8th ish [p]

Centennial Febfairturns into protest fair

V O L U M E 3 5

ISSUE 8February 14, 2009

NEWSUnang Youth Act Now Regional Summit idinaospage 3

NEWS FEATURESOvercoming the Referendum Crisis page 6

OPINIONReliving the Ragepage 12

Protest fair...ON PAGE 2LAY

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This year’s February Fair (FebFair) takes the form of a protest fair against the administration’s “repressive actions” as manifested in its response to the University Student Council’s (USC) request for the approval of the fair.

The onset of the protest fair was announced in a picket-dialogue organized by around 50 student organizations in front of the administration building last Feb. 9.

The picket-dialogue was held by students to show the administration that they support the USC and to pressure the administration to approve the event.

FEBFAIR AS PROTEST FAIRUSC Chairperson Charisse Bernadine Bañez said this year’s

FebFair will serve as a concrete manifestation of student’s fight for their democratic rights.

“Wala naman pong bago doon sa protest fair dahil ang bawat FebFair po ay isang protesta,” Bañez stressed.

Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco granted some of the USC’s requests and set conditions regarding the use of the Freedom Park, extension of curfew at night, participation of food concessionaires, payment for electricity bills, use of public restrooms adjacent to the D.L. Umali Hall and coordination with lower offices responsible for specific concerns of the event.

Meanwhile, USC Councilor Mark Vincent Baracao said although the FebFair has already been approved, some policies regarding the event are still problematic.

“Habang papatindi ‘yung commercialization ng UP education, nakikita natin ‘yung desperadong aksyon ng administrasyon para kumita ng pera, at isa nga itong ginagawa nila na, huhuthutan nila ng pera itong ating FebFair upang punuan ang kakulangan natin [unibersidad] sa pondo,” Baracao said.

HUMAN BARRICADEAfter Bañez announced the start of the protest fair, around 300

students barricaded the UPLB main gate to show their protest against the administration’s strict policy on the concessionaires’ participation on the event.

The assembly then marched to the Student Union amphitheatre to proceed with setting up FebFair booths on Freedom Park around 6 p.m.

One of the conditions of the administration includes requiring the food concessionaires to secure permit from the UPLB Business Affairs Office (BAO) and to pay the necessary fees. This in turn would make the funds for student activities more difficult to access, said Bañez.

“Hindi pinagkakakitaan ang Febfair na ito sa pamamagitan ng pagsesentro ng pera sa Business Affairs Office, dahil kahit kailan, ‘di tiningnan ng USC bilang income generating project ang UPLB FebFair,” Bañez said.

BUKLOD WITHDRAWS SUPPORT LETTERAs the students were about to start the picket around 10 a.m.,

Office of Student Affairs (OSA) Director Vivian Gonzales announced that the FebFair has already been approved by the administration. This is so when BUKLOD-UPLB, a political party, has forwarded a letter of request earlier than the USC.

The said letter contained request for permission to use university facilities, deputize security personnel in the fair grounds, extend the 10 p.m. curfew to 1 a.m. and to close the road in front of SU building and SU parking lot.

Gonzales said the USC has to coordinate with BUKLOD regarding the plans for FebFair during the picket-dialogue.

While BUKLOD claims that they support the FebFair, the USC and the students present in the picket requested the party to immediately remove its request, saying that it bars the processing of the USC’s letter of request.

“Kung sinasabi nila [BUKLOD] na support FebFair lang naman ito [letter], bakit hindi i-disregard ‘yung letter at pirmahan ‘yung totoong sulat ng totoong organisador ng FebFair na ito?” Bañez stressed.

Bañez also said BUKLOD did not coordinate with USC and the student organizations during the Feb. 8 Council of Student Leaders.

CULTUREUnibersopage 8

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES LOS BAÑOS

NEWS

Katrina Elauria with reports from Harriet Melanie Zabala, Estel Lenwij Estropia, Aletheia Grace del Rosario and Jonelle Marin

TAKING IT TO THE STREETS.

Hundreds of UPLB students marched

around the campus carrying placards

of dismay on issues that hounded the

Centennial February Fair.

place the thumbnail in this box

NEWSUPLB Perspective2 VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 8 | February 14, 2009

UP students ratify CRSRSRogene Gonzales with reports from Nikko Angelo Oribiana

UP students can finally proceed with selecting their next representative to the Board of Regents (BOR).

Come April this year, the General Assembly of students will convene for the Student Regent (SR) selection after the Codified Rules for Student Regent Selection (CRSRS) was successfully ratified in a referendum last Jan. 26-31.

On Feb. 6 in UP Diliman, the Office of the Student Regent (OSR) announced the official referendum total tally of 18,253 or 72.05 percent ‘Yes’ votes of the total 47,365 votes cast or 53.49 percent system-wide turnout.

The accumulated number of affirmative votes has surpassed

PHOTO KARL SUMINISTRADOTAKING TIME TO BE COUNTED.UPLB students flocked polling precints to vote for the CRSRS Referendum despite the

different issues and controversies regarding the referendum process.

the 50 percent plus one requisite, thereby ratifying the CRSRS and accomplishing Section 12g of the UP Charter (see table for breakdown of votes).

“COLLECTIVE SUCCESS”Student Regent Shahana

Abdulwahid said the outcome of the referendum is a manifestation of the success of UP students’ collective action.

“Tanging sa sama-samang pagkilos lamang natin makakamit ang tagumpay,” she said.

She stressed that the affirmation of the majority of UP students, by “ensuring the rules to be placed before anything else,” has ended the “logistical nightmare” caused by the referendum.

Abdulwahid added that the referendum results show

students’ “remarkable concern over the repressive policies in the university.” She added that Defend OSR campaign indeed reflected the importance of representing students’ genuine interests in the BOR.

EDUCATED “YES”According to reports by the

University Student Council (USC), UPLB students registered 4,025 or 79.50 percent ‘Yes’ votes from the voter turnout of 5,353 students or 54.91 percent of the 9,748 total student population.

Though the turnout was low compared to the 1984 USC Constitution plebiscite, UPLB had been able to reach the 50 percent plus one turnout by 4 p.m. of Jan. 30.

USC Councilor and UPLB’s Referendum Officer Odraude Alub said logistical problems such as the UPLB administration’s failure to release financial assistance and lack of administration personnel are major factors that caused the low turnout (see related article on page 6).

He said the results in UPLB manifested an “overwhelming support of students to defend the Office of the Student Regent with an educated ‘Yes’ vote”.

”Magandang simula ito para sa mga Iskolar ng Bayan sa mga paghamon pa ng bagong UP Charter at para manindigan sa kanilang mga karapatan,” Alub stressed.

He added that the ratification of the truly “democratic, autonomous and representative” CRSRS ensures an SR that would cater and protect the rights not only of UPLB but of all UP students.

ALL UNITS APPROVE All of the 13 UP units had

recorded majority affirmative votes for the CRSRS, with UP Baguio and UP Mindanao registering the highest percentage of affirmative votes with 98.36 percent and 98.40 percent, respectively.

Pamela Angelie Pangahas, Katipunan ng Sangguniang Magaaral sa UP (KASAMA sa UP) National Vice President for Luzon, stressed that the “Yes” votes from Luzon units namely UPLB, UP Baguio, UP Diliman and UP Manila were able to gather more than

UP UNIT

Baguio

Diliman

Diliman-EPP

Los Baños

Manila

Manila-Baler SHS

Manila-Palo SHS

Mindanao

Open University

Visayas Cebu

Visayas CM

Visayas Miag-ao

Visayas Tacloban

TOTAL

YES

1680

7147

371

4025

1500

54

105

737

54

767

532

878

403

18,253

YES (%)

98.36%

63.17%

90.93%

79.50%

54.47%

93.10%

68.18%

98.40%

64.29%

90.66%

94.66%

89.68%

61.43%

72.05%

NO

14

4031

29

982

1243

3

42

4

18

74

23

71

249

6,783

NO (%)

0.82%

35.63%

7.11%

19.40%

45.13%

5.17%

27.27%

0.53%

21.43%

8.75%

4.0%

7.25%

37.96%

26.77%

VOTES

1,708

11,314

408

5,063

2,754

58

154

749

84

846

562

979

656

25,335

POPULATION

2,216

22,348

570

9,748

4,975

61

159

871

1,916

1,161

925

1,348

1,067

47,365

TURNOUT

77.08%

50.63%

71.58%

51.94%

55.36%

95.08%

26.86%

85.99%

4.38%

72.87%

60.76%

72.63%

61.48%

53.49%

Table 2. Full and Official Tally of the CRSRS Referendum

Source: Office of the Student Regent

Table 1. UPLB Official Tally of the CRSRS Referendum

COLLEGE

CA

CAS

CDC

CEAT

CEM

CFNR

CHE

CVM

GS

YES

517

1,232

365

529

379

278

338

287

100

YES (%)

83.39%

72.60%

78.16%

82.79%

73.03%

91.75%

83.66%

93.49%

93.46%

NO

89

451

98

101

135

21

61

19

7

NO (%)

14.35%

26.58%

20.99%

15.81%

26.01%

6.93%

15.10%

6.19%

6.54%

Source: University Student Council

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ENGINEERINGCONGRESSCEO Career Expo ‘09 and

Engineering SeminarFebruary 21. 10AM-5PM.

EE Auditorium.

Executives’ Challenge Year IV:An Inter-university EngineeringScience Quiz ContestFebruary 22. 7AM-7PM. EE Auditorium.

All students are invited.14,000 or 70 percent of the whole system’s tally.

Pangahas, however, attributed the low turnout in some units, particularly in UPLB, to the conflicting campaigns of the Defend OSR that urges for a “Yes” and the Choose to Know Movement that calls for a “No” vote.

“Dapat isa lang ‘yung boses ng mga student formations and political parties dahil kapag nag-offer ka ng options, mas mapanghati pa ito doon sa mga estudyante,” she said.

In effect, these “alternative” campaigns created “confusion” among students and in most cases caused students to abstain or to no longer participate in the referendum

as they were “undecided”, she added.

CONTINUED STRUGGLEPangahas stressed that the

Defend OSR would continue even after the ratification of the CRSRS and SR selection because of the ongoing threats not only to the OSR but also to student institutions and organizations with the implementation of the new UP Charter.

Member councils of KASAMA sa UP would coordinate with Abduwahid during the remainder of her term in crafting policy reviews to be passed to the BOR regarding the Tuition and Other Fees Increase (ToFI) and other students’ democratic rights issues. [P]

The USC’s letter for approval pushed through only after BUKLOD withdrew their letter from the administration.

Meanwhile, in a statement, BUKLOD said in passing the letter, “It was never our goal to bypass any bureaucratic institution for mere political aspirations; we just want to push for a safe, pro-student, and festive FebFair,”

BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS TO FOLLOW

Both the administration and the USC have not come up with a memorandum of agreement on the Feb. 6 dialogue because the administration said the USC has not followed the required bureaucratic process.

Velasco said the USC failed to seek for the approval of the lower offices responsible for the specific needs of the FebFair, which he said is the proper procedure in requesting for its approval before any letter is forwarded to him.

Bañez said, however, that they only followed the process taken by the previous USC terms in preparation for FebFair. That is, a dialogue is held where terms and guidelines on the conduct of the Febfair are drafted in a

Protest fair ...from page 1

memorandum of agreement to be signed by both the USC and the administration after a dialogue.

