El Boligrafo.

UP Jambangan Reminders

2010-06-19T14:21:00.000+08:00

Hi guys. We're almost done with the needed stuff for the recognition of UP Jambangan. Here are some reminders and concerns:

1. I have already inputted your UP webmail accounts and e-mail addresses in the officers and members' roster section of the UP Jambangan page. So far, there are only 7 people who confirmed their memberships (Me, Sigrid, Ershad, Marlon, Ishmael, Ivy and Ace Ligsay). Please do confirm your memberships soon so that we will not encounter any problem in the near future.

2. A photo of the front of your UP Id is also needed. Please send me a copy of your UP id via this email address or you can upload it yourself once you confirm your membership. Thanks to Christa, Ace Cardenas, Ivy, Marlon, Mara, Bess, Al and Martin for having sent their ids to me. To the others, please do send it very soon.

3. The Form 5 which I asked you to submit is for our org records' purposes. Please give me a copy of your CTC Form 5. You may leave it at IC reception area or you can text me so that I may pick it up wherever it is convenient for you.

4. We sent 4 officers and a member to the Leadership Training Seminar yesterday. We still need 4-5 officers for the personal meeting and interview with OSA on Monday, 4:30pm. Please contact me if you are free on that hour. We need representatives for this meeting. This is a very important requirement for our org's recognition.

5. I would like to remind Nina, Sigrid and Marlon regarding the Gender Sensitivity Training on Wednesday, 23 June, 8am. Please be there before 8am. We should show the rest of the orgs that Jambangan is one of the punctual orgs in UP. And yeah, we still need one more officer to go with us and attend the said training. Again, this is a very important requirement for our organization to be recognized. If you would want to attend but you have classes, let me know. I will make an excuse letter for you (signed by me and our adviser, Ma'am Marot).

6. Our Regular General Assembly is scheduled on Friday, 25 June at the International Center conference room. As of posting time, it will push through. All members are required to attend the GA. Otherwise, you will have to pay the absent/late fine of P10. Also, please prepare the P20 which will serve as our monthly membership fee. I hope that we will not give our VP for Finance, Sigrid, a headache in collecting these funds for our org.

7. It is not too late if you still have friends who are interested in joining UP Jambangan. Just tell them to contact me so that I may include them in the roster.

Thank you very much, guys. I know that this will be a very fruitful academic year for everyone of us. Paglingkuran ang sambayanan!

Cheers,
Bong

Ukol sa 2010 Halalan.

2010-05-10T01:18:00.002+08:00

Ang eleksiyon ay isang paraan upang mai-ere ang ating mga saloobin ukol sa mga nangyayari sa bayan. Isa rin itong daan upang maipakita natin sa pamahalaan at sa taumbayan kung ano ang nais natin para sa magiging hinaharap ng ating bayan. 10 Mayo 2010. Ito ang araw kung kailan maipapakita natin ang ating paninindigan sa pamamagitan ng mga kandidatong ating iboboto.

Ito ang mga iboboto ko bukas/mamaya. Mayroon ding kaunting pahayag patungkol sa dahilan kung bakit ko sila iboboto.

President: Villar, Manuel B.
*Among the presidentiables, Villar is the most competent. Intelligent. Diplomatic. Experienced. Siya lang ang tanging presidentiable na nakinig sa agenda ng kabataan.

Vice President: Roxas, Manuel III A.
*MAR has proven his worth to handle the second highest position of the land. I admire his public service track record, especially his stint as DTI secretary.

Senators:
1. Ocampo, Saturnino
*Satur's principle is untarnished. I have seen him fight for the rights of the different sectors, especially those belonging to the agricultural.
2. Maza, Liza
*As representative of Gabriela, she did not only fight for the rights of the women. She also considered the youth sector as an important aid in nation-building.
3. Cayetano, Pilar Juliana
*I appreciate her efforts to forward certain concerns regarding the environment. Her being an athlete is an added papogi.
4. Bello, Silvestre III
*His prime legislative agenda on the handling of the peace process in Mindanao is exceptional!
5. Defensor-Santiago, Miriam
*Hindi senado ang senado kung wala si Miriam d'un!
6. Drilon, Franklin
*Good/impressive legislative track record.
7. Lacson, Alexander
*My heart was captured by his book (12 Things Every Filipino Can Do to Help Our Country). I think, his good intentions for the country is a good basis for me to vote for him.
8. Osmeña, Sergio III
*Just like Drilon, his legislative track record is impressive.
9. Ople, Susan
*Ople's main thrust is on the labor sector. Ang uring manggagawa ay nangangailangan ng tagapagtanggol sa mataas na kapulungan!
10. Querubin, Ariel
*Protest vote against the GMA Administration
11. Lim, Danilo
*Protest vote against the GMA Administration
12. Tamano, Adel
*Intelligent and a Mindanaoan. He intends to solve the conflict in Mindanao, something that everyone has long been waiting for.

Local Candidates:
District Representative - 1st District of Zambo City: Climaco-Salazar, Maria Isabelle G.
*A very able congresswoman. She has proven her love for the people of Zamboanga during her first term in Congress (House of Representatives).
Mayor:
Vice Mayor:
Councilors:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Partylist: Kabataan Partylist
*Constantly fights for the rights and welfare of the students (in particular) and the youth (in general). For a very short period in the House of Representatives, Kabataan has shown the country its willingness to fight for the Filipino people.

EULOGY FOR PROF. EMILIA BONCODIN

2010-03-17T10:31:00.001+08:00

EULOGY FOR PROF. EMILIA BONCODIN
Delivered 16 March 2010, 8pm at Sta. Maria Della Strada Parish, Katipunan, Quezon City

Good evening.

The University of the Philippines, especially the National College of Public Administration and Governance is one with the Boncodin family in sorrow.

Ma’am Emy, as most people would call her, had surely touched the lives of thousands of people, including mine. I first heard of Ma’am Emy’s name from my mom, who is working with DBM Region IX, after her appointment as Budget Secretary was made public. At that time, I just knew that she was one of the people who played a big role in steering the nation. Now, I know, she is more than that.

I remember entering her class on the first day of the semester when I had my Accounting class under her. Ambivalence was present, I would say. I didn’t know if it would be a great experience to be under a national figure, a former cabinet member, learning lessons essential to my future career as a public servant. I didn’t know if it was a great challenge, as well.

I had an up-close interaction with Ma’am Emy right after I finished my first long examination in her class. I had the chance to interview her. No holds barred. She talked about her DBM experiences. But what struck me the most was when she emphasized her true love for teaching. She mentioned that never will she trade her being a professor with whatever high-paying job this country can offer. In fact, I remember my mom’s story about Ma’am Emy’s dream of educating young minds in a traditional way – a way wherein she has to write on a chalk board. Truly inspiring, it is. Ma’am Emy has always shown her intense enthusiasm every time she comes to class. She never failed to be bubbly so as to inspire us and to make us love Accounting in a way we never could have imagined. Her subject was my most dreaded subject. I’m aware of the tedious process of the accounting cycle. After taking her class, there was a total turn-table. I learned to appreciate the intricacies of Accounting. She is the reason behind this. I always look forward to signing in her unused-hotel-notepad attendance sheets. I believe, my Accounting 1 classmates felt the same way. In her class, I found my home – I found the set of friends that I will treasure for life – the DF. Also, in her class, I found the value of the virtue of humility. Ma’am Emy has surely proven her worth. She could have isolated herself by standing on a pedestal. But she did not. She showed each one of the UP-NCPAG students how to keep your feet on the ground. This is one thing that I could have never appreciated, if not for her.

After one whole semester, I saw her undying zeal and passion for teaching. Indeed, she is an epitome of how people may perceive of a University of the Philippines professor.

An honest public servant. A dedicated academician. Emilia T. Boncodin.

Para sa babaeng naging dahilan ng aming mas pinaigting na pagmamahal sa bayan, pagpupugay!

Ask. Dare me.

2010-01-27T15:32:00.002+08:00

Do you have any question/s for Mr Arnie Bong Fernandez Arquiza? Go ahead, ask. Click this URL and he'll answer your DARING and BOLD questions. ..straight from his heart. <3

Formspring reprezzent!

LB, the place to be.

2009-09-08T17:38:00.001+08:00

(Fact or Fiction? You guess.)

These past few days, I have been bombarded with a lot of difficulties and problems that I am supposed to deal with. It is sad to note that I am having a hard time doing so. I need time to think, reflect and unwind; hence, the decision of leaving Diliman for a day.

“I gotta feelin’ that tonight’s gonna be a good night.. Lalala.”

This was the song which I was listening to as I was riding an HM bus bound for Los Baños, Laguna. I didn’t really have any serious plan to fulfill as I traveled from Diliman to LB. I just wanted some space, an escape from reality. Since I was already LB-bound, I wanted to meet up with a “friend” who I met in Facebook. Hell, yes. I am meeting someone who I barely know. All I know is that he is kind, kind and lastly, he is kind. The feeling that I had was something unexplainable.

Reservation. Anxiousness. But above these was excitement. I had some hunches that the person who I will be meeting will mean so much to me in the coming days (or even years). I don’t actually make ways to get to see strangers. This is my first time to meet someone who I do not know personally.

By the way, this is just my second visit to LB. The first one was when I attended the wake service of Dr. Emer Roman’s father. And now, I have earned all the guts to venture in a place that I know little.

Alighting from the bus, I saw a good friend, who is supposed to be my host for my entire stay in LB, waving at me. It was drizzling during that time. He first brought me to his apartment so that I may leave my stuff behind. Afterwhich, we went to tour around the campus of UPLB. The rain had stopped and we decided to proceed to a bar nearby.

As I was gulping the beer that I ordered for, I can’t help but imagine the situation that will most likely transpire should I see the “friend” face-to-face. In the middle of this wondering, I got a text message from him. He declared his arrival in LB and afterwards instructed me to go to McDonald’s.

