnugot sa Grap

Mga Kawani

Tagapamahala ng

Sirkulasyon

As a harbringe

the youth in n

assumes a stra

Rather, it beco

with history in

the enthusiasm

leadership, or

DAHAS SA DAHAS

Mga Katuwang na

Pinansya

Editors

Notes

As the Ph

celebrates its 90th ye

rom prized editorials

defne the publication

critical and earless jo

Pamuhatan Silid 4

Vinzons, Unibersid

Diliman, Lungsod Q

Telefax 981-8500

Email kule1213@g

Website philippine

Kasapi Solidaridad

Alliance o Student

and Writers Organ

College Editors Gu

o the Philippines

Ukol sa Pabalat

Dibuho ni Ysa Ca

The University S

in the Contemp

Defnitions and D

Jaime J. Yambao

1 March 1967

NAGLULUWAL NG DAHAS ANGPANDARAHAS.

Kamakailan lang, napabalita angpagsugod ng mahigit 3,000 biktimang bagyong Pablo sa himpilan ngDepartment o Social Welare and

Development (DSWD) Region XIupang kumpiskahin ang libo-libongsako ng bigas at relie goodsna matagal nang nakaimbak sanasabing tanggapan.

Sa kabila ng organisadongpagkumpiska ng mga biktima ngbagyong Pablo sa relie goods namatagal nang ipinagkait sa kanilang DSWD, pinatampok pa rin ngmidya ang karahasan umano ngmga biktimang nagmula pa saCompostela Valley at DavaoOriental. Sinusugan pa ito ng mgapasaring ni DSWD Secretary DinkySoliman na nasulsulan lamangumano ng mga pwersangmakakaliwa ang mga biktima.

Ngunit anumang pasaring angipukol ng DSWD sa mahigit 3,000

biktima ng bagyong Pablo, hindinito maikukubli ang kabagalan atpagkukulang ng nasabing ahensyang gobyerno sa pagtugon sa mgapangangailan ng mga biktima.

Sa katotohanan, ang barikadangisinagawa ng mahigit 3,000 biktimang bagyong Pablo kamakailan nahumantong sa pagkumpiska ngrelie goods ay ikalawa nangmalakihang pagkilos ng mga biktimaupang hilingin sa DSWD na agadna ipamahagi ang bigas at laangpagkain para sa kanila. Kalakhansa mga biktima ay nawalan ng

kabuhayan at tirahan at umaasana lamang sa relie goods upangmaitawid ang bawat araw.

Sa unang pagbabarikada nggrupo noong Enero, mismong siSoliman ang nangako na maglalabas

ang kanyang ahensya ng 10,000sakong bigas para sa mga biktima.Ngunit halos isang buwan ang lumipasat napako ang pangakong bigas.

Sa halip na agad na tugunan angbatayang pangangailangan ng mganasalanta, dahas at panlilinlang angitinugon ng pamahalaan. Mataposang unang barikada noong Enero,agad kinasuhan ang mga lider ngnasabing pagkilos dahil umano sapanggugulo at pag-abala sa trapiko.

Madaling sabihin na marapatlamang na maghintay ang mgabiktima, at hindi katanggap-tanggapang ginawa nilang panggugulo saisang pampublikong opisina. Madaliring gawing palusot ang dahilangnaghihintay ang DSWD ng pormalna listahan ng mga biktima bago

mamahagi ng relie goods. Ngunitwala na sa lohika kung angpagkaantala sa pamamahagi ay abotna ng tatlong buwan.

May sukdulan ang pagkamagalangng mamamayang humihingi ngsaklolo. Kung dahas ang pilit isinusubong pamahalaan sa mga biktimanggutom at walang tirahan, dahas rinang isusuka at ipupukol nila pabaliksa pamahalaan.

Dahil sa katotohanan, higit pa angpandarambong at pandarahas napinaiiral ng estado kung ihahambingsa panandaliang pagkabalahaw ng

trapiko at opisinang idinulot ngbarikadang bayan.

Taon-taon mang sinasalakayng bagyo ang bansa, hindi pa rinnaisasaayos ng pamahalaan angsistema ng pagtugon sa mga biktima

ng mga kalamidad. Bagaman lagingnariyan ang banta ng bagyo, patuloypa ring pinahihintulutan ngadministrasyon ang mga palisiyangsumisira sa kalikasan, na kalaunaynagdudulot ng labis-labis na pasakitsa taumbayan.

Talamak ang pagtotroso atpagmimina sa maraming bahagi ngbansa. Sa katunayan, hindi kabilangang may 83,000 ektaryang trosohansa Davao Oriental, isa sa mgaprobinsyang nasalanta ng bagyongPablo, sa log ban ng administrasyongAquino. Libo-libong ektarya nglupa din sa Campostela Valley anghinayaan ng gobyerno na linanginbilang plantasyong pang-eksportng mga dayuhang kumpanya.

Batbat din ng alegasyon ng

korupsyon ang mga proyekto ngDSWD na dapat ay tutugon sapangangailangan ng mga nasalanta.Batay sa mga tala, overpriced umanoang bunkhouses na ipinagagawang ahensya para sa mga biktima.Dalawang trabahador din ngnasabing proyekto ang lumantadat nagsabing hindi umano nilanatanggap ang sinasabi ng DSWDna ibinayad nito sa kanila.

May mga ulat din ukol sa presensyang mga sundalong Amerikano,kasama ang mga opisyal ng mgabanyagang non-government ofce,

(on leave)

Rosette Abogado


3/12

KAISA to lead next years USCKAISA-NAGKAKAISANG ISKOLARpara sa Pamantasan at Sambayanan(KAISA) will head next years UPDiliman (UPD) University StudentCouncil (USC), clinching 14 out o34 seats in the February 28 UPDUSC polls, including the top postso chair, vice chair, and the numberone councilor.

KAISAs chair candidate AnaAlexandra Castro garnered 4944votes, winning over StudentAlliance or the Advancemento Democratic Rights in UP(STANDUP)s Jose Miguel Solis with2804 votes and Alyansa ng mgaMagaaral para sa PanlipunangKatwiran at Kaunlaran (ALYANSA)scandidate Raphael Carlo Brolagdawith 2713 votes.

KAISA also won eight out o 20college representative posts.

ALYANSA clinched nine slots inthe USC, with three councilors andsix college representatives, whileSTANDUP won eight seats, withfve councilors and three collegerepresentatives.

The number one councilor or

this years elections is KAISAs CarlaMonica Gonzalez with 3379 votes,ollowed by STANDUPs ChristianLemuel Magaling with 3307 votesand ALYANSAs Raphael AaronLetaba with 3081 votes.

Nagpapasalamat kami sa mgabumoto sa amin, sa mga naniwalasa aming mga prinsipyo atplataporma, said Castro.

Winning this election is achallenge to the leadership o theUSC, which nears its centennialanniversary, said incoming USCVice Chair Julliano FernandoGuiang, who got 3365 votes overrivals Hanna Keila Garcia oSTANDUP, who got 3302 votes andAlexandra Maria Francia Santos oALYANSA, who got 3174 votes.

The main goal or this USC is toconsolidate the student body, saidCastro. Ang goal natin ay strongerrelationship o the USC with dierentsectors [o UP], college councils,organizations, the Student Regent,and even student councils o otheruniversities, added Castro.

Meanwhile, ALYANSA said itplans to continue the programs ithighlighted during the campaignthrough its successul candidates,said ALYANSA Chairperson AceLigsay. These include its call ortransparency and accountabilityand the zero tolerance againstraternity violence campaign,explained Ligsay.

Winning candidates rom

STANDUP will ocus on basicstudent rights and the welare oother sectors o the UP community,uch as the assailed reorms to theuniversitys Socialized Tuition andFinancial Assistance Program,tuition and other ee increases,and the regularization o UPemployees, said Solis.

Guiang, meanwhile, alsoacknowledged the need or the nextUSC to promptly present unifedstances on university and nationalissues. Meron namang discussions[ang current USC.] Nakakapaglabas naman [ng statements]. Kulang

lang sa ollowthrough [ng mgacommittees] kaya napapatagalyung paglalabas, said Guiang.

The USC should be able toengage its committees, said Guiang.I committees are tapped to bemore proactive in dierent issues,committeelevel debates, wheredeliberations are longest, would

be aster and more efcient,added Guiang.

