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NEWSCultureFeaturesEditorial
SONAUPM DORMSSWC RENOVATION
Pages 2 to 7
MOTHER AND CHILD INPERILTIPPING OFF THE SCALE
Pages 8 to 11
REALITY ANDMONSTRISITYEXCELLENCE INEVOLUTION
Pages 12 to 15
PAGTANAW ATPAGHAMON
Page 20
The Official Student Publication of the University of the Philippines Manila | Volume 24 Numbers 4-5 FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 2010
 
2
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13 AUGUST 2010 •
FRI
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   G  r  a  n   d  s   t  a  n   d  o  n   J  u   l  y   3   1
   P   h  o   t  o  c  o  u  r   t  e  s  y  o   f   B  u   l   l   i   t   M  a  r  q  u  e  z   /   A   P   P   h  o   t  o
OF RELEVANCE.
Thousands o people rom dierent sectors rallied at thePeople’s SONA to raise the issues that should be addressed by PresidentAquino in his SONA on July 26.
Photo courtesy of Joanna Udarbe
“Aquino’s SONA Evades RPPressing Issues,” Says SR, FR
DEONAH ABIGAIL LUGO MIOLE
D
espite positive feedbacks raked by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III’s irst State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 26, the University of the Philippines (UP) Student and Faculty Regents –alongside progressive groups and students – expressed dissatisfaction over the recent SONA, saying that  Aquino fell short in addressing the country’s pressing issues.
Remnants of the ArroyoRegime
Aquino started his speech byreiterating his former campaignslogan concept, “
Matuwid nadaan,
” and further explaining itspremises. He also said that thetrue state of the nation has beenkept secret from the people.For the most part of his speech,Aquino addressed the problemshis administration inherited fromthe Arroyo administration. Healso mentioned the discoveredanomalies from Arroyo’s term.Aquino exposed the irregularitiesin the budget of the government,such as the 196.7 billion peso
deicit, the remaining 6% or 100
billion pesos left from the 1.54
trillion peso budget for 2010, andthe already–spent 70% or 1.4
billion pesos of the 2 billion pesocalamity fund.His SONA, which lasted for
almost 40 minutes, also included
the controversies involving theMetropolitan Waterworks and
Sewerage System (MWSS) oficials,
National Power Corporation(NAPOCOR) debt, Mass RailTransit (MRT) purchase, NationalFood Authority (NFA) debt, andunplanned infrastructure projectsof the Department of Public Worksand Highways (DPWH).Aquino articulated that the
MWSS oficials had been giving
themselves ‘rewards,’ despite thefact that the pension for retiredemployees has not yet been fullypaid and people had been puttingup with water scarcity.
Recalling that the said oficials
were midnight appointees fromthe previous administration,Aquino said, “
Kung mayroon pasilang kahit kaunting hiya nanatitira – sana kusa na lang silangmagbitiw sa puwesto
.”Aquino also mentioned in hisspeech the road works andinfrastructures controversiesof the DPWH. He said, that the
DPWH proposed 240 priority
safety projects which would havebeen funded by the Motor VehiclesUsers Charge with 425 millionpesos.Only 28 projects, however, havebeen covered by the fund, despite
having the fund increased to 480
million pesos. Further, the saidprojects were not included in theoriginal plan.“
Tapos na po ang panahon para dito. Sa administrasyon ponatin, walang kota-kota, walangtongpats, ang pera ng taumbayanay gagastusin para sa taumbayanlamang.
” Aquino remarked.Aquino included the NAPOCORdebt in his address. He disclosedthat the government had beenpaying the corporation’s debt 
since 2004, since it persuaded
NAPOCOR to sell power at very
low costs in early 2000s.
He said, “
Kung naging matino ang pag-utang, sana’y nadagdaganang ating kasiguruhan sa supply ng kuryente. Pero ang desisyonay ibinatay sa maling pulitika,at hindi sa pangangailangan ngtaumbayan. Ang taumbayan,matapos pinagsakripisyo ay lalo pang pinahirapan.
”Aquino revealed that the LandBank and Development of the Bank of the Philippines, were ordered tobuy the MRT .Furthermore, Aquino discussedthe controversial funds of theNFA. He also discussed that theagency had imported too muchrice annually which they have kept for years until the rice becomesrotten.
Solutions to the Problems of the State
To make amends in the government,Aquino disclosed the immediatesteps his administration wouldtake to ‘build a better nation’.In his speech, he tackled the issueon tax evasion, declaring that every
week, there shall be cases iled
against tax evaders and smugglers.
