Showing posts with label craig aquino. Show all posts

Feature: A is for Apple nga ba?


“Ang kahalagahan ng panitikang pambata ay ipinapakita nito sa mga bata ang kapangyarihan ng salita, at ito rin ang kanilang unang introduksyon sa kapangyarihan ng panitikan para sila ay maging mas mabuting mambabasa at mabuting mamamayan sa hinaharap,” wika ni Eugene Y. Evasco.

Sa mga salitang ito makikita ang pilosopiya sa likod ng pagsusulat ng Alpabeto ng Kulturang Filipino, isang bagong aklat mula sa PLL Publishing House na isinulat ni Evasco at isinalarawan ni Arron Asis.

Photo Credit: PLL Publishing House
Sa takip ng libro ay isang bangka sa ibabaw ng pamagat. Dito pa lamang, mahihinuha na kung ano ang nilalaman nito: isang paglalakbay sa kultura ng Pilipinas.

At ganoon nga ang pakiramdam ng pagbabasa ng aklat na ito. Ang karaniwang banyagang A is for Apple hanggang Z is for Zebra ay ipinagpalit para sa A ay para sa Ati-atihan hanggang sa Z ay para sa Zigattu.

Kitang-kita ang atensyon sa detalye sa paggawa ng aklat. Mula sa mga piniling konsepto para sa bawat letra, hanggang sa mga larawan na iginuhit para ipakita ang mga ito, punong-puno ang libro ng mga detalye na ipinapakita ang pagpapahalaga ng mga gumawa ng libro sa kulturang Filipino.

Isang magandang halimbawa nito ay ang ‘tnalak’ para sa T. Kuwento ng manunulat, ilang aklat at tao ang nakonsulta nila upang siguraduhin na tama ang baybay nito na walang kudlit. Sinigurado rin nila na tama ang mga kulay na ginamit para sa larawan dahil tatlo lamang ang kulay na ginagamit para sa tnalak.

Halimbawa, ang guhit para sa V (vakul) ay nagpapakita ng babae lamang, dahil nga ang vakul ay isang Ivatang kasuotan para lang sa mga babae. Gayon din ang larawan para sa F (fatek), kung saan lalaki ang naglalagay nito, dahil sa mga Bontoc, lalaki lang ang maaaring gumawa nito.

Sa pagbasa, mauunawan mo rin kung gaano kalaki ang pagpapahalaga ng mga gumawa ng libro sa kulturang Filipino. Hindi sila sumunod sa tipikal na pananaw sa Pilipinas na nakapokus sa mga Kristiyanong taga-Luzon. Sa halip, naipakita nila ang pagiging sari-sari ng kulturang Filipino, mula Luzon hanggang Mindanao, Kristiyano man o hindi.

Maging ang istilo ng pagguhit ay nagpapakita ng kamalayan sa kultura at kasaysayang Filipino — ito ay hango mula sa letras y figuras, isang uri ng pagpinta mula sa panahon ng Espanyol.

Makikita rin na kinikilala at pinahahalagahan ng aklat ang pangunahing mambabasa nito: ang mga bata. Simple lamang ang mga paliwanag sa mga kultural na konsepto at madaling intindihin. Hindi rin sila matagal basahin, at sa katotohanan, kayang tapusing basahin ang aklat sa ilang minuto lamang.

Makukulay at kaakit-akit ding tingnan ang mga larawan. Siguradong makukuha nito ang atensyon ng mga bata, at kakayaning makipagkompetensya sa digital devices.

Maging ang materyal ng libro ay pinagtuunan ng pansin. Matibay at matigas ito, at siguradong kakayanin ang “pambubugbog” na matatanggap nito mula sa mga bata.

Kapuri-puri ang aklat na ito, na unang naisipang gawin ng may-akda matapos siyang lapitan para sumulat ng bagong aklat pambata.

At mahalagang mayroon tayong ganitong kasangkapan.

Sa panahon ngayon kung kailan mas maalam pa tayo sa banyagang kultura, binibigyan tayo nito ng oportunidad na mas kilalanin pa ang yaman ng ating bayan. Matutulungan tayo nito na hindi maging, sa mga salita ng may-akda, ‘banyaga sa sariling kultura.’

Makakatulong din ito sa edukasyon ng mga Pilipino, sapagkat ito ay maaaring magsilbing isang pundasyon para kilalanin ng mga bata ang kanilang sariling kultura, at, ayon nga kay Professor Emeritus Rosario Torres-Yu, ang kultura ay haligi ng edukasyon.

At hindi lamang ito sa mga Pilipinong laking-Pilipinas makakatulong. Maaari din itong maging paraan upang kilalanin ng mga Filipino expat ang bansang pinanggalingan ng kanilang lahi. Maaari din itong magsilbing pagpapakilala sa mga dayuhan sa kagandahan at pagkasari-sari ng ating bayan.

Ipinapakita ng aklat na ito na may mga taong kumikilala sa halaga ng kabataan at ng kamalayan sa kultura para sa hinaharap ng bayan. Sinisimbolo rin ng aklat na ito ang pag-asa para sa isang mas edukado at mas malay na mamamayan.

Katulad ng iminungkahi ni Professor Emeritus Torres-Yu, dapat nating suportahan ang akdang ito, lalo na’t pribadong pagsisikap ang bumuhay rito. Kung nawalan ito ng suporta, maaaring maglaho ito, at bakit natin gugustuhin iyon?

Ipagbibili ang Alpabeto ng Kulturang Filipino sa Kultura sa mga SM Mall at sa mga museo mula Oktubre o maagang Nobyembre. Ito ay nagkakahalagang Php 390.00.//ni Craig Aquino


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Erratum: “Mula Oktubre hanggang maagang Nobyembre” ang nakatala sa huling talata ng artikulo noong unang inilabas ito. Ito ay dapat na “Mula Oktubre o maagang Nobyembre.” Humihingi po kami ng paumanhin ukol dito. 

Opinion: Children to be slapped… on with handcuffs?



Photo Credit: Marco Sulla and Gail  Clemente

Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III filed Senate Bill 2026 on Monday, 24 September, seeking to amend Republic Act 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, and lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR) in the country from 15 to 12 years old, citing a continuing challenge in the implementation of said law.

RA 9344 ‘covers the different stages involving children at risk and children in conflict with the law from prevention to rehabilitation and reintegration.’

It provides for the procedure to be taken in the case a minor acts in violation of criminal law. It also delineates the rights of minors at risk of committing, accused of, or convicted of criminal acts.

Sotto explains why SB 2026 should be passed in the bill’s explanatory note. His argumentation, however, is pure sophistry.

In the introductory paragraph, he mentioned recent viral videos, including one of a 15-year-old beating to death another minor, one of a group of street children attempting to rob an old man, and minors stealing from a jeepney driver.

He also described recent news headlines as having ‘the same tenor’: 14-year-old boy beats elder sister to death in Aklan, Youngest surrenderer started drugs at 8, Drug war lists 20,584 kids as 'users, pushers, runners'.

