Professional Documents
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BILANG 7
PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN
Opisyal na lingguhang pahayagan ng mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, Diliman
NOWHERE MAN
OPINYON
PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN
No Decency
PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN
PERHAPS THE P10-BILLION pork barrel scam is only the latest addition to the governments notorious portfolio on corruption. The recent expos that involved businesswoman Janet LimNapoles, who allegedly benefited from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of several senators and congressmen was hardly a surprise. If anything, such an anomaly only validated what has long been known of the government self-serving and corrupt. Much media hubbub has surrounded the controversy, which has polarized public opinion into at least two campsto junk or retain the PDAF while instituting reforms in implementation most of the time, simplistically reducing the issue to the junk-revise dichotomy. Such an outcry is perfectly understandable considering the P27 billion PDAF in the national budget, an amount as vast as it is prone to abuse. Whats often left out is the systemic nature of the PDAF and its vile role in the countrys politicaleconomic setup of shortage and patronage. That ultimately, an unchallenged, almost conventional wisdom underlying the pork barrel scheme stems from a grand scandal, where the government is unable to serve the general welfare of its constituents; and instead of fulfilling such responsibility, the best the system could do was to give politicians ultimate discretion on how to spend public funds. The political implications of the PDAF or any other funds hinged on individual discretion are of course
2013 - 2014
Punong Patnugot Julian Inah Anunciacion Kapatnugot Victor Gregor Limon Patnugot sa Balita Keith Richard Mariano Patnugot sa Grapiks Ysa Calinawan Tagapamahala ng Pinansiya Gloiza Rufina Plamenco Panauhing Patnugot Piya Constantino Margaret Yarcia Mga Kawani Mary Joy Capistrano Ashley Marie Garcia Kimberly Ann Pauig Jiru Nikko Rada Emmanuel Jerome Tagaro Pinansiya Amelyn Daga Tagapamahala sa Sirkulasyon Paul John Alix Sirkulasyon Gary Gabales Amelito Jaena Glenario Ommamalim Mga Katuwang na Kawani Trinidad Gabales Gina Villas Kasapi UP Systemwide Alliance of Student Publications and Writers Organizations (Solidaridad) College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) Pamuhatan Silid 401 Bulwagang Vinzons, Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, Diliman, Lungsod Quezon Telefax 981-8500 lokal 4522 Online pkule1314@gmail.com www.philippinecollegian.org fb.com/philippinecollegian twitter.com/kule1314
Ysa Calinawan
beyond standard graces. Reports of strategic usage of such funds to perpetuate hold on political power have long sealed the dominant impression on pork barrels as an economic leverage rather than a development tool whose noble end-goal is to improve the lives of Filipinos. It is thus unsurprising that the pork barrel system survived for decades despite perennial and valid criticisms against its vulnerability to corruption and key role in animating patronage politics. Everything fits fine for those who privately gain from public coffers, who would latter indecently claim ownership to such funds by favoring beneficiaries and patrons based on personal whims. Just a few months ago, although a completely different background story, issues over misuse of funds and ethical conduct hounded the remainder of then-Senate President Juan Ponce Enriles tenure. After all, the pork barrel in whatever form, reinforces the feudal relations prevalent in Philippine society in which legitimate rights only become accessible insofar as it is compatible with the interests of the self-serving elite holding public office. Even the self-proclaimed champion of good governance himself, Pres. Benigno Aquino III made his position clear to maintain the pork barrel, which has earned a reputation as a stable source of corruption. As a response that befits the anti-corruption stalwart, Aquino ordered his administration to conduct an exhaustive, fair and impartial investigation. Yet, similar initiatives in the past speak for itself in truly delivering results. With all his pretensions of daang matuwid, Aquino didnt even mention such an issue in his State of the Nation Address perfectly understandable, lest he wishes to earn the ire of Congress. Not incidentally and unsurprisingly, Aquino himself is silent on funds under his own discretion. Halfway through his term and beset by perennial problems of high commodity prices, low salaries and unemployment, it is increasingly becoming clear that Aquinos muchhyped anti-corruption crusade failed at two levels: to eradicate corruption as the supposed root of poverty, and bring genuine change to the impoverished majority. Indeed, the PDAF system, with its inherent susceptibility to corruption and abuse, reflects the imbalance of power in the state. The highly regarded checks and balances between branches of governments is clearly a farce in the face of exchanging economic benefits for political gains. More so, to continue defending the retention of PDAF in the face of scarce resources of precious government funds reeks of hypocrisy and utter disregard to public interests. Never mind that for the longest time, the budget for social services in which the people directly benefit suffer insufficient funding. Never mind that these same bureaucrats adhere on neoliberal paradigms at the expense of peoples welfare and beefing up their pockets. Such a morally bankrupt system is beyond redemption. With all the evidences and experiences that have fortified the peoples perception on the PDAF, the logicaland moralway forward lies in junking this widely discredited scheme and explore alternatives that can redeem whatever decency is left of the government.