Also, Velasco disapproved the USC’s proposal during the dialogue because according to him, the USC failed to submit a written request and just verbally presented their plans for the Febfair.

ORGS SUPPORT PROTEST FAIRIn a Council of Student

Leaders meeting last Feb. 8, around 250 students showed their support for the continuation of the FebFair even without assistance from the administration.

Student organizations acted upon the request of the USC and pledged their participation on the picket last Monday.

Rachelle Sy, head of UP Cells, said, “naging inconsiderate kasi [ang administrasyon] kahit naman may kakulangan ang USC sa pagproproseso ng papers, kung gusto talaga nilang matuloy ang FebFair, palalagpasin nila ito.”

Mark Jason Villanueva of League Agricultural Chemistry Students said, “para sa‘tin isang malaking tagumpay ito kasi ang dami ng nakiisang mga estudyante.” [P]

INTOXICATED REMIXThou shall not kill the heat; stomp to the beat.Audition Dates: February 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26, 27Brought to you by: UPLB DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATORS’ SOCIETYFor more details contact Reygie 09273366821

3NEWSUPLB Perspective

VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 8 | February 14, 2009

Unang Youth Act NowRegional Summit idinaosJonelle Marin

Ang pagtigil ng diskriminasyon sa mga kababaihan, pagbibigay relokasyon at kabuhayan sa mga kapus-palad at paglalaan ng badyet para sa serbisyong panlipunan ang ilan lamang sa mga punto sa Youth Agenda na binuo ng sektor ng kabataan sa Timog Katagalugan (TK) sa unang Regional Youth Summit ng Youth for Accountability and Truth Now-Southern Tagalog (Youth Act Now-ST) noong nakaraang Enero 30-31 sa Makiling Ballroom Hall ng Gusaling Unyon ng mga Mag-aaral.

PAGTITIPON PARA SA ISANG RASON

Nabuo noong Marso 2008 sa kasagsagan ng NBN-ZTE scam, ang Youth Act Now ay isang malawak na alyansa ng mga estudyante at kabataan na naglalayong tugunan ang mga isyu ng korupsyon at krisis pampulitika sa bansa.

Ang summit ay naglalayong tipunin at pagkaisahin ang pinakamalawak na hanay ng kabataan sa buong rehiyon upang maturuan at mapaliwanagan sila sa mga isyung kinahaharap ng bansa, ayon kay John Paulo Bautista, tagapangulo ng ANAKBAYAN-TK.

May temang “Harapin ang pampulitika at pang-ekonomiyang krisis! Manindigan para sa

kinabukasan! Magkaisa at kumilos para sa panlipunang pagbabago!” Kasama sa programa ng summit ang mga diskusyon ukol sa edukasyon, krisis pang-ekonomiya, mabuting pamamahala, karapatang pantao, suliranin sa lupain at kapaligiran, at kalagayan ng kababaihan, kabataan at maralitang tagalunsod.

Dinaluhan ito ng mahigit 100 kabataan mula sa 20 iba’t ibang paaralan, at mga kinatawan ng Sangguniang Kabataan.

Ayon kay Rayan Brozula, Deputy Secretary General ng National Union of Students of the Philippines–Southern Tagalog (NUSP-ST), pinatampok sa mga diskusyon sa summit ang isyu ukol sa papatinding komersiyalisasyon ng edukasyon. Bahagi din nito ang papaliit na badyet na inilalaan sa State Universities and Colleges, aniya.

HAMON NG CHA-CHA SA KABATAAN

Naging pangunahing paksa rin sa summit ang Charter Change at mga implikasyon nito sa kalayaang sibil, kabataan, karapatang pantao at pambansang patrimonya.

“Self-serving” at “walang koneksiyon sa development ng bansa” ang mga house bills sa Cha-Cha, ayon kay Atty. Neri Colmenares ng National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers.

PHOTO KARL SUMINISTRADOBOSES NG MASA.Tinalakay ni Hon. Teddy Casiño sa 1st Regional Youth Summit ang iba’t-ibang isyung

kinakaharap ng a#ng bansa par#kular na sa binabalak na Charter Change ng

administrasyon ni Arroyo.

suggested that the colleges may adopt modifications on the criteria for promotion.

The AUPAEU is an alliance of all teaching personnel in different UP units, which consolidates the rank of academic employees.

Taguiwalo, a faculty member of the College of Social Works and Community Development in UP Diliman, is set to take oath as FR on Feb. 9. She received 774 nominations from the members of the faculty of the UP System. [P]

FR resigns from acad union postTo resolve ‘conflict of interest’

Rick Jason Obrero

With almost a month of delay in her appointment, Faculty Regent (FR) Judy Taguiwalo gave up her post as National Vice President for Faculty of the All-UP Academic Employees Union (AUPAEU) and filed a leave of absence from the union to resolve what the administration calls a ‘conflict of interest.’

Theodeore Te, UP System’s Vice President for Legal Affairs said Taguiwalo’s being a ranking officer of the AUPAEU while serving her term as FR constitutes a ‘conflict of interest,’ as she might be biased towards the principles and ideals that the union subscribes to during the performance of her duties as FR. In this light, the Board of Regents suggested that she resigns in her position in the AUPAEU.

Taguiwalo clarified however, that she resigned as an official in AUPAEU not only to resolve this ‘conflict of interest’ but much more to focus on her duties as FR.

Meanwhile, Teodoro Mendoza, President of the All-UP Worker’s Union–UPLB said in the past, some of the members of the AUPAEU who became FRs were not required to resign, such as former UP President Francisco Nemenzo.

After her oath-taking, Taguiwalo said she will resolve issues on the faculty members’ security of tenure and the policies for promotion.

Taguiwalo also related that one-third of the faculty members of the university have a temporary appointment. Some of them, however, have not yet been granted tenure since they have not finished their publication requirements.

Here in UPLB, a single system in promoting members of its faculty is being implemented, which involves teaching, producing a publication and executing research and extension work. Taguiwalo

Binigyang-diin naman ni Rep. Teodoro Casiño ng Bayan Muna ang kahalagahan ng pakikilahok ng mga kabataan sa mga isyung kinahaharap ng bansa. Sinabi niyang mulat ang karamihan ng mga kabataan na may issue ukol sa Cha-Cha, ngunit maaaring kakaunti na lang ang mga taong nakaiintindi ng sitwasyon at makapagdedesisyong tindigan ang kanyang pananaw ukol sa isyu.

“Kaya ‘yun ang dapat nating abutin – na ang karamihan ng ating kabataan hindi lang aware kundi may pang-unawa, paninindigan at kayang kumilos sa isyu,” aniya.

PAGTUGON SA PANAWAGAN Sa panayam sa Perspective,

binanggit ni Casiño ang kahalagahan ng paggampan ng mga kabataan sa pagharap sa mga isyu.

“Sa kalagayan na nasa context kayo ng isang paaralan na vina-value ang critical thinking [at] ang freedom of expression, mas maraming oppurtunities para sa inyo na magmulat, magpakilos at mag-organisa.”

Ayon naman kay Axel Pinpin, dating political detainee, “May role ‘yung pahayagang pang-kampus, ‘yung mga nauna na at nabuo nang cultural groups [at] mga grupo ng aktibista para siya [indibidwal] mismo ay manindigan doon sa kung ano ang tingin niya ay mas tama.” [P]

UNIVERSITY STUDENT COUNCIL2007-2008 FINANCIAL STATEMENTUSC Fund

First SemesterBalance as of June 2007 50,422.00

Expenses

Travel Expenses 6,466.00

Supplies and Materials 11,487.00

Balance as of December 2007 79,740.82

Expenses

Travel Expenses 0.00

Sundries 8,586.66

Supplies and Materials 12,276.52

Balance as of May 2008 58,877.64

Additional Collections

2007 Refund (300.00)

2008 Jan. to Aug. (49,270.00) 48,970.00

Less: Expenditures (June 01 to Sept. 30, 2008)

Travel Expenses 0.00

Communication Expenses 0.00

Sundries (2,912.00)

Supplies and Materials (799.50)

Equipment 3,711.50

Balance as of September 30, 2008 104,136.14

104,136.14

*The expenses incurred during the delayed elections and

plebiscite last September 2008 are not yet accounted.

Campaign Period Feb. 10-Feb. 23Miting de Avance Feb. 24Election Proper Feb. 25-26Canvassing of votes Feb. 26-27

UNIVERSITY STUDENT COUNCILCOLLEGE STUDENT COUNCILE L E C T I O N D A T E S

GAYUMA*Nagkalat raw ang gayuma sa Quiapo Dahil malapit na ang Araw ng mga Puso;Kahilera ng makabuhay, tawas, tanso, Hairpin, DVD at pampatigas na likido;

Langis sa botelya at dasal sa istampita; Sto. Niñong may titi at bulong sa palara.Sambit ng mangkukulam na tindera: “Halina! Panghalina sa mailap na pagsinta!”

Kumagat ako sa pain at naghalungkat; Sa bunton ng paninda’y naghanap ng agimat,Nguni’t bigong makabili ng gayumang layon Para sa Bayang nagpapakipot sa rebolusyon!

* sipi mula sa Tugmaang Matatabil: Mga Akdang Isinulat sa Libingan ng mga Buhay ni Axel Pinpin sa pakikipagtulungan sa Amado V. Hernandez Resource Center. Inilimbag ang libro ng Southern Voices Printing Press.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Si Axel Pinpin ay dating bilanggong pulitikal at kabilang sa Tagaytay 5.

UPLB Perspective4VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 8 | February 14, 2009 NEWS

F I R S T P E R C A T E G O R Y :Student Division: Royal WhiteFaculty and Staff Division:Blue WapakelsOverall Champion: Blue WapakelsMutya ng UPLB Palarong Sentenaryo: Blue Wapakels

Host Next Palarong UPLB (2010): CFNR

RANKING

1

2

3

4

5

TEAM

BLUE WAPAKELS

ROYAL WHITE

GREEN HUNTERS

YELLOW RAPTORS

RED GRIFFINS

STUDENT

800

822

694

666

504

TOTAL

1750

1570

1456

1385

1205

STAFF

950

748

762

719

701

Table 1. Official Results of the UPLB Palarong Sentenaryo 2009

CAS hailed overall championPalarong Sentenaryo

Julla Timan and Yves Suiza

The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) grabbed the overall champion title from former champion College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT) at the Palarong Sentenaryo after a four-day bout.

Despite CEAT’s dominance in the student category, CAS’ faculty members bagged the most awards, thus winning them the top spot.

The Palarong Sentenaryo was held last Feb. 4 to 7 in celebration of the university’s centenary. The College of Agriculture (CA), which is also celebrating its centennial year, hosted the said event.

Teams competed in regular sports such as volleyball, basketball, archery and swimming. CA, being

the host college, introduced two demonstration events – Marksmanship and Aquathlon.

Participating colleges and staff departments were grouped into five color teams and competed in 18 different events (see table).

CA successfully recaptures its championship title in Table Tennis. The male students and staff seized the Basketball champion title, while CEAT and CAS bagged the gold in women’s basketball in student and staff category, respectively.

May Pamulaklakin, BS Forestry ’07 and a volleyball player, said there should be medics stationed at every event since there had been reported cases of injuries during the event.

According to Mr. Apolonio Ocampo, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the

sport fest, a suggestion has been raised for a contingency fund for extra expenses needed throughout the event.

Although Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco has issued a memorandum excusing participants from work or classes, some professors still insisted in having the exams taken during the Palaro week.