To ormulate unifed stances, theUSC must strengthen the Leagueo Representatives under theLeague o College Councils, saidCastro. Students have to realize

that [the] victory [o] the USClies on the hands o the students.What we need to ocus on is [theinvolvement o] the students.

WHO WON

IN WHICH

COLLEGE?

#votewatchUPD

ECON

(CH) Carlo Brolagda - 219

VC Alex Santos - 241Turnout 531/817

ENGG

(CH) Alex Castro - 1349

VC Alex Santos - 1086

Turnout 2955/5931

CBA



Turnout 833/909

LAW

(CH) Mijo Solis - 181VC Kei Garcia - 325

Turnout 527/736

AIT


VC Jules Guiang - 143

Turnout 244/353

CMC


VC Kei Garcia - 262

Turnout 585/1071

MUSIC


VC Alex Santos - 80

Turnout 188/428

CFA


VC Kei Garcia - 111

Turnout 277/701

NCPAG



Turnout 214/603

SOLAIR / SURP / ASIAN

CENTER / INSTITUTEOF ISLAMIC STUDIES


VC Kei Garcia - 40

Turnout 105/1398

CHK



Turnout 209/657

SLIS

(CH) Mijo Solis - 40

VC Kei Garcia - 40

Turnout 89/353

CSWCD


VC Kei Garcia - 85

Turnout 136/442

ARKI



Turnout 332/687

CAL


VC Kei Garcia - 281

Turnout 589/1397

CS

(CH) Alex Castro -

VC Jules Guiang

Turnout 1172/26

CHE

(CH) Alex Castro -

VC Jules Guiang

Turnout 469/118

EDUK



Turnout 273/1749

CSSP



Turnout 1123/2167

STAT


VC Kei Garcia - 120

Turnout 336/566

UNIVERSITY TURNOU

11187/24819 (45.07%)


4/12

OVERJOYED. KAISAs Alex Castro, Jules Guiang and Carla Gonzalez exclaim in disbelief after learning

as chairperson, vice chairperson and councilor, respectively, in the University Student Council electio

28. This years turnout, 48.4 percent, is slightly lower than last years 48.91 percent.

Students raise issues in STFAreform consultationsSTUDENTS FROM DIFFERENT

UP units raised several issues

against the proposed reorms

to the Socialized Tuition and

Financial Assistance Program

(STFAP) during the ongoing

round o student consultations.The respective Oces o

Student Aairs (OSAs) and

University Student Councils

(USCs) o each college unit (CU)

conducted the consultations, ater

the UP administration presented

the proposed reorms during a

orum at the College o Education

Theatre on February 5.

In a 51-page paper drated by

ormer Oce o Scholarship and

Student Services ocer-in-charge

Richard Gonzalo, the UP

administration proposed to revise

the current bracketing criteria

o the STFAP, provide additional

benets to students, and stream-

line the application process.

The proposal aims to enorcea new bracketing criteria based

on amily expenditures rather

than income, oer additional sti-

pends and housing benets, and

decentralize STFAP applications

and appeals process to local units.

Fewer STFAP benefciaries

with ree tuition

Held on February 12, around

86 UP Baguio (UPB) students

attended the UPB leg o the

STFAP consultations, according

to reports rom UPB student

publication Outcrop.

Dominant during the discussions

was the increasing number o

Bracket A students, or those UP

students who pay P1,500 per unitunder the STFAPs bracketing cri-

teria, said Outcrop correspondent

Pamela Peralta.

From 2007 to 2012, only 10

percent o students enjoyed

ree tuition, according to data

obtained by the Collegian rom

the OSSS. Meanwhile, since the

implementation o the Bracket

B certication requirement in

2009, the number o Bracket A

students increased by more than

8,000 percent, rom 29 students

in 2010 to 2,413 students in 2011.

The administration however

replied that such trends do not

imply an inherent problem with

STFAP but only the act that more

well-o students are qualiyingto enter the countrys premier

state university.

UPB students also said the

proposed electronic method o

STFAP application may disadvan-

tage UP students rom ar-fung

areas where access to a computer

or the internet is limited. The

administration noted the issue

and said they will discuss a reso-

lution to the matter, said Peralta.

State subsidy vs tuition revenue

In UP Cebu (UPC), around 150

students participated in the local

consultation held on February 20,

according to incumbent UP Cebu

Student Council third year repre-

sentative Jun Marr Denila.UPC students raised questions

on how the administration plans

to und the new allowances and

benets under the proposed

STFAP reorms, especially

since government subsidy has

historically been ar lower than the

annual budget proposed by UP,

said Denila.

In an interview with the

Collegian, Gonzalo said the

administration will continue to

lobby or greater state subsidy.

Should the government ail again

to approve UPs proposed budget

in ull, the UP administration may

be orced to prioritize the unding

o STFAP over other line items

in its budget, such as new inra-

structure projects, said Gonzalo.

The STFAP, however, ts into

the policy o past and present

governments to privatize higher

education, with the state

abandoning its responsibility

to nance higher education and

pushing SUCs to support their

own operations, Student Regent

Cleve Arguelles said.

[STFAP] removes the govern-

ment rom the equation o who

should pay or [public] educa-

tion. Now, we have to rely on the

goodness o big corporations and

excess income o millionaire

amilies, added Arguelles.

Student representation in

appeals committees

Meanwhile, during the February

26 consultation in UP Los Baos

(UPLB), UPLB students requested

representation in the ad hoc com-

mittees which decide on STFAP

bracket appeals, said incoming

UPLB USC Chair Arthur Kent Holt.

The UPLB OSA said the

administration will consider the

suggestion once the STFAP

reorms are implemented, said

UPLB OSA Director Leticia Auang.

In the UP Diliman (UPD) student

consultations, only around ve

to six UPD students attended

the public orum held on

February 27, said Student Regent

Cleve Arguelles.

My ear is that [theseproposed] revisions to the STFAP

[are approved], kahit konti lang

yung nakadalo sa consultations.

Baka sabihin nila na na-consult

na ang mga estudyante [even i

only a ew were present], said

Arguelles.

In the long ru

the STFAP does no

increasingly limited a

education because o

o tuition brought

state unding, Argue

STFAP reinorcedonment. In the lon

solution [is] or UP

its tuition cost and

STFAP policy in th

demanding greater

rom the governmen

Engg student, naholdap

Isang 3rd year Engineering

student ang naholdap ng dala-

wang hindi pa nakikilalang lalaki

bandang ika-7 hanggang ika-8 ng

gabi noong Pebrero 22.

Ayon sa tala ng pulisya, nagla-lakad pauwi galing sa UP campus

patungong UP Village si Joshua

Solomon, estudyante ng Col-

lege o Engineering, nang may

nakita siyang dalawang lalaking

nakaupo sa Krus na Ligas Park.

Pagdaan niya umano sa tapat ng

dalawang lalaki, bigla na lamang

siyang tinutukan ng patalim at

kinapkapan ng mga ito.

Nakuha kay Solomon ang

isang cellphone na nagkakahalaga

ng P6000 at isang brown

leather wallet.

Hindi agad na nakaresponde ang

UPD Police (UPDP) sa naturang pag-

nanakaw, sapagkat noong Pebrero

28 lamang personal na nagsadya

sa kanilang himpilan si Solomon

upang ipatala ang pangyayari.

Ipinaalala naman ni Glocke

Security Systems Detachment

Commander Marcelo Llante na

mag-ingat ang mga estudyante

at hanggat maaari ay sumakay na

lamang ng jeep kaysa maglakad

sa kampus tuwing gabi, o kaya

naman ay maghanap ng kasama

kung hindi maiiwasang maglakad.

2 magkasunod na banggaan

ng sasakyan, naitala

Dalawang magkasunod na

banggaan ng sasakyan ang naitala

noong Pebrero 23.

Aksidenteng nabangga ng isang

puting Isuzu Crosswind, na mina-

maneho ni UP Visayas Proessor

Annabelle Campos, 50, ang tray-

sikel na sinasakyan ni Manuel Ga-

loy, 40, isang tindero ng prutas sa

Katipunan Avenue, bandang 6:45

ng umaga.