*drumroll*

The moment of truth has arrived. I saw him from a far, around 15 meters or so. I knew that it was him. He and his profile photo looked very much alike. This made me sure that it was him. As I continued to approach, he noticed me. I nodded and started the conversation. “Kumusta?,” I asked. That’s the most common opening statement that I use especially when I am astounded by someone’s presence. We then went to a nearby pizza parlor to have dinner, and a little getting-to-know-you. I got to know lots of things about him. His full name. His being a commercial model. (Ha ha ha!) His past experiences. And some other things that I will never forget. In the middle of our conversation, I remembered the song that was playing in the iPod while I was still traveling. Indeed, my feeling was right. It was a good night. After quite sometime, we were through with our dinner. The mall where the pizza store was located was already closed. We even had to look for the back exit.

I would have to say that the dinner was the highlight of our meeting, but, my most cherished had not happened during the dinner. It happened moments before we parted ways. We shared a hug, a very warm hug. It was during that time that I felt the sincerity that he has. It was also during that time that I wished for him to be a lifelong friend. Above everything, it was also during that time when I realized, for the nth time, that God is so good. Amidst all problems that I was loaded with, He managed to introduce this wonderful friend to me.

A lot more cheesy and mushy moments happened between the two of us. I need not write it here. All I know is that he made me happy during my moments of sorrow. All I know is that he is God-sent.

As each minute passes by, I never fail to wish and hope that someday, somehow, we will see each other again. And when that time comes, I will make sure that it will be equally memorable relative to the brief encounter that we had in LB, the place to be.

Salamat, Tita Cory!

2009-08-02T15:31:00.001+08:00

Tita Cory, salamat sa inspirasyon mo sa bawat Pilipino upang itaguyod ang Pambansang Demokrasya!

Paalam, Tita Cory.

2009-08-01T17:20:00.001+08:00

I wish to thank President Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino for putting forward the true brand of Democracy, one that is governed for and by the people. Isang pagpupugay sa iyo, Tita Cory, sa ngalan ng iyong pag-aalay ng sarili sa bayan. Mabuhay ka!

Thank you, IC!

2009-07-28T03:29:00.000+08:00

For and on behalf of the newly elected officers of the International Center Association, I would like to thank all of the residents who have become part of the success of the recently concluded elections of the UP International Center Association (UPICA) Council.

It is with great pleasure that I am accepting the challenge/s which the people of IC have given me. The mandate to be of service to my home away from home is very much overwhelming. I have been in this dormitory for only a month or two, but, I already feel that IC is not just a dormitory. It’s more than it. It is a family. Everyday experiences in IC are very different, I can say. Meeting different people with different nationalities is a lot more fun than I thought.

As one of your leaders, I will assure you that improved quality of dorm life will be seen within the next few months of our term. This will be possible with your cooperation.

Once again, thank you IC and Mabuhay!

Arnie “Bong” Fernandez Arquiza
Finance Secretary-Elect
UP International Center Assoc. Council

PS: Special thanks to Ma'am Imelda J. Jimenez, Dean Romeo P. Orio and Marc Titus D. Cebreros.

A Literature Review: The State and Pattern of Philippine Public Tertiary Education by Arnie "Bong" Fernandez Arquiza

2009-05-07T22:44:00.003+08:00

Introduction

The different countries in the world look up to institutions of higher learning in the Philippines. The public education sector, bannered by the University of the Philippines System, has helped in fostering development of the country by producing able leaders and various scientists and scholars. The government also provides financial assistance to state universities and colleges to advance researches in both the natural and social sciences, albeit inadequate.
The Commission on Higher Education of the Philippine government claims that the current system of education in the country is inefficient, of poor quality, lacks factors like access, equity, planning and leadership.
Conclusively, we can say that there is a need to inspect the state of the educational system in the country, especially those belonging to the public sphere.
Since 1995, the implementation of neo-liberalist policies of the government has been a pressing issue in the Philippine context. A part of these policies that they have started is the so called Long Term Higher Education Development Plan (LTHEDP) of 1995-2006 and has been revised several times, up to date.
Due to such policies implemented, issues like tuition and other fees increase arise in the education arena. Also, there are attempts to privatize public institutions; hence, the so called commercialization of education. Students claim that commercialization of education is when private sectors intervene in matters undertaken by the University. However, University of the Philippines President Emerlinda R. Roman defines commercialization to be the conversion of the institution into a “diploma mill”. The above-mentioned circumstances gave rise to a more militant student activism in the country.
For us to be able to grasp the real essence of this issue, we should look at its history. We are also being encouraged to inspect the preconditions on why the tertiary educational system today is as it is.
Studying the topic is relevant in a sense that it is a prevailing and unsolved issue in the country. It affects a number of Filipinos in a sense that most of our countrymen fail to gain the education that they deserve. This topic can be considered as a social issue, not just a personal trouble of the milieu, since it affects most structures in the country, like the government and the family. Many of the social orders are, in one way or the other, seriously concerned about the system of education in the country. Also, the education sector of the Philippines has proven itself to play a major part in shaping the nation’s history. Its continuous changing pace has developed significantly in terms of the country’s projection in world affairs.
This literature review will basically tell us the kind of educational system that we have here in our country. Also this will possibly make it clear as to the contributory material conditions that the system has to arrive to such a state.

History of the Pattern of Public Tertiary Education

The birth of the (state) university was during the Presidencies of James Buchanan and Abraham Lincoln of the United States of America. The original plan was a college following the land-grant system. During those years, it is safe to conclude that there was no true university in the US. Instead, it was just a many-sided revolution of the different theories of tertiary education. In fact, progress in those years was based upon scientific, theoretical, philosophical and other types of advances. (Nevins, 1962).
In 1817, Jeremy Bentham published his work called Papers upon Codification and Public Instruction. It paved the way for the success of two universities. These two universities, the University of Berlin and University of London, were the two institutions that the United States looks up to. (Nevins, 1962).
To quote Allan Nevins, “Great social changes are never effected by ideas alone, but they are never affected without them, without passion behind the ideas. The most important idea in the genesis of land-grant colleges and state universities was democracy . . .” This statement, believably, is true. State universities are bounded by the principles of democracy. Alongside democracy, its constituents are given equal right to attain college education. There would also be an assumption that every child should be given the opportunity to take whatever career path he or she wishes to take. None of the scholarly foundations, be it science or any philosophy, could take away the role that democracy plays in attaining “quality” education. It is also assumed that the theme of the land-grant system is that every man has equal right and opportunity to attain any position, be it political or in a corporate sense, unlike in the traditional academia of the Greeks. (Nevins, 1962).
If we take a look at the history of the state universities and colleges, it clearly points us to one inventor: America. The innovation started when the United States introduced three modes of instructions: laboratory, recitation and lecture. Across the years, it is lecture and laboratory that withstood the storm. It went in perfect balance with each other. (Brubacher, et al, 1968).
The emergence of undergraduate curriculum came to the picture when scholars noticed the low population in higher education institutions. People care more about the manners that they would be able to grasp rather than the ideals and knowledge. (Brubacher, et al, 1968). The educational system focused on teaching students “how to form a gentleman” rather than making him a “full-blown thinking man”. To solve this dilemma, philosophers were able to think of a way: they decided to put the weight of college education on the student’s shoulder rather than his or her parents. A. L. Lowell of Harvard University even said that “all true education is self-education.” As the rise of self-education came, the merit system was also introduced, giving every student more drive to pursue a college degree.
The curriculum-based education came afterwards. They were able to develop curriculum without abolishing or completely obliterating the traditional one. (Brubacher, et al, 1968). This gave birth to the autonomous faculties and departments. As time went by, specialization in various fields became a reality. Afraid of the forthcoming diversification of the different specializations, academicians delivered series of lectures that would make the students appreciate the interrelatedness of each of the fields.

The State of Higher Education in the Philippines

The Commission on Higher Education said that there are a lot of reasons on why they formulated the Long-term Higher Education Development Plan in the 1990s. In 1994, there were already 1090 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the Philippines. It has increased by 25.57 percent from 868 in 1990. There were more private HEIs as compared to government-funded ones.
Another CHED study showed that enrolment rapidly increased in the succeeding years. But, there was this conclusion that majority of these enrollees did not really venture in courses which were necessary for national development, the technical and vocational courses. Disagreeable about this fact, still, most enrolled in courses like commerce, the engineering and the like. In line with the boom in enrollment, unemployment figures also increased at an alarming rate. Majority of the unemployed were graduates of non-board courses like information technology, the social sciences, etc.
With regard to courses with licensure examinations, the commission observed the decadence in passing rates of each of the HEIs. Strict regulation vis-à-vis the degree programs’ curriculums, policies were taken into consideration. In fact, a moratorium on opening of academic programs was enforced, though not sternly, by the agency. Even so, this did not solve the problem of diminishing quality of education and unemployment. State universities did not have the problem of profit-orientedness in the past, unlike the private ones. Institutions which were geared toward maximized profits were allegedly a factor to the declining quality of education.
The inequitable distribution of resources was among the problems that the public education sphere is facing. Budget for developmental research was also sacrificed.
Competent faculty members were also difficult to employ. The Salary Standardization Law for government employees, passed in 1989, is contributory to this, as this promotes uncompetitive wages. “Brain drain,” or the flight of skilled workers and professionals to foreign lands for greener pastures, aggravated the situation.
Past and present governments also push for the strengthening of the technical and vocational aspect of education, which is deemed wrong by most scholars.

