Volume XXXVI
Issue 1
December 1, 2009
Official Student Publication of the University of
the Philippines Los Baños
NEWS
Students want
‘strike two’ on Gonzales
JULIENNE URREA
Student Regent Charisse Bernardine
Bañez could not have braved the
table battle during the Board of
Regents (BOR) meeting without the
warm bodies in different University
of the Philippines campuses to back
her up.
On Sept 25, the University
Student Council-UPLB (USC-UPLB)
organized a campus-wide walkout
to register condemnation of campus
militarization--one of the student
concerns raised in the UPLB Student’s
Agenda and List of General Demands.
The same issue was presented by
Bañez during the BOR meeting held
on the same day in UP Baguio. About
300 students, who have deliberately
absented from their classes, gathered
at the steps of the Humanities
Building whence a snake rally set off.
USC-UPLB Chairperson Pamela
Angelie Pangahas said that the
walkout is the culmination of
what the student institutions and
organizations have been fighting for
since the beginning of the semester.
“Matatapos na ang semestre pero wala
ni isa sa ating mga panawagan ang
natugunan,” she said.
The Sept 25 meeting was the last
BOR meeting for the semester.
SERIES OF
HANDLING A
CRIPPLED PRESS HOISTING
How Perspective
DISSENT
copes with
admin’s noncollection
PAGE 4
Reclaiming a pro- FEATURES
student OSA through
indignation
PAGE 4
The UPLB Student’s Agenda contain
the most pertinent manifestations
of campus repression and
commercialization of education faced
by UPLB students such as the tuition
and other fees increase, non-collection
of student fees for Perspective and USC,
OSA Memorandum Number 1, Drafted
Code of Student Conduct, tambayan
phaseout, and military presence inside
the campus, among others.
“Si Lt. Col. Vivian Gonzales ang
common denominator. Sa kanya
nanggaling ang mga repressive policies
na pinapasan ng mga estudyante,”
Elvis Gerard Zuñiga, former USCUPLB councilor, said during the
program.
Gonzales is a reserved lieutenant
colonel of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP). She was the one
who sent the directive on the noncollection of student fees and released
the OSA Memorandum Number
1, which students claimed to have
been implemented without any prior
student consultation. “Pinalala pa
ang galit ng mga estudyante nang
maghugas-kamay siya sa harap ng
mahigit 170 representatives ng mga
orgs,” Zuñiga added.
Zuñiga, former chairperson of the
USC-UPLB Student Rights and
Welfare Committee, pertains to the
OSA-led Centennial Conference held
on September 14, 15 and 17 wherein
Gonzales claimed that she never
required student organizations to have a
minimum of 15 members excluding the
organization’s officers in the recognition
process. She also denied having anything
to do with the delayed permit for the
staging of Isko’t Iska at the D.L. Umali
Auditorium.
On the other hand, organizers of the
play claimed that the Office for Initiatives
for Culture and the Arts, which has the
jurisdiction on the auditorium, refused
to allow the USC-UPLB to use the
auditorium without the OSA’s approval.
“Malinaw na panggigipit ang hakbang
na ito ng admin sa Konseho dahil
ine-expose ng Isko’t Iska ang antiestudyanteng katangian ng admin lalo
na ni Gonzales,” USC-UPLB Councilor
Maria Elena Carlos said.
Fighting for Legitimate Rights
Chants calling for the ouster of
Office of Student Affairs (OSA)
Director Vivian Gonzales filled the air
during the snake rally. The group,
composed of USC, UPLB Perspective,
Samahan ng Kabataan para sa Bayan
(SAKBAYAN), together with several
student organizations and individuals,
marched around the campus, bidding
other students to join them.
“Ang ginawa nating pagliban sa
klase ay hindi porma ng pambabastos
sa ating mga guro o pagpapabaya
sa ating mga akademikong
responsibilidad,” Erika Columna,
League of Filipino Students-UPLB,
said. Instead, she asserted that the
students have found the urgency to
stand up for their legitimate rights.
“Nakakatuwang makita na hanggang
ngayon ay buhay pa rin sa ating
mga Iskolar ng Bayan ang diwa ng
Military Presence
Oblation,” she added.
Student institutions believe that the
Pressing Issues
OPINION
RECONSTRUCTION
UNDER PROTEST PAGE 8
The Price to Pay PAGE 8
sheer appointment of Gonzales in the
OSA is enough reason to conjure the
BOR to move for her ouster.
In 1995 and 1997, students also
called for Gonzales to step down
from office during her terms as dean
of students (now OSA director). She
was the one responsible for expelling
15 fraternity members, flunking 90
CWS students and proposing the 221
percent dorm fee increase in 1997.
She also flunked 350 CWTS students
in 2004 due to the students’ alleged
inability to sell enough tickets to a
benefit gig which resulted to its failure.
Moreover, Carlos believes that
Gonzales’ reappointment as OSA
director is precedent to the presence
of military entities within the campus
premises in the past months.
“Ang mismong presensya ni Lt.
Col. Gonzales sa OSA ay patunay
na represyon lamang ang kayang
isagot ng UPLB admin sa ating mga
panawagan,” she said.
The Ramos-Abueva Agreement
of 1989 and the League of Filipino
Students- Department of National
Defense Accord prohibits any form of
military intervention in the university
premises “unless [the military] shall
conduct inspections and arrests with
prior notification and approval from
concerned UP authorities,” as reitarated
in Section XIV of UPLB Student’s
Agenda and List of General Demands.
Carlos, more specifically condemned
the conduct of the Laguna Peace and
Order Council (LPOC) meeting at
the Makiling Ballroom Hall, Student
Union (SU) Building held on July 22.
‘Oust Vivian!’
The crowd cheered when a text
message from Bañez was read during
the program stating that the BOR
compels all UP units to provide reports
regarding military presence in their
Students... CONTINUED TO PAGE 2
Ang hawak mo ngayon ay ang kauna-unahang tabloid-sized na isyu ng
[P] ngayong taon. Bagamat nakulekta na ngayong semestre, hindi pa
ipinapagamit ng UPLB admin ang student fund sa ating publikasyon.
Ang pondong ginamit para sa isyung ito ay mula pa sa kolektibong
donasyon ng mga dating naging bahagi ng staff ng [P]. Bagamat
matagumpay nating nailabas ang isyung ito, mga Iskolar ng Bayan, hindi
pa tapos ang laban. Panagutin si OSA Director Vivian Gonzales, ang
may pakana ng non-colleciton of student fund!
UPLB Perspective Editorial Board A.Y. 2009-2010
Trista Isobelle Gile & Arbeen Acuña LAYOUT Aletheia Grace del Rosario
PDFPHOTOS
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OSA implements rules on orgs’ activities BILLBOARD
Estel Lenwij Estropia
Division (SOAD) a narrative report of their
accomplishment and financial statement.”
Moreover, Memo # 1 provided rules as
to the posting of org advertisements and
streamers inside campus premises. Ads
“must be forwarded to the office for review
and stamping,” while for streamers, they
must pass an application form to the Office
of the Vice Chancellor for Community
Affairs.
Standard sizes of teasers, posters
and streamers were also given. It was
further mentioned that the number of
advertisements and their duration of
posting may be reduced depending on the
instruction of the unit head.
The Office of Student Affairs (OSA)
has already devised the technical
basis for its rules and regulations on
organizations’ activities through the
OSA Memorandum No. 1.
Effective Feb 9, student orgs are required
to file their application for activity permit at
OSA “one week prior to the date of activity,
with required supporting documents,”
according to the memo. Moreover, the
memo directs student orgs to complete
several supporting documents, which vary
depending on the type of activity, before
they can avail permit.
The memo also stressed that activities
which will go beyond 10 pm “must seek the
No consultation
approval of the Chancellor” and after the
Laurence Marvin Castillo, tribune of
activities, the orgs responsible “are required
to submit to Student Organizations Activities Kapatirang Plebians-UPLB Curia, said that
their org has heard of no prior consultation
as to the content of the memo and that its
copy was distributed only to those with
booths during the Feb Fair.
“Nasaan na ‘yung sense ng organization?”
said Castillo, who added that orgs must be
given “considerable amount of liberty” as to
the documents required of them.
Meanwhile, a member of the UP Film
Circle, who refused to be named, shared
their org’s experience when their activity
was cancelled because of their said inability
to comply with a policy in the memo.
According to her, no consultation was
conducted in their part that is why they
were clueless as to the new rules set in the
Memo # 1 until it affected their activity.
“Sa tingin ko wala (consultation) kasi
nagulat kami, meron kaming activity na
hindi natuloy dahil dun. Kung alam namin,
‘di sana before inasikaso na namin (activity
permit), pero hindi namin alam,” she added.
SIGMA RHO
December 7 UPLB-Unibersidad
na Pinipiit ng Lapastangan at Berdugo
holds “Sako Painting for a Cause”
‘Repressive Action’
Former University Student Council
December 8 Human Rights
councilor Elvis Gerald Zuñiga considered
Symposium, Speaker: Rep. Satur
Memo # 1 as a “repressive action” of
Ocampo, May pakana: USC, Sakbayan
the administration that hinders orgs in
at Sigma Rho UPLB
achieving their respective goals.
“Sa OSA Memo # 1 na ito, ipinapakita
ang paghihigpit sa pag-oorganisa ng mga
UPLB ZOOM OUT
estudyante,” said Zuñiga.
