TH

E MA

NILA

CO

LLEGIA

NT

HE

OF

FIC

IAL S

TU

DE

NT

PU

BLIC

AT

ION

OF

TH

E U

NIV

ER

SIT

Y OF

TH

E P

HILIP

PIN

ES

MA

NILA

ThursdayJune 25, 2015

Volume 28Number 19

MORE INSIDE02 NEWS Tanduay workers stage strike over unjust labor conditions06 CULTURE Ganito Kami Ngayon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?06 FEATURE On the Run10 OPINION On Empathy11 EDITORIAL Beyond the Barrage

02 NEWS Volume 28 Number 19June 25, 2015 | Thursday

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

COLLEGEBRIEFS

The UP College of Medicine, in collaboration with UP Medical Alumni Fund, UP College of Nursing and UP College of Pharmacy, will be holding the First ASEAN Patient Safety Congress with the theme “Towards a unified approach to patient safety in the ASEAN perspective” on June 25-26, 2015 in the Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Manila. For inquiries, please contact Ms. Therese Kristie Faro at the email tkfaro@post.upm.edu.ph.

The College of Public Health’s Department of Environmental and Occupational Health will host the 73rd Postgraduate course in Occupational Health and Safety on July 8 - 10 and 13 - 16, 2015 in the CPH Auditorium. The said postgraduate course includes lectures ranging from the Overview of OHS, Labor Laws, Industrial Hygiene, OHS Programs and Services, Compensational Medicine and others. For inquiries, please call 5247102 or email at deoh_up_cph@yahoo.com.

ORGANEWS

The UP Manila Learning Resource Center (LRC) is looking for student assistants starting on the months of June to July 2015. For interested students, please visit UPM LRC on the second floor of Joaquin Gonzales Bldg. Padre Faura St., Ermita, Manila.

In celebration of the Philippine General Hospital’s (PGH) Foundation Week, the PGH Alumni Association will host “Kalinga Para Sa PGH Alumni,” a free laboratory test for all PGH alumni. The free laboratory tests include CBC, FBS, Crea, ALT, AST, Uric Acid, Lipid Profile and ECG. Pre-registration for the first 80 PGH alumni will start on June 15, 2015 at the DEM’s Chairman’s office from 10 am to 4 pm. The actual bood extraction will be from August 17 to 19, 2015 at the Outpay Express Laboratory (former Pay Admitting Unit).

Tanduay workers stage strike over unjust labor conditions

ARTHUR GERALD BANTILAN QUIRANTE

Contractual workers of Tanduay Distillers Inc., led by Tanggulan Ugnayang Daluyang Lakas ng Anakpawis sa Tanduay Distillers Inc. (TUDLA), launched a strike on May 18 in Cabuyao, Laguna to demand for higher wage, for their regularization, and for a safer workplace.

As of press time, the fight of the workers is still on going.

The strike was met with violence from the security personnel of Tanduay in their distillery plant in Cabuyao as the workers try to save their fellow 96 contractual employees who is on the verge of losing their job after the issuance of a memorandum ordering them to stop reporting to work by May 18.

Moreover, national labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) mentioned an incident on May 23 wherein the striking workers and some supporters were chased and beat by alleged hired goons who threw rocks at them and beat them with sticks.

In line with this, KMU vice-chairperson Lito Ustarez

slammed the violence and said that the company’s “cruelty to workers knows no boundaries.”

Kabataan party-list representative Terry Ridon, on the other hand, said that staging a strike is a right of workers to air their grievances against unfair treatment they experience in their workplace.

“Launching a strike is a fundamental right of all workers that experience oppression and exploitation in their workplace. The violent acts committed by the management of Tanduay against the striking workers constitute not only clear violations of our country’s labor laws but also grave transgressions of fundamental human rights,” Ridon said.

Fight For regularization and saFety

According to the labor code, the 397 contractual workers of Tanduay should already have been regular employees as they have continually worked in the distillery for five to 11 years.

Despite this, the workers receive only P315 per day when the regional

minimum wage is P362.50.On the other hand, TUDLA also said that workers in the distillery are exposed to a dangerous working environment.

“Similar to the lack of safety protocols in Kentex, the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) is pervasive also in our workplace,” said Anse Are, president of TUDLA.

Are also added that workers choose to not use PPEs because these are deducted from their wages. Consequently, the workers are more vulnerable to injuries caused by frequent explosion or breakage of bottles.

In line with this, KMU called on business tycoon Lucio Tan to regularize the long-standing 397 contractuals in Tanduay Distiller, Inc. and recognize their rights as workers.

“This is the same complicity that was shown by the Labor Department with the capitalists of Kentex who also kept their workers contractuals for years. This is the same complicity that ensures that capitalists get their profits at the expense of workers,” Ustarez added.

read and download MKule issues atissuu.com/manilacollegian

like us on Facebook:facebook.com/ themanilacollegian

follow us on Twitter:@MKule

NEWS 03Volume 28 Number 19Thursday | June 25, 2015\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

ARIES RAPHAEL REYES PASCUA

Unang araw ng klase, sinalubong ng kilos-protesta

Minarkahan ng kilos-protesta mula sa iba’t ibang progresibong grupo ang pagbubukas ng klase sa karamihan ng paaralan sa bansa noong Hunyo 1 upang tutulan ang umiiral na programang K-12 at upang kondenahin ang patuloy na pagtaas ng matrikula.

Idinaos ng Stop K to 12 Alliance ang mga kilos-protesta sa Batasan National High School, Ramon Magsaysay High School, Manila Science High School, Caloocan High School, at Manila High School, lima sa pinakamalalaking mataas na paaralan sa bansa. Nagmartsa rin ang mga raliyista patungong Mendiola upang magsagawa ng isang programa.

Ipinarating ng mga grupo ang mga hindi pa nareresolbang problema sa sektor ng edukasyon tulad ng kakulangan sa mga libro, silid-aralan at pasilidad, at problema sa

Pagpapatupad ng K-12, binatikos

suplay ng kuryente at tubig. Ayon sa kanila, lalala lamang ang mga problema sa edukasyon sa ilalim ng programang K-12.

Sa kabila ng mga pagtutol mula sa iba’t ibang sektor, determinado pa rin umano ang administrasyong Aquino na ipagpatuloy ang pagpapatupad ng K-12.

Ayon kay Department of Education (DepEd) secretary Armin Luistro, sa kabuoan ay handa na umano ang mga paaralan sa hinihinging pangangailangan ng K-12 curriculum, bagaman inamin ng kalihim na may pagkukulang pa ring kailangang resolbahin.

Pinabulaanan naman ni Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) national chairperson Benjamin Valbuena ang diumano’y kahandaan ng DepEd at sinabing hindi maayos na nagagamit ng kagawaran ang pondo

nito, na makikita sa kakulangan ng mga guro, silid-aralan, libro, modernong kagamitan, at suplay sa koryente at tubig.

Samantala, sinabi naman ni Renato Reyes, Jr. ng Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) na ang K-12 program ay naglalayong mapagsilbihan ang interes ng mga dayuhang kompanya.

“The whole program is designed to orient the basic and secondary educational system into producing cheap labor for domestic and international employment in the tradition of the “vocational-technical” schools. These youth will be eligible to join the work force after graduating from senior high school (SHS),” wika ni Reyes.

Binatikos naman ng kinatawan ng ACT Party-list na si Antonio Tinio ang pagdami ng bilang ng out of

perfect quizzes. Worse, you may find yourself at lunch time trying to keep everything under control for you have just discovered you missed a test that was moved at an earlier time, and you did not know because your internet got cut-off, the inconvenience of convenience.I remember a class I had before where a guy came in late, and was consequently asked by the professor why. He flashed a sheepish grin at her, and rubbed his stomach as if to say, “I’m suffering from diarrhea, ma’am.” I laughed along with the class, but I said to myself, “Too bad, kuya, she only cares for our output. Didn’t you know, as students, we have more duties than rights? Our “excuses” are irrelevant.”

Welcome to college, where teenagers shed their last skin of optimism as they undergo the symbolic coming-of-age ceremony. This is the place where they have to maturely handle disillusionment, otherwise they will be accused of inability, or refusal, to grow up. Welcome to college, where they teach you the essence of “grace under pressure,” and the art of pretense. This is our training ground as we become, unknowingly, productive, yet hardened, members of the society.

ON EMPATHY FROM PAGE 10

school youth at drop-outs dahil sa K-12. Aniya, may 2.3 milyong kabataang mula sa mahihirap na pamilya ang hindi nabibigyan ng sapat na edukasyon.

“President Aquino and the Department of Education cannot claim success in any so-called education reform for as long as one child in ten is not able to go to school,” sabi ni Tinio.

