The Official Student Publication of the University of the Philippines Manila. Volume 25, Number 4 Monday, July 25, 2011

Transcription

1 SPECIAL ISSUE The Official Student Publication of the University of the Philippines Manila Volume 25, Number 4 Monday, July 25, 2011

2 02 NEWS S C, D O J P r o b e o n M i s s i n g A c t i v i s t s AFP, PNP Considered Prime Suspects Deonah Abigail Lugo Miole Following the Supreme Court s (SC) order for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to release missing students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan, retired general Jovito Palparan sworn on his counter-affidavit before Department of Justice (DOJ) on July 19. Meanwhile, SC also ordered the AFP and the Philippine National Police - Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP CIDG) to investigate the disappearance and find farmer activist Jonas Burgos. Palparan: Not Guilty Palparan firmly denied the charges pressed against him by the missing students mothers, Concepcion Empeño and Erlinda Cadapan, and maintained that he was not involved in the abduction in his 7-page counter affidavit. Inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment were never the policy of the AFP and for that matter by the 7th Infantry Division which I then headed, Palparan stated in his affidavit. Furthermore, Palparan added that there is not enough evidence to back the accusations against him. Do they have competent and convincing evidence other than allegations which are mere conjectures and speculations? So far, there is none. Remember that accusations are not synonymous with guilt, he said. The mothers of Cadapan and Empeño had already anticipated that Palparan and the other men would deny the charges filed against them. Unable to hold her anger, Mrs. Cadapan shouted at Palparan during the hearing. Mothers cry: Not giving up In May, families of Cadapan and Empeño filed criminal complaints of rape, serious physical injuries, arbitrary detention, maltreatment of prisoners, grave threats, grave coercion, as well as other violations to the Republic Act 7438, also known as An Act Defining Certain Rights of Persons Arrested, Detained or Under Custodial Investigation against Palparan. Other military men were also charged along with Palparan, namely Lt. Col. Rogelio Boac, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado, 2Lt. Fracis Mirabelle Samson, Arnel Enriquez, Master Sergeant Donald Caigas, and Master Sergeant Rizal Hilario, among others. Prior to the hearing on July 19, Palparan strongly denied accusations before the preliminary investigation held at the DOJ. What will you admit, if there is nothing to admit? he quipped. Having recently reached the 5th year of disappearance, mothers of Cadapan and Empeño are still calling for the surface and are still searching for their beloved daughters. CEGP Condemns Press Repression; Celebrates 80th Year YodHim GudEl Gepty Dela Rosa and Beanca Jhanine Mulato Samiano To continue the struggle against campus press repression, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), the longest running and widest alliance of student publications in Asia-Pacific, together with college and student based publications across the country, held a series of campaigns to uphold the student s rights to free campus journalism so as to prevent the occurrence of further press violations in celebration for its 80th anniversary on July 25. Pursuit for Genuine Press Freedom According to CEGP National President Trina Melissa Federis, a great number of harassment and campus press repression are still prevalent due to the futile and inefficient Campus Journalism Act of 1991 We will not stop seeking for justice. We will not stop until the perpetrators are punished. I cannot settle with the fact that I can only embrace my daughter in my dreams, Mrs. Cadapan asserted. Cadapan and Empeño were allegedly abducted in Hagonoy, Bulacan, on June 26, SC to AFP: Produce Jonas Burgos According to CHR, they have found evidence that a certain 1st Lt. Harry Baliaga Jr. of the Army s 56th Infantry Battalion is alleged to be the principal abductor of Burgos. Moreover, Burgos mother, Edith Burgos called for President Benigno Simeon Aquino III s attention, pleading for him to issue a direct order to the AFP to release her son. Mrs. Burgos also said that this is Aquino s opportunity to really clean up the ranks of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. PNP, however, admitted that they are facing a blank wall regarding the disappearance of Burgos, who was abducted on April 28, 2007 in a mall in Quezon City. Struggles against Repression To convey the journalist s struggles on press repression and the worsening situation of education in the Philippines, the student publications across the country held the Campus Press Freedom Week from July 18 to 25. Studes staged a walkout on July 19 as a form of assertion of their rights to education and other basic social services. See full story on Page 3. Photo courtesy of Ehcel Hurna. We continue to be burdened with campus press freedom violations, including harassment of publication staffers, censorship and even military surveillance. For the last school year, the national office documented 187 cases of campus press repression from 44 publication respondents said Federis. She also pointed out that these violations and the problems of student journalists are also an effect of the worsening crisis on education due to the Pres. Aquino s anti-student policies. The crackdown on student publications was nothing less systematic, as student journalists continue to expose and oppose policies such as tuition and other fees increase. One of the most glaring examples is the withholding of the publication fund, and more often than not, this is the case with the most critical of student publications stated Federis. at the face of campus press repression, the only way to assert for our rights is through collective efforts added Federis. The Campus Press Freedom Week should provide student journalists with the avenues to inform their fellow students of the worsening crisis in education. It will also be a venue in which student journalists can express their indignation over the Aquino administration s incompetence in addressing people s issues, especially as his second State of the Nation Address is approaching, said CEGP National Deputy Secretary General.Cristopher Pasion. In collaboration with the CEGP s 80th anniversary, college publications gathered in the National University (NU) to formally start the event through a Pubs Baha. The event focused on the re-opening of The National, the university s official student publication and also a founding member of the Guild which was then closed during the Martial Law period. There is a need to re-open the National because students have to be armed with the knowledge to assert their rights amid policies that restrict access to quality education asserted Federis. As participation in the event, The Manila Collegian, the official student publication of the University of the Philippines Manila and a member of CEGP, also conducted an exhibit at the College of Arts and Sciences Gusaling Andres Bonifacio Lobby.

3 NEWS 03 Y S S t a g e s N a t i o n w i d e W a l k o u t Studes oppose Aquino s neglect on Education Kathleen Trinidad Guiang Condemning the government s failure in addressing the concerns of the education sector, thousands of students from different universities and colleges walked out from their classes on July 19 in preparation for President Benigno Simeon Aquino III s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 25. The action was joined by progressive organizations such as League of Filipino Students, Student Christian Movement, College Editor s Guild of the Philippines, Anakbayan, Kabataan Partylist (KPL), Bayan Muna, Gabriela, and Kabataang Artista Para sa Tunay na Kalayaan, among others. The youth sector (YS) marched from outside the University of Santo Tomas towards Mendiola to show their protests against the neglect of the government to attend to the problems of the education system in the country. Students from private and state universities and colleges such as University of the Philippines Manila (UPM), Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippine Normal University, UP Diliman, Rizal Technological University, and Far Eastern University took part in the walkout. Genuine State of the Nation After the continuous budget cuts and tuition increases on State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) for the past years, KPL Representative Raymond Palatino said that one of the movement s goals is to make an impact on the upcoming budget talks between the Department of Budget and Management and Aquino. Our united resolve to push for a sufficient budget increase for our SUCs will impact SONA and the budget talks. If we need to mobilize ourselves for another massive strike to make President Aquino listen, then so be it, claimed Palatino. Regarding the assertion for an increase on the SUCs budgets, UPM College of Arts and Sciences Student Council Chairperson Mudir Ahmad Estrella stated that every cent spent by the citizens through taxation must go to the right sectors which are social services, health, and education. Meanwhile, despite the claims that the implementation of the K-12 program will be the answer to the increasing unemployment rate in the country, the YS sees it as a problem on the education system since this brings the interest of the basic and tertiary education to a clash. Mali naman talaga na pinagbabangga niya yung interest nung basic education at ng tertiary education. Dahil if education is really your priority, dapat lahat ng levels ay pinoprotektahan mo, dahil yun yung gina-guarantee sa atin ng constitution na education is a right at all levels and the state shall promote such provisions, Estrella stated. Furthermore, the YS also expressed their protests on state abandonment, primarily on the price hikes on basic services and commodities, as well as the welfare of the people. Pagod na yung mga kabataan na hintayin na tuparin [ni Aquino] yung mga pangako niya sa atin. Actually, yung mga pangako niya sa atin ay binaliktad niya pa. Andyan yung sunod-sunod na pagtaas ng bilihin na hindi na makontrol. Nagpapakita ito na walang kakayahan ang gobyerno na i-secure yung welfare ng mamamayan. Kaya naman, yung walkout ng mga kabataan ay hindi lang para pamantasan niya. Para rin ito sa bayan dahil ramdam niya at bahagi siya nung bayan na pinagsasamantalahan at naghihirap, said UPM University Student Council Vice-chairperson Cleve Robert Arguelles. In line with the upcoming SONA of Aquino, the youth and the students reveal the true state of the nation. Anakbayan National Chairperson Vencer Crisostomo asserted that the real state of the nation is a poor, hungry and deprived one. The conditions of the Filipino youth have worsened after a year. The promise of change was clearly a farce. No real change has been instituted in terms of providing access to education and a decent future for the youth, we have instead seen budget cuts for education and social services to favor corruption, military and foreign debt spending, he stated. SC Ruling Favors HLI FWBs: The Biggest Betrayal of a Lifetime Alyssa Nicole Cacho Gratil Farmer-worker beneficiaries (FWBs), along with church leaders and advocates, condemned the Supreme Court (SC) ruling which called for the holding of a referendum which enabled the FWBs to choose between a parcel of land or a share of stocks, following the revocation of the 1989 stock distribution plan for the 6,296 farmers of Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI). SC Ruling Partial on Revocation During the hearing on July 5, the SC voted 6-4, upholding the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) revocation. SC spokesman Midas Marquez clarified that 10 of the justices stood for the revocation, yet their opinions differ in the way it should be implemented. Associate Justices Arturo Brion, Martin Villarama Jr., Jose Catral Mendoza, and Maria Lourdes Sereno affirmed the direct redistribution of land to the FWBs, saying that the land in question should be put under the coverage of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. The six remaining justices which formed the majority of the vote, however, want the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to re-conduct a referendum among the 6,296 FWBs, asking them to choose whether they want to remain as HLI stockholders or not. Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco Jr., Teresita Leonardo de Castro, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano del Castillo, Jose Perez, and Roberto Abad contested that the PARC revocation only covered its approval of the stock distribution order (SDO), but not the SDO Agreement as a contract between HLI and the FWBs. As a result, the power over the FWBs and their maintenance to the SDO was still left to HLI. In addition, the six justices stated that the Court cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that in 1989, 93 percent of the FWBs agreed to the SDO Agreement, which was the primary ground for PARC to approve the SDO. As a result of the voting, the application of the referendum was favored. FWBs are now faced with the choice of keeping their standing stocks at the HLI or getting the part of land equivalent to their shares. The argument given by the SC justices held up the HLI. The ruling failed to set the SDO revocation aside, and in turn gave HLI another opportunity to direct the referendum. The farmer and workers relayed their past, claiming that the firm influenced and controlled them in 1989 and under HLI s own-supervised referendum in As a new compromise referendum was presented, the farmers and workers of Hacienda Luisita became more apprehensive. FWBs, Leaders Slam SC Decree Farmer-worker groups dubbed the SC ruling as bigay sa kaliwa, bawi sa kanan, as it presented subtle opportunities for the HLI to maintain their authority over the FWBs. Upon reading the majority s decision, agrarian reform leaders say that the justices based their decisions mainly on legal points and seemingly overlooked the importance of agrarian reform as an act of social justice. The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas condemned the ruling, calling it the biggest betrayal of a lifetime, as it might Unity in Action. Students from different colleges and universities walked out from their classs to condemn the government s neglect on the education sector on July 19. Photo courtesy of Ehcel Hurna Furthermore, Arguelles stated that the walkout will not be the last action that would express the students fight for the universities greater state subsidy, the nation s right to basic social services, and the country s state in the future. Kaya nga sa darating na July 25, pupunta pa tayo doon sa SONA niya para maipakita talaga na mabait tayong mga iskolar ng bayan at nais natin siyang tulungan na makita talaga yung tunay na kalagayan ng sambayanan, Arguelles concluded. be considered far worse than the 2004 Hacienda Luisita massacre. Advocates believe that this action will only feed the agrarian uproar in the hacienda instead of ending the half-century-old conflict between the HLI and the farmer workers. FWBs Two-decade Clash vs. HLI In retrospect, the HLI management asked for the SDO in 1989, which the PARC approved, allowing the HLI to distribute 18, shares of stocks to FWBs, instead of giving them a half-hectare of land. According to Bayan Muna Partylist Representative and President Satur Ocampo s statement in an editorial, more than a decade later, beneficiaries complained that the SDO only worsened the FWBs quality of life rather than uplift them from their meager situation. In 2005, farm workers petitioned the revocation of the said order to the DAR and asked to just distribute the land they till. As a response, PARC voided their 1989 approval to the SDO and ordered the redistribution of land to the FWBs. Acting on their side, HLI petitioned the SC to issue a restraining order on DAR and to reserve PARC s SDO revocation. The HLI was privileged, and the PARC order was kept back for five years. It remained untouched and unnoticed until August last year when the SC became aware of the verbal arguments of both sides.

4 04 NEWS State of Negligence and Abandonment As the novelty of his illustrious campaign slogan: Matuwid na Daan wore off a year after his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Benigno S. Aquino III s noble promise of building a better nation seemed to have merely earned the disappointment of the masses. Maganda na po ang nasimulan natin. At mas lalong maganda po ang mararating natin... After tackling issue of graft and corruption, lambasting the injustices of the previous administration, and promising growth through economic and social reforms in his first SONA, the state still suffers under same old problems of unemployment, poverty, and social injustice. Demonstrating a Trace of Incompetence Matagal pong naligaw ang pamahalaan sa daang baluktot. Arawaraw po, lalong lumilinaw sa akin ang lawak ng problema na ating namana. Damang-dama ko ang bigat ng aking responsibilidad. A large bulk of Aquino s public report highlighted his attacks to the previous administration. He, however, seemed to fall short of populace s expectations. As such, Aquino boasted of the Truth Commission that shall render justice towards former president and now Pampanga representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The commission was to be the first executive order of Aquino, to be headed by former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. Hahanapin natin ang katotohanan sa mga nangyari diumanong katiwalian noong nakaraang siyam na taon. On December 8, 2010, however, the Supreme Court (SC) affirmed that the Truth Commission as unconstitutional, and regarded it as a redundancy and repetition of the function of the Office of the Ombudsman. In addition to that, the SC argued against its specification to tackle only the cases of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and no other government official. The failure of the foundation of the Truth Commission as a justice-seeking body implies that the present administration has failed to make the past administration accountable for its misdeeds. Moreover, the culture of impunity still reigns as Arroyo still retains her political power and unaccountability from the humongous crimes and anomalies she comitted. Blind Justice under Aquino Government Singkuwenta porsyento po ng mga insidente ng extralegal killings ang patungo na sa kanilang resolusyon. Ang natitira pong kalahati ay hindi natin tatantanan ang pag-usig hanggang makamit ang katarungan. Pananagutin natin ang mga mamamatay-tao. Pananagutin din natin ang mga corrupt sa gobyerno. Despite the fact that a year has already passed since Aquino vowed to prosecute Arroyo and her cronies, justice remains blind to the victims of her injustices and impunity. With the slow-paced due process of cases, the administration failed to protect and uphold justice and human rights. Hacienda Luisita farmers complained that Aquino s ascendancy to presidency made no difference at all. As there had been no significant changes in their daily life a year after he won, Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid ng Timog-Katagalugan Secretary General Axel Pinpin remarked peasants are still landless and landlords like Aquino continuously exploit from their toil. In addition, along with other political cases and human rights violations such as abductions, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances under the previous leadership, the injustices committed during the Aquino administration from July 2010 March 2011 approximately amounted to 30 cases, 10 more than Arroyo s first nine years as president. The peasantry and the other victims of extrajudicial killings underwent the slack justice system in the country. Others, however, are still to profess justice from their perpetrators. Aquino s rule, thus, is an apparent testimony that his government is also susceptibly predisposed to committing injustices and engendering inequality. Feeble Calls for Peace Talks Tungkol naman po sa CPP-NPA-NDF: handa na ba kayong maglaan ng konkretong mungkahi, sa halip na pawang batikos lamang? Aquino claimed that the government is always ready for peace talks. In a simultaneous broadcast by the bulatlat.ph, research director Sonny Africa said that the CPP-NPA-NDF has already laid a set of conditions for the peace talks, namely, respect for human rights and international Humanitarian Law, socio-economic reforms, political constitutiuonal reforms, and ceasefire and dispostion of forces. Mon Gabriel Posadas Distor and Angela Mariz Ulep Caudal Albeit the Aquino government extended diplomacy among rebel groups through peace talks, a great number of extajudicial killings and other human rights violation among those derogatorily labeled as leftists, indicates that the administration is negligent not only to human rights but also to the lives of his countrymen. Mirroring Arroyo s Deplorable Policies Sa susunod na buwan ay maghahain tayo ng budget na kumikilala nang tama sa mga problema, at magtutuon din ng pansin sa tamang solusyon. In a year after his first SONA, Aquino, however, did otherwise. Instead of granting priority over basic services such as health and education, Aquino s policy actions and schemes exhibited partiality towards debt servicing and national defense. Continuing GMA s distorted fiscal policies, Aquino placed a higher allotment for debt servicing due to previous regime s questionable debts, debt servicing and the public debt stock which forced the country to pay Php634 billion in debt service between July 2010 and April P 8 billion more than the equivalent previous period under the Arroyo