TAON 91 BILANG 15 HUWEBES, OKTUBRE 3, 2013

PHILIPPINE
COLLEGIAN
Opisyal na lingguhang pahayagan
ng mga mag-aaral ng
Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, Diliman
Higher Ground
Tagged
The dangers of instituting a
national ID system
Lathalain
On The Job
The plight of the universitys
student assistants
Balita
2 4
5
Kultura
4
Tagged
The dangers of instituting a
national ID system
Lathalain
2
BALITA PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN HUWEBES, OKTUBRE 3, 2013
AT THE PHILIPPINE GENERAL
Hospital (PGH), indigent patients
currently pay up to P4,000 for
laboratory testsa fact that violates
the law which mandates free medical
services for the poor, according to the
All-UP Workers Union (AUPWU).
Under Republic Act No. 747,
indigent patients shall be absolutely
free from any and all charges
incurred by the hospital during their
confnement and such patients shall
have priority in accommodation.
More than a year into the
implementation of new lab fees which
were previously waived prior to a series
of memoranda released by the PGH,
the AUPWU are now mulling plans to
directly appeal to the Board of Regents
(BOR), the universitys highest
decision-making body. Te BOR will
next meet on October 25.
Ayon sa pakikipag-usap ko sa
[AUPWU], planong mag-apela ang
unyon through the new Staf Regent
sa meeting ng BOR sa October, said
Jossel Ebesate, former UP Staf Regent
and president of the national health
group Alliance of Health Workers.
Gusto [ng unyon] na outright
na wala dapat babayaran ang mga
indigent patient, Ebesate told
the Collegian.
Te matter however should
be studied carefully before the
appeal can be discussed by the
BOR, said incumbent Staf Regent
Anna Ramirez.
A week ago, UP union leaders
raised their concern over the anti-poor
policy in a dialogue with UP President
Alfredo Pascual, PGH Director Jose
Gonzales and other PGH ofcials. In
his report to the BOR on September
30, Pascual noted that according to
PGH ofcials, giving automatic waiver
for all the services covered by the Class
D rates would burden PGH with costs
that, at the moment, the hospital
could not absorb.
Te solution, according to Pascual,
is higher state subsidy. We all agreed
to undertake eforts to call on the
national government to increase
the budget for social services such
as higher education and healthcare,
particularly for UP, including PGH, he
said in his report.
Tis year, PGH receives P2.1 billion
for its operation, or P700 million lower
than UPs proposed budget.
Every year, about 600,000 Class D
patients who earn below P446 wage
in the National Capital Region are
admitted at the PGH, which waives
payment for 192 laboratory tests
for these indigent patient patients.
Two months ago, however, the PGH
started billing these patients for 147
medical tests that cost between P25
and P4,000.
Common procedures with nominal
Class D charges of P25 to P500, such as
urinalysis and fecal analysis, belong to
the 45 laboratory procedures waived by
PGH. Immunohistocehmcial staining
exams used for diagnosing leukemia
and cancer, among others, are now
charged from P1,000 to P4,000.
During the September 27 dialogue,
PGH ofcials noted that chargeable
Class D rates in many cases were
waived if they were found to be unable
to pay. Te July 4 memorandum on
revised laboratory rates meanwhile
states that subsequent examinations
may only be waived upon submission
of two documents, including a
personal letter of the patient or family
to the congressman of his/her place
requesting for fnancial assistance.
In an interview with the
Collegian, AUPWU-Manila President
Benjamin Santos countered the PGH
administrations claim, saying the
union found instances of indigent
patients who were asked to pay even
for the 45 no charge laboratory fees.
Hindi lamang ito usapin ng policy
sa ospital at sa UP. Buong bansa,
nagpapagamot sa PGH. Dapat tingnan
ito ng maigi para sa mga indigent
patient, said Santos.
Appeals vs PGH lab fees mounting
UP workers to ask BOR to repeal memo at October meet
Hans Christian Marin
ROCK THE (LOWER)
HOUSE
Photo by Keithley Difuntorum
A group of student protesters staged a lightning rally that caught the whole
Plenary Hall by surprise during the 2014 budget deliberations at the House
of Representatives on September 27. Te group decried their dissent against
the impending budget cuts on state universities and colleges in front of the
convening congress but was quickly escorted out by security ofcials.
ANNA, A BRACKET E1 STUDENT,
does not have to pay tuition but still
worries every day about her other
daily expenses. To support herself for
two years, she worked as a student
assistant (SA), a job that gave her
an average allowance of P180 each
dayway below the P426 minimum
wage in the National Capital Region.
Amid the high cost of education
in UP and the spiralling costs
of living, the wages of SAs have
remained fxed since 2008.
Ofce hours
Te 2006 UP System Code states
that [UP] may appoint students as
assistants and assign them to the
various units to develop their skills.
But not all SAs work to hone
their skills. Others like Anna seek to
earn extra money.
SAs may work for 60 to 120
hours a month. Graduate assistants
are currently paid P50 an hour while
undergraduates earn P30 an hour.
Tis semester, Anna stopped
working as an assistant because of
the meager pay. She also stopped
working as a part-time tutor. Anna
does not ask for fnancial help
from her poor parents. Nililibre
na lang ako, says Anna, who
requested anonymity.
Paltry pay
Ang isang meal sa UP, kung hindi
niyo paghahatian, pinakamababa na
ang P50. May dorm fees pa, may
readings, may libro, says Anna.
Like Anna, students are
shouldering a bucket of bills
meals, transportation, room rentals,
readings, and miscellaneous fees.
Habang tumataas ang bayarin at
nagmamahal ang basic commodities,
titindi ang mga pangangailangan ng mag-
aaral na mag-apply for student assistant
program, Charlotte France, USC students
rights and welfare committee head,
told Collegian.