Kaugnay nito, nangako ang alyansang patuloy nitong igigiit ang de-kalidad na edukasyon para sa masang Pilipino.

“To attain mass-based, scientific, and nationalist education, we should change the system, we should change the government. And we can only do that through our collective action,” wika ni Reyes.

Madalas nang magkaroon ng mga Iskolar ng Bayang tinapos lamang ang kanyang pananatili rito sa pamantasan, at hindi hinahayaang yanigin ang kanyang pagtingin sa mundo. Kulang ang isang taong naghangad lamang ng diploma higit pa sa hangad niyang bumagsak, pumusta, makipaglaban, at matuto. Dapat laging mayroong rebolusyon, sa iyong sarili man o sa iyong kapaligiran. Ganito ang tunay na epekto ng UP sa mga mag-aaral nito.

Ang daming pwedeng sabihin ukol sa usaping ito, pero lagi naman sigurong naririnig ng mga estudyante, taga-UP man o hindi, na iba ang pagkuha ng diploma sa pagkuha ng mga aral.

At sana, kapag tumuntong ka na sa entablado, kapag nakamayan mo na ang dapat kamayan at humarap na sa mga panauhin, matandaan mo:

Walang ibang parangal na mas mahirap pang maabot kaysa sa pagkatuto.

At sana, sa dulo ng karera, masigurado mo sa iyong sarili na isa kang UP graduate na patuloy na lumalaban, patuloy na bumabangon, at patuloy na natututo.

HIGIT SA DIPLOMA MULA PAHINA 10

04 NEWS Volume 28 Number 19June 25, 2015 | Thursday

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

ITANONG KAY ISKO’T ISKA

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

1Sapat na ba ang mga paghahanda ng pamahalaan at pamantasan sa

nakaambang paggalaw ng West Valley Fault System?

Wala nga akong nakikitang paghahanda eh. - AkoNalangSana, CAS, 2014-3****

A big big NOOOOO! -Jeskelerd, CAS, 2013

I have no idea. Kailan ba naging sapat ang paghahanda? Hindi lang naman siguro dapat asa nalang nang asa sa pamahalaan, dapat may sarili rin na paghahanda. – Sa**e**ch, never naging CAS, 2013.

Naghanda na pala ang UPM? Maliban sa poster na may things to do before and after an earthquake? Di ako informed. Sorry. Hahaha - Eddie, CAS, 2013-14696

Not enough -Tambok, 2013-sinx, CASWell, aside sa pagreremind nila na risky ang location niyo? - getalife, 2012-xxxxx, CAS

Hindi pa ata handa ang pamahalaan dito, wala pa naman akong nakitang malaking paghahanda paraa sa sitwayson. Anyway, it’s all their fault. *winks* (weh) - Alice, 2014-501**

Ayon sa naririnig kong “lakas” ng lindol, kulang pa ng pwersa sa pag-endorso sa mga taong maghanda sa peligro. - INDAYBOTE, CAS

Hindi pa sapat, hindi ko nga alam ang ginagawa ng pamahalaan eh maliban sa mag-inform na may fault pala. - Trust Issues, 2013.

Wala akong masagot kasi di ko maramdaman yung aksiyon o baka kasi manhid lang talaga ako. - patglow, cas, 2014

Nakikita kong hindi pa sapat ang mga hakbang na ginagawa ng gobyerno sa paghahanda sa nakaambang paggalaw ng West Valley Fault. Bagama’t napakalaking tulong na ang inilabas na interactive map kung saan makikita ang mga tatamaang lugar ng fault line, marami pa ring kailangang gawing preparasyon sa lindol na ito. Napakainportanteng mag-effort sila na makipagugnayan sa lokal na pamahalaan ng mga probinsya at i-assess ang tibay ng bawat gusali, bahay at ang mga imprastraktura at siguraduhing earthquake at fire resistant ang mga ito. - Star, 2014

No. I dont even think the govt know where to go after the earthquake. And i dont even think they know every exit since there are so many buildings in manila. They keep telling us about being prepared, sure prepared, we have supplies etc but what if our houses break? What do we do after? Where do we go? Who will assist us? - Oishi, CAS

Hindi. Hanggang kailan pa ba tutunganga ang pamahalaan bago sila gumawa ng aksyon? Kapag nangyari na ang kalamidad? In fact, hindi nga lang sa sitwasyon na ‘to tumutunganga ang pamahalaan eh. And sa mga na-obserbahan ko, kahit nangyari na ung kalamidad, wala pa rin silang ginagawa. - dessertS, CAS, 2014

Hindi kasi hindi ramdam na may ginagawa ang gobyerno nating sakim mula ulo mukhang paa. – kissmyA*st*t**s69, CAS

Hindi, dahil ngayon lang nila sinosolusyunan ang mga problema. Typical na gawain nila ng pagdeliver ng solusyon na hindi naman tugma at nakakatulong sa problema. - frustrated, 2014-*****, CAS

Watch me whip, wa-wa-ley-ley. - lil sebastian, 2013-xxxxx

Hindi. Puro plano, puro pag-aaral at puro pangako pa rin. Ang pamahalaang tunay na naglilingkod sa bayan ay mas uunahin ang napipintong sakuna na nakaamba sa kanyang

mamamayan kasya sa mga problema na sangkot ang ibang bansa. - SirJ, Cas, 201******

Siyempre hindi, kailan ba tayo naging handa ever? Sa eleksiyon lang tayo laging handa. - W1LDGURRRRL, 2013

Alam mo yung kantang “I did my best, but i guess my best wasn’t good enough?” Parang ganon kasi nag-eeffort kahit papano sila kaso parang kulang parin. Yes, they plan pero gaano sila kasigurado na yung plano nila ay foolproof. - RainySeasonMermaid, CAS, 2013-13***

Hindi, at hindi ko alam kung paano nila magagawan ng paraan. -di na freshie, CAS

Oo, pero strong yung feeling ko na hindi nila magagawan ng paraan. Hello, armageddon. - bordeaux belle, 201*-*****, CAS

2Anyare na sa bucketlist mo ngayong bakasyon?

Bakasyon? Anong bakasyon? - Always, CAS, 2012-354xx

Ayun. Ubos na yung bucket ng chickenjoy, wala pa akong nasisimulan kahit isa. Whattalife! - AkoNalangSana, CAS, 2014-3****

Nabaon na sa hukay, teh! - Jeskelerd, CAS, 2013

Natuto ako mag-gitara. Kbye! -baboy, CPH, 2014

Nagkaroon na ako ng iPad. - mababaw, CAS, 2014

Ayun may kiti-kiti na kasi masyadong stagnant. Huhu. – S*u***s*h, never naging CAS, 2013.

MAY BUCKETLIST AKO? T_T APPHY WHAT HAPPENED TO ME!!! - Tambok, 2013-sinx, CAS

Ayun, nasa bucket pa rin. - Alice, 2014-501**

Hinihilom ko pa pimples ko after sagarin nung finals. - INDAYBOTE, CAS

Walang nangyari sa bucketlist ko. - Trust Issues, 2013.

Matatapos ko na himym season 9, yeheeey. Saka sinusupah upgrade ko na stuff sa clash of clans, tapos malapit ko na mabili yung great white shark sa hungry shark evo. - patglow, cas, 2014

Isa lang naman ang gusto ko ngayong bakasyon, mabawi lahat ng sleepless nights last sem. Ayun, magdamag lang akong nasa bahay, magdamag tulog. - Star, 2014

Uuwi na ako ng probinsya. Math11 i love you. - Oishi, CAS

hindi ko siya maiusog dahil sa dinamidaming problema ng bansa. hindi ko maisip ang aking sarili dahil mas iniisip ko ang inang bayan natin na ang pilipinas. – kissmyA*st*t**s69, CAS

****!!!! - frustrated, 2014-*****, CAS

Bucket list more like bucket pa ako gumawa ng list in the first place. - lil sebastian, 2013-xxxxx

Walang nabawas at patuloy na nadagdagan dahil ang asam na bakasyon ay mapupuno pa rin ng pag-aaral. #shortterm - SirJ, Cas, 201******

Nganga lang ako ngayon e hahahaha – cam**let*e, 2014

Ayun, nakaka-2 bucket pa lang ako. 5 more to go!!! # animefever - W1LDGURRRRL, 2013

Sabi ko sa sarili ko magpapaint ako’t magpapractice ng lettering, sinabi ko rin sa sarili ko na magpapapayat ako tsaka matutulog nang maaga. Pero, sabi ko nga lang yun. Sabi lang. Waley. - RainySeasonMermaid, CAS, 2013-13***

Mga Fulung-Vulungan ng nagjijisang

Lola PatolaBang bang in two da room! Congratumalations sa Yu Fi Em Class of 2015!!! After zo many years and zo many trials (AKA Math 11, Math 22, Math 33 ... charot!), diz is it! Magmamarcha-loo na ang aking mga beloved afowz with their togas and sablays!!! Huhuhu, another girls generation of Iskolars ng Bayan are going to byelaloo sa aketch.