Meanwhile, there were still conflicts with the schedule of the participating students, due to the holding of regular classes in most courses. Erik Jon de Asis, BS Agriculture ’03 said he missed some of his classes during games. [P]

PHOTO KARL SUMINISTRADOFASTBREAK.Students and teachers take #me off to promote physical fitness and wellness in the

recently held Palarong Sentenaryo 2009.

Court issues release of seven ST activistsAaron Joseph Aspi with reports from Karen Lapitan

A labor lawyer, along with six other activists, were freed last February 5 after the Oriental Mindoro Regional Trial court issued a release order on the ground that citing multiple alleged crimes under a single case is not permissible.

Detained for more than three months in Calapan City Jail in Mindoro Oriental, Atty. Remigio Saladero, Emmanuel Dioneda, Rogelio Galit, Nestor San Jose, Crispin Zapanta, Arnaldo Seminiano and Leonardo Arceta were among the 72 individuals

dubbed as Southern Tagalog 72 (ST-72) who were charged with multiple murder and frustrated murder for their alleged involvement in an NPA ambush against police in Puerto Galera last March 3, 2006. Also in the list are former UPLB University Student Council (USC) chairperson Bayani “Bani” Cambronero of Bayan Muna-Southern Tagalog and Los Baños resident Pedro “PJ” Santos Jr., regional secretary general of ANAKBAYAN–Southern Tagalog and coordinator of Kabataang Pinoy.

Despite the release, Atty. Rachel Pastores of the Public Interest Law Center said the cases

against the ST-72 were dismissed on the basis of technicality and not on the illegality of arrest and charges filed against them.

Berlin Guerrero, spokesperson of DEFEND-ST, an alliance of civil libertarians and human rights advocates, called for vigilance and warned that the Arroyo government will continue the massive filing of fabricated criminal cases against activists critical of the government.

UPLB USC Chairperson Charisse Bernadine Bañez, one of the convenors of DEFEND-ST said they will continue to work with other youth groups in the campaign for the immediate dismissal of the case against ST-72. [P]

mga TULA ni AXEL PINPIN ng TAGAYTAY 5Mula sa Libingan ng mga BuhayNilapatan ng MUSIKA ni BOBBY BALINGIT ng THE WUDS.Maaaring magkaroon ng kopya ng CD sa halagang PhP 150 lamang.Magtungo lamang sa opisina ng UPLB Perspective o magtext sa +639158297997.

February 17,2009 |Entomhall IBS | 3 members/team |P75 reg fee Please contact 09165195885 for details.

IPAGLABANANGKARAPATANSAEDUKASYON!TUTULAN ANG KOMERSIYALISASYON AT REPRESYON! TOFI MORATORIUM!

LEAGUE OF FILIPINO STUDENTS-UPLB [FOR DETAILS CONTACT EK AT 09152066285]

PANANAWLITERARY FOLIO

billboard

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAN STA. ROMANALEADING THE FEBFAIR RAGE.In front of the Administra#on building, student leaders constantly update protes#ng

students regarding the then pending approval of the Centennial February Fair.

NOW ACCEPTING ENTRIEShand carry to SU 2/f rm 11 or

SEND AN E-MAIL [email protected]

“Marahan akong hihimlay sa silong ng malalago mong talukapAt hahayaang ang lilim ng iyong mga ambon at ulap

ang aking buntung-hininga at hikab.”

HULINGLAGAPAK NGKANDADOAng bahagi ng mapagbibilhan ay magiging ambag sa kampanya para sa pagtatanggol ng karapatan ng mga bilanggong pulitikal at biktima ng pampulitikang pamamaslang .

ANAK UPLB presentsANAKRONYM 2009

We are in need of News writers, Features writers and Layout ar#sts.

TAKE THE [P] EXAM.

DEBATE

5UPLB PerspectiveVOLUME 35 | ISSUE 8 | February 14, 2009

“Gusto kong makasama ‘yung taong laan para sa akin. Yung pang forever na talaga.”

- Ma. Eva Cecilia A. Bumanglan | BS Bio ’08 | UP Baguio

“Si SR Shahana Abdulwahid! Haha! Marami akong gustong itanong sa kanya at lubos na kagalakan ang maidudulot nito sa akin kung makikipagpalitan ako ng kuru-kuro. Hindi man ganun ka-sweet ang Valentine’s Day ko, makabuluhan naman. ‘Pagkat bilang estudyante ng UP, tungkulin kong makilahaok at alamin ang mga isyu sa ating pamantasang hirang.”

- Jojo Fresnoza | BS Chem Eng’g ‘06

“Yung brod ko na may lihim akong pagtingin, but no! Little sis lang ang tingin n’ya sa’kin.”

- 09166157***

“Si Kenneth Gigantone ng Billy the Kid. Buti pasok sila sa Class Distraction. Astig talaga sila.”

-BS Ag Eng’g ‘08

“Gusto kong makasama sa Valentine’s ‘yung mga high school friends ko. Sobrang miss ko na sila. Loner at orgless kasi ako dito sa LB kaya unti lang ang friends.”

-Mayne | BS Industrial Eng’g ‘08

“Sarili ko. Paninindigan ko ang pagiging single ko kahit anong mangyari. Wala munang babae sa buhay ko. Huhuhu.”

-Nad | BS AMAT ‘05

“Gusto ko makasama this Valentine’s Day ‘yung supercrush ko na ‘di ko man lang alam ang pangalan! Sana magpakilala ka na sa akin!”

- Elle | BS Electrical Eng’g ‘06

Sino ang gusto mong makasama sa darating

na Valentine’s Day?

“Ang isinagot ko sa CRSRS ay YES dahil gusto kong makatulong upang maipaglaban nating mga estudyante ang ating mga karapatan. Hindi ko rin hahayaan na tuluyang mawalan ng kalayaan ang mga estudyanteng katulad natin dahil sa pakikialam ng administrasyon sa mga aktibidades ng mga estudyante.”

- 09167583***

“YES, because I have my rights as a student.”

-09267543***

“Sa totoo lang, ‘di ko planong bumoto dun sa CRSRS Referendum question, ‘di talaga kasi ako ma-convince [ng] both sides. Hindi ko clearly makita ‘yung gustong iparating ng both sides. It is my duty to vote as an Iskolar ng Bayan. Nagtanung-tanong ako sa mga kakilala ko tungkol sa issue and one of them convinced me a lot. In the end, I voted YES.”

-Dennis Rosales | BS Forestry ‘07

Ano ang sinagot mo sa CRSRS Referendum

question? Bakit?

CAMPUSFORUM

Opinyon mo’y mahalaga. Mag-text sa 09174192496/09283203134

1.Ano sa tingin mo ang solusyon sa

nakaambang energy crisis sa bansa?

2.Ano ang Valentine’s Day message mo

para kay Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco?

VOLUME 35 |

Ano ang s

GRAPHICSkwadrado

Linyadong Mata KARL SUMINISTRADO

omg ♥ ♥ Ni Chino Carlo Aricaya

ELECTORALUSC20

09

FEBRUARY 19 . 7PM . NCAS AUDITORIUM

KNOW YOUR CANDIDATES.MARK YOUR BALLOTS WITH A

PRINCIPLED VOTE.

UPLB Perspective6 VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 8 | February 14, 2009 NEWS FEATURES

With the last student conscientiously casting the final vote in the CRSRS referendum,

the UP system reached a higher-than-majority voter turnout of 53.54 percent. Of this, an overwhelming 72.10 percent of Iskolars ng

Bayan from UP Baguio to UP Mindanao marked the victory of referendum to ratify the Codified

Rules for Student Regent Selection (CRSRS).The CRSRS now serves as the monumental

symbol of students’ struggle for their democratic and autonomous representation. Throughout the course of UP’s history, this overwhelming number of students affirming their rights have

never been reached since the Martial Law years. Careful retrospection merits the efforts of the present UPLB students, who have successfully carved their unified stand in UP’s

historical centennial celebration through the successful conduct of the CRSRS referendum.

However, despite students’ votes filling the

44 ballot boxes here in UPLB, several issues have still been confronted by student leaders in their efforts to push the event toward success. For almost three weeks of University and College Student Council’s (USC-CSCs) campaign to gather student volunteers and encourage wide student participation, logistical and financial

assistance are among the notable difficulties in

the conduct of the referendum.

Only a MiscommunicationOn the first day of the referendum, the

Perspective reported partial unofficial voter

turnout of mere 5.01 percent after precincts closed at 5 p.m. USC Chairperson Charisse Bernadine Bañez said this low turnout is the outcome of minimal logistical and financial aid

from the UPLB administration.With another low turn-out of only 18.49

percent on the second day, the USC and student volunteers intensified their effort to

encourage participation through room-to-room invitations and “text brigades”, which inform the students of the low voter’s turnout and similarly low affirmative votes during the

counting of votes in the first day.

BUKLOD-UPLB in a statement, however, raised questions as regard the counting of votes after the closing of precincts in the first day. The

statement questions the integrity of the ballots

counted and of the referendum process itself. In a meeting called to clarify the issue between the USC and BUKLOD, Ligaya Enriquez, COMELEC Head of the organization said “these ballots should be considered questionable. Assuming na wala talagang nagalaw, so I think that there’s still room to question these ballots,” she added.

The same statement suggested considering the 491 ballots earlier counted as void, but Bañez explained that SR Shahana Abdulwahid decided that these ballots are neither “void” nor ”challenged.”

Bañez also clarified that there has only

been a miscommunication between OSR and the UPLB-wide referendum committee on the matter of counting of votes at the end of each day. She cited from the Referendum Guidelines section VII A stating that, “Immediately after the close of the referendum, the votes cast shall be counted and tabulated by the referendum officer in

their respective precinct in the presence of the watchers and student representatives.”

She added that the UPLB-wide referendum committee assumed the process of counting to be as such since it is also the general idea of the Student Regent and all the student councils present during the special meeting in UP Diliman.

Lack of IntegrityBUKLOD-UPLB Vice-Chairperson Faith

Lumicao, meanwhile raised another concern about some of the behavior of referendum officers and student volunteers.

“May mga pollwatchers [na] wala namang ID pero may “yes” na stickers. And there are people questioning ‘yung mga bumuboto ng yes or no,” she said. Issues about several ballot boxes that lack padlocks were also raised, which altogether challenged the integrity of the process.

Bañez said the issue has been resolved in their assessment. She explained that the activity is non-partisan in so far as the immediate and effective achievement of student representation to the BOR is concerned.

“Tinanong kasi kay [SR] Shan kung pwede bang mangampanya ng yes or no at kung ano mang pangangampanya ang gagawin, pwede pa naman [at] dahil hindi rin naman

nakalagay sa guidelines na bawal ang pangangampanya,” she added. However, both parties resolved the issue by agreeing that campaigners will be barred near the polling precincts.

On the other hand, Bañez pointed out that BUKLOD has the democratic right to release statements and take photographs of the referendum conduct by virtue of good faith. She said, however, that they should have called the attention of the referendum officers first before

notifying the SR and releasing a statement in order to avoid confusing the students.

Likewise, the Referendum Guidelines states that all protest concerning the referendum “should be formally written and submitted to the Office of the Student Regent

within five (5) working days from the close of

the referendum proceedings.”She added that everyone should help in

giving rooms for improvement and rectification

and ensuring the success of the referendum. This must be the case since she mentioned that the referendum process lacks the supposed administrative support agreed upon in the Board of Regents and ordered by UP President Emerlinda Roman.

