Philippine Collegian Tomo 90 Issue 19

Opisyal na lingguhang pahayagan ng mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas - Diliman

Tomo 90, Blg. 19Disyembre 6, 2012

Private transactionsA TRAIL OF UNFULFILLED PROMISES,

A NEW WAVE OF COMMERCIAL INTERESTS

A NEW THREAT AGAINST THE PEOPLE

Lathalain

OPINYON

Huwebes6 Disyembre

2012

a lame show of instituting hollow reforms.

Aquino’s duty is not to merely create new “superbodies” that offer much hype but little hope for justice against human rights abuses. Instead, he should address the country’s dismal record at prosecuting HRV cases. In the past decade, only seven cases out of thousands of human rights violations were successfully prosecuted by the government, according to the 2012 Human Rights Watch world report.

While the struggle for justice remains as doomed as it was in the hands of his predecessor, Aquino continues to offer nothing but mock reforms and cheap publicity stunts. And the people are no longer amused.

The masses are clamoring for the rights that the state has systematically deprived, and they will not give up without a fight.

Punong Patnugot

Kapatnugot

Patnugot sa Balita

Patnugot sa Lathalain

Patnugot sa Grapix

Mga Kawani

Tagapamahala ng Sirkulasyon

Sirkulasyon

When a rational thinking community where right is might metamorphose into a jungle of barbarism where might is right, something is the matter with the students’ upbringing.

A GRIM JOKE

Mga Katuwang na Kawani

Pinansya

Editor’s Notes

As the Philippine Collegian celebrates its 90th year, we revisit lines from prized editorials that helped define the publication’s tradition of critical and fearless journalism.

Pamuhatan Silid 401 Bulwagang Vinzons, Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Diliman, Lungsod QuezonTelefax 981-8500 lokal 4522Email [email protected] philippinecollegian.orgKasapi Solidaridad: UP Systemwide Alliance of Student Publications and Writers’ Organizations, College Editors Guild of the Philippines

Ukol sa Pabalat Dibuho ni Marianne Riosat Chris Martin Imperial

VIOLENCE IN THE CAMPUSOn the pervading hooliganism and violence among UP studentsLeonardo A. Quisimbing8 January 1958

PRESIDENT BENIGNO AQUINO III has a peculiar sense of humor.

On the eve of the anniversary of the Maguindanao Massacre – which has been dubbed as the sin-gle deadliest event for journalists in history and has remained unresolved by the courts for two long years – Aquino issued Administrative Order 53, creating a new “superbody” tasked to investigate and prosecute cases of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in the country.

With the International Human Rights Day barely a few days ahead, it would be easy to dismiss the creation of this new committee as another shamelessly calculated publicity stunt, but the suspicious details of the inter-agency effort ultimately reveal the chilling punch line behind Aquino’s bad joke.

Chaired by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, the new “superbody” offers little hope for much-needed reform in the justice system. Indeed, many of the powers vested in this new committee are functions which already exist, and are supposedly exercised, by the Department of Justice and the Commission on Human Rights. Creating another human rights body then becomes nothing but a cruel prank, as it merely adds a new layer of bureaucracy for those seeking justice against human rights violations (HRVs).

Deputy Spokesperson Abigail Valte provides perhaps the clearest perspective as to what the superbody truly intends to accomplish. She said the new committee shall handle human rights cases under former President Gloria Arroyo because “it’s easier to prove these incidents [due] to the time proximity.” Never mind that, under Aquino’s watch, there are also 114 human rights violations recorded by human rights group Karapatan since 2010.

To add insult to injury, the new committee will be composed of government officials whose agencies are accused of perpetrating the very same human rights violations the superbody itself presumes to resolve. Together with the Defense Secretary, the AFP Chief-of-Staff, and the PNP Chief will also sit as regular members of the committee.

No less than the United Nations and previous fact-finding commissions have conceded that many of the HRVs in the country are state-perpetrated. In fact, military officials themselves are the prime suspects in many human rights abuses, including the case of UP students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan, who were abducted by elements of the military and have remained missing since 2006.

Rather than be perturbed by the facts, the government chooses instead to be complicit with those suspected of perpetuating violence against the people. On December 2, Brig. Gen. Eduardo M. Año – one of the primary suspects in the abduction of farmer-activist Jonas Burgos in 2007 – was even promoted as the new chief of the Intelligence Service of the AFP.

The appointment of the military in the new committee can therefore only obstruct any genuine efforts towards delivering justice to human rights victims. Moreover, this move may even strengthen of the administration’s counter -insurgency program, Oplan Bayanihan. With the military now authorized to exercise discretion in identifying which cases are considered as HRVs, the superbody further provides state agents the authority to summarily execute, detain, or legally prosecute anyone they suspect as “threats to national security.”

If Aquino is serious on imple-menting genuine reforms in the human rights situation in the country, he must begin by ending the very conditions which breed and sustain the culture of violence and impunity that has claimed so many lives throughout the years, rather than merely putting up

BALITA

Huwebes 06 Disyembre 2012

UP Manila (UPM) stUdents who have not yet paid tuition were finally allowed to attend classes after the UPM administration agreed to lift a memorandum which barred the said students from attending their enlisted classes this semester.

in a dialogue on november 27, the administration eventually allowed late tuition payment for about 50 students who had not paid tuition before the extended deadline on november 23 and allowed them to be admitted in their classes in the meantime.

some of the said students were also advised to apply for loans at financial assistance programs which provide loans even to those who have unpaid accounts at the UPM student loan Board (slB).

these programs include the development Foundation tuition assistance Program and the student’s emergency loan Fund, which offer maximum loan amounts of P25,000 and P10,000 per semester, respectively.

these assistance programs, however, do not address the problem of the high cost of UP tuition, because these only provide loans which students still need to pay before the end of the school year, said UPM College of arts and sciences student Council Chair Maryliz Zubiri.

‘No late paymeNt’the UPM administration

originally released a memorandum on October 23, which barred students who have not paid their tuition from being admitted to their classes, forcing some students to apply instead for a leave of absence (lOa), said student Regent Cleve arguelles.

students who did not pay tuition on time and did not file for lOa shall be automatically considered on absence without leave and would need to fulfill readmission requirements, according to university rules.

in a letter dated October 30, arguelles requested that students be allowed to pay tuition beyond the original

november 16 deadline. the administration, however, only extended the deadline to november 23 and did not allow promissory notes.

the memorandum was a “double oppressor” since students who could not afford the high tuition rates in UP are forced to pay within an unreasonably short period of time, said Zubiri.

‘No promissory Notes

for loaNs’ Meanwhile, in UP los Baños

(UPlB), the administration refused to accept promissory notes for unpaid tuition loans from students, thus requiring students to settle their existing loans before being able to enroll this semester.

in a letter to arguelles on november 17, UPlB Chancellor Rex Cruz refused to grant the sR’s request to allow students to submit promissory notes for their unpaid loans, because the amount of unpaid tuition loans in the UPlB slB has already reached P10 million in the last forty years.

though the payment deadline was eventually extended until november 27, the ban on promissory notes remained in effect and students tagged as ineligible to enroll because of unpaid loans had to apply for lOa instead, said

UPlB UsC Chair Ynik ante.these stricter measures on

tuition payment reflect the university’s increasing reliance on revenue collected from students rather than on government subsidy, said arguelles.

For this year, the department of Budget and Management projects the total income of UP from the collection of tuition and other fees at P471 million, ten percent higher than the university’s actual tuition revenue of P428 million in 2011, according to the dBM’s 2013 Budget of expenditures and sources of Financing.

UP’s tuition policies are a tool for realizing the goals of President Benigo aquino iii’s Roadmap for Public Higher education Reform (RPHeR), said Zubiri. Under RPHeR, the Commission on Higher education expects the country’s leading state universities and colleges to cut down their reliance on state subsidy from the current 70 percent to 50 percent by 2016.

“[this can only predict] the intensified commercialization of education and the university’s [loss of] public character [under RPHeR],” said Zubiri.

UPM admin lifts ‘no late payment’ policy

SUPREMO. Bilang bahagi ng pagdiriwang ng ika-149 taong kaarawan ni Andres Bonifacio, sinunog ang effigy ni Noynoy Aquino sa Mendiola noong Nobyembre 30. (top) Nagmartsa ang iba’t-ibang sektor ng lipunan mula Liwasang Bonifacio patungong US Embassy bago tumulak sa Mendiola. Kinondena ng grupo ang mga kontra-mamamayang palisiyang ipinapatupad ng administrasyong Aquino.(bottom)

DevelopmeNt of Up’s laNDs iN the sierra maDretHe BOaRd OF Regents (BOR), UP’s highest policy making body, approved the proposal to develop and manage the university’s 9,084-hectare property in the southern part of the sierra Madre Mountain Range. the project will be under a lease agreement with a private contractor that will be selected through public bidding.

Under the “sustainable Management and development Plan for the UP sierra Madre land grants land Use Plan,” the sierra Madre property is expected to become an ecological reservoir, ecotourist spot, learning laboratory for students and faculty, and an “enduring source of university revenues.”

student Regent Cleve arguelles, however, opposed the project, as it would further discourage the government from subsidizing the financial needs of the university. there are also indigenous lumad communities currently residing in the said area and the new project will force them out of their ancestral domain, he added.

New fees iN UpD College

of mUsiCthe BOR, meanwhile, also

approved to increase the graduate school tuition in the UP diliman (UPd) College of Music, from P500 per unit to P1,000 per unit, effective next semester. new laboratory fees have also been approved by the board: P200 per unit for graduate students and P200 to P300 per unit for undergraduates.

arguelles voted against the proposed fees, saying the student consultation held by the administration in 2011 did not include a comprehensive discussion of the justifications and implementing guidelines of the proposed fee. incoming fourth year students next semester should be involved in a new series of consultations with the student body, he added.

oN BoarD Reports from the December 2 BOR meeting

Continued to page 4

COMEBACK. UP Volleybelle Aia del Mundo blocks Sarina Bulan’s spike during the first UAAP women’s volleyball match at the FilOil Flying V Arena on December 2. The Lady Maroons battled neck and neck against the UE Lady Warriors finishing with a 3-2 victory. This is the first time the Maroons won after a winless season last year.

All 300 students of the uP Manila (uPM) College of dentistry (uPCd) last semester had to buy several dental materials already covered by fees they paid during enrolment in June, after the uPCd administration failed to find a new private contractor for the said supplies.

uPCd students each pay P2500 every semester for laboratory fees which cover materials and equipment needed for academically required dental operations, such as 10 extractions, one root canal, and one denture, said uPCd dean and Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) Chair Vicente Medina.

Making dentures require several materials that total up to P1400, such as alginate, wax, and plaster. Root canals, meanwhile, require dental shade, the cream used to fill tooth cavities. only six out of 14 shades are available in limited supply in uPCd and each two-inch tube costs P5000.

however, because no private company had placed a bid to become the uPCd’s supplier of dental materials by the start of classes in June, uPCd students spent about P5000 each to purchase materials for the entire semester, according to reports from the uPCd student Council (uPCdsC).

though uPCd students are willing to share materials among themselves, some supplies may not be shared because they require intimate contact with patients. uPCd students had to use leftover materials from their professors and classmates and spend their own money to buy

personal ones, said uPCdsC Chair Rose umayam.

At a general meeting during the first week of classes in June, Medina requested uPCd students to purchase their own materials for the meantime and assured them they would be reimbursed “in kind” before the school year ends.

In accordance to Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA), the uPCd BAC called for bids as early as January, but not a single company placed a bid to supply the said needed materials until the third bidding during the middle of the semester.

uPCd finalized the deal with new Citizens dental supply only in July and expects the delivery of most of the missing supplies in december, Medina explained in an interview with the Collegian.

Implemented in 2003, the GPRA requires any government institution, including uPCd, to conduct a bidding process for the procurement of products or services worth P50,000 and above. the process includes a minimum 30-day waiting period for at least three bidders, and a two-week-long bid evaluation process.

GPRA demands a long process for transactions between government and private institutions, discouraging prospective suppliers of dentistry materials to transact with uPCd, said Medina. “[A]yaw na nila makipagtransact pa, kaya nagkulang ang materials namin,” he explained.

some dental companies are also discouraged by delays in payment, which may take one

UPM dentistry students forced to buy own dental materials

New UP officialsthe BoR also approved the

appointment or election of several uP officials, including:1. dr. lourdes Abadingo as incoming faculty Regent 2. dr. Grace Alfonso as Chancellor of uP open university 3. dr. Jose Gonzales as Philippine General hospital director4. Atty. liza d. Coro as dean of uP Cebu

New admissioNs formUla the BoR also approved an

updated formula for the uni-versity Predicted Grade (uPG) of uP College Admission test (uPCAt) takers across all con-stituent and regional units, ef-fective next academic year.

the new uPG formula adopts the uP Admission Index, which assigns equal weights of 15 percent each for the four components of the uPCAt: language Proficiency (lP), Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, and science. the remaining 40 percent is derived from the high school weighted average (hsWA).

the current admissions for-mula assigns varying percent-age shares for each four com-ponents, with lP getting the highest at around 33.5 percent and science getting the lowest at around 2 percent.

the new formula also revises the current scheme for assign-ing degree programs to uPCAt qualifiers, which uses various “courses predictors.” two of these predictors, namely the Biological science Predicted Grade and the Physical sci-ence Predicted Grade, will be merged into a single predictor, the science Predicted Grade.

to two months beyond the agreed date of payment, while other companies are simply not interested in placing a bid because they find the uPCd’s asking price too low, Medina added.

uPCd students have agreed to this arrangement, as they can still use the “reimbursed” supplies this semester, said umayam. “that’s fine with us, we just hope that these materials arrive on time, dahil baka grumaduate kami bago dumating [ang mga] ‘yun,” she added.