Ayon sa tala ng pulisya, papunta

sa Aurora Avenue ang naturang

traysikel nang mabangga ito ng

Crosswind ni Campos na lumiliko

naman patungong Magsaysay

Avenue sa UP Diliman.

Agad na isinugod sa UP Health

Service si Manuel Galoy, 40, na

nagtamo ng sugat sa kaliwang binti.

Nagkasundo ang dalawang panig

na sasagutin na lamang ni Campos

ang lahat ng gastusin sa ospital

hanggang sa gumaling ang biktima.

Pagkatapos ng ilang minuto, ban-

dang 7:30 ng umaga, nagbanggaannaman ang isang itim na Toyota

Fortuner na minamaneho ni

Jose Anton Teodoro, 3rd year

Engineering student, at ang isang

UP Pantranco jeep na minamaneho

naman ni Domingo Zamudio.

Ayon sa tala ng pulisya, nag-u-turn

si Teodoro sa Magsaysay Avenue cor.

Apacible Atreet nang aksidenteng

mabangga ito ni Zamudio na

binabagtas naman ang kahabaan

ng Magsaysay Avenue. Walang

nasaktan sa nasabi

ngunit nagtamo n

at yupi ang harapan

gulong ng Fortu

harapang bumper ng

Nagkasundo naman

sangkot sa inside

bayaran ni Zamudi

halaga ng sira na h

insurance sa Fortun

MA student, ninak

Bandang 7:00 ng

Pebrero 26, ninakaw

Lloyd Aducul, 26, e

International Studi

backpack na naglala

kagamitang tinatay

ang kabuuang halaga

Ayon sa salaysay

iniwan ni Aducul

kaibigan ang kanilan

sa grandstand ng

bago magjogging.

dalawa, hindi na m

bag ni Aducul, na n

isang Toshiba lapto

halagang P28,000,

Ipad 32Gb na nag

Contin

POLICE BRIEFS


5/12

While conducting an invento

o native tree species in the ore

o Kananga, Leyte in Novem

2010, Co and his two resear

assistants were killed by soldi

who mistook them or insurgen

according to investigations

the Commission on HumRights (CHR).

The CHR also reuted clai

by the Armed Forces o t

Philippines that Co and

assistants were caught in

cross-re between the military a

suspected communist rebels.

In 2010, an independent a

nding mission by AGHAM

Advocates o Science a

Technology (AGHAM) also ou

out that bullet marks let on

trees imply that the trajecto

came rom only one directi

and that the soldiers aim

directly at the victims.

The delay in the issuance

DOJs resolution is a maniestat

o the culture o impunity in country, said Caidic.

We have waited this lo

only to suer another injust

By ignoring the need or just

they have also ignored the lie

service that Leonard and his co

panions had done to their l

breath, Mrs. Co said in a pr

release to the media.

Downgraded charges vs suspectsin Leonard Co slayTHE FAMILY AND SUPPORTERS

o slain botanist Leonard Co were

dismayed with the downgraded

charges recommended by Depart-

ment o Justice (DOJ) prosecutors

against military men involved in

the ormer UP proessors killing

more than two years ago.In a 19-page resolution released

March 1, the DOJ endorsed charges

o reckless imprudence resulting

in homicide and attempted

homicide against nine soldiers

o the 19th Inantry Commando

Battalion o the Philippine Armys

8th Inantry Division.

The DOJ also recommended

obstruction o justice chargesagainst 27 other soldiers

or impeding, rustrating, or

UHS doctors challenge admin over promotion rulesUPD Vice Chancellor or

Administration Virginia Yap,

however, sent back Davides

papers, saying the UHS PBdid not ollow the UP Merit

Selection Plan (MSP), a set o rules

and guidelines which all units

and committees must ollow in

screening and selecting applicants

or administrative positions.

Ater applying the MSP, the PB

revised its initial decision and

instead recommended Bautista

on April 22. Based on points

awarded through the MSP,

Bautista garnered 276.32 while

Davide came second with

272.9 points.

Two days later, the Administra-

tion Personnel and Fellowship

Committee o the Oce o the

Vice Chancellor or Administra-

tion (OVCA) endorsed Bautistaor promotion. Saloma signed

his approval on May 2 and HRDO

awarded the appointment to

Bautista on June 1.

UHS needs physician, not

pathologist

In a letter to Saloma on May

11, Davide, Basuel, and Teneza

requested an explanation or the

appointment, saying the UHS

needs a ull-time MS II who is a

physician, not a pathologist.

On May 22, the group urther

explained to Saloma that the

post required specialization in

ER, OPD, and IP services, whichis dierent rom the training and

experience o a pathologist like

Bautista.

The decision [to approve

Bautista] will [impact the service

o UHS], the physicians explained

in a jointly signed letter. The UHS

lacks three physicians, currently

employing only ten out o the 13

ull-time physicians it needs to

operate eciently.

[Bautista] is [unt] or the

position, since she has no patient

interaction [and her work is

laboratory based]. [Still,] were

not questioning [Bautistas]

capability as a pathologist but

what the posting asked or and

what the UHS needs is a physician,Davide explained in an interview.

In a letter to Saloma on May 14,

Yap wrote that the needs o the

UHS is a concern separate rom

the appointment o Bautista,

Davide said.

Irregularities, ambiguities

The group also noted that it

was statistically improbable

that all our members o the UHS

PB unanimously gave 69.08 and

68.235 MSP points to Bautista

and Davide, respectively, while

giving diering scores to Basuel

and Teneza.

On June 1, Davide wrote to Civil

Service Commission (CSC) FieldOce Director Cardito Callangan,

requesting their intervention in

the issue. In a letter to Callangan

dated January 8, Saloma however

maintained that Bautista satised

the requirement or her promo-

tion as a ull-time MS II.

The experience requirement

has two alternatives and Bautista,

who was chie pathologist in

Novaliches District Hospital

or nine years, ullled the

minimum three-year supervi-

sory experience requirement,

Saloma said.

Currently, Davides complaint is

at the CSC National Capitol Region

oce awaiting urther action.

Meanwhile, All-UP Workers

Union (AUPWU) National Vice

President Clodualdo Cabrera said

the ambiguity in the requirements

disadvantaged Davide, Basuel,

and Teneza rom the start o the

process. The UHS should have

stated clearly that they were not

necessarily looking or a physi-

cian, but someone who satises

the qualications, explained the

union leader.

The [AUPWU] believes

[revisions] are needed to remove

TINUBUANG LUPA. Nagtanghal ng

isang sayaw pandigma ang mga

katutubong Aeta noong Marso 4 sa

Mendiola, bilang pagtutol sa ika-18

taong pagpapatupad sa RA 9752, o

Philippine Mining Act. Kasama ang

ibat ibang sektor, nanawagan sila

upang ibasura ang naturang batas na

nagpapahintulot sa mga operasyon

ng malawakang pagmimina, na siya

namang nagdudulot ng pagkasira

ng lupa ng mga katutubo, at mga

likas na yaman sa bansa.

P26,000, perang aabot sa P2,0

dalawang USB fash drive, at m

gamit pang-eskwela.

Agad namang nag-imbest

ang UPDP, ngunit wala pa r

matukoy na salarin hangga

sa kasalukuyan sapagkat wala

ibang taong nakasaksi sa insidenAyon kay UPDP Corporal Ce

Oliquino, dapat umanong tanda

ng mga estudyante na bukas a

pamantasan sa publiko, ka

dapat laging ingatan a

anumang dalang mga gam

Ipinayo din niya na ku

mag-iiwan ng gamit sa m

pampublikong lugar, mag-iw

ng isang bantay o di kayay ib

na lamang ito sa ibang tao upa

makaiwas sa mga insidente

pagnanakaw.

ambiguity to ensure the M

is transparent and democrat

Cabrera added.

The UPD administrati

through the OVCA, said it w

release a statement to the Colleg

regarding the issue, but the pub

cation has yet to receive the s

statement as o press time.

delaying the prosecution o their

ellow soldiers.

According to the resolution, the

suspects would have been liable

to murder charges i it were not

or other circumstances which

led the prosecutors to decide that

the respondents would not haveany malicious intent to injure [or]

kill the victims had they known

them to be civilians and not

communist rebels.