These references make it appear as if child delinquency is becoming a larger and larger problem. However, this may just be a case of the mean world syndrome. The term, coined by George Gerbner, the creator of the cultivation theory of mass media, refers to how mass media can distort people’s perception of the world to make it seem more violent than it actually is.

Statistics would paint a more accurate picture of the current situation of juvenile delinquency.

There are barely, if any, for crimes in general. However, a Reuters report from 2017 does mention a PDEA statistic of 24,000 children being arrested for drug-related crimes, which is similar to one of the headlines Sotto cited, albeit the latter is from 2016. What he failed to mention however, is that that number is out of 800,000 in total arrested, meaning only 3% of drug arrests were children.

Sotto also quoted a 2017 call by President Rodrigo Duterte to lower the age of criminal liability ‘to ensure that the Filipino youth would accept responsibility for their actions and be subjected to government intervention programs’.

Sotto claimed that this is consistent with the goal of reducing criminality in the country.

However, is it really?

Making younger children liable for illegal acts they commit does not actually reduce crime — rather, it only increases the number of people punished for such. There also aren’t actually any studies or data to support the claim that a lower MACR will lead to reduced criminality.

Furthermore, younger children will be labelled as criminals. If one is to consider the labelling theory of sociology, which posits that labels applied to people affect how they perceive themselves and therefore how they act, this might actually even worsen the problem of criminality. Instead of helping children avoid a life of crime, the bill might encourage them to.

Another thing Sotto cited is the Child Rights International Network (CRIN) website, which lists minimum ages of criminal responsibility (MACRs) from different countries. He does not really elaborate on how this information supports his current proposition.

In fact, CRIN published a response in which they said that they ‘reject in the strongest terms [Sotto’s] proposal, which will serve only to criminalise more children and will do nothing to address the underlying reasons that children become involved in crime’.

In closing, Sotto wrote that ‘the State must ensure that those children in conflict with the law who are currently exempted from criminal liability [and those] who take advantage of the same must not be given the same privilege.’

However, Sotto’s sophistry alone does not make the lowering of the MACR unwise.

Some have also argued that the lower age of criminality will protect children from being used as tools in crimes such as drug smuggling.

This, of course, is false.

The lowering of the MACR will either lead to two things: criminals will either use even younger children for their purposes, or they will continue to use the same-age children and, if caught, subject to more severe punishment.

Additionally, in the context of drug crime, children aren’t actually used that much. The same Reuters report mentioned earlier said of the 24,000 minors arrested for drugs, ‘less than two percent of those minors, or about 400 children, were delivering or selling drugs. Only 12 percent, or 2,815, were aged 15 or younger. Most of the 24,000 minors were listed as drug users.’

All the aforementioned considered, now is not the time to discuss lowering the MACR.

Instead, we should focus on how we can reduce juvenile delinquency proactively — through redoubling our efforts to protect children from the circumstances leading them to criminality — ineffective parenting, harmful peer associations, poverty, and illness.

If some youth really are consistent in their criminality, we must design a more effective restorative system in order to help them become better members of society.

Currently, 15-18-year-olds who commit crimes can be detained in centres called ‘Bahay Pag-Asa’ wherein they are supposed to undergo rehabilitation. However, a Rappler report from 2016 cited Preda Foundation executive director Francis Bermido, Jr as saying ‘most of these LGU-run centers are substandard.’

Those measures, besides helping with the problem of juvenile delinquency, might in fact also help to curb crime rates in general. Solutions like this aid in identifying people-at-risk and serve as early interventions preventing them from becoming criminals.//by Craig Aquino

CHK students hold free fitness dance sessions

FIT. Participants to the fitness dance activity smile for a picture after a session of dancing. Photo Credit: Aldric de Ocampo
Students from the University of the Philippines College of Human Kinetics (UP CHK) held a free dance session last 26 September, 2018 at the 3-6 Bulwagan. The session was joined by parents and teachers.

It marked the third week of a fitness dance program at the UP Integrated School (UPIS).

The program is organised by parent Joy Wadi, who said it is for the physical fitness of mommies and women in UPIS.

“Okay lang naman [ang experience]. Madali lang masundan mga steps na tinuturo nila,” said Maria Ronelli Espina, a UPIS teacher who participated in the program.

[The experience was okay. The steps they taught were easy to follow.]

Holding free fitness dance classes for the community is a requirement for students of the CHK’s Fitness Dance class (SS 120). Similar programs were held before in the National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) and the UP College of Mass Communication (MassComm).

Wadi also suggested that the program be continued by future SS 120 classes. Professor Zyra Ruth Brebante, the instructor, liked the idea and approved of such, as long as there is a teacher for the classes.

The classes are planned to continue for the remainder of the first semester, until December. It will be held every Wednesday from 5:00 – 6:00 pm. Everyone, including students, parents, and school staff, are encouraged to join.

“It’s free and it's in UPIS, so di na kailangan pang lumayo,” said Espina.

[It’s free and it's in UPIS, so there’s no need to travel far to exercise.] // by Craig Aquino and Aldric de Ocampo

Komunidad ng UP, ginunita ang anibersaryo ng Batas Militar


PAKIKIBAKA. Matapang na ipinahayag ng mga Isko at Iska ang kanilang pagtutol sa diktadura noong paggunita ng pagdeklara ng Martial Law. Photo Credit: Craig Aquino

Nagsagawa ng malawakang kilos-protesta ang mga estudyante, guro, kawani, at manggagawa ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (UP) Diliman sa harap ng Palma Hall noong ika-21 ng Setyembre upang gunitain ang ika-46 na anibersaryo ng pagdeklara ng Batas Militar sa Pilipinas.

Dumalo ang Presidente ng UP na si Danilo Concepcion upang magbigay ng suporta sa mga raliyista. Itinalaga niya ang 21 Setyembre bilang UP Day of Remembrance sa pamamagitan ng Proclamation 1, Series of 2018.

Ang mga estudyante ay nagtipon muna sa kani-kanilang kolehiyo bago nagsanib-puwersa ang lahat sa Palma Hall.

Nagsagawa rito ng programa kung saan nagbahagi ang mga kinatawan ng ilang organisasyon ng kanilang mga sentimyento ukol sa panahon ng rehimeng Marcos at kasalukuyang pamumuno ni Pangulong Duterte.

Kabilang sa mga nagsalita si dating Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, na sinabing, “May mga dinadakip pa na mga tao. Wala raw pinapatay sa Pilipinas sabi nila. Ano sila, hilo? Ipaglaban ang karapatan. Ipaalam na hindi tayo papayag sa Batas Militar!”

Nagsalita rin si John Isaac ‘Ice’ Punzalan, mula sa College of Arts and Letters (CAL) at kasapi ng Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights (STAND-UP), tungkol sa pahayag ni Imee Marcos. “Hindi tayo magmu-move on! Hindi tayo makakalimot sa mga ginawa ng diktador na si Marcos. Klaro sa atin kung sino ang kaaway at terorista: si Rodrigo Duterte na nagpapahirap at pumapaslang ng mga Pilipino."