December 3 Camera. Rights.
He furthered that the required documents
Action. A Human Rights Film
in applying for activity permit such as
financial reports are deemed parts of
Festival featuring “Dukot”
the internal affairs of the org and should
(Desaparecidos); NCAS Auditorium,
therefore be kept only between its members.
1pm, 3pm, 6pm
Meanwhile, Professor Ballaran, director
December 8-11 Fact sheet, a
of SOAD, said that the memo # 1 aims to
promote proper order in the proceedings
human rights art exhibit, CAS Annex
with regard to activity permits and to serve
2 Lobby
as a “training ground” for the students to
better understand that everything follows a
UPLB USC
proper course.
As to the said lack of consultation on
December 15 Mini-concert
lyka Manglal-lan & joan cordero
the part of the students, Ballaran said
to condemn the 3rd-year ToFI
that he was not in the position to give any
services to the students. He added that SU
Arrienda furthered that the national
implementation, Oblation Grounds
comments
with
regards
to
this
since
he
should depend on the revolving fund from
A 7-Eleven branch store is under
budget allocation for UPLB’s Maintenance
7pm
only became director last July. However,
the establishment rather than the budget
construction at the University Food
and Other Operating Expenditures is
he said that the memo only acts as a
of UPLB.
Service, Student Union (SU) Building,
merely around P8 Million, yet for electrical
“reminder” to the orgs on the proper way of
Maria Elena Carlos, University Student
as of press time. The 120-square meter
expenses alone, the university is paying
councillor and Community Rights and
space was formerly the site of the
around P120 Million. Thus, the expenditure planning their activities, because the rules
University Food Service’s (UFS) kitchen. Welfare Committee head said, “Kung
in the memo were the same set of rules that
is more than the current budget and
sasabihin nila (admin) na for more financial the UPLB administration would have to
Professor Faustino Arrienda III, Assistant
were implemented in the past.
resources ‘yun (7-Eleven) ng University,
to the Vice Chancellor for Administration
create ways to generate income for the
Ballaran furthered that, for the past 9
and at the same time, Director of Business paulit-ulit na sasabihin ng konseho
maintenance and improvement of the
months of its implementation, the memo
Make your activites known to UPLB
na higher state subsidy ang tunay na
Affairs Office (BAO), said that the income
campus.
has been beneficial to the students,
students.
Send the specs of your group’s/
generated from the lease will be used for the makakasagot sa kakulangan ng UP sa
especially in conducting hassle-free
organization’s
activities to [P] Billboard.
maintenance and repair of various facilities budget at hindi 7-11 o iba pang private
Academic facilities, not 7-eleven
activities. [P]
and buildings in the campus and for better corporations or establishments.”
Some UFS employees were also anxious
about the said project. “Maaapektuhan
Students... CONTINUED FROM P1 [ang] mga products namin. Hihina ‘yung
canteen,” said Arn, an employee.
respective campuses. She mentioned that a “chilling effect” to students, especially
Andy, also an employee, added,
the BOR shall address the issue, en banc. to those who are known critics of the
“Ma-aagaw yung mga customers ko.
UPLB administration.
“Ang malinaw, hindi nagpaalam si
Siyempre may bagong bukas.”
The snake rally which preceded a
Gonzales na gagamitin ang SU Building
On the other hand, some of the
program ended at the SU Building where
para sa LPOC. Nanggaling mismo kay
BEVERLY CHRISTCEL LAGUARTILLA & DIAN JOY BELLEZA
employees find it convenient for the
the group posted an “Oust Vivian!”
[Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco] na hindi
students
to
have
a
one-stop
shop
in
SU.
streamer made of post-it notes containing
sinabihan o nagpaalam si Gonzales,”
Kris, also a UFS employee, said “Tama A disciplinary case was filed against Councillor for AY 2007-2008 by virtue of
the student’s condemnation of Gonzales’
Bañez said.
the University Student Council (USC) the law of succession. SDT reasoned out
lang
para sa mga estudyante [‘yung
directorship.
Carlos said that the meeting, sponsored
pagpapatayo ng 7-eleven]. Hindi na sila and College Student Council (CSC) that she was not included as respondent
by Gonzales and AFP reservists, is a clear “Umpisa pa lamang ito ng mas marami
for AY 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 since she was one of the complainants.
lalabas.”
pang pagkilos para patalsikin si Vivian
violation of the agreement. She further
on issues regarding the institution’s
Meanwhile,
Carlos
said
that
the
7-11
Gonzales at tutulan ang papalalang
mentioned that the presence of armed
financial statement. The Student Who has the jurisdiction?
military men in the university sends out represyon sa campus,” Pangahas said. [P] store construction is one step towards
Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) case 09- The respondents of the case are questioning
the commercialization of the campus,
including the conversion of the vast land 05 emanated from the complaint filed the jurisdiction of SDT because the student
by Faith Abigail Lumicao, Emellioly council has its own disciplinary measures
of UPLB to an economic zone.
Ellisorio, Ramon Angelo Robrigado, as stated in the Article VIII of the 1984
“Hindi naman kailangan ng mga
estudyante ng ganoong establishment. Oscar Laborem Garcia, Ligaya Vanessa Student Council Constitution.
Enriquez and Joan Diana Mendoza to Fuentes said that the case was
Mas kailangan natin ng academic
“problematic” since SDT case 09-05 did
the tribunal.
facilities,” Carlos added.
not cite specific University Rules that
have allegedly been violated. He said
No preliminary inquiries
Lease Agreement
Leo Fuentes, USC Chairperson AY 2007- that any grievances regarding the USC
According to UPLB Link, representatives
of 7-Eleven and the UPLB administration, 2008 said that they were deprived of the should be addressed by the Students’
right to a preliminary inquiry by SDT. He said Rights and Welfare Committee of the USC.
together with BAO, which spearheaded
the project, signed the agreement on the 3- that they came at the scheduled preliminary “Assuming but not conceding na meron
inquiry on March 16 but the members of the ngang violations na nangyari hindi saklaw
year lease of the UFS’s kitchen last Oct 1.
SDT did not show up. According to him, since ng SDT ang kaso dahil ang USC ay hindi
Arrienda explained that BAO conducts
there was no preliminary inquiry, the formal sorority, fraternity o organization. Student
a bidding process for establishments
government ito,” Fuentes added referring to
charge must not proceed.
interested in occupying areas for lease in
A letter sent by the SDT, stated that they Section 2 of the UPLB Student’s Handbook
the SU Building. These businesses are
wished to emphasize that the claim of the of 2004.
advertised on the internet or by other
respondents that no preliminary inquiry On the other hand, the SDT refuted that
means through the Bids and Awards
was conducted does not have any basis. no provision was mentioned in the 1984
Committee. The implementation of the
project is subject for approval reflected in It was also stated that the requirement of SC Constitution disallowing the SDT to
the contract. Contractual workers are also preliminary inquiry does not provide that handle complaints against members of
it should be conducted with all the parties student councils and that disciplinary
included in the bidding process.
Enraged. About 130 UPLB constituents gathered at the College of Arts and Sciences steps and
authority of the USC and CSCs is exclusive
present.
wore black ribbons to unite with the nation in condemning the Ampatuan massacre. Participants
to their members.
Prohibited Items
lit candles and formed the word ‘justice,’ demanding the immediate investigation of the massacre.
The USC for both academic years said
Exemption
Part of the negotiation between UPThey condemned all forms of political persecution, one of which is the so-called red-tagging in
The complaint was filed against the that the SDT did not answer their questions
Philippine Seven Corporation (local
UPLB that they cited to be the precursor of several political killings and human rights violations in
officers and members of the USC and on jurisdiction and that they would not
operator of 7-Eleven stores) and the
the country. PHOTO PAUL ALEXANDER DARVIN (UP Photographers’ Society)
CSC of AY 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 appear on the hearing unless the SDT
UPLB administration is the prohibition of
cigarettes, liquors, and sensual magazines. on February 19, 2009. All members of would be able to substantiate their answer
Solidaridad, the UP-Systemwide Alliance of Student Publications and Writer’s Organizations, in
7-Eleven proposed that they will replace the USC and CSC for both academic years on jurisdiction.
cooperation with UPLB Perspective, is inviting student organizations (recognized or not) and individuals
became respondents of the case except for As of press time, the case is not yet
prohibited goods with novelty items which
to attend the series of free Journalism Skills Training starting December 9, 2009 (Wed), 7PM, at [P] office
Faith Abigail Lumicao. She became USC resolved. [P]
they
did
not
specify.
[P]
(Rm 11 2nd Flr SU Bldg.) For more information, contact 0915 367 2255 or send your queries to [P] Facebook account.
7-Eleven leases SU cafeteria space
Ex-USC Chair seeks prelim
inquiry on SDT case
PDF2
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UPLB P erspective
VOLUME XXXVI | Issue 1 | December 1, 2009
,
Laguna residents who were badly beaten by the typhoon
and may have not fully recovered until February of the next
year due to the rainfall season. Numerous organizations
lived up to UPLB’s established foundation on democracy
and militancy by seizing the opportunity of serving the
people.
Relief operations are the most frequent and most common
response to calamities. And most of these families have
long been impoverished even before their houses and
livelihood were destroyed. They only became visible
after the countless media attention; only this time,
they were inside evacuation areas instead of their
own houses.