Meanwhile, the uPCd administration said it has taken note of all expenses incurred by students for lab materials, and will replace said materials in kind once the supplier delivers the products, said Medina.

tWo-yeAR defendInG champions uP fighting Maroons battered the university of the east (ue) Warriors, 1-0, during their first football game on december 5 in the 75th season of the university Athletic Association of the Philippines.

the first half of the game was a frenzied sprint to and fro the opposite sides of the Ateneo erenchun field. In the 42nd minute, Maroons’ Gerardo Valmayor and rookie Vincent Aguilar teamed up to power through the Warriors’ defense

and clinch uP’s lone goal. By the second half, the ue

Warriors tightened their defense but were out of breath in stealing the ball away from the uP Booters. the Maroons then launched a heroic offense but failed to score a second goal.

the Maroons, however, managed to keep their lead, though the state u team missed at least two chances for an open shot. In the 70th minute, Warriors goalie lendon Clores left the ue goalpost open, but Maroons’ Gabriel Mendoza

delivered a kick which sent the ball just a thread away from the goalpost.

“When we started putting in [substitute] players [in the second half], medyo na-disrupt yung flow ng attack. there were attempts [from uP] but [these] were [just] counter-attacks,” said uP football coach Andres Gonzales.

football follows a point system where a win is equal to three points, a draw is one point and a loss is zero. last year, the uP Booters valiantly defended their championship title, scoring

a total of 20 points with five wins and five draws.

five members of the last year’s first roster had already graduated and left the team, pulling up three rookies into the starting list this year. Meanwhile, uP goalie tyrone Caballes and five others are on their last playing year this season.

the uP Maroons will be up against last year’s third placer far eastern university tamaraws on december 9, 10 AM, at the Ateneo erenchun field.

UP Booters clinch first win from Ue warriors, 1-0

ON BOARD

frompage 3

BALITA

Huwebes06 Disyembre

2012

BALITA

Huwebes 06 Disyembre 2012

Mahigit 400 paMilya sa dalawang komunidad sa loob ng Up Diliman (UpD) campus ang nakaambang mawalan ng tirahan sa tinatayang pinakamalawakang demolisyon sa kasaysayan ng Up na nakatakdang simulan sa Marso ng susunod na taon.

Balak patayuan ng pabahay para sa 236 empleyado ng UpD ang kasalukuyang kinatatayuan ng mga komunidad sa Village C, na katabi ng College of Fine arts, at Blocks 1 to 3 na nasa kahabaan ng C. p. garcia avenue, sa likod ng hardin ng Doña aurora.

sisimulan na ngayong linggo ang bidding para sa pribadong kontraktor na magpapatayo ng nasabing pabahay na bubuuin ng apat na gusaling may tig-apat na palapag, ayon kay Vice Chancellor for Community affairs Melania abad-Flores.

Naglaan ang Commission on higher Education ng p198 milyong pondo para sa nasabing proyekto na inaasahang matatapos sa 2014.

Bagaman suportado ng mga residente ng dalawang komunidad ang proyektong pabahay para sa mga kawani ng Up, tutol naman sila sa nakaambang demolisyon dahil walang tiyak na relokasyong ilalaan para sa kanila, ani Rolando Racuya, pangulo ng C. p. garcia Neighborhood association incorporation (CpgNai).

ika-2 ng Oktubre nang unang magharap sa isang pulong ang CpgNai at ang administrasyon ng UpD, kung saan ipinaalam ni Flores sa mga residente ang proyektong pabahay. sa Village C at Block 3 umano ipatatayo ang mga gusali ng pabahay, habang gagawin namang parking lot ang lupang kinatitirikan ng Block 1 at 2, ani Racuya.

sa isang dayalogo noong Nobyembre 26, naghapag ng tatlong opsyon ang CpgNai at Village C homeowners association (VCha) hinggil sa panukalang pabahay.

400 pamilya sa 2 komunidad sa UP, nakaambang mapaalis

ON TRACK. Workers assemble the foundation of the 465-meter test track on what will be the UP Diliman - Automated Guideway Transit System (UP-AGTS) that runs along the parts of C.P Garcia Avenue up to the vicinity of the College of Fine Arts. Launch of the project will take place this December, and if proven successful, will move on to the second phase where the track will be expanded into 13 stations surrounding the campus.

Unang mungkahi ng mga residente na sa ibang lokasyon na lamang ipatayo ang pabahay upang hindi sila mawalan ng tirahan at kabuhayan. Wala umano silang kakayahang bumili o umupa ng bagong bahay, at nag-aaral naman sa Brgy. san Vicente at Krus na ligas ang karamihan sa kanilang mga anak.

ikalawang mungkahi naman ang pansamantalang paglikas ng mga pamilya sa Village C at Block 3, patungong Block 1 at 2, upang magbigay daan sa unang bahagi ng proyekto.

Malaki naman ang posibilidad na magkasundo ang administrasyon at mga residente sa ikatlong mungkahi ng CpgNai at VCha, kung saan pagkakalooban ang mga residente ng relokasyon sa loob ng campus na may serbisyong tubig at kuryente.

gayunman, limitado ang mga lupang maaaring ilaan ng Up para sa relokasyon, ani Flores. sa kasalukuyan, balak umano ng administrasyon na gamitin ang ilang bakanteng lupa ng Up para gawing parking lot ng mga dormitoryo, at tayuan ng mga bagong gusaling pang-akademiko.

samantala, pag-aaralan pa umano kung maaaring upahan ng mga residente ng Village C at C. p. garcia ang bakanteng lupa sa gitna ng pook libis at pook amorsolo, bagaman tanging mga kasalukuyang may-ari lamang ng mga bahay sa dalawang apektadong komunidad ang maaaring mapagkalooban ng relokasyon.

Dapat umanong tiyakin na sa loob pa rin ng campus ang relokasyon, ayon kay UpD University student Council Community Rights and Welfare Committee head Mark Joseph tagala. “Magulo kung ililipat sila sa ibang lugar, dahil dito sa [Up] na nila nakukuha ang [kanilang] ka-buhayan, trabaho, [at] edukasyon,” paliwanag niya.

UPM Polsci prof is next faculty regentprofessor Roland simbulan

received the second highest number of votes, with 672 votes or 32.11 percent. Dr. generoso abes garnered 240 votes, or 11.47 percent, while Dr. Marilou Nicolas received 230 votes, or 10.99 percent.

in a text message to the Collegian, abadingo said she will meet with outgoing FR ida Dalmacio to discuss issues that need immediate attention. “Una ‘yung pagbabalik sa dating schedule ng BOR meeting na minsan sa isang buwan,” she said.

abadingo served as secretary of the University and of the BOR from 2005 to 2011 and has been in service as faculty in Up for more than 39 years.

the BOR has decided to meet only once in every two months since its september meeting to allow longer time for regents to study the items in the agenda before the actual meeting.

in her action plan as FR nominee, abadingo said she will focus on

proposing new policies related to the review of incentives for the university’s 3,544 academic employees, such as salary increases and promotions.

abadingo also vows to jumpstart several projects during the first months of her term, such as dialogues and consultations with the all-Up academic Union and the launching of a new website for the Office of the FR.

the incoming FR, however, must ensure stronger and faster response to issues raised in different units, said all-Up academic Employees Union – UpM president guillie panisales. “sa pag-iikot namin sa mga campuses, [nalaman namin na] matagal ang mga desisyon sa mga cases [katulad ng delayed] promotions and tenure. Dapat [bilang] FR, may time siya [para doon].”

Up MaNila (UpM) pOlitiCal science professor lourdes abadingo will sit as the next lone faculty representative to the Board of Regents, the highest decision-making body of the university, after garnering the highest number of votes at the recent Faculty Regent (FR) elections held on November 19 to 22.

garnering 883 votes, or 42.19 percent of the total 2093 valid votes counted, abadingo was confirmed by the BOR in its regular meeting on December 4 and will assume her post in June.

With the current FR, Dr. ida Dalmacio, hailing from Up los Baños, Up president alfredo pascual issued a memorandum on October 5, which states that the next FR must come from Up Manila. this year’s selection process was based on the 2010 rules, which stipulate that the elected FR must come from different constituent universities on a rotating basis.

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ete

Ros

ales

Sag

a.

This

lit

erar

y ch

apel

ch

oose

s it

s la

ity;

th

e w

orsh

ip se

rvic

e is o

nly

for t

hose

belo

ngin

g to

the s

ame

liter

ary

relig

ion,

sha

ring

the

sam

e ar

tist

ic c

reed

. V

isit

ors

of

the

shop

ar

e m

ostl

y st

uden

ts

and

prof

esso

rs o

f lit

erat

ure,

art

ists

, an

d w

rite

rs. E

ven

fore

ign

liter

ary

fait

hful

floc

k in

to t

he b

ook

shop

. R

arel

y do

typ

ical

cit

izen

s w

alk

in t

he s

hop

to

brow

se

the

colle

ctio

n.

Boo

k pr

ices

ra

nge

from

ar

ound

150

to

3000

pes

os, w

hen

just

a f

ew s

tree

ts

away

sev

eral

sec

ond

hand

boo

ksto

res

abou

nd. J

ose’

s or

igin

al v

isio

n of

the

sho

p ho

wev

er w

as a

n et

erna

l fl

ouri

sh o

f lit

erat

ure

for

a co

untr

y th

at is

con

stan

tly

sear

chin

g fo

r it

s lit

erar

y an

d cu

ltur

al id

enti

ty. J

ose’

s lit

erar

y sh

rine

is

lo

cate

d in

a

spac

e w

here

in

cont

rast

ing

real

itie

s co

-exi

st: t

he p

over

ty a

nd t

he

gent

rific

atio

n of

Man

ila.

It ha

s no

t be

en

a pa

rt

of

the

mas

ses’

nove

na

to

pick

up

a

Pala

nca

anth

olog

y or

a

hard

boun

d To

lsto

y no

vel.

This

ex

clus

ivity

m

akes

th

e sa

cred

sp

aces

of t

he li

ttle

boo

k sh

op s

eem

muc

h sm

alle

r—ev

en

unw

elco

min

gly

cram

med

—as

w

rite

rs

mak

e th

eir

oblig

ator

y pi

lgri

mag

e to

this

hal

low

ed g

roun

d of

Phi

lip-

pine

lite

ratu

re.

*apo

logi

es to

Joh

n B

unya

n

NAK

AKA-

TUR

N O

N A

NG

AM

OY

NG

MG

A B

AGO

NG

LIB

RO

.Tu

win

g pa

paso

k ak

o sa

N

atio

nal

Boo

ksto

re

(NB

S),

Fully

B

ooke

d,

o Po

wer

B

ooks

, un

a ko

ng

naaa

moy

an

g na

kaka

adik

na

ha

limuy

ak

ng

pape

l, tin

ta,

at

plas

-tik

. N

akab

ubus

og s

a m

ga m

ata

ang

mga

pah

ina

ng l

i-br

o ni

na B

ob O

ng, S

teph

en K

ing,

Paul

o Co

elho

, Suz

anne

Co

llins

, G

eorg

e R

R

Mar

tin,

at

Nic

hola

s Sp

arks

. U

pang

hi

git

na m

alig

ayah

an, b

inub

ukla

t ko

rin

ang

mga

mag

asin

sa

gili

d.M

alib

an s

a na

kalil

ibog

na

amoy

ng

pape

l, na

kaaa

kit

din

ang

pina

tutu

gtog

na

feel

goo

d m

usic

sa

palig

id,

ang

mal

amig

na

ambi

ance

ng

luga

r, at

ang

hal

ina

ng

mal

amla

m n

a liw

anag

. Pum

ipin

tig

ang

akin

g di

bdib

sa

tuw

ing

napa

lilib

utan

ako

ng

napa

kara

min

g lib

ro,

seny

as n

a ka

ilang

ang

mag

para

os u

lit s

a m

undo

ng

imah

inas

yon

at m

ga s

alit

a.

San

ay

nang

m

anuk

so

ang

mga

bo

okst

ore

na

nagp

apah

iwat

ig n

g is

ang

hind

i in

aasa

hang

kal

igay

a-ha

n. S

a ka

says

ayan

, pu

nlay

ang

mga

boo

ksto

re n

g pr

opes

yuna

l na

m

iddl

e-cl

ass

sa

Kan

lura

n na

si

yang

nag

papa

nati

li sa

wal

ang

tigi

l na

pag

bent

a at

pa

gkon

sum

o ng

mga

libr

o.H

aban

g na

glili

bot

sa

loob

, na

suly

apan

ko

an

g ba

hid

ng d

ayuh

ang

kais

ipan

sa

napa

kara

min

g im

port

-ed

na

libro

. Sa

daga

t ng

mga

titu

long

ito

nalu

luno

d an

g pa

niti

kang

P

ilipi

no.