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EDITORS PICK
The Philippine Collegian republishes distinguished photographs from its past issues that captured its YEARS tradition of critical and fearless journalism.
Militant groups slam Mike Arroyo in a demonstration at Welcome Rotonda, a day after the former first gentleman fled the country and hours after he was identified in the September 18 Senate hearing as the mystery man in the ZTE deal scandal.
BALITA
PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN
the Philippines to protect the countrys territories in the West Philippines Sea. The protesters expressed their disapproval of the proposed military bases agreement as they set on fire a 13-foot effigy of the president feasting on battleships at a table clothed with the American flag. [Aquinos] SONA reflected the situation of the people. Not his speech, but his silence on pressing issues, his haciendero arrogance and narcissistic self-promotion, according to Anakbayan, a militant national youth group.
Police forces rammed around 200 protesters from Camp Karingal to Anonas Extension in order to disperse the indignation rally on the evening of July 22. Members of different sectors stormed the police headquarters to call for the immediate release of the 10 activists detained in the SONA protest march.
BALITA
PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN
Sidebar 1:
CO
MOOE
PS
Proposed
Approved
P18.24 B
Total:
P6.92 B
Total:
P1.55 B
P374 M P211 M P3.2 M P925 M
Proposed
P18.54 B P5.75 B
P4.87 B P880 M Approved
Total:
Total:
Total:
P1.48 B
P428.8 M P666 M P56 M P328 M
Proposed
Total:
P17.07 B P5.75 B
P4.85 B P713 M P190 M
Total:
Total:
P1.63 B
P466.7 M P733 M P61.6 M P360.1 M
Proposed
Approved
Total:
P18.4 B
P9.5 B
Total:
Total:
P1.63 B
P472 M P734.2 M P61.6 M P363 M
Proposed
P17.1 B
Total:
P8.1 B
Total:
P6.02 B P2.07 B P18 billion P12 billion P6 billion P500 million P1 billion P1.5 billion
(UN)FARE HIKE
Photo by Angerica Hainto
Over 1.3M daily passengers of the LRT and MRT lines will have to shoulder an impending P10 fare increase anytime between 2013 and 2014. Railway systems in Metro Manila were aimed to cost lesser than the P40 average bus fare, but Transportation Secretary Emilio Abaya wants to decrease the governments P60/per train passenger subsidy.
BALITA
PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN
SWIFT
Photo by Kimberly Pauig
Heavily guarded Lady Maroon Antonia Wong drives past two Lady Eagle defenders in the first round match at San Juan Arena on July 28. UP sparked a 12-0 run in the opening of the first canto and sustained a comfortable lead throughout the game to secure a win against the ADMU, 56-46. upang maitalaga si Castante na pumang-anim noon sa halalan. Nanumpa si Castante, na kaalyado rin ni Geniston, bilang bagong kinatawan ng MMM noong ika-25 ng Hunyo.
kandidatong nakalikom ng susunod na pinakamataas na boto sa nakaraang halalan, ayon sa Section 6.e, Article V. Sa 42 miyembro ng konseho na dumalo sa pagpupulong noong ika-18 ng Hunyo, 36 ang bomoto
KULTURA
PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN
inilalako sa SC, may ilang may imprenta pa ng isaw at fishball bilang mga icons ng pamantasan. Maging mga artista at mga estudyante sa mga karatig private schools, dumarayo pa sa UP para lang matikman ang mga pagkaing ito. Tanghalian Pagdating ng tanghaling tapat, daig pa ng CASAA ang palengke sa dami ng mga estudyanteng nagpapaligsahan sa paghahanap ng bakanteng mesa. Ngunit para sa mga hindi swak sa badyet ang pananghaliang nagkakahalaga ng humigit kumulang P50, maaari namang hindi na makipagsiksikan pa. Sa palibot ng academic oval, nakaabang ang mga kiosks na nagtitinda ng instant pancit canton. Kumpleto ang menu sa pagpipilian depende sa panlasa ng nagtitipid: mula sa matabang hanggang sa maanghang. Sa presyong P15 bawat pakete ng instant pancit canton, at sa loob lamang ng tatlo hanggang limang minuto, may pantawid gutom ka na. Ngunit hindi lamang para sa kapos sa allowance ang ganitong diet dahil mistulang STFAP din ang combo meals. Depende sa badyet mo (P20 hanggang P60), maaari ring
mamili ng kombinasyong gusto moliban sa pancit canton, maaari kang pumili ng bonus na tinapay, siomai, kwek-kwek, fish ball, kikiam, cheese sticks, juice na nakatetrapack o nakaplastic na bote. Noong pangulo pa ng UP si Prop. Emerlinda Roman, ipinagbawal ang pagtitinda sa mga kiosks ng mga pagkaing hindi masustansya. Kalakip sa kasunduan sa pagitan ng mga manininda at ng administrasyon ang listahan ng mga maaari lamang ipagbili sa mga estudyante. Hindi rito kasama ang mga lutuing instant gaya ng pancit canton. Sinimulan lamang payagang ilako ang mga pagkaing ito noong Agosto 2008dalawang buwan lang matapos ang enrolment ng mga bagong isko at iskang apektado ng pagtaas ng base tuition mula P300 hanggang P1,000 kada yunit. Hapunan Pagtakipsilim, kakalam muli ang tiyan. Dahil sarado na ang mga tindahan sa loob ng kampus, dadalhin ka ng gutom sa laylayan ng UPsa mga komunidad na noon pa may tahanan na ng kahit na anong muramurang bedspace, murang gamit, murang alak at yosi, at higit sa lahat, mura ring pagkain. Sa Krus na Ligas, pa lamang, nakahilera na sa harap ng plaza ang mga tindahan ng bentelog. Sa halagang P20, makakabili ka ng isang tasang kanin, pritong itlog, at sari-saring ulam na prito: hotdog, bacon, meat loaf, embutido, longganisa, ham. Libre na ang isang mangkok ng sabaw.