As long as there are people who benefit from
relief operations, this only means that
every year, calamity after calamity, the
same families are put back to places
vulnerable to another cause of a relief
operation. As long as there is no
permanent relief given to the
everyday struggle for home,
food and livelihood,
the tradition of relief
operation and its
temporariness
will continue.
[P]
once’s y g
in
For
rn rie
Tadlac lea s ee ed
sanctuar
hi nt
for d t au
ha nd h t as ters nee s
a h a k se d
sig w ed las elle
e
th ach . C anc
s
re ep c ks oy’
de ere ee nd e
w w O th
r
fo pon to y.
u it tr
vis oun
c
the
th y’
e
ch ir r re having
ild ec
r e
s en ss
sh co mile are , the
ar ns s
e um as at se
of
e th all
br porr the ey
bo ead idg ir
ile , a e,
d nd
eg
g.
A
fter typhoon Ondoy poured its wrath for six hours
over the Southern Tagalog and National Capital
Regions, it left several days of mourning for the
victims’ loss of homes, livelihood and loved ones.
Since NCR is home to various press and media outfits, the
typhoon landed on almost all news programs and on the
headlines of national dailies as if it was the strongest typhoon
to hit the country. Photos and videos of victims waiting for
rescue were frequently shown in mainstream media, thus
generating overwhelming sympathy from the people.
The media bombarded the country with Ondoy news
every hour, awakened the consciousness of its
people – from the elite to small-town heroes who,
despite their losses, helped fellow victims.
Relief came in different forms. Various
benefit programs and relief operations
conducted by the government,
different NGOs, media groups
and institutions offered mostly
temporary relief in the form of
food, clothes and medicines.
Here in the university
alone,
numerous
organizations
reached
out
to
nearby
As
if
A PaIN RELIEVER TO a CaLaMITY-STRICKEN NaTION
WO
RDS
J
Putting
aside all the
junk carried
by the
muddy waves,
one good thing
the flood can
carry is these
kangkong
which the
woman
gathered
to sell and
perhaps to
serve as food
on the table.
onelle M
arin,
rk An
gelo O
LAY
rdonio
OU T
Aletheia G
PH
race
OT
del Rosario
OS
Col
lege of Human
g
o
y, Brewing Hope
l
Eco
benefit projec
t of
B uk
lod UP
LB & Bo
Ca
ston
fe,
Briga Serve the Peop
le
de - U
niversity Stude
nt
Council & Kabataan
Ma
Partylist & UPLB Perspective,
UP A
llianc
e of Developme
nt
mmunication
o
s Students
C
To reach several houses submerged in flood, a
man in his thirties carries loads of relief goods with a raft made
of banana slabs and pieces of wood. Fallen tree trunks have still
had their purpose as they are turned to rafts for
transportation and easy access to the watersunken site.
Having isolated themselves from the
crowd with his daughter, a father tries to cope with the
misfortunes Ondoy has brought to their family. Public
schools served as shelter for hundreds of families who
are affected by the typhoon.
Like sardines
in a can, residents
of Brgy. Maitim
have managed
to stay in
jam-packed
classrooms
as temporary
settlements after
their houses
were submerged
in flood for more
than two months.
Bancas serve
as very effective
media for the
transportation
of relief goods
to families who
were not able to
evacuate. Aside
from the banca, rafts
and other dense
vessels are used
for transporting
goods within the
community.
Hundreds of people are still waiting not for another
downpour of miseries to be brought by another storm but at least a drizzle of
goods for temporary relief. With the aid of some barangay officials and other
volunteers, delivery of commodities is made with ease.
UPLB Serve
The People
Brigade
(UPLB STP Brigade is
the largest relief and
rehabilitation operations
conducted after the
Typhoon Ondoy ravaged
the country. UPLB
Perspective became the
official media partner of
the project to reach UPLB
constituents. STP Brigade,
initially formed in 1972,
is reorganized today to
live with the Iskolar ng
Bayan’s thrust of serving
the People.)
Sept. 27 - Oct. 11
Volunteers 363
Donors 404
Student
Organizations/
Instutions 118
Recipients 1750
families
Aside from relief missions, benefit
concerts were also held for the typhoon victims.
Upon submitting some stubs,a queue of
beneficiaries will have their share as they wait for their turn.
CULTURE
UPLB P erspective
VOLUME XXXVI | Issue 1 | December 1, 2009
3
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“OSA through the
director is above
all a channel of
communication.”*
T
Tribunal (SDT) states that each respondent “shall tangible archetype of a student’s for the organizations to of thought operates in every
such as Perspective and University
Student Council—College Student not be subjected to any disciplinary penalty abode. Virginia Cachuela, acting OSA put premium on student institution in disregard of
except upon due process of law.” The initial Director in 2005, affirmed a pro-student agenda with Dr. Gonzales. its interest. Conflicts within
he assistance and guidance that OSA can Council (USC-CSC).
provide at the least does not require stern
It is not too late for the assumed assertion of selected respondents from 2007-2008 OSA as she emphasized in the Students’ The discussion lasted for organizations arise either when
USC to the complaint filed by Faith Lumicao et Handbook the enthusiasm of OSA to assist roughly five hours until it the information failed to pass
commands that are intolerable to UPLB studentry. “terrorists” to hoist dissent.
When repression repeats itself to cripple activism,
Autonomy was redefined as it read al is supported by this section. The respondents and guide the students in realizing their was only time that can through all channels, or when
grave nuances of dissent always follow.
in the directive from OSA Director are left in treading water as they wait until goals, if there are concerns that need to be decisive to stop it. To rusts begin to congeal on the
students that afternoon, channel.
It was early on Sept 25 and roughly 300 students Vivian Gonzales sent to Perspective SDT clarifies points including the question be addressed.
”The Director identifies the needs of what was left has been
It is not too late for the
walked out from their classes; some held banners on May 8 stating: “To fully enforce the on the jurisdiction of SDT over the USC-CSC.
that read OUST VIVIAN GONZALES! RECLAIM THE full autonomy of the UPLB Perspective, At the moment, there is deadlock on the students and those of the academic another offense, another unheard to hoist dissent.
If, in order to extend a
OSA! MILITAR SA CAMPUS PALAYASIN! COLLECT please be informed that effective First proceedings of SDT case versus particular and administrative personnel through reason to condemn the
appropriate feedback mechanism, thereby centennial
conference harmonious and productive
STUDENT FUND NOW! in red ink emphasizing Semester 2009-2010, the University will student-leaders from SAKBAYAN.
It is not too late for the alleged “violators” establishing productive and harmonious in particular, and the OSA relationship
within
the
urgency.
no longer incorporate the collection of
relationship.”*
director in general.
University
among
all
Students’ disquiet encompasses apprehensions the student fee for the UPLB Perspective in to hoist dissent.
When campus repression hoists dissent,
Lambasting students’ rights and welfare
While Gonzales talked about constituents, the present
on their discipline and conduct, worse comes the collection of tuition and other fees from
avoiding communication gap Dean of Students (OSA
to worst, student agenda should put premium students during the registration period.” This the disconcerted plays the role of in UPLB is getting worse. Gonzales identified
necessitates
on regaining OSA.
is what happens when administrators take concretizing the dissent, putting it on the these predicaments concerning the between OSA and students, the Director)
The elements of almost metaphysical Save advantage of student concerns. In this sense, surface. Intervention of stern commands students but did not recognize the urgency objective condition remains that campus despotism given
the Youth against Communism and Terrorism apprehensions turn out to be justifications of from the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) to end them. At the least, perhaps, it becomes directly opposite to above, then students
is intolerable to UPLB studentry. OSA was while the argument exaggerated in what she has always been trying should require indignation
(SAY-ACT) disseminated black propaganda the admin to extend despotism.
established to become the second the supposedly students’ conference to emphasize.
be requisite to reclaim a
last June 23, tagging prominent student- It is not too late for
abode of the students. The Student between Gonzales and the students,
Analytical studies on institution genuine pro-student OSA.
leaders as terrorists. The amalgamated hot Perspective and USC to
After all, it is not too late
Union Building, normally
the former suggested the latter to emphasizes on the importance
and cold temperature in the afternoon of hoist dissent.
known
as
SU
compile their concerns and direct of communication among the for the disconcerted to
October 12 was caused by transitions of fine
SDT is responsible for
building is
them to the Chancellor.
constituents of the group. This hoist dissent. [P]
and heavy weather. While the students rested maintaining
proper
the very
UPLB
Student’s
Centennial is since, given the complexity
after two weeks of organizing SERVE THE PEOPLE student
conduct.
Conference: Talakayan Tungo sa of the structure, information
BRIGADE after the catastrophic urban tempest It is also decisive
Katotohanan, Katarungan, should travel in communication
Ondoy, SAY-ACT circulated another wave on sanctions to any
Kapayapaan
at processes being requisite to
of black propaganda containing almost the misconduct. Section 22, Article
*2005 Students’
Kaayusan in Sept. 18 human
understanding.