Pin

atut

uyan

ni

tong

hi

ndi

pa

mal

ay an

g buo

ng ba

nsa s

a kah

alag

ahan

ng l

ibro

, ani

Pro

f. R

olan

d To

lent

ino,

eks

pert

o sa

kul

tura

ng p

opul

ar.

Nas

alub

ong

ko a

ng m

ga fa

n at

gee

k na

sab

ik s

a tu

kso

ng m

ga h

igh

end

na b

ests

elle

r. B

ibih

ira

sa k

anila

ang

tu

mat

amba

y sa

gaw

i ng

book

stor

e ku

ng s

aan

naro

on

ang

mga

tex

tboo

k, n

a si

ya n

aman

g m

adal

as,

kung

hi

ndi

man

tan

ging

nab

abas

a ng

mga

est

udya

nte

sa

pam

publ

ikon

g pa

aral

an.

Maa

lindo

g an

g hu

bog

ng b

awat

pas

ikot

-sik

ot n

g m

ga b

ooks

tore

. Mat

agum

pay

nito

ng n

aaki

t an

g ak

ing

diw

a na

lum

uson

g sa

kam

anda

g ng

kar

gada

nila

ng

best

selle

r. S

inis

igur

o ng

esp

asyo

ng it

o na

mab

igya

n ng

pa

nand

alia

ng a

liw a

ng m

ga tu

lad

kong

tiga

ng s

a am

oy

ng b

agon

g lib

ro.

Ngu

nit

sa t

uwin

g m

agpi

pigi

l ak

o,

nana

naig

pa

rin

ang

taw

ag n

g ak

ing

lam

an.

Hin

di

ko

nam

amal

ayan

g ko

ntro

lado

na

ak

o ng

es

pasy

ong

naka

lilib

og a

ng a

rom

a. N

asas

anay

na

akon

g bu

mili

at

mag

-ini

t an

g ka

lam

nan

sa m

ga b

agon

g ha

rdbo

und

na li

bro.

Kah

it m

an s

inas

aid

nito

ang

aki

ng

buls

a at

pan

ahon

, hin

di k

o pa

gsas

awaa

ng p

agna

saha

n an

g m

ga b

agay

na

ito.

H

inih

ipo

ko a

ng im

ahin

asyo

n sa

pag

baba

sa n

g m

ga

bago

ng b

iling

lib

ro k

aula

yaw

ang

kap

e ng

Sta

rbuc

ks.

Unt

i-un

ti k

ong

nara

ram

dam

an a

ng m

aini

t na

diw

ang

inte

lekt

wal

sa

labi

s na

pag

tata

lik n

g am

oy n

g ka

pe a

t lib

ro s

a tu

win

g tu

mat

amba

y ak

o sa

Ful

ly B

ooke

d sa

B

onif

acio

Hig

h S

tree

t, o

sa E

DS

A S

hang

ri-l

a H

otel

. Su

balit

ka

kabi

t ng

lib

og

kong

bu

mili

ng

m

ga

li-br

o an

g m

arka

ng

isan

g an

gat

na i

ntel

ektw

al s

a lip

u-na

n na

hiw

alay

sa

kala

khan

ng

mga

Pili

pino

ng w

alan

g sa

rilin

g ku

ltura

sa

pagb

abas

a ng

lib

ro o

pag

-iin

om n

g ka

pe. S

a tu

win

g tin

utuk

so a

ko n

g m

ga b

ooks

tore

, hin

di k

o m

apig

ilang

m

agla

way

, su

mab

og,

at

mag

para

os

ng

akin

g iti

nata

gong

pa

gnan

asa

sa

mga

ba

gong

lib

ro.

Lagi

ng

nang

anga

ti an

g ak

ing

mga

bu

lsa,

mab

ili

lam

ang

ang

mga

ba

gong

lib

ro

at

mat

ikm

an

ang

mat

atam

is n

a ka

peng

mag

dada

la s

a ak

in t

ungo

sa

ruro

k ng

kal

igay

ahan

.

MU

LA

SA

MA

LAYO

, SA

G

ITN

A N

G

LUPO

N

NG

m

ga

tom

ador

at

ra

kist

a, hi

ndi

mo

iisip

ing

may

m

alili

gaw

na

tinda

han

ng m

ga li

bro.

Tan

aw a

ng g

raffi

ti at

do

odle

s sa

mga

din

gdin

g ni

to,

mas

muk

ha p

a ito

ng

tatt

oo

parl

or

o m

usic

ba

r ke

sa

laga

kan

ng

mga

m

uran

g lib

ro

at

nove

lty

item

s. N

guni

t sa

B

ooka

y-U

kay

Libr

uhan

, “ku

ng s

aan

mal

aya

kang

mag

ing

ikaw

,” til

a na

basa

g na

ng

a an

g la

hat

ng

kum

bens

yon

ng

isan

g bo

okst

ore.

Sim

ula

noon

g 20

08,

sa

pagb

ubuk

as

ng

libru

-ha

n sa

Mag

inha

wa

Str

eet,

Teac

her’s

Vill

age,

nag

ing

pabo

rito

na

it

ong

tam

baya

n ng

m

ga

estu

dyan

-te

ng n

agha

hana

p ng

mur

a at

kak

aiba

ng m

ga l

ibro

—m

ula

sa m

ga l

uman

g ak

da n

i W

illia

m S

hake

spea

re,

mga

bag

ong

nobe

la n

i H

aruk

i M

urak

ami,

pati

na

tala

mbu

hay

ng

mga

si

kat

na

mus

iker

o tu

lad

ni B

ob D

ylan

. M

as m

ura

ang

mga

lib

ro s

a B

ooka

y-U

kay

dahi

l se

gund

a m

ano

ang

mga

ito

. Ang

mga

may

-ari

nit

o,

kabi

lang

na

sina

Dan

Gaf

fud

at J

. Lun

a, n

agha

hana

p pa

ng

mga

lum

ang

libro

sa

mga

lug

ar n

a m

ahir

ap

mar

atin

g ng

kar

aniw

ang

mam

imili

—sa

Qui

apo,

sa

Rec

to, a

t pa

ti n

a sa

mga

tag

ong

esta

nte

sa B

ooks

ale.

H

indi

na

bago

sa

Pili

pina

s an

g pa

gbeb

enta

ng

mga

se

gund

a m

anon

g lib

ro. M

atag

al n

a ri

ng t

inat

angk

ilik

ng m

ga P

ilipi

no a

ng B

ooks

ale,

isan

g bo

okst

ore

chai

n na

nag

bebe

nta

ng m

ga s

egun

da m

anon

g lib

ro n

a ga

ling

pang

E

stad

os

Uni

dos,

C

anad

a,

Aus

tral

ia

at B

rita

nya.

S

a ka

bila

ng

pagk

akah

anay

ayo

n sa

mga

gen

re,

kapa

nsin

-pan

sin

pa r

in a

ng k

alat

na

pagk

akap

aton

g-pa

tong

ng

mga

lib

ro n

a du

lot

na r

in n

g w

alan

g-

hum

pay

na

pagh

ahan

ap

ng

mga

pa

tron

. N

akad

adag

dag

ito

sa d

anas

ng

pam

imili

, na

tila

na

ghah

anap

ka

ng i

sang

nat

atan

ging

kay

aman

an s

a ka

bund

ukan

ng

mga

libr

o.B

agam

a’t

pare

hong

ti

ndah

an

ng

mga

se

gund

a m

anon

g lib

ro, m

ay m

alak

ing

pagk

akai

ba a

ng

dala

wa.

Sa

mal

iwan

ag a

t ka

hali-

halin

ang

hits

ura

ng

kani

lang

mga

tin

daha

n sa

loob

ng

mal

l, ti

la la

yon

ng

Boo

ksal

e na

mak

aben

ta la

man

g ng

mar

amin

g lib

ro s

a m

asa.

Ang

Boo

kay-

Uka

y, b

agam

a’t m

ay p

angu

nahi

ng

tuon

sa

pagb

eben

ta, a

y na

gsis

ilbi

ring

tag

puan

ng

isan

g ko

mun

idad

. H

igit

pa

sa

pagb

ili

ng

libro

, di

nada

yo

rin

ang

Boo

kay-

Uka

y da

hil

nagi

ng

sent

ral

na

espa

syo

na

ito

para

sa

is

ang

part

ikul

ar

na

grup

o ng

m

ga

estu

dyan

te a

t in

tele

ktw

al. B

ukod

sa

pagb

eben

ta n

g m

ga

segu

nda

man

ong

libro

, mat

atag

puan

din

dito

ang

mga

na

tata

ngin

g ak

da

at

prod

ukto

ng

gaw

a ng

m

ga

patr

on n

ito.

Isa

iton

g ha

limba

wa

ng

espa

syon

g na

gsim

ula

sa p

agbe

bent

a ng

unit

nak

akap

ag-a

mba

g sa

pa

mpu

blik

ong

kara

kter

ng

isan

g lu

gar.

Hin

di i

to

kaib

a sa

mga

sec

ondh

and

book

stor

es s

a N

ew Y

ork

na

nags

isilb

i ri

ng t

agpu

an n

g m

ga m

anun

ulat

, art

ista

, at

mam

baba

sa s

a ka

nila

ng k

omun

idad

. N

amam

ayag

pag

ang

mga

esp

asyo

ng it

o ng

wal

ang

hini

hing

ing

kapa

lit s

a pu

blik

o ku

ndi

ang

min

san-

ang

pagd

alaw

, pan

aka-

naka

ng p

agti

ngin

sa

kani

lang

se

leks

yon,

at,

kung

kay

a na

man

ng

buls

a, p

agbi

li at

pa

gtan

gkili

k sa

kan

ilang

mga

libr

o.

Hig

it p

a sa

mga

libr

o, n

ahah

asa

at n

ahuh

ulm

a an

g ka

alam

an s

a m

ga e

spas

yong

nag

papa

laga

nap

nito

. S

a pa

mam

ayag

pag

ng m

ga s

egun

da m

anon

g lib

ru-

han,

nai

papa

kita

na

hind

i lam

ang

naip

apam

ahag

i ang

lib

ro s

a m

uran

g ha

laga

, kun

di n

aipa

para

mda

m d

in

ang

kom

yuna

l na

dan

as n

g pa

gbab

asa

at p

agka

tuto

. D

ahil

may

kag

ustu

han

pa r

ing

mag

basa

ang

mga

tao

, ba

go m

an a

ng li

bro

o se

gund

a m

ano.

Th

e P

ilgri

m’s

Pro

gre

ss*

Bas

ang

-bas

â

Seg

un

da

man

o

HIN

DI K

AG

AN

DA

HA

N S

I MIR

AJA

NE

. NA

BA

NS

AG

AN

na

siy

ang

“nog

nog”

at

“ulik

ba,”

at n

ataw

ag n

a si

yang

“m

ukha

ng k

ili-k

ili.”

May

man

gila

n-ng

ilan

ding

nak

a-ka

-app

reci

ate

sa k

anya

ng b

eaut

y—pe

ro h

indi

sap

at

ang

“may

hit

sura

nam

an”

para

iah

on a

ng k

anya

ng

nalu

luno

d na

sel

f-es

teem

. Kai

lang

an k

ong

gum

anda

, si

nasa

bi n

iya

sa s

arili

. Aya

w k

ong

tum

anda

ng d

alag

a.H

aban

g w

ala

pa

si

Pri

nce

Cha

rmin

g,

sa

mga

po

cket

book

hi

nuhu

got

ni

Mir

ajan

e an

g in

aasa

m-a

sam

ni

yang

ro

man

sa.

Sa

mun

dong

iy

on,

hind

i la

ng b

asta

mag

agan

da a

ng m

ga b

abae

. M

abab

ait

sila

, ch

arm

ing,

at

kung

hin

di m

ayam

an,

paso

k si

la s

a de

pini

syon

ng

mod

ern

Filip

ina

na

mad

iska

rte

at m

ay s

tabl

e na

pin

agku

kuna

n ng

per

a (n

ote:

hin

di s

ugar

dad

dy).

Mal

iban

sa

pagi

ging

mag

anda

, sw

ak s

i Mir

ajan

e sa

ka

tauh

an n

g m

ga b

ida.

Nag

tapo

s si

ya s

a ko

lehi

yo, a

t na

gtat

raba

ho s

a op

isin

a. M

abai

t di

n an

g pa

kiki

tung

o ni

ya

sa

mga

ta

o,

nagb

abak

asal

ing

mas

asal

ba

ng

busi

lak

na p

uso

ang

kaw

alan

niy

a ng

gor

geou

s lo

oks.

H

indi

ni

ya

mai

was

ang

mag

taka

: ku

ng

sing

gand

a ka

ya s

iya

nina

Kri

stin

e at

Nad

ja, i

ibig

in d

in k

aya

siya

ng

ka-

opis

ina

niya

ng s

i Pac

o?

Kat

ulad

ng

mga

lea

ding

man

sa

pock

etbo

ok, n

asa

tukt

ok d

in n

g fo

od c

hain

si

Paco

—ar

tist

ahin

ang

m

ukha

’t m

ala-

Ado

nis

ang

hubo

g ng

kat

awan

. S

ila

‘yun

g ti

po n

g m

ga l

alak

i na

mga

bab

aeng

nas

a to

p on

e pe

rcen

t ng

tat

sulo

k di

n an

g ha

nap.