KULTURA
PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN
BIYERNES, AGOSTO 2, 2013 Walang pakay na pumatay ang mga higante ng tao bagkus inaalagaan pa nga ang mga mamimili sa pamamagitan ng pagbenta nito ng mga kagamitang mahalaga daw sa kanilang buhay. Kapital kung tawagin ang pera ng tao sa wika ng higante. Ikalawa, pinag-aralan niya kung bakit pabalik-balik ang mga tao sa tiyan ng higante kahit batid na nila kung ano ang mangyayari sa kanila sa loob. Sinuong niya isang beses ang bituka ng higante at doon niya nakita ang halimaw sa loob: sadyang pinuputakte ang pandama ng mga tao ng ibat ibang mga imahen na waring pinupunan ang kanilang pagkukulang. Dahil doon nagluwal ito ng pakiramdam na kung tawagin ay pagnanais. Sa pag-asam na lalong mapalusog ang higante, napansin ng bayaning labis kung mag-angkat ito ng mga paraisong kagamitan sa bawat paghahanda nito ng pamain. Minsan ay halos mapuno ang bituka ng higante. Ngunit hindi makuhang itapon at isawalang bahala ng higante ang mga kagamitan, sapagkat gusto nilang masulit ang ganansya hanggang sa huling patak. Sa paglibot ng bayani sa buong bansa napansin din niyang dinudumog na ito ng mga higante. Minsan nagpapaligsahan ang mga higante sa paramihan at palakihan ng kapital. Bunga nito, nasakop ang
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mga lupain at espasyo ng tao upang magluwal ng panibagong higante. Magmula dito, nagalit ang bayani sa malaon nang pagsuko ng tao sa mga higante. Sa isip niya ay kusang tinanggap na nila ito sa kanilang buhay at iniasa sa higante ang kapalaran nila. Ang konswelong natitira sa tao ay ang pag-alay nila ng kapital sa higante upang paginhawain ang buhay nila. Napupunta at nakokonsentra ang kapital ng buong bansa sa mga higanteng ito na kung tawagin ay mga malls. Pagpurga sa Tiyan Sapul ang pagkabundat ng mga higante matapos ang tatlong araw. Bagamat kumupad ang pagkain nito, hindi pa rin matinag ang kaniyang katakawan, kahit nakapikit na ang mga mata nito. Naging banayad ang daloy ng lahat: ang mga kalsada, ang dagsa ng mga tao. Sa ilang araw, magaangkat muli ang higante. Bakas sa mukha ng tao ang hindi matighaw na pag-asam nilang bumili pa ng mga paraisong-gamit. Nagsimula din silang mag-ipon ng pera upang lalong masulit ang susunod nilang pagpapakain. Hindi mawaglit sa isip ng bayani ang palaisipan na umiinog ang buhay ng tao ngayon sa kalakaran ng kapital. Namumuhi siya na ang lahat ng bagay ay may katumbas nang halaga. Nanlumbay siya sa mga kapwa niyang ang tanging nasa isip ay ang katas ng paraiso. Sinuong ng bayani ang loob ng higante upang puksain ito. Ngunit, laking gulat niya na mismong ang kagamitang kailangan niya upang patayin ang higante ay mismong inilalako ng kaniyang bituka. Hindi malunok ng bayani ang matinding kabalintunaan. Ito ang buhay ng konsumerismo: ang pag-iral ng kahalagahan ng pagkamal ng labis-labis na kapital at labis-labis na mga produkto. Dito, matagumpay nang naitaguyod ang higante sa buhay ng mga tao, kahit batid at gagap na nila ang mga kasakiman at pananamantala nito, hindi pa rin nila mapigilan magpakain sa kaniya. Sa ganitong tipo ng sistema ng lipunan, nasusukat na lamang ang kahalagahan ng tao sa kakayahan niyang magbayad at umani ng pera. Wala nang kuwenta gayon, ang kabuluhan ng halaga ng tao sa unti-unti nitong pag-agnas sa kalakarang ito. Sa huli, napilitang bumili ang bayani ng kagamitang kailangan niya upang puksain ang higante. Sinimulan niyang itipon ang mga tao upang maghasik ng madugong pagbalikwas sa loob mismo ng bituka ng higante.