Aquino also announced that 50%
of the extralegal killing incidentssince his inauguration have beenresolved.Aquino pronounced in his address,that in the coming days after hisSONA, an executive order shall
be signed to formally inalize
the Truth Commission, to beheaded by former Chief JusticeHilario Davide. The commission
Activists Killed UnderNew Administration
ALYSSA NICOLE CACHO GRATIL
M
erely days after President Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino’s inauguration as the 15th president of theRepublic of the Philippines, unidentiied hit men gunned down four activists in four different incidents – rendering extra judicial killings the highlight of his initial weeks in ofice.
“Firsts” Under the Aquino Administration
Fernando Baldomero, a 61-year-old second-term councilor, BayanMuna coordinator for Aklan, and
a Makabayan coalition oficial, was
shot to death in front of his housein Kalibo, early morning, July 5.Following suit after four dayswere Pascual Guevarra, a 78-year-old leader of the Alyansa ngmga Magbubukid na Nagkakaisa
3100 (Almana 3100), and Mark 
Francisco, a 27-year-old teacherin Masbate and member of theAlliance of Concerned TeachersPartylist. Last and most recently,Josephine Estacio, a 46-year-oldco-member of Francisco was shot dead in Balanga City, Bataan, July12.The number of victims iscontinuously swelling, with an
additional ive attested media
killings prior to Baldomero,Guevarra, Francisco and Estacio.Among the victims were RadyoNatin commentator Jose Daguioand public school teacher Edgar
Fernandez.
 Administration in a State of Refute
Above all the claims of extrajudicialkillings, the administration stillinsists that the military hasnothing to do with the deaths of the activists. Militant legislators,on support, agreed that Aquinois no different from Arroyo about this matter.Recently interviewed by thePhilippine Online Chronicles,Malacanang insisted that theydo not have a policy regardingthe extrajudicial killings, andeven vowed to address the issuesboldly. In this regard, Department of Justice Secretary Leila De Limaeven issued a memorandum,creating a super body composedof the Philippine National Police,the Department of Justice, theCommission on Human Rightsand the Armed Forces of thePhilippines (AFP) that will
speciically attend to the killings,
and will proactively go beyond thecollation of data and supervisionof investigation.
Extrajudicial KillingsCondemned
Bayan Muna President SaturOcampo and party-list Rep.Teddy Casiño strongly rebukedthe murders of activists. Otheradvocates demanded strict analysis on the possible meddlingof military and military-backeddeath squads.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
NEWS
shall investigate further on theanomalies from the previousadministration and punish the
corrupt oficials.
Moreover, Aquino brought up thePublic-Private Partnerships (PPP)in his SONA. With the PPP, thegovernment shall partner up withone or more private institutions
to inancially support the needs of 
the country.Aquino said, “
 Ang sagot naman sakakulangan natin sa pondo ay mgamakabago at malikhaing paraan para tugunan ang mga pagkatagal-tagal nang problema.
”According to him, once theimplementation of the PPP
CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
 
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FRIDAY
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13 AUGUST 2010
•
 
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ROLLBACK THE TUITION.
UPM students walked out rom their classes as a orm o protest to the tuitionincrease as well as a orm o demand or higher state subsidy on July 16.
Photo courtesy of Joanna Udarbe
 YS Holds Nat’l Day ofAction for Education
Thousands of Studes Walk out from Classes 
MARK JASON SANTOS FLORES
D
emanding for prompt and genuine resolution of the country’s educational crises, thousands of students from different schools and universities nationwide walked out from their respective classeson July 16 to partake in the National Day of Action for Education (NDAE).
Nationwide Unity
The walkout was organized by
progressive, nationalist youth
organizations such as Kabataan
Partylist, League of FilipinoStudents, National Union of Students in the Philippines (NUSP),College Editors Guild of thePhilippines (CEGP), Anakbayan,Kabataang Artista para sa Tunayna Kalayaan (KARATULA), andStudent Christian Movement,among others. Youths from the NCR marchedtowards Mendiola to voice out their protests regarding the pooreducation system in the country.Majority of the participantscame from private institutionsand state universities such asthe University of the Philippines(UP) Manila, UP Diliman, UP LosBaños, Polytechnic Universityof the Philippines, Pamantasanng Lungsod ng Maynila, FarEastern University, Lyceum of thePhilippines, Adamson University,
University of the East, Jose Rizal
University, and the TechnologicalInstitute of the Philippines. In UP
Baguio, roughly 75% of the whole
student population took part inthe walkout.Simultaneously, students and
youths from Central Luzon andVizayas also participated in the
NDAE by holding protests in theirrespective Commission on Higher
Education’s regional ofice.