Cos amily and riends however

intended to le murder charges

against the suspects, saying the

DOJ charges are lesser oenses

and are inconsistent with the re-

sults o investigations on the case.Malungkot ako at ganoon ang

resulta na kanilang inilabas ater

two years, said wie Glenda Co,

adding they have 15 days to le

a ormal appeal upon receipt o a

copy o the resolution.

Friends and supporters rom

the campaign group Justice or

Leonard Co Movement (JLCM) also

expressed disappointment with

the DOJ ruling. Ang problema kasi

kapag homicide [ang na-le] sa

arraignment, hindi mo na pwedeng

iakyat to murder, explained JLCM

coordinator Niel Caidic.

POLICE BRIEFS

Continued from pag

A GROUP OF DOCTORS FROM THE

UP Diliman (UPD) University

Health Service (UHS) are contest-

ing the promotion o a UHS pa-thologist as a Medical Specialist

(MS) II in May 2012, due to alleged

irregularities committed by the

UHS Personnel Board (PB) and

the UPD administration.

UHS physicians Julie Therese

Davide, Olivia Basuel, and Maria

Dolores Teneza, Hector Dionisio,

Aliza Pangaibat, Ricardo Garcia,

and Mysisa Alip questioned the

promotion o pathologist Flodalyn

Bautista as a ull-time MS II

employee, saying the decision

did not comply with the require-

ments o the position and the

stang needs o the UHS.

On February 17, 2012, the UPD

Human Resources Development

Oce (HRDO) announced avacant MS II post or applicants

with a doctoral degree in medicine

and 3 years [o] supervisory

experience or 9 years clinical

experience in [emergency room

(ER), out-patient (OPD), and

in-patient (IP) services].

UHS PB received applications

rom Bautista, Davide, Teneza, and

Basuel on March 2, the deadline

o applications. UHS PB

recommended Davide, who then

submitted her papers on March 22.


6/12

WALANG IISANG BERSYON

ang kasaysayan.

Ang ambush attempt kay

Juan Ponce Enrile noong 1972,

halimbawa, ay may tatlong

bersyon mula mismo kay

Enrile. Ilang taon pagkalipas ng

tangkang pag-ambush sa kanya,

na naging dahilan sa pagdedeklara

ng Martial Law, ay inamin

niyang gawa-gawa lamang ang

kuwentoroleplaying kumbaga, at

planado ang lahat ng naganap.

Ngunit ngayon, sa inilathala niyang

biography, ay muling nag-iba ang

kanyang salaysay: totoo umano at

hindi huwad ang tangkang pagkitil

sa kanyang buhay.

Ano ba talaga?

NAGBABAGONG NARATIBO

Madalas malalagim na

imahen ang iniuugnay sa

Martial Law. Noon, maaaring

hulihin ng pulis at militar ang

kahit na sinong mapagkakamalan

nilang basag-ulo o rebelde. Makanti

mo lang sa kahit pinakapayak na

paraan si Marcos, mawawalang

katiyakan ang pananatili

mo sa mundolibo-libo ang

ipinapatay at sapilitang dinukot

noong panahong iyon.

Gayunman, hindi lahat ay

magsasabing tunay ngang

malagim ang paghahari ng

diktador. Sa isang panayam kay

Roberto Ongpin, dating Trade

Secretary ni Marcos, sinabi

niyang si Marcos talaga ang

nagwagi noong 1986

presidential elections kahit na

hindi rito naniniwala ang mga

Pilipinong nakibahagi sa unang

People Power.

Kung tatanungin naman ang

mga taga-Ilocos Norte, ang

bayang kinalakhan ni Marcos,

sasabihin nilang maunlad ang

buhay noong kapanahunan ng

dating presidente. Ani nga ni

Senador Bongbong Marcos, kung

hindi napatalsik ang kanyang

amay baka sing-unlad na ng

Singapore ang Pilipinas ngayon.

Dahil dito, may mga

nagpapanukala na magsulat

ng iisang depinitibong tala ng

Martial Law, na siyang

ituturo sa mga paaralan. Isa si

Pangulong Benigno Aquino

III sa mga naniniwalang sa

dami ng posibleng bersyon,

marapat umanong may iisang

naratibong maglilinaw sa mga

karahasang naganap sa bahaging ito

ng kasaysayan.

Bagaman hindi maaaring isama

ang lahat ng panig sa iisang tala,

mahalaga ang pagkakaroon ng

iisang naratibo na ipalalaganap

sa mga Pilipino. Sapagkat ang

kasaysayan ay isang paraan ng

pagtatakda ng pagkakakilanlan ng

isang bayan, at instrumento ito

upang hubugin ang kaisipan ng

mga mamamayan.

Ngunit hindi isang neutral

na proseso ang pagsulat ng

kasaysayan. Sa pagsulat nito

at sa pagbibigay identidad sa

isang bayan, isang mahalagat

mapagpasyang salik kung sino

at anong lente ang gagamitin sa

pagtala ng mga kaganapan.

SAYSAY NG SALAYSAY

Naniniwala ang pilosopong

si Plato na kung sino ang

nagsulat ng kasaysayan ay siya ring

may hawak ng kapangyarihan. Sa

konteksto ng Pilipinas,

mamamalas ito kung paanong

ikubli sa atin ng mga banya-

gang historyador ang mayaman

nating kasaysayan, at ang mga

karahasang inihasik nila sa

ating bayan.

Sadyang ipinasunog ng mga

Kastila noon ang lahat ng tala

ukol sa mitolohikal nating mga

paniniwala. Ipinabago nila ang

pangalan at hitsura ng ating mga

diyos at diyosa, at ipinostura

sila bilang kahindik-hindik na

mga nilalangan, gaya ng kapre

at bakulaw.

Samantala, sa pagtatakda ng

mga Amerikanong historyador

sa kung sino ang ituturing nating

mga bayani noong panahon ng

pananakop ng Kastila at

Amerikano, ay pailalim nilang

kinundisyon ang kaisipan ng

mga Pilipino. Sadyang ginawa

nilang pambansang bayani si Jose

Rizal, halimbawa, dahil mas

pasibo ang ginawa nitong paglaban

kumpara sa agresibot armadong

pakikibakang pinamunuan ni

Andres Bonifacio.

Tuwing tinatalakay naman

ang Martial Law, lagi itong

nakakulong sa iilang mga tauhan:

ang mga Marcos, ang kanyang

mga crony, si Ninoy Aquino, at

ang asawa niyang si Cory. Hindi

nabibigyang-diin sa mga textbook

ng elementarya at hayskul ang

iba pang mga lider na nanguna sa

paglaban sa diktadurya. At higit

sa lahat, hindi rin nabibig-

yang-pugay ang libo-libong

ordinaryong Pilipinong lumaban

para dito.

Hindi rin naitatampok

ang ilang mga tauhan na

instrumental sa pagsibol,

paghari, at pagbagsak ng rehimeng

Marcos. Bibihirang nababanggit

ang impluwensiya ng Estados

Unidos (US) sa lahat ng naganap,

at hindi naililinaw ang konteksto

kung bakit marami ang nagbansag

kay Marcos bilang papet at

tuta. Kasabay ng paglakas ng

kampanya kontra-Marcos noong

1986 ang pag-atras ng suporta ng

US sa pangulo.

Ang kawalan ng malinaw

at malalim sa konteksto sa

ating kasaysayan ang siya ring

nagiging dahilan sa kawalan

natin ng malalimang pagsusuri at

pagkaunawa sa kasalukuyan

nating kalagayan.

TIYAK NA TALA

Mistula mang laganap ang

nosyon na kurakot ang mga

Marcos, at naging taksil

sila sa bayan noong dekada

70 hanggang 80, kapansin-

pansin kung paano sila muling

tinanggap at iniluklok sa mga

posisyon sa gobyerno. Kasalukuy-

ang kongresista ngayon si Imelda

Marcos, samantalang senador

si Bongbong at gubernador

si Imee.

Kung aaralin ang

mga pagbabagot pag-

unlad ng maram-

ing salikimplu-

wensiya ng mga

Marcos, depiksyon

ng media, estado

ng pulitikal na

espasyo sa bansamauugat at higit na

m a i p a l i l i w a -

nag kung paano

nauunawaan ng mga

Pilipino sa kasaluku-

yan ang mga naganap

sa nakaraan.