MULING NAGISING ANG HIGANTE para sa pana-panahong paghuli ng pagkain nito. Idinilat niya ang kaniyang dambuhalang mata bilang pamain. Sisimulan niyang ibuka ang bibig at kusa niyang hinintay dumating ang mga pagkain. Punung-puno ng kotse ang mga likaw-likaw na daanan ng kalsada, halos gapang-pagong ang usad dito. Saglit na huminto at bumaba ang mga lulan nitong pasahero at kusa silang pumasok sa bunganga ng higante na tila hindi matinag ang pagnguya dahil sa dami ng pumapasok. Sa labas, bakas sa balintataw ng higante ang mga salitang ito: 3-day sale madness! Up to 50% off! Habang labas-masok ang mga pagkain, sa di kalayuan, may isang magiting na bayaning minamatyagan ang bawat kilos ng higante. Hinihintay ang akmang pagkakataon para paslangin ito.
Doon sa dulo, naglilingkis na parang sawa ang mga pila sa kahera. Tumataginting ang pumapasok na pera sa bituka ng higante. Ngunit para sa ilan, hindi na bago ang pangyayaring ito sa kanila. Minsan na nilang hayag na tinatanggap ang mapanghalinang bitag ng higante. Naranasan na nilang magpakain at makalabas nang ganap. Hindi maikakaila ang kadalubhasaan ng higante sa larangan ng pagbitag. Ginagawang abot-kaya ang mga presyo ng kaniyang mga paraisong-gamit para masaklaw ang pinakamalawak at pinakaraming tao kaniyang pwedeng makonsumo. Pagtunaw sa Bituka Saglit na humupa ang pagpakyaw sa katas ng paraiso. Halos matumba at gumulong ang mga tao sa dami ng kanilang mga bitbit. Hindi mabura ang kanilang ngiti. Para bang may napunan na pagkukulang sa buhay nila at ngayoy pakiramdam nila na nasa langit na sila. Sa labas, kita ang ngisi sa mukha ng higante. Nasustentuhan muli nang maigi ang paborito niyang pagkain. Isa-isa na niyang iniluluwa ngayon ang mga kuntento nang mamimili. Matamang pinag-aralan ito ng bayaning nakamasid. Naitala niya na ang bumubuhay sa higante ay ang pera ng mga tao.
Pagdausdos sa Lalamunan Ang loob ng katawan halimaw ay isang paraiso ng mga kagamitan. Hindi magkadaugaga ang mga tao sa pagtingin sa ibat ibang inilalakong mga gamit. Hindi rin nila alintana ang mga kapwa nilang nilamon na at ngayoy mga taong hinubad na ang katwiran at naging katuwang sa pagbuhay sa higante. Napakagarbo ng loob ng lalamunan ng higante. Puti ang mga sahig at sa sobrang kintab nito ay isinasalamin ang namamanghang mukha ng mga pagkain. Mapangakit ang mga tatak at pamagat ng bawat bagay na nakapatong sa ibat i b a n g pedestal at estante, nanghahalina. Tila ba nagayuma na ang mga taong nagsipasukan sa ona Alz sandaling iyon, k c ri kumaripas sila sa ibat Pat ibang dako upang malubos ang bawat produkto na magkakasya sa pera nila. Nag-uunahan silang mahipo ang katas ng paraiso. Walang patumangga sa dami ng kanilang madadampot at isasalampak sa namumuwalan na nilang lalagyan. Naroon ang ilang tao sa pamilihan ng gadgets, matapos makita ang mga modelo ay diretsong ilalabas ang pambayad. Naroon ang ilan sa parada ng mga damit, kinikiliti ng tela ang haraya nila ng kagandahan. Naroon ang ilan sa mga pamilihan ng pagkain, hinihimas ang mabubusog nilang mga tiyan.