Sa mga afowz naman na naiwan, don’t cry cutie piez!!!!! Ders olways next year nemern! Ilabas niyo nalang ang ka-haggardo versozahan niyo to your loving doving Lola P! Char!

But wait, ders more. Habang nagfufunas aketch ng tears of joy for my graduating afowz, tuloy-tuloy parin ang dating ng mga bonggang-bonggang sumvongs from my other afowz! Juskelerd. Tapos na ang second sem, but the froblemz keep tumbling down!

Sablay na sablay sumvhong numbah wan: For The

Module

Sa pagstartsung ng regular school year ng ibang schoolz, nag-start naman ang extra spatial short term ng aking mga afowz. But this one class cannot make sunod the syllaboos! Paano nemern, wala paring moduling ang aking afowz!

Juskelerd! Lagpas one week na since the ready set go ng short term na itech, aneksung parin ang bookella nila??? Pleaze nemern, don’t make paasa my afowz. Give them the moduling they deserve!!!

Sablay na sablay sumvhong numbah tu: It’s About Time

Sinech iteng froppie na not twice, not once, but never (as in NEVER!!!!!) dawsung pumasok on-time sa isang class niya last sem! Sa may Jurassic World ka ba nakatira, froppie? Why oh why so late nemern? Buti sana kung minsan lang, but allegedly

apparently supposedly, every single meeting nuhlung daw siyang late! Anek?!

And and and, in fairnez to dis froppie, pati sa paglabas ng gradesung ng aking poor poor afowz, late din! Ass in, hanggang ngayon, waley padin! Jeskelerd! Haggardo versoza! Baka walang internet sa Jurassic World itong si froppie kaya hindi itech maka-upload ng grades sa Sirang-sirang Aneksung Imbiyerna Syztem! Charot! Hihihi.

Sablay na sablay sumvhong numbah tri: Too Sabaw, Too Furious

Sumtimez, diz froppiez tuhluguh! So nakaka-imbiyerna! Diz one froppie from a whitewalkers college daw ay, thankfully, nagbabalik naman ng resultz ng mga exams ng aking afowz. But, ders a catching fire, never daw nitech pinaliwanag ang my way niya ng pag-compute ng gradez!

Kaya nung nilabas ni froppie na itech ang eczemption list, nalurkey ang aking mga afowz!!! Hindi daw binibigyan ni froppie ng full credit ang exam scores ng aking mga

afowz!!!!! Juskelerd. What sorcery is diz??? Anong klaseng grading

syztem ba ang trip mong gamitin, froppie? Hindi daw

darts, but scrabble!!!!! Charot!

At hindi pa na-content si froppie

na itech! According to my afowz, kapag

sinusubukan daw nilang kausapin si froppie, sabaw na

sabaw daw! Sobrang sabaw, nag-umaapaw! Haggardo versoza tuhluguh!!!!! Please get your shiz together froppie!!!!! Kawawa naman my afowz. Huhuhu.

Dats it, pancit! Oh well papel, aalis man ang ilan sa aking mga

afowz, may papasok naman na bagong girls generation – mga freshies!!! Sana madaming cute at pogi sa kanila! Ahihihi. Shh, baka marinig aketch ni Lolo Upo! Love you bae! Char!

Yu Fi Em Class of 2015, olways remember, serve the people... and love your Lola P! XOXO

GRADUATION EDITION

NEWS 05Volume 28 Number 19Thursday | June 25, 2015\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

ISKOTISTIKS

PATRICIA ANNE LACTAO GUERRERO AT SOFIA MONIQUE KINGKING SIBULO

DelubyoPagsusuri sa pagtugon ng pamahalaan sa oras ng kalamidad

Sa iba’t ibang sulok ng Pilipinas ay mababakas ang kalunos-lunos na kalagayang iniwan ng delubyo sa isang bansang walang kahandaan at seguridad, na dapat ay naibibigay ng pamahalaan sa mga mamamayan. Mabagal na pagtugon sa pangangailangan, kawalan ng pansin sa tamang pagpapatupad ng batas ukol sa disaster response, at hindi sapat na paglalaan ng pondo ng pamahalaan ang nagpapalala sa kalagayan ng mga nasalanta ng bagyo na ang tanging pag-asa ay ginupo na rin ng kalamidad.

Pandarayang tulong

Alinsunod sa Republic Act 10121 o ang Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act na isinabatas noong 2010, dapat na pagtibayin ang programa sa Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) ng bansa upang mapigilan ang mas malalang epekto ng pananalanta ng mga kalamidad sa socio-economic at environmental risk.

Nakasaad din sa batas na ito na mas pagtutuunan ng pansin ang pagtugon sa lokal na lebel dahil sa kalapitan nito sa mga komunidad.

Ngunit sa kabila nito, hindi pa rin nakasusunod ang Pilipinas sa pagpapatupad ng nilalaman ng batas na magbibigay daan sa mas agarang pagtulong sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo.

“Local DRRM (disaster risk reduction and management) structures are often not functional, community participation has not been maximized and there remains a lack of clarity about key governance and funding provisions,” ayon sa Oxfam, isang humanitarian group.

PaMbansang PangaMba

Ang Pilipinas bilang nakalatag sa Pacific Typhoon Belt ay lantad sa natural na panganib na nagdudulot ng malulubhang sakuna. Kadalasan ay 20 bagyo ang dumadaan sa bansa kada taon. Ayon sa National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), mula taong 2012 hanggang 2013 ay nagkaroon ng sunod-sunod na mapanirang delubyo kaugnay sa tubig tulad ng bagyo, biglaang pagbaha dahil sa malalakas na ulan, at pana-panahong kilos ng hangin.

Ang naging tugon ng gobyerno sa hydro-meteorological hazards ay ang kauna-unahang National Disaster Response Plan (NDRP) na magsisiguro sa naaayon na pagresponde sa mga sakuna sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay tulong sa mga nasalanta o sa local government unit (LGU). Nakaplano ito para sa taong 2011 hanggang 2028. Ito ay inihanda kasama ang iba’t ibang ahensiya ng gobyerno at organisasyong sibiko at internasyonal, sa pangunguna ng Office of Civil Defense (OCD) at sa paggabay ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) bilang Vice-Chairperson for Response. Ang

mga nabanggit na ahensya, sampu ng iba pang mga sangay ng gobyerno ang dapat mamuno sa pagresponde. (Sumangguni sa tsart 1)

Sa kabila nang pagpaplano ng gobyerno, wala pa ring mabilis na pagresponde sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo. Kung matatandaan ang bagyong Sendong na humagupit sa Mindanao noong 2011, mahigit sa 1,000 ang namatay at halos P1 bilyon ang naitalang pinsala dahil hindi naikalat nang maayos ang impormasyon ukol sa pagdating na bagyo at ang mga dapat paghandaan kaugnay nito. Makikita na makalipas ang ilang linggo ay malaki pa rin ang bilang na hindi natutulungan na pamilya. (Sumangguni sa tsart 2)

Matapos ang dalawang taon, tila walang bahala pa rin ang pamahalaan nang dumaan sa Pilipinas noong 2013 ang isa sa pinakamalakas na mga bagyo sa buong mundo—ang bagyong Yolanda. Ito ay pumatay ng libo-libong katao at kulang-kulang P34.3 bilyon ang halaga ng nasira sa Visayas.

“Hindi ko na alam kung aasahan pa namin ang tulong ng gobyerno. Taun-taon sa mga bagyong nagdaan, wala namang ibinibigay na tulong sa amin,” ayon kay Alfredo Camonggay Jr., isang magsasaka sa Tacloban mula sa interbyu ng Pinoy Weekly makalipas ang isang linggo ng bagyong Yolanda.

Samantala, mula naman sa assessment ng Commission on Audit (COA) sa kasalukuyang taon ay mababa ang rate sa tamang paggamit ng disaster funds ng LGU sa buong bansa. Kaugnay nito, hanggang ngayon ay makikita pa rin ang malagim na sinapit ng mga Pilipino kahit isa at kalahating taon na ang nakalipas nang humagupit ang bagyong Yolanda.

Patunay lamang itong bigo ang lokal at ang nasyonal na pamahalaan na tugunan ang pangunahing pangangailangan ng mga nasalanta ng kalamidad kahit pa may mga programa at batas na ipinatutupad ukol dito.