At kung may

kailangan mang piliing

lente ang mga historyador

dahil selektibo ang proseso ng

pagsulat ng kasaysayanmarapat

lamang na suriin nito ang mga

kaganapan mula sa pers-

pektibo ng pinakamara-

ming Pilipino. Dahil

kung may tunay man

na sasalamin sakalagayan ng ban-

sa, noon hanggang

ngayon, ay ang mga

karanasan hindi ng

mga nasa tuktok

ng kapangyarihan

kundi ng mga payak

mamamayan.

Sa pagsuri

sa nakaraan,

lagit laging

may pangan-

g a i l a n g a n g

suriin kung paano

umusad ang kole-

ktibong kama-

layan ng mga Pili-

pino sa anumangbahagi ng kasay-

sayan. Sa pagbabalik-

tanaw sa Martial Law,

halimbawa, mahala-

gang umigpaw sa mga

kilalang pulitikal na

personalidad at ituon

ang pansin sa kung paano

namulat at nagpasyang

kumilos ang malaking

bahagi ng populasyon

na nagpasyang itigil

ang diktadurya.

Marapat ding

balikan kung sa

paanong paraan

nakundisyon ang

mga mamamayan sailalim ng pamumuno

ni Corazon Aquino

at ng mga sumunod

pang mga pinuno. Sa

huli, nananatili ang

kahingian na salaminin

ng mga historical na tala

ang danas at pag-unawa ng

nakararami, dahil sila, at hindi

ang iilang makapangyarihan,

ang tunay na mapagpasya sa

paghubog ng kasaysayan.


7/12

Consum

matum

Est

ON FEBRUARY

28, the world witnessed

a historic event as Pope

Benedict XVI let the Renaissance

grandeur o the Vatican, renouncing

all his powers as ponti.

Ater meeting with the cardinals,

Benedict XVI, who kept his papal

name even ater resignation, rode a

helicopter to the great halls o Castel

Gandolo, the papal summer house

where he would temporarily spend

his time in prayer and seclusion.The announcement o

Benedict XVIs abdication two weeks

ago shocked not only the 1. billion

Catholic population, but also the rest

o the world. And now that his seat

has been vacated, all eyes are set

on who is going to be next leader o

one o the ew remaining vestiges o

a bygone era.

Sede vacanteCiting his weakness due to an

advanced age, Benedict XVI was

the rst pope to resign in 600 years.

Though generally welcomed by the

Catholic community, his resignation

was still met with criticisms, even

among his cardinals.

People who, or example, mightdisagree with a uture pope [might]

mount a campaign to get him to

resign, Australian cardinal George

Pell said in a media interview. Unlike

any other position o power, papacy

is equated to being Gods

personication on earthand no one

abdicates the post until ones death.

Ater all, Catholic doctrine states

that the ounder o the Church is

Jesus Christ himsel. He

appointed Saint Peter as the head o

the-

Church,

and start-

ed the ponticalsystem where all

elected popes become the

saints successor.

Electing the pope, then, ollows

a meticulous process, molded by

centuries o practice. A conclave is

held at the Sistine Chapel, attended

by cardinals below 0 years old.

Certain regulations may be altered,

but small details such as how to old

the ballots remain the samea clear

maniestation o the Churchs

obedience to traditions.

Criteria or the election o the

next pope include ones ability to

govern, and having a universal heart

[or] the poor, says Chicago Cardinal

Francis George. There is no systemicmethod, however, in investigating the

background o prospective popes.

And while campaigning or the

position is prohibited, an

opposing party can easily leak

to the media inormation that

may weaken a prospects bid

or papacy.

Such scenarios prove how,

despite claims o being an event

guided by the Holy Spirit,

papal elections largely rely on

subjective decisions o the

electing cardinals. As Benedict

XVIs resignation seemingly

paralleled the papacy to any

bureaucratic position one

may willingly resign rom,electing the next pope also

exposes the politics behind the

Churchs supposedly apolitical aade.

Vicarius ChristiThe next pope will perorm duties

ranging rom conducting liturgies,

appointing bishops, to spreading the

divine truth stipulated in the Catho-

lic doctrine. As head o the worlds

largest religious denomination,

his words will refect the Churchs

stances on matters concerning aith

and morality.

The

C h u r c h

used to strongly

condemn the ideas o

religious reedom and pro-

gress. Such conservative views have

justied tyrannical rule in Spain

and Latin American countries, and

have also uelled anti-

Semitism sentiments.

Leaders like Pope John XXIII,

however, recognized the need or

reorms in the Churchs teachings.

He called or the second Vatican

Council in 196, paving the way or

progressive philosophies, including

tolerance o other religions. Such

deviations illustrate that despite

adhering to a single doctrine,

popes are entitled to their own

interpretations o the canon. The

standards o morality, then, depend

on how one man understands the

Lords teachings.

Yet the Church is not immune

to issues that challenge their

moral ascendancy. Groups like

Survivors Network o those Abused

by Priests have been vocal against

sins committed by clergymen, like

paedophilia. Allegations o corruption

also marred Benedict XVIs term.

These so-called scandals in the

Vatican prove that the Catholic

empire is not only run by

humans prone to commiting errors;

the Church is also not exempt rom

political contradictions.

The Vatican, or instance,

conducts its own income-generating

activities, such as investing in banking,

insurance, and real state among

others. In the Philippines, the Church

is one o the top shareholders o

large mining rms. Previous popes

have also taken positions on politicalissues, sometimes acting as

diplomats to settle disputes.

There are practices, however, which

no pope has ever dared to openly

support, such as the ordination o

homosexuals, legalization o

same-sex marriage, and the use o

contraceptives. Ater the passage o

the Reproductive Health Bill in the

predominantly-Catholic Philippines,

coupled with lesbian, gay, bisexual,

and transsexual advocacies get-

ting mainstream attention, one may

won-

d e r

wheth-

er the

Church still

holds strong

infuence overits ollowers.

Habemus papamWith the grow-

ing infuence o other

religious denominations,

various analysts have posit-

ed that the Churchs power has

indeed started to wane. Electing

the right pope, thereore, would

be a huge stepnow, more than

everin securing its popularity and

infuence worldwide.

Popular candidates or

papacy include Arican American

Cardinal Peter Turkson, and

Filipino Luis Antonio Tagle. One o them

getting elected would be

relatively radical, as it would shatter thesupposed Eurocentrism o the

papacy. Having a non-Caucasian pope

may also work in avor o the Church,

especially in gaining back the support

o critics o Catholic conservatism.

In 01, Europe was the only

continent that had a 0.01 percent

decrease in Catholic members,

according to Vatican data.

Meanwhile, Arica registered a 0.1

percent increase in members, while

Asia has 0.06 percent. Apparently,

Catholicism is strongest in less devel-

oped nations.

Religion, in general, provides a

beacon o hope to people who have

nothing else but labor power and

aith. It is an ideology in itsel, abelie system that is unscientic yet

structured. When the Spaniards

arrived in the Philippines and started

spreading Christianitys wisdom,

they marketed religion as a means o

escape, a creed that promises a

better lie ater death, in exchange

or the suering one experiences

while living. Symbols glamorizing

suering are very much

apparent in Catholicismthe

crucix, the oering o Christs

blood, etc. These symbols have

eas-

i l y

p e n -

e t r a t -

ed the

psyche o the

people, and

have been instru-

mental in main-

taining the Churchs

d o m i n a n c e ,

and the peoples

resilience to social injus-

tices such as poverty.

However, based on the

words o Pope John XIII in his

encyclical Christianity and Socia

Progress, the Church will always

willing to work with other religions

pursue the common good or human

[Catholics must be] ready

cooperate loyally in achieving o

jects which are good in themselv

or can be turned to good, wrote

ormer pope.

Indeed, regardless o who clinc

the top Vatican post, setting religio

dierences aside would always w

best or the development o a bet

worldor there are evils in soci

that nothing but a united collect

struggle can cure.

C

onsumm

atumEst


8/12

POWER PLAY

THE COMPETITION FOR

political dominance has

once again captivated the countrys

attention. As usual, promises

o change and genuine service,

delivered via celebrity endorsements

and catchy gimmicks, continue to

grace the grand tournament that is

national elections.