Long-Term Higher Education Development Plan

The most controversial among all government policies is the Long-Term Higher Education Development Plan which was originally to cover periods from 1996 up to 2005. The researcher would dare say that the basic push factor of this plan is the “constitutional mandate”, as claimed. Article XIV, Section 3(2) of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic provides that “all institutions shall … promote vocational efficiency.”
The plan’s vision of the Philippines in the year 2000 is to be a newly industrialized nation, alongside South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore. In 2005, it views the Philippines to be the Center of Education and Training in the Asia-Pacific Region. And in the year 2015, it will fully become an industrialized country with political maturity and economic stability. Education, accordingly, plays a big role in attaining this.
The primary mission of the LTHEDP is to make each individual a productive member of the society by providing the necessary knowledge and skills.
Among the planning assumptions for policy framework of the plan, item number four is the most disturbing. It reads, “Higher education institutions shall adopt management strategies to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in utilizing resources and maximizing educational outputs.” It is a subtle way of saying that the government intends to lay off from its responsibility of providing state subsidies to these public institutions of learning.
Increasing the tuition should be the last resort of institutions and should see to it that it would put premium on the quality and effectiveness of education. In a developing country like the Philippines, tuition and other fee increases have always and forever will be a political issue. But, if it is neither the state nor the students who should be burdened by these hikes, then who? (Imperial, 1982).
Most economists in the country would even compare education to a good or service that you can get at a particular price. This is a clear indicator that SUCs in the country is a tool in achieving social inequity.

Problems Faced by the Tertiary Education Sector

There are a lot of given problems that are related to the educational system. It can be observed that the system has expanded in an unprecedented scale within the last three decades. Most of the imbalances are brought forth by the development process in education. The Philippines, in particular, is facing a very intricate task in coping with the expansion, reshaping and revitalization of the system. Equal access and equal educational opportunity are both big time factors in the so-called positive development. (Dumlao-Valisno, 2000)
It can also be observed that social inequalities and educational inequalities go hand in hand in this spectrum. A huge case of student drop-out is apparent. In most cases, the poor ones are the ones going out of school, especially the girls.
Another issue is the quality of education that each one receives. It is often aligned to a high degree of selectivity or elitism. Equity and quality does not pose an innate conflict. In addition, quality of education has a variety of angles. In a more micro level, it can be referred as the knowledge or skills one has acquired. In an institutional level, it is pertaining to the standards of performance an institution exhibits.
If efficiency is one side of the coin, the other one is quality.
Most, if not all, educational systems are labor intensive. It shares a significant part with total-skilled manpower. The issue is how inputs are translated to useful outputs. External efficiency, the first aspect, talks about how a student gets out of the academe and gets ready for social living and employment. Internal efficiency on the other hand speaks more of the personal achievement of one’s educational goals. The third aspect is the qualitative efficiency or how much knowledge or skills one has gained. Studies show that there is a low rate when it comes to the internal efficiency. This is clearly manifested by the high drop-out rates in the country. (Aracelo, et al, 1979)
Effective lengths of study, faculty resources and utilization of infrastructures are factors pointing at the equilibrium of economic development and educational efficiency.
Surveys also declare that a large percentage of college students are not equipped with the necessary skills needed upon entering college. These students are deficient of the basic knowledge of the English language, the fundamentals of Mathematics and Science and the awareness that is needed in the social sciences. Alleged insufficiency of funds is one of the most overrated factors causing such. As they recognize this fact, critics also consider factors other than financial insufficiency. In fact, it is often stressed that democracy and literacy are two inseparable terms. (Sinco, 1959).
In the words of US President Tomas Jefferson, “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, I a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” A country may be wealthy and yet it may be not willing to extend its funds to the educational sector. Insufficient funds per se are not to be used as the sole reason.
The ministers of education have always been engrossed with the problem of putting up infrastructures and opening more classes to accommodate the rapid increase in enrollees. They tend to forget the equal importance of producing better educated students.
We should not be complacent of the current educational system that we have. We should always bear in mind the adoption of an educational philosophy that is conducive to national unity for the full development of the potentials of each of the constituents.

Research Question/s

Having studied a number of literature regarding the pattern and state of the public tertiary education in the country, it is safe to conclude that there are questions left hanging. First, what will the future of the country be in terms of political maturity and economic stability relative to our employed educational system? Has the legitimate problems been addressed?
Another thing that we should look into is the dilemma whether the public tertiary education sphere is playing its role well given the fact that it is an offspring of democracy.
Above everything, the most important question which was unanswered is the role that the constituents would play in aiding the system to attain its full-blown development. Government agencies are burdened with the entire responsibility of watching over our education. It is safe to say that the people should also have its part.

A Reflection Paper: Ataul for Rent

2009-05-05T15:09:00.001+08:00

One of the most remarkable indie film that I have watched in my entire life is the film called Ataul for Rent, a film directed by Neal “Buboy” Tan. It stars Joel Torre, who played the role Guido, an embalmer, and Jacklyn Jose, who played the role of Pining, a jueteng kubrador and a make-up artis of both the dad and the living.

Ataul for Rent is a social satire showcasing the lives of people living in slums. Guido and Pining, a live-in couple, owns a small time funeral parlor. People living in that area are mostly atheist but will eventually call to God as soon as their time has come. Also, as dead bodies are displayed along the alleys of the squatters area, they turn the supposed-solemn activity in to what most Filipinos’ call saklaan. Amidst all these, there still exist a person known as Batul whose pure heart and innocence is able to watch and observe all the wrong-doings that are happening in the area. At the end of the story, the area was demolished violently and everybody was disenfranchised.

This is very much reflective of what truly happens in squatters’ area in the Philippines. As depicted in the movie, we always have the impression that criminals and “bad” people reside in slums. All kinds of criminals is said to be residing in the are: drug pushers, drug addicts, snatchers, gamblers, hold-uppers and a lot more.

As I was watching the movie, I can’t help but be mindful of how the government splurges public funds considering the people below the poverty line are present in the country. Though corruption, in theory, does not necessarily translate to development, yet people in power should consider the welfare of its constituents who are suffering from a lot of social problems.

Yes, it is true that people living in there are mostly, if not everyone, considered to be criminals. But, did we ask ourselves why these people become who they are? At the end of the day, we can conclude that should the government be able to provide them decent jobs, they could have ended up living decent lives.

I can say that it is generally the government’s fault why this is happening, but, we also have to self-examine. Have we done our part in uplifting both our families’ and country’s state? Think. Reflect. Then, speak.

N.B. Paper submitted to Prof. D. G. Centeno, Communication 3.

Poverty at Its Finest.

2008-10-22T01:29:00.002+08:00

It was just an ordinary day for a Social Science 1 class in UP last first semester of the academic year 2007 to 2008. After flashing several slides over the LCD projector, my professor excitedly announced a group project which we were required to submit at the end of the semester. The task was to create a documentary production which would present a prevailing social issue in the Philippine context. Everybody was eager to share both their stupid and their stupendous ideas. A couple of minutes of brainstorming took place. Voila! Our group’s topic emerged from nowhere. I, with my group mates, finally chose mysticism. We chose the topic since we thought that, despite its archaic nature, mysticism still is a prevalent practice in the modern Philippine society. Aswangs and mangkukulams have been spreading some sense eeriness around the far-flung areas in the country even to this day. The group further settled on the idea that everything will be shot at Mount Banahaw, the ever mystique mountain found in the town of Dolores, Quezon Province.
On the day when the group was to proceed with this adventure, everybody, yes, everybody was undoubtedly thrilled. With cameras ready, I rushed to the Jam Liner bus station at GMA-Kamuning to meet my fellows. Seated in the bus going to San Pablo in Laguna, I couldn’t even consent myself to catch some phosphene glare each time I blink my eyes. Tremendously excited, I was. A couple of numb knees and a sore butt later, we finally arrived at Dolores. Kuya Jessie, a native of the place and our would-be tourist guide, welcomed us to their ramshackle little crib of some sort. I laid my luggage down and posed my self to finally eat supper, one that was prepared by Ate Vicki, Kuya Jessie’s wife. I rejoiced over the fact that we were to eat dinner in a matter of seconds, so, I rushed to their dining table and got a good grasp of my plate and utensils. My jaws nearly dropped in awe when I found out that our dinner was nothing more than just rice and soup, or so what they call it. Soup? Nah-uh! I’d rather call it boiled water with salt and a dash of pepper. At that very instant, I was ambivalent whether or not I could live through my hours of hunger. However, my physiological need was something that I couldn’t fight back. Never in my life had I eaten something as plain as that. I don’t know if I’m just an ostentatious type of the Homo sapiens, but, I liked not a single bit of what my stomach digested. The so-called dinner finally came to an end.
After dinner, my team set up the camera beside a nearby balete tree and started shooting. Urgh! I didn’t even see a single orb in our footage. I began to think that we chose some crappy theme. As the self-proclaimed director of the production, I ordered the packing up of the shoot. Yahoo! Sleeping time shall soon follow.
It has always been my bedtime ritual to brush my teeth and foam my face. I asked Kuya Jessie where their comfort room was. He, then, accompanied me to an eerie spot which they called their comfort room. Comfort could never have been in that place, I tell you.
At long last, I got the chance to have my back rested. Or so I thought. I saw this fixture in the bedroom with nothing to cover it. I asked my friend what that thing was and, to my surprise, again, that, to them, was a bed. I had no choice but to give myself some sleep for another tiring day that was yet to come.
The next day, I woke up to Kuya Jessie’s call for breakfast. I wasn’t, at all, enthusiastic since I rarely eat breakfast on usual days plus the fact that I had such a strange experience with the “dinner” the previous night. Still, I washed my face, did some gargling and proceeded to the dining table. Well, I was not, at all, surprised to see a bottle of the ever-famous Silver Swan soy sauce and a hump of steamed rice. That, my friends, was our delectable breakfast.
After preparing ourselves, we hiked towards the foot of Mount Banahaw. A river at the site was flowing swiftly. It is a belief in their town that drinking water from the river will rejuvenate one’s spirit and may even cure illnesses such as cancer. As the hosts of the show, we were obliged to follow this practice. One by one, we dipped our hands and gulped some ounces of spring water. At that point, the water seemed to taste as though it had a of minerals in it. Everybody felt refreshed. We, then, trekked upstream and ended up seeing people washing piles of clothes and numerous kitchen wares. I immediately felt horrendous. At that instant, I felt like puking. I held my breath for sometime to ease myself quite a bit. I couldn’t describe the anger I felt towards whoever was too irresponsible not to have provided a plumbing system for those people so as not to disturb the life that the river has to sustain.
To redirect our horrible feeling, we decided to take a quick dip in to the spring water the river offered. For a while, I felt unperturbed. While we were soaking wet, we continued with our purpose of visit and interviewed some of the people bathing. We, then, found out that legends have deemed the river sacred. Everyone who had the chance to bathe in the river shall be freed from any disease, accordingly. The footage then has been completed.
On our way home, we saw to it to drop by a restaurant just to give ourselves real food - something we were deprived of having for the entire trip. It was only after fulfilling our task that I realized that I was not thrilled by the mysticism which connotes only the supernatural. Moreover, I realized that what was and still is truly mysterious is the fact that, even with the claims of the false president, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, that the Philippines has been making leaps forward, people living in the barrios still live lifestyles which they do not deserve. I realized that I wasn’t just the braggart who went to the remote areas to pick on their destitution. I was the providential UP student who was given the rare chance and opportunity to experience how it is to live in the shoes of people who barely eat three times a day.