Mata ng bagyo Sa bawat bagong bagyong dumadaan sa Pilipinas ay siya ring paglipas sa mga pangarap na nawasak nito dahil sa pagsasawalang-bahala.

Mula na mismo sa World Risk Report ng United Nations University at ang Institute of Environment and Human Security noong 2011, idineklara ang Pilipinas bilang pangatlo sa pinakamapanganib na bansa sa buong mundo dahil sa banta ng mga sakuna, at noong nakaraang taon lamang ay umakyat na ang bansa sa pangalawang pwesto. Ayon sa ulat, bukod sa lokasyon ng bansa, ang ranggong ito ay bunsod din ng kawalan ng mainam na sistema ng pagtugon ng pamahalaan sa mga sakuna.

Kung titignan ang pagsusuri ng COA sa kasalukuyang sitwasyon kaugnay sa epekto

Tsart 1: Organisasyong Balangkas ng Grupong Reresponde. (Sanggunian: NDRP)

ng bagyong Yolanda, napag-alamang pinaglaanan ng mas malaking pondo ng pambansang gobyerno ang pag-aayos matapos ang bagyo kaysa sa paghahanda sa pagdating ng delubyo. Sinabi ring sa 2013 national budget ay 54 porsiyento ng disaster risk management fund ay napunta sa response at rehabilitation samantalang 46 porsiyento naman para sa mitigation at preparedness. Napansin naman ng komisyon na ang paglalaan ng pondo para sa LGU ay mayroong “imbalance between available resources and risk exposure”—nangangahulugang mas mababa ang natatanggap na pondo ng mas delikadong probinsiya.

Ang hinuha ng komisyon dito ay hindi nakapaghahanda ang mga tao dahilan upang mas tumaas ang bilang ng mga nadedelubyo ng bagyo. Isa ito sa mga nagpapalala ng kahirapan ng bawat mamamayang Pilipino tuwing panahon ng kalamidad.

Kaugnay nito, iminungkahi ng COA na mahalagang mapaunlad ang pagiging bukas ng komunikasyon at ang tamang pagkalat ng impormasyon habang hindi maayos na nagagamit ng pamahalaan ang pondo para sa pagresponde sa epekto

ng bagyo. Binigyang pansin ng komisyon na kahit may maliit na badyet lamang ang mga LGU para sa local disaster risk reduction and management, kadalasan ay unutilized o underutilized pa ito. Napuna rin ng COA na isa sa mga dahilan ng maling paggamit ng disaster preparedness funds ay kaugnay ng burukratang isyu.

Kasabay ng paghagupit ng malalakas na bagyo ay walang dudang mababakas ang palala nang palalang pagpapabaya ng pamahalaan sa mga nasalanta. Mahihinuha mula sa mga naihayag na datos na ang mga plano ng gobyerno ay nananatiling mga plano na lamang.

Sa bawat pagbaha ay may mga nalulunod na pag-asa ng pagbangon dahil sa pagpapabaya ng gobyerno. Ang pagkakaroon ng batas ukol sa pagtugon sa hamon ng kalikasan ay mananatiling isang dokumento lamang na nagpapatunay sa huwad na intensyon ng pamahalaan na tumulong habang hindi nito lubos na naipagaganap ang programa. Hindi maikakaila na sa ilalim ng mapaniil at mapagkait na sistemang ito ay ang wala pa ring pagkatuto ang mga namumuno sa paulit-ulit na pagbayo ng mga bagyo.

Tsart 2: Kabuuang bilang na Naapektuhang Lugar at Natulungangang Pamilya. (Sanggunian: DSWD)

06 CULTURE Volume 28 Number 19June 25, 2015 | Thursday

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Ganito Kami Ngayon,Paano Kayo Noon? Ako nga pala si John Lloyd Dela Cruz.

Isa akong tinedyer na galing sa future. Maaaring isa o dalawa sa inyong mga nagbabasa ngayon ay aking magiging magulang, pero hindi niyo pa lang alam ngayon dahil halaman pa kayo at hindi pa kayo naniniwala sa forever.

Ang liham na ito ay para sa inyong mga ninuno ko. Nais kong malaman ninyo ang estado ng Pilipinas makalipas ang dalawang dekada. Maraming nangyari, nawala, at nabago. Sana, magsilbing inspirasyon ang mga ibabahagi kong kaginhawaan at kaunlarang natatamasa namin ngayon mula sa aming gobyerno.

Dalawampung taon matapos ang tinaguriang “ginintuang dekada” ng Pilipinas, nagpapatuloy pa rin ang karamihan sa mga batas at proyektong nasimulan noong taong 2000 hanggang 2015. Ang unang labin-limang taon ng ika-21 siglo sa bansa ay nagdala ng pagbabago sa buhay ng bawat mamamayan. Kung ano man ang tinatamasa namin ngayon sa hinaharap, malaking bahagi nito ay dahil sa mga pamahalaan noong dulo ng ginintuang dekada.

Ngayon, kitang-kita ang epekto ng mahusay na gobyerno noong taong 2010-2015 sa edukasyon. Hanggang ngayon, bahagi pa rin ng sistema ng edukasyon sa Pilipinas ang K-12 na nagsimula noong panahon niyo. Sa pagsasaliksik ko nga, talaga namang pinagmamalaki ng pamahalaan ito, at tiwalang-tiwala sila rito sa puntong ginawa itong prayoridad para lang maranasan na ng lahat.

Dahil mataas na ang cost of living, ang K-12 ngayon ay nagbibigay sa amin ng pagkakataon para makapag-trabaho agad; sa sobrang bilis nga ng pagdating ng trabaho, ginawa nang 13 taong gulang ang edad para makapagtrabaho. At sa ibang bansa pa yun ha! Kung trabaho lang din naman, bakit pa ba kailangang pumasok ng kolehiyo? Kahit saan na nangangailangan ng taga-linis, taga-ayos, taga-luto, mapupuntahan namin.

Pero bago iyon, nag-aral muna kami sa mga paaralan na may K-12. Bata pa lang kami, tinuturuan na kami na ang edukasyon ay isang pribilehiyo. At dahil kasama kami sa mga pinalad, natuturuan kami ng kasaysayan ng US at ng China, dalawang bansang may hawak sa malalaking bahagi ng Pilipinas. Saka, ang bansang US at China rin naman ang kumukuha ng pinakamaraming empleyadong Pinoy, kaya’t mas mabuting pag-aralan ang kasaysayan nila kaysa ang sa Pilipinas.

Subalit ang higit na nagbibigay ng saya sa amin sa K-12 ay tuwing pinagbabasa kami ng mga akda ni Marcelo Santos III. Grabe, ang galing-galing pala niya, punong-puno ng emosyon yung pagkakasulat.

Pagdating naman sa kolehiyo, hindi na rin nakabatay sa interes ng mga estudyante ang itinuturo. Dahil ang tingin sa mga Pilipino ay magagaling na manggagawa, ang pamahalaan ay sinusunod na ang hiling ng mga dayuhang bansa. Kailangan ng OFW? Agad-agad tayong nagpapadala roon. Upang magkaroon ng pondo sa pagpapadala ng OFW, ibinenta na rin ng gobyerno ang mga research facilities at mga pamahalaan nito. Nakapaghanap na ng pondo, nakapagbigay pa sila agad ng trabaho sa mga mamamayan.Pero simula pa lang ito ng pagtulong sa amin ng pamahalaan. Sinisigurado rin nilang nasa mabuti kaming mga kamay kapag nagtatrabaho na.

Pagkatapos mong magkaroon ng sertipikasyong ikaw ay handa nang magtrabaho para sa mga dayuhan, sisiguraduhin naman ng pamahalaang ikaw ay rehistrado sa isang dayuhang pamilya o kompanya. Karamihan sa mga pamilya at kompanyang nagbibigay ng mga trabaho ay nasa mga bansang may mga matitinding batas. Nagiging disiplinado ang mga Pilipino dahil kung hindi, siguradong bitay ang aabutin nila. Wala ring kahit anong benepisyong ibinibigay ang mga kompanya, kaya’t natuturuan ang mga manggagawa na pangalagaan ang sarili nila.

Isinusulong din ng pamahalaang matuto ang mga manggagawang Pilipino na mamuhay mag-isa sa pamamaraan ng hindi pagtulong sa mga napupunta sa kulungan. Totoo nga naman, kung nasanay kang walang tutulong sa iyo kapag nagkamali ka, masasanay ka ring hindi magkamali.