For 90 days, radio and TV

airwaves, print media and even

cyberspace become battleelds or

a single causeto win the heart o

the Filipino voter. Never mind that

slogans are all hollow rhetoric, or that

platorms are just reinventions o avariety o motherhood statements.

Such is the state o Philippine

elections where nancing plays a

signicant role in the polls outcomes;

a practice that has not only barred

the marginalized rom participating

in a seemingly democratic process,

but has also institutionalized the

continued supremacy o the rich

ew over the countrys economic and

political aairs.

Rules of engagement

While candidates launch their

oensives to secure key

government posts, Commission

on Elections (COMELEC) sets

and guards the battleelds or the

conduct o the elections. Armed withthe Omnibus Election Code o 1985

and COMELEC Resolution No. 9476,

the COMELEC enorces limits on

campaign nancing (see sidebar), in

an attempt to provide a level playing

eld to all candidates.

Hindi porke mayaman ka, ikaw

na yung mas may kakayahan

mangampanya, says COMELEC

Education and Inormation

Department Acting Director Victoria

Dulcero.

IN THEIR BID FOR POWER, OLD-TIMERS BEARING FAMILIAR NAMES ASSERT T

ENCE BY DISPOSING HUGE SUMS OF MONEY. NEW CONTENDERS, MEANWHWORK THEIR WAY WITH WHATEVER ARSENAL THEY HAVE. THE ONLY KEY TO

IS TO OUTSHINE AND OUTLAST RIVALSAT ALL COSTS.

The Fair

E l e c t i o n s

Act o 2001 requires

candidates to submit a Statement

o Elections Contributions and

Expenditures (SECE) to the COMELEC.

In the 2010 presidential

race, top spender Manny Villar

declared a P431.56 million over-all

expenditures, according to his SECE.

This means that Villar spent an

average P8.41 or every voter,

which alls within the P10-cap or

presidential candidates. Spending

per voter is determined by dividing

a candidates declared total campaigncost over the 51.29 million registered

voters in 2010.

Poll guards like Kontra Daya and

the Center or People Empowerment

and Governance (CenPeg) however,

raise suspicions on Villars

compliance with election laws.

Contenders like Villar manage to

evade the law through a technicality,

wherein costs incurred or campaigns

released beore the ocial start o the

campaign period, are excluded rom

total campaign expenses, according

to election watchdogs.

Villar have already spent P475.43

million beore ocial campaigns

began in 2010, reports media

monitoring agency Nielsen. I suchcosts were included, Villars per voter

expense would bloat to P17.68.

Kontra Daya legal counsel

Joven Evangelista also assailed

the Omnibus Election Codes

accounting mechanism or campaign

expenditures since pwedeng hindi

i-declare ng mga kandidato ang ilang

natatanggap nilang contributions at

hindi rin magdeclare ang contributor.

We are conned talaga since

our constitutional mandate is only

to implement laws. Congress [who

has legislative power] ang dapat

mag-initiate ng move para ayusin ang

batas, says Dulcero.

Yet, the elite-dominated Congress

has never shown any interest to

conront and address the faws

o the Election Code aside rom

resolutions that interpreted

several provisions. Congress

members are oremostpoliticians that benet in the

current setup, raising the

impossibility o introducing

reorms to election laws,

notes Evangelista.

Despite existing rules, seasoned

politicians have clearly developed

their own tactics to counter the

underlying principles behind

election regulations. As the battle

or dominance continues, even the

COMELEC tasked to regulate the

game, are trapped in the systemic

mechanisms devised by politicians

to solidiy their hold on power.

The elections, thereore, still avor

the warriors who have strong

nancial backing.

Superior grounds

Under the countrys supposedly

democratic electoral system,

hopeuls who gain the most number

o votes emerge as victors. And in

this scheme, intensive campaigns are

necessary to capture the voters trust.

Mindul o the weak spots o

election laws, COMELECs plans to

partner with major media networks

that will reserve timeslots solely

dedicated or campaigning, and to

utilize online social media. Para

naman pati mahirap na kandidato ay

mabigyan ng exposure, Dulcero says.

Despite these opportunities

however, wealthy candidates still

hold an advantage, or they can

engage in urther campaigns that will

keep them ahead o other candidates,

Evangelista argues.

Sa level [ng pangangampanya]

sa Pilipinas, gagastos talaga sa

advetisements dahil malakas din

naman ang eectpara maalala ng

mga tao, says Cristina Yambot, BayanMuna Partylist election lawyer.

The costs o producing a

30-second commercial ranges rom

P250,000 to millions. Meanwhile,

the average cost o a 30-second

primetime slot on television and

radio amounts to P100,000 and

P8,000, respectively.

Candidates have this mindset

that spending more or their

campaigns directly increases

their chances o winning, asserts

Evangelista. Pres. Benigno Aquino III

who prevailed in the 2010 elections,

came next to Villar in terms o

campaign expenditures, declaring

a P403.12 million total cost.

Evidently, money has becomea necessity to contend or

public oce in the Philippines,

an imposed requisite that has

remained unquestioned or the

longest time. Even beore the

campaigns begin, the COMELEC

already eliminates candidates with

no proven nancial capacity to

mobilize a nationwide campaign.

Such reality banishes any

guarantee that every Filipino has

equal chances in holding public

oce. Like any war, elections are

a costly, yet lucrative endeavor

especially or the victors.

Game for thrones

In the coming days

be bombarded with p

transmits a single m

voters: vote me, and

suering will end. Y

submitting to such

ushered substantial c

lives o the majority o

Candidates are a

spend large sums oa position with a sal

compensates or the cos

during the campaign (se

Election is a ght

gains. [They are not a

what they are looki

power that the positio

power to amass mor

it, CenPEG Policy St

Bobby Tuazon says.

With the governm

tolerance o such a

money and political

any notion o critica

concretely-grounded

the elections will con

clashing ground amon

is why most qualiseeking genuine reor

because they will cert

to nancial disadva

Tuazon.

Contrary to pop

class notions, the

little chances or ge

Educating voters o t

o their individual vo

viable option. Ultim

there is no other alte

shape the peoples col

a potent orce that c

electoral dominance

and make it truly dem

SIDEBAR 1: AT STAKE

Position Term salary Total expenditure of all candidates Spending cap per

President P8.64 million P1.1 billion P10

Vice President ~P7.42 million P653 million P5* or P3**

Senator ~P6.43 million P1.5 billion P5* or P3**

Partylist Representative ~P6.43 million P597 million P5

Congressman ~P6.43 million P5* or P3**

Source: Salary Standardization Law 2012 tranche, 2010 Statement Elections Contributions and Exp

Elections Act of 2001

* with political party / ** without political party

Jan Andrei Co


9/12

Ater all, as

rom issues o ge

der violence, wom

are still conronted by

daily challenges mount

by high prices o commodit

and basic utilities, mass

unemployment, and lack

adequate social services. F

instance, women who oten ta

charge o the amilys nanc

are perennially burdened by h

prices o ood, transportati

electricity and making ends me

explains Perez.

As the proud history o t

womens movement sho

organized and collective eo

that banded women togeth

against prevailing social ord

still wields the most potential

eecting genuine change.

Women should organ

among their ranks, and learn

transcend the narrow boundar

o gender issues to the grea

plight o all oppressed secto

says Salvador. In the end, gra

roots womens organizatio

who clearly understand h

womens issues are integrat

in the broader scheme o thin

could enjoin the empowerme

o women regardless o soc

economic origins.

With the elections loomi

women may utilize this singrand event to maximize th

gains and promote their leg

mate interests. For the rest

the years however, women c

rely in their collective streng

that has decisively challeng

and changed the course o th

continuing story.

ONE IN EVERY FIVE ELECTED

public ocials in the country is

a woman. Filipinas have clearly

permeated the traditionally

male-dominated public domain,

holding 3,601 o the 17,385 elected

posts, according to government

research body Philippine

Commission on Women.

Filipinas are generally

considered as among the most

empowered women in Asia,

much as the country is known or

catapulting two women to the

presidency through massive

demonstrations. Last yearsupposedly marked another

milestone or the Filipi-

na, with the appointment o

Maria Lourdes Sereno as the High

Courts rst woman chie justice.