(I submitted this as a requirement in my English 1 class under Prof. Maria Celeste Coscolluela. I got a 1.75 for this narrative essay.)

Acknowledgement:
Nestor Kilian Tabada for the editing.

Random Thoughts

2008-10-22T01:26:00.000+08:00

^When you value a person and that person has been part of your life for quite sometime already, then you suddenly lost that person, you tend to associate everything to him or her.

^The University of the Philippines Diliman has released its results for the Second Run of the pre-enlistment.

^The Land Transportation Office should be among the top corrupt offices/agencies of the government.

^Zamboanga City offers great mouth-watering dishes.

^People of the City of Zamboanga more often look at the superficial effectiveness of its public officials.

^People look up to students who go to UP for their tertiary education. They tend to forget the underlying expectations from the fellow countrymen to serve the citizenry in a much greater scale. Social responsibility is for everyone, yet UP students are expected to have more of this.

My stand on the RH Bill Debate

2008-10-22T00:35:00.000+08:00

Up to date, the Reproductive Health Bill authored by Rep. Edcel C. Lagman of Albay filed in the Lower House of the Congress is making a resonance in both the moral and the political arena of the country.

The issue on Reproductive Health has always been aligned to destitution. According to Rep. Lagman, the primary aim of this bill, should it be passed in to law, is to eradicate (or at least alleviate) poverty in the country. Poverty is such a broad idea. It does not only concern on the income brackets of its populace, but also, it gives attention to human deprivation, development and the quality of life. It is sad to note the statistics of the country showing the sudden drop of the poverty incidence from 49.3% in 1985 to 36.8% in 1997. I am well-aware of the (minute) efforts of the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to reduce the poverty rate in the country. But has she ever thought that this battle of the Filipinos against poverty would just be useless without proper attention given to the rapid population growth? I am disgusted with her forceless and lukewarm declaration of her antagonistic perception on the RH.

In a statement issued by my then professor in Social Science, Prof. John N. Ponsaran, poverty is something that is characterized by lack of choice. I would agree to this statement. Here comes my stand on the Reproductive Health. In 2002, the United Nations has even acknowledged the role of family planning to be of great importance to poverty reduction. Every citizen of the country has been granted constitutional rights. I believe, it is also the right of any individual to decide for his or herself whether or not to copulate and, afterwards, have a “burden” of his or her own. Contraception, be it natural or artificial, is a choice which ought to be laid on the table for the people. The reproductive health bill gives the public varied choices of family planning, all of which are medically-approved and legal. It is every Filipino’s right to have an informed choice. Accepted types of family planning shall be available for the people. In fact, it will be a pre-requisite before marriage that couples must know the basics of family planning, child care and development and other necessary information. It will really be of great help not only to the nation as a whole, but also to the financial security of the (future) family in particular.

The main aim of this bill is preventing undesired conception, among anything else.

Contraception is not the only advocacy of the bill. Also, the bill strives to reach the youngsters of the country to be aware of sex education. This formal relay of information (made by competent teachers) will start from Grade 5 and will end during the last year of their secondary school. Grade five pupils, I believe, are already receptive to such a topic. At this not-so-young age, the students will eventually learn the intricacies of reproductive health. This will in turn give them unimaginable sense of awareness.

This is something that does not anymore concern morality, religion or the likes. This is more of the life that every human being deserves. In the encyclical that His Holiness John Paul II issued, called the Humanae Vitae, the Church grants permission for people to adopt the idea of “responsible parenthood”. In the same encyclical, they are condemning the use of contraceptive methods. Isn’t this too loop-holed and contradictory? I am a 100% Roman Catholic and I believe that I am in no position to question the moral ascendancy of the Church in issuing such a statement, but, I firmly believe that it is but humane to provide the parents with the choice to conceive or not, rather that prohibit them from applying methods of contraception resulting to misery for both the parents and the child’s lives. Contraception, in my personal viewpoint is no longer an issue, so long as there is still no life form in the mother’s womb.

The Reproductive Heath Bill is something which is long overdue. Such a bill should be passed. Or else, the future of the country will be at stake.

The subjects I am to take next sem.

2008-10-18T03:05:00.000+08:00

(All are GEs since I am shifting out from Engineering to either English Studies or Public Administration)

Enlisted:

English 11 - WFU
Coscolluela, Maria Celeste; WF 10-11:30am; PH 138

Political Science 11 – THR
Miranda, Felipe; TTh 8:30-10am, FC 3158-3160

Geography 1 – WFX
Mabazza, Daniel; 2:30-4pm; PH 108-110

PE 2 Bridge – THD
Caces, Ma. Louella; TTh 10-11am; CHK GBR

Communication 3 – THY3
Centeno, Dave; TTh 4-5:30pm; CAL 509

Social Science 2 – THQ1
Ronas, Malaya; TTh 7-8:30am; PH124

Pending (as of 18 October 2008; 02:54):

Philosophy 11 – THW2
Mendoza, Lumberto; TTh 1-2:30pm; PH408

Marine Science 1 – THV
Yñiguez, Aletta; TTh 11:30-1pm; MS 223

Geology 1 – WFW
Concealed; WF 1-2:30pm; NIGS 125

English 10 – WFV
Abayan, Carmencita; WF 11:30am-1pm; PH 138

Panitikang Pilipino 19 – THX1
Andrada Michael Francis; TTh 2:30-4pm; CAL 408

Sociology 11 – WFY
Cardenas, Kenneth Lawrence; WF 4-5:30pm; PH 322

I pre-enlisted in 33 units of subjects. I am only to take 18 or 21 units. I will cancel the rest during the enlistment period, 4-7 November 2008.

After days (?) of pondering..

2008-10-18T02:39:00.001+08:00

I might have worked laxly for the first semester of the current academic year. Without seeing it coming, I came to realize that I already have dropped my 18 units of academic load and ended up filing for my Leave of Absence (valid for this first sem only). Up to this point in my life, I still can’t figure out the very reason of doing so. Lack of focus? Perhaps. But what has caused me to lose focus on my academic track? Well, that remains to be a mystery (or perhaps something that I could NEVER admit to myself and whoever). What recently happened to my academics really caused me a lot of harm. It gave me sleepless nights which lasted for almost a month. It also brought forth the very same gap I had with my family ever since my world begun. Also, it gave me the strength that one could hardly imagine. I faced everything ALONE. The person who I expected to stand by me never showed up. It was me against the world. I just am so thankful to GOD and a few people who stood by me all the while. I need not mention all of them. Really, I am so blessed to have you. I also feel so blessed to have my parents (My Pup, Mama and Mommy). I know that I no longer deserve a chance yet still they gave it to me to prove my worth for the nth time. Going back to “the reason”, I don’t think I would be man enough to tell the world what the TRUE reason is. The only thing I am certain about is that the feeling is intensely excruciating. Weeping tirelessly at night didn’t even relieve the pain, not a bit.

Next academic year, I am planning to shift to another course (again). Public Administration and English Studies are my choices. Both are Bachelor of Arts degrees. But, I would no longer wait for that period to come for me to change and stand up from my fall. Starting today, I’ll be reborn. I’ll no longer be the stupid and filthy li’l kiddo which I was. Thank heavens for making me realize that stupidity is not my type of game. F*ck all the b*tches oh so hard. Hahaha! =)) *ROTFL*

~ arniearq@gmail.com / arnie@up.edu.ph / arniearq@yahoo.com.ph

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T22:22:00.000+08:00

"Magandang gabi po sa ating lahat. Mula po sa kaibuturan ng aking puso, nais ko po kayo'ng batiin at naway magkaroon kayo ng isang maligayang bagong taon na puno'ng puno ng biyaya mula sa Poong May Kapal. Alam natin na ang Pilipinas ngayon ay lugmok pa rin sa kahirapan. Nawa'y magamit natin ang ating mga lakas at biyaya upang makapaghakbang tayo tungo sa pagbabago. Maging instrumento tayo ng pag-unlad! Muli, MANIGONG BAGO'NG TAON SA IYO AT SA IYONG PAMILYA!"

- Arnie Fernandez Arquiza

Mar Roxas for President Movement

University of the Philippines Manila

2007-64514

National Confederation of Youth Advocates

Random Thoughts - 003 s. 2007

2007-12-31T22:12:00.000+08:00

(1)

May mga matitigas ang ulo na cargo loader ng mga airlines tulad ng Philippine Airlines. Tinatakan na nga ng "FRAGILE" ang bagahe, walang humpay pa rin ang kanilang pagbabato dito.