administration. Hence, this inevitably contributed to the economic decline of the country. Much to the apprehension of the public, the administration s blueprint of agenda for the country, as encapsulated in its Philippine Development Plan , is substantially the reflection of GMA: stick to globalization policies implemented over the last decades and selectively implement social protection programs especially conditional cash transfers (CCTs). The CCT 29.6 billion peso budget for 2011 targets a mere 4.3 million, a far cry from the reality of 65 million poor Filipinos. Moreover, a part of the budget shall be borrowed from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank. IBON Foundation slammed the CCTs as a smokescreen for globalization, saying that when in fact, the government is paying 1 peso for every 4 peso in cash given out and is paying US$5 for every US$4 in foreign loans taken out. IBON described the cash dole-outs to be unsustainable, expensive, and relief without reform. Privatizing Basic Rights Oras na maipatupad ang public-private partnerships, mapopondohan ang mga serbisyong panlipunan, alinsunod sa ating plataporma... Magkakapondo na po para maipatupad ang mga plano natin sa edukasyon... Mapapalawak natin ang basic education cycle mula sa napakaikling sampung taon tungo sa global standard na labindalawang taon... Madadagdagan natin ang mga classroom... Aquino has repeatedly stressed the importance of the private sector in socio-economic reforms particularly in the education sector. Furthermore, aiming to make the country business friendly, he planned to lessen the workload of filing business permits. While the Department of Education was bestowed the largest appropriation for primary and secondary levels during GMA s term - roughly 11% of the total budget, Aquino gave an extreme reduction to it. The budget for state universities and colleges (SUCs) received a drastic slash by P billion, implying not only the bastardization of the rights of students for higher education but also Aquino s economic scheme of pushing for privatization. As mentioned in his 2011 Budget Message, he intended to reduce the subsidy of SUCs to push them toward becoming self-sufficient and financially independent, given their ability to raise income. Paalala lang po: una sa ating plataporma ang paglikha ng mga trabaho, at nanggagaling ang trabaho sa paglago ng industriya. Lalago lamang ang industriya kung gagawin nating mas malinis, mas mabilis, at mas maginhawa ang proseso para sa mga gustong magnegosyo... Pabibilisin natin ang proseso ng mga proyektong sumasailalim sa Build- Operate-Transfer. Sa tulong ng lahat ng sangay ng gobyerno at ng mga mamamayan, pabababain natin sa anim na buwan ang proseso na noon ay inaabot ng taon kung hindi dekada.. Ang walang-katapusang pabalik-balik sa proseso ng pagrehistro ng pangalan ng kumpanya, na kada dalaw ay umaabot ng apat hanggang walong oras, ibababa na natin sa labinlimang minuto... However, according to IBON the proliferation of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) is detrimental to the state. The nature of privatizations is the continual pursuit of profit and thus, the service that people should be recieved is not guaranteed. continued on page 5

5 NEWS 05 Mga Fulung-Vulungan... Lola Patola Stupify! RAaaWR! Hello mga afows! Nanditow nanaman ang ever veautiful at nag-jijisang nyong Lola Fatola!! Alam kong namiss nyo akow dahil namiss ko din akow.. chosss!! Akalain naten yon, Jisang taon nadin fala ang nakalifas nung huling SowNa ni PNoy, fero dahil farang evernakainvisivility cloak sha, parang waley naman Anyare! Azar! Weyt, sfeaking op nakakaazar, hanow tong mga nakikidagdag pang mga kabalitaang nazasagap ko sa sang-kaufieman? Chaaaa! SoNa Potter Controversial Issue Numvah 1: UniversityofSecondChoice Beybeh Beybeh Talaga namang nafataas ng vongga ang kilay ng lola nyo nung navalitaan ko ang mga kachorvahan za UniversityofSecondChoice.. Chika sakin ni Halley Parrot(ang alaga kong baklang parrot) meron daw jisang memvah ng UniversityofSecondChoice ang nagsulat ng No-NO-No-letter fara icancel ang decizion za isa sa magrerepresenta ng mga estudyate sa Chancy elections.. Goshness afow, bakit nemen ganitow? Di ba dafat maging happii ka nalang at may magrerepresent sa mga ischoodents? Keylengen tandaan na matagal ng tafos ang eleksyon.. Waley na dafat ang mga kulay sa UniversityofSecondChoice. Dapat lessgo and make-magkaisa na diba? Fara naman maibigay nyo ng mas Vongga ang servisyong kinakailangan ng buong sangkayufieman.. Okay, Alrayt? Alrayt? Alrayt? Fero teka, theres more, more, more.. di fafala jan natatafos ang issue sa mga officers na itech!! Chika fa sakin ni Halley, isang Universityof- SecondChoice Councilor daw ang nag-tangay ng fayong sa Nazional Vookstore.. Random umbrella, ella ella, eh, eh, eh galing sa shack ang kinuha nya kasi daw baka wala nemen may-ari.. Nako nako nako nemen, hindi lang fala sa loov ng Ufiem uso ang kuhanan ng gamit, pati sa rov. Wooo. Zigi, Okaaay lang naman mgkamali minsan, basta wag na uulitin ah, nazizira kazi ang reputation ng ibang mga afowz ko na ala naman kinalaman diba? <3 SoNa Potter Controversial Issue Numvah 2: Alumni Cheverloo Ow. May. Gulay. Sino va naman itong recent gradweyt ng AnSabe na maysave na furo daw reklamo ng reklamo ng reklamo ang mga alaga afowz kong MKulet?! Mag-aral nga kayo! Vanat pa nya! How deyr yu meyk criticize sa mga afow ko na nakikifaglaban fara za kanilang mga karafatan at faniniwala?! Kung makacomment ka ng kung aney-aney ay kala mo di na nag-aaral ang mga afow ko?! FerYerKaalaman, kayang kaya pagsavayin ng mga afow ko ang acads at journalismo! At di forket gradweyt kana e lamang kana sha kanila. Gaaad. Napa- FUUUUUUUUUU(isearch sa google imgs) talaga ako nung navasa kow ang comment nya sa efbi. Ow May Gulay talaga! Parang di ka iska! Howkey lang naman kung di ka sumama za kahit anong issue, desisyon mo yan. Pero dafat mo imakegalang ang mga kapwa mo isko at iska! Kaay? Hala! Tumaas na nemen ang dugo ko.. Gaad. Muntik ko na tuloy makalimutan na nirereserva ko nga fala ang boses ko fara sa July 25.. Ha? Watemaytalkengabout? Huwaat di nyo alam? Magfeferform ang Lola nyo sa SowNa ng bayan!! Join me Everybodeh! Punta kayo! Yeah! Yeah! Kaduet ko ang ever-pogi kong jugz na si Lolo Ufo. Kekentehen namin si Pe- Noy na wag na uli mag-ever-make ng mga pangakow kung di din nya matutupad.. sabi nga ni Harreh, one must not tell lies.. <3 iskotistics... from previous page Ang problema sa privatization, sinusuko ng gobyerno ang responsibilidad sa mga institution na ito, Africa stated when asked regarding the perils of privatization. Nag-seset-up tayo sa pag-privatize ng mga [government offices] at [nakikita natin na nais niyang] magtanggal ng balakid sa burukrasya, he added. By virtue of the PPP scheme, Aquino assumed that he could solve the problems that impede the development of the society and the education system.. This, however, is essentially a clear testament to the government s abandonment and neglect to its duty to provide genuine reform. Through the implementation of the PPP, he remained apathetic to the students who could not pay their already expensive education. Furthermore, apart from education, the health sector also obtained a meager budget allocation. Receiving a cut of P 1.4 billion for public hospitals, doctors, nurses, and health workers strive to make do with whatever their Php29 billion fund provided them. Contrary to the preceding government, Aquino gave huge fund decrease to various stakeholders. The budget for 67 hospitals nationwide, used mainly by the poor, was cut by P 368 million, for five specialty hospitals by P 971 million and for subsidies to indigent patients by P 20 million. As it is, the condition of the basic social services especially the health sector in the country has been suffering an even more miserable state than the GMA regime. Hampered by the harsh effects of the recent budget cuts, Aquino s primary objective of making health services accessible and available to everyone is still a far-fetch illusion. Aquino could have been the epitome of the change he spoke of during his first SONA. However, his slogan Daang Matuwid, when scrutinized against the current povertystricken state substantiates the fact that his administration is not headed to the direction he promised to lead the Filipino people. With the apparent state neglect and abandonment, The Manila Collegian calls on the Iskolars ng Bayan to go out of the confines of the four corners of the classroom and register our demands during the SONA ng BAYAN on July 25. We call on the Iskolars ng Bayan to step forward and stand up for our basic rights, as we address the pressing political and social injustices that have been committed in this regime. ITANONG KAY ISKO AT ISKA 1. Ano sa tingin mo ang lalamanin ng SONA ni PNoy ngayong taon? Pawang ka-sona-ngalingan, serbisyong kunwari lamang. Sa SONA y ihahatid ang mga balitang walang katotohanan. -she-who-shall-not-be-named Words, mere words. Null, void, invalid, hallucinations, not true. Dadaanin nanaman tayo sa mala palabok niang salita na wala namang saysay. -Paul Adrian Soriano, DDM MGA KALOKOHAN NIYANG WAGAS -Ziara Carmelli, CP, BSP Mga nagawa nya -Lean,CAS,BSCS Malamang puro euphemisms lang ang laman ng SONA niya. Ay.. saka baka sa SONA niya na din ilabas ang mga emo quotes niya tungkol sa love life niyang fail. -biologicallyfemale Wishful Thinking, pero sana mayroon nang matinong plano ang Pangulo para sa mga isyung kinakaharap niya, hindi yung puro paninisi lang ang ginagawa niya. - Buknoy, PolSci Pa-pogi. Kailangan niya yun e. -NagiisangTitik, BA BS Paninisi sa nakaraang administrasyon sa mga aberya at problemang iniwan nito, pagmamalaki sa mga band-aid solutions na ipinatupad para solusyunan ang lumalalang krisis panlipunan, mga panibagong pangako habang sa kasalukuyan ay wala namang pinatutunguhan ang daang matuwid para tugunan ang pangangailangan ng mamamayan. walang pagbabago sa ilalim ni aquino! -anakbayan up manila mga achievements nya sa ppp which i don t marami ang maniniwala - suzaku_eatscakes ba polsci Papakulong ko na si Gloria. - gd, polsci eh di ganun parin; Kung walang kurap,walang mahirap at gagawa raw siya ng paraan para mailabas lahat ng baho ni Arroyo. - Biankalets, BA Political Science Kung panu nya tayo inihatid sa tamang daan - expelliarmus, ba polsci Paninisi sa taong bayan kung bakit tayo nakikialam sa lovelife niya kaya tuloy wala siyang girlfriend. - Aberforth Dumbledore, Defense Against the Dark Arts of the US-Aquino Regime ipagyayabang nya ang pagiging handa ng hukbong sandatahan ng Pilipinas at ang matalik na pagkakaibigan ng Pilipinas at Estados Unidos -swastika, DSS Ang favorite excuse niya na, nauubos ang termino niya sa kakalinis ng mga problemang iniwan sa kanya ng nakaraang administrasyon. Sa madaling sabi, Huwag na tayong magexpect na may gagawin siyang bago habang nakaupo. Grabe, ang tagal niyang mag move-on teh! -toxicated, BABS