Indeed, the ascension o

women to seats o power has

become a redeeming value or

the countrys political system

that supposedly osters equal

opportunities. As the elections

loom, increased womens

participation in politics as sharply

dened by their right to vote and to

be voted seems to strengthen the

notion o women empowerment.

In reality however, the impacts

o such democratic exercises

in eecting genuine change orwomen, remain limited.

Seats of powerThe countrys pre-colonial

narrative depicts a society that

values women, most notably with

the stature o the babaylan or

priestess who assume key roles

in early communities as healers

or advisors.

History illustrates how the

Spanish colonizers orcedly

conned Filipino women to the

traditional Marian standards

o women conduct like being

meek, domesticated and submis-

sive. For centuries, the Filipinas

worth would depend on how she

conorms to such expectations

not until women reedom ghters

like Gabriela Silang and Melchora

Aquino broke these stereotypes,

and made substantial contribu-

tions to liberate the country rom

oppression.

Clearly, women have always

struggled to assert their valued

position in the countrys political

and economic aairs despite

systemic eorts to curtail their

participation. In contemporarytimes however, electing women

into positions does not neces-

sarily translate to advancing

womens cause.

Not even the passage o

pro-women laws could ease the

burdens experienced by majority

o women. For instance, while

Gloria Arroyos administration saw

the legislation o the Magna Carta

o Women, the condition o women

worsened during her term.

Research institution Center or

Womens Resources (CWR) cites

1,010 cases o state-perpetrated

violations o womens rights

during Arroyos term. For 2011

and 2012, seven cases o sexual

harassment perpetrated bymilitary members to women

under the counterinsurgency

plan Oplan Bayanihan have been

reported by national womens

alliance GABRIELA.

Moreover, women candidates

who participate in the elections

hardly invoke women empower-

ment as central to their inten-

tions or running.

The study Participation o

Women in Politics and Society

reveals that most women seeking

elections merely serve as

an alternate to a amily relative

whose term is either unullled

or nears expiration. Such is

the case o senatorial aspirant

Cynthia Villar and gubernatorial

candidate Imee Marcos, whose

amily relatives currently hold

key positions.

Majority o known women

politicians also hail rom infu-

ential amilies with established

political mileage, like Arroyo and

Corazon Aquino.

The social class interests o

most women leaders clearly

prevail over her membership to amarginalized sector like women,

notes GABRIELA Secretary

General Joms Salvador.

With a largely elitist system o

elections, the chances o women

being elected is restricted by her

socio-economic status. Contrary

to claims o providing equal

opportunities to everyone, the

elections remain an exclusive

game or the rich; a limited arena

to advance the interests o the

majority o women rom under-

represented sectors.

Counting votesThe right o women to vote is

considered as one o the concrete

gains achieved by womens move-ments across the world. While

the idea o women voting now

passes as conventional wisdom,

such rights were painstakingly

advanced by women advocates.

Not even American

colonizers, with their

much-celebrated

d e m o c r a c y ,

have extended women the right to

have their votes counted. The rst

general elections in the country

were or the educated and prop-

ertied elite men, to the dismay

o their emale counterparts like

Concepcion Felix de Calderon

and Josea Llanes-Escoda, who

eventually lead the crusade or

womens surage rights in the

Philippines.

Ater organized eorts lead by

groups like Asociacion Feminista

Filipina, over 440,000 Filipina

voters were able to vote or the

rst time in April 1937. Suchsurage rights however, were

initially reserved to rich and edu-

cated women. Evidently, the elite

have a clear history o dominating

the supposedly democratic

process o elections.

In 2010, around 18.8 million or

75.2 percent o registered women

voters cast their votes. Participa-

tion in the elections is a positive

indicator o womens increasing

level o political consciousness,

says CWRs Cielito Perez.

Despite this however, a womens

vote does not exist, asserts UP

Pro. Judy Taguiwalo. She

explains that the lack

o sensible and

Advancing thecause

Filipinas have yet to real

true emancipation.

Despite much hype, the pr

ence o women candidates in t

elections does not signiy ho

or women. At most, such kin

o political participation ha

mostly concerned middle cla

and elite women than those w

toil in vast armlands or actori

Women can only be empower

i they live ree rom violen

hunger, poverty and other oro oppression, says Salvador. G

BRIELA was among the rst wo

ens groups in the Philippines w

have linked gender issues aced

women to the greater context

structural inequalities an

social injustices.

unctional women

laws and policiesindicate the absence o

a womens vote. Truly, the

existence o a united womens

vote would have the capacity

to compel candidates to address

legitimate women concerns.

While more women engage in

the elections either as voters or

candidates, womens represen-

tation remains very limited and

constrained by the domination

o men in government who have

dierent views, says Perez.

As such, as long as individual

women vote without a denite

consciousness o the collective

plight they share as women, then

the exercise o voting will remain

to be impotent, isolated toolsin advancing their rights and

welare. Ultimately, the elections

alone could never liberate

women rom all orms o oppression.

M

is[s]epresentat

ion

RKlid

elRe

llin


10/12

SIMULA*

THE PERKS

OF STAYING

SILENT*

Bukas ang opisina salahat, pero iilan langang may sapat na

kakayahan (at tigas ngmukha) para

pangatawanan angmga paninindigan

ng pahayagan

Ang mga desisyon

natin ay hindi

nagmumula sa

kawalan, ngunit nasa

sa atin kung paano

natin ito paninindigan.

WAKAS

SABI MO, LIPAS NA ANGpanahon ng pagigingaktibistang rah-rah. Laosna ang pagrarali, hindina uso ang pagiging galitsa mundo.

Bat nga naman akosasama agad sa rali?Pwede ko namang aralinmuna ang isyu, magbasa-basa, magtanong-tanongsa mga kapwa ko tao (pakinaman ng kalabaw) kung anoang opinyon nila. Kahit may demolisaalamin ko muna kung may karapaeyesore na iskwater sa bahay vis a ng may-ari sa lote. Kahit pwede nang mmagti-tweet ng, Inutil ang panot na patitiyakin ko muna kung tutol nga sa Cyang mga apektado (which is, uh, most o

Saka na umaksyon, kapag napsigurado na sa hakbang. Pagkatapos ngpag-iinterbyu, sana may TRO pa rin anLaw. Sana hindi pa na-demolish ang na-purge sa klase ang mga walang pang-man, pwede pa ring humingi ng paumaninalam ko muna kung tama nga na ipagl

Isa pang bagay: bakit nga ba dapat madmin? Hindi naman nila ginustkupal ang gobyerno. Humihingi natamang badyet pero sadyang kumag Kapag wala na ang STFAP, paano na yunrito? Asa namang papatol ang gobyernng, ugh, repeat ater me: greater state surollback? Kailangang magrali ng buomakinig ang admin dyan kaya wag nasa mas tahimik.

Hindi talaga makuntento ang mga ngayon, malaya na tayong magpahahinaing natin, kung gusto natin (ingat-mga militar kasi, well, araid).

Bat ba kasi hindi na lang tayo masanleast na yan. At least nagbibigay ng gobyerno. At least concerned angsa saety ng bansa, kaya malaki ang gsa military spending. At least nagbabuwis, at least sinusundan ko ang traleast bumuboto ako tuwing eleksyonparaan para magprotesta, bakit nga bmakulong sa pinaka-hassle na porma?

Nakapagrali na ako. Tustado na nakakairita pang magtaas ng kamao ang kili-kili.

Pero buti sae akosae naghihikahos ang pamilya natin, at man, pareho tayong may pinag-aralantrabaho? Kebs. Pwedeng-pwede kong sunko sa abroad.

Kebs din sa mahihirap. Habang sinmakatapos sa UP, going orth and musila (buti may RH law). Keri na yan, maparaan para umunlad ang mga Artista Academy, Wowowillie, Super kung ano pa.

Serve the people? Kapag yumamansa charity. Kapag minalas, maging tapang buwis. Magreklamo sila sa kalye kuproblemahin nila ang kanser ng lipunanGusto mo, dito tayo sa mas convenientsa yo ang mas productive.

Hintayin na lang natin na magtamga aktibistang rah-rah, kasi pag ndamay-damay tayong lahat.

*sa iyo na kasundo ko sa lahat, liban sa

CLICH NA KUNG CLICH, PERObabanggitin ko na ang sinabi na rinng bandang Semisonic: Every newbeginning comes rom some otherbeginnings end.