Minimal Administrative SupportFor the whole duration of the referendum,

there have been instances when loads of students flock the polling precincts. Bañez sees

the lack of orientation of the administrative personnel and lack of experience of student volunteers to be the cause of some human error in terms of informing, validating and vouching the voters.

Bañez said there have been great effort from the student councils and referendum officers in tapping the support of the Office

of the Chancellor (OC), Office of the Vice-

chancellor for Student Affairs, Office of the

Student Affairs (OSA) and Dean’s and College Secretary’s Offices. She said President Roman

pledged PhP 60,000 budget coming from the discretionary funds of the autonomous and regional units.

“Sa aktwal, may sulat si Student Regent kay Chancellor Velasco. ‘Yung letter of information [includes the] student regent

referendum, ‘yung guidelines, [at] CRSRS,” Odraude Alub, UPLB’s referendum officer, said.

The university-wide referendum committee even informed the OSA and passed a draft memorandum to inform the Dean’s and College Secretary’s offices about

the need to provide administrative personnel. However, the draft memorandum has not been acted upon by the OC, which caused the lack of administrative personnel and supposed referendum materials such as copies of master list, padlocks and envelopes.

Alub, meanwhile, said that since the SR already sent a letter to inform Chancellor Velasco, it is no longer the USC-CSCs’ task to inform all the deans and college secretaries about the referendum. “Contrary dun sa sinasabi ng ibang admin na napaabutan na nila [administrative personnel] noon pang convocation. Pero actually tungkol lang naman sa convocation ang ipinaabot nila at hindi sa referendum process,” he added.

Even the budget coming from the discretionary fund of autonomous and regional units, as pledged by Roman, was not released. “Maaga din kaming nag-pass ng budget proposal, last week (Jan. 19) pa ‘yun napaabot pero ang naging sagot sa level ni Chancellor [ay] hindi ilalabas sa discretionary fund kundi sa budget ng USC-CSCs,” she said. Bañez clarified that the USC did not permit to

use the USC-CSC funds since it is supposed to be used for the USC-CSC elections.

The success of the referendum is achieved because of the weight of campaigning and logistics that is left alone on the shoulders of student leaders and volunteers. Banking on the system-wide agreement, Bañez pointed out that students should have given premium to campaign for the referendum and to increase turnout if the administration has done their part in ensuring the logistical and financial aspects

of the event. “Dahil hindi kayang karguhin ng mga

USC-CSCs at mga volunteers lang ang usapin na ito, kailangan talaga ng tulong pang-administratibo. Pero malinaw sa puntong ito na hindi nakapagpadala ng tao dahil hindi nailabas o naaaksyunan yung memo.” [P]

Drafting a Rough History:fff gggg ggggg yyyyOvercoming the Referendum CrisisWords: Arjay Garcia With Reports from: Estel Lenwij Estropia and Jonelle Marin Photographs: Karl Suministrado Layout: Salvatorre de Vince Olano

7UPLB PerspectiveVOLUME 35 | ISSUE 8 | February 14, 2009FEATURES

The storm of the first quarter

Literally, a storm is a disturbance in the air above the Earth, with strong winds and usually also with rain, and sometimes with lightning and thunder. First quarter storm happened during the first quarter of the year in 1970 — a

storm of social and political struggles between the government and the masses. Events during this quarter give honor to the participation of people in the struggle for democratic rights, especially the youth sector. The accounts on first quarter storm resulted from the

tyrannical governance of then President Ferdinand Marcos.Everyone agreed that the January 26 [1970]

confrontation was the longest and most violent in

the history of the Philippine Student Movement.*

SignalsFeelings were getting more and more

frantic as the days of the first quarter of 1970

passed by. The setting was dark, noisy and

dramatic. The fate of that quarter seemed to

have written its story. Assumptions and fear

altogether contributed to the confusion

and agitation of mere spectators and

those who are considered progressive

demonstrators. Cuts and bruises, black

eyes, pale faces — everything was as

observable and inevitable as death.

January 26, 1970 is not just an

ordinary day between the active days

of the first quarter. Marcos delivered

his State of the Nation message to an

assembly inside the Congress and to

the rest of the Filipinos outside who are

just unfortunate, unable to get inside the

hall. Inside and out, the message resounds.

Outside the legislative building were

demonstrators fleeing from cage of the state

of the nation defined by the president. With

their own microphones and loudspeakers,

bracing one another with enough courage

and chants to stay at the Burgos Drive,

where traffic was temporarily closed by

the resounding message to the Filipinos,

nothing more was scorching than emotion.

It has been thirty nine years since the

first quarter storm in 1970 united Filipinos

nationwide — leftists, students, teachers

and the rest who desired to eradicate

apathy and repression in the middle of

whirling riots. Those who are supposedly

vanguards of people, the policemen,

remained vanguards of the President of

the Republic — students were treated

like enemies of the state. Those

were actually days of offense and

defence between the police and

students to preserve power and life.

BoltsPeople about 20,000 of

conservative estimates were

seething with rage. Within the

drive and mass force were different

organizations like Kabataang

Makabayan, Samahang Demokratiko

ng Kabataan, Malayang Pagkakaisa

ng Kabataang Pilipino, Kilusan ng

Kabataang Makati, labor groups like the

National Association of Trade Unions, peasant

associations like the Malayang Samahang

Magsasaka. Youth, peasants and workers, teachers

and students were standing on one ground, listening

to different voices, grasping for distinction, chanting with

scrutiny. The noises were born out of songs of freedom, the

sound of flyers in the wind, falling paper cups and soft drinks

bottles. Everybody waited, they listened, rested on their hopes

despite the threatening presence of cops and armed officers.

The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) organized

the program outside the legislative building — from the installation of

microphones and speakers to the orderliness of the

program. The program at Burgos Drive that day was

supposed to end at 6 o’clock. It was a quarter before six,

and the offense-defence attacks between demonstrators

and cops started.

StormThe presence of the cops caused the expansion of

spaces between the strugglers, who, other than aiming for social

equality, were trying to save their individuality from rattan sticks,

hard edges of the cops’ shields, and violence from armed authorities.

Students were well-informed that going into the mobilization against

the Marcos administration was to grapple the danger of fighting with

only your knowledge as your guard — for protecting and shouting for your

right that time is considered an offense. In the middle of the storm, walking

and singing for democratic rights causes everybody fear, pain, and death.

Now, if we are to reminisce these events, we consider it past -- one that is, so far, remembered — later, maybe documents and hearsays would help us look back. Fiction

can let past and present happen at the same time, it can even make you see and feel how a war or a triumph fills the air after a long struggle for one. Signals, bolts and storm in

the first quarter of 1970 is true-- witnesses can tell, poetic historical accounts can show--

from the parting of chains of arms to the flying crumpled manifestoes and paper cups.

The storm has been taking place until now, inside and out of schools – some may not be felt and may appear to be drizzles compared to that one day in January 1970.

DrizzlesThat day is as ordinary as usual days of a student. Since the UP Charter

demanded for the ratification of Codified Rules for Student Regent

Selection (CRSRS), 26th of January was the first day of setting up

precincts at different corners in UP units for the referendum. In UPLB, under drizzles and almost dark sky, footsteps were beating

simultaneously with the rhythm of wind’s hiss. “Bumoto at magpaboto,

uphold student representation, say YES! to referendum!” was the call, but the diversity of demands and interests would always try to spice up the struggle so there existed the so-called “Choose

to kNOw Movement.” From 26th to the last day of January nothing was more important than upholding student representation. But to the participants who seem to be more occupied with the completion of their academic requirements, there was nothing more understandable

than confusion.Things were

going smoothly as the success

of referendum ratified the

C R S R S . E v e r y b o d y

deserves a closed fist held

high for

Words: Liberty NotarteGraphics: Elyssa Rosales

Layout: Salvatorre de Vince Olano

Overcoming the Referendum Crisis

Fiction would permit past and present to happen at the same time. We can be omniscient about the two, but we can never be equally submissive and participative in both situations.

making another story, another history. But, like fictional approaches, reality seems

even more challenging than before. Days are just as ordinary as days of usual students until Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco intervened the University Student Council in holding the February Fair. The council of student leaders set a dialogue with Velasco on Feb. 9 and organized a picket line during the dialogue. Outside the administration building under the faintly shining sun were students who appealed and cared about the fair, at the least. From ten o’çlock in the morning of simple dialogue to barricade at the UP Gate in the afternoon, students were sighing “an autonomous fair must go on.” After that drizzle, there were closed fists held high.

Whirlwind and lightningThe First quarter storm of 1970 defined the

maturity of people’s understanding. Filipinos learned how to stand in the same ground, together with their songs of hope for freedom – that in the midst of the storm were courage, fear, curses and blood – a war against repression. There

was indeed a revolution under thunder and rain — it was dramatic, heroic, it was total nonfiction. The

January 26 confrontation was a whole day storm of the first quarter of 1970. The referendum and February Fair are

part of the first quarter of 2009.

The storm never stops. It continues whirling around as if bringing every situation into one motion - moving around as if

repeating history - exchanging days and nights of dissent. [P]

Reference:*LACABA, J.F. 1982. Days of Disquiet, Nights of Rage: The First Quarter Storm and

Related Events. Manila” Salinlahi Publishing House. 40-61 pp.

CULTUREUPLB Perspective8 VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 8 | February 14, 2009

U N IB ER SO

BIG BANG THEORY*ALAY KAY LEAN

Sumambulat ang mga tipak-tipakNa helium, idrohina’t halimuyak.

Pinagliliwanag ang sansinukobNg mga bulalakaw sa’yong buhok.

Madagundong ang pagsasalimbayanNg alabok at masasal na tibok.

Hahaginit, huhugos, hahaplit; atHuhupa sa eternal na pagkahulog.

Mataginting ang halik at halakhakNg iyong araw, buwan at magdamag.

Umiikit, pumipintig, umiingitAng bulkan at buhay sa iyong dibdib.

Sa kalawakan ng pagkakataonLahat maging buntong-hininga’t haplos

Pati ang tala, tula’t talulot; ayWalang malay at maliw na iinog.

Sasaliw sa’yong sentro de grabedadAng lahat ng rotasyon ng gunita.

Susuling sa iyong sinapupunanAng lahat ng rebolusyon ng diwa.

*SEPIA SKY

TO THE MAN WHO HAS

NOT YET COME*ELEVENDAYSLAUGH

PANGALAWA

Sa’yo:

May mga araw na masarap kang pagmasdan nang palihim. Ngayon ay isa sa mga araw na iyon.

Tinititigan ko ang iyong likuran habangtinitingnan mo siyang lagi mong

pinangungulilaan. Naglalaro sa hinagap angmga bagay na sa’yo ay walang saysay, mga

bagay na matapos mong sabihin ay makalilimutanmo rin. Ang mga ito ang tatapos sa hindi

nagsisimulang alitan ng mga dahilan.

Gusto ko ang kahit ano pa mang gustomo. At dahil dito, pahihintulutan kitang

umalis patungo sa “tunay na mundo” (habangnagpapanggap na may magagawa ako upang

pigilin ka) para katagpuin siyangpalagian mong pinangungulilaan.

-----Pangalawa sapagkat ang First ay naisulat na

*LEDGE

Nahuhulog an inop sugad sin uran nga nahuhulog sa makahiya;Natiklop sa kanya pagtangis;Napulot sugad san buhangin sa mahulos nga kakulupon;Sa ilarom san mingaw san kamingaw.Nahiyom an tangkay;Nahutok sugad san sunaSa butnga sa kalangitan;Sa butnga san sudang ngan nasiraynga bulan.

