Philippine Collegian Tomo 90 Issue 6

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BALITA Miyerkules 27 Hunyo 2012 Opisyal na lingguhang pahayagan ng mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas - Dilman Tomo 90, Blg. 06 Hulyo 18, 2012 Features MINING ALTERNATIVES At first glance, President Benigno Aquino III’s new executive order on mining appears to be the best resolution to the mining industry’s dilemma. A deeper analysis of the new mining policy, however, reveals that the issues raised by mining communities and environmental groups remain unresolved, perpetuating the dismal state of the Philippine mining industry.

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Issue 6Wednesday, 18 July 2012 | 12 pagesC O N T E N T SEditorialHimig ng sabwatanNewsHundreds of students walk out of classes to protest educ crisisKalsada sa UPV, ipagagawa sa tulong ng militarEcon growth only felt by the rich – IBONUPV freshie dies in road mishapBagong sistema ng pasahod, tinutulan ng mga manggagawaFeaturesMining alternativesBlaming the victimKulturaOlympian ChallengesMaking the CutOpinionLakas tama: Paano nga ba maglaho?KinakaposBakit wala pa rin si Superman?Editor's NoteEksenang Peyups

Transcript of Philippine Collegian Tomo 90 Issue 6

Page 1: Philippine Collegian Tomo 90 Issue 6

BALITA

Miyerkules 27 Hunyo 2012

Opisyal na lingguhang pahayagan ng mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas - Dilman

Tomo 90, Blg. 06Hulyo 18, 2012

Features

MINING ALTERNATIVES

At first glance, President Benigno Aquino III’s new executive order on mining appears to be the best resolution to the mining industry’s dilemma. A deeper analysis of the new mining policy, however, reveals that the issues raised by mining communities and environmental groups remain unresolved, perpetuating the dismal state of the Philippine mining industry.

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Miyerkules27 Hunyo

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banyaga, kahit pa isinasangkalan nito ang interes ng mamamayan.

Kabi-kabila ang mga panlilinlang na hinahabi ng pamahalaan upang maisulong ang kanilang sabwatan sa US at iilang makakapangyarihan. Sa panukalang badyet para sa 2013, mistulang nagbagong-loob ang pamahalaan sa paggawad nito ng mataas na pondo para sa batayang serbisyong panlipunan. Ngunit sa malalimang pagtingin, malaking bahagi ng pondo para sa mga batayang serbisyo ang laan para sa PPPs.

Sa muling pagtugtog ng ChaCha sa Kongreso, lalong tumitingkad ang pagsasabwatan ng iba’t ibang sangay ng pamaha-laan upang isulong ang in-teres ng US at iilang nasa ka-pangyarihan. At sa panahong lantarang ipinagkakanulo ng gobyerno ang soberanya at interes ng mamamayan, umiigting ang pangangailangang makisangkot at makipagtunggali ng sambayanan.

Punong Patnugot

Kapatnugot

Panauhing Patnugot

Patnugot sa Lathalain

Patnugot sa Grapix

Mga Kawani

Tagapamahala ng Sirkulasyon

Sirkulasyon

Yet the most serious problem of the strike, and certainly the most difficult to solve is the problem of loss of faith. It is the complete breakdown of human relationship, the total lack of trust.

HIMIG NG SABWATAN

Mga Katuwang na Kawani

Pinansya

Editor’s Note

As the Philippine Collegian celebrates its 90th year, we revisit lines from prized editorials that defined the publication’s tradition of critical and fearless journalism.

Pamuhatan Silid 401 Bulwagang Vinzons, Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Diliman, Lungsod QuezonTelefax 981-8500 lokal 4522Email [email protected] philippinecollegian.orgKasapi Solidaridad: UP Systemwide Alliance of Student Publications and Writers’ Organizations, College Editors Guild of the Philippines

Ukol sa Pabalat Dibuho ni Ysa Calinawan

IT TAKES TWOOn the power of student strikes Miriam Defensor July 24, 1969

OPINYONMiyerkules27 Hunyo

2012

Muling pinatutugtog ng Kongreso ang kanilang paboritong himig – ang usapin ng pag- amyenda sa Saligang Batas.

Lumang tugtugin na ang pag-salang ng mga panukala para sa charter change (ChaCha) sa bawat nagdaraang rehimen. At kamakailan lang, nagpahayag sina Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile at House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte na muling tatalakayin ng Kongreso ang ChaCha na naglalayong baguhin ang ilang probisyon sa Saligang Batas ng 1987 upang pahin-tulutan ang 100 porsyentong pag-aari ng mga dayuhan sa mga lupa at negosyo sa bansa, at gawing prayoridad ang militar sa alokasyon ng taunang budget.

Nais ng Kongreso na baguhin mula 60 tungong 100 porsyento ang maaaring maging bahagi ng mga banyaga sa anumang uri ng ari-arian sa bansa. Sakaling magtagumpay ang nasabing amyenda, magbibigay-daan ito sa buong-buong pag-aari ng mga dayuhan sa mga lupain, institusyon ng midya, iba’t ibang negosyo at kumpanya, at maging sa mga institusyong nagbibigay ng batayang serbisyo sa taumbayan.

Dagdag pa rito, nais din ng Kongreso na bigyan ng pinakamalaking alokasyon sa pambansang badyet ang pondo ng militar, sa halip na maging prayoridad ang sektor ng edukasyon. Ayon kay Enrile, nararapat palakasin ang ating armadong hukbo sa panahong nagbabadya ang digmaan sa pagitan ng Tsina at Pilipinas dulot ng alitan ng dalawang bansa sa mga isla sa West Philippine Sea.

Ngunit hindi sapat na dahilan ang posibilidad ng isang digmaan upang ilipat sa pagbili ng bala at pagsasanay ng mga sundalo ang pondong laan para sa edu-kasyon. Ang pamantayan ng isang maunlad na bansa ay ang kaunlaran ng kabuhayan ng mga mamamayan nito at hindi ang tikas ng militar, na maaari pang magamit upang lalong masupil ang mga progresibong pwersa ng lipunan, at magdulot ng daan-daan pang paglabag sa karapatang pantao.

Sa pagsusulong sa mga natur-ang probisyon, mahihinuhang nagbabalak ang pamahalaan na talikuran ang dalawa nitong pangunahing tungkulin: ang pangalagaan ang soberanya ng

bansa at isulong ang karapatan ng taumbayan.

Samantalang abala ang Kongreso sa muling pagbubukas ng usapin hinggil sa pagrepaso ng Saligang Batas, nananatili na-mang kimi si Pangulong Benigno Aquino III. Aniya, pag-aaralan muna umano ng kanyang gabi-nete ang mga huni’t himig ng isyu bago sumabay sa saliw ng ChaCha.

Ngunit isang mahunang balatkayo lamang ang ipinalala-bas ni Aquino. Kung susuriing mabuti, hindi nalalayo sa iminumungkahing himig ng Kongreso ang saliw ng mga ipinalalaganap na palisiya ng rehimeng Aquino.

Isa sa mga sentrong proyekto ng gobyernong Aquino ang Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), na nagbubukas sa mga pampublikong serbisyo gaya ng kalusugan, pabahay, edukasyon at pampublikong imprastraktura sa dikta ng pribadong interes. Sa ilalim ng PPP, ilang bahagi ng mga ospital, pres-into, at pamantasan sa bansa

ang pinangangasiwaan o ‘di kaya’y pagmamay-ari na ng mga pribadong kumpanya.

Isinusulong din ni Aquino ang mga palisiyang gaya ng Mining Executive Order 79 na hahawan ng mas kaaya-ayang sitwasyon para sa mga dayuhang negosyante upang mamuhunan sa bansa, kapalit ang higit pang pananamantala at pagwasak sa ating likas na yaman.

Iisa ang ritmong iniindakan ng lahat ng sangay ng pamahalaan: ang pagkakanulo sa soberanya at pag-abandona sa mga batayang serbisyong panlipunan.

Mahihinuhang nakabalangkas ang landas na pinipiling tahakin ng pamahalaan sa dikta’t sulsol ng Estados Unidos (US). Sa kagustuhang mapabilang sa proyektong Trans-Pacific Part-nership ng US — isang ugnayang magpapaigting sa free market na sistema sa pagitan ng mga pamilihan sa US at iba pang bansa sa Asya-Pasipiko, pinaluluwag ng gobyerno ang mga palisiya hingging sa pag-aari ng mga

Patnugot sa Balita

OPINYONMiyerkules18 Hulyo

2012

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Barely a week before the president’s state of the nation address (SONA), an estimated 1,000 students walked out of their classrooms on July 13 and marched to Mendiola to call for greater state responsibility towards education.

“Sa administrasyong Aquino, patuloy ang hagupit ng krisis sa edukasyon, patuloy ang pagtaas ng tuition, ang komersyalisasyon ng edukasyon at ang mga solusyong hindi naman nakakatu-long. Ang gobyerno na mismo ang sumisira sa ating pag-aaral, pamantasan at kinabukasan,” said UP Student Regent Cleve Robert Kevin Arguelles.

MISPLACED PRIORITIESIn the past years, state univer-

sities and colleges (SUCs) have experienced a decrease in the subsidy from the government. In 2011 the budget for SUCs de-creased by 5.2 percent, to P23.41 billion from the 2010 budget of P23.84 billion, according to the Department of Budget Manage-ment (DBM).

For 2013, DBM approved a 42.3 percent increase for SUCs, from this year’s P26.29 billion to P37.4 billion next year. For UP alone, DBM approved 57.6 percent budg-et increase, from last year’s P6.84 billion to P10.78 billion next year.

However, this is still not enough to cover SUCs’ needs and the budget increase this year may simply be a strategy to de-ceive people into thinking that the government had already done something for the students, said Arguelles.