Mga criticisms niya sa nakaraang administrasyon. Papalabasin niyang mas maganda ung administrasyon niya. Talk-shit. -Totoy Bibo Si Kris Aquino -masterr.xp Siguro mga pangakong mapapako nanaman tapos mga patama nanaman sa nakaraang administrasyon. Wag naman na sanang isama yung hairstyle ni Gloria. haha. -frog princess GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA,GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, GMA, repeat until satisfied. - Reggie Soriano, CAS, BA Dev Stud Noynoy: napakabigat talaga ng binigay ng nakaraang administrasyon kaya nahirapan akong gumawa ng kahit na ano.. -amboy oh, what s new? karamihan nyan mga fabricated or brought up by the imagination inside of what he BELIEVES as a brain. :P - kesong.bughaw 2. Kung hindi kotse ang ibibigay mo sa mga obispo, anong ibibigay mo? Isang matinong lovelife. -she-who-shall-not-be-named Petition letter calling for higher state subsidy. -Paul Adrian Soriano, DDM Bike =)) -Ziara Carmelli, CP, BSP Bus. -Lean,CAS,BSCS mga sako ng harina para marami silang mapagawang ostiya, may shortage sa parokya namin eh. -Buknoy, BA PolSci ung prang bilog na something kapag may misa...:3 - suzaku_eatscakes ba polsci condom at isang maliit na papel na may nakalagay na RH. -swastika, DSS Pork barrel. Hehe. - gd, polsci DVD ng 100 Days to Heaven, sabay sabi: eto,panuorin niyo na lang. Mas may kapupulutan pa ng aral ito kesa sa inyo - Biankalets, BA Political Science Dahil mas mayaman pa sila kaysa sa akin, magbibigay ako nang letter na humihingi ng tulong or scholarship. Para may pambayad ako next enrollment. - Aberforth Dumbledore, Defense Against the Dark Arts of US-Aquino Regime the Bible, baka sakaling maalala nila yung preachings nila. Kung wala pa rin, Phil. constitution para malaman nilang bawal yung mga ginagawa nila. - mang :D, BA PolSci Bibliya at magnifying glass. HAHAHA! -Flam Konsensya. Nuff said. :) -toxicated, BABS Trip to Vatican. :) -Totoy Bibo posters ng RH Bill -masterr.xp Pagmamahal. ;) -NagiisangTitik, BA BS Private jet XD -frog princess Time machine para makapunta sila sa hinaharap at makita ang mga katakot-takot at kalunos-lunos na epekto ng pinaggagagawa nila ngayon. -Reggie Soriano, CAS, BA Dev Stud Noynoy: napakabigat talaga ng binigay ng nakaraang administrasyon kaya nahirapan akong gumawa ng kahit na ano.. -amboy sandamukal na pictures ng mga mahihirap na pamilya. para makonsensya sila sa paghihingi ng mga sasakyan na kadalasan ay para lang sa pansariling kagustuhan at hindi para sa lahat. kairita lang? -kesong.bughaw

6 Terminal Stage Sowing Seeds of Deception Aries Joseph Armendi Hegina Jesse Nicole Rubio Santos Aquino pledged to give to the people a health for all program and an upgrade of public hospitals through establishing public-private accords, among other projects that he promised which concerns the country s health sector. However, none of these promises was realized. The health sector of the country, a supposedly indispensible part of the Filipino life, only remains to be a privilege too pricey to be availed and too far-fetched to be attained. Yellow fever has rendered Juan dela Cruz in wretched desolation. And Juan is left to find the cure in order to survive. During his campaign, Aquino boasted of pursuing genuine agrarian reform once elected, that social justice would penetrate the haciendas which became breeding grounds of deceit and infamy. Or so it seemed. For even as the issue garnered controversy well into his first few months in office, the President remained vaguely silent about the matter, and instead, prolonged the aggravation of the farmers dire situation. Laws have been passed. Provisions have been debated upon. Rulings have been made. Yet until now, the struggle of the impoverished farmers continues. There is still no genuine agrarian reform. Institutionalizing State Neglect on Health The present scenario of the country s health sector epitomizes the abandonment of the state that supposedly upholds the unassailable right for public healthcare. A year in the new regime offers nothing reformative for the nation, especially on the country s health sector. The approved 2011 budget is a glaring evidence of the Aqui- n o administration s furthering abdi- cation on a constitutional obliga- t i o n. Instead of providing greater subsidy on basic s o c i a l services such as educa- tion and health care, the pres- e n t government ballooned t h e budget for debt servic- i n g. An 80.9 billion peso in- crease was implemented for d e b t servicing while the bud- g e t for health was further slashed and realigned to the budget o f state universities and colleges. T h e s e maneuvers prove that the administration does not prioritize the basic services that its constituents deserve b u t i n - stead, fo- c u s e s on appeas- ing foreign powers. Aquino promised that in his administra- t i o n, healthcare would be accessible for all. How- ever, after a year, healthcare for all was transformed to become Philhealth for all. This was evident on the moves of the administration of increasing benefits and membership for Philhealth so that families will not fall into the cracks of poverty if a member got ill. The Philhealth card, according to Health Alliance for Democracy, is not accepted in most private hospitals and could not be used in public hospitals due to lack of medicines and services that it could offer. This is a gross confusion of being able to provide the constitutional mandate of extending health accessibility to all sectors of the country and to provide a measly funding for continuing an alreadyproven ineffective measure. Also, as a repercussion of the cuts that were imposed on the health budget, public hospitals are forced to find means in order to sustain its operations. The results are that the hospitals charge higher fees that are being shouldered by the impoverished patients and like what has happened to the Philippine General Hospital, the health institutions result to welcoming privatization and commercialization in its midst. The insinuations of the Aquino administration s maneuvers regarding the health sector only aggravate the damned scenario in which Filipinos are placed. The state, which is purportedly the one to aid its people, is the one that induces them to be stuck in the quagmire of misery. Defying the Clamor for Reform Stifled in the clenches of the impassive government, the welfare of the people is rendered into the lowest of its priorities. As the year-old government stays true to its form of institutionalizing state neglect on basic social services, the people which have put him in power are the ones that suffer from his unjustifiable tac- tics. Such is evident on the rate of Filipinos that are still suffering from hunger. Although the recent SWS survey r e c o r d e d the lowest percentage of people who underwent involuntary hunger since June 2007, the Kalipu- nan ng Damayang M a h i - hirap states that millions of Filipinos still go hungry and the Aquino administration s non-implementation of land reform could be traced as the incident s cause. T h e call of health workers for better wages is also being snubbed by the deafened government. According to the National wage and Productivity Commission last June 2010, the wages and salaries of public and private sector workers including health workers are below the minimum cost of living at the National Capital Region set at P957 ($22.29) per day, or P30,000 ($699) per month. This data serves as a glaring truth that as the government continuously abandons its responsibility to its people, it only junks the ideals of change that it has bannered from the start the very same principles that the Filipino people has clung so desperately and led to the election of a carbon copy of the detested nine-year tyrant. After a year in the presidency, Aquino s decisions slowly unveil his regime s true intentions. Through slashing the health budget and ignoring the calls of the afflicted, it has brazenly proven that the welfare of the people his bosses could be placed in the least of his government s priorities. The yellow fever left Juan dela Cruz gasping for his last living breath. For in a nation in which its healthcare is on the verge of terminality, death is but a welcoming friend for the ailing Filipino. Setting Tracks for Deception For the longest time, agrarian reform has been an issue in the Philippines, failing to truly materialize in society. In part, the fault lies in past Philippine administrations which keep repudiating measures to resolve the conflict, in light of the private interests at play in the dispute. This, in turn, meant a lifetime of torment and anguish for the farmers. For past regimes passed agrarian reform laws to silence protests, but not to enforce social justice. The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law and the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms stood as mere fraudulent versions of what it should truly represent. Certain provisions allowed properties to be exempted from land distribution and the inclusion of the Stock Distribution Option (SDO) became a highly inadequate version of agrarian reform. Filled with gaps and loopholes, these laws became means to appease the mounting unrest of the agricultural sector, while satisfying the interests of the owners. In its stead came the proposal of the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill the passage of which will allow the existence of genuine agrarian reform. But as events may foretell, the bill may remain shelved, as it is now. The most recent conclusion on this matter is the decision of the Supreme Court to affirm the move of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council to invalidate the SDO. This, however, came with a condition: that the farmers should be called in a referendum by the Department on Agrarian Reform, to decide between the SDO and land distribution. The predicament that would arise from this decision is a grave insult to the farmers. The SC finally halted the deception induced by the SDO, but then implanted another unnecessary series of contention, when it could have granted land distribution instead. This is further defacement of the due rights of the farmers, who have endured and fought against this preposterous denial of genuine agrarian reform long enough. With the time spent enforcing this ruling, all but the farmers are spared from its crippling impact. Decisions made concerning the matter seem as if the administration keeps on shoving the option down the farmers throats, despite its obvious detriments. Once again, land distribution has been avoided. And what may have been labeled as the answer to the problem may in fact be another barrier in the fight for justice. Enforcing Abuse Still unsatisfied with their supremacist reign over the land, some hacienderos exploit the power they hold and the farmers they enslave. Heinous abuses are prevalent in other haciendas aside from Hacienda