Te SA program is meant to
entice the fnancially needy to earn
income while studying on campus,
said Aristeo Dacanay, ofce in
charge of the Ofce of Scholarships
and Student Services (OSSS).
Since 2005, the number of SAs
has steadily declined. Based on
OSSS data, as of September 30, UP
Diliman (UPD) has 28 open slots for
undergraduate students and 16 slots
for graduate students.
Mayroon pa rin hiwalay na
usapin na hindi sapat iyong sweldo
at late pa nakukuha, France said.
Kailangan nilang mag-apply
sa labas ng pamantasan kung
saan mayroon mas malaking
posibilidad na makakukuha ng mas
malaking sweldo.
When the UP administration
raised tuition six years ago, UP
ofcials argued the revenue would
trickle down to students. Te
revenue, it seems, has eluded
student assistants.
For fve years now, the wages of
SAs remain unchanged.
At the end of the day, the
students (and their parents)
carry the burden of skyrocketing
tuition costs and miscellaneous
fees, said Eduardo Gabral,
national chairperson of Katipunan
ng Sangguniang Mag-aaral, a
UP system-wide alliance of
student leaders.
Management Issues
Ang mas focus natin ay ang
pagpapataas ng sweldo nila, said
France. Batay sa naunang dialogue
namin with the OVCSA, may
posibilidad naman.
UPD Chancellor Caesar Saloma
said that students are encouraged
to work for the university instead
of working in call centers. We
should make timely adjustments
on our rates, said Saloma. Dapat
gawing consistent [ang wage ng SA]
sa minimum wage, or infationary,
whichever is higher.
Tey render valuable services to
the university, and they should be
paid accordingly, said Saloma. But
before he could act on the matter,
the Ofce of the Vice Chancellor
for Student Afairs has to make a
recommendation or endorsement
for increasing SAs pay.
Since 2005, P1.3 million of the
UP budget is allocated annually
for SAs.
Tis year, only 106 of the 211
SAs receive payment directly from
the UP budget. Te remaining
SAs are paid using each colleges
lump sum funds from non-UP
research groups.
On The Job
The plight of the universitys
student assistants
Franz Christian Irorita
Kira Chan
Sidebar 1: Going for greener pastures
Since 2005, the number of SAs working in the university has decreased, showing that many students
may have chosen instead to work for higher-paying jobs outside the university.
BALITA PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN HUWEBES, OKTUBRE 3, 2013 BALITA PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN HUWEBES, OKTUBRE 3, 2013 3
ON BOARD
Reports on the September
30 BOR Meeting
Gloiza Plamengco
AMENDMENTS TO THE UP CODE
and revisions on the Socialized
Tuition and Financial Assistance
Program (STFAP) bracketing
headlined the September 30 meeting
of the Board of Regents (BOR),
UPs highest policy- and decision
-making body.
UP President Alfredo Pascual
also presented the results of the
UP administration-commissioned
investigation on the case of UP
Los Baos student Alyssa Asilo.
According to accounts by Asilos
family, the student allegedly died
because she had to wait for medical
treatment at the university-run
Philippine General Hospital (PGH).
Asked if the report practically
absolves PGH from any liability,
Student Regent Krista Melgarejo
said, Kung based lang sa report, oo.
Asilo case
Pascuals report concluded
that the Philippine General
Hospital immediately gave Asilo
medical assistance.
Base sa resulta ng imbestigasyon
ni Pascual, sa tingin ko hindi pa rin
cleared sa liability ang PGH dahil
ibang-iba ang kwento na inilapit ng
pamilya ni Alyssa. Kaya kailangan pa
rin ng imbestigasyon tungkol dito,
Melgarejo told Collegian.
According to the report, Asilo was
initially diagnosed with tuberculosis
and was not admitted to the charity
ward or infrmary to avoid infecting
other patients. Te investigation said
the resident doctor on duty attended
to Asilo as soon as she arrived
at the PGH.
In an earlier Collegian interview,
Asilos mother Estrella said PGH
doctors and staf told the family that
Asilo should be confned to a private
room. Her daughter was not treated
earlier because the family had to raise
P11,800 for downpayment.
She is seeking an independent
investigation aimed at determining
whether the delay in providing
medical care resulted in Asilos death.
UP Code amendments
Pascual recommended to the BOR
his amendments of Articles 330,
430 and 431 of the UP Code. Tese
provisions serve as basis for the No
Late Payment and Forced Leave
of Absence policies in UP Manila,
and the Ineligibility Management
System in UP Diliman.
Under Pascuals recommendation,
students who are unable to pay
tuition and other fees due to
fnancial incapacity may apply for a
student loan and may not be barred
from attending classes.
But these students, according to
the proposal, need to settle their loan
obligations before they could receive
school records such as diploma.
Te plan is set to undergo a series
of public consultations.
Pascuals proposal difers from
the proposal earlier recommended
by a review committee. Students
who are unable to pay tuition are
allowed to attend classes, but are
barred from registering the following
semester if they fail to settle their
unpaid accounts, according to the
committees proposal.
Pascuals plan is a just temporary
solution, Melgarejo said.
Panawagan natin na i-scrap ang
STFAP at kalakip rito ang panawagan
na i-rollback ang tuition at maging
accessible ang edukasyon sa lahat,
she explained.
Proposed STFAP revisions
Pascual also proposed before the
board a simplifed STFAP computation.
Under the proposal, studentss
background will be based on the
socioeconomic classifcation done by
the Marketing and Opinion Research
Society of the Philippines. Tis plan
removes superfuous processes
requiring students to declare desired
bracket and special indicators like
their gadget and equipment.