The P10.78-billion budget ap-proved for next year is only 58 percent of the UP administra-tion’s original budget proposal of P18.4 billion.

Hundreds of students walk out of classes to protest educ crisis

“Maaaring [ang pagtaas ng budget ng SUCs] ay paraan la-mang ng gobyerno para pigilin ang lumalaking protesta nating mga estudyante laban sa hindi makatarungang pag-abandona ng gobyerno sa kanilang responsi-bilidad sa ating mga iskolar,” said Kabataan Partylist Spokesperson Vencer Crisostomo.

Youth and student groups also slammed the government’s K to 12 (K-12) program, a program launched this academic year, which supposedly aims to in-crease student’s proficiency and employability after graduation.

However, adding more years to the education curriculum is an ineffective way to improve edu-cation in the country and solve unemployment in the future, Crisostomo said.

“Instead of pursuing K-12, the government should be focused on attending to the current is-sues of education, that is, insuffi-ciency in facilities, labor work and the worsening tuition hikes,” said Crisostomo.

In 2011, public high schools still lack 152,000 classrooms, 95.5 mil-lion textbooks, 103,500 teachers, 13.5 million chairs, and 424,600 water and sanitation facilities, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

BURDEN TO STUDENTSThe government’s failure to

allocate sufficient state subsidy for education has transferred the burden to students through tuition increases and other pri-vatization and commercialization schemes, said Arguelles.

This semester alone, the Com-mission on Higher Education granted approval for tuition hikes in 222 private colleges and univer-sities. With the rising cost of edu-cation, government figures reveal that for every 43 students who will be able to finish high school, only 23 of them will be able to continue studying at the tertiary level and only 14 will graduate.

“Sa [Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP)] walang sapat na pasilidad, libro, at mga laborato-ry para sa mas maayos na pag-aaral ng mga estudyante. Kung magpapa-tuloy na ganito, hindi magtatagal at wala nang mapapasukang paman-tasan ang mga naghihirap na es-tudyante,” said PUP Student Regent Helen Alfonso.

Moreover, diminishing state subsidy prompted SUCs to generate additional income and augment their meager budgets through commercialization schemes such as land leases, said Crisostomo.

In 2006, at a time when UP’s budget was slashed by 6.5 percent

Nakatakdang maging katuwang ang Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) sa pagpapagawa ng isang kilometrong kalsada sa loob ng kampus ng UP Visayas (UPV) sa Miag-ao, Iloilo.

Bahagi ang nasabing kalsada ng road network sa UPV at pag-uugnayin nito ang gusali ng UPV College of Arts and Sciences at ang bahaging kinatatayuan ng College of Management at School of Technology, ani UPV Vice Chancellor for Administration Nestor Yunque.

Mahalaga ang pagpapatayo ng nasabing kalsada sapagkat mas mapapadali nito ang pagpapatayo ng iba pang gusali sa loob ng kampus, ani Yunque. Aniya, nakatakdang magpatayo ng mga bagong gusali para sa College of Management, Main Library, Student Union, Regional Research Center at School of Technology.

Sa pangunguna ni Col. Crisanto Gutierrez ng 552nd Engineer Construction Battalion (ECBn) ng AFP, ilan sa mga gagampanan ng militar ang paglilinis, pagbubungkal ng lupa, at pagbubuhos ng semento.

KULANG SA PONDONauna nang naglaan ng

P10 milyon ang Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) para sa pagpapagawa ng nasabing isang kilometrong kalsada, ngunit maaaring makatipid pa ang administrasyon ng UPV sa tulong ng militar, paliwanag ni Yunque.

Aniya, ang halagang matitipid sa kasunduan sa pagitan ng AFP ay maaaring magamit sa pagpa-pagawa pa ng dagdag na kalahat-ing kilometrong kalsada.

“The option available in lieu of the aid from the army is bigger budget, which we believe is not forthcoming given the woeful economic condition of the Philip-

pines and policies of the present government which seem to pro-vide lesser financial support to state colleges and universities,” ani Yunque.

Inaasahan umano ng pamunu-an ng UPV na susuportahan ng Board of Regents (BOR) ang paki-kipagtulungan sa militar at mag-papasya sa pulong nito ngayon buwan na simulan na ang pagpa-pagawa sa kalsada.

‘WALANG HALONG PULITIKA’Samantala, wala pa umanong

konsultasyon na nagaganap sa pagitan ng mga estudyante ng UPV at ng administrasyon kaya tumanggi munang magbigay ng pahayag ang UPV University Stu-dent Council. Hindi pa umano nailalatag sa konseho ang nasa-bing panukala.

Iginiit naman ng administrasy-on na wala umanong pulitikal na aspekto ang nasabing proyekto sa

pamantasan at sa mga mag-aaral. “It will have a positive result since longer roads can be constructed for a given amount of money,” ani Yunque.

Sakaling hindi aprubahan ng BOR ang kasunduan sa AFP, matutuloy pa rin naman umano ang pagpapagawa ng kalsada, dag-dag ni Yunque.

Tinatayang binubuo ng 1,200 ektarya ang UPV campus sa Miag-ao, pinakamalawak na kampus sa buong UP System.

KASO NG PAGLABAGBagaman hindi pa pormal na

nailalatag ng pamunuan ng UPV ang proyekto sa mga estudyante, binatikos na ng ilang mga lider mag-aaral ang pakikipagkasundo ng administrasyon sa militar.

“In UPV, militant and progressive organizations were red-tagged by the military. We can’t imagine the

Kalsada sa UPV, ipagagawa sa tulong ng militar

PAGLIBAN AT PAGLABAN. Nagmartsa patungong Mendiola ang halos isang libong kabataang lumahok sa walkout noong Hulyo 13 bilang pagkundena sa iba’t ibang palisyang patuloy na naipatutupad sa ilalim ng administrasyong Aquino. (main) Ilang araw bago ang State of the Nation Address ng pangulo, tinuligsa ng grupo ang umano’y “tuwid na daang” tinatahak ng pamahalaan kung saan patuloy na tumataas ang mga naitatalang kaso ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao at patuloy na pagpanig ni Aquino sa interes ng US.

Sundan sa pahina 5

Airnel Abarra

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Econ growth only felt by the rich – IBON

MISSED OPPORTUNITY. UP Fighting Maroons forward Alvin Padilla moves the ball downcourt as he struggles to get past DLSU defenders in the opening game of the 75th season of UAAP at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on July 15. UP led the game by one point in the last 44 seconds, only to be trampled down by a 6-point run by DLSU, ending the game at 68-73.

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While the Aquino administration boasts of “sustained economic growth” and political reform in the first quarter of this year, these “achievements” favor only the interests of the few while the majority of the Filipino people remain poor, according to independent think tank IBON Foundation.

In its 2012 midyear Bird Talk, a semi-annual forum on the country’s economic and political conditions, IBON asserted that the government’s economic policies and political agenda have failed to promote any real and inclusive reform.

ECONOMIC GROWTH?The National Statistical Coordination

Board recorded a 6.4 percent growth in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter of 2012 from 4.9 percent in the same period last year. However, this does not indicate that weaknesses in the domestic economy have been resolved, according to IBON.

The GDP growth is brought about by sources dependent on external factors which the government does not control, such as foreign investment and overseas workers’ remittances, IBON explained.

Only industries with low productivity and weak linkages to the domestic economy, such as the services sector, have improved, while growth in agriculture and other industrial sectors have slowed down, the think tank added.

IBON also criticized the government’s decision to lend one billion dollars to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) last May. While the government claims that the Philippines is now considered a “creditor nation” with stable financial prospects, this should not be a basis for economic strength as the country continues to have debts of its own, said Glenis Balangue, senior IBON researcher.

Instead of lending money to IMF, the government should instead use the funds to launch welfare projects, she explained.

Also, the supposed economic growth does not necessarily indicate that the living condition of majority of Filipinos have improved, according to IBON.

Data from the National Statistics Office reveal that the unemployment rate in the country has reached 6.9 percent by April 2012, 3.4 percent lower than IBON’s estimated unemployment rate of 10.3 percent.

While the government claims to have addressed unemployment by providing 1.02 million jobs, these jobs are mostly part-time, seasonal and low-paying, IBON explained.

The wages of the labor force also remain low despite increasing prices of commodities. IBON explained that the current P426 minimum wage in the National Capital Region, even with the additional P20 living allowance approved in June, does not meet the P996 daily wage level needed to support a family.

Because of the increasing unemployment rate, the country remains to be in a state of poverty, IBON reported. While the government estimated a poverty incidence of only 25.6 percent last 2009, this figure is not reflective of the current situation in the country as the government lowered the official poverty threshold to P46.10, effectively excluding more people living on the poverty line, IBON explained.

“The government said that with P46.10 a day, one will be able to live decently, which is incredibly unbelievable. What kind of life does the government suspect to be decent?” said Balangue.

IBON also criticized the government’s public welfare programs, such as the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programs.

PPP aims to make partnerships with private companies to deliver public services. However, IBON argued that the intervention of private companies in the delivery of public services risks the availability of the services to the people. Due to PPPs, public services are now at risk of increasing costs, if not thorough privatization, IBON added.

Similarly, the CCT, an anti-poverty program which provides household subsidies to poor families,

does not push for a long-term solution as it is being implemented without complementary policies to create jobs and address land distribution, according to IBON.

‘INTENSIFIED

MARGINALIZATION’By implementing programs

and policies that favored large businesses and foreign investors, the government has become instrumental in continuing the marginalization of various sectors of society, IBON reported.

Economic growth should trickle down to the basic masses, Balangue said. However, the government’s globalization policies and reliance to various volatile resources prove that current economic boom is not inclusive, she explained.

Early this year, urban communities in Silverio Compound in Parañaque and Corazon De Jesus in San Juan were demolished to give rise to commercial complexes.