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Fund (CDF). The CDF revived these allocations with definitive parameters, equal appropriations, built-in accountability and clear transparency which were absent during the profligacy and corruption of the Marcos regime. However, contrary to its goals, corruption scandals were later linked to the CDF. This prompted the congress to rename it to PDAF and revise its implementation rules. Currently, P24.9 billion or 1.25 percent of the P2 trillion national budget is allotted for the PDAF. The annual PDAF of senators lack of totals P200 million transparency Pork and patronage while P70 million The phrase pork opens opportunities is apportioned barrel was first for corruption and to each of the used in the United 294 district and appropriation for States to refer to party-list represencontainers where bogus organizations, tatives. Meanwhile, salted pork are ghost projects and the Presidents PDAF, stored. Some of also called the syndicatesan these would later be Presidents Social evident misuse of given as reward to the Fund, amounts to slaves who would then public funds nearly P1 billion. compete for their share. As part of the By mid-1800s, alluding countrys budget, the to the fatness of pork, the PDAF targets small-scale term has become synonymous to ventures which are not part of [1] the largesse in American politics , the national plans. Legislators which becomes basis for patronage. themselves identify the projects During US President William to be funded, the liquidation for Tafts time, pork barrel was which will later be assessed by the introduced to the Philippines. It Commission on Audit (COA). But has since become known as the the verification of fund beneficiaries funding given to congressmen and is outside COAs duty. The lack of senators for their discretionary use. such a process opens opportunities Back then, lawmakers proposed the for corruption and appropriation for projects they want to be funded bogus organizations, ghost projects under the national budget, subject and syndicatesan evident misuse to the deliberation of the assembly. of public funds. Ideally, PDAF can be used to All checks, no balances finance scholarships, infrastructure When reports of the P10 billion developments, and even programs scam concerning 28 lawmakers and of philanthropic groups and nonJanet Lim-Napoles broke out, the government organizations (NGOs). legislators faced renewed calls for Formerly called congressional abolition of the PDAF. But allocations, the Supreme Court under stories about the embezzlethe Cory Aquino administration ment of pork barrel funds declared the appropriation of are nothing new. the Countrywide Development The Batasan Complex is always busy. Cars of all shapes and sizes bearing the plate numbers 7 and 8 fill the parking lots while their ownerslawmakers in barong, crisp suits and sheath dresses spend their day at the House of Representatives. Within its august halls, however, dirty secrets lurk. Arguably the worst kind involves the legislators misuse of public coffers, especially the pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). As controversies one after another hounded PDAF spending, we see the sad truth that it has become. The
LATHALAIN
PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN
BIYERNES, AGOSTO 2, 2013 Casio also stressed that lawmakers have no need for the PDAF.[The PDAF] is not a necessity. [It was] institutionalized for the convenience of senators and congressmen. It should be abolished and then the lump sum will be part of the budget for other sectors, or the national budget will decrease, he adds. He claimed that PDAF monitoring were done in the past but failed. In their joint statement, the representatives under the Makabayan bloc also explained that the pork barrel system is a form of institutionalized patronage and officially tolerated graft and corruption, and that the current scam proves that is beyond salvaging. They argued that the most effective solution is to abolish the PDAF and eliminate the opportunities for corruption. Without the PDAF, legislators have to itemize their projects and have it subjected to the Houses approval. This will ensure transparency in budgeting. [Also], there would be less tools for the administration [to use for] manipulation, he explained. Over the years, the pork barrel has indeed evolved more as a political tool for acquiring and keeping power than as a fund to promote public welfare. And as lawmakers themselves can be expected to prevent the establishment of a stronger regulating system, complete transparency becomes an unattainable ideal.
Reference [1]Nograles, P.C., Lagman, E.C., Understanding the Pork Barrel Center for People Empowerment in Governance IBON Foundation.
Based on a study by the According to the Center for People Stockholm-based think-tank Empowerment and Governance, International Institute for a public policy center, patronage Democracy and Electoral Assistance politics also boosts centralization (International IDEA), the trend of powers that sustains the of using the PDAF escalates when domination of political clans. For its elections are near and that around part, independent research group 20 percent of the national budget is IBON Foundation asserts that the lost due to corruption. skewed appropriations for the PDAF If anything, the most recent are inconsistent with PNoys goal to expose involving Lim-Napoles only fight corruption. showed how pocketing the pork barrel is easily and systematically Not a necessity As the PDAF remains the subject accomplished. According to Benhur Luy, her former assistant, Lim- of heated debates, some have argued Napoles created a dozen ghost NGOs that scrapping the PDAF will deprive to benefit from the PDAF of the the lawmakers constituency of accused lawmakers, and allocations development. For example, Sen. Vicente Sotto III explains that were directed to her bank account. In light of the revelations, without the PDAF, legislators must include their projects in the lawmakers belonging to the General Appropriations Act, progressive Makabayan making the process more Coalition, had again tedious and difficult to called for scrapping monitor. the PDAF: [Our Pork barrel But Senators bill] shall prohibit has evolved more Francis Escudero, in the President from providing as a political tool his first few years, and Panfilo Lacson, budgetary items for acquiring and were known for or including in not using their keeping power the proposed pork barrel funds, budget lump sum than as a fund with the latter allocations to the to promote even asserting that PDAF. Aside from the legislators pork public welfare lawmakers should not build roads. In addition, barrel, the bill [shall former Bayan Muna bar] the Presidential pork representative Teddy Casio barrel funds such as the argues that duty-wise, it is not Presidents Social Fund, read the Makabayan Coalitions press statement. the obligation of the congressmen That the system promotes and senators to initiate projects. patronage politics was evident After all, the constitution stipulates early on in Aquino IIIs term. that legislators are primarily For instance, budget secretary responsible for making laws and Butch Abad allegedly refused to budget appropriations. These duties release the pork funds of former prohibit lawmakers from stamping opposition congresswoman Mitos their name in projects which are the Magsaysay, and justified the act turf of governors, mayors and other by saying it is a political reality. local government officials. The power to withhold the PDAF of certain lawmakers then permits the administration to impose its will on Congress.