The
same intent as the previous, leveling it up by A of the rules and regulations
Handbook
was an opportunity logic contained in this school
maximizing the names of all active institutions guiding the Student Disciplinary
Liberty Notarte
RECLaIMING a Pro-student OSA THROUGH INDIGNaTION
SERIES OF hoIsting DISSENT:
A RECLA
OS
M
AI
CL
RE
A
OS
M
AI
CL
RE
A
OS
M
AI
CL
AIM OSA RECLAIM OSA RECLAIM OSA RE
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PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor
FEATURES
TRISTA GILE
Financial Status
Atty. Te released a memorandum regarding the collection of
student fees, which suggests that the UPLB admin withdraw
will be long-term as proposed by the tripartite agreement between the
USC, the admin and the Perspective.
student fees for the first semester, as stipulated in the memo sent by Atty. Te.
Invalid
UPLB admin said in their July 17 letter to Perspective that
they “can no longer act on the said agreement in its present November 11, 2009 UPLB Perspective had a dialogue with the Rañola.
form and content.” Velasco pointed that the provision in the The dialogue resolved that the administration will collect the student fees
only for second semester; therefore it would not include the uncollected
interim agreement calling for the collection of student fees fees last semester. Rañola said that if the Perspective and the USC wishes
“during the registration period” is invalid since the said period for a clarification regarding the uncollected fees, they could schedule a
of time has already lapsed.
meeting with the Chancellor.
He stressed that some of the signatories in the initial
interim agreement are no longer officially part of the student The publication and the University Student Council is now in the process
of devising their own disbursement schemes. The disbursement schemes
publication, one of whom is Buendia.
Semester, AY 2009-2010. The letter also requests to include collection of the
Worse, UPLB admin was not able to sign the publication’s
budget proposal. To cope with the UPLB admin’s futility to act on UPDATES
October 14, 2009 UPLB Perspective wrote a letter to Vice-Chancellor for
the matter, Perspective cut down the budget proposal to P1.16M. Administration, Dr. Rober, jr. The letter wishes for the implementation of the
This was submitted to the Office of the Chancellor on Aug 28.
status quo when it comes to the collection of student fees for the Second
Learning and understanding
In the attempt to understand the issue of non-collection, Perspective
recapitulated its history in relation to the decade-long student struggle. It is
through this that we learned how the non-collection of student fees and other
cases of campus repression are deeply associated with the power struggle
inside UPLB, which walls are consistently swept with the principles of national
because the publication was expecting that
the student fees were to be collected in July democracy and freedom. Therefore, no matter how UPLB admin wraps the
when the budget proposal was drafted, meaning non-collection with the robe of motherly intents, the non-collection, as it
Perspective was expecting an additional budget of systematically jeopardizes Perspective’s internal operations, is a clear case of
campus repression.
P400,000.
Attached with the said budget proposal is a justification Moreover, history showed that subsequent to diplomatic attempts to assert
of the expenses as well as photos of the dire condition of for our legitimate calls, we gain our democratic rights only through militant
the Perspective office and its lack of much needed facilities and collective actions. But reactions of the powers-that-be are nothing but
such as desktop computers, printer, audio recorders, systematic political repression and persecution.
cameras, reference materials and books, office supplies and A simple directive as it may be seen on the surface, UPLB admin’s nonmany others. Any working student publication must have collection cannot be divorced from the power relations that are at play
these facilities to perform its tasks. In the absence of such, in our beloved university. Behind such directive is an interest rooted in
the Perspective staff had to rely on their personal resources. the struggle between the present neoliberal education and the student’s
The month of July ended. The student fees were not collected. collective interest for a free and mass-oriented education. [P]
Table battle
A memorandum, dated Aug 23, was sent by Te regarding the drafting of a
new interim agreement. Te suggested in the memorandum that a tripartite
interim agreement should be utilized instead of separate agreements for USC
and Perspective.
Upon receipt, Perspective reviewed Te’s draft and came up with its revised
version to stipulate measures that will ensure Perspective’s fiscal autonomy.
Perspective presented the revised tripartite interim agreement during the
August 26 dialogue with the negotiating panel.
Vice-Chancellor for Administration, Dr. Roberto Rañola Jr. was not aware
of the memo and informed Perspective that they were instructed only to discuss
matters with regards to its new disbursement scheme beginning second
semester.
How Perspective
copes
with
non
-collection
VOLUME XXXVI | Issue 1 | December 1, 2009
UPLB P erspective
4-5
WORDS|Mark Vincent Baracao & Estel Lenwij Estropia & Julienne Urrea
admin ’s
Handling A Crippled Press:
erspective has been devising all possible means to cope up amidst the
financial dearth caused by the non-collection of student fees since the
beginning of the semester.
However, the non-collection and the apparent intervention of the Office of
Student Affairs (OSA) as it refuses to sign the publication’s budget proposal did
not limit Perspective in informing the students. Perspective released, however
limited both in size and circulation, two special issues and “wall editorials.”
At the same time, the publication’s manpower, the staff, is conducting group
discussions, organization hops and room-to-room visits. Through these alternative
information dissemination methods, the publication learned that the students are
clamoring for more. The staff was able to get direct feedbacks from students who
want to have their publication back to its regular operations. It is through this
principle that students and even several academic and administrative personnel
warmly donated a few pesos to augment the publication’s lack of fund.
Perspective understands the fact that the students deserve more from the
publication than what it can already provide. But with the continuous forms of
repression orchestrated by the UPLB administration, through the directive of OSA
Director, Lt. Col. Vivian Gonzales, Perspective’s role as the official student publication
of UPLB is being jeopardized.
No words can describe how the non-collection of student fees has worsened the the OSA directive issuing the noninstitutional task of the publication to publish newspaper. We say “worsened,” collection, and pursue with the
because during the previous terms, it has always been difficult for Perspective collection within July.
Expecting that UPLB admin submits
to acquire the necessary funds for its many expenses. Disbursement always
to Te’s suggestion, the Perspective
had to pass through a very stringent process.
immediately forwarded to the UPLB
admin its budget proposal for the First
Hurdles and intervention
Semester AY 2009-2010. Perspective fully
The non-collection of student fees started with OSA Director Gonzales’
directive dated May 8 notifying Perspective and University Student understands that the non-collection of
Council (USC) that UPLB admin will no longer collect the student fees student fees (of continuing students) would
not, in any way, affect the disbursement of the
for the First Semester, AY 2009-2010, to enforce “full autonomy” on
publication’s fund.
the student institutions.
But OSA verbally informed Perspective that the
Perspective immediately informed Director Gonzales of its stance
on the non-collection. The publication firmly believes that the publication’s budget proposal for this semester
directive did not undergo democratic consultation with anyone will only be approved after Perspective and
from the publication’s Editorial Board; and the non-collection UPLB admin come up with an interim agreement
will only cause more problems that will imperil the publication’s amenable to both parties. Moreover, Chancellor
Luis Rey Velasco, in his letter to Perspective dated
operation instead of enforcing autonomy.
Afterwards, Perspective sought for a dialogue with Gonzales. July 17, mentioned that the current balance
Gonzales moved the dialogue several times until she had found of Perspective’s Trust Fund amounting to more
the time to sit with Perspective only to reaffirm her directive. than P1.3M is “more than enough to run the
While Perspective sees itself under a worsened condition if the publication this First Semester, AY 2009-2010
directive will be implemented, Gonzales seems to discount this while the acceptable arrangement with the UPLB
by teasing Perspective with frivolous statements like “rock on!” administration is being resolved.”
Velasco also questioned Perspective’s budget
and “kolektahin niyo na…babayaran ka (referring to a member
proposal and directed the publication to “review
of the Editorial Board) naman, mukha ka namang kawawa.”
Former Editor in Chief (EIC) Christian Ray Buendia sent its (Perspective’s) plans vis-a-vis its financial
an analysis paper to the Office of the Student Regent calling status.”
Perspective’s budget proposal went more than the
upon its attention on the OSA directive regarding the nonamount of the publication’s current Trust Fund
collection.
Recognizing the urgency to collect the student fees, Student
Regent Charisse Bernadine Bañez brought up the issue of noncollection to the Board of Regents (BOR) and sent an inquiry to
UP Vice President for Legal Affairs Atty. Theodore Te.
P
LAYOUT Trista Isobelle Gile and Aletheia Grace del Rosario
campus
forum
HODGE November 12, 2009
PODGE 17:34 GMT
Estel Lenwij Estropia
Pabor ka ba na magkaroon ng
economic zone sa loob ng campus?
Napaka-controversial ng mga nangyayari ngayon sa mahal kong UPLB. ‘Di ko
maiwasang ilagay ang sarili ko sa posisyon ng iba’t ibang taong maaaring may gawa
o apektado ng mga pangyayaring ito. Ngayong araw na ito, tila nagkakasala-salabat
yata ang daan namin ng mga maaaring may dulot ng mga kontrobersiyang ito.
“Ok lang, kailangang mag-generate ng income
ng UPLB dahil after some years, mas mababa na
‘yung percent na subsidized ng government for UP
campuses” Karizza Mae Paredes, BSE ‘09
“Ang lahat
ng naiisip ko
ay umaayon
sa plano. Ang
galing ko
talaga.”
“Hindi po, kasi kampus ito eh…’di ba edukasyon
ang mahalaga dito. Pwede namang sa labas na
lang…nadudungisan ang reputasyon ng kampus.”