In rural areas, the recent Mining Executive Order has risked the livelihood of communities by opening opportunities for other countries to exploit the country’s mineral reserves at the expense of the environment.

The government similarly failed to meet its own land distribution goal, according to IBON. Data from the Department of Agrarian

UPV freshie dies in road mishapA BS Public Health I freshman student and a security guard of UP Visayas (UPV) were killed after two consecutive six-wheeler trucks rammed the tricycle they were on board near the university campus in Miag-ao, Iloilo, on July 13.

UPV freshman Alyssa Marie Naranjo, 17, was declared dead-on-arrival at Guimbal District Hospital. Meanwhile, Carlito Mu-zones, who was driving the tricycle, passed away while being treated for his injuries in West Visayas State University Medical Center (WVSUMC).

A father of four, Muzones was a security guard of UPV College of Union Building and part-time tricycle driver. Naranjo, on the other hand, is the eldest of three siblings.

Two other Public Health I freshman students, who were also on board the tricycle, are in critical condition after suffering serious injuries from the accident, said Office of the Student Regent Liaison Officer for UPV Angeli Louise Cando.

Jimel Tolentino, one of the students critically injured, was unconscious for almost 12 hours after sustaining damage in one side of his brain, said Cando. Tolentino is already showing stable vital signs, she added.

Beaulou Patrish Galupo, meanwhile, remains confined in WVSUMC and currently needs blood transfusion after sustaining pelvic fracture.

Other Public Health I first year students Ariel John Caspillo, Marvyn Kerziel Estanda and Carl Laurenz Deala suffered minor injuries from the accident.

The six UPV first year students were heading for their dormitories in Muzones’ tricycle after attending an acquaintance party of a UPV student organization when the accident happened, said Cando.

The tricycle was crossing the National Highway towards the main gate of the UPV campus, when an allegedly over-speeding six-wheeler delivery truck crashed against the tricycle at around 10:30 in the evening, according to police reports. Another delivery truck hit the tricycle shortly afterwards, added the reports.

Police officers of Miag-ao Municipal Police Station detained the truck drivers, who were identified as Ranyl Jiracaya and Vicente Casiple. Jiracaya and Casiple currently face charges for reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide,

Reform (DAR) reveals that as of December 2011, only 23 percent of its national land distribution target was attained.

POLITICAL MANEUVERINGMoreover, the administration’s

political agenda were designed to serve Aquino’s own political interests, said IBON Media and Communications Head Rhea Padilla.

To consolidate his bureaucratic power, Aquino systematically removed officials who were in position in the past government, including former Chief Justice Renato Corona and former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, and replaced them with officials who favor the government’s policies, said Balangue.

Meanwhile, the United States’ (US) intervention in the Scarborough

physical injuries, and damage to property.

Meanwhile, UP Visayas Vice Chancellor for Administration Nestor Yunque said the university administration is currently inspecting the accident site, which has been considered an accident-prone area, for a possible overhaul of the site’s traffic management.

The UP Visayas Miag-ao Student Council and Sandigan para sa Mag-aaral at Sambayanan Party Alliance, among other student formations, are raising funds for the hospitalization of the students and the security guard. For donations, you may deposit through any Landbank of the Philippines branch under savings account number: 0366-2006-57.

Shoal standoff provoked political instability, IBON said. By allowing US military presence in the country, the government merely ensured its stable relationship with the US in exchange for support in its economic and political agenda, according to IBON.

Inclusive economic and political growth can only be achieved if the country would follow a development paradigm that will be biased for the nationalistic aspirations of the people, said Balangue.

“We should not be a country that is only dependent to foreign factors, nor should we only be in favor of the elites. We should be a country that holds on to its own resources and develops its local industries, we should be putting our people first,” Balangue added.

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PAYING LAST RESPECTS. Friends and relatives of Margarita “Maita” Gomez walk along a corridor clad with flowers as they visit her remains at La Funeraria Paz in Sucat, Parañaque on July 15. Rising to fame after winning the Miss Philippines-World title in 1967, Maita Gomez shocked the country when she chose to join the armed struggle over living the glamorous life of a beauty queen during the Marcos regime. Despite her return to mainstream society after Martial Law, Maita still held her advocacies, eventually founding and involving herself to various progressive groups like Gabriela, until succumbing to heart attack at age 65.

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erno ang itinakda nitong poverty threshold.

Samantala, wala rin umanong aasahang tiyak at tunay na umento sa pasahod iyong mga kasalukuyan nang kumikita ng mas mataas sa P255. Bukod sa iba-iba ang antas at batayan ng produktibidad sa iba’t ibang paga-waan, may-ari pa rin ng negosyo ang magtatakda ng karagdagang sahod, paliwanag ng EILER.

“’Yung [PBP naman ay] na-kasalalay sa generosity ng man-agement. Alam naman natin na hindi magiging generous ang isang kumpanya. Kung tutuusin ‘yung natanggap mong incentive nanggaling sa dugo at pawis mo, lugi ka pa,” ani Soluta.

Dahil hindi mandatoryo ang PBP, kumpanya pa rin ang magd-edesisyon kung magbibigay ng dagdag na sahod, paliwanag niya.

“Sa halip na ibigay ang matagal nang hiling ng mga manggagawa para sa makabuluhang dagdag sahod, pinapaliit at pinapanatil-ing mababa ni Pangulong Aquino ang sahod ng mga manggagawa,” pahayag ni Roger Soluta, pang-kalahatang kalihim ng KMU, sa piket na isinagawa nila sa tapat ng DOLE noong Hulyo 9.

Pinapawalang bisa din ng 2TWS ang pakikipag-ugnayan ng mga manggagawa sa mga may-ari ng kumpanya, ani Soluta. “Tinatang-gal ng 2TWS ang right to bargain collectively ng mga manggagawa, sapagkat solely management na lang ang magpapasya.”

‘DI MAKATARUNGANG

PASAHOD’“Matagal na ang krisis na di-

nadanas ng aking pamilya dahil sa sahod na hindi sapat. Kahit na may unyon ang aming pabrika at may maayos na sahod, bene-pisyo, at karapatan, ‘di pa rin ito sumasapat sa pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan ng aking pamilya,” ani Reden Alcantara, na 15 taon ng nagtatrabaho bi-lang laboratory assistant sa isang kumpanya sa Timog Katagalugan.

“Hindi makabubuti ang ganitong sistema dahil isa ito sa mga neo-liberal na palisiyang na maka-dayuhan, anti-manggagawa at mamamayan. Ang pinakamabuti, mag-unyon at sama-samang ipaglaban ang karapatan ng mga manggagawa upang makamit ang makabuluhang sahod,” ani Alcantara.

Hindi malilinlang ng gobyerno ang mga manggagawa sa panu-kalang bagong sistema na nasa anyo ng dagdag sahod, ani So-luta. “Patuloy na bibitbitin ng mga manggagawa ang laban na ito sa nasyunal [na antas]. Patuloy naming igigiit ang makabuluhang dagdag na sahod na P125 across-the-board,” ani Soluta.

Mariing tinututulan ng mga manggagawa ang 2-Tiered Wage System (2TWS) o bagong sistema ng pasahod na inaprubahan ng Deparment of Labor and Employ-ment (DOLE) noong Mayo 18 at inaasahang ipatutupad sa buong bansa sa mga susunod na buwan.

Sa ilalim ng 2TWS, nakabatay ang sahod ng mga manggagawa sa dalawang antas. Una, itinatakda ng gobyerno ang floor wage o ang pinakamababang halaga na dapat kitain ng isang manggagawa. Sa ikalawang antas, maaaring tu-manggap ng productivity-based pay (PBP) o karagdagang sahod ang isang manggagawa ayon sa antas ng produksyon ng kump-anya o industriya.

Nauna nang ipinatupad ang two-tiered wage system sa Na-tional Capital Region (NCR) sa bisa ng inilabas na wage orders ng Regional Wage Board (RWB) noong Abril. Sinundan ito ng Re-gion IV-A (Calabarzon), Southern Tagalog, at Cordillera Autono-mous Region.

Pangunahing layunin umano ng 2TWS na paigtingin ang “glob-al competitiveness” ng bansa at pataasin ang sahod ng mga man-ggagawa, ani DOLE Secretary Ro-salinda Dimapilis-Baldoz sa inila-bas na pahayag ng DOLE noong Hunyo 10.

Iginiit naman ng Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), grupong nagsu-sulong ng mga karapatan ng mga manggagawa, na kontra sa interes ng mga manggagawa at pabor lamang sa mga may-ari ng mga kumpanya ang 2TWS.

MINIMUM WAGE

VS FLOOR WAGEBatay sa Republic Act (RA) 6727

o Wage Rationalization Act of 1989, itinatakda ng lumang sis-tema ng pasahod ang minimum wage gamit ang mga salik na tu-lad ng presyo ng bilihin, pangan-gailangan ng isang pamilya, at kakayahang magpasahod ng mga kumpanya.

Samantala, sa 2TWS, panguna-hing batayan na sa pagtatakda ng

floor wage ang poverty threshold kada rehiyon o ang pinakamaba-bang halagang kailangang kitain ng isang pamilya upang hindi maituring na mahirap. Noong na-karaang taon lamang, binabaan ng administrasyong Aquino ang poverty threshold mula P52 pa-tungong P46 kada araw.

Sa pagpapatupad ng 2TWS sa Calabarzon, itinakda sa P255 ang floor wage, mababa ng P82 kump-ara sa dating P337 na minimum wage sa rehiyon.

Batay sa bagong sistema, ang mga manggagawang kumikita ng mas mababa sa P255 ay makata-tanggap ng dagdag na P2 hang-gang P90 sa loob ng limang taon.