Tumugtog din ang ilang miyembro ng UP Alay Sining ng isang orihinal na kanta.

“Itong buong UP community ay nagkakaisa ngayon laban sa tiraniya at diktadura ni Duterte. Siguro matatandaan natin na sa kahabaan ng kasaysayan ng pakikibaka, nanguna ang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas sa pagpapatalsik sa diktador na si Marcos. Ngayong mayroon tayong nag-aastang na diktador sa mukha ni Duterte na patuloy na pumapatay at gumugutom sa mga mamamayang Pilipino, walang pag-aalinlangang kikilos muli ang buong komunidad ng UP para mapatalsik na si Duterte sa kaniyang pwesto,” sabi ni Nickolo Domingo, kasapi ng organisasyong Anakbayan UP Diliman.

“Itong demonstrasyong ito ay ang kolektibong pagpapakita ng galit ng mga mamamayan. Hindi na tayo papayag sa ganitong paulit-ulit na mga nangyayari: patayan, ginugutom ang mga mamamayan,” dagdag niya.

“Hindi lamang ito komemorasyon ng Martial Law noong ‘70s, kundi pagpapakita rin ng paglaban sa kasalukuyang diktadura at tiraniya ni Duterte,” pahayag ni Ram Hernandez, isang mananaliksik sa Academic Union ng UP Diliman.

Matapos ang programa, sumakay ang mga nagpoprotesta sa mga dyip patungong Plaza Miranda kung saan nakipagtipon sila sa iba pang nakikibaka mula sa iba’t ibang paaralan, sektor, at organisasyon. Nagtungo silang Luneta para sa huling bahagi ng protesta.//nina Craig Aquino, Julius Guevarra Jr. at Vea Dacumos

Opinion: School rules?


Photo Credit: Marco Sulla


As students of the University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS), we are bound by its Rules and Regulations on Student Conduct and Discipline. We must obey them, lest punishment befall us.

The homeroom advisers orientation held at the start of this academic year brought to light several issues with these rules.

For one, the rules are outdated. The current version of the Rules and Regulations on Student Conduct and Discipline had its last major revision 14 years ago, in 2004.

Rule 3b is clear evidence of this. It prohibits the use of ‘instruments or equipment not needed during class hours like cassette recorders, walkman, radio, etc.’ When was the last time you saw a cassette or walkman in use in this generation?

While this outdatedness does not necessarily invalidate the rules and regulations, it begs the question: what other artefacts of time have been overlooked? The answer to this question is significant as rules are a reflection of society in which they are enforced. What was inappropriate then may not be inappropriate now.

Take, for example, the haircut regulations. Boys are required to keep their hair above the eyebrows at the front, neatly cropped at the sides, and neatly tapered towards the hairline at the back. The hair must also not reach the back of the collar.

Girls, meanwhile, have the freedom to keep their hair at any length as long as it is brushed away from their face.

Why are these regulations in place? Most proponents would argue that it is for discipline and neatness. These reasons, of course, are balderdash.

Rules can and have been placed to instill discipline in people. In fact, the example of prescribed haircuts have precedent in such societies as martial law Philippines, and current dictatorship North Korea. Less sinisterly, armed forces such as the military also impose haircut regulations.

What these cases have in common is that the rules were placed in order to strengthen an already existing hierarchy, and to promote subservience and obedience.

‘But it’s not just to discipline students! It’s also to make sure they look neat and presentable!’ some may argue. Why then the distinction between males and females?

There is a pervasive belief that boys with long hair are unkempt and unclean, regardless of how combed or fixed their hair is. Why is this so, other than the fact that some people in the past believed it to be true? If hair can only be neat short, why are girls allowed to have long hair? It is, at the very least, discriminatory for this distinction to exist, as it is arbitrary and not rooted in fact.

Another issue brought up was that some rules were unclear or vague. This includes the definitions of terms and implementation guidelines. If teachers themselves are confused about what rules to implement and how to implement them, how much more will the students be able to obey them?

Take the prohibition against deadly weapons; deadly weapons are defined as ‘any physical object that may be used to inflict harm or injury to others, including but not limited to firearms, explosive, knives, bladed objects, blunt instruments, and others.’

It is clear why deadly weapons should be prohibited: they are meant to cause harm, and to cause harm only, which means their presence threatens the safety of people in the school. However, the way the rulebook defines ‘deadly weapons’ leaves the term so open to interpretation that a water jug or fork could be considered a deadly weapon.

While it can be easily argued that it is common sense what a deadly weapon is, this could be used to punish students unfairly. Besides that, undefined terms, such as PDA or public display of affection, will lead to subjective and possibly inconsistent implementation.

This acts against the welfare of students which the rules are supposed to protect.

What then is the solution to these issues on school rules? Review and revision.

Whomever, or whatever committee, is assigned to perform this review must be critical in their decisions. They must take into account not only their views, but also the students’ as well. They must ensure that rules are worded precisely so that there is no doubt in the implementation of aforementioned.

Of course, the rules themselves are not the only problem. Implementation also is. Students, for example, are told on for violations that are not even in the rules and regulations. Students with dyed hair, girls with undercuts or polished nails have been called out for rule violations, when in fact they have done nothing against the rules.

Rules are also inconsistently enforced, with some people freely walking about the school without reprimand, while some are told on, to the point where they feel harassed.

However, before we deal with these implementation issues, we must first fix the rules themselves. Students will be encouraged to follow them, and as an effect be instilled with the values of honour and excellence.

Rules are a foundation upon which a society is built. In order to make sure the school stands strong and proud, the foundation must be well-built.//by Craig Aquino and Marlyn Go

Opinion: Happy Mother’s 100 Days!



Photo credit: Gail Clemente and Ulap Coquilla 

House Bill 4113 or the 100-Day Maternity Leave Law was recently approved by the House of Representatives on its second reading.

The bill provides for 100 days paid maternity leave for female workers, which may be extended for a further unpaid 30 days. It also states that the availment of the maternity leave cannot be used as the basis for the employee’s demotion or termination of work.

The bill will be further debated by a bicameral committee with members from both the Senate and the House of Representatives due to different provisions in the Senate version of the bill, Senate Bill 1305.

SB 1305 provides for 120 days paid maternity leave, which can be extended by a further unpaid 30 days. It will also give fathers 30 days of leave, as opposed to the current 7 days maximum.

This work in progress is a successful development, not just for women’s rights, but, in the case of the Senate version, gender equality as well.

The provisions show that it recognises the hardships women go through not just during, but also in the period surrounding childbirth. Besides that, giving fathers paternity leave means that the state also recognises that they also have child-rearing duties.

Aside from tackling social issues, the bill also aids families personally, giving them time to recover, bond with each other, and generally help with their health and wellbeing.

In fact, a New America report from 2017 said, ‘a growing body of research is finding that, on the whole, job-protected paid family leaves of adequate duration and wage replacement lead to more income and gender equality, significant reductions in infant, maternal and even paternal mortality, improved physical and mental health for children and parents, greater family stability and economic security, business productivity, and economic growth.’