(2)
Sayang ang Lungsod ng Baguio sa pagkat angkop sana ang klima at temperatura nito para sa mga Pilipino'ng nais magbaksyon. Kanya lang, masyadong makalat at mabasura ang lungsod na nabanggit. Hindi ba nababahala ang pamunuan ng lungsod ng Baguio na baka magising na lang sila isang araw at wala nang pumupunta sa kanilang lugar? Mag-isip-isip sana sila.

(3)
Isang lubos na pambabastos ang ginawa ni Prime Minister Pervez Musharraf na pagpapapatay kay Benazir Bhutto. Ito ay hayagang pagpapakita ng karuwagan ng isang lalaki tulad ni Musharraf sa kadahilanang nababalitaang tatakbong muli si For. Prime Minister Bhutto. Isang kawalan para sa Pakistan (pati na rin siguro sa mundo) ang isang lider na tulad ni Bhutto. Ikinokondena ko ang asal-baklang ito ni Musharraf.

(4)

Sa mga tatakbong mga pulitko sa pagka-pangulo sa 2010, si Sen. Mar Roxas lamang ang walang matinding isyu na ikinakaharap o nakaharap. Hindi kaya magbuhos muli ng pera si Businessman Villar? O baka naman magreklamo na naman si Senadorang Legarda kung matatalo? Mapipikon kaya si Sen. Gordon sakalaing 'di palarin? Ano kaya ang magiging reaksiyon dito ni Eks-Senadorang Gloria? :D

(5)
Nakagugulat ang pagtanggap ko sa UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) ng isang garapa ng "Fudge Bar". Gan'un na ba ang giveaways nila ngayon? Hehehe. Maligayang pasko at manigong bagong taon sa pamunuan ng UNFPA.

Random Thoughts – 002, s. 2007

2007-12-24T10:23:00.000+08:00

(1)
Napansin ko lang na si Charisse Pempenco ay nanggaling mismo sa estasyong ABS-CBN, sa kanilang palabas na Little Big Star. Matapos siyang makilala sa palabas na iyon, pinabayaan lamang siya ng pamunuuan ng estasiyon. Subalit, ngayon at sumikat siya sa ibang bansa (Amerika), bakit biglang nataranta ang ABS-CBN na bigyan siya ng recording contract? Pahiwatig ba ito na gusto lang siyang perahan ng nasabing estasiyon? Bakit ibang bansa pa ang nakakapag-bigay-pugay sa talento ng mga Pilipino?

(2)
Ang kabataan ngayon, kabilang ako, ay masyadong lunod sa kani-kanilang mga buhay pag-ibig. Masyado silang apektado sa kanilang mga emosiyon na dulot ng kanilang mga “minamahal”. Masyado silang nagpapa-ubaya.

(3)
Sadyang progresibo (o radikal) ang mga dalubguro at mga mag-aaral ng UP. Lantern parade na nga lang ay ginawa pa’ng daluyan ng propaganda tulad ng pagbasura sa TOFI, pagtaas ng sahod at iba’t iba pa’ng usaping piskal.

(4)
Hindi gan’un ka-interesado ang mga taga-nayon sa usaping imperyalismo.

(5)
Maging ang mga katutubo ay nai-impluwensiyahan na ng McDonaldization. Ang kanilang mga tradisiyon tulad ng paghahabi ay unti-unti nang nagiging de makina, umaalis na sila sa kanayunan upang makakalap ng mas maraming mamimili ng kanilang produkto (kumersalisasiyon) at marami pa’ng ibang mga patunay (e.g. Yakan).

(6)
Hindi alintana na kahit nasa unang baiting pa lamang sa elementariya ang isang bata ay mulat na sa kamunduhan. Unti-unti nang nagiging dekadente ang pagiging liberal nating mga Pilipino, lalo na ng kabataan.

Emo-nster? -afarq

2007-12-19T19:07:00.000+08:00

Λ Ano ba talaga ang ibig sabihin ng salitang emo? Ito ba ay tumutukoy sa mga tao o sa kanilang mga inaasal?

Ang salitang emo ay isa sa mga usong salita na ginagamit ngayon ng kabataan, ngunit hindi pa rin matukoy ang kanyang eksaktong kahulugan. Ang salita’ng ito ay hindi mahahanap sa kahit na anumang diksiyunaryo, mapa-Ingles man o Filipino.

Ang “emo” ay nanggaling sa salitang Ingles na “emotional” o ang pagiging madamdamin, kung sa ating wika. Bagaman at may kongkretong etimolohiya ang salitang ito, malaking gulo pa rin sa ating isipan ang dulot ng pagkawala ng kahulugan nito.

Unang stwasiyon kung saan ginagamit ang salitang ito ay kapag nakakakita tayo ng mga kabataang punkista. Mapapansin na sila ay may kakaibang panlasa sa pananamit. Halos itim ang lahat ng kanilang suot, saplot man o borloloy. Simula nating ilarawan ang kanilang suot mula baywang paibaba. Ang karaniwang pantalon na gamit nila ay hapit na hapit, tipong mapupunit na ang tela at dahil dito’y kung anu-anong mga bagay ang nababakat. Nakakabit sa kanilang pantalon ay kung anu-anong mga bagay na kumikinang sa sikat ng araw tulad ng safety pin. Minsan pa’y may kadena na tila ninakaw sa kanilang alaga’ng buwaya na ikinakabit sa sinturon at pitaka. Sa kanila namang mga paa ay suot ang sapatos na high-cut, o kung tawagin ay Chuck Taylor o Chucks. Madalas hindi magkaparis ang mga ito at may kung anu-anong kulay na sintas. Ang kanila namang mga mediyas ay kulay bahag-hari na hindi rin magkaparis.

Sa gawing itaas naman, hapit din ang kanilang itim na damit na karaniwan ay may tatak ng diyablo tulad ng mga kabaong o ang bituin ni David. Mayroon din silang hindi lamang isa, kung hindi mga tatlompu’ng malalaking mga pulseras na animo’y mga hinog na duhat na ikinabit sa sinulid. Mala-kadena rin ang kanilang suot na kuwintas na may parang malaking kandado na nagsisilbing pendant, iyong gaya ng suot ni John Cena ng WWE.

Ang mukha naman nila ay halintulad sa mukha ng isang mamamatay-tao dahil sa eyeliner na sobrang makapal, parang eyebag ng isang tao’ng hindi nakatulog ng sampung taon. Madalas din ay may gamit silang salamin na itim ang frame. Kung buhok ang pag-uusapan, masasabi mo’ng ito’y dinilaan ng baka’ng katatapos lamang manood ng isa pang baka’ng kumakain ng damo. Hindi pa natatapos ang kanilang estilo sa buhok. Isa rin kasi sa mga trademark ng mga emo ay ang kanilang mga bangs na sanhi ng kanilang pagkadapa dahil sa ito’y nagtatakip sa kanilang mga paningin. Ganunpaman, sila ay mga taong kinukonsiderang fashionista. Fashionista sa kanilang pakahulugan.

Ayon sa aking nabasang artikulo na batay sa pag-aaral ng mga sikolohistang Amerikano, ang ganitong tipo ng pananamit ng mga lalaki, kadalasan, ay isang pamamaraan upang maikubli ang kanilang tagong pagkabakla. Sa ganitong pamamaraan, naitatago nila ang kanilang pagkatao sa ilalim ng konseptong fashion trend. Ang konseptong nabanggit ay nagbibigay lisensiya sa kanila upang makagamit ng mga hapit na damit na kadalasan ay pambabae at mga gamit sa pag-make-up tulad ng eye-liner. Ito’ng pag-aaral daw ay tama para sa 9 sa 10 mga emo. Sino kaya ang isang ‘yun na hindi sakop ng pag-aaral na ito?

Isa ring pakahulugan sa terminolohiyang emo ay ang mga taong matindi kung magdrama ukol sa kani-kanilang mga buhay. Ito ay mga taong nakaranas ng matitinding mga suliranin sa buhay tulad ng kamatayan ng malalapit na kamag-anak o kaya’y kaysakit na break-up sa kanilang mga iniirog. Ang mga ganitong tao ay napakasensitibo batay sa kanilang emosiyon. Tamaan lang sila ng dahon ng makahiya ay iiyak na agad ang mga emo na ito. Maaring ito ay isang pamamaraan nila upang maka-ahon sa matinding lungkot at lumbay. Nais nilang ilabas ang lahat ng kanilang nararamdaman. Halos araw-araw ay umiiyak sila ng isang swimming pool ng luha. Dahilan dito, halos oras-oras ay ipinapakita nila sa mundo na sila ay problemado. Maging sa mga pampublikong lugar tulad ng paaralan, hindi pa rin nila alintana ang dami ng tao at sige pa rin sila sa kadadrama.

Ang ganito’ng tipo ng emo ay mahirap hanapin base sa kanilang pananamit lamang. Nakagayak sila na parang mga ordinariyong tao lamang, ngunit, sinasabi pa rin ng mga tao na sila ay mga emo sa kanilang asal.

Ang mga nabanggit ay ang dalawang mukha ng pagiging emo. Lahat naman ng mga ito ay base sa kanilang kakulangan sa pang-emosiyonal na katalinuhan. Ayon pa nga kay G. Daniel Goleman, isang eksperto ukol sa Emotional Intelligence, ang EI ay napakahalaga para magkaroon ng ekwilibriyo sa ating mga tao. Kapag hindi ito balanse, maaaring magkaroon ang isang tao ng suliraning pang-sikolohiya. Ang suliraning ito ay ang ipinapakita ng mga taong tinatawag nating emo, mga taong hindi makuntrola ang kani-kanilang mga sariling emosyon, mga taong minsa’y kulang sa pansin. Ω

point i pondered (001, s. 2007)

2007-12-07T00:54:00.000+08:00

bakit kailangang mangyari ang mga bagay na hindi naman talaga dapat mangyari?
alam mo'ng bawal at hindi tama, ba't kailangan mo pa'ng gawin?
sa dinami-dami ng tao sa mundo, bakit siya pa?
bakit ako nagpaubaya sa aking lutang na emosyon?
bakit ako naguguluhan samantalang alam ko na hindi naman dapat?
bakit masyado akong nagpapaapekto?
bakit ako TANGA, dilikaya'y NAGTATANGA-TANGAHAN?