Wala namang pagbabago sa basic pay ng mga manggagawang

Bagong sistema ng pasahod, tinutulan ng mga manggagawa

kumikita ng mas mataas sa P255. Maaari lamang makatanggap ang nasabing mga manggagawa ng P12.50 na umento, habang hindi pa naitatakda ng kumpanya ang anumang dagdag na sahod sa porma ng PBP.

PAGTIGIL SA UMENTOAyon sa Ecumenical Institute

for Labor Education and Re-search (EILER), layunin lamang ng DOLE na pababain ang mimimum wage ng mga manggagawa upang maakit ang mga dayuhang nego-syante.

Batay sa suri ng EILER, ipina-pako ng 2TWS ang sahod sa floor wage sa loob ng limang taon, da-hil maaari lamang tumaas ang pasahod kung babaguhin ng goby-

military putting camps inside the campus,” ani Angeli Louise Cando, Office of the Student Regent lia-son officer.

Hindi rin alisunod ang nasabing proyekto sa Sotto-Enrile Accord o ang kasunduan sa pagitan ng De-partment of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of National Defense at admin-istrasyon ng UP noong 1989 na nagbabawal sa pagpasok ng mili-tar sa loob ng mga kampus ng UP, ani dating Student Regent (SR) Kristina Conti.

Iginiit naman ni Yunque na lilimitahan ng pamunuan ng UPV ang operasyon ng militar at hindi sila pahihintulutang tumungo sa mga lugar pang-akademiko sa kampus. “The army will be lim-ited to the construction site only and will have no contact with students in the academic areas, hence, student harassment is not possible,” paliwanag niya.

Gayunman, nararapat pa rin umanong mas bigyang-pansin ng pamunuan ng UPV sa sunod-su-nod na kaso ng karahasan ng mili-tar laban sa mga estudyante ng UP, lalo pa’t may pagtingin umano ang militar na may simpatya ang

mga mag-aaral ng UP para sa mga rebelde, ani Conti.

Nitong Hulyo lamang, personal umanong pinuntahan ng isang miyembro ng AFP ang magulang ng isang estudyante ng UPV upang pagsabihan ukol sa pagsali ng ka-nilang anak sa isang militanteng organisasyon, ani Conti. Aniya, may mga ulat din ang ilang mga mag-aaral na pinagsabihan sila ng kanilang mga guro sa klase ng Na-tional Service Training Program na huwag sumapi sa ilang mga pro-gresibong organisasyon sa UPV.

“I think ‘yung danger ng proyek-tong ito sa UP students ay surveil-lance, harassment and red-tagging, and vilification,” ani Conti.

from P4.45 billion to P4.16 bil-lion, the university administra-tion inked an agreement with real estate company Ayala Land In-corporated (ALI) for the establish-ment of the UP-AyalaLand Tech-nohub, which now hosts several commercial establishments.

This year, ALI is set to establish another commercial complex in the former site of the UP Inte-grated School along Katipunan Avenue. Meanwhile, a part of the shoreline in UP Visayas in Miag-

ao, Iloilo, which was formerly used for research by the univer-sity’s College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, is in danger of becoming a resort, Arguelles said.

“This is the real state of the na-tion. We, the youth will stand to the call of our time. By next week, the youth from the universities and even high schools will launch protests condemning the idleness of [Aquino’s] regime to give long-term solutions to the needs of his people,” said Crisostomo.

Hundreds of students walk out of classes to protest educ crisis

Kalsada sa UPV, ipagagawa sa tulong ng militar

mula sa pahina 3

continued from page 3

Page 6: Philippine Collegian Tomo 90 Issue 6

FEATURES

Miyerkules18 Hulyo

2012

Mining

alternatives

President Benigno Aquino III’s highly anticipated mining policy is – as his administration describes – the best compromise the gov-ernment can afford to ensure en-vironmental sustainability with-out gravely harming the mining industry, and consequently, the economy.

“[Executive Order (EO) 79]…al-lows an extractive industry for national development without sacrificing the environment…it shows we can go for ecological conservation without stifling eco-nomic growth,” says Department of Environment and Natural Re-sources Secretary Ramon Paje in a press statement. 

However, the release of new policy drew flak from various en-vironmental groups, local govern-ments and people’s organizations, all of whom are quick to point out that instead of resolving the min-ing industry’s dilemma, EO 79 seems to even aggravate the situ-ation.

GRANTING FAVORSEO 79 is primarily based on the

provisions initially forwarded in the Philippine Mining Act (PMA) of 1995.

Various groups have deemed the PMA controversial as it al-lows for the 100 percent foreign ownership of capital from mining activities while limiting the excise tax to only two percent.

Under the PMA, mining com-panies can also apply for permits which allow them to operate in a maximum area of 324,000 hec-tares. As a result, “as of March 2011, the government has ap-proved 785 mining agreements covering…three percent of the country’s total land area,” accord-ing to the Center for Environmen-tal Concerns (CEC).

To address the government’s perceived revenue loss, amend-ments in the new EO include the increase of excise tax from its current two percent rate to more than five percent, and the imposi-tion of a five percent royalty tax.  Such rates are still considerably lower compared to countries like Indonesia and Australia, which charge 10 and 30 percent excise tax respectively.

According to EO 79, the govern-ment will only grant exploration permits at present, while no new extraction permits will be granted “until new laws for revenue shar-ing are put into place.” However, the 771 permits issued for large-scale mining operations issued prior to July 6 are still considered valid, according to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

Large-scale mining companies may apply for five types of per-mits. Unlike the other permits which allow the extraction, utiliza-tion and transport of minerals, the exploration permit only allows mineral exploration activities.

The continued issuance of ex-ploration permits will only serve as “a cover-up to continue a modi-cum of extractive activities,” says Frances Quimpo, secretary-gen-eral of Kalikasan Partylist. These permits can easily be upgraded

to allow extraction in the future, Quimpo explains. In fact, the new EO has even made the permit ap-plication easier, as Environmental Compliance Certificates need not be secured when applying for ex-ploration permits.

With the use of the program-matic environmental impact as-sessment (PEIS), the new policy also allows companies to conduct mining operations on whole areas instead of on a by project basis. This translates to lesser involve-ment from the local government units (LGUs), as program consul-tations under the PEIS are delib-erated on a regional level, says Clemente Bautista, national co-ordinator of Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan-PNE).

Also, as the EO mandates LGUs to “confine themselves only to the reasonable limitations on mining activities…that are consistent with national laws and regulations,” or-dinances and resolutions set by LGUs to impose mining moratori-ums may be disregarded, Bautista explains. As of March 2011, a total of 16 cities and provinces have mining moratoriums.

DESTROYING LIVELIHOODEven the livelihood of commu-

nities with small-scale miners is at a losing end, with the new EO instituting stricter guidelines for small-scale mining (SSM) operations. The Aquino gov-ernment has placed these guidelines as it attributes most mining accidents to SSM activities, ex-plaining that large-scale companies are more equipped to pre-vent and reverse en-vironmental damage than SSM, according to Kalikasan-PNE.

Under the new EO, SSM operations sites shall only be allowed within declared Peo-ple’s SSM Areas. Are-as for SSM are limited while foreign large-scale players are given more areas for the expansion of their op-erations, says Quimpo.

SSM operations have also been strictly prohib-ited to use m e r c u r y to ex-tract

minerals. However, since no new technology is provided to help improve SSM operations, miners may still resort to using mercury, says Bautista. Such directive, in turn, actually pushes for more environmentally harmful large scale mining operations such as the open pit mining method and submarine mine tailing disposal, Bautista explains.

In many mining accidents, the role played by large-scale min-ing activities is downplayed, ac-cording to CEC. For instance, small-scale miners were largely blamed for the Pantukan landslide in January 2012, with authorities ignoring the possible role of large-s c a l e mining firms such as

Russel Mining and Minerals Inc.

and Nation-wide Devel-

opment Corpora-tion in the incident.To ensure that SSM

operators will comply to the new Mining EO, Aquino

created the Mining Industry Co-ordinating Council (MICC), an interagency forum composed of Climate  Change Adaptation and Mitigation and Economic De-velopment Cabinet clusters. The MICC may “seek the assistance of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philip-pines to ensure strict compliance.”

With the MICC’s power to use force, armed assaults against com-munities may be considered legal, says Alliance of Concerned Teach-ers’ Partylist Rep. Antonio Tinio. In fact, increased militarization is al-ready observed in provinces with strong opposition against mining. According to CEC, nine environ-mental defenders were killed from November 2010 to March 2012 alone.

PARADIGM SHIFTThe government’s very strat-

egy of raising taxes to gain more revenue clearly underscores

the state’s view of the mining industry: a

potent sector that at-

tracts foreign investments rather than a key driver for national self-development.  The relatively low tax rates imposed in the Philip-pines foster favorable conditions that can invite more foreign min-ing corporations to do business in the country, at the expense of displacing thousands of SSM from their livelihood.

Recently, the leadership of both houses of Congress has even re-newed talks for constitutional change to allow 100 percent foreign ownership of land and open the country’s vast mineral resources to multinational corporations.

In the absence of domestic in-dustries to process minerals that could be used for national indus-tries, increased mining activities only assures the wholesale export of finite minerals, but not eco-nomic growth and development, says Quimpo. Hence, EO 79’s ma-jor flaws stem from its inability to reorient the mining industry from its extractive nature to one that supports national development. 

While the EO invokes the lan-guage of national industrialization, it will operate in the framework of Aquino’s economic strategy, the 2011-2016 Philippine Develop-ment Plan (PDP)—a clear hypocri-sy, Kalikasan Partylist argues, since the PDP embodies the very factors that designed the country’s mining industry to serve foreign interests through large-scale mining and favorable incentives for investors.

Indeed, EO 79 fails to recognize that transforming the mining in-dustry requires more than token environmental concessions and reforms in revenue sharing. At best, the mining EO merely quells popular dissent against the wide-scale plunder of the country’s mineral wealth without address-ing the industry’s core problems.