Pascual also wants to adjust
by 30 percent the income cut-ofs
of Brackets B, C and D. Currently,
students with annual household
income of P135,000 to P250,000
are listed under Bracket D. Under
Pascuals proposal, Bracket D will
range from P135,000 to P325,000.
E2 students, under Pascuals
proposal will also receive monthly
allowance of P3,500 from the current
P2,400.
STFAP is not the issue, Melgarejo
said. Ang mahal na tuition ng UP
[ang problema ng mga estudyante],
kasi wala silang pambayad at hindi
ito masosolusyunan ng STFAP,
said Melgarejo.
Tis proposal is set for another
round of public consultations.
FOR THREE DECADES, THE
cash-strapped Philippine
Childrens Medical Center (PCMC)
has been reduced to practically
begging the national government
for greater subsidy to save the land
it presently occupies.
As past and present
administrations have failed to allot
enough funds for the countrys
only tertiary hospital for children,
the current price to save PCMC is
estimated at P1 billion.
Health workers are now
demanding President Benigno Aquino
to sign a presidential decree for the
donation of the land technically
owned by the National Housing
Authority (NHA). PCMC would
not be able to raise funds for itself,
Samahan ng mga Kawani ng PCMC
president Lucila Ensina told Collegian.
PCMC is facing eviction woes
after NHA issued a memorandum
asking the hospital to buy the
remaining half of the original 6.3 ha
of the land it occupies at P1.1 billion.
Te other half had either been sold
or donated by the government to
various agencies.
Imbes na mapagbuti ng PCMC
ang serbisyo sa mga pasyente nito,
babawasan pa ng gobyerno ang lupa
na pwede sanang pang-expand ng
services namin, said Ensina.
Every year, PCMC serves about
60,000 patients.
Taken for granted
Tis year, the government
has allocated allotted PCMCs
entire budget of P345 million for
maintenance and other operating
expenses. No budget was assigned
for capital outlay.
Yon ang problema ng gobyerno,
dahil bagamat may pondo na
binigay sa PCMC, wala namang
itinatalaga talaga para sa pagbili
ng lupa mula sa NHA, Alliance of
Health Workers President Jossel
Ebesate told Collegian.
In 2008, PCMC asked for an
additional P200 million subsidy
from the Department of Budget
and Management (DBM) for the
purchase of the land from the
NHA. The PCMC, however, was
denied the request, according
to Commission on Audit (COA)
reports on PCMCs finances.
Half of the PCMC land
have already been sold to other
government agencies, such as the
Philippine Institute for Development
Studies, which bought 2,500 square
meters of the lot for over P83
million. Some were donated to the
Ofce of the Ombudsman and Ofce
of Tax Appeals.
For NHA, PCMC has the money
for the purchase.
Based on the 2011 audit report,
NHA ofcials told COA that the
hospital has sufcient funds to pay
for the cost of the asset.
Analysis done by Collegian on the
PCMCs fnances proves otherwise.
Over the last four years, PCMC has
been in the red as operational losses
have increased by an annual average
of P31.5 million despite hundreds of
millions of state subsidy.
Milking PCMCs eviction woes
Dito makikita ang overriding
concern ng gobyerno, na ang
pangunahing tunguhin nila ay
pagkakakitaan ang lupa upang
sipsipin ang natitirang lakas ng ating
mga mamamayan imbes na magbigay
ng serbisyo na mangangalaga sa mga
ito, said Ebesate.
In the past, PCMC was able to
secure a memorandum of agreement
(MOA) that would entitle them to
State neglect forces childrens hospital eviction
According to health workers,
a land donation. Pero sa tuwing
makakakuha na ng MOA ang PCMC,
huli na dahil ibinibigay lang nila ito
tuwing magbabago na naman ng
administrasyon, Ensina admitted.
Former President Joseph Estrada
was impeached before the MOA
took efect. Former President Gloria
Arroyo failed approve the budget for
the donation.
Aquino, meanwhile, has yet to
make an ofcial stance on whether
his administration is inclined to
donate the land amid calls from
lawmakers and health workers.
Napakahalaga ng papel na
ginagampanan ng PCMC para sa
ating bansa. Sa mga ginagawang ito
ng gobyerno, makikita lamang na
hanggang ngayon ay napakababa pa
rin ang ibinibigay na priyoridad para
sa kalusugan, said Ebesate.
Arra B. Francia
YOSHI!
Photo by Kimberly Pauig
UPs Joaquin Fernandez grapples with USTs Jon Rodriguez during the mens
-66kgs gold medal match at the UAAP Season 76 Judo Championships held at the
Ateneo Blue Gym on September 29. Te Fighting Maroons fnished second behind
the Blue Eagles, with 35 points of a 10-5-8 (gold-silver-bronze) medal haul.
LATHALAIN PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN HUWEBES, OKTUBRE 3, 2013
4
WITHOUT EVER HAVING MET
you, they already know who you
are. Billions of transactions and
exchanges both meaningful and
trivial pass before their eyes and
earsfrom your police records and
medical history to maybe even your
purchases from iTunes and other
online stores.
No secret is safe, and they shall
use it as they see ft. A number, your
number, is all they need.
Te story reads like an intriguing
prologue to a thriller novel; but it
may soon leap from the page to real
life, here in the Philippines, with
the proposed national ID system
looming ahead once again.
Recurrent proposal
Decade after decade saw various
proposals seeking to establish an ID
system in the Philippines.
Te frst would be Marcoss
Presidential Decree No. 27, which
proposed that all Filipino citizens
and foreign nationals residing in
the country be assigned a reference
number and issued an identifcation
card, to aid in insuring
national security and afording
convenience in the transaction of
ofcial business.
Meanwhile, during the Ramos
presidency, Administrative Order
No. 308 sought the establishment
of a unifed system of identifcation
to efciently facilitate business
with basic service and social security
providers and other government
instrumentalities.