KC, BACA ‘08
“Dapat mas i-prefer nilang i-develop ang mga
buildings natin… parang bumababa na ang
quality ng education. Nagiging “perahan” na lang
dahil din d’yan sa TOFI…” Aiza ‘07
“Hindi, kasi parang nagiging commercialized
ang campus, eh skul nga ito. Kung gayon ang
mangyayari, maraming ma-eengganyong magtrabaho kaya dadami ang populasyon ng mga
maglo- LOA.” Isabel, BSChE ‘07
“If ever magkakaroon dito, ok lang naman…
siguro food chains ok lang…pero ‘yung agencies,
lokohan na ito!” Salve, BSChE ‘07
“Hindi…kasi kung magkakaroon ng economic zone
ang kalalabasan nun, magiging commercialized
na tayo. Ang UP kasi ay intended for education.”
Cathy June Fiel, BSDC ‘05
“Unang punto, since tayo ay sibilisadong
mamamayan, meron tayong human need na
bumili sa tindahan. Sa gayong punto, kailangan
ng establisyemento. Makakatulong din naman
ito sa atin upang ‘di na tayo pumunta sa labas at
bumili ng pagkain. Subalit, datapwat, ngunit, hindi
naman dapat masyadong makasarili. Sa kabilang
banda, pwede itong gamitin bilang instrumento ng
mga maykapangyarihan. Bakit mag-gegenerate
ng funds? Hindi natin kailangan ng pondo kung
sinusuportahan tayo ng pamahalaan. Pwede
namang gamitin ang ibang bagay at paraan para
mas makatulong sa higit na nangangailangan.
Ginagawang “commodity” ang education!”
Madelyn Garcia, BACA ‘08
Nakakalusaw ang titig ng mga estudyante
kong tila gulong-gulo sa mga sinasabi ko.
Hindi ko sila masisisi. Kahit ako ay nalilito
at nahihirapan na sa pag-i-Ingles ng mga
terminolohiyang Tagalog. Aminado akong
hindi talaga ako sanay na gamitin ang
wikang ito sa pagtuturo. Kaya lang hindi
ako pwedeng basta na lang magsalita ng
Tagalog lalo na’t may dalawa akong foreigner
na estudyante. Sa paglibot ng paningin ko
sa loob ng classroom ay puro nakakunot na
mga noo ng mga estudyante ang nakikita ko,
ngunit pinipilit kong magpatuloy na lang sa
pagtuturo.
Ano daw? Coined lang kaya ni Sir ang salitang May Ingles bang salita para dito? Naku,
ginamit niya para masabing may English mukhang wala, a.
term ang Tagalog word na ‘yun? Nasa gitna
naman ako ng classroom nakaupo, pero Ayan na naman sila, pasigaw-sigaw ng mga
hindi ko pa rin maintindihan ang sinasabi gusto nilang mangyari. Parang wala namang
“3 to 4 years… itulong na lang nila iyon sa mga
nangangailangan. It’s a matter of efficient allocation.
Kahit sabihin nila na galing ‘yun sa friends nila, pera
pa rin ‘yun… kung itinulong na lang nila iyon, eh ‘di
nabusog pa ang mga Pilipino.” Emmanuel Barnedo,
BSE ‘08
MUMBLINGS Bukas payong, bukas!
TRISTA ISOBELLE GILE
“3 years, kasi 150,000 a year ang sahod ni mama,
si papa walang kita. Para sa akin, ipagbawal na
lang nila ‘yon at ibigay na lang sa mga government
employees kasi wala naman ‘yung mapupuntahan
dahil konti na lang ang mga naniniwala sa mga
propaganda nila. Pero ok lang kung galing sa bulsa
nila ‘yun. Kung kinurakot, unfair sa mga taxpayers.”
Shie, BSDC ‘09
“Hindi nila iyon kikitain…mas maganda kung magreach out na lang ‘yung mga politiko tutal may
makukuha naman silang boto dun. Kailangang silang
makilala sa gawa, hindi sa pagkuha ng mga artista.
Sa akin, ‘di talaga helpful ‘yun.” Leah Cawaling,
BSAE ‘05
“2 years… parang napakadali sa kanilang gumastos
ng ganoong halaga samantalang ‘yung ibang tao
nagpapakapagod ng mahabang panahon tapos
sila isang pitik lang, may ganoon nang halaga.”
Salve, BSChE ‘07
“Si tatay sumasahod ng at least 2 thousands a week.
For 30 seconds, kapalit na iyon ng 2 years na sahod
ng tatay ko. Sa tingin ko, gamitin na lang nila ‘yung
pera for practical purposes. Kung gusto talaga nilang
tumulong sa taong bayan, hindi lang naman politics
ang solusyon.” Donna Marie Catapang, BSAM ‘08
“2 or 3 years…Syempre ‘waste of money’. Kung
titingnan mo, mas iisipin mo pa ‘yung basic
necessities- food, education, transportation, etc.
Kung may makukuha naman kami sa ad, kung
matutupad naman ang mga pangako nila, ok lang.
pero practically, ‘di siya ok.” Cathy June Fiel,
BSDC ‘05
1
2
ni Sir. Sabi sa ’kin ng ate ko, mahusay daw
na prof ang teacher ko. Pero yu’n ay no’ng
Tagalog pa siya magturo.
Noong una, nauunawaan ko pa kung
bakit biglang Ingles ang ginagamit ni Sir sa
subject ko kahit mas madali ito kung Tagalog
ituturo. May dalawa kasi kaming kaklaseng
Koreano. Dati pa, sinabi na ni Sir na magi-Ingles na siya sa klase para maintindihan
ng lahat. Pero, kami ng classmates kong
Pilipino, napapasimangot na lang minsan
sa pagpipilit ni Sir na pag-i-Ingles sa mga
ilang terminolohiya. Ang hirap talagang
intindihin.
May gano’n ba talagang salita? O sige na
nga, bahala na.
Halos dalawang taon na rin ang puwesto
namin sa SU. Marami na akong kaibigan sa
kabilang stands na iniwan ang maliit nilang
sulok sa Cafeteria.
Nagulat ako nang nakita ko ang karatulang
“Seven Eleven”. Ngayon pa lang na matumal
na ang benta, nahihirapan na kami, papaano
pa kaya kapag nagbukas na ang 7-11?
Nag-strategize, ika nga, kami ni Ma’am
kanina. Nag-isip ng gimik para mahikayat
ang mga estudyanteng bumili sa amin.
Paniguradong 7-11 ang punta ng mga iyon.
De-aircon e. Ano ang panama namin?
Ang isang political advertisement na
umeere sa telebisyon ng 30 segundo
sa panahong “peak hours” ay
nagkakahalaga ng Php745,000. Ilang
taong sahod na kaya ng nanay at/o
tatay mo ang pambayad sa isang
kampanyang ito?
“100 years!!! Kulang pa ‘yung sweldo ng nanay ko
ilang taon man siya magtrabaho!” Aiza ‘07
Ibibili ko pala ng white cheese si Darling. It’s
good I’m familiar with UPLB. Madalas ako dito
last semester. You know, business deals.
Malalago talaga ang puno dito sa UPLB,
‘no? High quality. I can use that one para sa
chair na inorder ni Mrs. Chen sa furniture
business ko. Marami nang naputol na puno
last week para sa remaining orders pero
kailangan kong maghanap ng same quality
ng mga punong nandito.
Buti may natira pang white cheese. Papunta
na ako sa Humanities nang madaanan ko
ang lumang building katabi ng basketball
court. Patayuan dapat ito ng mall. Strategic.
Makabili nga ng lupa dito. However, may 711 na kami dito. Should I propose?
“Bakit hindi
ko magawang
umalis sa
kinauupuan
ko kahit na
napaka-alien
ko sa larangan
na ito?”
OPINYON MO
AY MAHALAGA
Anong mensahe mo para sa
mga salarin ng Ampatuan
massacre?
Paano ipagdiriwang ni Isko at
Iska ang pasko?
Ipadala ang iyong kasagutan
sa [P] Facebook acccount o sa
09153672255
Nagbabato-bato-pik ang ulan at ang araw. ‘Di ko alam kung sino sa kanila ang
magiging Weather of the Day. Kung ako’y isang nagpapaka-inosenteng NF lang
sa araw na iyon, siguro sapat na ang pagdadala ng isang maayos na payong para
matahimik ang diwa ko. Pero sana kasing-bilis na lang din ng pagpindot ng
payong ang prosesong kailangang gawin para masolusyunan ang mga problemang
hinaharap ng mga estudyante sa unibersidad ngayon.
Isang tipikal na umaga na naman para
sa nakararami. Pero para sa ‘kin, isa itong
panibagong karanasan na siguradong
hindi ko makaliligtaang itala sa journal ko.
Sa araw na iyon nakatakda ang Walkout
– ang kusang pag-alis ng mga mag-aaral sa
kanilang klase upang magtitipun-tipon sa
kalsada, pumilang parang mga langgam,
habang iwinawagayway ang karapatan
bilang mga iskolar ng bayan. Hilaw pa ako
sa mga ganitong kaganapan. Pero kaysa
magpanggap na lang na kunwari’y hindi ko
alam ang magaganap, napagdesisyunan
ko nang sumama kahit may kaunting
pagkamangmang pa.
Hinahanda ko na ang sarili ko para sa
klase habang nagmamadaling naglalakad.
Pinaghahandaan ko hindi ang pag-aaralan
ko sa araw na ‘yon kundi kung papaano
ko sasabihin sa mga kaklase kong may
walkout, na mahalaga ito, at na gusto
ko rin silang lumahok. Sa wakas – Room
202. Sarado ang pinto. Binuksan ko. Isang
malalim na buntong-hininga. Walang tao.