For the government to create a policy that truly resolves the min-ing industry’s dilemma, it must work outside its current paradigm, which puts premium to profits of foreign corporations over the en-vironment and the people.

Page 7: Philippine Collegian Tomo 90 Issue 6

juveniles, that CICLs instead of being conscious criminals, are clear victims of the different social ills prevalent in the country. More so, lowering the criminal age does very little, if any, in addressing the issues brought by the rising number of juvenile delinquencies.

RESTORING RESPONSIBILITYWhile parents have the primarily

role in ensuring that children grow into productive members of society, the government which has the authority and means to mobilize resources for programs that enhance child development, is not absolved of culpability.

“We fail to see the epic failure of the state to respect the essential human rights of our children…We desire and demand the punishment of children criminals but what about the punishment for the direct and indirect perpetrators of crimes against children?” asks Palatino.

Also, the staggeringly insufficient budget allocated by government to social services like education and health care in previous years, could not be more telling.

“For the longest time, Filipino children as the most vulnerable sector in our society have long been suffering from extreme poverty, hunger, homelessness among others. Short-term na solusyon lang ang paghuli sa mga bata, ang dapat pagtuunan ng pansin ay ang mga root causes,” says Arlene Brosas, secretary general of child advocacy group Akap Bata.

As an alternative solution, child advocates assert that the government must instead strengthen the implementation of the JJWA and related laws that foster a more reformative approach in executing juvenile justice.

In a country where government programs are rarely felt and justice rendered fast, children bear the brunt of the social system perpetrated by adults. For children are also citizens entitled with rights and social services, not merely passive recipients of failed policies and utter state neglect.

SIDEBAR 2:

REFORMATIVE JUSTICE

CICLs below the age of 12Child is absolved of all legal charges

CICLs age 15 to 18 committing a minor crime without discernment

Child is subjected to an intervention program where he is under constant supervision of a social worker.

CICL age 15 to 18 committing a minor crime with discernmentChild is subjected to a diversion program where he is bound by contract to be under supervision in a repository institution.

CICL age 15 to 18 committing a heinous crime

Child is presumed to have acted with discernment and may

be legally prosecuted

FEATURES

Miyerkules 18 Hulyo 2012

Blaming the victim

The media is rife with stories of crimes perpetrated by children, painting a generation of snatchers, law breakers and trouble makers.

As such, legislators led by Sorsogon Representative Salvador Escudero filed House Bill 6052, which seeks to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 12, effectively amending Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Wel-fare Act of 2006 (JJWA).

GROWING BACKWARDSFiled in the House of Representa-

tives on June 4, 2012, HB 6052 is cur-rently pending deliberation in the Senate after approval by 214 legisla-tors from the Lower House, a clear majority over the 9 votes that op-posed its passage.

If enacted into a law, HB 6052 will be the second revision to the country’s juvenile justice system (see sidebar 1). JJWA succeeded Ferdinand Marcos’ Presidential Decree (PD) 603, raising a child’s minimum age of criminal responsibility from 9 to 15.

Child advocates worldwide commended the passage of JJWA for its adherence to the United Nations Convent ion for the Rights of the Child ( U N C R C ) , which outlines internationally - a c c e p t e d principles that advance the rights and welfare of children.

Unlike PD 603, JJWA shuns detainment of Child in Conflict with the Law (CICLs) as the primary means to enforce juvenile justice and instead employs alternative means of character reinforcement (see sidebar 2), as prescribed by the UNCRC.

Supporters of HB 6052 argue that “reducing  the minimum age for criminal liability is a timely and necessary policy move [to counter] children  exploitation  by criminal elements” and cite the increasing rate of child-perpetrated crimes nationwide. Rep. Roilo Golez backs up this claim by mentioning statistics in Parañaque where juvenile crime rates increased from 11 cases in 2006 to 842 in 2010.

According to Golez, the increasing number of children younger than 15 involved with criminal groups illustrate the exploitation of the legal immunity of children below the age of criminal responsibility.

Still, Doan Foronda, a social worker from the Department of Social Welfare and Development- National Capital Region refuses to accept the justifications of HB 6052’s proponents, pointing that majority of the CICLs the congressmen were quick to judge, are not acting to their own will but manipulated by adults who have ill-intentions.

WE LIVE IN A WORLD GOVERNED BY ADULTS. FROM GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TO THE OPERATIONS OF DIFFERENT SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS, GROWN-UPS WHO ARE PRESUMED TO HAVE SUPREME AUTHORITY AND MATURITY, TAKE CHARGE. YET EVERY GROWN-UP INDIVIDUAL WAS ONCE A CHILD, WHO EXPERIENCED PLAYING IN THE STREETS, CHASING BUTTERFLIES OR GETTING WOUNDED BY SHEER MISHAP—BUT NEVER PRESUMED TO BE A COMMON CRIMINAL.

TAGGING THE CULPABLEAuthors of HB 6052 believe that

the rapidly increasing incidence of juvenile delinquency nationwide since 2006, translates to the growing discernment of CICLs at an early age. In 2011, only 3,856 of 176,703 or 2.86 percent of crimes committed nationwide were perpetrated by children, according to Philippine National Police (PNP) data.

“We choose to highlight or sensationalize a few cases of crimes committed by children to justify the premodern practice of locking up children in prison cells” says Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raymond Palatino.

PNP data also show that 1,734 of the 3,856 or 44 percent of juvenile cases nationwide are theft – a poverty crime.

“Nagnanakaw ang mga bata para may mga maiuwi silang pera sa mga pamilya nila” asserts Foronda. Furthermore, the estimated 3.6 million poverty-stricken children roaming the streets nationwide become vulnerable pawns to criminal

syndicates, Foronda adds.For instance, in Quezon City last year,

the police rescued 11 children who stole side mirrors from passing vehicles along E. Rodriguez Avenue, but were unable to cap-

ture the syndi-cate that pushed

these CICLs into stealing. The station

commander noted that these children were experts in

doing such jobs they could dismantle a side mirror in just two to three seconds during traffic stops.

“Hindi natin makuha ang mga pasimuno [ng mga krimen]…kaya mas madali [para sa gobyerno] na magkulong na lang ng mga bata,” says Foronda.

Such a case clearly illustrates the very flaw of HB 6052, where the juvenile’s age hardly matter in the capture of the true perpetrators of the crime.

“Lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility will not solve anything when it comes to the crime situation in our country…Even if we set 12 as the minimum age for criminal responsibility, criminal [elements] will only hire children below 12 years old in their operations.  We are not solving anything,” says Palatino.

The UNCRC makes no mention of a specific criminal age, delegating the determination of domestic criminal responsibility to signatory countries like the Philippines as long as they consider the child’s conduct based on his or her age and maturity, as provided by Article 12 of the Convention.

Indeed, proponents of HB 6502 clearly neglect the socio-economic roots of crimes perpetrated by

SIDEBAR 1:

JUVENILE LAWS

PD 603 (1974) A Marcos-era law that pre-sumes all CICLs above 9 to have acted with

discernment and therefore can be legally prosecuted.

RA 9344 (2006) A bill influenced by the UNCRC which raised the minimum age of criminal

responsibility from 9 to 15.

HB 6052 Proposes to lower the criminal age from 15 to 12 due to rising

juvenile participation in crime rates.

Ronn Joshua C. Bautista

Page 8: Philippine Collegian Tomo 90 Issue 6

BALITA

Miyerkules27 Hunyo

2012

The athletic field, which should be an arena to showcase the physical prowess of individual competitors, has become the arena where international culture and economics collide, mirroring the bloodless new world war that has been waged with money and ideas rather than guns or bombs.

The magnificent 200-hectare Olympic Park stands at the geo-graphical center of the Olympics, where many new facilities have been constructed to prepare for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. It will be overlooked by the ArcelorMittal Orbit, a twist-ing, 115-meter-high sculpted mass of steel that is the larg-est piece of public art in Brit-ain. Rounding out preparations for the London Games will be surface-to-air missile turrets mounted near the complex, as well as the services of a pri-vate security contractor, part of whose duties had to be filled out by the UK military because of a personnel shortage.

Despite these enthusiastic preparations, however, they are all made for an event that has lost its meaning over the years. Once upon a time the Olympics were about supporting athleti-cism, and bringing peace through friendly competition. Now, this vision is gone, and the Games have been subtly repurposed to support greed and conflict be-tween cultures.

THE HISTORICAL GAMESThe Olympic Games trace

their roots to ancient Greece in around 776 BC, where city-states set aside time to lay down their arms and compete at the athletic level. The Games were of reli-gious importance as well, with events marked with ritual sac-rifices to the various Olympian gods. The games maintained their popularity throughout the sixth and fifth centuries BCE, until the rise of Roman culture led to a re-duction of their importance that culminated in 393 AD when the

Roman emperor declared an end to pagan practices.

The Olympics rose again in 1859, after the Greek War of Inde-pendence brought back interest to such a peace-loving sporting event. In 1890, however, a French nobleman founded the Interna-tional Olympic Committee (IOC), which drafted such ideas as ro-tation of host city, four-year cy-cling among others which mark the modern Olympics. The first Games held under the IOC were those in 1896 at Athens. Since the 1896 Games, certain nations have had a clear dominance over the Olympics. These nations ap-pear to be Western, economically powerful, and culturally influen-tial. The United States has won 2,549 medals since it started at-tending the Games in 1896. Its athletes have acquired more gold medals than the total number of medals ever earned by Great Britain, fourth in the descending list of medal-winning nations, the top twelve of which all reside in Europe.