Ngatanan natiklop ug nahiyomsa sulod sa inopsan tawo nga guinhuhulos an mamara nga im-im, uru-utroNaulon sa ulnan nga guinhuhulos san paghigugma.

*BULANKUN MATANGIS AN INOP

Ngunit saan nga ba bibilhin ang rekadong pagkataong kukuntento sa iyo?

At paano ba paghahalu-haluin ang mga ito para sa iyong panlasa?

Anong oras nga ba dapat ihain ang sariling tinimpla ayon sa gusto mo?

At kailan nga ba makukuha ang pagsang-ayon na pinaghihirapan ko?

Sa platong sisidlan sumayaw ang pangarap na pagtanggap,

Ng pagsimot sa putaheng inihanda sa batayang kasing-taas ng paningin mo.

At kapantay ng pag-angat sa kutsarang ipinangtikim mo

Ang pag-asang “oo” ang sagot sa tanong kong, “Ma, sapat na ba ako?”

SOPAS*BUKO PIE

*COFFEE

Nakipaghabulan sa mga pangarap at panaginip,pinanood ang paggalaw ng mga aninong dala ng paglubog ng araw,

binilang sa daliri at isipan ang mga bituin,sa kabila ng pangakong hawak-kamay nating sasalubungin ang habambuhay,

Iniwan kitang nag-aantay, umuunawa at patuloy na nagmamahal.

Panoorin mo ang pag-ulit ng kasaysayan sa babaeng mahal ko,Panoorin mo akong umibig tulad ng tinuro mo,Ang kasiyahan sa pagsibol ng bagong buhay,

Tulad ng kasiyahang nadama mo sa una nating pagkikitaMatapos ang siyam na buwan mong paghihintay.

PANAGSAKDU

*BECKY, EMILY AT MOLLY

PARA KAY GANDA

Dib

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AN INOP

NakNakNakNakNakipaipaipaipaipaipaipaipaipaghaghaghaghaghaghaghaNakNakNakanoanoanoanood od od od od od od od angangangangangangangang pa pa pa pa pa pa paggaggaanoanoanood od

ARRRRPPPPPPPAAAAAAAAARR

TO

To the man who has not yet honored my life with his presence:When you come, please let me stare at you in silence,

while over there the leaves are falling on the pavement.Let me touch your hair, your cheeks, and your face

until my hands could give up their disbelief.There is a song in my mind that speaks of a kind of warmth

that destroys realities and builds them up once again, gently.Gently, while I follow with my stare

the laughing ladies on their way back home,while the moon floats, silently, in the sky.

Let me escape your breath so that I may not suffocatein the painful longing for my innocence.Let me lay on the grass to see the world

from below, from where I came from.For when the time comes,

when the time comes,I will gladly surrender.

Niyayakap ng salita ang lahat-lahat. Ngunit kakatwang sinasalita na lamang ng tsokolate

at bulaklak ang dapat sana’y sinasalita ng mga malay, mata at kamay. Kakatwa ring nakakubli na lamang ang salita ng puso sa mga numero ng Pebrero, na dapat sana’y hayag sa lahat ng

bukang-liwayway at dapit-hapon ng taon.

angangangangangangangangangangangang

OLLYYY

mamamamamamamamamamamamamamamamamamalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalay,y,y,y,y,y, m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m mnanananananananananananananananana l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l lamamamamamamamamamamamamamamamamamamamananananananananananananananananananngngngngngngngngngngngngngng P P P P P P P P P P P P Pebebebebebebebebebebebebebebebebebrererererererererererererere

bububububububububububububububububububukakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakangngngngngngngngngngngngng

Agrugi ti aldaw ti raniag ti buteng,bumangunnak nga nasapa tatta, agsakdu ak para kenka.

Dagitoy imak ket agtagirgir la unayti lamiis ti ag-ararasaas ti angin,ken kaayatan nga birbiruken.

Nu makitak daytoy landuk ti posonga aglatlatti ket daanen, agsubli amin nga nagbalinken amin nga tawen nga panagkadwaan ta.

Nu agrugi-ak nga agiguyud, agiduronmakaala laeng ti pagdigus mu;Bagbagkatek ti dagsin ti rubong,kasla ti karu ti panaguyek mu.

Adu nga padas pay ti aramidektapnu umuli ti danumkasla amin nga padas nga inaramid tatapnu makauli ti rigat ti biag.

Madi nga malpas ti panagsirsirbi,kaidaen ka aginggana parbangun,ikan ka ti pudut,

tapnu maikkat ti baram,usar daytuy nabasa nga labakara,aprusin ka

tapnu umawanen ti gurigur mu ken maikkat uray batit laengti panagdandanag ko,

nga mabati nga agmay-maysa.

Aki pa sana ako, hadluk na akong makuluganTa habo kong maghibi.Habo kong magkasalaTa habo kong may mataram sinda sa kuya.

Nakisabayan ako sa sulug san kadaklanMaski ang matod ay bako na ako ini.Kang namidbidan taka,Inot na beses akong rumayo sa tighahagad kang kadaklan.

Panabot ko, pasil sanang rumayo sa imoKaso pigpapaugma mo ako.Sa imo sana ako nagiging ako.Namumuot ako sa imo.

Pinurburan kong rumayo sa imo,Kaso napupung-aw ko kang hagod sa tutunlan.Pighahanap-hanap ko an asó mo.Adikunin akong marhay sa imo.

SU ESPIRITU

YAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGG THHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOORRRRY

er. gladly surrender.

Sa Sa Sa Sa Sa Sa Sa Sa Sa kalkalkalkalkalkalkalkalkalkalkalLahLahLahLahLahLahLahLahLahLahLahat at at at maginginginginginginginginginginginginginging

PatPatPatPatPatPatPatPatPatPatPatPatPatPatPatPatPatWalWalWalWalWalWalWalangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangang

SasSasSasSasSasSasSasSasalialialialialialialialialialialialialialialiw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sa’ya’ya’ya’ya’ya’ya’ya’ya’ya’ya’ya’yAngAngAngAngAngAngAngAngAngAngAngAngAngAng la la la la la la

SusSusuliAngAngAngAngAngAngAngAngAngAngAngAngAngAngAngAng la la la la la la la lahathathat

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MayMay mg mg mg mga aa aa aa aa arawrawrawrawrawraw na na na ma ma masarap

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9UPLB PerspectiveVOLUME 35 | ISSUE 8 | February 14, 2009

*elevendayslaugh

So Sid has helped in his own murder. But, who really killed him?

The lengthening shadows move past the windows, crawl over furniture and wrap themselves around Sid’s convulsing body. Death rasps escape his shivering mouth, but these are muffled by the booming of the stereo.

Sid feels as if he is suspended in a vacuum, in space. Thoughts come to him disjointed and distorted: dim and dark memories, aimless and unmelodious tunes, disintegrating wholeness.

Sid, always on the verge of despair and disrepair that even at the moment of his death he can only grasp futility and embrace sorrow.

Before eternal darkness closed in on Sid, the last images that flit through his mind are maggots on decaying meat.

***

25 May 2008, 5:42 a.m.*

Squirming maggots. Last night I dreamed again of maggots crawling on dead meat. They eat it up voraciously, sink into its boils and blisters, leaving scars that would never heal.

A sudden shift of lighting and the meat turned into my likeness, my face and body covered with these sickening things. In my dream I moved to

Oh, thank you, Megan said nervously, it was Glen’s idea, really, my get up. It’s really good of you to, to notice.

You should protect your girl, I said to Glen. Such a charming lady, anyone’s bound to be attracted to her, even friends.

At this last statement, I can see Glen’s facial muscles tighten. I scored another victory.

And then the others arrived. Patricia, Janus and Ian, I can see, cannot contain their ecstasy, and they blurted out: we’ve been granted a recording contract!

They started to, simultaneously, narrate how this big break has come our way, and we couldn’t understand a word they said. Of course, we can understand their excitement. We’ve been waiting for this opportunity for ages.

I suppose the Backseat Kiss can now leave the backseat and bask in the limelight, I said. And then pointedly to Ian: this must put too much pressure on you.

His face worked up an expression of disgust, but only for an instant. He composed himself and then said, Of course, but where would the band be without its precious drummer, huh?

Silence fell on the group. It is no secret that there has been a growing animosity between the two of us. But this skirmish did not erupt into a full blown confrontation.

Decaytouch my bloated face, but this other me, this dead Sid, glanced at me sharply, its mouth open in a silent scream.

I woke up with a start. My breath still tasted sour from too much booze from last night’s gimmick. I went to the bathroom, and there in the mirror I saw my dishevelled image — it was a stranger’s face. I know that the man in the mirror, whoever he was, was a sham, for beneath the façade hides a sick and despairing soul.

In my mind’s eye I strained to reconstruct that night of revelry, of hypocrisy and of despair. Megan and Glen were sitting at a table in the dimmest corner of the bar, which was thick with smoke from the customers’ cigar. The light from the disco ball came to us faintly, but whatever light that comes to us is already enough for me to see Megan putting her hand over Glen’s as I took my seat.

It was Glen who spoke first. He said the others were caught in the traffic, so the big surprise would have to wait.

In the meantime, Glen said, why don’t we order our first round of drinks?

We ordered beer, and then there was silence. Megan and Glen were evading my stare, looking at me furtively when they are sipping their beer. I knew Glen was jealous, and this emotion of his I am working hard to fire up.

You look beautiful today, I told Megan. I can imagine her grip on Glen’s hand tightening. I can’t resist smiling.

The night went well enough. I drove home even though I’m drunk. I went to sleep wondering who, between Ian and Glen, would muster the courage to be my savior and kill me.

But there is one thing that I am sure of, that however this drama will end, I have willed myself to become a party to my own undoing.

*The foregoing excerpts are from Sid’s journal presented as evidence in the prosecution of his murderer.

***

Everything falls, heavily. The dusts fall on everything, the shadows fall on Sid and Sid’s hands fall on the cold floor. He is falling, ever so swiftly, to the abyss.

The stereo continues to boom, like the drumbeats of a curious ritual of sacrificial death to an insatiable god. Outside Sid’s apartment, the dawn proceeds with its usual weary business of giving way to the night, and people, who are oblivious of an impending death right in their neighborhood, continues to walk on, to go on with their merry business.

And then soon enough, the luster of life left Sid’s eyes like a smoke wafting from an extinguished candle. [P]

*elevendayslaugh loves to read by the amber light of the dawn and reconstruct realities as soon as the night falls.

KWENTONG FRESHIE

Sa gitna ng katanunga’t pangamba

freshman, napatunayan kong kaya ko palang mag-aral sa UP.

Kailangan ko bang makakuha ng markang uno?