Please help me find the answers.
~07.XII.2007~

Random Thoughts - 001 s. 2007

2007-11-26T02:37:00.000+08:00

talamak pa rin ang pangongotong ng kapulisan sa Maynila. Ako mismo'y nakasaksi sa isang kaganapang kalunos-lunos na tulad nito sa P. Ocampo St.
Ang polusiyon sa Maynila ay napakatindi. Parang nagpahid ka ng uling sa ilong mo kung iyo itong lilinisin pag-uwi.
May mga taxi driver na "nagpe-perform" habang nagmamaneho upang makadagdag kita.

2007-11-26T02:14:00.000+08:00

Ang Umuusbong na Industriya ng Sardinas sa Lungsod ng Zamboanga.
Arquiza, Arnie Fernandez

Prop. Joey Ogatis
Kom I
Term Paper
Setyembre 27, 2007

Tesis: Ang industriya ng sardinas sa Lungsod ng Zamboanga ay isa sa pinakamahalaga
at pangunahing industriya ng lungsod at kasalukuyan itong nahaharap sa maliit na
suliranin na siyang sinusubukang supilin ng kinauukulan, tulad ng DA-BFAR at
ng pamahalaang lokal ng lungsod.

I. Ang Zamboanga ay isa sa mga lungsod sa Pilipinas na pangunahing nagpoprodyus ng sardinas.
A. Ang mga karagatan tulad ng Sulu Sea, Moro Gulf at Dagat Selebes ay malapit lamang sa lungsod ng Zamboanga.
B. Dahil sa lokasyon ng Zamboanga City, maraming mga mamumuhunan ang nagtayo ng iba’t-ibang mga pagawaan ng sardinas dito.
C. Ang industriya ng pagsasardinas ay nakatutulong sa aspetong pang-ekonomiya at employment ng Lungsod ng Zamboanga.
II. Ang produksiyon ng mga sardinas ay may iilang mahahalagang salik at hakbang sa pagproseso.
A. Ang mga salik sa pag-prodyus ng mga de-latang sardinas ay ang fish supply at utilities.
B. May labin-tatlong bahagi ang pagpo-proseso ng sardinas; ang receiving, sorting, butchering, fish filling, blanching, decanting, sauce filling, seaming, can washing, retorting, can cooling, labeling at warehousing.
III. Ang industriya ng sardinas sa lungsod ay kasalukuyang nkahaharap sa panganib na maaring matumba ang industriyang ito batay sa pag-aaral na isinagawa na itinawag na National Stock Assessment Program.
A. Nagkakaroon ng bahagyang eksploytasyon sa Karagatan ng Sulu sa pagkat umabot na sa 0.5 Optimum E-Value batay sa 1-10 Fishery Exploitation Scale.
B. Ang pinakamataas na lebel ng eksploytasyon ay sa sardinella gibbosa na umabot na sa 0.78 sa taong 2000.
IV. Ang Depertment of Agriculture - Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources ay naglunsad ng isang programa, ang Sardines Management Plan, upang mabigyan ng karampatang solusyon ang mga suliranin na hinaharap ng industriya.
A. Nakapaloob sa SMP ay ang polisiyang closed season fishing.
B. Ipinapanukala rin ng SMP ang total allowable catch policy.
C. Ang programang ito ay ay isasakatuparan na sa Nobyembre ng kasalukuyang taon.

Ang idustriya ng sardinas ay sinasabing isa sa mga umuusbong na industriya sa ating bansa sa kasalukuyan. Ito ay dahil sa patuloy na paglaganap ng kahirapan sa ating bansa. Marming mga pagawaan ng mga sardinas ang ipinaplano pang buksan sa ating bansa. Ang sardinas at iba pang mga uri ng de-lata ay kinokonsidera ng mamamayang Pilipino bilang kanilang mga panawid gutom.

Isa sa mga tanyag na lungsod sa paggawa ng sardinas ay ang Zamboanga. Sinasabing ang lokasyon nito ay napaka-akma para sa pagpapatayo ng mga pagawaang ito.

Ang Lungsod ng Zamboanga ay matatagpuan sa Rehiyon IX, ang Zamboanga Peninsula o ang Kanlurang Mindanao. Ang Zamboanga City ay napapalibutan ng malalaking anyo ng tubig tulad ng Dagat Sulu sa Hilaga at Kanluran, Kipot ng Basilan sa Timog, Gulpo ng Moro sa Silangan. Ang klima sa lungsod ay mainit at kalat-kalat ang pag-ulan sa buong taon. May dalawang panahon dito, ang tag-tuyot, mula Enero hanggang Abril, at tag-ulan naman sa mga nalalabi pa’ng mga buwan.

Dahil sa lokasyon nito, ang pangunahing industriya nito ay ang pangingisda o fisheries. Ang fisheries dito ay nahahati sa dalawa; ang inland water resources, at ang marine resources. Ang iba pang mga sector ng ekonomiya ng Zamboanga ay ang agrikultura at pagmimina.

Tinatayang (halos) walo’mpung bahagdan ng minamanupakturang sardinas sa ating bansa ay gawa sa Lungsod ng Zamboanga. Ang 80% na ito ay napakalaki na sa pagkat walang industriya sa kung saan mang pook sa mundo ang nakatayang hawak ang 100% sa pagmamanupaktura ng isang linya ng produkto.

Ang unang pagawaan ng sardinas sa ating bansa ay itinatag noong 1935 sa Estancia, Iloilo na ipinagtibay naman ng Kawanihan ng Pangingisda. Matapos nito, kumalat na ang mga canneries sa buong bansa. Nagsimulang umusbong ang industriyang ito sa Zamboanga sa kalagitnaan ng taong 1995, 60 taon mula sa pagkatatag nito. Sa pagsimula ng industriyang ito, ang bawat kumpanya ay nakakapagprodyus lamang ng tatlong libong cases bawat araw. Hindi pa gaano kagandahan ang kanilang mga makinariyang gamit kaya’t ganoon kakaunti ang kanila’ng nagagawa sa isang araw.

Ang lungsod ngayon ay may apat-na-pu’t apat na fish processing factories na may linya sa de-latang tuna at sardinas. Ang industriyang ito, ayon sa Department of Trade and Industries, ay nakapamimigay ng trabaho sa 5,261 na katao. Ang aggregate investment, ayon pa rin sa DTI, ay P 1,780,418,000.00. Ito rin ay nakakapag-prodyus ng kabuuang produkto na umaabot sa 15,842 MT. (Department of Trade and Industries, Reg’l. Office IX)

Ang bawat kumpanya ng sardinas ay nangangailangan ng mga empleyado sa bilang na umaabot ng libu-libo, depende sa laki ng kumpanya. Ang tagagawa ng 555 na sardinas ay mayroong kulang-kulang na 1,200 na empleyado at 500 naman sa tagagawa ng Ligo. Ang bawat kumpanya ay may dalawang shifts ng pagtatrabaho, ang day at night shift. Kasama na sa bilang na ito ang mga implicit employees tulad ng guwardiya at mga opisyales ng kumpanya.
Maraming mga salik sa produksiyon ang pinahahalagahan ng industriya’ng ito. Ang una at pinakamahalaga ay ang fish supply. Ang lahat ng mga bagay ukol sa produksiyon ng mga sardinas ay nakabase sa dami ng isda’ng puwedeng i-proseso. Ang industriya ng sardinas ay mayroon ding peak season batay sa fish supply. Sinasabing ang mga buwan mula Marso hanggang Oktubre ang mga buwan kung kailan nakagagawa ng mga sardinas ang mga kumpanya sa kanilang maximum level. Sa mga panahong ito, umaabot ng 1,000 hanggang 10,000 mga kaha ng sardinas ang kanilang nagagawa, depende sa kakayahan ng anumang kumpanya. Ang isang kaha ng sardinas ay may 100 lata ng sardinas. Sa makatuwid, umaabot ng isang milyong lata ng sardinas ang ipinoproseso ng bawat kumpanya sa isang araw upang maibenta sa mga pamilihan.

Nangangailangan ng 15.5 hanggang 17 kilong isda, ang sardinella species tulad ng sardinella gibbosa, sardinella longiceps, sardinella albella at sardinella fimbriata, upang makagawa ng isang kaha ng sardinas. Sa 15.5 na kilong ito, 35% nito ang tinuturing na scrap, o mga bahaging hindi na nagagamit. (e.g. ulo ng isda, buntot) Ang mga bahaging ito ay ginagawang mga fish meal ng iilang mga factories sa Zamboanga. Bukod sa mga ito, kailangan din ang formulated tomato sauce sa paggawa ng sardinas. Ang ito ay nanggagaling sa ibang bansa tulad ng Tsina at Italya.
Ang mga utilities tulad ng kuryente at tubig ay mahalaga sa kanilang produksiyon. Nangangailangan ng .95 kwh na dagitab at 230 L na tubig sa pag-prodyus ng isang kaha ng sardinas. Maliban sa kuryente at tubig, kailangan din ang banker fuel para sa boiler. Sa isang kaha, nangangailangan ng 1.2 L nito.