Nagbago na rin ang pagtratrabaho sa loob ng bansa. Katulad ng Estados Unidos, kinakailangan na rin ng dalawa o tatlong trabaho para kumita ng pera. Importanteng may back up kang trabaho dahil lahat ng manggagawa ngayon sa bansa ay kontraktwal na.

Payapa na rin sa loob ng mga kompanya dahil tinatanggal lahat ng empleyadong nagsasabi ng masama tvvungkol sa mga boss nila. Ilan sa mga kompanyang naging tagapanguna nito ay ang Tanduay, Kentex, GMA, at iba pa. Upang maging mas disiplinado ang mga nagagalit na manggagawa, hindi rin sila makatatanggap ng sweldo kapag naglabas sila ng masasamang pahayag.

Upang dumami ang mga investor sa bansa, binago na rin ng pamahalaan ang konstitusyon para pumabor sa kanila. Marami na ring kompanya ang nagtatangal ng mga benepisyo sa kanilang manggagawa, upang mas makatipid at makasunod sa galaw ng ibang bansa.

Kasabay ng pag-usbong ng kontraktwal na trabaho ang napakamahal na mga bilihin. Sabi ng pamahalaan, sumusunod lamang ang merkado natin sa pandaigdigang merkado. Dagdag pa nila, mas mabuti pang humabol na lang din ang mga Pilipino sa pamamagitan ng mas maraming trabaho. Bukod pa, ang pagbaba ng pamahalaan sa gulang para maging manggagawa ay paraan para mas maagang makapag-ipon ang mga Pilipino.

Dahil gusto ng pamahalaan na makapagpokus sa ibang mga serbisyo, at dahil gusto ng pamahalaan na maging nagsasarili ang mga mamamayan, idineklara ng gobyerno na hindi nila prayoridad ang trabaho ng mga Pilipino, at iniwan na lang ito sa kamay ng kapitalismo. Hindi lang nakikita ang yaman ng bansa ngayon sa mga mag-aaral at manggagawa — makikita rin ito sa estado ng transportasyon. Lalong-lalo na sa mga kalsada at tren sa Metro Manila.

Katulad noong panahon ninyo, marami pa rin ang mga sasakyan sa kalsada, at sabi ng pamahalaan, isa raw itong manipestasyon ng karangyaan ng bansa at mga mamamayan nito. Nagpatuloy ang ganoong pag-unlad nayong hinaharap, sa pagdami pa ag mga pribadong sasakyan sa lipunan. Wala na ring rush hour dahil buong araw at gabi ay napupuno ang kalsada ng mga sasakyan. Walang patay na oras para sa mga kalsada ng Metro Manila at iba pang malalaking lungsod sa bansa dahil tanghalian man o madaling araw, mabagal ang usad ng mga sasakyan.

Bukod sa mga sasakyan, dumami na rin ang mga skyway kung saan mga pribadong sasakyan lang ang nakadaraan. Ang pagkakatayo rin ng mga skyway ang nagbigay daan sa pagtanggal ng mga informal settlers sa Metro Manila dahil halos lahat ay pinalayas para mapatayo ito. Natanggal na ang mga nakasisira ng view, nadagdagan pa ng skyway na mukhang nagpapayaman lalo sa bansa. Minsan nga akala mo hapon na, yun pala wala lang araw dahil nasa ilalim ka ng skyway.

Tila naging EDSA at C-5 na rin ang NLEX, SLEX, SCTEX, at iba pang daanan papunta sa iba’t ibang probinsya dahil sa lumalaking populasyon ng mga tao sa Pilipinas. Halos araw-araw, napupuno ng sasakyan ang kahabaan ng mga kalsadang ito. Ngunit masaya pa rin ang mga tao dahil tulad ng EDSA, halos bawat sulok ay napalitan na ng restaurant at mall, kapalit ng mga dating lupa ng magsasaka. ‘Yung SCTEX nga, parang pinalaking Maginhawa Street na ngayon sa dami ng kainan.

Sa kabilang banda, ang pagbuti ng kalagayan ng mga tren simula noong taong 2014 ay nagpatuloy hanggang ngayon. Ang mga tren na ginagamit simula pa noong nagbukas ang PNR, LRT, at MRT ay ginagamit pa rin ngayon, at lubos silang naging matibay. Sa katunayan, ang mga tren na iyon ngayon ay napagkakasya ang mas maraming tao sa loob, dagdag pa ang mga taong pinapasakay na rin sa ibabaw ng tren.

Ilan sa mga nagbago sa transportasyon ay ang pagkawala ng mga bus at tren sa mga kalsada. Paliwanag ng gobyerno, dahil na rin sa nagiging dahilan ang mga ito ng usok, kasabay pa na sa mga sasakyang ito nagkakaroon ng nakawan, ipinagbawal na lang ang mga sasakyang ito. Ang mga tao ngayon ay pinapapili kung uutang para makabili ng pribadong sasakyan, o sasakay sa mga tren.

CULTURE 07Volume 28 Number 19Thursday | June 25, 2015\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Ganito Kami Ngayon,Paano Kayo Noon? Hindi malayo ang sitwasyon ng edukasyon at transportasyon sa sitwasyon ng kalusugan dito sa hinaharap.

Katulad ng sitwasyon sa bansa dalawang dekada na ang nakalipas, umuunlad pa rin ang kalidad ng mga ospital sa bansa sa pamamagitan ng pribatisasyon. Hindi na nahihirapan ang mga pasyente sa tagal ng paglabas ng mga resulta ng lab tests dahil mas maganda at mabilis na gamit pang-ospital. Hindi na rin nagpapalipat-lipat

ang mga pasyente dahil halos lahat ng kagamitan na kailangan nila ay nasa mga mamahaling ospital ng gobyerno.

Hindi na rin mahaba ang pila dahil halos wala nang nagpapa-ospital. Dahil dito, bahagyang nabawasan ang populasyon ng bansa, isang malaking sagot sa malaking problema sa populasyon. Sumabay rin dito ang pagtaas ng presyo ng mga gamot. Subalit ang mataas na presyo ng gamot ay humantong sa pagiging immune ng mga tao sa sakit. Pagkatapos ng ilang buwan ng pagkakasakit at pagkamatay, hindi na kailangan pang magpagamot ng ilang mamamayan dahil kinaya na lang ito ng kanilang mga katawan.

Ang pagpapahalaga naman sa kaligtasan ng mga doktor, nars, at iba pang manggagamot ang nagtulak sa gobyerno para itigil ang anomang panggagamot sa mga kanayunan. Bagkus, binibigyan na lamang ang mga pamilya ng “allowance” na gagamitin namang pamasahe papuntang lungsod kapag may nagkakasakit.

Dahil na rin sa umuunting bilang ng mga nagkakasakit at nagpupunta sa ospital, unti-unti na ring nababawasan ang kita ng mga mmanggagamot sa bansa. Upang mabuhay, ang ilan ay nag-aaral muli ng ibang kurso kung saan mas kinakailangan ng mga manggagawa.

Kailangan talagang pasanin ng mga mamamayan ang pambayad sa ospital ng walang tulong sa gobyerno dahil walang may kasalanan ng kanilang pagkakasakit kung hindi sila mismo. Halimbawa, noong nagkasakit ang kapitbahay ko dahil sa paninigarilyo, kasalanan niya iyon. Hindi na sasagutin ng pamahalaan ang gastusin

kahit nasa pampublikong ospital siya dahil hindi naman pinilit ng pamahalaan na mag-yosi siya. Paraan na rin ito upang maging disiplinado ang mga Pilipino sa kanilang kalusugan.

Lahat ng tagumpay ngayon, tulad ng K-12, pag-export ng mga manggagawa, mas matinding trapik, matatandang mga tren, hanggang sa pribatisasyon ng mga ospital ay dahil sa masikhay na pagtatrabaho ng mga nasa gobyerno.

Isa sa mga nagsimula ng pagbabago ay ang paglaban sa korapsyon sa gobyerno. Sabi sa amin ng mga nakakatanda sa amin, nagsimula raw ito noong panahon ni Pangulong BS Aquino. Dagdag pa nila, marami nga raw sa mga natatamasa namin ngayong biyaya, tulad ng matinding trapik sa lahat ng kalsada at magandang

kurikulum sa edukasyon ay nagsimula noong panahon niya.

Sinimulan noon sa pagtatanggal ng kaaway sa politika, at ngayon, dahil ipinagpatuloy, halos buong gobyerno ay kapamilya o kaalyado ng dating Pangulong Aquino. Kapalit naman nito ang paubos na tiwaling opisyal sa gobyerno. Pagkatapos ng dalawang dekada, nawala ang mga tiwali at napalitan ng ayos ang gulo.