Movement’s Agenda
 The newly-seated president Benigno Simeon Aquino III was
challenged to fulill his promise
of increasing state subsidy foreducation. “Ang tinuturol natindito ay ung pagdagdag o ung
pagallocate ng 6% ng gross
domestic product ng ating bansadun sa sektor ng edukasyonupang mapondohan nya talagaang kakulangan sa class room,sa text book, gayundin din dunsa kakulangan ng mga guro dunsa ating eskwelahan,” said UPStudent Regent (SR) Cori AlessaCo. Moreover, the youth sector(YS) demanded for the releaseof an emergency fund to addressthe crisis in education as soon aspossible. The new administration was alsodared to reassert the power of CHED so as to give it authorityover private school owners whoregularly increase tuition fees. SRCo pointed “
 pagdating naman dunsa higher education… di syempre, yung pagreregulate dun sa taontaon na tuition and other feeincrease sa iba’t ibat mga higher education institution at kung partikular satin sa state universitiesay nandyan na at lantad na lantad na ung tahasang pagtahak nyang iba’t ibang administrasyon sa privatization at commercializationschemes.
”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
NEWS
K
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BEANCA JHANINE MULATO SAMIANO
Hindi naresolba ng mga mapanlinlang at ng mga nagyayabang nanumero ang bawat hinaing ng bawat mamamayan. Makikita ito sa 528na naipasang panukalang batas at tatlong resolusyon na nagawa ng ika-14 na Kongreso sa panahon ng kanilang panunungkulan na sumaklaw saiba’t ibang usapin sa bansa. Ang ika-11 Kongreso ay nakagawa ng 415 nabatas habang ang ika-12 ay may 172, at ang ika-13 ay may 86. Maraminga ang naipasang batas ng ika-14 na Kongreso kumpara sa mga nagdaanngunit hindi ito naging epektibo upang pigilan ang dumaraming suliraninlalong lalo na kung ang pag-uusapan ay edukasyon, karapatang pantao,at kalusugan.Narito ang isang grap na nagpapakita ng pagkakahatihati ng mga naturangbatas.Source: Komisyon ng Karapatang Pantao ng PilipinasKung susuriin ang naturang grap sa itaas, nahati ito sa karapatangpantao, edukasyon, kalusugan, hustisya, imprastraktura, at iba pa.Kung mapapansin, mahigit sa kalahati ng kabuuang batas ay natuon saedukasyon na siyang may pinakamalaking bahagdan samantalang angmay pinakamaliit na bahagdan naman ay ang kalusugan.
Paglabag sa Karapatang Pantao
Mayroong 33 panukalang-batas ang naipasa ng kongreso na naglalayongmas maproteksyunan pa ang buhay ng nakararami subalit makikita pa rinna hindi ito naging epektibo. Sa halip na mabawasan ay mas nadagdaganpa ang kaso ng extra judicial killings, enforced disappearances, at paglabagsa karapatang pantao sa nagdaan na siyam na taon. Ayon sa tala ng Karapatan, isang grupo ng karapatang pantao,nadadagdagan ang bilang ng mga kasong ito sa bansa kada taon sa ilalimng pamumuno ni Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Karamihan sa mga nagingbiktima ay miyembro ng mga partylist, mamamahayag, at manggagawangpansimbahan.Narito ang isang talangguhit na nagpapakita ng naging bilang ng extrajudicial killings at enforced o involuntary disappearances sa bansa mula
2001-2010.
Bilang ng Kaso ng Extra Judicial Killings
1,206
Bilang ng Kaso ng Enforced Disappearances
204
Kabuuang Bilang ng Paglabag sa Karapatang Pantao
1,410
Kung susuriing mabuti ang talangguhit, mapapatunayan na marami angnaging kaso ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao na hanggang sa ngayon ayhindi pa rin nabibigyang hustisya. Hindi naging sapat ang bilang ng mganaipasang batas na sumasaklaw sa karapatang pantao upang pigilin angpagdami nito.
K 
asabay nang pag-alis sa trono ng administrasyong Arroyomatapos ang siyam na taong pagpapasasa sa kapangyarihan ayang pag-apruba ng napakaraming panukalang batas ng ika-14 naKongreso. Ang mga naturang batas ay tumalakay sa iba’t ibang isyuna naglayong mas dagdagan pa ang karapatan at higit na matugunanang pangangailangan ng bawat Pilipino. Katakatakang sa kabila ngmga batas na nagawa ng mga nagdaang administrasyon ay hindi parin napigilan ang lumalalang kalagayan ng bansa.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 17
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