Luisita, such as Hacienda Yulo in L a g u n a. Peasants are forced to work under harsh conditions, with disturbingly low salaries and in utter deprivation of the rights and benefits they are rightfully entitled to, as workers. Not one to condone rebellion, owners allowed militarization to prevail over the haciendas. The Hacienda Luisita Massacre paints a portrait of this crime, as November 16, 2004 saw the murder of 7 people, with 121 injured. Peasants are made to live in fear for the rest of their lives as landowners used physically repressive means to divert the situation in their favor. The apparent absence of a solution to the land reform issue in the country portrays the true stance of the administration in the matter. By not choosing to decide whether to provide support for the SDO or land distribution, or any other option for that matter, Aquino has, in effect, chosen to desert the plea of justice from the farmers. As he took the relatively safe stand of having a hands-off policy and dismissing the matter as an intra-corporate dispute, Aquino threw away his chance of creating change in the lives of the tillers, and yet again, prioritized his relatives business efforts over the plight of his constituency. The perennial problem of the absence of genuine agrarian reform in the country continues to haunt every farmer in its wrath-laden path. And even as the administration is expected to curb the problem, it nevertheless advocates not only the conflict s perpetuation, but also prolongs the alarmingly destitute state of the farmers. Injustice has been tolerated long enough. Unless land distribution is enforced, the struggle will become more fervent than ever before. R E S O N A N C E

7 S t a t e o f t h e N a t i o n i n A q u i n o ' s F i r s t Y e a r i n P o w e r Illustrations by Rey Daniel Espinueva and Ehcel Hurna The desired change from President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III s rule failed to materialize, insofar as the four main sectors agricultural reform, education, health, and human rights are concerned. Instead, in its place came a perpetuation of what the previous regime stood for an ingenious maneuvering of the abandonment of social responsibilities to fulfill private goals. And as the administration s first year in office draws to a close, there seems to be inadequate responses still, to the areas it needs to address the most. While State of the Nation Address (vsona) speeches may be deemed full of deceptively convincing rhetoric, most of these are quite notorious for exaggerating reality and masking the pitfalls of the regime. Statistics showing the supposed development of the country are thrust into the spotlight, in place of the true plight of the Filipino. The time has come for the truth to be revealed. JUSTICE DENIEd Jeo Angelo Chico Elamparo Implementing Illiteracy Jore-Annie Rico if they mean that they would like us to simply forget about the wrongs that they have committed in the past, we have this to say: there can be no reconciliation without justice. When we allow crimes to go unpunished, we give consent to their occurring over and over again. Secretary de Lima, you have your marching orders. Begin the process of providing true and complete justice for all. To the yellow-clad president, this was just a pronouncement like any other, a fragment of the pompous speech he has spoken when he rose to power. But to the victims of human rights violations (HRV) and their families, this was the president s promise to end their struggle and give them the justice they unyieldingly clamor for. More than a year after, however, nothing much has changed. To the yellow-clad president, the pronouncement remained nothing but a fragment of his previous pompous speech. But to most of the victims and their families the promise is yet to be fulfilled. Education is, and has always been, a right. But with the policies implemented by the Aquino administration, it might as well not be. Instead of boosting the subdivisions under the education sector, Aquino instead focused on one and treated the others as corporate enterprises with no return of investment for the government. His backwash policy of increasing the budget of the elementary and high school units of public schools yet crippling the already degraded state of tertiary education with budget cuts will aversely affect rather than strengthen the education sector. Moreover, with the intention of curbing the poor quality of education in the Philippines, Aquino implemented the K-12 program, adding two years to basic education, without actually attempting to heighten the quality itself. Past administrations in the Philippines undeniably had difficulty in dealing with the problems in education. However, misguided policies would do little to solve the crises. Justice, therefore, is still being denied. Quantified Quality Unresolved Apparently, cases of HRV were not alarming enough to merit the full attention of the Aquino administration. The persistence of extrajudicial killings and state-enforced disappearances are glaring proofs of this. According to Karapatan Alliance for the Advancement of People s Rights, there had been a total of 48 cases of extrajudicial killings and 5 cases of state-enforced disappearances during Aquino s first year as president. Most of the aforementioned HRV are believed to be executed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines as part of their counter-insurgency operation, Oplan Bayanihan. These operations, whose victims are those who belong to the progressive groups that continue to criticize the mediocrity of the Aquino administration, are heavily funded by the president himself through the allocation of a large chunk of the national budget to the military. These cases have undeniably aggravated the already execrable culture of impunity in the country; a culture that does not only tolerates crimes but allows its perpetrators get away with it. Years ago, this culture has permitted the disappearances of Sherlyn Cadapan, Karen Empeno, Jonas Burgos and many others. Today, this culture produces even more desaparacidos a clear sign that shows Aquino s utter adherence to the previous administration he used to denounce. Even the media practitioners were not spared from the heinousness. The carnage that happened in Maguindanao in 2009 which brutally claimed the lives of more than 32 journalists is still left unresolved. Aquino s promise of justice remains vague and blurry as the perpetrator of the massacre is yet to be pinned and punished. Consequently, the persistence of such killings, as exemplified by the recent murders of Romeo Olea and George Ortega among others, merely reflects how the Aquino administration barefacedly ignores the urgency to address these appalling incidences. More so, it reveals that Aquino himself does nothing but turn his ears deaf to the perpetual clamor of the Filipino people, the same people whom he promised change and service to. T h e Aquino administration has failed to become the administration it said it would be. Contrary to his mandate, Aquino himself has become a ruler like any other one that revels and dwells on the ivory tower. Again, the yellowclad president is set to deliver another pompous speech a speech whose only purpose is to make promises that will never come true. The victims and their families have heard enough. They will listen no more. The implementation of the K+12 program, as part of the Aquino administration s 10-point agenda, will worsen the already-persistent setbacks of the education sector. The existing educational problems, such as classroom shortage, derelict school facilities and outdated instructional materials, have been brought into a more critical level as the K+12 program is all set for implementation. K+12 spearheads a revised 12-year education cycle which comprises of universal kindergarten, six years elementary, four years of junior high school and an additional two years of senior high school. The addition of two more years in the education curriculum, along with the implementation of the universal kindergarten program, would render more out-ofschool youths due to the fact that it would be considered as an additional burden to parents who are already incapable of sending their children to undergo ten years of education. Serving as a myopic solution to the critical educational scenario, K+12 offers technical-vocational (tech-voc) curriculum. This move will irrevocably promote the country s production of semi-skilled workers readily available for international labor markets. As unemployment rate soars higher in the country, the proposed tech-voc system would just serve as a shortterm resolution that will, in turn, leave more Filipino graduates jobless in the future. Slashed Sources The University of the Philippines (UP), along with other State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), has been vehemently opposing the educational budget cut that was implemented when the Aquino administration rose to power. Posed with a budget cut amounting to 1.39 billion pesos, UP s education is undeniably being commercialized. As SUCs assert for higher state subsidy, the promise of reformative agenda, however, proves to be nothing but an empty rhetoric. Instead of focusing on the deteriorating quality of UP and other SUCs, the government is prioritizing debt servicing and military funding. In turn, the Iskolars ng Bayan is deprived of the subsidized quality education that they rightfully deserve. Slashed sources have rendered SUCs to be ultimately transformed into income-generating institutions. Instead of acquiring state support to guarantee quality tertiary education, UP epitomizes the continuing abandonment of the government to providing basic social services to its people. The Aquino r e g i m e attempted to create the n e c e s s a r y c h a n g e s in the e d u c a t i o n sector, with w a y w a r d policies which perpetuate the problems even more. What is unapparent to the administration may be that the quality of education is suffering, as it is unnecessary to burden parents with two more years of basic education for their children, just so parallelism with supposedly advanced countries could be achieved. And as budget cuts run deep in tertiary public education, more students are unable to enter these universities with enrollment fees ballooning each year. The experience in UP would attest to that, notwithstanding the fact that increased tuition fees do little to actually improve the state of education, with facilities still rotting at the very core. Such programs only attempt to touch the problem at the surface, creating ripples of even more detrimental effects. It seems that education, which has been mandated to be a right for every Filipino citizen, is being considered as a commodity. There is only one fundamental rule to which all this should adhere. As an unshakeable and perpetual fact, education is a right and not a privilege.