LATHALAIN
PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN
Suspicious men in motorcycles alleged military personnelwait outside the house of a member of a group of young student journalists from the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) convention. Wrapped in fear, the young group of writers dreaded the unwelcome minutes as they wait within the temporary safety of their locked doors. The members of the small group are national and regional leaders of CEGP, the oldest and broadest alliance of campus publications in the Philippines. They had to resort to text messaging and the use of social media for updates on their current situation. Earlier that day, the group of men in motorcycles and pedicabs were aggressively asking for their whereabouts from residents of Catarman. They were then harassing the young group to get inside the tricycles as the group hurried to the house of a co-guilder near the Catarman terminal. The group left in the morning, amid the ongoing threats of military terrorism against campus journalists. Student Journalism The campus paper is essential to the students and has been integral in the dissemination of social issues. During the Martial law period, campus publications have served as mosquito press that continued to publish underground materials that blatantly exposed the ills of the Marcos dictatorship. [Sa campus press] nananatili ang aspirasyon para sa malayang pamamahayag habang marami sa profesyonal na media ay nahatak na sa kapitalismot kita ng mga ito, said UP College of Mass Communication Dean Roland Tolentino. The campus press is the freedom from any form of administration intervention and censorship. A student publication is an autonomous student-managed institution, free from commercial and corporate interests. Since media ownership is a restraint to press freedom due to conflicting interests, campus press has always been the alternative media, according to a statement of CEGP. Unlike the mainstream media, the student pub is beholden not to any political or commercial interest, but the interest of the student body. The student body is not isolated from the society at large, and whatever faulty policy the government implements affects the students whether directly or indirectly, CEGP National President Pauline Gidget Estella said. Article III Section 4 of the 1987 Constitution states that no law shall be passed that would disable freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances. Press freedom is an essential element of a democracy
for it to have a wellinformed citizenry. Although press freedom is contained in the Constitution, the campus press is still victim to many violations. RePressed With the need to uphold campus press freedom (CPF), the government instead ignores the call to advocate CPF. CEGP documented 230 cases of campus press freedom violations (CPFV) since April 2013. Some of the violations recorded were threats against student writers and editors, administration intervention with editorial policies and articles, censorship of articles, barring of publication funds and facilities, and suspension and filing of libel against student journalists. Despite the presence of a bill to protect campus press, a libel case was charged against campus journalists from University of the Easts the Weekly Dawn whose former Managing Editor was banned from enrolment. The publication also suffered from loss of funding along with other publications such as Polytechnic University of the Philippines Taguigs The Chronicler and Holy Angel Universitys The Angelite. EARIST Technozette experiences a threat of abolition after it refused having an adviser. Extreme measures such as red-tagging and use of military force to threaten student journalists were also recorded. In 2012, members of Palawan State Universitys The Pioneer were red-tagged as communist fronts by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during a forum in Palawan. The campus press is also a victim of the culture of impunity. Former CEGP Vice President for Mindanao Benjaline Hernandez of Ateneo de Davao Universitys Atenews was killed by members of the Citizens Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) in Northern Cotabato while doing field research ten years ago. The number of CPFV excluding the undocumented ones is escalating at an alarming rate. The current administration failed to deliver a bill that protects the rights of the press. To end this cycle of injustice against student journalists, CEGP filed a complaint to Commission on Higher Education (CHED) last July 17 against the documented violations on campus press freedom.
Bogus freedom A law intended to protect journalists was the Campus Journalism Act of 1991. It seeks to uphold and protect the freedom of the press even at the campus level. However, the law has loopholes such as the allowing of non-mandatory establishment of publications and non-mandatory collection of publication feethe main source of life of campus publications. This gives a leeway to school administrators to boycott collecting publication fees. The law also gives exemptions to violators of the freedom and space of student journalists, and does not contain a penalty clause, allowing offence after offence among administrations. CJA paved way for school [administrations] to devise more creative schemes to silence the pub without violating the law, Estella said. One of the most known examples of the consequence of this law was the libel case filed against UP Baguio Outcrop then-Editor in Chief Jesusa Paquibot in 2011 by a UP Baguio professor after the publication of Outcrops satire issue. Trial would take place in October. Naniniwala ang Outcrop na hindi hiwalay ang kasong kinakaharap nito sa nararanasan ng iba pang mga publikasyon sa bansa. Sa tala pa lamang ng CEGP ng mga CPFVs noong nakaraang taon, makikitang hindi nabibigyan ng sapat na proteksyon ang mga pahayagang pangkampus, current Outcrop Editor in Chief said. Several student publications were shut
down by the school administration such as the EARIST Technozette of Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology, The Dawn of University of the East,The Pedon of Mindanao State UniversityMarawi, Monthly Quest of Quezon City Polytechnic University, and the La Sallian of De La Salle University Manila. Outside the frame In an effort to end the many violations against campus journalists, House Bill 1493 or the Campus Press Freedom Act of 2013 was re-filed by Kabataan Partylist (KPL) representative Terry Ridon. Revisions present in HB 1493 are the required establishment and independence of publications in all levels, and the mandatory collection of publication fee to support the operations of the student paper which is an integral part not only of the student body, but of the national press. The conflict of interest between the campus or national administration and the thrust of the student publication is the root cause of CPFV. With the violations against freedom of expression, and even the basic rights, it is evident that the current administration failed to prioritize the lives of the press and student journalists who chronicle reality in daily headlines. As campus press freedom remains subjugated, the educational system is chafed with an uninformed student body. Full autonomy of student publications must be attained for journalism to serve its purpose of serving the common interest of the student body and the people.