Walang prof. Walang pasok. Natutuwang
naaasar ang utak ko.
Dumating ako sa may Hum steps na
walang ibang dalang kasama kundi papel
at bolpen. Nagsisimula nang dumami ang
mga nakikinig sa mga nagsasalitang may
nakasampay na megaphone sa balikat.
Kailanman, hindi ko maunawaan at
magawang unawain ang mga ganitong
larawan ng riyalidad. Hindi ko naisip na
maaaring makasama din pala ako sa mga
ganitong kaganapan. Pero bakit nga ba ako
narito ngayon? Bakit hindi ko magawang
umalis sa kinauupuan ko kahit na napakaalien ko sa larangang ito? Napangiti na lang
ako bigla at nagpatuloy sa pagtatawag,
panonood at pakikinig.
Padami nang padami ang mga sumasagot
sa mga sigaw na tunog-awitin sa akin.
Napapatayo ang mga balahibo ko sa katawan
sa bawat tugma ng salitang binibigkas.
Nakaayos na ang mga pintadong tela at
karatula na nagkakaisa sa mensaheng nais
iparating. Nagsimula nang pumarada ang
mga mag-aaral na halos 15-metro ang haba.
Unti-unti nang nabubuksan ang payong ng
mga iskolar ng bayan.
Sa kabila ng pabago-bagong klima, ‘di pa
rin nito napahinto ang determinasyon nina
isko’t iska sa pagwo-walkout. Sa katunayan,
nakapagbigay pa nga ito sa kanila ng
inspirasyon na gumawa ng panibagong
awitin. Dahil unang beses pa lang naman
itong nangyari sa buhay ko, sobrang
ikinagalak ko ang nakakapangilabot na
lakas na umusbong sa mga iskolar na
nadama ko sa kanilang mga makabuluhang
kanta. Napapa-tumbling ang puso ko na
parang nai-uno ko na ang lahat ng subjects
ko ngayong semestre.
Patuloy pa rin ang pag-iimbita namin sa
kapwa-estudyante na nakakasalubong
sa daan. May mga ilan na sumasama at
may ilan namang parang hangin lang ang
dumaan na binulungan sila ng “halika…
sumama ka sa ‘min…”. Namigay din kami
ng mga “dyaryitas” para kahit hindi sila
makadalo ay sa ganitong paraan naman
makikinig sa kanila. Parang walang nakikinig
sa kanila.
May naka-bughaw na chaleco na tila isa sa
mga leader ng rali. Di bale, mas maganda
naman ang tabas ng chaleco namin. Pero teka,
teka. Dapat kong matandaan ang lahat ng ito.
Hindi pwedeng magbigay ng report nang hindi
kumpleto ang mga detalye. Teka, mukhang
may nakakapansin na sa akin. Medyo lalayo
muna ako, para di halata. Saka ko isusulat
lahat—ang mga nagsalita, ang mga hitsura at
ang mga organisasyon nila. Pagkatapos nito,
sila bosing na ang bahala sa kanila. Basta ito
ang utos, basta ang sa akin sweldo. Tapos.
Mainit ngayon ngunit malamig ang pawis ko.
Sabi ng isa kong kaibigan, nakita daw niya
ang pangalan ko sa isang polyeto. Doon, isa
daw akong terorista.
Kinabahan ako, hindi lang dahil
nakakatakot ang mga paratang nilang
walang katotohanan, kundi dahil rin sa alam
ko ang maaaring mangyari sa akin.
Nanginig ako nang kaunti. Pero nang
masulyapan ko ang pulang “Serve the
People” banner sa may SU, naisip kong hindi
ako dapat matakot. Isa akong manunulat.
Nagsusulat ako para sa nagugutom sa kabila
ng hindi matawarang pagsisikap at sa mga
inaapi ng sistemang naghahari. Nagsusulat
ako hindi lamang para sa mga estudyanteng
pinagsisilbihan ko kung hindi para rin sa
mga taong ang paghihirap ay napupunta
sa pag-aaral ko. Ano ang masama sa aking
paglilingkod?
Hindi ko mapigilang hindi mapangiti sa
nakikitako.Anglahatngnaiisipkoayumaayon
sa plano. Ang galing ko talaga. Walang tatalo
sa abilidad ko. Sino ang makakapag-isip na
kaya kong mamuno sa unibersidad na ito
na ako ang pinagsisilbihan? Hinawi ko ang
aking P5,000 worth venetian blinds para
silipin ang maaliwalas at payapang kampus.
Ngunit, may mga bubiwit na nagpasingkit sa
aking mga mata. Itanggi ko man, tila sila ang
tinik sa lalamunan ko. Teka lang, bakit ako
namumutla? Lintik. [P]
sila mas mamumulat sa mga nangyayari
sa unibersidad. Maraming tumanggap at
nagbasa. Iilan naman ang umiling na lang
at nagpatuloy sa kasalukuyang ginagawa.
Bumubukas at sumasara ang payong.
Nagpapaka-Dora the Explorer ako sa mga
oras na iyon. Pinapanood ko ang bawat
kilos at galaw ng mga taong nakikita ko.
Natuwa kami sa mga batang nadaanan
namin sa may Carillion Tower na
ibinibigkas ang mga katagang ‘UP! UP! Da
best!’ habang itinataas ang kanilang mga
kamao at pinapanood kaming dumaan
sa pook palaruan nila. Mayroong mga
nilalang na sinubukang patigilin ang liga
ng mga estudyante. Pero nabigo pa rin
sila sa huli. May mga samahang nabuo,
mga mensaheng naipamahagi at mga
balitang nabulgar. Parang nanonood ka
lang ng telebisyon – nang hindi nakaupo at
pinipindot-pindot lang ang remote control
para maiba ang paksa – may natututunan,
bawas radiation, diretso exercise pa.
Hindi ko namalayang humaba na pala
ng halos sampung ulit mula sa orihinal
nitong haba ang parada sa kakalsadahan
ng UPLB. Bago sinumulan ang paglalakad,
parang mais na may kulang-kulang
na mga butil ang itsura ng Hum steps.
Matapos ikutin ang unibersidad, hindi ko
na makita ang mismong hagdan ng gusali
sa sobrang daming tao na nagsilbing
pansamantalang balat nito. Hindi ko
pa rin lubos na mabaon sa sarili ko ang
ganitong uri ng pagpapahayag. Ngunit
alam kong hindi na ako alien dito. Hindi
pa rin tapos magjak-en-poy ang dalawang
magkaibang panahon. Hindi pa rin tapos
ang pakikisalamuha ng mga estudyante sa
payong na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa
rin nabubuksan nang maayos na siyang
dapat magsilbing panangga natin mula
sa mga problemang ayaw paawat. Pero
nakatulong ako, ang lahat ng dumalo at
ang walkout na ito sa pagkatao ko at sa
pagbukas ng payong ng mga iskolar ng
bayan. [P]
OPINION
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UPLB P erspective
VOLUME XXXVI | Issue 1 | December 1, 2009
U N D E R Spot No Difference
treatment” from the Arroyo regime.
When Arroyo declared a state of
national emergency on February 24,
2006, this was not only meant as a
Jonelle Marin
counter-offensive attack to her strong
destabilizers, but also as an oppressive
and repressive assault to the journalists,
or media as a whole, whom she spoke
A keen eye’s view is always worth noticing.
of “magnifying” the claims of her
detractors. The police raid in the Daily
of education that we could experience. Tribune offices showed how determined
Specimen A: The president
Education took the backseat ironically On the other hand, the military claimed Arroyo was/is in killing all means of her
after Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sworn the spotlight after Arroyo gave the ouster. Sure enough, journalists have
to give “education for all” on her oath servicemen with more than P10-billion no place other than her “watch list.”
(or political maneuver) in June 2001. It budget allocation exclusive of facilities
seemed that eight years is far too long and inclusive of uniformed servicemen’s Specimen B: The chancellor
for her to remember this promise as and even volunteers’ compensation. Education is the foremost reason why
she gave the private educators the go- Citizens Armed Forces Geographical a university is established. But ecosignal “to lift the ceiling” on tuition and Unit or CAFGUs are volunteers from tourism projects became so prevalent
other school fees increase. She even local towns which add force to an here in UPLB that the former appeared
told State Colleges and Universities or approximate 250,000-strong Armed only secondary to the latter in Chancellor
SUCs to be “self-reliant” which almost Forces of the Philippines. With this type Luis Rey Velasco’s list of priorities since
signalled her approval to legalize the of budget splurging benefiting a sector he assumed office in 2007. Removed
authority of SUC’s policy makers to (which may turn out to be beneficial for org tambayans for “heritage trees”,
generate own income, operate almost Arroyo later on), the education sector repainted Mariang Banga, et.al and
like that of a private corporation and shouldn’t wonder why they were asked Carabao park statues, and the very
well-lit and well-cemented surrounding
raise tuition and other fees — the worse to rely on themselves.
of privatization and commercialization Even the media garnered “special of the Humanities building made the
SCRUTINY
“If facts are
requisites of
an opinion,
then this
article is for
your own
perusal.”