THE LOST OLYMPIAN PURPOSEOne of the characteristics

of the ancient Games was the “sacred truce,” a truce that was held among hostile city-states for the duration of the Games. The Olympics no longer continued to symbolize peace in modern times, even as its supporters maintain that it does. After the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union, the United States and many other allied nations boycotted the 1980

Moscow Olympics. In the next Games, the Soviet Union boycott-ed Los Angeles 1984 in response. Such an exchange of hostile ges-tures falls out of character for an event that once had a “sacred truce” associated with it.

Even if the Games maintained their original purpose today, there is no longer a concrete war between nations. Now, the war is between cultures and economies, in a globalized world where the geographic and cultural separa-tions between nations are fading.

Globalization has visible effects on the Games. The ath-letic field, which should be an arena to showcase the physical prowess of individual competi-tors, has become the arena where international culture and eco-nomics collide, mirroring the bloodless new world war that has been waged with money and ideas rather than guns or bombs.

With globalization comes migration, as seen in the various ethnicities of the athletes who participate. In the 2004 Athens Games, 30 members of the US Olympic team were born in other countries. Importation of foreign or mixed-race athletes into a country’s teams sends a message of devaluation of local talent, and somehow dampens the competi-tion of nations that the Olympics stand for.

Today, with official shoes and an official sports drink, the Olym-pics cannot distinguish them-selves from other contests that are less about unity and more

about money or politics. They are no different from any other sporting event with a corporate logo emblazoned across its ban-ners. Indeed, with so many com-petitions that are similarly com-mercialized and exposed in the media, the Olympics seem to be nothing unique, besides the fact that they come every four years.

THE RACE TO CHANGETimes have changed, and

continue to change at a break-neck pace. Commercialization runs rampant as corporations gain power over the consumer, through mass creation of needs and powerful brand advertising. Now is a time of relative peace between nations, but the cultural and financial conflict has risen to take the reins of war.

In response to this change, the Olympics have become part of the problem they once sought to fix. They have been exploited for greedy marketing of products and national identities. Their execution is the product of bil-lions of dollars of affluent spending, in a time where an economic recession is one of the central conflicts of society. They are upheld because they are now yet another tool for companies to exploit, from which nations might earn a quick buck in tourism and merchandise.

For the Olympics to regain its meaning, it must go back to its roots, where the focus is not who wins but who plays, where na-tions don’t fight against each oth-er but fight alongside each other, unified in the competitive spirit.

IN TWO WEEKS, NATIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD WILL BE SENDING DELEGATES TO THE 2012 SUMMER OLYMPICS IN LONDON. IT WILL BE A TIME TO CELEBRATE THE SPIRIT OF COMPETITION, TO UNIFY COUNTRIES ALL OVER THE WORLD IN THIS SPIRIT, AND TO TEST THE METTLE OF THE ATHLETES WHO WILL BE PARTICIPATING.

Olympian Challenges

Anton Chua

RDAA

OPINYONMiyerkules27 Hunyo

2012

KULTURAMiyerkules18 Hulyo

2012

Page 9: Philippine Collegian Tomo 90 Issue 6

BALITA

Miyerkules 27 Hunyo 2012

for escape from their harsh every-day realities.

The film’s romantic tone contrasts sharply with the bleak city as its backdrop. However MNL 143’s skilfully edited highly saturated composition presented an unnaturally fantastic take of Metro Manila. By distorting reality, MNL 143 seems a form of escape. The director’s original vision in his material and cast were evidently unheeded by Cinemalaya.

FINAL CUTOriginally intended to be a non-

profit, non-government organi-zation that supports the artistic growth of Philippine independent cinema, Cinemalaya seems deter-mined to pull in audiences this year. Besides the disqualification of MNL 143 over casting choices, prominent actors like Dennis Trillo, Iza Calzado, Coco Martin, and JM de Guzman also grace this year’s line-up of films. This issue may have played a role when film critic Francis Joseph Cruz resigned from the Cinemalaya selection committee in February, saying he can no longer work for a system he no longer believes in.

The film festival is funded by Cinemalaya Foundation Chairperson Antonio Cojuangco, Jr. with the support of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and Eco-nolink Investments, Inc. Its films are entered into different interna-tional film competitions such as the Cannes Film Festival. While Cinemalaya claims to encourage filmmakers’ artistic freedoms, profit remains an important aspect in this business. The relative unpopularity of independent films and the lack of venues willing to risk showing these films inevitably lead to limiting the film’s access to Metro Manila and select urban centers. While most inde-pendent films point their lenses at marginalized sectors of the Philippines that are hardly explored by mainstream cinema, the core audience of independent films are still middle class academicians, critics, and the cultured elite.

Local mainstream cinemas are flooded with romantic comedies and fantasies that are specifically designed for a transitory enter-tainment purpose. At this age of an audience-oriented cinema, there is a dire need for independent films in the country that takes risks in creating innovative art, a far cry from the profit-based mainstream cinema. Cinemalaya must uphold this purpose.

The UP Cine Adarna theater was packed with an audience of around 800 indie fans and casual moviegoers on July 7 for the Philippine premiere of Emerson Reyes’ full-length film debut.

The film, MNL 143, was disqualified from joining this year’s Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival after the film festival’s organizing committee disagreed with the director’s casting choices for the lead actors.

Cinemalaya claims to be a film festival which fosters artistic freedom and an organization whose very existence seeks to

provide alternatives to tradi-tional contemporary filmmaking. However, the case of MNL 143 opens up a relevant question: how faithful can filmmakers remain to their own vision of independent filmmaking without risking their chances in the festival?

EDITOR’S CUTAlready in its 8th year,

Cinemalaya has attracted aspiring filmmakers through its reputation of encouraging freely conceptu-alized films by local filmmakers. Every year, 10 film projects are chosen, funded with a seed grant of P500, 000 and allotted 12 months to be completed.

Early this year, Cinemalaya made head-lines because of its selection c o m m i t t e e ’s o b j e c t i o n to Reyes’ p r e f e r r e d actors for the lead roles. The committee did not favor the casting of a c t o r s Alan Paule and Joy Viado, believing that these actors do not suit the characters of the film.

“The basis of our interest in casting is that we want

competence, suitability to the role, and greater audience acceptability,” according to the letter sent by Cin-emalaya Competition Chairperson Laurice Guillen Feleo to MNL 143 producer Nestor Abrogena.

Creative control over the film was not part of the general agree-ment of the 8th Cinemalaya. But as the provider of the seed grants, Cinemalaya is in partnership with all the films participating in the event, hinting suggestions towards a more remarkable festival, Guillen explained.

Reyes, however, did not comply with Cinemalaya’s casting recom-mendations, eventually resulting in his film’s disqualification from the festival. The film’s slot was consequently replaced by Gino M. Santos’s The Animals.

“For certain Cinemalaya officials to insist on replacing the director’s choices with their own [cannot] be countenanced because it strikes at the core of the film-maker’s freedom to pursue his original artistic vision,” according to UP Film Institute’s statement on the issue.

Cinemalaya was envisioned as a track for beginning filmmakers by providing them with the freedom to employ their artistry in their craft. Should the festival committee insist on intruding into artists’ creative processes, Cinemalaya will no longer be pushing for a free Philippine cinema.

DIRECTOR’S CUTAs an independent filmmaker,

Reyes has the artistic license to meld his film in what he thinks is best. MNL 143 promises to be nothing like a stereotypical indie film with high contrast, low satu-ration, and shaky camera shots that unabashedly exploit images of third-world poverty. In one sequence, the film romanticizes the Metro by showcasing in full colors the main character Ramil’s last trip as an FX driver around Metro Manila. He plans to return abroad as an OFW after five years of hopelessly searching around Manila for Mila, a woman he left behind when he left the country to work abroad.

The film explores the concept of space in the context of the Fili-pino urban experience. Filipino commuters grudgingly share the limited space of public vehicles every day, providing involuntary contact among strangers, and making themselves accidental characters in each other’s stories. The fragments of the passenger’s lives, overheard conversations, silent tears, and hypocrisies all define the social setting, allowing Ramil—and the audience—to take a wider look at the reality outside the cramped space of the FX.

Romantic films typically feature an attractive, young couple as lead actors. In MNL 143, Reyes attempts to go against this expec-tation by casting Paule and Viado in what was supposed to be realistic love story. This casting decision is central to the film’s message: that feelings of longing and heartbreak is a universal human experience, regardless of social class or even physical appearance.

In a third world city, romantic quests like that of Ramil’s

may seem to be the least of the people’s p r i o r i t i e s . However, tales of romance remain popu-lar, espe-cially among people looking

Making the CutARTISTIC FREEDOM AND RECOGNITION IN THE CINEMALAYA FILM FEST

KULTURA

Miyerkules18 Hulyo 2012

Screencaps at https://www.you-tube.com/watch?v=f1oWIYRoaEE

Page 10: Philippine Collegian Tomo 90 Issue 6

BALITA

Miyerkules27 Hunyo

2012

BAKIT WALA PA RIN SI SUPERMAN?

LAKAS TAMA

Paano nga ba maglaho?

Namamangha nga siya sa mga tao dahil kahit na wala silang espesyal na kakayahan, kaya pa rin nilang maging superhero

Sapagkat hindi ito simpleng pasaring o insulto, isa itong diagnosis

KINAKAPOS

OPINYONMiyerkules18 Hulyo

2012

Ulol.Tila pinutakte na ang araw ko

ng mahiwagang salitang ito, mula sa aking paglalakad palabas ng bahay hanggang sa pagsusulat ko ng aking unang kolum. Madalas ko mang bitawan ang salitang ito, dala ng bisyo o sadyang kinapos na lamang ng pambalik insulto, hindi ko pa rin talaga alam kung ano ang totoong ibig sabihin ng salitang ito o kung saan ito nanggaling.