K

aya

nam

an m

unti

k na

ng m

agha

nda

ng p

igin

g si

M

iraj

ane

nang

min

sang

mag

-hel

lo s

a ka

nya

si P

aco.

N

apad

ilat s

iya,

nap

anga

nga

at n

anig

as s

a tu

wa.

Kun

g da

ti’y

hin

di n

apap

ansi

n ni

Pac

o an

g m

aya’

t m

aya

niya

ng p

agna

kaw

ng

suly

ap, n

oong

ara

w n

a iy

on a

y ti

la m

asay

ang-

mas

aya

ang

bina

ta’t

may

kal

akip

na

ngit

i pa

ang

isin

ukli

nito

ng t

ingi

n.

Mal

igay

ang-

mal

igay

a si

Mir

ajan

e. P

ayda

y no

on,

at g

aya

ng n

akag

awia

n, p

upun

ta s

iya

sa m

all

para

bu

mili

ng

mga

poc

ketb

ook

na id

adag

dag

sa k

anya

ng

kole

ksyo

n. T

his

tim

e, I’

m o

ne s

tep

clos

er t

o th

e m

an

of m

y dr

eam

s, n

aisi

p ni

ya.

Per

o ba

go

mat

apos

an

g ar

aw,

natu

tuna

n ni

M

iraj

ane

na

sa

pock

etbo

oks

lang

m

alay

o an

g na

rara

ting

ng

no

ncha

lant

sm

iles

at

one-

seco

nd

glan

ces.

Pa

gbal

ik

mul

a sa

w

ashr

oom

, na

kita

ni

M

iraj

ane

sa

kany

ang

mes

a an

g is

ang

wed

ding

in

vita

tion

. Ika

kasa

l na

si P

aco.

Um

ulan

ng

mga

“con

grat

ulat

ions

” sa

opis

ina,

per

o ag

ad n

a um

alis

si M

iraj

ane

pagp

atak

ng

alas

sin

gko.

D

umir

etso

siy

a sa

tin

daha

n ng

Pre

ciou

s H

eart

s R

oman

ces

(PH

R) s

a S

M N

orth

. Pw

ede

siya

ng b

umili

ng

poc

ketb

ook

sa N

atio

nal B

ooks

tore

, per

o bu

kod

sa

mas

mar

ami a

ng ib

inib

enta

sa

PH

R—

at m

as m

aram

i ri

n si

yang

kar

amay

dit

o.

Nak

akas

abay

ni

Mir

ajan

e sa

pam

imili

ang

mga

un

ipor

mad

ong

yaya

, m

ga e

stud

yant

e, a

t an

g m

ga

tula

d ni

yang

pro

pesy

unal

. Sa

loob

ng

PH

R, m

alin

aw

ang

hana

p ng

mga

kap

wa

niya

suk

i: na

roon

sila

par

a sa

pan

tasy

a, p

ara

sa p

anan

dalia

ng l

igay

ang

kala

kip

sa 7

0 pa

hina

. S

impl

e la

ng a

ng s

olus

yon

sa s

ulir

anin

ng

mga

pa

bori

tong

ta

uhan

ni

M

iraj

ane:

pa

g-ib

ig.

Ang

m

agka

away

na

m

agka

pati

d,

maa

ring

m

agka

bati

ka

pag

naka

hana

p na

ng

kany

a-ka

nyan

g gi

rlfr

iend

. A

ng

mag

sasa

kang

bi

da,

maa

arin

g pa

kasa

lan

ng

may

aman

g ha

cien

dero

(m

ay

bonu

s pa

ng

sexy

ja

wlin

e at

six

-pac

k ab

s).

Mah

igpi

t an

g ha

wak

ni M

iraj

ane

sa b

awat

libr

ong

kinu

kuha

ni

ya,

pada

bog

ang

mga

ha

kban

g ni

ya

haba

ng

tina

talu

nton

an

g ba

wat

is

le.

Per

o hi

ndi

bale

. M

uli

rin

nam

an s

iyan

g ki

kilig

in,

ngin

giti

at

tata

wa

pagk

atap

os n

iyan

g ba

sahi

n an

g m

ga l

ibro

. Pa

nsam

anta

lang

sol

b an

g pr

oble

ma,

sa

hala

gang

P

37 p

iso.

Pal

imo

s n

g p

ag-i

big

WA

LA

PA

RIN

G T

AT

ALO

SA

TU

NA

Y N

A L

IBR

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NG

NA

BU

BU

KL

AT

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AT

UT

UP

I A

NG

P

AH

INA

KA

PA

G K

AIL

AN

GA

N M

UN

AN

G I

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N,

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BA

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SA

KA

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LP

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MG

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PU

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LP

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LIT

ER

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GA

IN

HU

NT

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T M

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PA

RA

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HA

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KU

LTU

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Huw

ebes

6

Disy

embr

e

20

12

IN

TH

E

QU

IET

ER

C

OR

NE

R

OF

PA

DR

E

FAU

RA

is

a l

ittl

e th

ree-

stor

ey b

ook

shop

—a

shri

ne f

or a

so

mew

hat

oblig

ator

y pi

lgri

mag

e by

you

ng w

rite

rs

and

liter

ary

enth

usia

sts

who

wan

t to

be

bapt

ized

in

to t

he e

xclu

sive

rel

igio

n of

the

lite

rati

. Th

e hi

ghes

t ro

om o

f th

e sh

op c

onta

ins

the

sacr

ed

roun

d ta

ble

not

unkn

own

by p

eopl

e be

long

ing

to

the

sam

e lit

erar

y re

ligio

n. T

his

is t

he i

vory

tow

er

of F

ranc

isco

Sio

nil

Jose

, sho

p ow

ner

and

Nat

iona

l A

rtis

t fo

r Li

tera

ture

, whe

re h

e st

eadi

ly w

eave

s hi

s w

ords

—a

Lord

of S

halo

tt.

Nat

iona

l Art

ists

, Pal

anca

win

ners

, jou

rnal

ists

, and

ev

en N

obel

Lau

reat

es f

or L

iter

atur

e W

ole

Soy

inka

, G

ünte

r G

rass

, an

d M

ario

Var

gas

Llos

a sa

t on

the

sa

me

roun

d ta

ble.

Thi

s m

akes

the

tabl

e a

mir

acul

ous

relic

for

asp

irin

g w

rite

rs w

ho a

rduo

usly

squ

eeze

th

eir

way

into

the

cir

cle

of li

tera

ry s

aint

s.

“If y

ou c

laim

to

be a

Fili

pino

int

elle

ctua

l an

d yo

u ha

ven’

t be

en t

o th

is b

ooks

hop,

you

are

not

an

inte

llect

ual,”

Jos

e fir

mly

sai

d ov

er t

he r

ound

tab

le,

taki

ng a

bre

ak f

rom

edi

ting

his

mos

t re

cent

col

umn

for

the

Phi

lippi

ne S

tar.

B

uilt

on

a pi

ece

of in

heri

ted

land

, the

boo

k sh

op is

no

t ob

viou

s of

its

liter

ary

sanc

tity

. Pla

in w

ith

whi

te

pain

t, th

e sh

op w

as r

ebui

lt w

ith

the

sam

e ar

chit

ec-

tura

l de

sign

aft

er a

fire

con

sum

ed i

t in

198

9. U

pon

ente

ring

the

woo

den

door

, ang

elic

mus

ic o

f E

dith

P

iaf o

r lo

cal F

ilipi

no in

stru

men

tal f

olk

mus

ic w

ould

w

elco

me

the

visi

tors

. Jos

e’s

wif

e, T

eres

ita,

cur

rent

ly

man

ages

the

sho

p al

ong

wit

h fiv

e di

scip

les.

Th

e sh

op p

rocl

aim

s it

self

to

be t

he p

ulpi

t of

the

w

ides

t Fi

lipin

iana

boo

k co

llect

ion.

Jos

e pe

rson

ally

se

lect

s th

e ti

tles

that

wou

ld fi

t the

alt

ars

of th

e bo

ok-

shop

. Sin

ce t

he b

ooks

tore

is

dubb

ed t

he b

est

in t

he

coun

try,

the

sel

ecti

on p

roce

ss i

s ak

in t

o ca

non-

form

atio

n w

here

in

the

dogm

a of

se

lect

ion

lies

sole

ly o

n Jo

se.

The

book

s ar

e m

ostl

y fic

tion

lik

e th

ose

of N

ick

Joaq

uin

and

Jose

R

izal

, an

thol

ogie

s of

pr

ize-

w

inni

ng

pros

e or

po

em,

hist

ory

book

s,

and

sele

cted

titl

es fr

om th

e Wes

tern

cano

n. A

ltar

ed o

n th

e co

unte

r ar

e Jo

se’s

own

wor

ks,

incl

udin

g th

e co

mpl

ete

Ros

ales

Sag

a.

This

lit

erar

y ch

apel

ch

oose

s it

s la

ity;

th

e w

orsh

ip se

rvic

e is o

nly

for t

hose

belo

ngin

g to

the s

ame

liter

ary

relig

ion,

sha

ring

the

sam

e ar

tist

ic c

reed

. V

isit

ors

of

the

shop

ar

e m

ostl

y st

uden

ts

and

prof

esso

rs o

f lit

erat

ure,

art

ists

, an

d w

rite

rs. E

ven

fore

ign

liter

ary

fait

hful

floc

k in

to t

he b

ook

shop

. R

arel

y do

typ

ical

cit

izen

s w

alk

in t

he s

hop

to

brow

se

the

colle

ctio

n.

Boo

k pr

ices

ra

nge

from

ar

ound

150

to

3000

pes

os, w

hen

just

a f

ew s

tree

ts

away

sev

eral

sec

ond

hand

boo

ksto

res

abou

nd. J

ose’

s or

igin

al v

isio

n of

the

sho

p ho

wev

er w

as a

n et

erna

l fl

ouri

sh o

f lit

erat

ure

for

a co

untr

y th

at is

con

stan

tly

sear

chin

g fo

r it

s lit

erar

y an

d cu

ltur

al id

enti

ty. J

ose’

s lit

erar

y sh

rine

is

lo

cate

d in

a

spac

e w

here

in

cont

rast

ing

real

itie

s co

-exi

st: t

he p

over

ty a

nd t

he

gent

rific

atio

n of

Man

ila.

It ha

s no

t be

en

a pa

rt

of

the

mas

ses’

nove

na

to

pick

up

a

Pala

nca

anth

olog

y or

a

hard

boun

d To

lsto

y no

vel.

This

ex

clus

ivity

m

akes

th

e sa

cred

sp

aces

of t

he li

ttle

boo

k sh

op s

eem

muc

h sm

alle

r—ev

en

unw

elco

min

gly

cram

med

—as

w

rite

rs

mak

e th

eir

oblig

ator

y pi

lgri

mag

e to

this

hal

low

ed g

roun

d of

Phi

lip-

pine

lite

ratu

re.

*apo

logi

es to

Joh

n B

unya

n

NAK

AKA-

TUR

N O

N A

NG

AM

OY

NG

MG

A B

AGO

NG

LIB

RO

.Tu

win

g pa

paso

k ak

o sa

N

atio

nal

Boo

ksto

re

(NB

S),

Fully

B

ooke

d,

o Po

wer

B

ooks

, un

a ko

ng

naaa

moy

an

g na

kaka

adik

na

ha

limuy

ak

ng

pape

l, tin

ta,

at

plas

-tik

. N

akab

ubus

og s

a m

ga m

ata

ang

mga

pah

ina

ng l

i-br

o ni

na B

ob O

ng, S

teph

en K

ing,

Paul

o Co

elho

, Suz

anne

Co

llins

, G

eorg

e R

R

Mar

tin,

at

Nic

hola

s Sp

arks

. U

pang

hi

git

na m

alig

ayah

an, b

inub

ukla

t ko

rin

ang

mga

mag

asin

sa

gili

d.M

alib

an s

a na

kalil

ibog

na

amoy

ng

pape

l, na

kaaa

kit

din

ang

pina

tutu

gtog

na

feel

goo

d m

usic

sa

palig

id,

ang

mal

amig

na

ambi

ance

ng

luga

r, at

ang

hal

ina

ng

mal

amla

m n

a liw

anag

. Pum

ipin

tig

ang

akin

g di

bdib

sa

tuw

ing

napa

lilib

utan

ako

ng

napa

kara

min

g lib

ro,

seny

as n

a ka

ilang

ang

mag

para

os u

lit s

a m

undo

ng

imah

inas

yon

at m

ga s

alit

a.

San

ay

nang

m

anuk

so

ang

mga

bo

okst

ore

na

nagp

apah

iwat

ig n

g is

ang

hind

i in

aasa

hang

kal

igay

a-ha

n. S

a ka

says

ayan

, pu

nlay

ang

mga

boo

ksto

re n

g pr

opes

yuna

l na

m

iddl

e-cl

ass

sa

Kan

lura

n na

si

yang

nag

papa

nati

li sa

wal

ang

tigi

l na

pag

bent

a at

pa

gkon

sum

o ng

mga

libr

o.H

aban

g na

glili

bot

sa

loob

, na

suly

apan

ko

an

g ba

hid

ng d

ayuh

ang

kais

ipan

sa

napa

kara

min

g im

port

-ed

na

libro

. Sa

daga

t ng

mga

titu

long

ito

nalu

luno

d an

g pa

niti

kang

P

ilipi

no.