It was opposed by then
Senator Blas Ople, who deemed
it unconstitutional, saying it is a
subject that is not appropriate to be
covered by an administrative order
and an act of usurping the authority
of the Congress in legislation. Other
critics pointed to its potential to
violate rights to privacy, as the
proposal does not state whether
the collection of biological
data is solely for
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n
purposes.
Te Arroyo
admi ni strati on
also revived the
proposal through
E x e c u t i v e
O r d e r
No. 420,
e f f e c t i v e l y
initiating the
Unifed ID System
which aims to reduce
government red
tape and enhance
the integrity and
reliability of
government-issued identifcation
cards in private transactions. Amid
more urgent concerns such as the
Valentines Day bombing, a clash
with the Moro National Liberation
Front (MNLF), and the expansion of
value-added tax, the move was met
with protests. Like its predecessors,
it failed to prosper.
Criticism
Now, the proposal gains
momentum again. Representative
Al Francis Bichara of Albay has
proposed House Bill 11 or the
Filipino ID bill, which he said will
serve as the ofcial identifcation of
a Filipino citizen whether residing in
the Philippines or abroad, and could
be used in both public and private
transactions. It will be a practical
and doable way to facilitate
and streamline government
transactions, he adds.
Acknowledging the opposition
of human rights groups, he said
that the ID system would protect
the identity of cardholders from
unwarranted and unauthorized
access, since it will be of tamper-
proof material.
Criticism of the proposal,
however, goes beyond concerns
over tampering. Carol Araullo,
chairperson of militant multisectoral
alliance Bagong Alyansang
Makabayan (BAYAN) explains, [We]
are against a national ID system. It
constitutes unnecessary invasion
of privacy with great potential for
abuse by those in authority. She
also expressed her apprehension
about its possible use for political
repression in favor of the
ruling elite.
If the bill gets approved, P500
million will be allocated to the
production of the IDsa huge
amount that could be spent instead
on social services. Araullo also
worries that the scheme may only
be used to amass funds. With the
government now
facing numerous
corrupti on
scandals, this fear is not
without basis.
Te initial issuance of the ID
would be free for all registrants,
but subsequent renewals will be
paid for by the cardholders. And
with the inefcient production
and distribution of existing ID
systems in the country, it is easy
to see how badly the national ID
will fare. Araullo argues that the
government has a notorious lack of
maintenance, of system of controls,
such that it takes several months to
even years to acquire an ID from
the Social Security System (SSS)
and the Commission on Elections
(COMELEC). And even then, the IDs
have not always guaranteed proper
access to public services.
For her part, political analyst
Dr. Jean Encinas-Franco explained
that an efcient setup may only
be achieved if the government
upholds the central tenets of good
governance, which are transparency,
predictability, participation and
accountability. Unfortunately, the
current bureaucracys adherence to
these tenets is questionable. Franco
has also expressed concern over the
staggering cost estimate for the
production of the national IDs.
Tool for fascism
Aside from questions over the
costs and logistical considerations,
a huge part of the opposition to the
national ID proposal concerns its
implications on human rights.
Such a measure will aggravate
the already bleak human rights
situation in the country where
human rights defenders and
political dissenters are subjects
of surveillance, threats, illegal
arrests and detention, enforced
disappearances and extra-judicial
killings, said Cristina Palabay,
secretary-general of the human
rights group Karapatan.
To date, 206 cases of enforced
disappearances under the Arroyos
administration remain unresolved,
with 17 new ones under the term of
Benigno Aquino III. Extra-judicial
killings are still rampant, with
Aquinos regime registering 142
cases. Many of the human rights
violations have since been linked to
the workings of the armed forces,
who would be among the enforcers
of the national ID policy.
Proposals with such lame and
unfounded bases open the foodgates
for the wholesale violation of the
peoples civil and political rights,
Karapatan adds.
In the end, the question is
whether it is worth compromising
human rights for a weak promise
of security and efciency of the
delivery of public services. As
Franco rightfully asks, To
what extent should a citizen
allow the government to
interfere with private
afairs in exchange for
his security?
TAGGED
The dangers of instituting a national ID system
Andrea Joyce Lucas
Illustration: Rosette Abogado
Page design: Ashley Garcia
KULTURA PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN HUWEBES, OKTUBRE 3, 2013 5
Ive never been certain whether
the moral of the Icarus story should
only be, as is generally accepted, dont
try to fy too high, or whether it might
also be thought of as forget the wax
and feathers, and do a better job on the
wings. - Stanley Kubrick
RADIOHEADS MUSIC WITH ITS
sweet, depressing rifs fuels my
cafeine-free night at the Main
Library. It is half past ten.
Students with bags
stufed with books and
readings race against
the ticking of the clock.
As for me, I have to
earn excellent marks in my
f o u r r e m a i n i n g
e x a ms
t o
compensate for days I spent on non-
academic activities.
A quarter to eleven. Five more
papers, zero progress. With my
earphones on, I switch to other
bands whose music rouse the same
caliber of Radiohead bleakness:
Nirvana, Nick Cave and the Bad
Seeds, and Te Smiths.
Sugary tunes just dont go well
with the sound of doom.
Everyone however has been
intruding my solitude: these past
nights, ceaseless threads on UP hell
weekwhich UP students believe
to be the most vicious of exams
week among all universitiesin
my newsfeed further hypes the
semestral phenomenon, reducing
non-UP students into mere
spectators. Like UP education,
UP hell week has turned into a
bragging right.
Eleven ffteen. A girl across the
table yawns.
As a non-major, I am bombarded
with pressures of getting decent
grades to fnally get a college to adopt
m e . I guess Im not immune
t o the postmodern idea
of individual success
being the sole
incentive for
studying: that in
order to get a return of investment,
you have to work within a set of
rules which reduces the learning
experience into a mere number at
the end of each semester.