Therein lies the catch however: ‘adequate duration and wage replacement’, according to the report.

When the bicameral committee further amends the bill, it must take into account scientific research and economic data to ensure that the bill does not run counter to its goal or that it causes more harm than good.

It must be rigorous in its decision-making, because the consequences of a poorly thought of law could mean a wider wage gap between sexes, increased discrimination, economic harm, and decreased infant and parental health.

All in all however, this is a good step forward from the shorter maternity leaves of before. //by Craig Aquino and Aldric De Ocampo

Opinion: Should we move on, Imee?


Photo credit: Wenona Catubig

‘Move on,’ quoth Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos. Two words: a catch-all response to criticisms of their family, and the regime of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, her father.

It is an appeal that we, Filipinos, simply forget the pain, the abuse, and the torment that the country suffered during Martial Law — and there’s no use denying that there was pain and abuse and torment, for if there weren’t, what is there to move on from?

It is an insult to the countless number of people who fought against tyranny during one of the darkest periods in Philippine history.

It is an insult to Liliosa Hilao, a student leader who openly criticised and wrote against the government, ultimately dying for her actions.

It is an insult to Archimedes Trajano, who, for speaking out against presidential daughter Imee Marcos, was thrown off a balcony and killed.

It is an insult to the countless other people dead at the hands of dictatorial rule.

Beyond that, Governor Marcos claimed that even the millenials have moved on. Stated plainly, this is wrong. The youth of today continue to remember the atrocities of martial law Philippines. They have not moved on, as the governor claimed.

The youth continue to struggle against misinformation and tyranny, using tools of their generation. Social media and hashtags such as #NeverAgain allow them to spread knowledge and ultimately help the nation avoid another Marcos regime.

The youth remember the past lessons of martial law in order to better the country today and avoid the mistakes of the past. This is especially relevant as the actions of the government now mirror the actions of the government then, what with the increased taxes, willy-nilly executions, and even the implementation itself of martial law in Mindanao.

Governor Marcos would also like to reduce this issue to a mere conflict between families — the Aquinos and the Marcoses — saying, ‘The conflict between the Marcoses and Aquinos happened a long time ago. We don't need to keep hating people for a very long time.’

However this goes beyond that. This is a conflict between a nation pilfered and scarred, and a dictator and his family.

How can that nation just move on, when the Marcoses still reap the benefits of their misdeeds and injustices? How can that nation move on when the Marcoses cannot even admit their wrongs and apologise? How can that nation move on when the Marcoses continue to roam free and even work in the government?

The answer is that it can’t.

There’s no moving on from Martial Law until justice is served.//by Craig Aquino and Aldric De Ocampo

Opinion: Better than before



The canteen is one of the most important places in school. It is there that students can quench their thirst, alleviate their hunger, and meet their friends. Faculty and staff likewise can depend on the canteen for all their food and beverage needs. It is imperative then, that it has the best service and facilities so it can accommodate everyone in need of it.

This year, there have been several noticeable changes to the canteen, both in system and facilities.

One of the most noticeable are the fans now spread around the eating area. These were donated by Batch ‘69, and make the canteen space cooler and more breathable, and therefore a more comfortable place to eat in.

Besides that, there are now also CLAY GO or Clean As You Go signs, indicating that students should clean up after themselves when using canteen facilities. This not only teaches the students good manners and keeps the eating area clean, but it also removes the burden of cleaning on canteen staff so that they can serve students food and drink more efficiently.

Concerning waste, the canteen bins are now placed closer together and are clearly labelled for waste segregation. This placement, as compared to before, encourages better the then-existing but poorly implemented segregation policy.

And what’s better than segregated waste? No waste at all!

A new policy by the canteen also encourages students to be more eco-friendly and reduce the waste they generate by charging customers two pesos less for bringing their own containers. This policy not only helps the environment, but also people’s pockets.

There are also new resale products and there are also some that were brought back for better variety of food served for everyone. And because there is an issue of having no food left during lunch, the reservations are only up until 10 am so they could make more for the other students. This aims to serve everyone with adequate amount of food from morning ‘till lunch.

These are small changes, true, but they are already remarkable and deserve praise. They show that the canteen indeed listens to feedback, and that it cares for its customers’ comfort. Not only that, it went beyond what students asked for, and showed that it also cares for its greater social responsibility to the environment and society.

Perhaps some students still find that the canteen is still lacking in some respects. However, changing, even just little by little, is good enough for now. If customer remarks are listened to and always taken into account, and the canteen administration is proactive in their improvement of services, it’ll get us back to better than before.//by Craig Aquino and Marlyn Go

Opinion: On Filipino resilience

Photo Credit: Ezra Bustamante
Despite living in a country beset by poverty and corruption, and often struck by natural disasters, one can always expect Filipinos to smile. No disaster or calamity can permanently bring us to our knees.

Recently, heavy rains brought on by the South-West Monsoon caused severe flooding in many parts of northern Luzon. Just as recently, images appeared on social media – and even on mainstream news programmes – showing our countrymen braving storm and flood in their own makeshift ways, all the while wearing that trademark Filipino smile.

How resilient we are.

However, as with nearly everything, there is an appropriate amount: neither too much, nor too little. We Filipinos, it seems, have in our blood far beyond therapeutic levels of resiliency, to a point where it takes a toxic form: complacence.

This complacence is a woe unto our nation – it breeds an inaction augmenting the evils of theft and typhoon and whatever other threat we might face. We do only the bare minimum necessary to overcome what problems befall us – no more.

Take the most recent event: flooding. Many people got stranded on roofs when the floods came. If they needed to get somewhere, they would wrap their shoes in plastic to keep their feet dry, or, if they were more unfortunate, they would need to make rafts. It’s what they did last year too. Also the year before that. And the year before that. And, probably next year as well.

It’s reactionary. Instead of preventing flooding, which is in some cases preventable, people just sew on more patches onto their lives when the floods come a-ripping. They just accept the flooding as a normal part of their lives to be dealt with instead of something preventable.

Of course, this does not apply to all; there have been improvements in flood warning systems and evacuation operations, especially in areas where flooding is nigh unpreventable, such as along the banks of rivers.

Another example of our resilience-nigh-complacency is how we deal with the government. We have long had problems with it, most notably regarding corruption. Despite that, how many actually act against said problems?

Here comes stark our mindset of ‘bahala na’, or ‘hayaan mo na; ganyan talaga ‘yan’. So many let corruption continue because they’ve resigned themselves to the fact that it is a part of our daily lives.

These things we do – how we act – is harmful. It’s akin to taking ibuprofen to relieve a headache caused by brain cancer. The problem is solved temporarily, but it’ll keep coming and coming and we’ll do nothing about it (beyond the ibuprofen, of course).

Bahala na. It’s not like we can blame ourselves. We are a nation for centuries subjugated, by both foreigners and our own countrymen. We were – and are – enslaved, stolen from, and lied to.