8 08 CULTURE A long time ago, Africa was very rich in natural resources, sheltering an entire habitat so perfect and enticing to experience. But when Western colonizers stepped on the African land, the continent s resources were started to be exploited. Such discoveries led the colonizers to further satisfy their hunger for power and luxury. On the other hand, the natives who were once living in peace were suddenly subjected to serve the foreigners who came to intrude and act like kings in their own land. They became slaves in a snap and were treated inferiorly because they were a lot less similar to the Caucasian race. And like in any other colonies, the occupants proclaimed themselves as the superior race because they were far more advanced than any other civilizations. The Africans, tagged as inferior, would try to appear as civilized and customary as their masters were to somehow feel superiority, even if it costs them to imitation. Thus, one way for Africans to fulfill this desire for social transcendence is to create accessories made from fake gold, for they would not afford to have the authentic form of the same item. This, later on, was known to be the origin of the famous accessory, bling. Bling is only one of the earliest examples of copying one s original work, or what we call today as piracy. Piracy is considered as a crime for it is a resemblance of stealing one s creative output, and is very prevalent in the country. But beyond the preponderance of the illegality of piracy, there lies a deep basin of reason. And that reason would only lead us to a long term conflict in the Philippine setting. The Surfaced Reality Piracy is predominated by its definition as an activity of manufacturing unauthorised copies of protected material and dealing with such copies by way of distribution and sale. This means that this form of crime subjugates the interest of the original makers of such authorized works by means of taking away their expected profit. This also sculptures piracy in such a way as if people were given equal opportunities. For the longest time, the conflict that has arisen between piracy and different industries affected therein seem to affect and even caused by the Philippine economy. Commercial districts, in and outside of Metro Manila, manifest the influence of piracy in comparison All Rights Reversed* to genuine works where it is sold and bought like no law prohibits the illegality of the practice. This enticement brought by pirated items involves the factor of practicality. Having the cheapest price, complemented by almost the same appearance, an average-waged Filipino would not be hesitant to prefer these items no matter how illegal they may be. We, in general, would really die for something very economical, yet sometimes are not sure about its quality and authenticity. From these cases, it is palpable that piracy touched the hearts, and the pockets, of the Filipino people. Given the fact that majority of the Filipinos came from the low to middle-class families, money is a very precious medium for living. We tend to prioritize what our family needs, and seldom give way for some of the wants. That is why when we budget our money, we tend to maximize all of it for items that would suffice necessity. Piracy easily infiltrated the Philippine society, especially the industrial sector, because the wants of an average Filipino are given a chance, regardless of it being a counterfeit version. Piracy, subliminally, is a form of expression for those who cannot afford to gain quality entertainment or fashion statement. Economically speaking, a pirated item is a very wise choice for a low- to average-waged Filipino individual. When it comes to the wants the budget is tightened, and buys what tends to be frugal. However, more than what the promise of low-costliness offers, piracy conceals a bifurcating fissure that has been stagnating for a long time in the Philippine society. The Kaleidoscopic Impairments The present Philippine economic system depicts that the acquirement of knowledge or experiencing entertainment seem so inaccessible. If we want to guarantee quality with the things that we consume, we must prepare our pockets in the manner of costliness. This aforementioned rationale of expensiveness, thus, gave way to the existence of piracy. It is an daunting manifestation that we have an economy that is requiring more than what its citizens can offer. Many Filipinos are still fascinated by the expediency that piracy would bring upon them. In a comparatively cheaper price and almost the same form as to that of its genuine forms, attaining one s petty wants can be shared by piracy. In the entertainment industry, for instance, you may even enjoy various movies which are combined in a single DVD without losing too much effort and money, or downloadable applications, such as songs or videos, over the internet. Piracy also bounds the intellectual fields, such as journals and other instructive materials, which is preferred especially by students who do not have enough time and effort in using catalogues. Dichotomizing the Issue of Piracy Scheme John Vherlin Canlas Magday Illustration by Bernardo Cielo III Fascinating as it may seem, piracy hides the illrooted effects of patronizing them. The crime s vehement lashes in the Philippine setting can be seen from different point of views. Take it as an account the case of entertainment piracy. Different modes of entertainment, such as television, movies, songs, and applications like games, among others, are illegally distributed to an ordinary individual mainly because the vendors of such items want to earn an instant profit. But aside from what the pirates intend to do, it is more of the consumers behavior which must be observed. The average consumers, to be able to satisfy their appetite for wants, must maximize their budget with more goods, and one of their resorts to utilize their money is for their leisure time. Such also happens in the fashion industry, where counterfeit bags, accessories, clothing, among others, are patronized because people tend to follow the latest fashion trends in a comparably cheaper amount. Thus, it can be said that consumers buy these forms of entertainment for the sake of entertainment, or fashion for the sake of fashion. The Price of Knowledge Such implications do not actually apply for intellectual forms of piracy, where a concrete example of which is the case of plagiarism. Take it for instance the use of same words an author used for his or her novel, or by copying another s works of art which was intentionally done. The use of one s exact ideas without further citations can denote that it was, indeed, the plagiarist s original creative output. In that case, the efforts that the real author exerted would be ignored, and all the fame and credit would be for the plagiarist. This would be one angle to see intellectual piracy. There is, however, a larger view to focus on. We, as scholars, found the necessity to engage ourselves on matters that will involve much intellectual stimulation. We, as underprivileged scholars, found an alternative to engage ourselves on matters that will involve much intellectual stimulation through illegal access in the form of torrents, and such. In short, intellectual piracy might lead to the furtherance of knowledge. Intellectual piracy might lead to a betterment of the society. Unlike other forms of piracy, the issue of intellectual infringement actually delves into a deeper aspect of educating the people of what is really the better, if not the right, form of knowledge. Our era has robbed us the right to education. Certain aspects, financially in particular, do piracy gain advantage over the people. However, we as consumers must also put an emphasis as to how the people behind the authentic items would react upon piracy. It is not impractical if we also look on the light of their efforts and labours just to put up such works. We must also know that piracy, although is considered as a crime, is also a wake-up call for the government to have an overview on what is happening and as to why the people would prefer pirated items over the branded ones. The Hidden Implications We may also say that piracy surfaced due to the foreign influences in our culture, given that we were colonized by different nations for the past centuries. We always equate international standards with perfection, beauty, class, and the like, and it was because the colonizers implanted to us, Filipinos, that they are the superior ones and that they portray the norms in the society. This gave way for us to follow their every habit and trend, so that we may be in level with them, the superior class. This perception was brought up to now. In this present time, there still exist the new form of colonizers, in the persona of the elite, and even the media. They dictate as to what must be called as customary, or acceptable, and this dictation encompasses the preference of an individual on what to use, or wear, or patronize. The extravagant lifestyle of the elite, combined with the power of media, sets the standards for the society. In turn, the people would easily believe, and ought to follow what is to be known as acceptable. And with that, piracy enters the scene to help in maximizing the people s budget. The issue of piracy, thus, was also embarked by the influence of the institutions in power. The elite and the media had set on what must be followed and must be embraced by everyone to be accepted. Given also the implanted perception upon us, and the present economic situation among the majority of the populace, piracy had been powerful enough for the people to patronize. And this is because we are to comply with the norms of those in power. Otherwise, we would not fit in and belong in the society. A practical buyer these days would not bother to spend a hefty sum of money for branded items if he or she can get the same look from pirated items. But aside from its power to entice the people because of its cheap price, it is also alarming to notice that piracy gradually surpasses certain aspects of the society which, though it may help in some terms, it may still pose a threat in our over-all culture. Piracy has the ability to lacerate not only some components of the society but even the Philippines as a sole institution. However, we cannot detach piracy among us due to the present economic situation of the country. This patronage of pirated items, admittedly, is due to the desire of the deprived class in the society to somehow feel that they can afford to have the quality life, a privilege that is still unfortunately chained by the supremacy of the elite class in the Philippines. In the end, the influence of piracy implies that the people are stuck in their present economic situation. They would do anything, including buying fake items, to get even a tinge of feeling that they belong in a society ran by the standards of those who gain fame and influence. A feeling and desire that, until now, remains genuine. *A pun intended for All Rights Reserved.