Kasabay ng pagpasok ko sa UP, napakaraming pressures at expectations ang inihirap sa akin. Marami ang nagnanais na makakuha ng uno sa mga asignatura. Sabi ng iba, itinatatak daw ng mga NF sa utak nila na maka-uno. Ginawa ko rin iyon. Sa tuwing may exam, halos matuyo na ang utak ko sa pag-aaral. Kahit walang exams, nagrereview pa rin ako, kinakausap ko ang sarili ko sa pagpapaliwanag ng tinalakay sa bawat araw. Ngunit kahit ginagawa ko ‘yon, hindi ko rin maiwasan ang mawalan ng pag-asa. Sa mga ilang puntos na mali ko, para bang gumuguho na ang mundo ko sa pagsisisi sabay sabing, “sayang, inaral ko ‘to, eh”. Dahil dito, napagtanto ko na ang mga kakayahan ng estudyante ay mayroong kisame, na kapag nasobrahan sa lakas ang pagtalon, masakit ‘pag nauumpog. Gusto kong maging isang University Scholar, pero may mga bagay na minsa’y humaharang sa aking mga hangarin. Ngayon, positibo pa rin ang aking pananaw pagdating sa bagay na iyon. Sa tuwing may exams, nag-aaral ako. At kung ano man ang maging resulta ng exam, okay lang. Basta alam kong ginawa ko ang makakaya ko.

Kailangan ko bang sumali ng org/frat?

May mga taong nagsasabi sa akin noon na sangkatutak ang fraternities at student organizations dito sa UPLB. Sa mga unang linggo ko sa unibersidad, marami ang lumapit sa akin at nag-alok na salihan ko. Sinabi ko sa kanila, “Hindi muna ngayon, NF pa lang ako.” Hindi ko maikakaila na malaki ang naitutulong ng mga ganitong grupo sa paghahasa sa

Sketchpad

CULTURE

Nikko Caringal

Tatlong buwan na rin ang nakakaraan nang magsimula akong mag-aral sa UPLB. Dahil

sa dami ng gawain ng isang Iskolar ng Bayan, hindi ko namalayan na patapos na pala ang una kong semestre sa unibersidad. Noong una, inakala kong magiging madali para sa aking makasanayan ang buhay Elbi. Mali pala. Naranasan ko ang iba’t ibang hamon na sumubok sa aking tatag bilang isang Iskolar ng Bayan. Napakaraming katanungan ang bumagabag sa aking isipan bilang isang New Freshman lalo na sa mga unang linggo ko dito sa unibersidad.

Bakit UP ang pinili ko?Bago pa man ako pumasok dito,

alam ko na mahirap dahil mataas ang standards ng UP. Kabilang sa pinagpilian kong unibersidad sa Maynila ay ang University of Sto. Tomas, De La Salle University at Far Eastern University. Pero ang mga katagang “UP is still the best” ang nagtulak sa akin na pumasok sa UPLB. Noong kumuha ako ng UPCAT, tulad ng nakararami, nahirapan ako. Inakala kong hindi na ako makakapasok sa UP. Ngunit heto ako ngayon, isa nang tunay at ganap na Iskolar ng Bayan.

Sa pagpasok ko rito, nasabi kong iba talaga ang kalidad ng edukasyon sa UP. Mataas ang tingin ng mga tao sa institusyong ito. Naalala ko nang inaayos ko pa ang aking requirements sa may registrar, halos lahat ng nakikita ko ay may mga dalang makakapal na hand-outs at nag-aaral. Sabi ng magulang ko sa akin, hindi raw maaari na hindi ako mag-aral ‘pag nasa UP na ako. Napaisip ako kung kakayanin ko ba talagang mag-aral dito. At sa unang tatlong buwan kong pag-aaral bilang

kakayahan ng isang estudyante. Ngunit bilang NF, marami pa akong bagay na mas kailangang bigyan ng pansin para na rin sa aking ikabubuti.

Iyon ang ilan sa mga katanungang sumagi sa aking isipan noong mga unang linggo ko sa unibersidad. At ngayon, sa unang tatlong buwan ko, marami akong nakita at nalaman sa loob at labas ng UP. Dahil sa mga ito, mayroong tanong na malikot sa isipan ko ngayon.

Nag-UP ba ako para sa sarili kong kapakanan?

Noong una, sarili ko lang ang iniisip ko sa pag-aaral dito. Ang alam ko nag-aaral ako sa UP dahil alam kong may magandang kinabukasan na naghihintay sa akin pagkatapos ng graduation. Ngunit sa paglipas ng ilang buwan, may mga bagay akong napag-isipan. Maraming mga pangyayari ang nakita ko sa lipunan na sumasalungat sa mga bagay na nararapat. Sa panahon ngayon, napakaraming pulitiko at mga kilalang pamilya ang halos malunod na sa kayamanan nila habang ang nakararaming Pilipino ay nalulugmok sa kahirapan. Sa tuwing napapadaan ako sa C-park, napakaraming musmos ang aking nakikita, nakayapak na naglalaro at meron ding mga nanlilimos. Nang makita ko sila, naging kaakibat ko ang hangaring matulungan ang mga taong ito sa mga darating na panahon. Napagtanto ko na nag-aaral ako ngayon hindi lamang para kumita ng malaking pera sa hinaharap. Hindi ako nag-aaral para makakuha ng sobrang taas na mga grado para maipagmalaki ko sa iba. Aaminin ko na kasama iyon sa aking mga hangarin

ngunit kaakibat ng aking pagiging Iskolar ng Bayan ay ang pag-asa ng ibang tao, ang responsibilidad ko sa bayan. Nag-aaral ako para sa bayan, para tulungan ang bansang minsan at patuloy na tumutulong sa akin upang abutin ang aking mga pangarap. Madrama man, pero iyon ang katotohanan. Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit ako tinawag na Iskolar ng Bayan: upang maging isang tunay at tapat na Iskolar para sa Bayan.

Sa UP, ang buhay bilang isang freshman ay hindi madali. Maraming bagay sa paligid ang bago sa aking paningin. Kabilang dito ang mga bagong mukha, sistema at mga kalakaran sa loob ng unibersidad. Napakaraming pangyayari sa loob at labas ng unibersidad ang minsa’y hindi ko maintindihan. Ngunit ang mga ito ay hindi naging hadlang para ipagpatuloy ko ang aking pag-aaral. Bagkus, ang mga bagay na ito ang nagbigay sa akin ng lakas ng loob at nagmulat sa akin sa mga katotohanang bumabalot sa lipunang aking ginagalawan. Bilang Iskolar ng Bayan, kailangan kong maging mapanuri sa aking kapaligiran. Kailangan kong magkaroon ng lakas ng loob na harapin ang mga katanungang gumugulo sa aking isipan.

Magtatanong ako para sa ikabubuti ng lahat. Hahanapin ko ang makatwirang kasagutan na papanig sa mga bagay-bagay na nararapat lamang panigan. Hindi ko hahayaang mabalot ang aking sarili ng takot at kawalan ng lakas ng loob. [P]

Sa pagdiriwang ng sentenaryo ng UP, magbalik-tanaw tayo sa mga karanasan nating mga nagiging bagong iskolar ng bayan --ang mga freshman. Ating

halukayin ang mga natatagong kwentong nagpapatotoo sa samu’t-saring karanasan mula sa paghahanap ng TBA rooms, hanggang sa SU para sa diskwento sa matrikula.

We are now accepting contributions for Kwentong Freshie. Just send contributions to

[email protected]

or hand carry them to Room 11, Student Union Building.

All contributions are subject to editing for brevity and clarity. Please restrict the length of the contribution in between 600 to 800 words.

OPINION

HODGEPODGE

Bata pa lang ako, alam ko na ang ibig sabihin ng kalayaan. Lumaki kasi ako sa pamilyang

pinapahalagahan ito. Nasa elementarya pa lang ako noon pero nakakapunta na ako sa mga lugar na gusto kong puntahan nang hindi sila ang kasama ko. Malaya akong nakapaglalaro kasama ng mga kababata ko hanggang sa oras na kailangan na nilang umalis dahil sinusundo na sila ng mga magulang nila.

Pagtapak ko naman sa mataas na paaralan, lalo kong naramdaman ang kalayaang hindi ipinagkait sa akin ng pamilya ko. Umuuwi ako sa bahay ng dalawa, tatlong oras o minsan higit pa pagkatapos ng maghapong pag-aaral. Kapag tinatanong nila ako kung bakit ako ginagabi, sinasabi ko lang sa kanila na nagpalipas ako ng oras kasama ang mga kaibigan ko, nagkukwentuhan, nagbibiruan, nagtatawanan o kaya nag-iiyakan. Hindi na nila ako tatanungin pa dahil may tiwala naman sila sa akin at sa mga kaibigan ko. Kapag may lakad ang barkada, agad nila akong pinapayagan kahit na sa malayong lugar pa ‘yun at kinabukasan pa ako makakauwi. Hindi nila ako pinipigilan lalo na kapag alam naman nila na hindi ako hihingi na baon sa kanila. Damang-dama ko ang kalayaang ibinibigay nila sa akin at bilang ganti, pinapahalagahan ko ‘yun at iniiwasan kong masira ang tiwala nila sa akin.

***Pagtungtong ko sa sa Unibersidad ng

Pilipinas, alam kong mas mauunawaan ko ang kahulugan ng salitang “malaya”.

Alam kong hindi lang ito malilimitahan sa pagpayag ng magulang ko na gawin ko ang mga bagay na gusto ko. Mataas ang pagtingin ko sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas; ito ang epitomiya ng kalayaan.

Una akong tumira sa dormitoryo, isang lugar na bago para sa akin. Noong una, nahihirapan akong makiangkop. Hindi ako sanay na makasama sa iisang kwarto ang mga taong bago ko pa lang kakilala. Madalas maaga akong umuuwi sa kwartong iyon dahil wala naman akong gagawin sa labas. Madalas ko rin silang naaabutan doon at habang lumilipas ang panahon, unti-unti ko na silang nakapalagayang-loob. Nagsimula na kaming lumabas magkakasama upang magpakasaya at namnamin ang kalayaang hatid ng dormitoryo.

Isang gabi, masyado kaming nalibang sa labas at nakalimutan na namin ang oras. Pagdating sa dormitoryo, sumalubong sa amin si Manong guard at binubuksan niya ang saradong gate habang mapangutyang ngumingiti ang violations logbook.

*** Botany lecture, Botany laboratory,

Zoology lecture, Zoology laboratory, NASC 4 at NASC 2. Madalas ako sa BioSci noon dahil sa mga klaseng ‘to. Nakaupo ako sa isa sa mga benches doon habang masayang nagmamasid sa mga taong naroon. Kapansin-pansin ang mga taong nakaupo sa mga tambayang gawa sa kahoy. Kadalasan kasi ay malalakas ang mga boses nila habang masaya silang nagkukwentuhan, nagbibiruan at nagtatawanan. Mayroon ding mga taong

seryosong nag-aaral. Halatang-halata sa mga halakhak nila na nasisiyahan sila sa kalayaang natatamasa nila bilang miyembro ng organisasyong may karapatan sa lugar na iyon.

Wala na akong klase sa BioSci ngayon, puro major na kasi ang subjects ko. Wala na rin akong G.E. subject doon pero paminsan-minsan, nakakadalaw pa rin ako. Iniimbita kasi ako ng mga brods at sisses ko sa tuwing may open tambayan sila.

Noong minsang nagdala ako ng Perspective sa BioSci, wala na ang mga tambayang gawa sa kahoy na nagbibigkis sa mga estudyante roon. Sa halip, ang nakita ko ay mga removable tambayan sa porma ng banig na nakalatag doon.