Pin

atut

uyan

ni

tong

hi

ndi

pa

mal

ay an

g buo

ng ba

nsa s

a kah

alag

ahan

ng l

ibro

, ani

Pro

f. R

olan

d To

lent

ino,

eks

pert

o sa

kul

tura

ng p

opul

ar.

Nas

alub

ong

ko a

ng m

ga fa

n at

gee

k na

sab

ik s

a tu

kso

ng m

ga h

igh

end

na b

ests

elle

r. B

ibih

ira

sa k

anila

ang

tu

mat

amba

y sa

gaw

i ng

book

stor

e ku

ng s

aan

naro

on

ang

mga

tex

tboo

k, n

a si

ya n

aman

g m

adal

as,

kung

hi

ndi

man

tan

ging

nab

abas

a ng

mga

est

udya

nte

sa

pam

publ

ikon

g pa

aral

an.

Maa

lindo

g an

g hu

bog

ng b

awat

pas

ikot

-sik

ot n

g m

ga b

ooks

tore

. Mat

agum

pay

nito

ng n

aaki

t an

g ak

ing

diw

a na

lum

uson

g sa

kam

anda

g ng

kar

gada

nila

ng

best

selle

r. S

inis

igur

o ng

esp

asyo

ng it

o na

mab

igya

n ng

pa

nand

alia

ng a

liw a

ng m

ga tu

lad

kong

tiga

ng s

a am

oy

ng b

agon

g lib

ro.

Ngu

nit

sa t

uwin

g m

agpi

pigi

l ak

o,

nana

naig

pa

rin

ang

taw

ag n

g ak

ing

lam

an.

Hin

di

ko

nam

amal

ayan

g ko

ntro

lado

na

ak

o ng

es

pasy

ong

naka

lilib

og a

ng a

rom

a. N

asas

anay

na

akon

g bu

mili

at

mag

-ini

t an

g ka

lam

nan

sa m

ga b

agon

g ha

rdbo

und

na li

bro.

Kah

it m

an s

inas

aid

nito

ang

aki

ng

buls

a at

pan

ahon

, hin

di k

o pa

gsas

awaa

ng p

agna

saha

n an

g m

ga b

agay

na

ito.

H

inih

ipo

ko a

ng im

ahin

asyo

n sa

pag

baba

sa n

g m

ga

bago

ng b

iling

lib

ro k

aula

yaw

ang

kap

e ng

Sta

rbuc

ks.

Unt

i-un

ti k

ong

nara

ram

dam

an a

ng m

aini

t na

diw

ang

inte

lekt

wal

sa

labi

s na

pag

tata

lik n

g am

oy n

g ka

pe a

t lib

ro s

a tu

win

g tu

mat

amba

y ak

o sa

Ful

ly B

ooke

d sa

B

onif

acio

Hig

h S

tree

t, o

sa E

DS

A S

hang

ri-l

a H

otel

. Su

balit

ka

kabi

t ng

lib

og

kong

bu

mili

ng

m

ga

li-br

o an

g m

arka

ng

isan

g an

gat

na i

ntel

ektw

al s

a lip

u-na

n na

hiw

alay

sa

kala

khan

ng

mga

Pili

pino

ng w

alan

g sa

rilin

g ku

ltura

sa

pagb

abas

a ng

lib

ro o

pag

-iin

om n

g ka

pe. S

a tu

win

g tin

utuk

so a

ko n

g m

ga b

ooks

tore

, hin

di k

o m

apig

ilang

m

agla

way

, su

mab

og,

at

mag

para

os

ng

akin

g iti

nata

gong

pa

gnan

asa

sa

mga

ba

gong

lib

ro.

Lagi

ng

nang

anga

ti an

g ak

ing

mga

bu

lsa,

mab

ili

lam

ang

ang

mga

ba

gong

lib

ro

at

mat

ikm

an

ang

mat

atam

is n

a ka

peng

mag

dada

la s

a ak

in t

ungo

sa

ruro

k ng

kal

igay

ahan

.

MU

LA

SA

MA

LAYO

, SA

G

ITN

A N

G

LUPO

N

NG

m

ga

tom

ador

at

ra

kist

a, hi

ndi

mo

iisip

ing

may

m

alili

gaw

na

tinda

han

ng m

ga li

bro.

Tan

aw a

ng g

raffi

ti at

do

odle

s sa

mga

din

gdin

g ni

to,

mas

muk

ha p

a ito

ng

tatt

oo

parl

or

o m

usic

ba

r ke

sa

laga

kan

ng

mga

m

uran

g lib

ro

at

nove

lty

item

s. N

guni

t sa

B

ooka

y-U

kay

Libr

uhan

, “ku

ng s

aan

mal

aya

kang

mag

ing

ikaw

,” til

a na

basa

g na

ng

a an

g la

hat

ng

kum

bens

yon

ng

isan

g bo

okst

ore.

Sim

ula

noon

g 20

08,

sa

pagb

ubuk

as

ng

libru

-ha

n sa

Mag

inha

wa

Str

eet,

Teac

her’s

Vill

age,

nag

ing

pabo

rito

na

it

ong

tam

baya

n ng

m

ga

estu

dyan

-te

ng n

agha

hana

p ng

mur

a at

kak

aiba

ng m

ga l

ibro

—m

ula

sa m

ga l

uman

g ak

da n

i W

illia

m S

hake

spea

re,

mga

bag

ong

nobe

la n

i H

aruk

i M

urak

ami,

pati

na

tala

mbu

hay

ng

mga

si

kat

na

mus

iker

o tu

lad

ni B

ob D

ylan

. M

as m

ura

ang

mga

lib

ro s

a B

ooka

y-U

kay

dahi

l se

gund

a m

ano

ang

mga

ito

. Ang

mga

may

-ari

nit

o,

kabi

lang

na

sina

Dan

Gaf

fud

at J

. Lun

a, n

agha

hana

p pa

ng

mga

lum

ang

libro

sa

mga

lug

ar n

a m

ahir

ap

mar

atin

g ng

kar

aniw

ang

mam

imili

—sa

Qui

apo,

sa

Rec

to, a

t pa

ti n

a sa

mga

tag

ong

esta

nte

sa B

ooks

ale.

H

indi

na

bago

sa

Pili

pina

s an

g pa

gbeb

enta

ng

mga

se

gund

a m

anon

g lib

ro. M

atag

al n

a ri

ng t

inat

angk

ilik

ng m

ga P

ilipi

no a

ng B

ooks

ale,

isan

g bo

okst

ore

chai

n na

nag

bebe

nta

ng m

ga s

egun

da m

anon

g lib

ro n

a ga

ling

pang

E

stad

os

Uni

dos,

C

anad

a,

Aus

tral

ia

at B

rita

nya.

S

a ka

bila

ng

pagk

akah

anay

ayo

n sa

mga

gen

re,

kapa

nsin

-pan

sin

pa r

in a

ng k

alat

na

pagk

akap

aton

g-pa

tong

ng

mga

lib

ro n

a du

lot

na r

in n

g w

alan

g-

hum

pay

na

pagh

ahan

ap

ng

mga

pa

tron

. N

akad

adag

dag

ito

sa d

anas

ng

pam

imili

, na

tila

na

ghah

anap

ka

ng i

sang

nat

atan

ging

kay

aman

an s

a ka

bund

ukan

ng

mga

libr

o.B

agam

a’t

pare

hong

ti

ndah

an

ng

mga

se

gund

a m

anon

g lib

ro, m

ay m

alak

ing

pagk

akai

ba a

ng

dala

wa.

Sa

mal

iwan

ag a

t ka

hali-

halin

ang

hits

ura

ng

kani

lang

mga

tin

daha

n sa

loob

ng

mal

l, ti

la la

yon

ng

Boo

ksal

e na

mak

aben

ta la

man

g ng

mar

amin

g lib

ro s

a m

asa.

Ang

Boo

kay-

Uka

y, b

agam

a’t m

ay p

angu

nahi

ng

tuon

sa

pagb

eben

ta, a

y na

gsis

ilbi

ring

tag

puan

ng

isan

g ko

mun

idad

. H

igit

pa

sa

pagb

ili

ng

libro

, di

nada

yo

rin

ang

Boo

kay-

Uka

y da

hil

nagi

ng

sent

ral

na

espa

syo

na

ito

para

sa

is

ang

part

ikul

ar

na

grup

o ng

m

ga

estu

dyan

te a

t in

tele

ktw

al. B

ukod

sa

pagb

eben

ta n

g m

ga

segu

nda

man

ong

libro

, mat

atag

puan

din

dito

ang

mga

na

tata

ngin

g ak

da

at

prod

ukto

ng

gaw

a ng

m

ga

patr

on n

ito.

Isa

iton

g ha

limba

wa

ng

espa

syon

g na

gsim

ula

sa p

agbe

bent

a ng

unit

nak

akap

ag-a

mba

g sa

pa

mpu

blik

ong

kara

kter

ng

isan

g lu

gar.

Hin

di i

to

kaib

a sa

mga

sec

ondh

and

book

stor

es s

a N

ew Y

ork

na

nags

isilb

i ri

ng t

agpu

an n

g m

ga m

anun

ulat

, art

ista

, at

mam

baba

sa s

a ka

nila

ng k

omun

idad

. N

amam

ayag

pag

ang

mga

esp

asyo

ng it

o ng

wal

ang

hini

hing

ing

kapa

lit s

a pu

blik

o ku

ndi

ang

min

san-

ang

pagd

alaw

, pan

aka-

naka

ng p

agti

ngin

sa

kani

lang

se

leks

yon,

at,

kung

kay

a na

man

ng

buls

a, p

agbi

li at

pa

gtan

gkili

k sa

kan

ilang

mga

libr

o.

Hig

it p

a sa

mga

libr

o, n

ahah

asa

at n

ahuh

ulm

a an

g ka

alam

an s

a m

ga e

spas

yong

nag

papa

laga

nap

nito

. S

a pa

mam

ayag

pag

ng m

ga s

egun

da m

anon

g lib

ru-

han,

nai

papa

kita

na

hind

i lam

ang

naip

apam

ahag

i ang

lib

ro s

a m

uran

g ha

laga

, kun

di n

aipa

para

mda

m d

in

ang

kom

yuna

l na

dan

as n

g pa

gbab

asa

at p

agka

tuto

. D

ahil

may

kag

ustu

han

pa r

ing

mag

basa

ang

mga

tao

, ba

go m

an a

ng li

bro

o se

gund

a m

ano.

HIN

DI K

AG

AN

DA

HA

N S

I MIR

AJA

NE

. NA

BA

NS

AG

AN

na

siy

ang

“nog

nog”

at

“ulik

ba,”

at n

ataw

ag n

a si

yang

“m

ukha

ng k

ili-k

ili.”

May

man

gila

n-ng

ilan

ding

nak

a-ka

-app

reci

ate

sa k

anya

ng b

eaut

y—pe

ro h

indi

sap

at

ang

“may

hit

sura

nam

an”

para

iah

on a

ng k

anya

ng

nalu

luno

d na

sel

f-es

teem

. Kai

lang

an k

ong

gum

anda

, si

nasa

bi n

iya

sa s

arili

. Aya

w k

ong

tum

anda

ng d

alag

a.H

aban

g w

ala

pa

si

Pri

nce

Cha

rmin

g,

sa

mga

po

cket

book

hi

nuhu

got

ni

Mir

ajan

e an

g in

aasa

m-a

sam

ni

yang

ro

man

sa.

Sa

mun

dong

iy

on,

hind

i la

ng b

asta

mag

agan

da a

ng m

ga b

abae

. M

abab

ait

sila

, ch

arm

ing,

at

kung

hin

di m

ayam

an,

paso

k si

la s

a de

pini

syon

ng

mod

ern

Filip

ina

na

mad

iska

rte

at m

ay s

tabl

e na

pin

agku

kuna

n ng

per

a (n

ote:

hin

di s

ugar

dad

dy).

Mal

iban

sa

pagi

ging

mag

anda

, sw

ak s

i Mir

ajan

e sa

ka

tauh

an n

g m

ga b

ida.

Nag

tapo

s si

ya s

a ko

lehi

yo, a

t na

gtat

raba

ho s

a op

isin

a. M

abai

t di

n an

g pa

kiki

tung

o ni

ya

sa

mga

ta

o,

nagb

abak

asal

ing

mas

asal

ba

ng

busi

lak

na p

uso

ang

kaw

alan

niy

a ng

gor

geou

s lo

oks.

H

indi

ni

ya

mai

was

ang

mag

taka

: ku

ng

sing

gand

a ka

ya s

iya

nina

Kri

stin

e at

Nad

ja, i

ibig

in d

in k

aya

siya

ng

ka-

opis

ina

niya

ng s

i Pac

o?

Kat

ulad

ng

mga

lea

ding

man

sa

pock

etbo

ok, n

asa

tukt

ok d

in n

g fo

od c

hain

si

Paco

—ar

tist

ahin

ang

m

ukha

’t m

ala-

Ado

nis

ang

hubo

g ng

kat

awan

. S

ila

‘yun

g ti

po n

g m

ga l

alak

i na

mga

bab

aeng

nas

a to

p on

e pe

rcen

t ng

tat

sulo

k di

n an

g ha

nap.