9 CULTURE 09 Hacienda Luisita Benigno Noynoy Aquino s decision to run for office sparked controversies that had been dormant specifically the Hacienda Luisita. As a relative to the owners of the estate, his name is dragged into the issue and is called to take action since it resurfaced. During his campaign, he vowed to distribute Hacienda Luisita to the farmers by 2014 the deadline for the agricultural lands to be transferred to the beneficiaries under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform with Extensions and Revisions (CARPER). Although it is quite obvious that he is not willing to give up the estate, he still won and became president. Perhaps, it was because he appealed to the emotions of the masses through the jaw-dropping statement that he was able to raise the support of the people. Unmistakably, the masses was blinded by the false hopes and promises that were given by Aquino that they did not see the necessity of the issue. They disregarded the gravity of the situation and was swayed by the legacy that Aquino s parents left him. It might also be because of the fact that most of us live in constant poverty that people focus on the present. What were offered to them might be their only chance of survival so they were swayed to accept these bittersweet promises. It is no doubt that the picturesque scenery of a large estate that is filled with crops and trees is the epitome of a perfect life. Yet, there is nothing peaceful about the conflict between the landlords and the farmers. Nevertheless, President Benigno Aquino III remains tight-lipped and distant in handling the issue regarding the vast land owned by the Cojuangcos. It becomes a question of political will and responsibility that he must possesses as a President of the whole nation. It seems that he lacks a motivating force that enables him to perform his duties to the fullest. He cannot keep saying that he does not want to talk about it or keep answering questions with no comment. It is the president s responsibility to be involved on issues that concern the nation. He must be opinionated and not give statements that are irrelevant. He must realize that it is not about his family being owners of the hacienda but the issue of the people claiming their rights. It is an issue of the lack of social justice. He cannot stand idly while the pursuit of justice remains hazy and far-fetched. The priority should always be the good of the people for, eventually, they wield the power to make or break an administration. Porsche Seeing President Aquino with a Porsche is a backlash to his advocacy of intolerance toward corruption. At a time when prices of commodities such as oil and food are increasing to the point citizens can no longer afford, there floats an issue that your current president just bought a Porsche. He did reject the use of sirens and counter-flow, but never did he say he is not going to buy a luxury car. And although some people may see this as an unnecessary controversy, others may see it as a sign of elite domination, and in a while, possible corruption. Our perception has already been distorted by so many years of being exposed to corruption that we cannot help but fear and suspect that it might happen again. To President Aquino, it might have appeared as more of a fruit of labor rather than an insensitive move that induces a thought of condescension. With the exposure of the Filipino people toward corruption, it is inevitable to yearn for a president who would represent the masses and not the elite. A mere possession of something luxurious can already awaken our prejudicial thoughts that we find it hard to draw distinctions among elitism, corruption and fruits of labor. After all, to own a Porsche in such a time of economic crisis is more of a question of prudence rather than of corruption. The daang matuwid is much more than a straight path where the president can drive his expensive German sports car. Family The Philippine electoral system has gained a reputation for putting in position those who are renowned because of their family reputation. This is one of the traditional prejudices we face: we always judge a person based on his or her family, we predict Aubrey Nicole Leones Arboleda and Ruth Genevieve Austria Lumibao Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight Benigno Noynoy Aquino will bare it all. Hailing from a wealthy and famous family, with democratic icons as his parents, he has graced us with his sought-after presence. He will now be confronting the controversies that made him famous and infamous. It is up to the people to decide his fate. Is he really who we have been waiting for? his or her success by family, and we equivocate odious misdemeanor for the sake of the family. What we are missing is the reality that family reputation does not always guarantee the greatness of one member more so the ability of a member to govern a country. It is a challenge for us to restrain ourselves from judging a person this way, especially in selecting their leaders. Because for what we know, we might be the ones maintaining the prevalence of political dynasties while being antagonistic about it. It becomes what we call familial politics. We no longer see a person based on his own characteristics and qualifications we see a politician and his family as one. They cannot be mentioned without making a reference to his relatives who might be equally as famous or controversial. It seems the boundary between an individual and politics is blurring. As a descendant of two well-known people in the political arena, P-Noy holds moral ascendancy that may pressure him to weigh his decisions both on the side of the masses and on how his parents would have handled it. His mother s affiliations to the Church may have induced him to say that he did not consider the RH Bill to be his top priority. While the death of his father was spawned because of opposing the dictator may compromise his decisions in allowing Ferdinand Marcos burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. It is inevitable that carrying such a reputation would not put any pressure on his decisions. It is now, however, in his own hands whether to part from that branch or to remain there and be confused by the divergent variables of his parents reputation while putting into consideration the current demands of the people. The Cabinet It seems that President Aquino s succeeding terms in office will be no different from the previous administration unless he realizes that there is a need to change society. The culture of impunity in our country further aggravates the situation of the masses. Anomalies continue to exist since cronyism and favouritism hinders the people from achieving the true change in society. Kaibigan, Kaklase and Kabaliran these are the labels of Aquino s alleged cronies. It does not seem to matter whether or not they are qualified as long as the ties between him and these people are not severed. This easily corrupts decisions and practices that obstruct tackling problems of our country such as poverty, graft and corruption. If this continues, the masses will be forced to bear the incompetency of high ranking officials that earned their titles and positions merely because they have personal ties with the president. It appears that in the Philippines, politics is a playground where a few families pass the torch of command to one another. Dismantling the Facades There are no special people, only people who are products of their time, their history. As the president of the Republic of the Philippines, Benigno Noynoy Aquino, is no different from any of us. He is thrust into a position that is both a burden and a responsibility. The country and the people depend on him to uphold the law for the people and not for any reasons. Equality and justice must be upheld. While we are the ones who put them in the power, we are also the ones who can estimate their worth. It is the choice of the people to stand and take action or remain unmoving. As the jury that will decide the country s fate, how will we weigh the worth of our current president? It becomes a question of the extent of his accountability on the problems in society that he alone did not cause. It is up to us to decide how we will quantify his misgivings and his achievements is it for himself or for the people? After all, a change that does not leave anyone better off, by any justification, should be considered laggard.

10 10 freestyle Sawa ka na ba sa PLANKING? Oras na para TUMAYO at TUMINDIG para sa iyong mga KARAPATAN! SUMAMA NA SA PEOPLE S SONA JULY 25 KITAAN SA RH LOBBY M I N S A N D ' YA N S A TA B I... ni Jason Flores

11 OPINION 11 A la folie* The Worth of Charity Aubrey Nicole Leones Arboleda What is right must transcend culture. Our society is dramatic nowadays. People are stunned and infuriated by acts of greed and sheer insensitivity. Quite recently, a number of Catholic bishops were accused of receiving public funds from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) for service vehicles and projects. Since the Catholic Church has been opposing various bills of the senate, it is not surprising that their credibility is fleeting. Their act was a display of the crumbling mask of innocence and humility. It is apparent that charity (or salvation) is more expensive than it was before. The act for charity is no longer for the poor, ill or helpless. It is now for men wearing clerical clothing with more money that they can count. A standard practice set by the previous government, it is aimed at gaining the support of the bishops and their silence. Generous actions and donations are really bribes hidden and veiled in the act of charity created to fool the masses. This goes against our constitution which declares that no public money or property shall be appropriated to any religion. Moreover, it is a display of corruption since the appropriation of public funds is for private purposes. It is not just the law, however, that is being violated but also our unyielding trust to Church and its men. We were thrust as a pawn in their game scathed and shaken by what we have experienced. They are hypocrites who do not practice what they preach. Eventually, after the inquiry made by the Senate, the bishops issued a statement claiming and apologizing that they will return the said vehicles even if it was not against the law. They act as if they are clueless why it is such a big deal. They had this spite notion that returning the cars is enough to allay the severity of their indecency. Yet, this does not end nor solve the issue at hand. What they should regain is their unquestionable integrity, pertinent service, and respect that the people expect them to have. It seems absurd to even consider that crimes can be absolved or disregarded by showing humility. It does not make the situation any better. The damage has been done. They cannot act as if they were mere victims of a ploy orchestrated by the government. They cannot keep their facade of incapability by adhering to the procedures