Maging ang mga kritikal na indibidwal at mga aktibistang grupo ay agad-agad ding ipinapakulong. Ipinatupad ito nang mainam ng pamahalaan — kung bawal magreklamo ang mga manggagawa sa kanilang mga amo, bawal ding magreklamo ang mga mamamayan sa gobyerno nito.

Sa usaping pinansyal ng gobyerno, malayo na rin ang narating natin dahil sa pamumuno ni Secretary Butch Abad at ng kanyang pamilya. Dahil patuloy na hinawakan ng kaniyang pamilya ang pinansya ng gobyerno mula kay Pangulong BS Aquino hanggang ngayon, may ilan nang umuunlad na lungsod, partikular ang mga lungsod na malapit sa pamilyang namumuno ng bansa. Marami tuloy ang mga taong naninirahan sa mga ganoong lungsod.

Ang tinipid ng gobyerno mula sa kalusugan ng trabaho ay napunta naman sa mga pinapagawang kulungan para sa mga kaaway sa politika at mga aktibista. Dahil may pondo na, mas naging mahirap na para sa mga nakakulong ang makalabas. Bukod sa kulungan, ang ilang pondo ay napunta na rin sa pagpapapunta ng mga

OFW sa ibang bansa para magtrabaho. Panghuli, ay ang pambayad utang ng bansa.

Sa galing nga ni Secretary Abad at ng kaniyang pamilya, ipinangalan na sa kanya ang maraming sentro ng komersyo sa bansa.

Minsan tuloy, sa dami ng nakikita kong tagumpay ng pamahalaan natin dito sa bansa, parang gusto kong maging bahagi nito. Napakalaking karangalan siguro ang magsilbi sa mga kababayan gamit ang ganitong mga proyekto, ang ganitong mga batas, na talaga namang nagpapawala sa mga mahihirap.

Tulad ng sinabi ko kanina, masaya kami ngayon. Napakaunlad. Kung pwede nga lang mamuhay sa panahong iyan, kung saan nagsisimula pa lang ang pribatisasyon ng mga ospital, K-12, maging ang idolo kong si Marcelo Santos III, ay gagawin ko.

Ang swerte niyo! Pero maswerte rin naman ako dahil ang hindi niyo paglaban pala ang susi sa matagumpay na krusada ng angkan ng mga Aquino, at ngayon, kaming mga anak niyo, ang nakakatanggap ng biyaya.

Sana nagustuhan niyo ang liham ko. Tiwala lang sa gobyerno ah! Sabi nga ng idolo ko, “Pakatatag kayo!”

-John Lloyd Dela Cruz

ANGELO DENNIS ALIGAGA AGDEPPA

DIBUHO NI MICHAEL LORENZ DUMALAOG RAYMUNDO

Author’s Note: Naaalala ko noon, sabi nila “Matuto tayo sa kasaysayan,” pero parang walang nakikinig at natututo sa mga nangyari kahapon. Kung darating kaya ngayon ang balita bukas, at ang balitang ito ay puno ng kalubusang ayaw nating mangyari, may makikinig at matututo na kaya?

08 FEATURES Volume 28 Number 19June 25, 2015 | Thursday

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

In the post-colonial society, concepts of sovereignty and citizenship are significant markers of statehood and independence. But for the Rohingya refugees who had lived on the borders, not only in terms of geographical territory but also in the social and economic spaces, these concepts have been nothing but instruments of exclusion, repression and exploitation.

The ExcludedThe Rohingya people was historically resettled in the old kingdom of Arakan, a tiny province at the edge of Southeast Asia and later became a part of Burma, which is now called Myanmar. After fluctuating states of slave trade, Arakan became known as the Rakhine state, a land where communal violence was a frequent occurrence. With warfare came the burden of relocating the Rohingya recruits. This has thrown them in conflicts of beliefs, issues of faith and the never-ceasing question of territorial boundaries vis a vis the original Rakhine settlers. Eventually, the Rohingya recruits were bigotedly classified as Rohingya refugees by the government of Burma.

Denials of citizenship were repeatedly experienced by the Rohingya refugees, with the Burmese government providing a declaration that the refugees were merely stateless. With no nation willing to vouch

for their

existence a n d

identification, the Rohingya r e f u g e e s were and are c o n t i n u a l l y stripped off of their basic

rights, and left with the option of being swept out of Burma or subjected into various programs of torture. The refugees chose to flee from the human right abuses and poverty. With only 32,000 registered Rohingya refugees, a sum of 800,000 Rohingya refugees has spread all over South East Asia.

The establishment of centralized systems in the form of states has created the hegemony of national cultures which resulted to the marginalization of ethnic minorities. Despite the celebration of citizenship as instrument of nationalism, in the case of Rohingya refugees, it served as an instrument of discrimination and domination.

The RepressedThe treatment received by the Rohingya refugees is cruel and unjust. They have even been appropriated graves by the Burmese government in an attempt to trap them into their doom and later deaths. Furthermore, if the Rohingya refugees were to return to their old homes, they were to be lethally injected or put into prison.

Despite these inhumane treatment the Rohingya refugees have received, little sympathy was ushered to them. Agreement within South East Asian nation circles dictated that the refugees not be given temporary shelters and

driven away, leaving them to rest on cracked boats and uncharted shores. They were repeatedly shunned by Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar. On the other hand, the remaining Rohingya

refugees in Myanmar were registered formally, but not without an exorbitant cost. Those who desired temporary residence in the Rakhine state were asked to pay a fee of $1000, only to be classified as an official refugee with no clear considerations of rights or citizenship. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights have declared this fee as a transaction to relieve the money allegedly stolen by some of the Rohingya refugees, despite having no evidence to support the claim.

Civilization has brought a drastic change not only on the modes of living

but also on the social power distribution.

In the

case of the Rohingya refugees, stature has been used to legitimize repression of the minority. State concepts has been prioritized over basic human rights.

The ExploitedThe Rohingya refugees paint a picture of what has been continually experienced by many refugees stripped off of basic human rights—unsheltered, unfed and untaken cared of by the government. Their case has resonated for different countries and different lifetimes, and yet, it remains unsolved, simply disguised with a sheen of ignoble ignorance.

The issue of the Rohingya refugees does not begin and end with territorial disputes—it extends upon discrimination, oppression of rights and racism. With the Buddhist Rakhine state people waging a battle against the beleaguered Rohingya refugees, or Rohingya Muslims, the administration chooses the majority over the minority and decides upon the bitter fate of the refugees. Moreover, the Rohingya refugees were entitled to a life of suffering under the regime of Burma, where they were forced to smuggle themselves from. Refusal to do so entailed bodily torture that could eventually lead to death, and the refugees faced this situation repeatedly.

The exploitation experienced by the refugees led to the decision to flee the country in hopes that they would find a new country to build their homes upon. However, this caused greater harm for the refugees, who found themselves with no access to medicine, food and shelter. Days and nights spent looking for welcoming shores left them hungered and beaten down, eventually dying, and their deaths in vain, as their search for their new home continues to be unfruitful.

National identity is an important ingredient of nationalism. It solidifies the people’s will towards nation-building and its defense against any form of intrusion. But more than nationalism is the common humanity of the peoples of the world. The ability to empathize to the plight of the Rohingya refugees as well as other ethnic minorities should be the primary drive of every nation in putting humanitarian cause above any statist concept.

The refugees run at the crack of dawn, run at the sight of the sun, run at the set of it. They are on a

run that seemingly never ends, an interminable loop in the cycle

that they have sought to escape. Their punishers are lurking, and the refugees are unable to keep the sight of the land they once habituated. For now, they

are unsheltered, mere thuds on the ground, rapid and rhythmic as the beat of their hearts.

ON TH

E RUN

The P

light

of th

e Roh

ingya

Refu

gees

K

ATR

INA

MA

RIA

LIM

PIA

DA

PE

RO

LIN

O

ILLU

ST

RAT

ION

BY

PAU

LIN

E S

AN

TIA

GO

TIO

SIN

GRAPHICS 09Volume 28 Number 19Thursday | June 25, 2015\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

10 OPINION Volume 28 Number 19June 25, 2015 | Thursday

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

FILIAL PIETYBALINTATAWJose Lorenzo Querol Lanuza

H I G I T S A D I P L O M A

BASAG-ULOLean Sandigan

My favorite philosopher, Nietzsche, once argued that

“one must have chaos within oneself to give birth to a dancing star.” To transform the world into a work of art, one must first transform himself into one. And to do that, one must recognize one’s individual identity—the reality of oneself. But how can I know my true ‘self,’ if my identity has always been connected to my father’s.