K

aya

nam

an m

unti

k na

ng m

agha

nda

ng p

igin

g si

M

iraj

ane

nang

min

sang

mag

-hel

lo s

a ka

nya

si P

aco.

N

apad

ilat s

iya,

nap

anga

nga

at n

anig

as s

a tu

wa.

Kun

g da

ti’y

hin

di n

apap

ansi

n ni

Pac

o an

g m

aya’

t m

aya

niya

ng p

agna

kaw

ng

suly

ap, n

oong

ara

w n

a iy

on a

y ti

la m

asay

ang-

mas

aya

ang

bina

ta’t

may

kal

akip

na

ngit

i pa

ang

isin

ukli

nito

ng t

ingi

n.

Mal

igay

ang-

mal

igay

a si

Mir

ajan

e. P

ayda

y no

on,

at g

aya

ng n

akag

awia

n, p

upun

ta s

iya

sa m

all

para

bu

mili

ng

mga

poc

ketb

ook

na id

adag

dag

sa k

anya

ng

kole

ksyo

n. T

his

tim

e, I’

m o

ne s

tep

clos

er t

o th

e m

an

of m

y dr

eam

s, n

aisi

p ni

ya.

Per

o ba

go

mat

apos

an

g ar

aw,

natu

tuna

n ni

M

iraj

ane

na

sa

pock

etbo

oks

lang

m

alay

o an

g na

rara

ting

ng

no

ncha

lant

sm

iles

at

one-

seco

nd

glan

ces.

Pa

gbal

ik

mul

a sa

w

ashr

oom

, na

kita

ni

M

iraj

ane

sa

kany

ang

mes

a an

g is

ang

wed

ding

in

vita

tion

. Ika

kasa

l na

si P

aco.

Um

ulan

ng

mga

“con

grat

ulat

ions

” sa

opis

ina,

per

o ag

ad n

a um

alis

si M

iraj

ane

pagp

atak

ng

alas

sin

gko.

D

umir

etso

siy

a sa

tin

daha

n ng

Pre

ciou

s H

eart

s R

oman

ces

(PH

R) s

a S

M N

orth

. Pw

ede

siya

ng b

umili

ng

poc

ketb

ook

sa N

atio

nal B

ooks

tore

, per

o bu

kod

sa

mas

mar

ami a

ng ib

inib

enta

sa

PH

R—

at m

as m

aram

i ri

n si

yang

kar

amay

dit

o.

Nak

akas

abay

ni

Mir

ajan

e sa

pam

imili

ang

mga

un

ipor

mad

ong

yaya

, m

ga e

stud

yant

e, a

t an

g m

ga

tula

d ni

yang

pro

pesy

unal

. Sa

loob

ng

PH

R, m

alin

aw

ang

hana

p ng

mga

kap

wa

niya

suk

i: na

roon

sila

par

a sa

pan

tasy

a, p

ara

sa p

anan

dalia

ng l

igay

ang

kala

kip

sa 7

0 pa

hina

. S

impl

e la

ng a

ng s

olus

yon

sa s

ulir

anin

ng

mga

pa

bori

tong

ta

uhan

ni

M

iraj

ane:

pa

g-ib

ig.

Ang

m

agka

away

na

m

agka

pati

d,

maa

ring

m

agka

bati

ka

pag

naka

hana

p na

ng

kany

a-ka

nyan

g gi

rlfr

iend

. A

ng

mag

sasa

kang

bi

da,

maa

arin

g pa

kasa

lan

ng

may

aman

g ha

cien

dero

(m

ay

bonu

s pa

ng

sexy

ja

wlin

e at

six

-pac

k ab

s).

Mah

igpi

t an

g ha

wak

ni M

iraj

ane

sa b

awat

libr

ong

kinu

kuha

ni

ya,

pada

bog

ang

mga

ha

kban

g ni

ya

haba

ng

tina

talu

nton

an

g ba

wat

is

le.

Per

o hi

ndi

bale

. M

uli

rin

nam

an s

iyan

g ki

kilig

in,

ngin

giti

at

tata

wa

pagk

atap

os n

iyan

g ba

sahi

n an

g m

ga l

ibro

. Pa

nsam

anta

lang

sol

b an

g pr

oble

ma,

sa

hala

gang

P

37 p

iso.

LATHALAIN

Huwebes6 Disyembre

2012

Last tripTHE SIGHT OF PASSENGERS rushing to catch the next train in Buendia Station, greets Rina*, 22, a Communication Research student, whenever she travels to UP from Laguna. As the train approaches, the thundering sound charges excitement to the waiting crowd. The train halts, and opens its doors. The hunger games begin.

Without hesitation, passengers begin to push and shove each other to secure a place in the Metro Rail Transit (MRT). Fortunately for Rina, the odds seemed to favor her as she managed to squeeze herself in. It will take her 15 minutes to arrive at Quezon Avenue Station where she would board a UP-bound jeep.

Because of its speed and affordability, Rina prefers to ride the MRT despite the hell she has to endure. But this daily inconvenience may become the least of her concerns, once the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) increases MRT and Light Rail Transit fares to P25-P30 from the current P10-P20 rate.

Plans to hike MRT and LRT fares were first slated in January 2011, but were stalled due to popular public opposition. Last August, however, DOTC officials have revived this proposal, igniting once again debates on the government’s role in facilitating efficient and effective transportation.

First stationThe establishment of a railway

system in Metro Manila was first conceived in the 1970s, when former First Lady Imelda Marcos noted the absence of a rail-based transport system, and the congestion of roads due to heavy traffic. This prompted former President Ferdinand Marcos to commission a transport study geared to provide solutions to the situation.

Funded through foreign loans, LRT 1 began construction in 1981 (see sidebar). In 1996, the congestion of EDSA instigated the construction of a second railway, the MRT. After a year, a second LRT Line was

constructed, and was also funded through foreign loans like LRT 1.

The MRT’s construction differed from the LRT lines, as it was built under the build-lease-transfer (BLT) scheme with conglomerate Metro Rail Transit Corporation (Metro Rail), along with other private companies. Under BLT, Metro Rail handled the MRT’s construction, and leased it to DOTC as operators.

Despite such arrangements, the government guaranteed to pay the large sums of money borrowed by Metro Rail from foreign entities that was needed to cover the cost of constructing the MRT. Also, the government agreed to pay Metro Rail 15 percent of the $190 million it invested, on a yearly basis in a span of 25 years (see sidebar). By 2025, MRT’s ownership will be transferred to the government. As a result of these unjust conditions in the MRT’s contracts, the government had incurred onerous debts, putting the public at a clear disadvantage.

Opposing tracksMRT and LRT trains are by far

the most convenient and affordable means of transportation around the metro, according to independent think-tank IBON Foundation. Of the approximately one million daily MRT and LRT passengers, workers comprise around 488,000, while 315,000 are students, according to the Metro Manila Public Transport Study (MMPTS), a survey on the ridership profile of MRT and LRT commuters.

The fee increase stems from the government’s plan to remove the subsidy for MRT and LRT commuters, which the government could instead allot to other programs, according to DOTC.

The DOTC asserts the full cost of MRT and LRT fares range from P35.44-P60.75, but passengers are only charged P10-P20. In this manner, it appears the government subsidizes every MRT and LRT passenger by P25-P40. Such “subsidy” for these commuters amounted to P13.58 billion in 2010, according to government computations.

Yet the government’s computation of the full cost of MRT and LRT fares is intrinsically flawed, as it included debt obligations, principal and interest loans, and do not reflect the actual cost of availing train services, according to IBON. Even at current rates, passengers already pay more than the actual cost of MRT and LRT’s operation and maintenance services, which is only around P9.11 per passenger, IBON explained.

“Dapat nga libre [ang transpor-tation] kasi it pushes for faster industrialization. No country has industrialized na hindi nagkaroon ng isang complex railroad train system,” say IBON Executive Editor Rosario Guzman.

In 2010, both MRT and LRT earned a total revenue of P5.01 billion from ticket fares and non-rail revenue such as advertisements and commercial stalls’ rent. This is more than enough to finance the P4.99 billion total cost for operating and managing both MRT and LRT for the same year.

Transportation is a crucial component of a country’s economy, as it allows mobility for the people who have to travel to conduct their economic activities.

“Public transportation…is really state responsibility. Isa siyang public investment na hindi mo sinusukat ang balik. There’s no such thing as nalulugi ang gobyerno kasi…immeasurable ang mababalik sa iyo sa economic development,” Guzman says.

At the expense of people’s welfare, the government seems bent to push through with the MRT and LRT fare hike. In doing so, the government effectively passes the burden of paying debts incurred from onerous loans with foreign companies, to the public.

Moving linesRina’s father, who works as a

sales agent, earns less than P13, 000 per month. Such amount is hardly enough to finance his family’s basic needs, and the education of Rina and her three siblings.

Amidst skyrocketing prices of basic commodities and utilities, the prospects of MRT fare hike adds new burden to Rina’s family, and the thousands of commuters who depend on train lines for

1981

1984

Government of Belgium(Php300 M)

Consortium of Belgian Companies (Php700 M)

Php 1 billion

LRT 1

Soft loan payable for 30 years

16 year operating maintenance agreement with Metro Inc. (ended in 2000)

LRT 21997

2003

Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)

Php 31 billion

2 percent interest payable for 30 years with a 10-year grace period

MRT1996

1999

Metro Rail Transit Corp. Ltd. ($190 M) JBIC/Japan’s Ministry of International

Trade and Industry ($287.5 M)

Investicni a Postovni Bank, Czech Republic ($88.4 M)

Foreign Currency Deposit Unit banks ($109.6 M)

$675

.5

m

illion

Under 25-year Build-Lease-Transfer (BLT) agreement with FS

15% rate of return on investment (ROI) to Metro Rail annually from 2000 – 2025

Reimbursement of debts acquired by Metro Rail worth $485.5 M

(Baclaran, Pasay to Roosevelt, Quezon CIty)

(Recto, Manila to Santolan, Pasig)

(North Ave., Quezon City to Taft Ave., Pasay)

cheap and efficient transportation. Once implemented, the fare hike will force Rina to slash her budget for other expenses like food and school needs.

“The fare hike seeks to further marginalize low-income earners and student commuters,” according to multi-sectoral group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan. From the total MRT and LRT passengers, around 700,000 earn an income of below P15,000 per month, according to MMPTS.

“If you’re a minimum wage earner, sapat na yung P30... pero kung [madadagdagan] ng P30 sa pamasahe… cost na rin ‘yun ng baon ng anak going to school,” says Guzman.

As Rina lunged herself once again into the sea of people in Quezon Avenue Station on her way home, she has only one thing in her mind – the possibility of never being able to ride the MRT again.

*not her real name

THESE DAYS, TO GET A SPACE ABOARD THE CROWDED TRAINS IN THE MRT AND LRT HAS BECOME A HELLISH NIGHTMARE

FOR THOSE WHO RELY ON FAST AND CHEAP TRANSPORTATION AROUND THE METRO. WITH THREATS OF TRAIN FARE HIKES

DUE IN THE FUTURE, HOWEVER, COMMUTERS MAY HAVE TO SIMPLY ABANDON ALL HOPE AT THE TICKET BOOTH.

Start of construction / start of operations

Funding source (FS)

Project cosr

Conditions under the contracts acquired with FS

LEGEND

LATHALAIN

Huwebes6 Disyembre 2012

Government of Belgium(Php300 M)

16 year operating maintenance agreement with Metro Inc. (ended in 2000)

15% rate of return on investment (ROI) to Metro Rail annually from 2000 – 2025

Reimbursement of debts acquired by Metro Rail worth $485.5 M

Nationwide advocacy group Freedom from

Debt Coalition estimates that 20 percent of Maynilad’s residential customers reside in

depressed communities. With such prices, Maynilad’ popular slogan ‘dadaloy din ang ginhawa’ is barely felt

by consumers like Elizabeth, or even Elvira Crispo, 33, who despite owning a water connection in Daang Tubo,

remains unsatisfied. Elvira shares that her water connection is in a dire state,

with the pipes having several holes that remained unnoticed until November.

The government’s experience on MWSS shows how privatization marginalizes ordinary citizens. With SB 2997 gaining ground, the government is in danger of committing the same mistake of privatizing water services and replicating its failures in a nation-wide scale.

Destructive waves The water sector has evidently

become one of the many casualties of the streams of privatization the

government espoused. Since 1987, various administrations have slowly

opened the floodgates of state assets providing social services for the private

sector to intrude. For instance, the power sector was effectively

privatized when shares of the National Power Corporation was sold through the Electric Power Industry Reform Act

of 2001. Such move was seen as a way to address the country’s energy crisis at the time, and even claimed to make electricity cheaper.

However, the perennial rotating brown-outs experienced in Mindanao and other cities, and the high power rates compared to other Asian neighbors, will always remind Filipinos of the hallow

promises of privatizing the energy sector. Meanwhile, a pending House Bill 6069 in Congress seeks to corporatize 26 government hospitals. If passed, these hospitals

will be allowed to set its own fees and charges, and reduce its charity wards to only 20 percent of its entire capacity.

“There is a current trend of privatization/corporatization of the country’s social services [and] Aquino is creating

new opportunities to take over water [as well]” asserts Avanzado.