of a crime they should have not committed. The pursuit of a just society will continue to be farfetched unless the people realized their stake in society. Those who are in power should use their authority for the welfare of the masses. Since the current president claimed that the people are his bosses, it is the obligation the current administration to reveal the truth and solve it once and for all. Until then, we might be stuck with leaders who uphold the law only for those who are in power and not for the masses. The Church is continuing to immerse itself in politics. I do not believe that this includes profiteering from the people and then helping them in return using the perforated money of the people. It is ironic that the institution standing for the morality in our country is not The pursuit of a just society will continue to be farfetched unless the people realized their stake in society. being moral, or even right at all. Whatever happened to the When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others? It is apparent that those who give the rules are above the law they cannot be judged nor opposed. Yes, they are humans prone to making mistakes. If that was the case, how credible are their assumptions on the RH Bill and the Divorce Bill? Are they once again committing an error? When is the Catholic Church ever right anyway? The people would just have to decide. There is no excuse for immoral behaviour even for those who set the moral standards of the society. After all, God sees all and so does the people. *A la folie means to insanity Blue Cheese Sangang Daan John Vherlin Canlas Magday Ang hirap magsimula ng isang kuwento o artikulo nang hindi mo alam sa kung saan ka magsisimula. Masyadong maraming ugat ang maaaring paghugutan ng simula, ngunit kailangang piliin kung alin ang papatulan mo. At kung mayroon na nga, ang susunod na hakbang ay hanapin at sundan, o kung minsan ay bumalikwas, sa daang napili mo. At sa bandang huli, ang katapusan ang siyang maaaring iyong hinangad na anyo, o isang kamaliang magbabalik sa iyo patungo sa pinakasimula upang hanapin ang pagkukulang. At bakit nga ba ganito ang naging simula? Bakit ba masalimuot ang pagsasalaysay ng buhay na para bang nasa gitna ka ng sanga-sangang daan na puno ng mga sasakyang humaharang sa iyong ruta? Kahit nga yata sa mismong ruta na tatahakin ay wala rin namang kasiguraduhan sa patutunguhan. Pero sabi nga, wala sa pagtatapos ng isang paglalakbay ang tunay na kaligayahan, kundi sa buong panahon na ginugol at sa mga karanasan sa paglalakbay. Kaya kahit papaano ay hindi sayang ang pagkakataong tuklasin ang sa kung ano ang maaaring matagpuan sa dulo ng bahaghari. Ang buhay, gaya nga ng aking nabanggit, ay parang isang ruta, may destinasyong kailangang marating. Maaaring may alam na shortcut upang mapabilis ang paglalakbay, at maaari rin namang maligaw kung hindi alam ang pupuntahan. Minsan ay uunahin ang pride at hindi na magtatanong sa nakaaalam ng daan. Ngunit darating din sa punto na mapapagod sa pagmamatigas, at aalamin na ang tamang daan. Sa iyong paglalakbay ay marami rin namang daan na tatahakin. Kung minsan ay aakyat ka sa tuwa at ligaya na para bang nasa tuktok ka ng fly-over. O di kaya y maaapura t maiinis na para bang nasa gitna ng traffic jam, ngunit ito pala ay dahil sa road maintenance, para lang mas gumaan ang paglalakbay. Minsan nama y nasa madilim na bahagi ng underpass ang lungkot na nadarama, o sa intersection ng pagkabagot at kaaliwan. Pwede ring ma-stress sa masikip at lubak-lubak na daan, o ma-relax sa napakaluwang at maayos na highway. Marami pang pagdadaan ang iyong sasakyan, na lulan ang mga pangarap at kaalaman mo sa buhay. Samantalang ikaw naman ang siyang nagmamaneho, at hawak ang mapa ng destinasyon mo. At sa paglisan mo, baunin mo ang lahat ng ala-ala ng iyong pamamalagi roon, maganda man o hindi. At malamang sa malamang, mauubusan ka ng gas, o magugutom. Kailangan mo naman, at hindi maiiwasan, ang magpunta sa stop-overs: bibili sa convenience store ng Kamangmangan, kakain sa karinderya ng Kalituhan, o magoovernight sa hotel ni Alinlangan. Walang masama, natural iyon. Ang dapat lang pakatandaan ay magpatuloy sa paglalakbay kapag natapos na ang pakay. At sa pagdating ng panahong mararating mo na ang pakay mo, gaano man ito katagal, siguraduhin mong ito ang ninais mo mula nang lumabas ka sa bahay mo, ang araw ng iyong kapanganakan. Namnamin ang bawat sandaling naroon ka, ang tagumpay ng pagkamit ng iyong hinangad, at ang lahat ng maaari mong magawa habang naroroon ka pa. Dahil hindi din naman permanente ang pamamalagi doon sa perpeksyong iyon. Darating din ang pagkakataon na kailangan nang magpaalam, at bumalik sa iyong pinanggalingan. At sa paglisan mo, baunin mo ang lahat ng ala-ala ng iyong pamamalagi roon, maganda man o hindi. Dahil tiyak na sa pag-uwi mo, alam mo na ang tamang daraanan, at hindi ka na maliligaw pa. Uy! Nasiraan ako ng sasakyan, traffic pa. Pwede ba kong makisabay sa iyo? Isang taong puno ng mga pangako. Mga pangakong napako. Dahil walang pagbabago sa ilalim ni Aquino, eto bago! I-download ang PDF version ng kule sa

12 12 EDITORIAL False Dilemma And injustice yet again, prevails. A recent installment has been added to the endless saga of deceit and denial which spelled centuries of oppression for the Filipino farmers who tilled the land owned by a different master. The harsh reality itself connotes that anomalies abound in the situation, and various mechanisms were used, and are being used to ensure that ownership of the land remains in the hands of the hacienderos. This issue in the Philippines remains a hotbed of controversy, as past administrations failed to enforce the necessary solution to the problem. Land distribution is, and has always been, the only solution. Even the two Aquino administrations either tolerated or aggravated the crisis. The first one, former President Corazon C. Aquino, attempted to create an agrarian reform law, the infamous Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, but all it effected was a mockery of the already desolate state of the farmers. Reforms were not imposed, and if they were as in some cases, these were either fraudulent in nature or largely ineffective. The law stood as a mere propaganda that would satisfy the increasing sentiment of the tillers for justice and the pressures to keep the family business. The years that followed saw an escalation of the very abuses the law amusingly tried to get rid of, with all semblance of a humane atmosphere inside the hacienda ceasing. But then the public seemingly forgot about these facts, as the optimism boasted of by the yellow movement bolstered peoples hopes and consequently paved the way for another Aquino regime. But hopes deflated at the onset of the term of President Benigno S. Aquino III, when the materialization of the engaging rhetoric all became too good to be true. the court invalidated the SDO in the first place, it would be unnecessary, illogical, and utterly absurd of it to require a referendum wherein the farmers would choose between land distribution and stock shares. But even as due credit can be given to the highest court in the land, such rulings make a mockery out of the nobility of the duty it has been sworn to protect. The SC, in an endless bout of wayward decision-making trances, functioned as a mere extension of the President s indecision in the agrarian reform controversy. The case in point is his own land; that a part of his familial heritage is on the line. And apparently, as history would indeniably profess, the Cojuanco-Aquino owners of the land would not surrender to the demands for social justice that easily, especially considering the utter loss of excess fortunes and power the political clan would incur. The abuses and maltreatment endured by the farmers may be sufficient proof of that. But even as the SC deserves to undergo the fire of wrath for its heinous and quite ridiculous decisions, the true bearer of the word, and even the heat, is Aquino himself. As long as Aquino denies any obligation to take a stand on the matter, the SC would be ready to conjure rulings out of the thin air of irrationality to retain the current unjust system. As long as he purports silence in the whole controversy, the issue would not garner its rightful closure. As long as his true stance with regards to genuine agrarian reform remains but a vague memory of a pre-election campaign propaganda, the impoverished farmers remain vulnerable to the abuses of the prolongation of social injustice. Countless excuses were made on his part, which comprise the justification provided for his silence in the matter. But given that he is the president, there can be no valid excuse for the stand he took and continuously takes. Nevermind that he does not hold enough shares to be appropriately called an owner of the land, that he is not the decision maker in the family business, or that he declares this controversy as requiring non-interference from the government. In the end, the fact remains that his choice matters. In effect, by choosing not to choose, Aquino did choose. He decided to allow the landowners to possess the upperhand, which would only mean even worse conditions for the farmers, who may never gain the land they deserve. The fundamental principle of all this chaos is as clear as ever: the farmers must own the land they till. Social justice rests on this principle, in as much as land reform is concerned. There is no safe option, as every choice creates a heavy impact. Aquino must choose between two sides: the demands of the farmers and the pressures from his familial heritage. His indecision proves all the more that his main priorities are somewhat unclear, though as events reveal, the agricultural sector may weigh in somewhere at the bottom. Social justice is equivalent to land. In this case, there can be no other definition, or option for that matter. The most recent conclusion on land reform clearly defines the stand of the administration. The Supreme Court (SC) reaffirmed the decision of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council to revoke the Stock Distribution Option (SDO); however, it is to be used still as an alternative to land distrbution for the farmers, who are to decide in a referendum between the two choices. If T H E M A N I L A C O L L E G I A N m a g n a e s t v e r i t a s e t p r e v a e l e b i t Aubrey Nicole Leones Arboleda Angela Mariz Ulep Caudal YodHim GudEl Dela Rosa Mon Gabriel Posadas Distor Jeo Angelo Chico Elamparo Criselli Langonoy Endaya Marie Kristel Antonio Gabawa Kathleen Trinidad Guiang Alyssa Nicole Cacho Gratil Aries Joseph Armendi Hegina Ehcel Sañga Hurna Deonah Abigail Lugo Miole Ace Vincent Ponseca Molo Jore- Annie Rico Jesse Nicole Rubio Santos Joanna Marie Icasas Udarbe In effect, by choosing not to choose, Aquino did choose. Websites: themanilacollegian@gmail.com Member: College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), UP Solidaridad Office: 4Flr Student Center Building, Padre Faura St., cor. Maria Orosa St., UP Manila