Yet I am fully aware how this
dangerous idea tends to stunt
learning itself. We students seek
every means--such as perfect
attendance--to slim our grades down
to an uno. With this in mind, other
activities outside the classroom
including protest actions against
urgent university and national
issues become less of a priority.
Aside from grades, many of us also
worry about more pressing matters:
unpaid loans, rising cost of tuition
and costs of living in the metro.
Tirty minutes to midnight. Te
librarian cues for us to leave.
Growing up in a society where
a diploma from the premier state
university seems to be the prime
ticket for a bright future, I guess
many of us are quite unaware
that even UP graduates may fnd
it difcult to fnd fulflling jobs.
After going through countless hell
weeks, we end up being each others
competitors for employment, our
chances defned by the content
our resumes.
Tree seconds, two
seconds. I look out the
window. Te darkness
that creeps through
the whitewashed walls
of the library triggers a
feeling of uncertainty as we
struggle against deadlines
and attempt escape on
fimsy wings of wax and
feathers.
One.
Te minutes fnally
collapsed. Te library is closing.
Hell week is coming.
Alan P. Tuazon
Higher Ground
ISA MARAHIL SA PINAKAUNANG
mga hamon sa mga bagong iskong
tulad ko ang maghanap ng magiging
ikalawang tahanan para sa susunod
na apat o limang taon sa UP Diliman.
At kung mura at malapit na boarding
house ang hanap, tiyak na kabilang
sa listahan ang Area 2 na nasa loob
mismo ng kampus.
Pagkaliko pa lang ng Post Ofce
papasok sa kalye ng JP Laurel,
kapansin-pansin agad ang dami ng
tao na labas-pasok sa lugar na ito.
Maaliwalas ang paligid. Masaya ang
kuwentuhan ng mga estudyanteng
kumakain sa kabilang hanay ng mga
sari-saring karinderya at tindahan.
Sa paghahanap ko ng boarding
house, napansin kong simple
lang ang mga kagamitan at may
kaliitan ang mga apartment sa
Area 2. Hindi na ito katakataka,
dahil pansamantala lamang na
ipinagkaloob ang mga bahay na
ito sa mga guro at at iba pang mga
empleyado ng UP. Sa katunayan,
isang Engineering prof mula sa huli
kong binisitang boarding house ang
nagsabing ipanapaupa ng ilang mga
may-ari ng bahay ang mga kwarto
dahil hindi sapat ang sahod na galing
sa pamantasan.
Naalala ko tuloy ang mga teacher
ko sa hayskul na nagtitinda
pa ng yema at bananacue
para maitawid ang mga
gastusin ng kanilang mga
pamilya. Tila hindi ako
mapalagay noon na bago
pa man ako maging ganap na isko,
nakikinita ko na ang mga isyung
kinakaharap ng unibersidad.
Bagaman kalaunan ay
nakahanap ako ng boarding house
sa ibang lugar, palagi pa rin akong
dinadala ng sarili kong mga paa sa
Area 2 dahil sa dami ng alok nitong
mga paninda: kanin at ulam, steak,
barbeque, shawarma, hamburger,
fruit shake, milk tea, at kahit yosi.
Alak lang yata ang hindi ipinagbibili
sa mga tindahan dito.
Isa sa mga paborito kong kainan
sa Area 2 ang Lutong Bahay o LB.
Sa mga freshie guide, blog posts,
at Overheard ko unang nalaman
na masarap at mura ang mga
pananghalian dito.
Itinayo noong 1979, ang LB ay
naging patok sa mga estudyanteng
hinahanap-hanap ang mga pagkaing
lutong bahay. Ayon sa may-ari ng
LB, sinisikap nilang gawing
parang bahay ang set-up ng
kanilang karinderya. May mga mesa
pa ngang nakaharap sa TV para
maaaring manood habang kumakain
ang kanilang mga kostumer.
Dahil malapit ang lugar sa
mga dormitoryo sa kampus, hindi
nagtagal at nagsulputan na rin
ang iba pang mga kainan, gaya ng
Lutong Kapitbahay, Ralzarap, at
Macdoks sa JP Laurel. Katulad ng
LB, ang mga ito ay dati ring garahe at
sala na ginawang mga tindahan para
pandagdag kita ng mga residente.
Hindi na kataka-takang sa
mga susunod na taon ay lalo pang
sumikat ang Area 2. Ito ang naging
lapitan ng mga estudyanteng hindi
pinalad makapasok sa mga dorms o
kaya namay hindi kaya ang presyo
ng mga condo units sa Katipunan
o mga boarding house sa
Maginhawa.
Sa kalaunan,
bumuo ang Area 2 ng
isang sariling komunidad:
mga empleyadong salat sa tamang
pasahod, na pansamantalang
umaampon ng mga mag-aaral na
kapwa salat. Itoy isang komunidad
na nagtutulungan mairaos ang
bawat araw sa loob ng Unibersidad
at sa lalong tumataas na presyo ng
pamumuhay at pag-aaral rito.
Julian Bato
Sipat sa mga tahanat
tindahan sa Area 2
Barrio Isko
Illustration: Patricia Ramos
Page design: Ashley Garcia
6
OPINYON PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN HUWEBES, OKTUBRE 3, 2013
NEWSCAN
TEXTBACK
EKSENANG PEYUPS
Attention Health and Wellness
Enthusiasts!
Craving for healthy food to keep
you ft? Aspiring to do your bit for
the environment and the farmers?
You can do this and more! Drop by
the Organic Food Festival on October
4, Friday, at CSWCD Lobby, UP
Diliman! Fresh organic vegetables
and fruits will be available, as well as
colored organic rice!
Lecture sessions on important
issues about organic agriculture are
also open to everyone.