*** Sa tuwing

nagagawi ako sa Humanities noon, para akong hihikain sa dami ng usok na nalalanghap ko. Marami rin akong nakikitang nagyoyosi. Habang pinagmamasdan ko silang humihithit ng sigarilyo, iniisip ko kung bakit nila ‘yun ginagawa. Siguro ekspresyon ito ng kanilang sarili. Iba’t-iba kasi ang personalidad ng mga taong karaniwan kong nakikitang nagyoyosi. Basehan daw ‘yun ng social status, ‘yung iba naman nakikiuso lang. Sabi nung iba kong kakilala, paraan daw nila ‘yon para makapaglabas ng ahitasyon. Malaya silang nakakapanigarilyo kahit saan at kahit kailan nila gusto. Hanggang sa unti-unti ko na silang hindi nakikita. Nalaman ko na lang na limitado na ang mga lugar kung

saan pwedeng magyosi. ***Papasok na ako sa una kong klase.

Mag-aalas otso na kaya nagmamadali ako. Pinili kong dumaan sa dating dinaraanan ko noong wala pa ‘yung sementadong daan sa gitna ng Freedom Park. Sinundan ako nung doormate ko na nagmamadali rin. Noong malapit na akong makalampas sa Freedom Park, narinig ko ang pito ni Kuya CSB kaya nagmadali ako sa paglakad. Ang sabi niya bawal daw dumaan dun kasi nasisira yung damo. Sa isip-isip ko, sige lang Kuya, parte kasi ng Freedom Park ang dating daan ng Women’s, no?

***Hindi ka na makakauwi kahit anong

oras mo gusto, hindi ka na makakatambay dahil wala ka ng tambayan, hindi ka na rin

makakapagyosi kahit saan dahil may piling lugar lang para doon at hindi ka na rin makakapaglakad ng malaya sa Freedom Park.

***Tumingin

ako sa salamin at pinagmasdan ang aking sarili, kahit pala ako hindi na malaya. Hindi ko na kayang maramdaman na malaya naming naipapadama ang pagmamahal sa isa’t-isa. Nalilimitahan kami dahil sa hangarin naming ibalik ang kalayaan

sa sambayanan. Mahirap maging malaya lalung-lalo na kapag may konsepto kaming dalawa ng mapagpalayang kaisipan.

Napaisip na lang ako, hindi naman pala lahat ng bagay na may kalayaan kang gawin ay magagawa mo. Nalilimitahan ka dahil sa mga bagay na wala kang kontrol o nalilimitahan ka dahil may malawak kang pang-unawa. [P]

”

“Hindi ka na rin

makakapaglakad

ng malaya sa

Freedom Park.

g kontrol o awak kangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangangang

NOFURYSOLOUD

Mapagbalatkayong KalayaanBEVERLY CHRISTCEL LAGUARTILLA

Panandaliang lunasHARRIET MELANIE ZABALA

Sa loob ng anim na buwan, inaasahang mahigit kumulang 200,000 Pilipino ang mawawalan

ng trabaho.Ayon sa Department of Labor and

Employment (DOLE), mula sa datos na naitala hanggang noong nakaraang huling linggo ng Enero, 18,641 Pilipino na ang nawalan ng trabaho dahil umano sa global economic slowdown na nagsimula pa noong nakaraang taon.

Bukod sa pagtatanggal ng mga manggagawa, binabawasan na rin ng mga kumpanya ang bilang ng araw ng pagtratrabaho ng mga manggagawa, at mahigit 34,000 Pilipino na ang nakaranas nito. Mula sa anim na araw kada linggo, ginawa na lang itong apat hanggang limang araw. Sa CALABARZON, 120 kumpanya na ang nagsasagawa ng iskemang ito, at mahigit sa 40 sa mga kumpanyang ito ay mula sa Cavite.

Sa mga datos na nakalap ng DOLE, lumalabas na karamihan ng mga natatanggal sa trabaho ay nagmula sa Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal at Quezon (CALABARZON). Umaabot na sa 18,000 ng mga natanggal ang nagmula sa Timog Katagalugan, samantalang, 2,000 ang nagmula sa Cebu.

Mga kumpanya ng semiconductor at electronics, at pati na rin ang mga nag-eexport, ang karaniwang nagtatanggal ng mga tauhan sa panahong ito. Ilan sa mga kumpanyang ito ay pagmamay-ari ng dayuhan, kaya masasabing ang

dahilan ng pagsasara ay ang krisis pang-ekonomiya na kinahaharap ng buong mundo. Kaugnay naman nito, nagsara ang mga kumpanyang nag-aangkat ng produkto sa ibang bansa.

Maliban dito, pati ang mga bangko ay nagtatanggal na rin ng tauhan. Mahigit 1,000 empleyado na ang natanggal sa mga rural banks sa bansa.

Ang problema ng pagkakatanggal sa trabaho ay kinahaharap din nga mga Pilipinong nagtratrbaho sa ibang bansa. Karamihan sa mga Overseas Filipino Workers at seamen ay naghihintay pa rin ng kontrata.

Sa kabila nito, sinisikap pa rin ng mga kumpanya na matulungan ang mga nawalan ng trabaho. Ilan sa mga hakbang na isinasagawa nila ay ang paggawa ng isang database na makakatulong sa mga nawalan ng trabaho na makahanap ng bagong trabaho na mas angkop sa kanilang kakayahan, pagsasagawa

ng transition training kung saan tuturuan ang mga empleyado ng ibang pagkakakitaan at pagbibigay ng separation pay.

Kung uugatin ang pagtatanggal ng mga manggagawa sa gitna ng krisis pang-ekonomiyang kinakaharap ng buong mundo sa ngayon, masasabing ginagawa lang ito para tapatan ang mababang produksyon ng ekonomiya. Maaari rin namang ginagawa ito dahil mababa na ang kinikita ng mga kumpanya kaya’t hindi na nito kaya ang sustinidong pagpapasweldo sa maraming tauhan.

Isa sa mga kumpanya na nagtanggal ng maraming manggagawa ay ang mga kumpanya na nag-aangkat ng mga produkto sa ibang bansa. Dahil apektado rin ng krisis na ito ang ibang bansa tulad ng Amerika, kung saan sila nag-aangkat ng mga produkto, bumaba ang kita nila kung kaya nagbawas sila ng tauhan.

Kitang-kita na hanggang ngayon, nakadepende pa rin tayo sa ibang bansa dahil sa aspeto ng kalakalan pa lang, kapag mababa ang ekonomiya nila, naaapektuhan tayo. Dahil primaryang nakatali pa rin tayo sa Amerika, apektado tayo sa krisis na kinakaharap nito. Lumalabas na sa usapin ng pagtatanggal ng trabaho, hindi lang panloob na aspeto ang dapat isaalang-alang, dapat din tingnan ang mga panlabas na aspeto dahil kung tutuusin, malaki ang epekto ng mga ito sa ekonomiya ng Pilipinas.

Kahit sabihin pang tutulungan nila ang mga natanggal sa trabaho na makahanap ng panibagong trabaho o kahit maihanda man lang sila sa pagkawala ng trabaho, hindi pa rin tiyak kung sapat na ang tulong na ito. Sa dinami-rami ng mga kumpanyang nagtatanggal ng tauhan, kaunti lamang ang mga kumpanyang tumatanggap pa ng tauhan. Dagdag pa rito, ang ibinibigay na separation pay bagamat makatutulong, ay panandaliang lunas lamang sa problemang kakaharapin ng mga nawalan ng hanapbuhay.

Sa sitwasyong ito, nakikita na pawang mga panandaliang lunas lang ang ibinibigay ng mga kumpanya sa mga nawalan ng trabaho at kulang pa ang mga ito para maging pampalubag-loob. Ang nagiging problema, nasasanay tayo na papansinin lang ang problema kapag

nandyan na, kaya tuloy hindi naagapan, hindi napaghahandaan.

Sa nangyayaring ito, ramdam na ramdam ng mga Pilipino ang krisis pang-ekonomiya. Mataas na nga ang presyo ng karamihan sa mga bilihin, sasabayan pa ito ng pagkawala ng trabaho, saan na lulugar ang mga Pilipino?

Isang katotohanan na ang perang natatanggap ng mga manggagawang Pilipino ay ang siyang ginagamit nila para matugunan ang pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan - pambili ng pagkain na ipanunustos nila sa kanilang mga pamilya, pampa-aral sa kanilang mga anak at pantugon sa iba pang mga pangangailangan. Kung dati hindi na magkanda-ugaga ang ibang manggagawang Pilipino para pagkasyahin ang maliit nilang kita para tustusan ang pang-araw-araw nilang pangangailangan, paano pa kaya ngayong nawala na ang pinagkakakitaan nila at pataas ng pataas ang presyo ng mga bilihin?

Nakakalungkot isipin na sa ganitong kalagayan ng ating mga kababayan, hindi sapat ang mga hakbang na ginagawa ng gobyerno. Hindi sapat ang panghihikayat nila sa mga negosyante para mamuhunan sa Pilipinas para mabigyan ng trabaho ang mga Pilipinong natanggal sa trabaho. Dagdag pa dito, walang kasiguraduhan na ang hakbang na ito ay makapagbigay talaga ng trabaho sa mga Pilipino.

Sa panahong ito na nahaharap ang buong mundo sa isang krisis pang-ekonomiya, patuloy pa rin tayong aasa na mas magiging pursigido ang gobyerno sa paghahanap ng mga epektibo, at hindi panandalian lamang, na mga solusyon sa mga kaakibat na problema ng krisis tulad ng malawakang pagtatanggal ng manggagawa. [P]

UPLB Perspective10 VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 8 | February 14, 2009

”

“Nakakalungkot

isipin na sa ganitong kalagayan ng ating mga kababayan, hindi sapat ang mga hakbang na ginagawa ng

gobyerno.

11OPINIONUPLB Perspective

VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 8 | February 14, 2009

was to provide logistical and financial support to the students, it should have provided administration staff to be of service in the precincts. Also, it should have considered the fact that the USC-CSC budget is too small to cover the expenses of such kind of a system-wide activity.

In the same way, in the Central Electoral Board (CEB), the college secretaries expressed intention of reducing the number of staff who will assist the elections, as it consumes time that should have been allotted for their respective jobs. They said the students, above anybody else, should be in charge of the elections because it is a student activity.

Assuming this would happen, the students cannot be fully assured of the credibility of elections as before, when there were still a considerable number of administration staff. These staff are needed in upholding the integrity of the election process, for they are non-partisan.

Just like in the CRSRS referendum where the integrity of the process was questioned because of the premature canvassing of the ballots after the first day of voting, the integrity of the elections can be easily questioned in this proposed setup. Instances like this can be avoided in the presence of administration staff. Also, they can help in directly increasing the voter turnout, for the USC-CSCs could

UNDERSCRUTINY

MUMBLINGS t has been a month since I last looked at the sky. It has been a month since I had free time to spend happily for myself without even thinking of what to do next since I don’t have anything to do, and this I missed a lot.

“I’m missing something,” this was the first text message I sent her that day, hoping to start a melancholic conversation that will make her become sweet to me. She asked me why I was feeling that way and I replied “Nothing”. My hope of a melancholic-turned-sweet conversation was lost. I didn’t understand what just happened. Was I really that convincing for her to believe that I’m alright, or was she just too busy hanging out with her friend?

I’m so lost that time because I didn’t understand what I was missing. Maybe it was her I miss, but I just accompanied her to the jeepney station a couple of minutes ago. Maybe I was just envious with her friend, but I was also with my friends just a couple of days ago.

I walked away from her cold-heartedly, and then decided to take a walk for a while to clear up my mind that is still troubled with a longing for something. Soon I reached the lake where my friends

and I used to hang out, where we used to hide and search for solutions to our petty problems. But something is different with the way I stood there. This time, I was alone and it’s already dusk.