What is there left for us to do but to take the beatings given to us, and smile in hopes that they’ll someday end? We have nothing left but our stoicism, that no blow may ever knock us down, and our optimism, that we may not fell ourselves. It is with these that we survive whatever predicament however we can. A workable solution, no?

No. There is a caveat.

French philosopher Gabriel Marcel, in his Sketch of the Phenomenology and the Metaphysics of Hope, started defining hope by four things it was not; two of those are relevant here: hope is not optimism, and hope is not stoicism.

We cannot keep smiling through our problems or stand steadfast against them. Even the hardest rocks are weathered by the waves of the sea. There is no hope in that. We must fight against that sea of troubles.

We must do better, as a nation, for our nation.//by Craig Aquino

Opinion: An abuse of office



Ramon Tulfo is a journalist. As such, he has a duty to bring information to the people – to inform them of the truth – that they may be empowered as members of society. Many things may be said about him and his questionable beliefs, and many things have been said concerning such.

This article is not about those.

Recently, Tulfo posted a video on Facebook with a caption explaining that his driver ran over a six-year-old girl in Navotas, whom they consequently brought to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) emergency room (ER). He further claimed that ER doctor Jay Guerrero did not want to perform first aid on the girl, saying he did not want it videotaped.

The post, it appeared, was meant to shame the doctor for refusing care.

Instead, he drew the collective ire of doctors, medical practitioners, and even non-medical persons.

Tulfo responded to his critics saying that when they got to the PGH ER, it was in a wet market-like state, with patients lying unattended on the floor. He also said that he originally meant to record only the child for legal reference, the doctor being videotaped only after refusing care. Tulfo further added that the doctors and staff of the ER seemed blunt to their surroundings.

Tulfo’s actions were deplorable.

He made an ER – an already very stressful environment – an even more stressful one. He was verbally abusive towards the doctor and staff, insisting they disregard protocol so that the girl he brought be treated ahead of others who may have needed more urgent care. He videotaped staff and patients without permission, and refused to stop when asked.

He claimed that he was acting for the child run-over’s welfare, but not once did he ask for permission from the child’s – a minor’s – mother whether videotaping was fine. Even more than that, he uploaded the video for public viewing, without the face of the child being censored, in violation of both local and international broadcasting guidelines.

He apologised for his outburst, but refuses to apologise to Dr. Guerrero and the PGH, saying that he made his point clear – that he was concerned for the child. He also refuses to take down the initial video, claiming that it can be a future point of discussion. His reasoning in the former has no merit. His reasoning in the latter partly does. However, a compromise must be made – one cannot simply disregard the rights of a person for academic discussion; ethics must still be observed.

All things considered, he seems to want to portray himself as a man doing good – a hero. In reality, all he has accomplished is to display an inflated sense of ego and self-righteousness.

In the end, he not only harmed the PGH and its staff, but also the journalistic institution as a whole.

His actions show an abuse of the title of journalist. They portray a kind of righteous journalism which the institution does not need right now, especially with so many people – politicians even – casting doubts on it.

Terrible is this attempt to mask his foul deed and tongue with the mantles of journalism and concern. It takes a profession meant to empower people with knowledge, and turns such into a sheep-cloak for Tulfo’s injurious attempt to get special treatment.

No journalist should ever stoop to this level.//by Craig Aquino

Opinion: Limited space



Students who performed well during the school year were recognised last May 4, 2018 at the Parangal ceremony held at the newly-renovated University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS) Auditorium.

The Parangal is an annual event, meant to celebrate meritorious students and their achievements. For those without awards, it may serve as an inspiration to work harder and do better. It can benefit everyone, whether they get to climb the stage or not.

It would be sad then, if students were robbed of the opportunity to participate.

And robbed they were.

Only the Grade 12 students and one section from each grade level from Grades 7-11 were allowed to attend the Parangal for the high school level this year.

Although the recently renovated auditorium had great new features, such as air conditioning, a large UPIS logo emblazoned on the stage-left wall, and better seats, it was unable to accomodate the whole 7-12 student body, parents and guests of awardees, and faculty members.

This was due to the fact that the auditorium as renovated couldn’t be filled to its supposed maximum capacity, as it wasn’t structurally stable enough to hold the mass of occupants. The Office of the Campus Architect recommended that the auditorium’s capacity not be pushed to its limits, as doing so would risk collapse and harm to those in attendance.

That wasn’t the only issue with the auditorium though. The renovations were not made for simple aesthetics. They were, first of all, because of problems stemming from how the auditorium was built: old and improperly elevated seats and a badly built stage prevented people from being able to properly watch whatever event was occurring.

The auditorium was also originally made to hold only 453 people. The auditorium was a late addition to the plans, and therefore failed to account for the two additional batches to be added by the K-12 program. Only Grades 7-10 were considered during the creation of the auditorium.

One would then wonder: will every batch ever get a chance to watch an event in the auditorium together? Most likely not.

The next best option for a school-wide event venue, according to Assistant Principal for Administration Prof. Portia Dimabuyu, would be the Gymnasium.

It is sad, to say the least.

The auditorium should be a place where students can enjoy school events together. It would be terrible to be excluded from it for any reason, even more so because of poor planning.

However, what can be done? Perhaps there are some architectural esoterica that could be used to save the auditorium? Unlikely. Seeing as the problems lie in the structure of the auditorium itself and how it was built, the only solution would be a complete overhaul or rebuild of the place.

We can’t honestly expect the school to do that. It would not only be expensive and difficult, but also disruptive to classes and the normal functioning of the school.

Someone should be held accountable for these issues, though, at least. These problems came from somewhere along the line when the school was being built.

A student population including Grades 7-12 was accounted for when the number of classrooms was being decided. Why not for the auditorium as well?

Even then, giving consideration to the late addition of the auditorium as an excuse for the aforementioned problem, why were the issues needing renovations to be rectified present? Because of those, the already too-small capacity of the auditorium was even more reduced.

That’s inexcusable, given that those factors, seat and stage elevation, should be main considerations when designing an auditorium, as they allow one to fully experience from their seat whatever’s going on on stage.

The audi, as it is familiarly called by students, was lacking from the start. We can’t blame the school administration for that. They’re just making do with what we already have.

The school trusted certain people to create an auditorium to serve UPIS, and those certain people broke that trust. Now, it’s the students getting the short end of the stick, being prevented from going to supposed school-wide events, and the administration too, being blamed by students for the unfortunate situation.

Why must we suffer for the mistakes of another, and receive no recompense?//by Craig Aquino, Marlyn Go, Storm Gatchalian and Yssa Luna 

Opinion: Money Grabs


Photo Credit: Gail Clemente


Competition is healthy for the economy.

It incentivises businesses to progress or innovate in order to convince consumers to support them instead of others. This in turn benefits consumers, who get better services.

In monopolies, wherein one entity has sole control of the market, companies are free to hike up prices while providing low-quality services to consumers.