Since young, I have idolized my father. Every day he studies philosophy, sociology, theology, etc. He writes essays, and sharp criticisms, applying every theory and concept that he knows and not wasting even a single sentence. He is a dangerous man. His thinking can cut firm beliefs into pieces, and his words can inflict a deeper wound than a bullet. He is a great teacher, and a great father. I have always looked up to him. I dream that someday, I will be the one to satiate his appetite for knowledge. But as years passed, the disparity of our paths has reached the impossible. I feel like we can never see eye to eye. Compared to him, I’m just a worm, or rather an ape trying to become a

to be like him—these are the only paths I can take right now. But then, I have chosen both. And as I tread this path, I ask myself, am I still ‘me,’ or am I now just a combination of imposed identities—a realization of others’ desires?

For now, I may not find my own identity. I am not even sure whether this path is the right one to take. But now, I have come to realize that it is not my father that I need to overcome, but myself. And if I were to know my true self, then I must create my own path—my own flow of life—a self that is free from entanglement in other identities, and only then will I be free from anyone’s shadow, including my father’s. [That is the meaning of my life—to make myself a work of art—my very own masterpiece.]

For one’s masterpiece is one’s identity.

Until then, I shall follow my father’s path, learn everything I can from him, and eventually be able to get a step ahead of him. That is the greatest respect I can give to him as his son.

ON EMPATHYTHINK TWICEJamela Limbauan Bernas

I was suddenly awakened from my slumber, and the brutal process of

peeling myself off from my bed had to be overcome.

The realization that I am going to be late again slapped me across my cheek, and I instinctively rebuked myself, “Late ka na naman. Feeling mo na naman importante ka. Magsisimula ang mundo nang wala ka. Bakit kasi hindi ka nagising?” But instead of getting ready at a supersonic speed, I heaved a sigh of despondency, and bathed myself in a deceitful mantra. I already knew that a 10-minute snooze meant an additional 45 minutes at the LRT, and another stain on my punctuality. But who could resist 10 minutes of rest, ignorance, and bliss in this fast-paced world who waits for nothing and no one except the relevant?

And when the stress becomes too much, when my prospects are not lightening up, I am haunted by the immense desire of dropping everything to go backpacking. Sometimes, I just want to take on a new name, a new identity, and a new life, and just be free of the drama I’ve been cornered into. Yet I still manage to end up

daydreaming, wishing my days away on my bed. I have lost count of the times I assured myself that I am not the only one suffering, and that there are people who are even more brutally crushed by their circumstances. But that thought, as I have realized, does not provide any comfort. Aside from the backlash on my morality that I take solace on other people’s suffering, the

fact that they are struggling, like me, does not deny my own reality. Forms of invisible violence continuously tear us apart, and they go unnoticed because they are considered conditions to living the life we covet.

Sometimes, when you fall into depression because of your inability to sustain all the emotional, physical, and mental activities imposed by the demands of our highly competitive society, you’re accused of being too

sensitive, and weak. With all the resources within your reach (but not at your disposal), failure to attain and utilize them makes you incompetent. Everything becomes your fault. Blame the system, and it will push back its responsibilities on you.

This is the same reality that told you earlier on that it is okay to dream, but attached to it is a conditionality; you have to earn the right amount of capital first. We live in a society that tells us we are all special, but we later on realize that Social Darwinism has always been at play, that only the fittest can survive. Our world calls depression a mere failure of will. Inequality has turned into an acceptable fact for we attribute everything to our fate. And to be slighted by this injustice makes you naive, childish and egotistical. And it is your fault if you become indignant.

Sometimes, it is a real challenge stopping yourself from lunging at the people who suggest that you take a breather. It is as if they do not know that nowadays, if you blink, you’ll miss everything. Running late because of LRT system failure? Kiss goodbye to

“I MUST CREATE MY OWN PATH—MY OWN FLOW OF LIFE—A SELF THAT IS FREE FROM ENTANGLEMENT IN OTHER IDENTITIES, AND ONLY THEN WILL I BE FREE FROM ANYONE’S SHADOW

human—a second-rate, if you may. It is my only wish to succeed him. For the greatest respect I could ever give to my father is to overcome him.

For years, I have been trying to find my true self. Whenever people ask me if I’m the son of a renowned

professor in UP, I feel like I do not have my own name—a self—that I cannot exist without him. It is as if my identity cannot be recognized without first recognizing him. People expect me to become like my father. People expect me to do what he does. People expect me to be greater than him. Like sons and daughters have no other choice but to succeed their parents. To be, or

“NOWADAYS, IF YOU BLINK, YOU’LL MISS EVERYTHING

Graduate ka ng UP? Eh ano ngayon?

Bawat taon, maraming estudyante ang nagtatapos sa pamantasang ito. Pero sa dami ng mga nakakakuha ng diploma, ganoon din ba karami ang talagang mga natuto?

Ang sagot ay hindi. Walang kinalaman ang diploma at pagtatapos “on time” imbes na “in time.” Wala ring kinalaman ang sweldong matatanggap ng isang UP grad pagkatapos ng ilang taon, o kung natuloy ba siya sa pagiging doktor o abogado, o tuluyan nang hindi.

Sa huli, hinuhulma na nito ang pagtingin kung saan nakikita lamang ang pag-aaral bilang pataasan ng marka, at pabilisang makamit ito.

Totoong masalimuot ang buhay sa UP. Sa isang komunidad na napupuno ng mga dalubhasa, hindi mo maiiwasang ibigay ang lahat para lang tingalain ka ng iyong mga kaibigan at kakilala. Subalit hindi ito ang esensiya ng pag-aaral sa ating pamantasan. Hindi nakikita sa sulat ng papel ang halaga ng karanasang makukuha mo.

Ako na mismo ang magsasabi: Hindi ka talunan kapag wala kang natanggap na award, o kapag na-delay ka sa pamantasang ito.

Ang tunay na halaga ng pag-aaral sa UP at iba pang pamantasan sa bansa ay para matutong mag-isip at makipagtunggali ang isang estudyante sa kaniyang sarili at magtagumpay. Bagamat madalas ang debate sa pagitan ng mga estudyante bilang bahagi ng kurikulum, ang UP, ay mananatiling isang lugar para makatunggali ang sarili.

Ang pagkatuto sa UP ay ang pagka-uhaw sa karunungang magbabago sa sarili at sa lipunan. Tunay na UP graduate ang isang taong alam na hindi nagtatapos ang pag-aaral sa pagkamit ng kanyang diploma.

Ang pagkatuto sa UP ay ang pagtanggap na kailanman, hindi natatapos ang problema, na darating at darating ito sa iba’t ibang anyo at iba’t ibang pagkakataon. Tunay na mag-aaral ang patuloy na pagdaloy ng kritikal na pag-iisip, kasama ng prinsipyadong pagdedesisyon at pakikibaka.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03 IPAG PATULOY SA PAHINA 03

EDITORIAL 11Volume 28 Number 19Thursday | June 25, 2015\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Signals have not yet signified the start, but the strategies have

already been laid out open. And even before it should, the siege towards the most aspired seats in the government has already begun.

The upcoming 2016 Philippine Elections could already be felt with numerous political advertisements being aired in the media. From flagging their ‘achievements’ as incumbent political leaders to throwing honorable descriptions of themselves, the aspirants meet in the common ground of promising the same aim to people—to give good governance that will lead the nation to progress.

But despite the question of premature campaigning in the barrage of political advertisements, COMELEC stated that there are no grounds that could sanction the leaders since no one has yet filed a Certificate of Candidacy—a requirement to consider, as stated in the Section 38 of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC). And while the laws of the current laws in the Philippines regarding premature campaigning remain loose, no resolutions have been enacted to aid the gap of the code. The lack of strong laws regarding campaigning that these leaders are still able to go as far as to circumvent and take advantage of the loopholes of the OEC, in the process of assuring that their names and said accomplishments would be embedded in the minds of the people.

Issues regarding the frequency of provincial visits of eyed presidential candidates have also resurfaced as early as 2014, with the leaders accusing each other of premature campaigning. The prevalent personality politics in the country became a foyer for candidates to visit and stretch their popularity. In essence, these officials have forgotten the real purpose of overseeing the different provinces in the country, which is to assess the problems in the area, and come up with solutions.

However, regardless of their success in assessing the problems of the areas they visit, the notoriety of when these visits occur is a slap of truth: that the Filipinos are only remembered a year before elections.

With all the clamor before the filing of candidacy, the possible presidential candidates are placed in the boiling water. For instance, Senator Grace Poe has been facing questions regarding her residency in the country, and Vice President Jejomar Binay has been put in the spotlight with his issues of corruption back as the mayor of Makati. Schemes regarding anti-corruption has also been seemingly one-sided, as the usual officials facing the charges are

those coming from the opposition. The remaining months prove that instead of focusing on their job, most of the officials are really focused on retaining their position or going up the ranks.