NOFURY Breeding Impunity
SOLOUD
ARBEEN ACUÑA
Vlad the Impaler. Bathory. Hitler. Mussolini. Arroyo. Mass murderers. Master
monarchs of their territories and time periods, castigating resistance with
assassinations, death sentences and mass executions.
“They kill.
And they
kill a lot.
They are on
a killing
spree.”
Now, a clash between appendages of
a dwarven dictator induced deaths—as
the aftermath fertilized Maguindanao
soil with lives of those trapped between
conflicting warlords. Both Ampatuans and
Mangudadatus were Arroyo’s collaborators
that installed her into power, before waging
war against each other, by running for
office.
Images of corpses butchered by tyrants,
way back in prologues of history, are relived
in pages of broadsheets and flashed on
television screens. These photographs
are not nostalgic pictures reminding us of
bestial practices and senseless brutalities
of the past. Neither are broadsheets special
retrospective issues nor are television
programs historical documentaries. The
violence occurred in our epoch, when
humankind is ideally civilized.
The Ampatuan massacre—the darkest
day for press freedom, as described by
media groups—awarded the Philippines
the reputation of being the worst place for
journalists and the world record for killing
the most number of journalists in one fell
tragic swoop.
About 30 of 64 dead bodies buried in shallow
graves and violated in the manslaughter,
were journalists. Some victims are potential
witnesses. Just like police and military
forces, had they sided with justice. Some
victims are women—desecrated, mutilated
sexually abused women, who were inviolable,
according to an unwritten law among the
clans. But thirst for political power breaks
any culturally established agreements of the
rido or blood feuds between kinship groups.
This shift from familiar trends during
election season is exceptional, because it
triggered scrutiny towards human rights
conditions. A wholesale onslaught seems like
a prerequisite for us to remember electionrelated barbarisms in particular, and political
persecutions in general, despite the past
numerous human rights violations.
This shall serve, not just as evidence,
but another reminder that democracy in
this country is reserved for political allies
of the powers-that-be. Not because of the
immaturity of our political system, being a
third world country bound to undergo such
transition, as some so-called intellectuals
might argue, but because this government,
just like most governments of the world, is
founded not in service of its constituents,
but in service of wielders of state-instituted
political power, i.e. bureaucrat capitalists and
feudal lords. This arrogance of Ampatuans is
probably due to the support they relish from
fellow ruling dynasties such as the Aquinos,
after the EDSA Revolution. And now, the
Arroyos (Note the resemblance of an incident
that happened exactly five years and a week
ago at the Hacienda Luisita.) This faulty
system bred the likes of the Ampatuans. The
system that continues to breed warlordism.
Desperation to retain power drove regimes
and clans to commit crimes against the people.
They eliminated competition, or whoever they
whimsically categorize as menaces. Human
rights watchdog Karapatan recorded 1032
extrajudicial killings, 3451 human rights
violations and 217 political detention under
the Arroyo government.
Thus, we can differentiate the Arroyo
regime and the Ampatuan clan. The former
systematically murdered threats to its
throne of power in various creative manners
that are oftentimes legitimized by prejudiced
laws. The latter massacred its political
enemies in one monolithic blow—breaking
unwritten laws despite the dishonour.
However, both perpetrators are veiled by
impunity. The point is, they kill. And they
kill a lot. They are on a killing spree. And
they are fond of it and are getting away with
it. And they should be penalized by the same
law they claim to abide by.
The usual firestarter of despicable crimes
discussed herein are death threats. As
university conducive for strolling, but
less for learning.
Military is highlighted here in the
university as our good chancellor
appointed a reserved lieutenant colonel
to office even with the latter’s poor record
dating back to 1995 as OSA dean. With
the chancellor’s inferior background
check on his staff, there should be no
surprise that there would be more of his
kind in the administration.
Student journalists and leaders share
an equal amount of attention from the
chancellor and the OSA director. The
ever-reliable Chancellor’s appointment
of EIC has not yet failed in choosing
second placers for the EIC post. The
administration’s constant use of false
representation and twisted logic has
always intensified their campaign
against campus press freedom.
Just like what the name of this opinion
column suggests, maybe it’s about time to
examine some trends closely. If facts are
requisites of an opinion, then this article
is for your own perusal. Now, based on
your scrutiny of the two specimens, have
you seen any similarity/ies? [P]
Mangudadatus received public threats
from Ampatuans prior to the massacre,
UPLB constituents are harassed by black
propaganda distributed by the amorphous
Save the Youth Against Communism and
Terrorism, which ironically terrorizes the
students by mudslinging against legitimate
students and student formations, and
arguing in defense of OSA Director, Lt. Col.
Gonzales.
Through
anonymity,
SAY-ACT
is
seemingly cloaked in impunity, just like
regimes and clans that kill. And kill a lot.
But some pseudo-organization’s anonymity
does not bestow upon it immunity from
condemnation. This group, claiming to be
composed of former student leaders, should
be held accountable, just like the military
detachment near the blood-spattered
slaughter area wherein vehicles were
marked with the stench of the Ampatuans.
It would be timely for us to offer moments of
silence for the victims of political persecution.
We, however, shall not end with silence. We
shall condemn human rights violators in
the strongest possible terms, and indemnify
the victims. Unless we want to increase the
body count, signal the Arroyo government
that we tolerate vulgar mass murder and
appreciate warlordism, more US troops
and another martial rule. If these threats,
cloaked in black propaganda, materialize
into deaths, then the historical record on
the 23rd of November might repeat itself
nationwide, when the Arroyo government
use the situation their ilk created to justify
the need for emergency powers. [P]
Ikaw, ako at ang katabi mo ay naging Freshie rin--pwedeng ngayong sem, last year o five years ago. Magpadala ng inyong Kwentong Freshie na maglalaman ng inyong pakikipagsapalaran sa UPLB bilang isang Freshie.
Pamantayan: kasalukuyan o naging UPLB student ang may akda; 500-800 salita; Tagalog o Ingles ang wika. I-hand carry sa [P] office (Rm. 11, SU Bldg.) o ipadala sa [email protected]
KWENTONG Repression-in-a-box
FRESHIE
“Why is it that in
UP, which boasts
itself as the bastion
of democracy
and freedom,
freshmen are not
allowed to join an
organization?”
Aletheia Grace del Rosario
Studying in UPLB comes to the doorsteps of UPCAT passers like Christmas
gifts inside a box intricately covered with a red-and-green wrapper and a gold
ribbon.
A regular seven-AM Math 17 class
surely rips off my energy for the day. As
I hop from building to building, unaware
of the shortest route possible, I realized
that the academe not only exhausts me,
but also bores me. I have endured 2-hour
bus rides to Manila so that my weekends
would not be wasted in Elbi.
What else could I do during my free
time? Watch movies? Hang out with
friends? Read novels? Surf the Internet?
No. I don’t want to dispense all of my
time on recreation and leisure. I want
something to get me occupied and, at
the same time, make my freshman days
worth the stay. It seems to me that the
OPINION
only option is to join an organization.
But, I was constantly warned not to join
organizations because freshmen were not
allowed to do such thing.
However, I got excited in joining the
Perspective when I picked up a copy of
their Special Issue first semester of last
term in the Humanities Building. I was
also a part of the campus publication
in my high school. I was thrilled that I
can continue being a journalist here in
college. Finally, I found this as a perfect
way of spending my time here in Elbi.
As I spent my days in UPLB being a
layout artist, I helped myself by looking
at layouts of Perspective’s back issues,
digging through the rich pages of history.
I also missed no any single opportunity to
attend journalism skills training, school
hopping, educational discussions, and
press works of Perspective. I wanted to
learn as much knowledge as I can.
I stayed in Perspective and learned more
than technical skills and knowledge. I
witnessed things that, before, happen
right in front of me but never took any
minute to notice them. Now, I had fully
unwrapped the “gift.” I learned things
that deceived me, things that made me
angry.
I cannot join organizations (my primary
source of boredom). Since elementary,
it was a requirment to join at least a
club. Why is it that in the University of
the Philippines, which boasts itself as
the bastion of democracy and freedom,
freshmen are not allowed to join an
organization?
Though freshman that I was way back
then, I already experienced participating
in two referenda. I casted my “yes”
votes for the approval of the 1984
Student Council Constitution and for
the ratification of the Codified Rules
for Student regent Selection when both
documents were being questioned by the
UP administration.
Student organizations were not spared.
Tambayans were removed. Moreover,
Only UPLB, among all UP campuses,
implements the rule that freshmen are not
allowed to join any organizations. Several
organizations were not recognized. These
are what make the picture of UPLB; not
to mention the implementation of tuition
and other Fees increase, which added
to the burden of my parents, was not
consulted with the students.
These are clearly not the manifestations
of a democratic and free university.
I want to see no more of the dead rats
that I received as a “gift.” To think that
more and more UPCAT passers will
receive such a hideous thing sickens me.
I must continue learning. I must share
what I have learned. I must fight with the
students that continually got deceived by
such a devious university. [P]
UPLB P erspective
VOLUME XXXVI | Issue 1 | December 1, 2009
7
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Maiden Editorial
Reconstruction
Under Protest
Arbeen Acuña
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Beverly Christcel Laguartilla
BUSINESS MANAGER
Julienne Urrea
NEWS EDITOR
Estel Lenwij Estropia
NEWS EDITOR
Liberty Notarte
FEATURES EDITOR
Jonelle Marin
CULTURE EDITOR
Aletheia Grace del Rosario
PRODUCTION EDITOR
Mark Angelo Ordonio
COPY EDITOR
FEATURES STAFF
Voltaire Abiog
PRODUCTION STAFF
Chino Carlo Aricaya
Karl Suministrado
APPRENTICE
Trista Isobelle Gile
Jenina Jane Castro
Ayesha Sarapuddin
Lyka Manglal-lan
Joan Cordero
The UPLB Perspective is a member of
College Editors’
Guild of the
Philippines (CEGP)
and
Solidaridad
UP systemwide
alliance of student
publications
and writers’
organizations.