The shore of the lake is teeming with vendors desperate to sell all of their products, families hanging out to bond with each other and lovers sharing intimate moments at every

corner. The road around the lake is dark; the houses near the road are the only source of light. There are also parts of the lake that are uninhabited, and no artificial light reaches these places at all. Overwhelmed by the scenery and the atmosphere, I turned off my phone and ventured for a walk around the lake.

***I’ve been alive for 17 years

without even knowing her. So what’s the problem with not being with her for a few moments?

I have been spending almost every day of these past three months with her. Not being unhappy even for a day because I have her with me, but just the thought of losing

her already saddens me. Because of this I thought I became so dependent on her to the point that she’s the only reason for me to be happy.

This is the first time I’ve experienced this, perhaps because she is my first girlfriend (and I’m certain that she’s also the last). She’s the only person who values me more than anyone else, giving me assurance that no matter what happens to me, she is always there to save my day.

The rain poured and together with every drop of it are my tears, which are my only way to tell myself that I’m missing me, myself who was strong enough to face any problems alone; myself who was not courageous enough to risk anything; myself who planned everything ahead so that everything will be in its proper place (at least for me); myself who used to love staying in computer shops and play for hours or until my wallet surrenders; myself who had enough pride to stop my tears from falling and from being torn by problems.

I have walked around the lake, I have been there a few moments ago but there is something different

in the way I stood here now: I rediscovered myself, I knew myself again, I trusted in myself again, and returned the self-respect I have lost a while ago.

Since the start of this year I’ve lost my self, or should I say, turned my back on myself just to have new friends.

I lost myself, almost neglected some parts of me during the process that lasted almost a month yet I managed to bear with it.

***Self-respect is the only way

to distinguish myself from other people. I believe I respect myself more than anybody else. I am who I am and my identity is important. I am unique and there’s only one me existing in this world who will fulfill my duties and responsibilities the way I do.

This reminded me of something I wrote about respect a year ago, and I’m afraid that I would lose this respect myself. Losing this respect is losing almost 18 years of living and growing.

Missing me is equivalent to missing being me, the person whose every friend and every person I knew knew. [P]

”

“I am unique

and there’s only one me existing

in this world who will fulfill

my duties and responsibilities the way I do.

Missing myself*Ooakonga

T he autonomy of student institutions is the most effective weapon of the students in the battle for securing

and fighting for their democratic rights.In the university, there are two student

institutions in service to the students: The UPLB Perspective, the official student publication of UPLB, and the student council, which is composed of student leaders. Such student institutions possess autonomy in the sense that these could decide for themselves and that these should be free from intervention or whims and caprices of the people in the administration.

However, based on the turn of events at the start of this year, the powers of student autonomy seem to deteriorate due to a reversion of its definition. Instead of achieving the most important goal - to advance the interests of the students — students’ autonomy starts to backfire, like a boomerang.

The University Student Council (USC) held a dialogue with Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco regarding the February Fair (FebFair) last Feb. 6. The main agenda is not to ask for approval of the FebFair but rather to only seek assistance, especially financial and logistical support, from the administration. This is so because the fair is a legitimate activity organized by students themselves, and that preventing unwarranted intervention from the administration is an evident expression of the student council’s autonomy.

Velasco pointed out, however, that the USC should have gone to the Vice Chancellors and other administration staff for approval and not, directly, to him, for the sake of proper channeling and abiding by the bureaucratic process. He also implied that he would not intervene in this activity, for the students must be independent of their actions in line with their autonomy.

But is it right to assume that the practice of student autonomy requires no amount of support from the administration?

It seems that the administration’s definition of autonomy is this: a purely student affair that does not need assistance from the administration. This administration’s idea of autonomy is also in the work in the recently held Codified Rules for Student Regent Selection (CRSRS) referendum and election preparations.

In the referendum, for instance, USC Chairperson Charisse Bernadine Bañez said the administration provided an insufficient number of staff to be on guard at polling precincts despite instructions from the Office of the Student Regent addressed to the chancellors of various units to provide logistical and financial assistance. As for the financial aspect, Bañez furthered that the Office of the Chancellor said the budget for the referendum should be extracted from the student council’s budget.

If the administration truly considered their role on the conduct of the referendum, which

focus more on campaigning for higher student participation in the election, while they are the ones in charge of the precincts.

The administration seems to have a point of view far off from what the students have regarding student autonomy. Autonomy is not equivalent to leaving students alone in the process of putting their decision into action. It is granted to them so that they could be independent; it does not give the administration the chance to lay its hands off on their activities,

and on the greatest extent, to provide no support, because doing so equates to their non-recognition of the students’ rights.

The administration has an obligation to ensure that its students become the well-rounded individuals they ought to be. One way that they could have accomplished that obligation is by supporting the activities of

the students. Whenever the administration refuses to support these activities, it is as if they are turning their backs to their obligation of producing individuals who are holistic in nature.

No matter how the student leaders want to serve the students in the best way they could, without needed support from the administration, it would be a hard time for them. And at the end of the day, the victims of this distorted line of thinking regarding student autonomy are still, and will always be the students. [P]

Distorted definitionESTEL LENWIJ ESTROPIA

”

“But is it right to assume that

the practice of student autonomy

requires no amount of

support from the administration?

I

OPINIONVOLUME 35 | ISSUE 8 | February 14, 2009

UPLB Perspective12

EDITORIAL

CHRISTIAN RAY BUENDIA, EDITOR IN CHIEF; AARON JOSEPH ASPI, ASSOCIATE EDITOR; ARJAY GARCIA, MANAGING EDITOR; BEVERLY CHRISTCEL LAGUARTILLA, BUSINESS MANAGER;FAITH ALLYSON BUENACOSA, CULTURE EDITOR; LIBERTY NOTARTE, FEATURES EDITOR; ROGENE GONZALES, NEWS EDITOR; CHINO CARLO ARICAYA, PRODUCTION EDITOR;

NIKKO ANGELO ORIBIANA, YVES CHRISTIAN SUIZA, ESTEL LENWIJ ESTROPIA, KATRINA ELAURIA, RICK JASON OBRERO NEWS; MARK ANGELO ORDONIO, JONELLE MARIN,SAMANTHA ISABEL CORONADO, CULTURE; HARRIET MELANIE ZABALA, BUSINESS; KERVIN GABILO, ELYSSA CLARISSE ROSALES, GRAPHICS;

ALETHEIA GRACE DEL ROSARIO, SALVATORRE DE VINCE OLANO, LAYOUT; KARL SUMINISTRADO, PHOTOS; NIKKO CARINGAL, JULLA TIMAN APPRENTICE;

UPLB PERSPECTIVE IS A MEMBER OF THE COLLEGE EDITORS GUILD OF THE PHILIPPINES AND SOLIDARIDAD - UP SYSTEMWIDE ALLIANCE OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS AND WRITERS ORGANIZATION

Editorial Office: Rm. 11, 2/F Student Union Bldg, UPLB, College, Laguna | e-mail: [email protected] | website: http://uplbperspective0809.deviantart.com

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES LOS BAÑOS

CHRIS

NIKKO

PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVENIVENIVENIVENIVENIVENIVENIVENIVENIVENIVENIVENIVERSITRSITRSITRSITRSITRSITRSITRSITRSITRSITRSITRSITRSITRSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Reliving the rage

”

“ And this is what the administration should fear the most: the studentry realizing the monumental need to relive the rage.

What else can be a more fitting prelude to an event originally conducted as a sign of protest against the injustices of the Martial Law era than students themselves taking to the streets to denounce what they perceive is just a sampling of the repressive policies and moves by the UPLB administration?

Established as a form of protest against the tyrannical rule of then President Ferdinand Marcos, the February Fair has ever since served as an avenue for increasing the awareness of students on issues on the local and the national scenes. At first it was held every September of the month, the same month of the proclamation of Martial Law, but was later on transferred to February.

It pays to know the political and social atmosphere in the country at the heat of the Marcos dictatorship, and the crucial role the FebFair played in uniting not only the UPLB community but more importantly the whole of Southern Tagalog against the forces of oppression. In the era of “white terror” — when attacks on human rights such as enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings abound — UPLB became the center of socio-political consciousness and resistance in the region. While the university was not exempt from these attacks, for student organization were banned and the student council and student publication were closed down, the UPLB community camped out at the grounds of Freedom Park grounds, where discussions on political issues and cultural presentations were held.

Thus the FebFair has at the very onset been a protest fair, and has influenced the political and social development of whole generations of students.

The biggest mobilization in UPLB since the Sept. 15, 2007 Board of Regents meeting where the call was to junk the Tuition and other Fees Increase, the picket-dialogue held last Feb. 9 in front of the Administration building and participated by around 500 students relives the very essence of the FebFair. As a dissenting move against the conditions set by the administration to approve the conduct of the Centennial UPLB FebFair, the picket-dialogue culminated in a

barricade at the UP gate and later in a march towards Freedom Park.

The said picket-dialogue was conducted to pressure the administration to approve the University Student Council’s (USC) request to hold this year’s February Fair. This after the administration has turned down in a dialogue held Feb. 6 a similar request and memorandum of agreement, which were only verbal in nature, because the USC still has to secure approval of lower offices.

But the USC has only followed the procedures taken by previous terms, and this new requirement came as a surprise. This imposed bureaucracy, coupled by the fact that the FebFair is then only three days away, has prodded the USC to call for an emergency Council of Student Leaders meeting last Feb. 8. The approximately 250 students from various organizations present in the CSL meeting resolved to push through with the FebFair, regardless of whether the request of the council will be granted or not.

The picket-dialogue ended with a semi-victory: the request was granted but under certain requirements. One requirement that alarmed the USC was the one stating that food concessionaires

must “pay the necessary fees including the use and consumption of electricity.”

So what is the point, really? Is it just to proceed with the FebFair even under conditions that can compromise not only the fiscal autonomy of the council, but also the essence of the

FebFair as a student activity? If that is the case, if only the council were that easy to appease, the matter would have ended promptly the instant the request was approved. But our student council refuses to consider the approval as the be-all and end-all of the entire affair. Rather, it chooses to go beyond what is convenient,

and seeks to reaffirm the basic principles of student autonomy and the struggle for our democratic rights that the FebFair epitomizes.

And so the triumph does not lie in the approval of the FebFair; in fact, the studentry has already clinched victory the instant they decided to take the

matter into their hands to reclaim what is rightfully theirs. In ways more than one, the 500 voices that united and chanted “UPLB Febfair, ituloy, ituloy, ipaglaban!” were not chanting just for the approval of the FebFair. Most importantly, these students were chanting against the repressive policies and actions the UPLB administration has implemented — from the eviction of tambayans to the passing of the 300 percent hike in tuition.

One thing is certain: UPLB students are evolving into politically-conscientious individuals, and one cannot conclude the non-approval of the FebFair as the sole cause of the protest of these furious and warm myriad of students. When the repression and the present administration become almost interchangeable, neutrality and gray areas succumb to mere bureaucratic procedures and adhere to the interests of the administration can never be options.

At the time that the powers-that-

be try to crumble all students’ hard-earned democratic rights, always expect a human barricade ready to not only scribble, but deeply carve to the pages of history another political storm.

And this is what the administration should fear the most: the studentry realizing the monumental need to relive the rage. [P]

CHINO CARLO ARICAYA