Ang proseso sa paggawa ng sardinas ay nahahati sa 13 mga hakbang. Una rito ay ang receiving, o ang transper ng isda mula sa supplier o fishing company. Dito nagaganap ang quality check. Pangalawa dito ay ang sorting, o ang pagpili sa mga isda na puwede at hindi puwedeng gamitin sa produksiyon. Ang klasipikasiyon ay naaayon sa laki ng mga isda. Butchering naman ang sumusunod ditto. Sa panahong ito, inihihiwalay ang mga ulo at buntot sa katawan ng isda. Susunod ang fish filling o ang pagsilid sa mga katawan ng isda sa mga lata. Matapos ang paglagay ng mga isda sa lata, dumadaan ang mga ito sa blanching machine upang bahagyang maluto ng mga isda. Tinatapon ang mga hindi kinakailangang likido na naisilid din sa lata sa pamamagitan ng decanting. Sauce filling ang nangyayari pagkatapos ang decanting. Pinupuno ang mga lata ng formulated tomato sauce. Isinusunod dito ang seaming o ang pagtakip sa mga lalagyan o lata. Kung ito ay nakatakip na, saka naman nagaganap ang can washing o ang paglinis sa mga lata. Para sadyang maluto ang mga isda, ito ay dumadaan sa retort sa prosesong tinatawag na retorting. Ipinalalamig naman ang mga bagong lutong sardinas sa pamamagitan ng pagbabad sa tubig. Ito ay ang can cooling. Kung malamig na ang bawat lata, nilalagyan na ito ng mga labels o mga tatak ng kumpanya sa bahagi’ng labeling. Ngayon, puwede ng iimbak sa mga bodega o warehouse ang mga gawa nang produkto sa prosesong tinatawag na warehousing.

Sa paggawa ng mga sardinas, may tatlong critical points na minamatyagan ng mga tauhan sa quality control. Ito ay sa receiving, seaming at retort. Nasasabing napakakritikal na bahagi ang receiving sa pagkat dito maaring masira ang mga isda mula sa mga supplier. Kung ganito ang mangyayari, walang isdang magagamit sa buong araw at maihihinto ang operasyon ng pagawaan. Kritikal din ang seaming sa pagkat kailangang siguraduhin na ang pagsara sa mga lata ay maayos na ginawa upang hindi rin masira ang isda sa loob. Kailangan ring siguraduhin na walang mikrobyo ang nahalo sa pormulasiyon. Mahalaga rin ang bahagi ng retorting sa pagkat dito niluluto ang mga isda. Kinakailangang hindi lumagpas o bumaba sa temperature range ang mga lata upang hindi maging hilaw o sobra ang pagkaluto nito.

Ang mga nagawang mga sardinas ngayon ay handa ng ipadala sa punong tanggapan sa Maynila upang maipakalat na sa mga pamilihan ng bayan. Halos lahat ng mga sardinas na gawa sa Zamboanga ay hindi ipinapadala sa ibang bansa o hindi ito pang-export. Ang mga ito ay para lamang sa lokal na mga mamimili.

Ang bawat isang kaha ng gawang sardinas ay naibebenta sa pmilihan ng mula P 850 hanggang P 910. Ang mga ito ay may eksklusibong 20-30% na mark-up o patong.

Ang Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources ay naglunsad ng isang programa na kanilang tinawag na National Stock Assessment Program o NSAP. Layunin ng programa na ito ang pag-aanalisa sa sardinella spp. dahil ito ang pinakamahalagang sangkap na ginagamit ng mga pagawaan sa pagpoprodyus ng mga sardinas sa Rehiyon IX, sa pangkalahatan, at sa Lungsod ng Zamboanga partikular. Ang pinakaimportanteng layunin ng pag-aaral na ito ay makalikom ng mga mahahalagang sayantipikong impormasiyon na magagamit ng kinauukulan para sa mga stratehiyang patungo sa tamang pangangalaga at paggamit ng mga yamang dagat ng ating karagatan. Ang proyektong ito ay nakatuon sa mga Rehiyong tulad ng Zamboanga Peninsula, Central Mindanao at Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao. Ang pagkalap ng mga datos para sa proyektong ito ay nag-umpisa sa taong 1997, ngunit ang pag-aaral ay naisagawa lamang noong taong 1999 hanggang 2005, sa dahilang may kakulangan sa mga nakalap na datos noong taong 1997 hanggang 1998. Ang mga datos na nakuha mula sa Rehiyon IX at ARMM ay ipinagsanib sa pagkat ang kanilang parehong pinagkukuhanan ay ang Karagatan ng Sulu.
Ayon sa NSAP, nakalulungkot ma’ng isipin, ngunit, nagkakaroon na ng bahagyang pagkasira sa karagatan na nakapalibot sa Zamboanga dahil sa labis na pangingisda. Ang labis na pangingisda ay ang sinasabing maling laki ng isda na hinuhuli ng mga mangingisda mula sa karagatan. Ang 1-10 Fishery Exploitation Scale ng BFAR-NSAP ay nagpapakita na umabot na sa 0.5 Optimum E-Value, o ang antas kung kailan kinukunsidera na itong eksploytasiyon. Ang may pinakamataas na antas ng eksploytasiyon sa mga species ng sardinella ay ang sardinella gibbosa na umabot sa antas na 0.78 sa taong 2000.

Matapos ang kanilang pag-aanalisa, ang naturang ahensiya ng gobyerno ay maglulunsad ng isang masinsinang plano o ang Sardines Management Plan. Nakapaloob sa planong ito ang mga regulatory measures na dapat sundin ng mga kumpanya na nangingisda. Inirerekumenda rin nito ang closed season of fishing kung saan, hindi puwedeng pumalaot ang mga malalaking barko. Magkakaroon rin ng sinasabing total allowable catch na nagsasabi kung gaano karami lamang ang puwedeng hulihin ng bawat barko sa isang araw, linggo o buwan. Ang SMP ay isasakatuparan at magiging epektibo na sa darating na Nobyembre, taong 2007. Sa ngayon, iniimprenta na ang huling burador ng planong ito ng mapirmahan na ng kalihim ng Kagawaran ng Agrikultura.

Ang suliranin sa industriyang ito ay hindi pa gaanong nakaaalarma, ngunit, hindi dapat ipasawalang-bahala ng mga malalaking kumpanya, kinauukulan at mamamayan. Dapat ay maging mas mapagmasid ang mga ahensiya ng ating pamahalaan upang hindi lumala at masolusyunan ang problemang ito.
Ang industriyang ito ay malaki ang naitutulong sa lungsod ng Zamboanga sa kadahilanang maraming mamamayan nito ang nabibigyan ng trabaho . Katunayan, nagkakaroon ng pangalawang pangalan ang lungsod, ang Pambansang Sentro ng Sardinas.

Ang tanging problema lamang ng industriyang ito ay ang mga suplay ng isda. Ang sining ng pagproseso nito ay nanatiling buhay. Sa karagdagan, ang lokal na pamahalaan ng lungsod ay dapat gumawa rin ng mga hakbang upang hindi maisa-alang-alang ang pangunahing industriyang ito ng lungsod. Bilang mamamayan, dapat ding suportahan ang mga hakbang ng mga taong nasa posisyon. Sa ganitong paraan, nakatutulong ang bawat tao sa pagpreserba ng industriyang ito. Bilang resulta, marami pang mga trabaho at mga oportunidad ang maibubukas upang tulungan naman ang mga taong nananahan sa Zamboanga.

Bibliyograpiya
Huke, Robert E. Shadows on the Land: An Economic Geography of the Philippines.
Quezon City, Holy Cross Press, Inc., 1963, pp. 373-374
Lobregat, Celso L. Personal Interview. 21 August 2007.
Mendoza, Edwin. Personal Interview. 20 August 2007.
Ocampo, Carlos R. et al. Philippine Regional Profiles. Quezon City, KASIMBAYAN,
Inc.,1981, pp. 287-292.
Regional Field Office IX. Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. National Stock
Assessment Program: Status of Sardinella Spp. in Sulu Sea. Zamboanga City,
2007.
Regional Office IX. Department of Trade and Industries. Fishing Industry Situationer.
Zamboanga City, 2007.
Sajili, Ahadulla S. Personal Interview. 21 August 2007.
Salita, Domingo C. Geography and Natural Resources of the Philippines. Quezon City,
Rapid Lithographic and Publishing House, 1974.
Sien, Chia Lin et al. Southeast Asian Seas: Frontiers for Development. Singapore City,
McGraw-Hill Int’l. Book Company, 1981, p. 80
Tagavilla, Annalyn. Personal Interview. 21 August 2007.

2007-11-26T02:11:00.000+08:00

This is the script of the first Chavacano play which I wrote. I know you wouldn't understand it, but.. Anyways.. The title is "Poder del Amor" - The Power of Love.

PROLOGO - (Na sueño de Saupan, ya mira le con Libandao… ensangrentiao y ta llama con ele… que dolor mira el sacrificio de Libandao.)

Saupan: (llorando) Libandao, Libandao, Libandao…

Primer Excena
(Na rio y ta laba)

Laakmin: Saupan, como tu lang el diamon solo hija, pirmi tu acorda cosa contigo ta habla di tuyo ama… el maga tradicion y cultura diaton pirmi tu acorda…

Saupan: No mas ya se pensa ina! Cay sabe yo cosa el amo y cosa el gendeh…

Laakmin: Ta hace lang yo contigo acorda el tradicion y ta dale lng yo contigo consejo como tu ina…

Ruyin: Ina, Saupan! Vene ya cay ta escoricia ya el cielo.

Segunda excena: (na casa del maga Sama)

Astao: Libandao, acorda tu cay cerca ya tu casa con el hija del lider del diaton tribo…

Minang: Dia mas dia ta mira yo contigo como tiene man tu que ta pensa hondo? Preparao ya ba tu casa con Mangkay?

Astao: Preparao o gendeh le preparao, ay casa lang le siempre con Mangkay.

Tercer Excena – (Sentao si Libandao abajo’y pono de Acacia)

Timpa: Ya pasa si Saupan cargando su maga gulay y maga fruta. Ya puede con ele mira si Libandao. Yan mirahan lang sila doz. Si Saupan, este tiempo, bien bulao. Gendeh le ta mira si donde le ta pasa, poreso, ya acaba cay su maga fruta y gulay. Derepente ya brinca si Libandao y ya ofrece ayuda.