Editorial Office:
Rm. 11, 2/F Student Union Bldg,
UPLB, College, Laguna
A
s the UPLB centennial year ends with our publishers
devastated by the administration’s plot to advance
further commercialization, we present the blueprint
that your official student publication prepared upon its
restructuring despite the vandals written by the non-collection
of student fund all over our draft.
While the admin continues rendering, polishing and photomanipulating campus repression that they have previously
penciled and inked way back in 1996 when they plotted the UP
Strategic Plan of 2008 that spells neoliberal education policies,
Perspective protests. We protest against the establishment that
instigated the non-collection and that placed us in this very
position through administrative intervention in the EIC selection
process and against everything that might fetter the publication
and its publishers. Thus we would also protest against ourselves,
if deemed necessary.
Protest actions are not battles fought in realms of ideas and airconditioned academic arenas. We don’t just wield mechanical
pencils and technical pens as weapons of choice. Depending on
the frequency of administrative vandalism, we grab paintbrushes
and paint over stencils placed over any useable flat surface to
make placards and streamers. This we do in line with the militant
stance set by our forerunners. Tape recorders are not all we have
for data gathering’s sake. We also have megaphones to go with our
prop materials, for instant data dissemination’s sake.
We take these journalistic paraphernalia to the streets and
wage war therein against the admin-instituted campus press
repression. Yes, the administration. Before any accusations of
being anti-admin, we clarify that Perspective does not fill its pages
with artillery designs to bombard the chancellor and his university
henchmen for the fun of it. As a student publication, we take the
students’ side. And if any authorities dare take offensive against our
publishers and their democratic rights, we draw the line. We map
out how we expose violations and launch counteroffensives against
administrative perpetrators who put the students’ democratic
rights at stake. In these times, we delineate allies from enemies;
demarcate who stays inside the periphery and who remains at the
margins of the canvas; decide which lines should remain undrawn
and which portions should be smudged or be completely erased.
This is when we give in to our biases and take positions. Taking
the students’ side, we are compelled to be “anti-admin.” If they
aim to repress the students and harmonize such acts with their
grand commercialization design, we dissent and would not settle
the dispute until the admin retracts.
Our footprints mark schools—and streets. We are not artists
atop an ivory tower sketching landscapes and passers-by. We go
out of our comfort zones where we could’ve chatted about artistic
boundaries, out of our air-conditioned rooms where we could’ve
exercised intellectual masturbation. Why? Perspective is not
a vicarious spectator gathering data and acquiring inspiration
just for the sake of it. Our blueprint doesn’t suggest that we be
hunter-gatherers of data. We reaffirm our role as standardbearers of campus press freedom in Southern Tagalog, where
we learn and share not just our journalistic skills, but also our
sense of responsibility to serve our publishers’ interest. We chose
duties bigger than ourselves to transcend being a mere campus
publication by including integration with the people as a recurring
theme in the pages of the Perspective
portfolio.
Though we are the ones who drafted the
plans for the management of the campus
publication, we stress that these attempts
to place dots and plot lines for the
student movement in UPLB in particular
and Southern Tagalog in general are not
the end-all and be-all. Our role is never
messianic. We do not draw lines of destiny.
In contrast with the admin’s despotic
management, we do sketches on scratch
papers and offer them to our publishers
for criticism and implementation. The
students are the decisive entities in all the
proceedings of the student movement in
the university. In other words, we let them
do the inking, rendering, polishing and
photo-manipulating. They and the people
collectively create the collage of struggle.
Our publishers are the history-makers. We
are merely the humble scribes who take
part in history-making.
Perspective would exhaust all means to reach its publishers.
If the inkpot is empty and we have to chronicle, in pictures and
letters, the struggles of the region, your official student publication
would record full accounts with every drop of our blood as our
predecessors selflessly did when they reestablished the Perspective
with their own blood during the Martial Law. [P]
“...we clarify that
Perspective does not fill
its pages with artillery
designs to bombard
the chancellor and his
university henchmen for
the fun of it.”
ARBEEN ACUñA
Mark Vincent Baracao
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
SPECIAL Editorial
The Price to Pay
T
he beauty of academic freedom is that it provides us a space where we can freely express and
challenge ideas, especially in this time of the so-called “information age,” when vulnerability
to misconception and deception almost always defeats our rational discernment. The goal
of such democratic right is simple: to widen our quest for knowledge and truth.
But if such “freedom” is exercised
in the principle of lambasting the
integrity of the people and not the
ideas they espouse, then it is an
entirely different story. No matter
how unpopular it is to students,
the recent proliferation of black
propaganda, which accuses known
progressive groups and individuals
as terrorists, reminds us what
demarcates academic freedom
from political persecution.
The perpetrators under the group
called Save the Youth against
Communism and Terrorism (SAYACT) may or may not understand
well the implications of their
unsubstantiated, not to mention,
derogatory accusations. However,
SAY-ACT’s self-confessed fear of
their obvious inability to engage in
an intellectual debate is beside a
more important issue. What SAYACT mentioned in their statements
are not mere arguments, but rather
allegations that persecute legal
progressive groups, institutions
and individuals on the basis of
political beliefs, by labeling them as
terrorists and terrorist supporters.
This so-called red-tagging is an
antiquated military tactic, a part of
their psychological warfare, used
to vilify the protesting masses and
discredit their legitimate demands.
However,
Chancellor
Luis
Rey Velasco’s response upon
requests of his condemnation
of the dissemination of the
baseless
propaganda,
which
even misconstrued Perspective’s
progressive tradition, is far
more alarming. Unfortunately
for the victims of SAY-ACT, our
administrator comforted himself to
interpret such red witch-hunting
in the garbs of academic freedom.
About four decades ago, during
what is now known as First Quarter
Storm, the Marcos regime became
ignorant of the precedence of the
youth’s outrage and decisiveness
OPINION
to actively demand for their calls
in street protests. Ferdinand
Marcos himself arbitrarily pointed
his fingers to Maoist-Communists’
participation
to
justify
his
regime’s violent confrontation
with thousands of students in
pickets and demonstrations in the
country’s seat of political power.
He later on used the same political
persecution to rationalize the
curtailment of academic freedom.
The Manila Police District forcibly
entered the Philippine College of
Commerce (PCC), now Polytechnic
University of the Philippines, and
confiscated documents which they
labeled “subversive” and, thus, the
students who read them.
The former PCC President
condemned the break-in and said,
“In the PCC, academic freedom is
exercised. We have the policy of
toleration of all views, respectful of
ideologies to pursue all knowledge.”
Fast forward today, unfortunately,
Velasco
interpreted
academic
freedom differently. He said, “Our
University upholds the UP tradition
of academic freedom. On the basis
of the unverified or unconfirmed
sources of information being
circulated and the possible anxiety
and concern they bring to our
constituents, everyone is enjoined
to exercise their best judgment, due
prudence and diligence in accepting,
disseminating, processing or acting
on the information these contain.”
If our administrators profess
ignorance of the demarcation
line that distinguishes academic
freedom from political persecution,
from whom shall we take the
assurance that such a hard-won
right is ensured to prosper, and,
in the context of the red-tagging,
interpreted correctly?
Hostility
aside,
Velasco’s
response to the proliferation of
unsubstantiated accusations may
also be inferred differently. On one
hand, Velasco might have been
sincere in his intent to “ensure”
the exercise of academic freedom;
on the other hand, our chancellor
could have been concealing such
red witch-hunting in the garbs
of academic freedom. The former
could be a (or his) probable
sound refuge when questioned by
sincere curiosity. But the latter is
a vehement confrontation to his
ineffectual leadership to students,
whom he has to protect from any
form of political persecution.
And such masqueraded attack is
worse than that of SAY-ACT.
To profess such perverted
perception of academic freedom
is an expression of the ignorance
of the price we may have to pay
in categorically tolerating the
proliferation of unsubstantiated
accusations. Political persecution is
historically devastating. It maligns
the victim’s credibility; more so,
imperils their precious lives. To
allow black propaganda is also
to tolerate its repercussions—
surveillance and breach of right to
privacy and mobility of the victims,
torture, illegal arrest and political
killings. Like what happened to
UP students Karen Empeño and
Sherlyn Cadapan, journalist Jonas
Burgos and to the thousands of
victims of human rights violations,
who, in one way or another, were
tagged as terrorists before becoming
targets of military execution.
UP has prided itself as a bastion
of democracy, which primary
expression is academic freedom.
SAY-ACT must realize this and
begin laying their evidences before
the students. On the other hand,
Chancellor Velasco has to review
the historical meaning of academic
freedom and be enlightened so he
may understand how a victim of
red-tagging walks at night and
sleeps at night with the constant
fear of unpredictable death. [P]
VOLUME XXXVI | Issue 1 | December 1, 2009
Perspective
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