Tulad ng lahat ng responsa-bleng mag-aaral, naghanap ako ng kahulugan nito sa internet. Aking napag-alaman na ang kahulugan pala ng ulol ay tanga, hibang, naba-baliw o nasisiraan ng ulo. Dagdag pa, kalimitan daw itong ginagamit na pantukoy sa mga asong may ra-bies. Isa sa mga nakita kong paka-hulugan, may larawan pa ng asong bumubula ang bibig habang nang-hahabol ng mga bata.

Ulol, sabi ng nanay ko. Ang lambing-lambing talaga niya, pinabaunan pa ako ng matatamis na salita habang palabas ako ng bahay. Nag-aaral pa daw ba talaga ako, o kumekerengkeng na lang. Bakit daw ang dalas ng pamamalagi ko sa opisina habang wala naman akong napapala sa pagsusulat ko para sa diyaryo. Ni hindi pa daw sapat na baon ang nakukuha kong honorarium. Siguro nga may sira na ang ulo

na, maaaring makapagsiwalat ng mga natatanging kontradik-syon at kabalintunaan. Sapagkat hindi ito simpleng pasaring o in-sulto, isa itong diagnosis, sandig sa namamayaning pamantayan ng “katinuan” ng sinumang su-masambit nito.

Kung matino kang estudyante, hindi ka dapat lumiliban sa klase kung walang matinong dahilan, tu-lad ng masamang panahon at pag-kakasakit. Marapat ding magpakita ka ng utang na loob sa pamahalaan dahil sila ang nagpapaaral sa iyo, at taliwas dito ang pagsama sa mga kilos-protesta. Kung matino kang anak, dapat umuuwi ka sa bahay sa tamang oras at naghahanap-buhay na sa tamang edad. Lantad na lantad ang mga pamantayan ng “maayos na pamumuhay” kaya na-man baliw na lang talaga ang hindi susunod sa mga ito.

Mas marapat tayong matakot sa mga pamantayang ito at sa mga taong nagtatakda sa kanila. Bukod sa pagpapalaganap ng ilusyon ng kalayaan, pag-unlad at pag-babago na kaakibat diumano ng “katinuan”, tahasan nitong iki-nukubli ang katotohanang itinakda ito upang magsilbing mekanismo ng pagdidisiplina sa lipunan. Sa paghahari ng ganitong pamantayan, mas nanaisin ko na lang sigurong maging isa sa mga hibang.

sitwasyon ng tao. Ang unang rason niya kung

bakit hindi siya lumalabas bilang Superman ay baka masyadong dumepende ang mga tao sa kanya, tipong hindi na agad reresponde ang mga pulis o ang ambulansya dahil darating naman siya at iha-hatid pa ang biktima sa ospital.

Dagdag pa niya, kasunod ng pagla-bas niya bilang Superman ang pagli-taw ng mga taong magkaka-interes sa kapangyarihan niya. Kabilang na rito ang mga nasa kapangyarihan na nanggigigil sa pagkakaroon ng higit pang kapangyarihan.

Isang tanong din kung saang bansa ba siya dapat unang luma-bas, dahil maaari itong tingnan ng ibang mga bansa bilang parte ng isang politikal na agenda. Sa kasalukuyan, nasa kamalayan na ng lahat na buhat si Superman sa Amerika bilang doon nanggaling ang unang mga tekstong buma-banggit sa kanya.

Ngunit kung sa Pilipinas o sa ibang bansa man siya unang magpakita, maaaring isipin ng Amerika na bahagi siya ng isang proyektong nagtatangkang mag-domina sa mundo. Maaari itong pagsiklaban ng mga gera, at bi-lang isang superhero na hindi maaaring pumili ng panig, kailangan niyang gumawa ng paraan upang matigil ang gera ngunit hinding-hindi niya magagawang walang masaktan

sa mga sibilyan.Hindi naman daw ibig sabihin

ng hindi niya paglitaw na hindi na kailangan ng mundo ng isang superhero o di kaya’y ayaw niya lamang gampanan ang tungkulin niya. Kung lagi na lamang siyang makikialam sa mga problema ng mundo, mawawalan na ng “urge” ang mga tao na magdesisyon at matuto sa kanilang mga pagkakamali.

Namamangha nga daw siya sa mga tao dahil kahit na wala silang espesyal na kakayahan, kaya pa rin nilang maging superhero — kung paanong ang isang maliit na tinig ay umaalingawngaw upang maging tinig ng isang lahi, kung paanong ang maliliit na gawain sa kanilang pagsasama-sama ay nagiging daki-la, at kung paanong ang isang ordi-naryong tao na may dakilang dam-damin ay nagiging isang alamat.

Isa lamang ang hamon na ipi-napaabot niya sa mga makaba-basa ng akdang ito: ang gampanan ang tungkuling maging isang su-perhero sa sarili nilang paraan, tulad ng pagganap niya rito, hindi bilang Superman, kundi bilang isang mamamahayag.

Sa pagtatapos ng maliit naming kwentuhan, lubos na tumaas ang respeto ko para sa kanya. Papaalis na naman si Superman para tak-buhin ang bagong balitang i-co-cover niya.

May mga pagkakataon sa buhay kong ginusto ko na talagang magpatiwakal. Hindi ito katulad ng mga kaklase ko noong hayskul na naglalaslas, nadudu-wag at saka ibinaban-dera sa mga tao ang guhit ng namumuong dugo sa kanilang mga pulso. Pero hindi ko rin naman masasabing suicidal talaga ako.

Siguro mahilig lang akong tumakas. Dalawang linggo na akong hindi pumapasok sa

kahit alin sa mga klase ko; lagi akong naghahanap ng dahilan para lumiban. Nagising nang late (kahit na sa UP Village lang ako nakatira), walang homework (kahit na pwede namang i-cram ang isang 2-page essay), patay na si Dolphy (kahit hindi naman kami magkakilala).

Sa tingin ko nagsumbong si Lolo sa nanay ko, kaya pinagpaliwanag ako ni Mama kung bakit madalas akong napipirmi sa bahay. Wala namang silbi kung magsisinungaling, kaya inamin ko na lang: wala na talaga akong ganang mag-aral.

Naiintindihan iyon ni Mama. Tatlong beses siyang nag-shift bago napunta sa Architecture. Alam niyang gusto kong lumipat sa CAL o sa FA, pero tinatamad ako kahit sa pag-asikaso ng mga papeles.

“Hindi ka ba masaya sa Kule?” tanong niya. Kuwen-to niya kasi, parehong good at bad influence ang pag-kakaroon niya ng malalapit na orgmates noon. Good, kasi sila ang dahilan kaya nagkaroon siya ng lakas ng loob ng mag-shift sa Arki. Bad, kasi inabot siya ng wa-long taong pagtitiis sa kolehiyo.

“Ayos lang,” sabi ko. Sa isang banda, parang nasu-sulyapan ko ang buhay ng isang buong pamilya kapag nagpi-presswork ako sa Kule tuwing weekend. May editor na parang nanay kapag tinatawag ang buong pangalan ng writer niya. May dalawang illustrator na parang magkapatid kung magtalo kung sino ang dapat unang maligo. May palitan pa ng, “Ikaw ang mauna, ikaw ang mas matanda!” at “Ikaw dapat, mas mabaho ka!”

Pero may kanya-kanya ring problema’t isyu sa bu-hay ang mga taga-Kule, at ayoko nang hilahin pa sila sa sariling kong existential na kaartehan. Sabi nga ng isa, “Maybe we should all just perish.”

Siguro nga. Siguro nga dapat na lang talagang maglaho para tuluyan na akong mabingi sa hindi matapos-tapos na gera sa kokote ko.

Ayaw kong subukan ang overdose sa pill o droga — marami na akong nasaksihang kaso ng OD at marami sa kanila ang nagigising pa’t bumabalik sa mundo ng problema. Ayaw ko rin sa mga paraang mag-iiwan ng karumal-dumal na imahe sa utak ng nanay ko — ba-sag na bungo at kalas na balakang kung tatalon ako sa building, o ‘di kaya maputlang mukha’t lawlaw na dila kung magbibigti ako sa kwarto.

Sa huli, aminado naman akong hindi sapat ang angas at tapang ko para magpakamatay. Kaya ko rin kayang magsulat tungkol dito, kaya handa akong magbahagi sa mga taong nadadako sa bahaging ito ng dyaryo.

Alam kong maraming tao ang handang makipag-palit ng buhay sa akin, ang handang problemahin ang kawalan ng gana sa pag-aaral kaysa kawalan ng makakain sa araw-araw. Alam kong malaking kaba-lintunaan na kahit naniniwala akong karapatan ang edukasyon, tinatamad na lang talaga akong mag-aral.

Sa mga pagkakataong tulad nito, ipinagpapasala-mat kong naimbento ang yosi.

ko dahil nilayasan ko lang siya at pinagbagsakan ng pintuan.

Ulol, sabi ng isang estudyante sa mga aktibistang nagyayaya sa kanilang lumabas sa silid-aralan upang sumama sa isang protesta. Natawa naman ang buong klase, tila pagsang-ayon sa kanyang sen-timiyento. Bakit nga naman sila lalabas ng kanilang silid-aralan? Bukod sa mamarkahan silang absent, hindi nila maririnig ang makabuluhang leksyon na ini-

handa ng kanilang propesor. Sig-uro nga may sira ang ulo ng mga aktibistang ito dahil kahit hindi sila pumapasok sa klase, humihingi sila ng dagdag budget sa edukasyon.

Apat na letra, dalawang pan-tig, sanlaksang pakahulugan. Sa kanyang iksi, sadyang madaling bitawan at tila dumudulas sa bibig. Ngunit kapag napakawalan

Totoo ba talagang tao si Superman? Kung oo, nasaan na siya? Bakit hin-di pa rin siya lumalabas para ipag-tanggol tayo sa masasama?