Privatization is an all-encompassing policy imposed by international financial institutions (IFIs) like the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to developing countries in exchange for loans, explains independent think-tank IBON Foun-dation.

The government has waded in rough waters. For a long time, waves of privatization have ravaged the country’s shores, and deprived the people their rights to basic services such as decent health and water access. While the government passively dips itself to the dominant paradigm espoused by IFIs, the people will continue languishing in the tides that submerge them into poverty and destitution.

BEFORE LEAVING FOR THE DAY, ROUTINE

dictates Journalism student Maverick

Flores, 17, and the rest of his family to fill vessels with tap water. But these are

not pails or buckets; these are water containers

each of the Flores family brings along to school or work. “Dahil sa…accessible at malinis [ang] tubig

namin…hindi na namin kailangan ng iba pa[ng] source,” Maverick shares. Ever since they resided in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, the Flores were contented with the water services their local water district (WD) is providing. As of 2012, San Jose Del Monte’s WD services 58 of the city’s 59 barangays.

For Sen. Edgardo Angara however, WDs leak of failure that needs reform. In October 2011, Angara filed Senate Bill 2997 (SB 2997) or the Water Sector Reform Act of 2012, which seeks to “reform the water industry” and enjoin the private sector to improve its services. The bill was passed on first reading last August, precipitating nationwide opposition from WD employees and advocates from various groups.

If SB 2997 passes into law, WDs will become the latest casualty hit by the wave of privatization or the intrusion of private companies in state enterprises providing social services. In exchange for profit, even services as basic as access to water are now in danger of being washed away.

Washed outWDs are local state enterprises mandated

to provide water and sewerage services in cities and municipalities. The Marcos administration saw the need to create WDs to address the lack of adequate water utilities in the provinces at the time.

Since 1973, the government has built 831 WDs to service 940 of the 1,614 total cities and municipalities in the country, marking a 58 percent nationwide coverage. Despite this, Angara believes WDs have performed poorly. “[T]he lack of a cohesive regime has led to the detriment of water services in the provinces, and consequently to…a scarcity of clean water,” he says.

Under SB 2997, neighboring WDs will be merged into a single entity called Water Supply and Sanitation Companies that would “be able to combine economies of scale and focus on [efficiency].” The bill also aims to engage WDs into Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) or government contracts with the private sector.

“By making the water sector a viable area of investment to private companies, we will also be able to improve the quality of water services delivered to our people,” Angara asserts.

Amidst the touted benefits of rationalizing WDs, nationwide coalition Philippine Association of Water Districts had raised

fears on the prospects of allowing private interests

in the water sector. “The quality of water might even suffer because these companies desire to rake

in profit,” says Eric Avanzado, Vice President for Luzon of national union Water System

Response Network.“[The privatization of WDs would]

inevitably mean higher water rates for consumers… an extra burden…[to the people] reeling from high prices and difficult economic times,” argues advocacy group Water for the People Network.

Once again, the government echoes one of its overly-used rhetoric: that the only recourse to improve the performance of state enterprises is to submerge itself into the pools of commercial interests. Yet such claims barely hold water,

as similar ventures in the past have drowned in their own promises.

Leaky linesWith spare change, Elizabeth

Bentazar, 39, along with other residents, queues in front of a

neighbor’s house daily to fill pails and buckets. In Daang Tubo,

Brgy. UP Campus, only a few households have their own water

connection, despite being a community built on top of water

pipes and its close proximity to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) along Katipunan Avenue.

Since the privatization of MWSS in 1997, water services in Daang Tubo and the rest of Western Metro Manila was provided by Maynilad Water Services,

while Manila Water Company serviced the Eastern portion.

Back in the days, the government believed that privatizing MWSS – which directly

provided water services to Metro Manila before 1997 – would address the dismal state

of water services, marked by inefficient delivery, leakages, and unsatisfactory

water quality. A privatized MWSS, the government argued, would mean cheaper and improved services.

After 15 years, however, private concessionaires have fallen short with the promise of improved services.

In 2010, Maynilad reported to have reduced the volume of water lost to leakages to 53 percent from 64 percent in 1997. Meanwhile, as of 2011, Manila Water has reduced its water loss to 11 percent

from 63 percent in 1997, still unable to close the gap.

However, Manila Water’s rates have skyrocketed by 1083 percent, to P135.48 per

10 cubic meters this year from P12.51 before MWSS was privatized. For the same

period, Maynilad’s water rates have increased by 564 percent, to

P119 per 10 cubic meters from P21.

Troubled waters

Huwag kang mapagod itama ang mga mali ko at manatili ka sanang Papashang ng buhay ko.

Matapang mong pinanghahawakan ang pag-asang tayo’y magwawagi at makakamit ninyong lahat ang matiwasay at masaganang buhay

LIHAM NI MAMASHANG

LAKAS TAMA

Awkward*TATAY FERMIN, *

OPINYONHuwebes

6 Disyembre 2012

PALAGI KANG LAMAN NG aming mga usapan. Lahat kami’y hanga sa iyong katapangan— bihira ang tulad mong walang pag-aalinlangang nagsasalita sa mga bagay na maaaring magdala ng panganib. Naalala ko ang isa mong kwento, na hindi ka nila tinatawag sa mga pulong ng inyong barangay kung saan pinag-uusapan ang operasyon ng minahan sa Española. Matiyaga mong itataas ang iyong kamay, magalang kang magtatanong, kahit na hindi ka pinakikinggan ng mga opisyal.

Ayaw nilang makinig, ngunit hindi ka nagpapigil. Ilang araw ang nakalipas, ikaw ang tumayong tagapagsalita ng mga katutubo nang harapin natin ang Environ-mental and Natural Resource Officer ng Palawan. Mahusay mong inilahad ang inyong kalagayan, at walang duda, tumagos sa aming lahat ang iyong mensahe. Ang iba sa amin, pinaiyak mo pa.

Sabi mo sa akin, sadyang likas na sa iyo ang umangal sa tuwing may inaapi. Tumatawa ka pa nang ikwento mo sa akin kung paano mo sinagot-sagot ang pulis na nagtutok ng baril sa iyong tiyuhin.

Higit sa simpleng katapan-gan ang ipinakita mo akin. Lagi’t lagi, namamalas ko ang iyong pagsusuri sa mga bagay-bagay—mula sa simpleng pagrerenta ng tricycle, hanggang sa pagpa-paliwanag sa mga kabaryo kung

ipinagyayabang ng kumpanya, bagkus ay iisang patotoo ang aming narinig—ang pagluha ng dugo ng mga ilog tuwing tag-ulan.

Para sa iyo at sa mga katu-tubo ng Española, walang ibang paraan kundi ang lumaban. At kahit simpleng pakinggan ang lahat ng ito, hindi ito madaling gawin. Kaya kita hinahangaan, Tatay, at ang iyong mga kasama. Hindi ka lamang matapang sa pagharap sa iyong mga kaaway, matapang ka rin sa pagyakap sa mga pan-ganib at pagod na dala ng pag-likha ng pagbabago. Walang pag-dududa kang nagtiwala sa amin, walang kang takot na sumugal sa mungkahi naming pagkilos, gaano man kaliit ang naipon nating lakas at rekurso. Matapang kang kumakapit sa pag-asa na tayo’y magwawagi, at makakamit nating lahat ang matiwasay at masaganang buhay.

Nais sana kitang yakapin bago tayo maghiwalay, pero siguro pinangunahan ako ng hiya, at hindi na kita nalapitan bago ka umuwi. Alinlangan, iyan ang bagay na hindi mo ipinamalas sa amin sa saglit nating pagsasa-ma. Sana’y mangingibabaw lagi ang iyong katapangan, sa harap ng mga pagsubok na tiyak kong susuungin pa natin.

*para rin sa mga residente ng Sofronio Española, Palawan, na nais patigilin ang operasyon ng CitiNickel Mining sa kanilang lugar

tan ng pagsuko sa katamaran at pakikipaglandian sa mapang-akit na kama. Pinatutunayan ko ring minsan, mas matigas pa sa bato ang puso ko. Dumarating sa puntong sintigas na ito ng dyamante na ‘di maantig kahit pa ng mga lambing mo. Kapag nagtatampo ako, hindi lang ikaw ang inaaway ko—pati buong mundo ay damay na rin sa gulo. Nagmimistula na nga akong si Grumpy kapag may mga bagay kang hindi magawa. Kasabay nito ang paghahalikan ng ak-ing mga kilay at paghihimas ng luha sa aking pisngi.

Madalas nagiging Pinoc-chio ako pagdating sa tunay na nararamdaman ko at sa mga bagay na ikinagagalit mo. Pwede na rin akong ipako sa krus dahil sa sandamakmak na pangako kong napako. Baka hindi mo rin napapansin na para na akong parasite ngayon na umaasang pa-kainin mo dahil madalas akong maubusan ng kwarta. Para na rin akong orchid na masyadong clingy sa ’yo—may parasitism na nga, may commensalism pa.

Kung ikaw ang tahimik na gabi, ako naman ang main-gay at nakakairitang umaga. Minsan nag-aasta akong nanay na magagalit na lang bigla kapag ‘di makuha ang expectations sa ’yo. Pipiliti kong kumain ka ng mga

gawaing alam kong masustan-sya sa relasyon natin kahit ‘di mo naman talaga masikmura. Isa akong magagaliting direktor na nagnanais masunod lahat ng nasa script na nakasulat sa isipan ko.

Ito ang mga bagay na nahukay ko sa mala-ampalaya kong puso. Patawad at ako naman talaga ang dapat ikulong sa mga pagkakasalang ito, at isa ka lang biktimang nasang-kot sa kasamaan ko.

Alam mo, ‘wag na ‘wag mo na akong bibigyan ng regalo. Bukod sa sobra na ang mga ibinibigay mong oras at mga materyal na bagay. Sapat nang wrapper ang totoong imahe na ipinakikita mo sa ’kin araw-araw, sakto nang kahon ang presensya mo sa buhay ko at sobra-sobra nang laman ang pagmamahal mo sa ’kin.

Ito na lang po ang payo ko: bilang ako ang binudburan ng kasamaan at nasobrahan ka naman sa kabaitan, ‘wag ka pa ring paaabuso sa ’kin. Huwag kang mapagod itama ang mga mali ko at manatili ka sanang Papashang ng buhay ko. Sapat na iyon bilang regalo ngayong Pasko.

Nagmamahal,MamashangP.S. Mamimiss kita ngayong

Pasko (now playing: Ryan Cayabyab’s “Ang Disyembre ko ay malungkot”).

ABSENT TAYO PAREHO noong unang araw ng klase. Sa tanging beses na pumasok ako, absent ka pa rin. Kaya nagulat ako nang may mag-text sa akin kahapon. Nagpakilala ka at sinabi mong partners tayo sa report. Nagtanong ka kung maaari ba tayong mag-meet dahil next week na ang deadline ng re-search outline.

Nagkita tayo sa labas ng m a i n library. Hindi pa countersigned ang ID ko kaya hindi ako makapasok. Ikaw lang ang nakaupo sa labas, kaya nakita kita agad. Una kong napansin ang binabasa mong libro—A Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao ni Junot Diaz. Kababasa ko lang ng librong ‘yun, mga dalawang linggo ang nakalipas. Gusto sana kitang tanungin kung saan ka na umabot sa libro, pero nahiya ako.

Tiniyak kong ikaw ang partner ko, bago ako nagpaki-lala at nag-sorry sa pagiging absentera. Ngumiti ka at tumayo. “Ayos lang,” sabi mo. Bihira ka ring pumasok kasi ‘yun na lang ang subject mo bukod sa thesis.

May listahan ka na ng call number ng mga pwedeng sources. Pinapili mo ako kung alin ang mga hahanapin ko, at tinanong kung kailan ko sila mapagsasama-sama para mailatag na natin ang outline. Para sa isang ab-sentero, nakakagulat na handa ka’t organisado. “Sa Fri-day,” sabi ko sa ‘yo, kahit na kailangan ko pang hanapin ang Form5 ko para makapagpa-countersign ng ID.

“Kailan ka magpapa-countersign?” Seryoso ang tanong mo. Hindi ‘yung tipong nag-iinquire lang—sa tono’t hilatsa ng mukha mo, parang humihingi ka ng ti-yak na sagot. “Mamaya,” sabi ko, kahit hindi naman totoo. “May gagawin ka ba ngayon? Gusto mo ngayon na para masimulan na natin? Samahan kita,” sabi mo.

Hinalungkat ko ang utak ko para sa palusot. May ga-wain ako sa Kule? Pero ayokong sinasabi na taga-Kule ako. May class pa ako? Hindi pwede, masyadong out of character. May prior commitment? Halatang imbento. “Pwede naman” tuloy ang nasabi ko.

Nagtatanong-tanong ka habang naglalakad tayo, pero one-word answers lang ang sagot ko. Sinusubukan ko kasing alalahanin kung saan ko nga ba isinuot ang Form5 ko. Nasa tapat tayo ng CASAA nang mapagde-sisyunan kong, pakshet, sino ka nga ba para kailanganin kong magpanggap.

“Ay sorry. Nawawala nga pala ang Form5 ko,” sabi ko, medyo pa-cute ang boses para hindi ka ma-badtrip at hindi mo ako ilaglag sa report. “Hahanapin ko na lang mamaya sa bahay. Basta by Friday, pramis, magbibigay akong outline.”