Recently, Grab, a Transport Network Company (TNC), bought the South-east Asia operations of Uber. Through this, it has effectively monopolised the transport network market in the Philippines.

TNCs are companies which provide transport network vehicle services, more commonly known as ride-sharing services, pairing passengers with drivers via mobile applications or websites. It’s an alternative to the long wait that usually entails commuting through other means.

Fortunately, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), along with the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), took steps to ensure the welfare of consumers.

The PCC, on its part, reviewed the acquisition and sought to protect the interests of consumers while it occurred.

The LTFRB, on the other hand, has authorised more TNCs to operate in the Philippines. These include local start-ups such as GoLag, U-Hop, Hype, and Micab. It has also placed regulations on Grab’s pricing to prevent overcharging of consumers.

These actions by the government are commendable. They act in service of the consumers and of the Filipino people.

Their steps have prevented anti-competitive and anti-consumer practices in the case of TNCs, and allowed local entrepreneurs to get into the Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) market.

The Philippine government is terribly flawed. However, in this case, they have managed to do good.//by Craig Aquino and Cyrille Villanueva

Opinion: Mga Kabaybayin Ko, Dapat na Malaman Niyo


Photo Credit: Ezra Bustamante


Kamakailan ay inaprubahan ang House Bill 1022 na kung maisasabatas ay tatawaging National Writing System Act. Kinikilala nito ang pangangailangang itaguyod, protektahan, pangalagaan, at panatilihin ang baybayin bilang pambansang sistema ng pagsulat ng Pilipinas.

Kaugnay ng pangangailangang ito, oobligahin ng batas ang mga diyaryo at magasin na isulat ang kanilang pangalan sa baybayin at ang mga gumagawa ng lokal na pagkain na lagyan ng baybayin ang label ng kanilang mga produkto. Kakailanganin din ng mga Local Government Unit (LGU) na lagyan ng salin sa baybayin ang mga karatula ng mga kalsada at pampublikong gusali at pasilidad. Inaatasan din ng batas ang angkop na mga ahensya ng gobyerno na palaganapin ang kaalaman tungkol sa baybayin sa pamamagitan ng pamimigay ng mga babasahin tungkol dito sa mga paaralan at mga publiko’t pribadong ahensya’t opisina.

Ang pag-apruba sa House bill na ito ay di nangangahulugang papalitan na ang nakasanayang sistema ng pagsulat dito sa Pilipinas. Ang magiging tungkulin ng baybayin ay ang maging katuwang ng Latin scripts.

Ngunit ano nga ba ang baybayin?

Isa itong sistema ng pagsulat na nilikha at ginamit ng ating mga ninuno bago masakop ng mga Espanyol ang ating bansa. Sa kasalukuyan, kakaunti lamang ang nakakaalam kung paano ito gamitin at malaking bahagdan sa mga ito ay mga propesor o akademiko.

Hindi maikakaila na ito ay mahalagang bahagi ng kulturang Pilipino. Kung kaya’t kapuri-puri ang mga hakbang na ginagawa ng gobyerno upang mas kilalanin ito. Ito’y makatutulong sa muling pagpapaalab ng ating pambansang pagkakakilanlan matapos ang ilang siglo ng pagiging sakop ng mga dayuhan. Bukod pa roon, maaari din itong maging daan para sa pagpapaigting ng pagpapahalaga sa ating kultura. Sa pagtataguyod nito sa ating henerasyon, mararamdaman natin na tayo ay may katangian bilang Pilipino na kaiba mula sa ibang lahi.

Ngunit kinakailangang masiguro ng gobyerno na masusunod ang hangarin ng bill kung ito man ay maisasabatas. Hindi ito isang dekorasyon lamang na ilalapat sa mga produktong Pilipino at institusyon ng gobyerno bagkus ay dapat umiral ang pagpapahalaga at pag-unawa sa konteksto at kasaysayan sa likod nito.

Bukod sa pagbibigay-kaalaman ukol sa paraan ng pagsulat ay dapat na maipakita at maipaunawa rin sa mga tao ang halaga ng baybayin sa atin bilang mga Pilipino. Dapat ay matutunang mabasa at maisulat ito ng lahat upang maipanumbalik ang tradisyon na ito sa ating mga sarili.

At hindi lang dapat ang baybayin ang pagtuunan ng pansin. Ang mga wika at kultura sa iba’t ibang lalawigan ng Pilipinas ay kailangang igalang at pangalagaan. Kilalanin, pahalagahan, at paunlarin dapat ang mga sistema ng pamumuhay at paniniwala ng iba’t ibang pangkat-etniko sa Pilipinas na pagkakakilanlan ng ating lahi at magbibigay-daan sa masagana at payapang lipunan.

Kailangang ibigay natin sa baybayin at sa lahat ng sistema ng pagsulat dito sa Pilipinas ang respeto’t puring nararapat sa mga ito.//nina Craig Aquino at Marlyn Go

Miting de avance for PKA candidates held



WRAP UP. KAanib party members link arms as they successfully finish the miting de avance. Photo Credit: Roan Ticman

The Miting de Avance for the Pamunuan ng Kamag-Aral (PKA) 7-12 candidates was held last Tuesday, April 24 at the UPIS 7-12 Gymnasium.

Led by the Senior Council (SC), the meeting aims to introduce those running for positions in the PKA to the student body. It also serves as a forum in which parties can introduce their platforms and where the electorate can ask candidates questions.

This year, KAanib was the sole party running for the PKA. Their slate included Magan Basilio for president, Danie Cabrera for vice president, Bree Catibog for secretary, Robert Ambat for treasurer, Pam Marquez for assistant treasurer, Gabe Matias for auditor, Rafael Alcazar for business manager, Warrick Castillo for public relations officer, and Romi Okada and Achilles De Leon for marshalls.

Their platform centred on student participation, involvement, and unity.

They sought to promote these through proposed new activities and programs such as K-Aid, the Idea Box, and a mental health week.

K-Aid allows students to volunteer to help the PKA with school activities. This is in accordance with the Aktibo part of their platform wherein they seek to encourage the students to be more involved in school matters.

The Idea Box, meanwhile, gives students a way to put forward suggestions regarding school matters. This also aims to improve the communication between different sectors in school.

The Mental Health Week will focus on improving students’ mental and emotional health as well as educating them on issues regarding these.

After the platform presentation, the audience were given a chance to ask candidates questions.

Separate miting de avances were also held for year-level organisation candidates last April 19.//by Craig Aquino and Roan Ticman

Opinion: Boracay, Bye-Bye (For Six Months)


Photo Credit: Gail Clemente


Boracay: a small island which receives a lot of praise and positive reviews from vacationers, tourists, and reviewers; home of fine white sand, pristine waters, and a vibrant and active nightlife. What’s not to love?

More than a million people visit the island every year. They can stay in the resorts, sunbathe on the shore, swim in the ocean, or participate in the many activities available to visitors. It’s a great place for tourists, vacationers, and those just wanting to relax.