Illustration : Ysa Calinawan Page design : Jerome Tagaro
10
OPINYON
PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN
Ilang buwan na ang lumipas ng makita ko sa peryodiko ang balitang ito. Tungkol ito dun sa estudyante ng UP na nagpakamatay. Kamusta na kaya ang mga magulang niya? Nakakarelate ako kasi magulang din ako at ramdam ko kung ano ang pakiramdam ng mga magulang ng batang yun ng mga panahon na yun. Masakit para sa isang magulang ang masabihan na parang wala silang ginagawang aksyon para mapunan ang pangangailangan at pangtuition ng kanilang anak. Sigurado akong kung naririnig ng batang ito ang akusasyon na yun sa kanyang magulang, malamang ay galit na galit na ito. Tiyak akong may nagawa siladi nga lang sila pinalad na makamit ang gusto nilang maibigay sa kanilang anak. Kung sanay naging responsable din ang gobyerno para mabigyan ng tamang budget para sa edukasyon ang mga kabataan, hindi na sana umabot sa ganoong sitwasyon. Wala na sanang batang magiisip na magpakamatay o titigil ng pag aaral dahil lamang sa hindi matustusan ang kanyang pangangailangan bilang isang mag aaral. Naniniwala ako na walang
magulang na hindi gagawin ang lahat ng paraan para lamang sa pangangailangan ng kanilang mga anak. Isa ako sa mga magulang na yon na gagawin ang lahat para sa kinabukasan at pangarap ng kanyang anak. Wala akong pakialam kahit pa husgahan ako ng ibang tao o tangkain pigilan ako. Hindi ako perpektong tao. May mga sablay din ako sa buhay. Pero ang imporatante, malinis ang hangarin ako. Hindi lahat ng nakikita ay pinaghihinalaan at hindi lahat ng pinaghihinalaan ay totoo. Anak ko yun at handa akong igapang siya sa hirap makatapos lang siya ng pag aaral. Di ko papayagan na mahirapan siya dahil wala siyang pangbayad ng matrikula o walang pamasahe para makapasok ng eskwelahan. Sobrang dinamdam ng batang yun ang mga pangyayari kung kayat di niya nakayanan at tuluyan na niyang kinitil ang sarili niyang buhay. Sana may natutunan tayo sa mga nangyari. Di natin alam kung hanggang saan ang tatag o kahinaan ng ating mga anak hanggat di sila nakakaranas ng matinding problema sa buhay. At masakit, sobrang sakit, ng pakiramdam para sa isang magulang, kung wala na silang magawa pang higit sa nagawa
Ginagawa ko ito dahil isa akong ina na may simpleng pangarap para sa kanyang mga anak ang makita kong sila ay may maganda nang buhay
na nila at maakusahan na sila ay iresponsableng magulang. Apat na taon ang kursong kinuha niya at siyam na buwan mula ngayon ay gagraduate na anak ko ng koleheyo. Hindi ko pinanghihinayangang gastusan gawin ang responsibilidad ko sa kanya bilang magulang, dahil masipag siyang bata at may dedikasyon sa pag aaral. Kaya kailangan kong magpursige nang husto at rumaket ng rumaketkahit maglabada ,magbenta ng load, magpa-ukay ng mga lumang damitlahat na pinasukan ko at kahit na nga pagsusulat ay inekstrahan ko na din para kumita lang ng pera. Ginagawa ko ito dahil isa akong ina na may simpleng pangarap para sa kanyang mga anakang makita kong sila ay may maganda nang buhay. At least, mawala man ako sa mundo, hindi nila makakalimutan na ang kanilang mga magulang ay hindi naging iresponsable sa pagbibigay sa kanila ng tamang edukasyon. Kung sana ang gobyerno ay maging tulad din ng isang responsable at mabuting magulang sa mga eskwelahang tulad ng UP, malaking tulong na ito sa mga tulad ni Kristel, sa mga tulad ng anak ko, at sa marami pang kabataan.