Nagtagpo ang kilay mo. “A okay.” Napakunot din ang noo ko. “Okay,” sagot ko. Cue na dapat iyon para maghi-walay tayo, para magpaalam sa isa’t isa at ipagpaubaya na lang sa Facebook ang mga susunod na transaksyon natin bilang mag-partner. Pero nakatingin ka pa rin sa akin—at ako sa iyo—na parang naghahanap ng dahilan para iwasan ang nakaambang pagpapaalam. Napangiti ako, natatawa sa sarili kasi masyado akong assuming.

Pero ngumiti ka rin. “Facebook na lang?” tanong mo. “Okay,” sabi ko. “Okay.” Nakangiti ka pa rin. Kung literal lang ang killer smile, takte, kanina pa ako patay.

“Bye?” “Bye?” ibinalik mo ang tanong. Tumawa tayo pareho. Umiling ako, natatawa’t

natutuwa sa palitan natin ng maiikli pero loaded na mga salita.

“Sige na, una na ‘ko,” sabi ko. Tinapik kita sa balikat, saka ako naglakad papasok sa CASAA. Pagkasara ng screen door, natukso akong lumingon para tingnan ka ulit, pero hindi ko ginawa. Next meeting, partner, pumasok na tayong dalawa.

Marah Sayamanbakit kailangang labanan ang pagmimina. Iba-iba ang iyong paraan ng pakikipag-usap sa mga tao, timplado upang hindi magalit ang kausap kahit na kinokontra mo na ang kanilang sinasabi. Walang init ng ulo at puno ng pang-unawa para sa kalagayan ng mga kabaryo mong nabulag ng panandaliang ginahawa na dala ng minahan. Kung mapapadpad ka ng rali sa Maynila, tiyak kong magiging mahusay kang negosyador.

Malalim ang paggagap mo sa pagsubok na hinaharap ng iyong komunidad, kahit na sabihin pa ng iba na hindi mo k abisado ang siyensya at datos ng pagmimina. Ikaw, kayong mga taga-Española, ang lubos na nakakaunawa ng iyong kalagayan. Kayo ang dumanas ng panloloko, pandaraya at pambabastos sa dignidad bilang tao.

Wala sa inyong mga kwen-to ang ‘responsible mining’ na

DEAR PAPASHANG,Magbabakasyon na naman ang

hamog dito sa bansa. Ibig sabi-hin, malapit nang sumabog ang mga tiyan, manganak ang mga regalo sa tahanan, dumalaw ang mga batang nagkakantahan at umusbong ang mistletoe ng pagmamahalan.

Gayunman, nais ko lang ibahagi kung bakit kailangan mong mag-ingat sa pagbili ng mga regalo para sa girlfriend mo. Hindi ako nararapat paulanan ng mamahaling regalo ngayong

taon. Bilang nobya mo, kukumbinsihin kitang huwag nang magluwal ng kahit isang kusing para regaluhan ako.

Narito ang mga dahilan kung bakit nasa top ako ng naughty girlfriends list ni Santa. Na-kasaad dito ang mga pagkakataong sinaniban ako ng demonyo para lang saktan ka.

Trinatraydor kita sa pamamagi-

EksenangPeyups

Newscan

OPINYON

Huwebes06 Disyembre 2012

INtErNatIoNal HumaN

rIgHts Day CommEmoratIoN

CalENDar of aCtIvItIEsDec. 6: Picket at government

agencies| Kalipunan ng mga Katu-tubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas , Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas

Dec. 7: Pakigdait: Solidarity Fo-rum for Mindanao | Panalipdan, Promotion of church Peoples’ Response

Dec.8-9: Libolong alang sa Mindanao: cultural camp and Solidarity Night| Panalipdan, Ma-nilakbayan, Arrival of ST contin-gent in NcR (march from Zapote to Baclaran)

Dec. 9: ST contingent march to US embassy then to Liwasang Bonifacio| Karapatan-Southern Tagalog

Dec. 10: Human Rights Day March to Mendiola (9am assembly at Blumentritt Ave. corner españa, March to Mendiola) | Karapatan

uP astErIsK gaNIto KamI

NooN, PaaNo Kayo NgayoN Inihahandog ng UP ASTeRISK

ang isang Freelikula: Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon? sa direksyon ni eddie Romero. Ang pelikulang ito ay naparangalang Best Picture of the Year mula sa Manunuri Pelikulang Pilipino. Sama-sama nating tunghayan ang kwento ni Kulas sa Disyembre 12, 2012, 5:30pm sa cAL. Para sa katanungan, kontakin lamang si ed sa 09177346594.

ImbItasyoN Para magINg

baHagI Ng aNg PagsusurI:

PagKIlatIs sa susuNoD Na

mga lINgKoD-bayaNHandog ng Tatak Botante ng

USc – UP Diliman, sa panguguna ng education and Research committee at ng UP System - Padayon: eleksyon 2013, kasama ang NcPAG Student Government, UP Freshmen council, UP Haring Ibon, Alliance of concerned Dormitories, UP Debate Society, at ng Philippine collegian, “ANG PAGSUSURI: Pagkilatis sa susunod na mga Lingkod-Bayan,” ngayong enero 10 at 17, 2013 sa UP Diliman at enero 31, 2012 sa UP Los Banos.

Tayo ay mangunguna sa pagbuo ng isang MATALINO, MATALAS, at MALAYANG panunuri sa susunod na mga Senador ng bayan. Kung nais maging bahagi ng programang ito, makipag- ugnayan kay Jules Guiang sa 0905-4502488 o mag-email sa [email protected]. Bisitahin din ang TATAK BOTANTe page sa Facebook.

Da tulfo EDIsHuNHeY THeRe MGA ISKO’T ISKA !! Tulfo here , ang pinaka maganda choz ...este pinaka ASTIG na chikadora…hmm. Ako at ako ako ha ako ang sumbungan ng mga taong maraming kalandian sa buhay tanong mo pa sa apo ng lola mo (paki sabi na rin na mas maganda ako sa kanya). Di na ko magpapatumpik tumpik pa mga teh… este mga DUUDe, simulan na ang makapunit haymen na mga sumbong.

Sumbong #1. Isang bracket e na medyo shunga..ay este suman suman suman sabi ko kaseee…masarap yun kasi mahaba pero mas ok siya kung matigas hmmieyahh!! Ahh anyway, nila-had ni bracket e sa kanyang mga magulang na siya ay nagdadalang tao. Gulat to death si Mamey at dadey. Sa kasamaang palad mas malala ang katotohanan sa likod ng pangyayaring ito, dahil ang positibong pregnancy test na nakuha niya ay di niya pagmamayari. Ito ay pagmamay ari ng kanyang batang batang menor de edad na 65 years old na ina (De WHeeLcHAIR KA NA THe LANDI MO PARIN). Di lang ang katangahan niya ang napatunayan doon pati narin and angking galing na kanyang Ama magdala ng lahi. Lakas te, este, tol!

Sumbong #2. etong susunod, isang bracket A boy na naghihi-rap ang minalas sa loob ng jeep dahil sa maling akala. etong si koya ay akin nalang dapat, esste, ay may nakatabi sa jeep na may magandang kutis at hubog ng katawan (winer si atehh). Ngunit di niya nakita ang pagmumuka nito pero kapansin-pansin na magandang babae ito. Todo kuha si koya ng bayad na dumadaan sa kamay ng naturang tao. Tuwang tuwa naman si koya kasi nahahawakan niya ang kamay nito. Nalantad lamang ang problema ni koya nang masilip na niya ang ID ng kanyang crush sa jeep. Ang pangalan: Jericho. Nakakakalake much!

Sumbong#3. Ang tumatayong sumbong na ito ay tungkol sa isang baklang bracket D na nakakita ng…LAPIS NA MAY MALAKING PAMBURA SA DUHHLOHHH. Naghuhwiehuwie ang isang koya at di ito naglock ng pinto. Pumasok tuloy dito si amiga, at pagbukas ng pinto…TeTeTeTeTeDeeeeeeeeeNG!! Biglaang tumutok ang mala c.H.K na lapis kay atchi! Sa sobrang kilig ay sinara niya ang pinto agad (kung ako yun….hmmm hehehehe) .Napayosi nalang tuloy si achi pagkatapos ng delubyong iyon.

Yan na mga teh. Tuloy tuloy parin ang pagdating ng mga sumbong parang beauty ko chozz.

NExt wEEK’s quEstIoNs:1. Ano ang gusto mong iregalo kay Pang. Noynoy Aquino ngayong pasko? 2. Kung mag-iimbento ka ng paputok, ano ang ipapangaln mo dito? Bonus: ilarawan ang tunog nito.

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KaPag NaIPasa aNg foI bIll,

aNoNg DoKumENto aNg uNa

moNg HIHINgIN?Yung SALN ni cory hanggang

kay PNoy! Or ung statute na nag-pabuhol ng traffic sa common-wealth c/o MMDA.kairita ‘pag uma-ga eh! 2011O1517 BA POLSci

gusto ko mailabas ang ating declaration of independence. 2011-11486

cashflow ng mga government officials at institutions. 08-24039 Badz BSee

hmm FOI bill... kahit pangalan niya lang po!! Please!! Sa prinsesang dalawang beses kong nakita sa cMc na classmate ko sa Pe 3years ago!! Pangalan laaang!! Haha #inmy-dreams 09-33264 OhHappy

Yung financial records ng UP. Totoo nga bang walang pondo ang UP? Hmmm... Wait private school na nga pala ang UP. Hahaha sorry 2012 78832 Sam milby cfa

Kung ipapasa ang FOI Bill, dapat halungkatin ang kinita ni PNoy at ng kanyang angkan mula sa Hacienda Luisita. Anyare sa land distribu-tion? Ayl 200684958

pag napasa foi bill una kong hi-hingin yung info ni crush :”> para naman alam ko kung anong panong style ng damubs gagawin ko :3 1164441 IAmHellNippyPi bsge

KuNg maDuDugtuNgaN Pa

aNg ruta Ng moNoraIl sa

uP, HaNggaNg saaN mo Ito

gustoNg umabot?gusto kong dugtungan ang ruta

ng monorail sa UP hanggang sa Pal-

awan para naman makauwi naman ko sa tinubuan kong bayan. O di ba? Hahahaha! 2011-60282 Taong Tabon BA History

Dugtungan ang ruta sa puso ni PIO para madali ko nang mapunta-han! :))) 201x5xxx7

Sana madugtungan ang ruta ng monorail kapag ako ang sasakay sa puso ni Rachel Sandalo. Amissyou na! :-D 11-78704

SANA AABOT SA NATIONAL IN-STITUTe OF PHYSIcS KASI ANG LAYO eH. NAKAKABINAT. ANO KAMI, PROJecTILe? 2012-XXXXX amparadorocks BA Hist

dapat abot hanggang mendiola para hndi na kailangan magmarcha! 2011-12079

hanggang sa room ko sa yakal. ;) 08-24039 Badz BSee

SA PUSO MO 1168802 <3shhI-extend ang ruta ng monorail

sa Mineski Katipunan. 12-47395 BS Mete

Sa puso mo! <3 2012-53243sa bahay namin, hehe joke, kung

pwede sa eDSA pra wla ng sm north at mrt na jeep, easy access 2012-12115

Pwede bang magkaroon ung monorail ng ruta hanggang sa puso niya? Para hndi na ako mahirapang pumasok. :p er, BSe chem, eduk

Hanggang sa AS steps, para ‘di hassle sa aming commuters. Haha! 1222194

Sana po may Platform 9 3/4 din sa monorail papuntang Hogwarts. :) 2012-17277 Red BS Math

Sana umabot sa MRT ng Qu-ezon Ave! Nakakapagod na kaya maglakad. Wala pang escalator. 12-00561 Dr. Mundo

gusto ko pag dinugtungan yung ruta ng monorail sa up abot hang-gang sci complex..sana nga yung stations na gagawin nila nasa tapat mismo ng building yung tipong pag-baba ng monorail nasa 2nd or 3rd floor ka na ng building :3 1164441 IAmHellNippyPi bsge

Sa Boracay para kung stressed na edi derecho beach. Oh di masaya yun! :))) 201278226 Iscupid cfa

CommENtsBakit puro emo (madalas) ng

mga story sa Opinyon page ng Kule? Puro negative. Sana yung mga inspirational naman at hindi mga suicide, sama ng loob, etc. yung mga mababasa. Tsk. 927434

sagutaNFor Mr. Raposas: correction,mga

roman pa lng pnalayas na ang mga hudyo s holy land.d2 glng ang term n diaspora.trivia aside, bgo ito ngng protectorate ng british,unang nkskop d2 frm d turks ay ang france s period ng european expanshon 4markets ng knlang bgng industries. in essence, israel or palestine,frm d french invasion ay ngserve as entry point ng western influence and markets s middle east.hndi nlng simpleng usapn ito kng cno ang nauna o dayuhan s palestine.usapn ito ng mga world power n gngmt ang gera ng mliliit n bnsa pra s knlang sriling interes. history cn b used to simplify an arguement,bt it cn nver b used to justify aggresion. 2005XXXXX

PabatIBakit late parati dumating ung

kule dito s UP tacloban?anyway, pa-greet naman ako kay lavenia orbeta. tnx. 200842892 ram bsa

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