In the midst of leaders blasting each other of different accusations and questions anchored towards the elections, current national and social issues have continuously been neglected. By merely being a government concerned with the elections, the current administration continues to turn a blind eye on the real key issues in the country—the existing and rampant poverty and social inequality.

What remains as a concern is that the running politicians for the 2016 elections have mostly been the same politicians who were elected in the past—the same politicians who have incessantly promised progress to the people. But it is apparent that the Philippines has remained backward in the hands of these leaders. The platforms that have resonated on their advertisements have proven to be nothing but facades, fooling the citizens who have instilled trust on them through votes. The different scams that have surfaced in the current administration has also only proven that most of the government

officials have not kept true to their word of not subjecting themselves to corruption. Moreover, the present state of the society has not improved, and good governance has never been delivered to the people who are still left to suffer the dire living conditions in the country.

The truth that the image of an impoverished Philippine society remains unchanged cannot be hidden, under the hands of these officials who have promised progress in their past campaigns, and are most likely to say the same in the upcoming elections. But no matter how early the campaign or how groomed the politicians are, it still drains down to

the judgement on who served true, or on who is capable of preserving their mandate of serving the people.

Amidst the jingles and advertisements that scream of the ‘aims’ and the ‘successes’ of the aspirants, what the nation needs are progressive leaders who will genuinely uphold the rights and welfare of the people. And above all the superficial siege of the officials to hold their seats, the real fight rests in the fight of the people—the fight towards having a government that will truly render its service to the nation.

WHAT THE NATION NEEDS ARE PROGRESSIVE LEADERS WHO WILL

GENUINELY UPHOLD THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE

BEYOND THE BARRAGE

LIZETTE JOAN CAMPAÑA DALUZ

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFAngelo Dennis Aligaga Agdeppa

ASSOCIATE EDITOR FOR INTERNAL AFFAIRSPatrick Jacob Laxamana Liwag

ASSOCIATE EDITOR FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRSElizabeth Danielle Quiñones Fodulla

MANAGING EDITORCarlo Rey Resureccion Martinez

ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITORJennah Yelle Manato Mallari

NEWS EDITOR Ronilo Raymundo Mesa

FEATURES EDITORAngelica Natividad Reyes

CULTURE EDITORJamilah Paola dela Cruz Laguardia

GRAPHICS EDITORLizette Joan Campaña Daluz

NEWS CORRESPONDENTSEzra Kristina Ostaya Bayalan

Adolf Enrique Santos GonzalesEunice Biñas Hechanova

Arthur Gerald Bantilan QuiranteGayle Calianga Reyna

Sofia Monique Kingking Sibulo

FEATURES CORRESPONDENTSLiezl Ann Dimabuyu Lansang

CULTURE CORRESPONDENTSJosef Bernard Soriano De Mesa

Pia Kriezl Jurado HernandezJose Lorenzo Querol Lanuza

Gabrielle Marie Melad SimeonThalia Real Villela

RESIDENT ILLUSTRATORSMaria Catalina Bajar Belgira

Jamela Limbauan BernasDaniel John Galinato Estember

Princess Pauline Cervantes HablaJoanne Pauline Ramos Santos

RESIDENT PHOTOJOURNALISTJenny Mary Camama Dagun

OFFICE4th Floor Student Center Building,

University of the Philippines Manila,Padre Faura St. corner Ma. Orosa St.,

Ermita, Manila 1000

EMAILthemanilacollegian@gmail.com

WEBSITESissuu.com/manilacollegian

www.facebook.com/themanilacollegianwww.twitter.com/mkule

themanilacollegian.tumblr.com

MEMBER

Illustration by Jose Paolo Bermudez reyes

The Cover

College Editors Guild of the Philippines

Solidaridad - UP Systemwide Alliance of Student Publications

and Writers’ Organizations

Layout by Joma Michiko Cruz Kaimoto

As victims of poverty and unemployment,

majority of Filipinos resort to selling their labor in low-paying, low-ventilated, and

mercenary factories. They tend to endure extra hours of exhausting their limbs and exerting their

efforts in order to survive, only to be deprived of their basic human

rights.

OBJECTIONLast May 13, 2015, the nation was shocked by

a 7-hour factory fire that killed 72 people, one of the worst fire incidents

of recent time in the Philippines in terms of casualties.

In September 2014, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) declared that Kentex complies with general labor and occupational safety standards and that the factory had undergone fire safety inspection by the Bureau of Fire Protection, to which it has passed. However, according to the report released by several non-government organizations (NGOs) including Center for Trade Union and

Human Rights (CTUHR), the Institute for Occupational Health and Safety

Development IOHSAD), Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and

Research (EILER), and Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), “violations of standards

pertaining to general labor conditions and to occupational health and safety” was committed by Kentex which had possibly

led to the fire incident. In addition, according to IOHSAD, the

fact that majority or 69 workers died on the second floor of the building, where there is a claimed functioning fire escape contradicts the claims by

the factory owner and the Labor Department that Kentex has

complied with labor standards, building requirements

and fire and safety requirements.

I t was reported that the

K e n t e x mishandled and misused the chemical Super Seal, which is used as a rubber emulsifier. From the survivors’ account, the said containers of newly-delivered flammable chemicals (called Super Seal) were not stored and labeled properly. Making matters worse, these chemicals were placed near welders of an adjacent factory who were working at the time. It is concluded that the cause of the fire is the welding spatter, reacting with the improperly stored chemicals on the ground floor. This is a violation of Rule 1943.07 of the Philippine Occupational Health and Standards which says that significant quantities of commodities with fire hazards greater than ordinary combustible commodities shall be separated from the main bulk by fire walls. Furthermore, the Kentex Corporation showed no proper fire exits which is a clear violation of Rule 1943.03 of the Philippine Occupational Health and Standards. The factory only had two available gates—one for the workers and one for the delivery trucks—which proved to be useless. The other gate was even closed during the fire. The windows are said to be covered with grills and chicken wires which made escaping impossible. Survivors said that they heard no fire alarms and when asked if they remember any fire and safety drill, they confided that they don’t even know if there was one.

If these had been pointed out in the first place during the construction and DOLE’s inspection, such catastrophe could have been evaded. However, with these glaring violations, it could be inferred that inspections were not even really carried out — certificates of labor standards and safety compliance became mere instruments of deceit.

ABJECTIONKentex is a rubber slippers manufacturing company owned by Mr. Beato Ang and Mr. Ong King Guan. According to bulatlat.com, it is one of those manufacturing companies which only regularizes workers after 20-25 years of service. Reportedly, Kentex workers only receive the minimum wage, and some received even below it. Moreover, 104 casual workers were illegally hired by a subcontracting agency which DOLE claims to possess patent violation of labor laws. Furthermore, their social security, health and housing contributions were never remitted by their recruitment

agency. Some workers are even said to be hired on a piece-rate basis and are required to work for 12 hours. Severe discomfort in the workplace was also evident as the “workers complain that they have to bear the heat inside the factory during work hours as there is no proper ventilation in the factory. They claim that they get tired of work not because of the heavy workload but because of the heat inside the factory premises.”

Recently, DOLE has been said to issue a compliance order to compel the Kentex Corp., to pay at least P7.8 million in underpaid wages to 99 workers hired through an illegal subcontractor. But the damage has been done. Furthermore, it is DOLE’s Department Order 18-A (DO 18-A) which legalized contractualization — an employment scheme where a worker gets a job for only a fixed period, usually less than six months per contract. It is a scheme which clearly gives advantage to the employer as they are able to avoid regularization which for them means less profits. On the other hand, it serves

as a curse to the contractual worker as the lack o f regularization equates to lower wage, no job security and no retirement benefits. In the due course, all will remain the same until the government lifts its contractualization policy on labor. Otherwise, more and more Filipinos will be subjected in low-paying death traps with no promises of survival.

More than Kentex, it is the accountability of the government to strictly enforce labor standards and the protection of workers’ rights. But in a country where the government favors foreign and local capitalists more than its people, policies protecting and upholding the workers’ rights remain in paper and lip service. Workers remain objects of production abjected to dire living conditions.

The labor sector remains marginalized and underserved.

ASSESSING THE LABOR VIOLATIONS OFT H E K E N T E X F A C T O R Y D E A T H T R A P

CHLOE PAULINE REYES GELERA AND JENNAH YELLE MANATO MALLARI ILLUSTRATION BY JAZMINE CLAIRE MARTINEZ MABANSAG