See you there!
Te UP Pre-Medical Honor
Society presents
ZUMBA
Ditch the workout, Join the
Partywith Zin Natalia Uy-Chan
College of Human Kinetics Gym
October 20, 2013 - 4:00 5:00 PM
- Registration starts at 3:00PM -
200PHP
For inquiries, you may contact
Pat Garcia, 09173270706
A fundraiser for the free clinics
of PMHS
Kanino ka kakampi?
AGAWAN BASE
Agaw Eksena Edition
Handog sa inyo ng UP Teatre
Council
Friday, October four
Tree oclock pm
Faculty Center, Waiting Shed
UP Grail
Dont be afraid of the dark!
Confront your fears in a
screening of Peur(s) Du Noir, the
award-winning anthology of short
animated flms from some of the
most visually inspiring graphic
artists the world over. Come to CAL
312 at 6pm on October 4, if you
dare!
Sa tingin mo, ano ang dapat ginawa ni Noynoy upang mapigilan ang
giyera sa Zamboanga?
Ang dapat gawin ni P-Noy para matigil na ang giyera sa Zamboanga ay
gawing HUMAN SHIELD ang sarili niya. BWAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA!
Yun lang. LOL 2011 xxxxx
Tarantado kasi si Ramos noong pumayag siya sa peace agreement nila
ni Misuari, biruin moyun, binigyan niya nang partition ang mga rebelde.
Walang bayag. Tapos ngayon si Noynoy imbes na tapusin niya once and for all
ang mga rebeldeng to, nag peace agreement ulit via partition. Kung gigiyera
ka, tapusin mo. Di ako magtataka kung mauulit to sa mga susunod na
administrations. Inaalagaan nila ang MNLF para maging political scapegoat
at diversion nila. Isip isp din pag may time. 2004-59164
Ano ang kasalukuyang hell week song mo? Bakit?
Give Your Heart a Break by Demi Lovato. Grabidad, kahit nagsisimula
palang yung hell week, gusto nang mag-break ng buong pusot kaluluwa ko
sa stress! -201370182 Scientian, BS FT
Hell week song: I Dont Care by Iconopop (sp?) 2012-24549
ang hell week song ko ay bumalik ka na sa akin by silent sanctuary dahil
kakayanin natin lalo ang hellweek na ito kung tayo parin. miss nap o kita C
ng CHE. 2011-792xx ptots
Ang hell week song ko ay Kaba. Di makatulog sa gabi sa kaiisip. Sa diwa
koy ikaw ang laging panaginip. Oh bakit ba hell week ang laging laman ng
isip ko?... Waaah! Nakakakaba ang mga exam at papers. :( God bpess us! :)
20**-37**3
Dehado.dehado kung dehado, para san pang mga galos mo kung
titiklop ka lang... 201009706 rb cfa
Hell week ba kamo? Edi what the hell ni avril! Haha, #corny. 201*-**6**
Pogs BsGE :3
yung theme song ko e Umaasa by 6cyclemind. Umaasa kahit na wala ng
pag-asa!! Haha. 2011-09***
I did my best (but I guess my best wasnt good enough) 2012-10587 :))
Give Your Heart a Break by Demi Lovato. Grabidad, kahit nagsisimula
palang yung hell week gusto nang mag-break ng buong pusot kaluluwa ko
sa stress! - 201370182 Scientian, BS FT
Di lang ikaw by Juris. Para s mga nh2rpang gaya ko ito lang ang masasabi
ko. Di lang ikaw... JPE 2008-22215 MS Chem.
Next weeks questions
1. Ano ang isasagot mo sa tweet
ni Bianca Gonzales?
2. Anong plano mo sa bakasyon?
Key in KULE <space> MESSAGE
<space> STUDENT NUMBER
<required> NAME and COURSE
(optional) and send to
0935 541 0512

Non-UP students must indicate
any school, organization or sectoral
afiation.

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www.philippinecollegian.org
Te From Dante with Love Edition
Hello there mga friendship! Te gates of hell are open; its our favorite
hellweek season! Sa mga di nag-aral dyan, time to beg for forgiveness from
God. Me, ill just be here to see all the sins, from the ten circles, and more!
Treachery: Tere was this koya dormer who was helping the janitors
water the plants in that big, fashy. dorm near C.P. Garcia when this young
freshie asked him if he was maintainance and made patulong him in cleaning
his room! Go naman si kuya. Only when freshie gave kuya a bongga lunch and
made him kwento his life story did freshie realize koya was also a student.
Lubog sa masa si koya!
Lust: May isang trying-hard romantic who wanted to make papogi to
his crush. Ayaw ni crush sa dudes with long hair so kuya made tapyas his
hair with scissors. Tapyas here, tapyas there, tapyas everywhere! When kuya
made tingin in the mirror to see his masterpiece, he instead saw his that hair
was like my wallet---full of holes and spots, with a lot less hair! Ayan kasi!
Sloth: Another of the dormitory blues! An ate dormer who fell asleep at
the dorm lobby after making kausap her friendships from outside. But when
ate woke up, she was at another room! True Philippine Ghost Stories ba ito?
When ate asked her roommate what happened the previous night, ate was
told that she walked up from lobby, still sleeping, and lay down in another
girls bed! Tuloy, the other girl had to sleep in a friends room.
Tama na muna ang kademonyohan, I still have my personal demons
to kill. Marami-raming simbahan pa ang bibisitahin ko to have my soul
cleansed. Toodles!
0908 180 1076
SAVE THE BEST FOR THE LAST,
ang drama ng pagbisita namin
sa Masinloc, Zambales nitong
nakaraang Linggo.
Kahit ilang mga komunidad na
rin ang nabisita ko ngayong semestre,
hindi pa rin nawawala ang pananabik
ko sa tuwing magbi-biyahe kami.