Saupan: Gracias gayot cay ya ayuda tu conmigo.
Libandao: No mas ya tu acorda con aquel. Iyo gale si Libandao, un Sama.
Saupan: Gracias otra vez Libandao. Sigui, nececita ya yo anda.
Libandao: Espera… Cosa gale el dituyo nombre?
Saupan: Saupan…

Timpa: Aquel maga tiempo pa lang, tiene ya amor que ta creci na de ila maga corazon. Este suceso ya continua por cuantos semana.Un dia, cuando ta camina sila doz…

Libandao: Sabe tu Saupan, ta pidi yo gracia cay ya llega el dia que ya conoce yo con el mujer que hace conmigo alegre.
Saupan: Yo tambien Libandao…

Timpa: Mientras tan cuento sila doz, ya puede canila mira si Ruyin, el hermana de Saupan. Ya aviza si Ruyin con su ama y ina aserca el cosa le ya puede mira.

Quadro Excena – (na casa)

Bukto: Saupan, deberasan ba el cosa ya habla si Ruyin conmigo?
Saupan: Ama…
Bukto: Contesta! Habla conmigo…!
Laakmin: Saupan, habla el verdad… Cosa ba gayot el ya pasa?
Saupan: Ina… Ama… Perdona conmigo… Si, verdad ‘quel. Yo, y si Libandao, ta ama a uno’y otro.
Bukto: (ya larga palmada con Saupan.) Duro cabeza!

Timpa: Este tiempo, ya cay el mi corazon para con Saupan. Bien macalastima mira con el lagrimas que ta tiorya na su ojos.

Canto de Saupan:
“POR QUE”
Dios miyo, por que?
Cosa mi culpa?
Porque?
Nececita pa ba yo sufri?
Nececita pa ba yo sinti?
Nececita pa ba yo llora?
Por que? Por que? Por que?
(ya llega si Libandao)

Libandao: Saupan? Porque tu ta llora? Cosa ya pasa?
Saupan: Porque? Cosa mi culpa? Yo mismo no sabe…

(yan abrasajan el doz)

**BOOM**

(ya llega si Mangkay. Bien dolorido y llorando.)

Quinta Excena – El Preparacion para el casamiento

(Cuando ya volve si Libandao…)

Astao: Libandao, prepara ya tu para con el de tuyo casamiento con Mangkay. Mañana ya este…
Libandao: Ama, Ina, sabe ustedes cay no hay yo amor para con Mangkay, solamente el nombre y figura de Saupan el ta aparece na mi pensamiento… Na mi corazon…
Minang: Pero Libandao… Acorda con el de aton cultura y tradicion… Nunca con ele puede acepta el de aton tribo. Libandao…

**BOOM**

Canto de Saupan y Libandao:

“Cancion de tristeza”
Saupan:
Que triste el vida
Por que este ta pasa?
No hay yo malo que ya hace,
Pero porque yo ta sufri?

Labindao:
Bien duele mi corazon.
Solamente el de tu nombre el
ta abuya na mi pensamiento,
y na mi corazon
Saupan, mi amor..
Saupan..

Saupan: Mi amor…
Libandao: Saupan, ahora, no hay mas canaton quien puede sanga. Masquin cosa pa ay pasa, masquin cosa pa el diaton tribo, tradicion y cultura, promete tu conmigo cay ay continua quita ama a uno y otro y nunca tu deja conmigo.
Saupan: Libandao…
Libandao: Cosa ‘quel Saupan? Tiene bat u cosa quiere habla? Pavor conversa.
Saupan: Libandao, tiene yo miedo. Baca… baca… Baca tiene contigo cosa pasa malo.
Libandao: Impocible se Saupan. No mas ya tu tiene miedo.
Saupan: Gendeh! No conoce tu con ama. Hay hace ‘quel ele el todo que puede le hace para gana el su gusto y capriccio.
Libandao: Sabe tu Saupan, gendeh se hay sucede. Gendeh se permiti el Diyos. Sabe yo, cay en buenamente el pensamiento del Diyos. Para con ele, bien fuerte el poder del amor. Ciendo tiene quien ta sangga canaton, con Ele quita necesita anda y pidi ayuda.
Saupan: Ojala Libandao, ojala…
Libandao: Vene ya, sale ya quita aqui y vivi en paz…

Sexta Excena - El buscada del maga Subano con Saupan y tambien el maga Sama con Libandao.

Bukto: Vene ya! Busca quita con Saupan…
Laakmin: (llorando) Saupan, Saupan! Donde ya tu?
Todo: Saupan, Saupan, Saupan!!!
(Ya sale el maga Subanen y ya entra el maga Sama)
Jumbang: Libandao, Libandao! Pavor, sale ya tu! Manda ya canamon mira… Bien malingasa ya gayot came!
Astao: Busca con Libandao! Alya camo, aqui came.
Minang: (llorando) Cosa quita ay hace? Libandao, mi hijo.
(El encuentro del Subano y Badjao)
Bukto: Donde camo ya lleva con el mi hija? Hace camo sale, ahora mismo!
Laakmin: Por pavor, habla canamon. Donde ya diamon hija, donde?
Astao: Masquin came, ta busca came con el diamon hijo.
Minang: No hay mas quita hora. No mas ya quita hace pa pelea. Nececita quita busca canila na mas poco tiempo.
Laakmin: Vene ya!

(Ya busca con el doz gritando el de ila maga nombre)
(Despuez de cuantos diaz, ya puede ya sila encontra con el doz.)

Timpa: A serca este suceso, yan junto-junto el dos deferente tribo y ya respeta sila a uno y otro. Ya pensa sila na vida de aton, el credo, particularmente el tradicion y cultura, gendeh nececita devedido, sino nececita este queda un camino para el bien de todo.

Timpa: Despuez de cuantos mesez, ya casa si Saupan y Libandao y ya tiene un hija. Ya nombra sila con este Acacia, sabe ya seguro uste porque… Aserca con Mangkay, ya casa le con el uno miembro del de ila tribo. El hermana de Saupan, que antes ingrida, ya queda bien bueno el custumbre. Ancina gayot el vida… Tiene vez, nececita tu llora, pero, por ultimo ta queda lang tu siempre alegre. Muchas Gracias a todos por el de usted atensyon. Aqui ta finaliza el cuento del vida, particularmente el vida de amor, que ta habla, na fin el amor lang siempre ay gana…

(Ya llama con Timpa si Saupan y ya principia el celebracion.)

*FIN DEL HISTORIA*

Poder del Amor

Un Escrito de
ARNIE FERNANDEZ ARQUIZA

© Copyright 2005
Todo’l Derecha Reservao

The dream of owning a "Sablay".

2007-05-02T01:40:00.000+08:00

University of the Philippines. That, I guess, delivers the best and incomparable quality of education in the country. Few days ago, an unmarked day of April, I came to know that I was accepted in my first choice of degree program in the University of the Philippines - Manila. BA Development Studies, that is. People ask me of the career that I am to cultivate in college and I ususally get responses from people, including my high school professors, like, "What course is that?" "Where in this world can you work after graduation?" "That course is inexistent during my time. I know nothing about that." These feedbacks usually give me disappointments. I get to think of the chances of me to have committed a mistake in choosing the bachelor's degree that I am to pursue in college. Having such comments, I think. Yes. Hard enough.

I got a chance to meet an upperclass man of the University. He holds a certain position in my future College (College of Arts and Sciences) at the UPM. The highest position, in fact, a student could have in a particular college within the system. Meeting him, I may say, is indeed enlightening. I had the feeling of already being a student of that university though I was not yet enrolled. He gave me the idea of how's it being an "Iskolar ng Bayan". From the professors, to the students, to the buldings, including the comfort rooms. Those where the things that he shared. Among the stuffs shared, where the advises which he laid. "DevStud (the course that I am taking up) breeds most of the country's activists. I hope that you would not be blinded by their closed minds. " In an instant, I, again, thought whether the decision I made was right. Still, everything was vague.

I also thought of the treasures that I will be leaving behind. My family. My girl. The glory that I have worked for ten long years. In weeks time, these would all be gone. If not gone, they'll/it'll be no longer within my reach. The comfort of my home is no longer at my palm. The people who I have been with for the seventeen years of my life shall now be miles away from me. I would in addition leave the privileges brought forth by my family name. After having produced my own pedestal in my very own hometown, I chose to live a new life in Manila. An individual who is back to square one. An individual who has not yet proven anything, not even a scratch. That's hard enough for anyone to think of. Isn't it?

After sometime, I went over the course description of my degree program. Political Science. Economics. History. Those were some of the subjects I am supposed to take to finish my college struggle. (Yes, you got it right. My thinking is too much futuristic.) Then again, I questioned myself. Have I made the right choice? I came to think about the possibilities of me sniffing the rotten smell of the political flow of the country. I also thought of developing Marxism in my thinking since I'd be exposed to most of the country's snag. Thereby, I created my "impossible dream."

My dream is but every Filipino's dream. A Philippines for the Filipinos. I might sound extremely patriotic, but yes. That is my dream. Is it too ludicrous for such a feeble me to achieve that dream? Indeed, it is. That impossibility will then serve as a challenge to me.

Having set my aspiration, I disclaimed the notion of becoming wealthy someday. A norm in the UP world, maybe. I turned down the chances of becoming an affluent-nurse or becoming a well-known bank accountant. I did all this for the splendor of my country, the Philippines.

After the long wait, clarity popped out. At this point, I am definitely sure that this is the path that I want to walk by. The road that I shall take. Certainly, being someone like Benigno Aquino, Manuel Quezon or even Ferdinand Marcos of the new age would make another big difference. All those second thoughts, deceptions have now been gone. I am cleared out of the things I like. What I am focused to do right now is to earn my degree, walk through the isle of the PICC ( I am not sure if the PICC would still be the venue of my graduation), and owning my sablay (although UPM graduates just use this during their recognition rites). Afterwhich, the Philippines would have Arnie Arquiza, the man who cares for his country more than anybody else could imagine.