The benefit is not only for visitors though. A lot of livelihoods of the people in Boracay depend on tourism.

However, the pristine beauty of Boracay is at risk. Because of the booming tourism industry, Boracay is slowly being destroyed. Many establishments on the island seeking to capitalise on the tourism scene violate environmental policies implemented by the government. One such violation is the dumping of untreated wastewater into the sea.

Because of this, President Rodrigo Duterte has issued an order to close Boracay Island for six months, effective April 26. During this period, the government will clean up the island and deal with non-compliant establishments.

The president has also stated that he has plans to initiate a land reform program for the farmers in Boracay. He rejected a former plan to build a $500-million casino complex in favor of this. He said that he intends to ‘give back the lands to the Filipinos.’

This closure and what it entails will hopefully be beneficial to Boracay. Closing the island to the tourists will reduce the number of people enough for the government to be able to clean up the island, and make sure that establishments are compliant with standards — and punished if they are not. It would also provide the government time to think of new policies and plans for implementation that will help protect the environment and the island.

However, the government should still take into account that many employees and workers of the island would lose their main source of income. Since a lot of livelihoods in Boracay depend on tourism, closing down the island would mean a cessation, or at least stifling, of the flow of income.

The government should find a way to allow people to continue living their lives, such as providing them with temporary jobs. Those who will lose income because of the closure could help in the restoration and clean-up of the island, and get paid by the government by doing so. A basic income guarantee could also work.

Fortunately, the president also announced that 2-billion pesos will be allocated to the people who will be affected by the closure of the island.

It is imperative that Boracay is cleaned up. Not only because its beauty attracts tourists from which the economy can benefit, but also because the natural resources of our country should be preserved.

This solution will hopefully help accomplish that goal, while not stepping on the innocent dependents of the island.//by Craig Aquino and Cyrille Villanueva

Opinion: Of the students, by the students, for the students


Photo Credit: Ezra Bustamante


According to the University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS) Student Handbook, one of the duties of the Pamunuan ng Kamag-Aral (PKA), the school’s student council, is to represent the student body of the school.

However, as it stands, they seem only to be glorified event planners.

Although the members of the PKA technically do represent the students, in that they were elected through democratic vote, they are unable to perform this function effectively.

There are too few officers coming from too small a demographic to truly be representative of the whole student body. Because there is no criterion for running which ensures that the various sectors of the school, which include organisations as well as grade levels, are represented, we cannot actually say that the PKA is as inclusive as possible in its representation.

Besides that, the small number of officers means that they will have difficulties in performing all the duties expected of them, which include representing the student body, maintaining order and discipline in the school, initiating and organizing programs and activities for students, and serving the nation through outreach activities. Often, it is the representation duty that draws the short stick. Some student concerns therefore, regardless of importance, are overlooked.

For these reasons, one can see that the student government is lacking in terms of how easily and effectively they can act on other students’ feedback on school issues.

There is also not enough opportunity for dissenting voices to make themselves heard. Because of that, valuable insight on certain issues may be missed, preventing more inclusive solutions and responses.

What then can be done? A student deliberative assembly.

A deliberative assembly is a group of people who use parliamentary procedure in order to make decisions. It follows a structured and organized way of debate and discussion to ultimately pass a product — a bill, resolution, or law in the context of government — to which most agree.

This student assembly would work similar to a parliament or congress. Certain students will be elected by sector — possibly homerooms or batches, and clubs — to represent their respective organizations in the deliberative body. This body will then hold regular meetings in order to debate and discuss issues faced by students, and eventually create formal documents containing their recommendations and suggestions regarding these. The documents can then be passed on to the school’s executive committee for consideration.

The benefit of this system is two-fold:

Primarily and most obviously, this will allow students to be more involved in school issues which ultimately affect them. It will give them an opportunity to voice out their concerns and suggestions regarding the school. These concerns and suggestions can then be discussed in a formal forum in which the members are elected from different sectors, thus ensuring that multiple perspectives are considered.

Additionally, because the students will be involved in the process for decisions affecting them, they will have a better understanding of the reasons behind those decisions, and therefore finding such more amenable.

Second, it will teach students skills and knowledge about proper governance, responsible decision-making, diplomacy, argumentation, public speaking, and many others.

These skills help to make one a more well-rounded person, able to interact with others well, defend one’s stance, and be more critical of societal issues. They ultimately enable us to become better members of society.

It is true that implementation of this will take a lot of effort. However, if it does succeed, it will ensure that the spirit of democracy shall grow stronger and continue to prosper in our school. It would truly be a government of the students, by the students, for the students.//by Craig Aquino and Cyrille Villanueva

Opinion: Missing Representatives


Photo Credit: Ezra Bustamante

This academic year has marked the first time the University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS) has had Grade 12 students.

Despite the addition of these grade levels to the student body, it seems that there is no place for the Grade 11 to 12 students — also called Senior High School (SHS) students — in the Pamunuan ng Kamag-Aral (PKA), the student council of UPIS.

According to former Assistant Principal for Academic Programs (APAP) Prof. Zenaida P. Bojo, the exclusion of SHS students from PKA was for their own good. SHS students have a heavier workload than those in Junior High School (JHS), and membership in the student government would add undue stress. Their priorities and concerns, different from JHS students’, may also make it more difficult for them to participate in PKA.

The SHS students must focus mainly on their tracks in order to fulfill the purpose of the K-12 system: preparation for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship. PKA duties would only be a distraction from that.

The PKA, as the student council democratically elected by the student body, represents the students of UPIS. They are meant to be the voice of the students when they have an issue to bring up to the school administration or others. With the exclusion of the SHS students from PKA, how then would they be able to voice out their issues with the school? In what way can they reach out to the administration without representation?

The answer: track representatives.

Two representatives are chosen per track, and they have functions similar to class officers. They serve as mediators between the students of each track and the track advisers. Through the track advisers, they could, theoretically, represent SHS students to the administration.

Despite this ‘solution’, the heavier workload should be no excuse to exclude SHS students from the student council. Participation in it is voluntary, and therefore a burden accepted by whoever chooses to run. If an SHS student thinks they can handle the responsibility, why should they be disallowed from taking such?

It also makes it more difficult to voice out their opinions and needs to the school administration. Although it can be argued that the track representatives can represent them enough, being part of the student council may better their chances of being heard.

SHS students are excluded from certain school activities, events, and other agenda given to Grades 7-10 students. They are isolated from the lower batches because they have different priorities and things to focus on.

Despite this, they are still part of the student body of UPIS, and as such should have representation in the student council.//by Craig Aquino and Marlyn Go

Opinion: All the Single Parties (Put a Cap on It)


Photo Credit: Gail Clemente and Ezra Bustamante 


Democracy empowers people. It gives them the freedom to decide who represents them, and allows them to have a say in societal issues.

What, then, happens to democracy if that power to choose is taken away?

For the past few years, this is what has been happening in the University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS) annual student council elections. Generally, only single candidates have run for each position in the Pamunuan ng Kamag-Aral (PKA), which are meant to represent students.