Lagit laging naisasantabi ang pagod.
Saglit na pakikipamuhay ang
pakay namin sa pagbisita sa Masinloc,
kung saan may itinatayong planta
ng uling, na alternatibo umanong
pagmumulan ng kuryente para
sa lugar.
Mula sa malayo, tanaw na agad
ang malaking plantatila isang
hingateng stick-o na itinayo sa gilid
ng dagat.
Una naming binisita ang Barangay
Bani, ang lugar na pagtatayuan ng
planta at direktang naapektuhan
nito. Ngunit kapalit ng masamang
epekto ng planta ang P39 milyong
buwis na natatanggap ng barangay
taon-taon.
Batay sa salaysay ng ilang mga
residente, hindi umano nila pansin
noong una ang masamang dulot ng
planta, at tanging murang bayarin
sa kuryente lamang ang nais nila.
Gayunman, sa paglipas ng mga araw,
linggo at taon, unti-unting lumitaw
ang masamang epekto nitopaglabo
ng tubig dagat, kaunting huli na
isda at nabawasan maging ang
ani ng mangga.
Dagdag pa rito ang higit na
napamahal na konsumo nila ng
kuryente. Napadalas rin ang fsh
kill sa kanilang lugar kaya nawalan
ng hanapbuhay ang ilang mga
mangingisda, katulad ni Mang
Robert na hanapbuhay ang pagkuha
ng semilya ng bangus.
Matapos ang pakikipanayam
sa mga residente at kagawad ng
barangay, tumuloy kami sa karatig
barangay at dumiretso sa isla ng
San Salvador. Higit 30 minuto ang
naging biyahe namin sa bangka bago
kami sinalubong ng puting buhangin
sa pampang.
Tahimik sa isla, tanging hampas
ng alon at pagaspas ng dahon ng mga
puno ang maririnig, samantalang sa
di kalayuan matatanaw ang isang
bulto ng mga bahay. Tumuloy kami
sa bahay ni Nanay Edna at sa ilang
mga kamag-anak niya rin sa isla.
Inaliw kami ng samut saring
kwento ng mga residente
pamumuhay, pamilya, pag-ibig, at
higit sa lahat, ang usapan tungkol
sa planta at ang epekto nito sa
kanilang pamumuhay.
Malayo man sa mismong planta
ang isla, nababahala ang mga residente
na mawala ang nakasanayang
tahimik na pamumuhay, malinis at
malinaw na tubig, ang masaganang
pangingisdayung tipong
magtapon ka lang ng lambat kahit
saan at hindi ka uuwing bigo.
Sa maghapon naming pananatili
sa isla, may nakilala rin akong mga
bata. Ilang beses kong ni-recite ang
mga pangalan nilaJian Carlo,
Milkqueen, Angela, Vaness, Clarisse,
Jean Majoy, Jovan, Jomarie at
Wendymga musmos na maaaring
mawalan ng magandang kinabukasan
sakaling tuluyang sirain ng planta
ang masaganang kalikasan.
Bago magdapit-hapon, nilisan
namin ang isla dahil mahaba pa ang
biyahe namin pabalik ng Maynila.
Ngunit bukod sa paglilibot sa
komunidad at pakikipanayam sa
ilang mga residente, nagawa rin
naming lumangoy sa dagatilang
oras na pagtatampisaw at saglit na
paglimot sa buhay acads.
Huling pagbisita namin sa
komunidad ngayong semestre ang
pagpunta sa Zambales, pero hindi
maitatanggi ang kasiyahan ng bawat
isasimpleng pamumuhay, bagong
kakilala at masaganang kwento ng
karanasan na kapupulutan ng aral ng
bawat isa.
Isla ng ligalig
Mary Joy Capistrano
7
OPINYON PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN HUWEBES, OKTUBRE 3, 2013
Tahimik
sa isla,
tanging
hampas
ng alon at
pagaspas
ng dahon
ng mga
puno ang
maririnig.
THE OFFICE DESK IS WIDE
and comfortable; the post-its and
pencils neatly stacked in the far
side near the wall. Te ofce clock
hanged perilously directly above my
table. I could watch it tick away every
paid second.
Te rigors of ofce work has
fnally settled in. Every day, I wake
up, choose another variant of the
monotonous pinstriped button-
downs that I wear for work (by now
Ive amassed a veritable wardrobe,
enough to last for a month), struggle
in the morning train, brew a fresh
pot of cofee, then fnally settle down
in the plush swivel chair to pore
into the mountain of paperwork
and silently type premade replies to
dozens upon dozens of queries.
I clock out by 7 PM, and let
myself be carried home by the
rushing crowdjust another tired
soul heaving back to bed after
a days work.
Most days are regular and
uneventful. Te most exciting part
is lunch break, the only time I get to
choosebetween a bland vegetable
stir fry and a lump of deep-fried
whatnot. I used to be dazzled by the
cityscape. Now the lights of the high-
rise buildings seemed lackluster
and uninviting. I seldom go out,
preferring the quiet atmosphere of
my rented room to the noise and
confusion of the city.
When I left UP, I left behind
the spontaneity and uncertainty
that defned college life. No more
nocturnal nightcaps, no more all-
nighters, no more unexpected
dinners and detours. I willingly
swapped the carefree happy-go-
lucky lifestyle for the uneventful life
of the white collar employee. It was a
decision that most would resent, but
I relished it.
For in regularity lies security.
And security wards of uncertainties.
I was tired of uncertainties of the
adventurous yet irregular lifestyle
of our youth. I was tired of always
worrying for tomorrow, for food and
rent money, for everything.
I thought living a regular life
with a regular job would make the
uncertainties go away. It did, for a
time, yet new problems surfaced,
albeit at a more regular interval.