Tanong ko rin ‘yan sa sarili ko mula n’ung maliit pa ako hang-gang sa tumanda ako at makilala ko siya. Oo, buhay na buhay siya at nagtatrabaho pa rin siya bilang reporter sa isang pahayagan. Hin-di ko na ipapaliwanag kung pa’no, kailan o saan ko siya nakilala bas-ta noong minsang nagkakwentu-han kami at naitanong ko ‘yan sa kanya, hindi ko naintindihan agad ang sagot niya.

Matagal niya rin daw itong pinag-isipan bago siya nakapagdesisyong huwag ipaalam sa mga tao ang tunay niyang katauhan. Mahirap daw kasing timbangin kung ang pagla-bas niya ba ay mas makatutu-long o makakapagpalala pa sa

Page 11: Philippine Collegian Tomo 90 Issue 6

OPINYON

Miyerkules 18 Hulyo 2012

AIESEC UPD’S JUAN YOUTHJUANdering how to spend your July 21st? Well, there’s only JUAN

thing to do! Attend the biggest and most exciting volunteer event that ever hit UP Diliman: Juan Youth!

Juan Youth, organized by AIESEC UPD, is UP Diliman’s official entry to Garnier’s Get Active Campus Challenge. The project aims to em-power all facets of youth—privileged or otherwise. It gives a chance for both high school and college students to spend time with underprivi-leged children. For more details, feel free to visit our Facebook page: facebook.com/JuanYouth2012 or contact Jeh Hofilena (09273892023).

Textback EksenangPeyups

Newscan

NEXT WEEK’S QUESTIONS:1. Pabor ka ba sa cha-cha?2. Sa tingin mo, sino ang magiging susunod na Comedy King ng Pilipinas?

Key in KULE <space> MESSAGE <space> STUDENT NUMBER <required> NAME and COURSE (optional) and send to

Non-UP students must indicate any school, organizational or sectoral affiliation.

ANONG MASASABI MO SA 2013

PROPOSED BUDGET NG DBM?Yay. Worth the wait ang kule! Hehe. Medyo vague naman ng unang tanong. But well, kulang pa rin un. Hindi man lang pasok sa tres ung per-centage. 2011-36480Nice tumaas ang budget allocation for next year! Sana naman maramdaman namin ang epekto nito sa pamamagi-tan ng pagbaba ng tuition. 1126368 ec.ChE

SUMALI KA BA SA WALKOUT?Oo. Di ako sumali last year, pero ngay-on, kahit na mataas na yung budget allocation compared to the past years, talagan kulang parin. 1120863oo,nag walk out ako pero nakakalung-kot lang kasi parang wala ng paki-alam yung mga estudyante. Hay. At ang saya, nagsulat na muli si delfin mercado!namiss ko siya! Haha. 10-20098

COMMENTSsaan po napupunta yung mga issue na di kinukuha ng students? siguro better kung babawasan (kung di pwede alisin) ung binibigay sa dorms, since meron naman per college.yung sa page 13, sabi for 10 years of operations. baka di lahat pumayag na magbayad, dahil di na nila maaabutan. GB! 1026884#lerlerhello. ang galing, consistent na may is-sue every week, pero parang nagiging magazine na ang kule. be professional. un lang. 1026884#lerlerNagbalik si Delfin Mercado! I’m so happy for him, CMC na pala siya. :D I missed his articles. Feel ko tuloy magtravel from point A to B. Char lang! 2011-09***wah.bbalik n b c d.mercado.na-miss q ung article nya.mas ok xa ngaun,kumbaga tamang timpla.sana mgsulat xa ulit.<3 q ung”AT D DIS-TANCE” nya. 08-78469 #bsCE OMG!!! Delfin Mercado bumalik ka na sa wakaaas! I miss you too. Journ din ako! Hahaha. Super kumpleto na talaga ang Kulê! Thanks Kulê dahil bumalik na si Delfin. :-) 201065868 Lavilyn, BA JOURNRefreshing ang article ni delfin mer-cado na At A Distance. Good for him if his acads is doing well. Good for us kasi he graced kule with another great read. :) 1030057welcome back Delfin! Sana magsulat

ka pa sa kule. Lupit mo! 0831556I MISS YOU MORE DELFIN MER-CADO! Haha. Thanks for writing again. Ang galing mo. Makikilala din kita someday. Haha. 0918644yey! May column si delfin mercado. Nxt issue ulit. 10-79290Buti naman nagparamdam na si Delfin Mercado. Sana tuloy-tuloy na yan. 201142809 #math Finally! An article of Delfin Mercado! Been waiting for this! And yes, we re-ally miss you! I hope you can write a column regularly. More power to eve-ryone at Kule! :) 11-07217 BS.ChEAng ganda ng sinulat ni Delfin Mer-cado. Damang dama ko lang :) 0851451Infernez ganda ng layout. Kaya lang parang nasobrahan sa design. Col-lege paper po ang Kule. Sana mag-mukhang mapagkakatiwalaan. Hindi katanggap-tanggap yung paggamit ng hand fonts sa editorial page. Pero bet ko yung asterisks sa end ng articles ha. -200501587Wow, nagsulat n uli ng article si Delfin Mercado. Nakakatuwa naman. Nagka-roon uli ako ng rason para kumuha at mag-uwi ng sarili kong copy ng Kulé. Thanksies :D 200816849Hi Kule! Binabati ko kayo sa mahusay na pagsulat ng mga artikulo! Sana lang, may sagot yung mga nakaraang puz-zle sa ss. na Kule! Hirap e. Hihi. 2011-8MCDO. LOL

SAGUTANTo 200716399: the ph govt already paid its debt to the imf in 2006. To 2012-70572 and 2012-35115: cor-rect. bsp is banned from funding devt.projects. in this case, i advise people to read more business news. :) -201021023

ZE BALIW-BALIWAN EDISHUNKumusta naman ang linggo

niyo mga ateeeey? NKKLK! Pa-kipulot naman ang puso ko after that mini heart attack na dulot ng game ng UP Maroons keriii?! Kaloka talaga!

Baliw-baliwan #1 Cuuuuh-razy!!! Nagpadala na naman (oo, na naman) si Kuya Unknown kay Kuluterang maputi ng rose na maputi rin! Ka-inggit to the bones!!! Sino ba si koya? After mag-imbestiga ng mga chis-moterang Kulutera, ito ang na-hita naming cluez: moreno (not German Moreno a), medium-built at naka-cap. Si Kuya Guard ba ito?! Charaught!

Baliw-baliwan #2 Sino itey na koyang from machikang college na lutang to the max ang brains one afternoon. Gu-mana ang kanyang awkward-ness/bitchy mode, bigla na lang nagsabi sa kanyang mga nasasa-lubong to this effect: “Sige alis na kayo, puntahan niyo na mga klase niyo” Ay koya, sino ka sa buhay ko?! Kalurkey!

Baliw-baliwan #3 Sinetch itech na ilang beses natamaan ng bola sa ulo ng mga berdeng manlalaro? How green of them! Nang tanungin ng mga nakat-abing puto seko ng “okay ka lang?” itong si girlash ay ume-mote ng “Sino ako?” Ayyyy. Iba si girl! Umeksena raw ba? Baliw to the nth level!

Baliw-baliwan #4 Remember si koyang naghahanap ng majo-jorder na fudams sa website ni Kenny “the singer” Rogers? Ay te, may isa namang soupy mo-ment ang bruha! Aba’y mag-so-liloquy (o ha, kaya kong i-spell!) ba naman ng, “I wanna eat spa-ghetti with basil leaves.” Bah-sil leaves daw o! As in Basil Valdez! Kalokaaa, may fetish yata sa mga songers na tanders!

Tekaaa a. Pupulutin ko muna ang utak ko sa floor. Jusko. Nakakabaliw palang magkaroon ng eyes and ears everywhere.

UP EMC2 FORUM ON STEEL AND MINING

NATIONAL INDUSTRIALIZATIONThe UP EMC2 Fraternity, along with the National Economic

Protectionism Association invites you to the first of its series of fora entitled Steel and Mining National Industrialization on July 26 at the College of Engineering Theatre from 1-5 pm. The fora series aim to build a framework of economic independence and educate fellow students to take part in formulating concrete step towards economic development through national industrialization. For more informa-tion, please contact Fra at 09175813018 or email [email protected]

LORDEI N’ NIGHTHelp raise funds to assist friends and family of fellow UP student

Lordei Hina in paying her hospital bills.Lordei n’ Night, a fund raising and cultural event that includes

various activities such as bazaar and food sale, will be held on July 20 at the CHE Atrium and Tearoom. There will also be performances featuring Bibeth Orteza, John Lesaca, UP Streetdance, UP Music Circle, KARATULA and more beginning at 7 pm. Dinner and artwork sale tickets are sold at P3000, while cake raffle entries are sold at P50. For inquiries, contact Krissy Conti at 09298207000 or Eds Gabral at 09273841392.

PASONA: A SEVEN DAY COUNTDOWN

TO THE STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS18: Aklas (Alternatibong Klase) sa AS-CAL, 7 am-5pm : Solidarity for human rights (forum and candlelighting),

4pm & 5:30pm19: Contend forum, CM Recto 8:30am-12nn SonART: workshops, in front of AS 1-4pm Educ4allmarch (unity march & flash mob),

around the Academic Oval 4 pm20: Save our university (human chain along Katipunan Ave), UPIS 3 pm21: Run against K-12 & contractualization, AS Steps 8 am : Quezon City Sttae of the Youth Address, Amoranto Hall 9am-12nn23: Almusalang bayan, 7 am; People’s SONA Program going to

Commonwealth Ave Quezon Hall, 10 am

JOIN THE PEOPLE’S

SONA07 / 23 / 2012

Page 12: Philippine Collegian Tomo 90 Issue 6