This is a problem.

It limits students’ choices as to who represents them. Granted, one can abstain from the voting if they feel the candidate is not worthy of their vote.

However, this is a false choice. Even if one does abstain, another student will just be recommended by the adviser of the organization to be appointed for the vacant position, which will then be approved by the Executive Committee, without another election being held. Despite the students having abstained, they ultimately get no say as to who represents them.

Why does this happen though? The answer lies in the politics of the school, and the mentality of the students.

Often, the few people who run for these positions are the same ones who are already known and nominated for such responsibilities. Other students may think that only a few will vote for them because of the fact that there are already more popular people vying for the positions.

As a result, students who are also capable — possibly more so — of being officers are discouraged from running.

Another reason that only a few people run is that students are indifferent.

The fact that only a few people run shows that students don’t care about the school, or at least not enough to sacrifice their time and energy for it. As UPIS students, we are expected to be aware of societal issues. However, awareness alone is not enough. We should also take action and participate in the resolution of these problems. One of the best ways to do so is to be a part of the student government.

Admittedly, there are grade levels this year that have more than one person vying for certain Year-Level Organization (YLO) positions.

However, since the PKA is the central government of UPIS, the students should also be willing to run for positions there as they are in YLOs.

Being an officer may have several drawbacks — additional responsibilities, stress, and less time for recreational activities. Despite those however, being able to serve your school and gain experience for life makes it worth the hardships.

So put your hands up, be brave, and run.//by Craig Aquino and Roan Ticman

Opinion: #PinoyPride



Photo credit: Gail Clemente


Pride isn’t always a bad thing. Parents can take pride in their children; students can take pride in their high grades; and, in general, people can take pride in their achievements.

However, as with a lot of other things, a severe excess is bad.

Filipinos are known to be very proud of their heritage. At the slightest mention of anything Pinoy in an international context, they are quick to take credit. Filipino participating in the Winter Olympics? KABABAYAN KO ‘YAN!! A half-Filipino joining a foreign talent competition? PINOY PRIDE!!! A Hollywood celebrity is 1/16 Filipino? PROUD TO BE PINOY!!! A runner-up in an international beauty pageant is 1/64 Filipino? FILIPINO STRONGEST RACE!!! Pinay maid helping raise a foreign champion swimmer? FILIPINO PRIDE!!!

However, is this really the way to show #PinoyPride?

There is nothing wrong with displaying a sense of patriotism. Citizens being proud of their country is a sign of national unity and cohesion. However, this display is petty and shallow.

Filipinos are quick to jump on the bandwagon of praising their fellows once international acclaim is met. This is not necessarily a bad thing. However, what happens is that no support is provided to those local talents on the difficult way to success. It is only when the trials have been passed and there is praise to be reaped that the Filipino come shouting.

Filipinos also grasp at threads just to be able to claim that they are great. No matter how minor the involvement of Filipino culture or how far removed from Filipino heritage something is, Pinoys still take pride in it so long as it can be labelled ‘Pinoy’.

Besides that, there is a culture of immediately antagonising those who criticise anything Filipino.

For example, when a non-Filipino makes fun of Filipino stereotypes online, they are immediately responded to by offended Pinoys who generally respond in uppercase letters and angry remarks. Meanwhile, the same Pinoys openly make racist statements and degrade those different from them.

Another example is the international criticism of the administration’s war on drugs and disregard of human rights. So many Filipinos took to social media to refute these criticisms. They threatened, slandered, and insulted just to protect their view of Filipinos being perfect.

This does not help the Filipino people at all. This is a narcissistic view that fails to recognise the ills in our society. It is a show of a sense of grandiosity which prevents us from improving as a nation. Rather than show how much one loves one’s country, actions like these demonstrate the exact opposite: that one does not actually appreciate the country enough to act for its betterment.

If the Filipino people truly want to demonstrate their love for the Philippines, they should do so in better ways. They could support local talents on the way to acclaim. They could buy more local products to support the country’s economy. They could promote indigenous culture and take pride in the truly Filipino. Finally, they could act for the betterment of the country, instead of insisting on a perfection not truly there.

Pinoy Pride, as it is, is a blight upon Filipino society. It is shallow, disgusting, and blind. It purports to display a love of our country, but fails to show a true appreciation of our culture, race, and heritage. It is pride in name and not in deeds. It does not value the Pinoy. Rather, it values merely the ‘Pinoy’.//by Craig Aquino and Cyrille Villanueva

Opinion: More than just students



Photo Credit: Gail Clemente
President Rodrigo Duterte recently criticised University of the Philippines (UP) students for walking out of their classes to participate in protests against the government.

This was after the National Day of Walkout Against Tyranny and Dictatorship held last 01 February 2018, which students from several universities, including UP, joined.

Duterte warned students that if they keep walking out of classes, he would give their slots to ‘bright’ lumads, or indigenous peoples (IPs).

‘A lot of Filipinos want an excellent education,’ he said. ‘I will let in those Filipinos who were not able to get a chance to have an excellent education. It’s free there.’ [http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/965448/duterte-threatens-to-kick-out-protesting-up-students-duterte-palace-up-protesters-politics; http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/641853/duterte-to-up-students-who-walk-out-of-classes-to-join-protests-i-ll-give-your-slots-to-bright-lumads/story/; writer’s note: this quote was translated in the news articles from Duterte’s original Bisaya]

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque clarified Duterte’s statements, saying that the president meant that UP students should not waste taxpayer money by walking out of classes.

However, are UP students really wasting taxpayer money by walking out to protest?

As Iskolar ng Bayan, it is the duty of UP students to serve the country. In some cases, that can better be done out in the streets than in the confines of a classroom. This is what the UP students were doing.

They were not wasting the money spent on their education by taking to the streets and protesting against the wrongs perpetrated by the government. Rather, it was by that act that they showed how well-spent that money was — these students, with the values and knowledge instilled to them by their education, was willing to take action against societal injustices which they saw.

It is also pointless to claim that by walking out, these students are forgoing their education. UP Vice President for Public Affairs Jose ‘Butch’ Dalisay Jr. said most youth leaders and student activists are also honour students [source: http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/03/18/dalisay-up-students-are-allowed-to-join-protests-as-long-as].

If these people can do their duties as students and as activists, why should they be stopped from being both?

UP students have a history of protest — one can remember the Diliman Commune where UP students barricaded the UP Diliman campus in order to fight the injustices of the Marcos government. That history did not stop there. Even after the fall of the Marcos regime, UP students maintained that culture of protest and activism, fighting against whatever wrongs the following administrations committed.

Despite that, UP still continues to be a leading university in the Philippines, producing graduates who go on to serve the country and become leaders in their fields.

Section 8 of the UP Charter states, ‘The national university is committed to serve the Filipino nation and humanity.’

These student protesters are not undeserving of their status as Iskolar ng Bayan. Rather, they are the embodiment of what a UP student should be — critical and service-oriented.

 Padayon, Iskolar ng Bayan.//by Craig Aquino
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