Anxiety vs Physics
Peter Burgos
She still refuses to answer my calls or reply to my messages. We had this terrible row about joining the SONA mob, but I thought she said its fine as long as I dont get myself into trouble. And then she began to ignore me. Whenever I left her a message on Facebook, I would be seen-zoned. But rather than be sucked into a miserable black hole, I decided that tonight, at the very least, I will try to find out how quantum mechanics may offer me both solace and a logical explanation for what might be going on. First, theres this guy Hugh Everett III, whose credibility is not directly related to the levels of obesity, smoking, and alcoholism which eventually led to his untimely demise. Hugh claims that for each possible outcome to an action,
For each possible outcome to an action, the world splits into copies of itself
the world splits into copies of itself. Its like a choose-yourown-adventure bookonly you dont choose between either jumping into the rabbit-hole or going back to reading your book by the river, because the universe splits in two and both actions are taken at the same time. This means that in an alternate reality, she did call or text me. It no longer matters that I happen to exist in this one reality where she did not call or text me. In an alternate reality, she actually did. Her own choice in this side of the reality is no longer that much important, because at that precise moment when she could have called or texted me, the world has already split in two. And then theres this Niels Bohr guy who says that particles exist in all states at
once and that it is only forced to assume a definite state when we try to observe it. Which is another way of saying the proverbial tree in the forest has fallen only when we try to find out if it did. This means that as long as I do not try to find out why she has not called or texted me, there would be equal probabilities to all reasons why she has not called or texted me yet. As long as I wait patiently, all of these reasons would coexist truthfully and I would not have to confront the real reason just yet. So, she has not called or texted me in two days. No big deal. Its nothing. Really. Now I will go submit this bullshit and be perfectly pleased with myself. Thank you, Hugh. Thank you, Niels. Thank you, editor.
OPINYON
PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN
eksenang peyups
TEXTBACK
newscan
11
Kung sasali si PNoy sa The Voice, ano ang gusto mong kantahin niya?
ah kng kkanta c pn0y s d voice, kantahin nya ung pusong bato. Iddc8 nya kna bernadette, korina, shalani, liz, bianca, etc! Wahaha! Kung sasali si PNOY sa The Voice ang gusto kong kantahin nya ay Kastilyong Buhangin 2012-24363 BA Political Science Underwear by the minions kse mukha syang minion hihihi :> 201258904 Martha Zuiga BS Mat Engg Kung sasali si pnoy sa the voice, peg kong kantahin nya ang pelukang itim. Bet ko dn na walang magbabuzzer sa kanya. 201220210 BS MATE BANANA BY MINIONS 201210587 WE DONT DIE WE MULTIPLY 09264814007 AERHON BOTERO COMPUTER SCIENCE Kung sasali man siya siguro banana potato mukha naman siyang potato pero kulay dilaw ahihi 2012 Aligaga, NCPAG Hindi ko naman siguro kailangang maging isang iskulptor para hubugin ang BATO mong puso. 2012-**979 Choke STAT Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko dapat kantahin nya xD kahit wala naman cia buhok xD hahaha 20131**** Stewie Gryffindor kung sasali si PNoy sa the voice e sana kantahin niya yun I Love It
ng Icona Pop. Kasi parang I dont caaaare! Siya sa issues eh :D 1109**4 AFAN BSCE Toyang. Kantahin niya yon para sa crush kong si Inna Daniele Esmena! <3 201205238
E-waste project
Basag na speaker, laspag na oven toaster, sirang earphone o lumang cellphone? E-waste na yan! Kung meron kayong luma, sira o hindi na ginagamit na electronic devices o gadgets, oras na para mabawasan ang kalat sa inyong mga bahay at maging aktibo sa pagtulong sa kalikasan! Sa The E-waste Project, ang inyong e-waste ay makakatulong sa edukasyon ng kabataan! Abangan sa September 10-13, 2013, sa AS Parking Lot. Huwag nang magpatumpik-tumpik pa. Tara, donate na! Hatid sa inyo ng: UP Circuit, DLSU ECES, PNU UNESCO Club, UP Manila Medicine Student Council, SSC Communication Society, at Mapua MICRO! Kita-kits!
Comments
sabi sa page 11, continued from p1 ung article na scrap or reform, pero galing sya sa page 4. un lang 201220210 isang malaking no! tapusin na ang pagiging karinderyang bukas sa lahat ng pilipinas, lalo na sa mga kanong yan. pero sa bagay, kahit pa wala nang mga base militar sa bansa, may vfa pa rin naman. at kelangang maibasura na rin iyon. 2008-30936 mina deocareza BA creative writing
Errata
During last weeks issue, in the article UP proposes P17B budget for 2014 (p.3), the budget particulars should have been in billions, instead of millions. The following is a revised comparative survey of items in the UP budget.
Next weeks questions 1. Sang-ayon ka ba sa pag-abolish sa SK? Bakit o bakit hindi? 2. Bakit hindi ka crush ng crush mo?
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Tuluyan nang tinupok ng apoy ang mga kabalintunaang pinalakpakan sa loob ng Batasan. Bagaman tinangkang maapula ng estado ang siklab ng galit ng taumbayan sa tuwid na daan, lalo lamang umalab ang simbuyo ng damdamin ng mga Pilipinong nawalan na ng tiwala sa tatlong taong batbat lamang ng mga huwad at hungkag na mga pangako.
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