Yesterday, I broke from the
regular rituals and took a day of. I
walked aimlessly around the city,
searching for old hole-in-the-wall
cofee shops that I once frequented.
Te purposeless drifting led me to
UP Diliman, to Vinzons Hall, to the
Collegian ofce. Tere, I greeted
old and new faces, and browsed
old copies of the Collegian. I leafed
through old issues where my name
was once plastered in the front page,
and chuckled at the navet of my
writing. It is surprising how things
change, yet stay the same.
For a feeting moment, I suddenly
felt the urge to enroll in UP for
another course, perhaps a masters
degree. For a split second, I yearned
for spontaneity and uncertainty.
But the urge subsided abruptly.
I cannot give up the rigors of
my stable life. I cannot risk the
regularity of the scheme of things.
Already, I realized, I was trapped in a
web that I weaved for myself.
Regularities
Deln Mercado
It is
surprising
how things
change,
yet stay the
same
PHILIPPINE
COLLEGIAN
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 Rufna 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
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twitter.com/kule1314
Ukol sa pabalat
Dibuho ni Rosette Abogado
91
The Philippine Collegian republishes distinguished
photographs from its past issues that captured its
tradition of critical and fearless journalism.
Photo by Om Narayan A. Velasco
February 22, 2009
Accelerated Downfall
A SOLID FOUNDATION IS KEY
to structural integrity. It is thus
inevitable for a regime founded on
deceit to tremble at the slightest
jolt and ultimately be demolished
once the falsehoods on which it is
built upon have been exposed.
Like a structure built on
unstable foundations, the Aquino
administration is now being
rocked with one scandal after
anothersmall cracks joining
together in an intricate web
that now threatens to wreck the
entire regime.
From the pork barrel scam,
which ignited large-scale protests
throughout the country, the
turn of events has now led to
the Palaces very gates, with
the exposition of the nebulous
Disbursement Acceleration
Program (DAP) and the alleged
use of billions of funds for political
patronage and manipulation.
Te DAP revelation is the
result of warring factions. With
Malacaang unrelenting in its
tactical ofensive against its
political foes, the maligned
opposition retaliated.
In a privilege speech, Senator
Jinggoy Estrada revealed that
the Aquino administration
distributed copious amounts
of public funds as incentives
for legislators for to ensure the
impeachment of former Chief
Justice Renato Corona in 2012.
Former Senator Joker Arroyo
was quick to confrm Estradas
allegations, saying the DAP is
not the well-meaning economic
stimulus that Aquino says it is,
but rather it was used by the
Palace to infuence the results of
the Corona trial.
Crafted by the Aquino
administration in 2011, the
DAP was supposed to fast-track
disbursements and push economic
growth in light of the global
slowdown and the onslaught of
recent calamities. To fnance
the DAP, the Department and
Budget and Management (DBM)
pulled funds from various sources
and realigned these to priority
projects that included public
works, agriculture, housing,
and healthcare.
Te DAP experiment went on
silently, left unchecked until the
program recently came under
fre for being linked to Coronas
impeachment. It is only now
that the Filipino people begins to
discover the depth of deception
connected with the said scheme.
Te Aquino administration
justifed the existence of the DAP
through Article VI Section 2(5)
of the 1987 Constitution and
the Administrative Code, which
empower the President to use the
governments savings for several
purposesa provision subject to
the DBMs liberal interpretation.
According to the DBM itself,
some P8 billion of the 2011
DAP was sourced from either
unreleased appropriations for
discontinued or slow-moving
projects or realigned budgetary
items in favor of fast-disbursing
projects. Tis means that DBM
considered the budget set aside
by Congress through the General
Appropriations Act (GAA) for
specifc programs as savings,
even if the fscal year was not yet over.
Such a manipulation of
funds constitute violations not
only of the GAA, but also the
constitutional power of the purse
granted only to the Congress. By
withholding amounts allocated
originally for specifc items that
passed the scrutiny of both
houses, the Executive abused its
authority to shore up billions of
pesos under its own disposal. As
of October 1, the funds used for
DAP has reached P137.3 billion.
With this revelation, calls
for Aquinos resignation now
resonate in every corner of the
country. Cracks in the Aquino
administrations tuwid na daan
cornerstone now threaten to topple
the regime.
Renowned for his publicity
teams ability to make quick spins
to save face, Aquinos spinmeisters
tried every trick in the book to
divert the onslaught of criticism.
First, Aquinos lackeys tried to
appeal to emotions, saying that
social services beneftted from the
DAP. In fact, UP was able to receive
an additional P1.3 billion under the
DAP in January 2012, the bulk of
which was used to augment funds
for capital outlay.
Yet such an argument barely
holds water. If Aquino were sincere
about prioritizing social services
like education, he need not divert
funds to a nebulous funding
scheme, and should instead allot
funds directly to public schools,
hospitals, and basic services.
Desperate for a scapegoat, the
Aquino administration has now
reverted to blaming the issue at
hand to his predecessor, Gloria
Arroyo, even if such a move is
devoid of any logic.
Instead of accelerating
economic growth, the DAP is now
accelerating the regimes downfall.
With the recent revelations
exposing more of Aquinos devious
tricks and political manoeuvres,
it takes only a few more blows for
the regimes wieldy foundation to
fnally crumble.
EDITOR S PICK
YEARS
Hundreds of UP students protested in front of Malcolm Hall on
February 22, 2009 in support of the Jun Lozadas whistleblowing on
the NBN ZTE scandal which tagged former President Gloria Arroyo
as mastermind. Much like todays pork barrel scam under President
Benigno Aquino, various organizations hold protest actions against
corruption, this time along the Ayala business district.
PAGSUPORTA KAY LOZADA
Karl Aquino