Utang na loob. Huwag mokong tatanungin san ko planong

magtrabaho, o anong balak konggawin pagkagradweyt ko, dahilmalamang sa malamang, imbentolang naman ang sasabihin ko. Satingin ko naman, hindi ako nag-iisasa ganitong moda sa buhayalamkung ano ang gustong mangyari sakasalukuyan, pero wala pang tiyakna plano sa hinaharap.

Para sa taong may claim ngpagiging organisado, nakakatuwaang malagay sa ganitong estado.

Ika nga nila, kalma-kalma lang,maaabot rin natin ang tagumpay.

Aaminin kong nakakakilig namantalaga ang ideya ng paggradweytsa Peyups. Yung tipong sa tuwingsaglit na sasagi sa isip mo yungglorious moment ng pagmamartsamatapos ng lahat ng pagdurusat

tagumpay, dugo, tawa at luha, emapapangiti ka na lang. Yungtipong matatawa ka na langsa sarili mo dahil hindi momaitago yung tuwa sa mukha mokaya pinipili mong takpan, kaysamapagkamalan kang sinto-sinto ng

mga nakapaligid sa yo.Pero maliban sa pagtatapos sa

akademya, may isa pang paglayana sobrang nagpapasaya sa akinnitong mga nagdaang linggo: angganap at tunay na paglaya saCollegian. Sa pagtatapos ng kolumna to, jusko day, dalawang isyuna lang at magtatapos na angsinumpaan kong kontrata sainstitusyong ito.

Hindi man alam ng karami-han, kahit ng mga kasalukuyangtaga-Kul, tandang-tanda ko angmga pangako ko noong una akongsumalang sa madla paramagpakilala: siguro, mga our yearspo ako tatagal. At sa totoo niyan, walana akong balak pang i-renew yansa ngayon.

Noon pa man, nasabik na akongmuling bumalik at maranasan angmundo sa labas bilang tipikal naindibidwal na hindi bahagi ngmapagmatyag na institusyon.Ngayon pa lang, naghahanda naako ng bucket list (i.e., rumaket,magbasa, manood ng pelikulatseries, maghanap ng love lie), paramatiyak na hindi ako mauubusanng gagawin sa pagkarami-ramingpanahong mababakante pag hindina ako Kul. O para mas light: Thetime o the Elves is over o kayamove on-move on din, ika nga ngisang USC candidate.

Mabigat at mas lalong di biroang pumaloob sa Kul, dahilkakambal ng instant angas atanumang kakabit na prestihiyong pagiging kasapi, ang istriktongdisiplina, determinasyon atpananagutang paulit-ulit na susubukin.

Sabi nga ng isang kasama, bu-kas ang opisina sa lahat, pero iilanlang ang may sapat na kakayahan (attigas ng mukha) para pangata-wanan ang mga paninindigan ngpahayagan at tanganan ang kritikalnitong tradisyon.

Nitong nakaraang linggo, maybanyagang propesor na bumisitasa opisina ng Kul para alamin angkasaysayan nito. Nang tinanongniya ako paano ko pinapahalaga-han ang apat na taong karanasan saKul (syempre in English), medyonagulat rin ako sa naging kadaldalan

ko sa pagsagot (mind you, instraight English din).

Totoo namang kapag tunay kang bahagi ng Kul, magkakaroon kang paulit-ulit na love-hate relation-ship dito. Sa katunayan, hanggangsa puntong ito, hindi ko pa rin tiyakkung tama ba ang naging desisyonkong umakyat sa Room 401 VinzonsHall isang hapon ng Hulyo 2009.

Kayat nasasabik na talaga akosa bagong buhay na naghihintay.At bakit hindi? Sabi sa countdownto reedom ko, dalawang isyuna lang at matatamasa ko na rinang matamis na paggradweyt saUP at Kul.

*Para sa lahat ng mga atat nanglumaya, pero wala pang kasadongplano pang-eskapo

NAKAKATAKOT SUMABLAY.Hindi ko pa rin matanggap

na Marso na. Bawat araw kongnilalagyan ng ekis ang kalen-daryo ko para maramdaman angpapalapit na thesis deliberations.Sa tuwing mapapatambay akokung saan, biglang sisigaw yungemergency mechanism ng utakko ng Thesis! Thesis! Sa tuwingmay magtatanong kung gagradw-eyt na ba ako, ang lagi kong sagotay, Dapat. Bakit naman kasi anggawain na para sa isang buongsem ay kailangan kong tapusin saloob ng dalawang linggo?

Kung may award lang naProdigal Thesis Advisee, ako nasiguro ang papatos noon. Angmga salitang, Magpapa-consultako mamaya ay nagiging bukasna lang, o sa loob ng dalawangaraw, o next week na.

Sa halip na dumaan saopisina ng aking adviser aynapapadpad ako sa kungsaan-saan. Maaaring akoy nasastudio ng isang iniidolo kongartist, o nasa ilalim ng ulanhabang pinagmamasdan angkumukupas na ganda ng

Maynila. Maaaring nagbabaklasako ng mga lumang telebisyonsa garahe o kayay nagbubuhatng mga aparador sa Acad Oval.Maaaring nasa isang NGO ako,nagtatanong tungkol sa pros-eso ng pagbisita sa mga bilang-gong pulitikal, at sa susunod naaraw, nagpapakuha na ako ng

Freshie pa lang ako noongkinakabisado ko ang konstitusyonng Asterisk tapos ngayon, kamina ang tanders na tagapayo atnagpapaalala na isapuso athuwag isaulo. Nasa amin na angtungkulin na ipasa ang alab atpagmamahal sa sining. Pang-apatna taon ko na ito sa org at akalako kabisado ko na lahat, pero sabawat pagsubok na nagdaraanay marami pa rin akong

natututunan.Ibat ibang gradiation ngsunrise ang nasaksihan kokakalapat sa Kule. Unangpresswork ko pa lang, naranasanko na maglapat ng isang pahinasa loob ng 15 minuto para habulinang deadline ng printer. Simulanoon, naramdaman ko nang hindiito magiging madali. Pumasokman ako dito para maglapat, satinagal ko rito, ako ay namulat.

Nag-umpisa ang taon nanatatakot akong magtapos.Natatakot akong iwan angmundong kinagisnan at mgalugar na minahal. At higit salahat, natatakot akong mamanhidat makalimot.

Kasabay ng pagsablay angpagtindig. Maraming agam-agamsa isang kinabukasan na walangkasiguruhan. Ngunit sa gitna ngkawalan, ang mga alaalang ito angaking pinanghahawakan.

litrato katabi ng isang nakalayangbilanggo. Maaari ding nagpapali-pas lang ako ng lungkot sa isangkubo, o kayay nagsasakripisyong tulog para sa mga pahinang dyaryo.

Pinili mo yan ang naka-programang sagot ng utak kosa tuwing magrereklamo ako sadami ng gagawin, inuulit-ulitlang hanggang sa mapaniwala angsarili sa mga kalokohang pinasok

ko. Wala namang nagsabi sa akinna pagsabayin ang pagbuo nganibersaryo ng org sa lingguhang

paglalapat ng dyaryo. Sa huli,ako pa rin naman ang nagpasyaat lahat ng ginagawa natin aypagpili. Pinili ko to. Pinili moyan. Ang mga desisyon natin ayhindi nagmumula sa kawalan,ngunit nasa sa atin kung paanonatin ito paninindigan.


11/12


12/12

Si Sultan Salahuddin-Karamat,

ay ang ikalabing-isa sa mga naging

Sultan ng Sulu. Noong 1704, ipinagkaloob

ng Sultan ng Brunei kay Sultan Salahuddin-Karamat

ang Hilagang Borneo o Sabah, bilang pagtanaw

ng utang na loob sa pagtulong sa pagsugpo

ng isang rebelyon sa Brunei. Siya ay ninuno

ni Sultan Jamalul Kiram III na kasalakuyang

ipinaglalaban ang lupain ng Sabah.

Konektadosa Sabah

Marianne Rios

Jano Gonzales

Philippine Collegian Tomo 90 Issue 27

Documents

Transcript of Philippine Collegian Tomo 90 Issue 27