A thought from Freire

I cannot be a teacher if I do not perceive with even greater clarity that my prac-tice demands of me a definition of where I stand. A break with what is not right ethically. I must choose between one thing and another thing. I cannot be a teacher and be in favor of everyone and everything. I cannot be in favor merely of people, humanity, vague phrases far from the concrete nature of educative prac-tice. Mass hunger and unemployment, side by side with opulence, are not the result of destiny.

(Freire 1998:93)

Message of Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino to the Filipino youth on the historical event of seating the first youth representative in Congress

Kabataan, tayo ang pagbabago.

Message of Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino to the Filipino youth on the historical event of seating the first youth representative in Congress


Five years in the making for the country’s sole youth sectoral party-list, but better late than never and victory is still sweet for all Filipino youth.

Kabataan Party-list, the largest youth party in the country, represented the youth sector in the 2007 elections. It was the second time for our organization to run in the party-list elections. In 2004, we ran under our previous name, Anak ng Bayan, and were among the top choices for party-list based on pre-election surveys. Anak ng Bayan, however, fell prey to massive cheating. A significant number of our votes were anomalously counted in favor of another party-list group, thus our change of name in the 2007 party-list elections.

Despite not winning, we went on with our advocacies and continued to carry on with our principles and general program of action with the help of our founding organizations, such as the National Union of Students of the Philippines, College Editors Guild of the Philippines, League of Filipino Students and Anakbayan and other supporters nationwide and abroad.

Now, five years after our first electoral bid, Kabataan Party-list has finally secured a seat in the House of Representatives per SC GR No. 179271, promulgated April 29, 2009.

Now, we are happy to convey the message to all Filipino youth that the SC Resolution, in effect, has once again marked the youth’s rightful place in history by granting the first ever youth sectoral representation in the House of Representatives.

This is truly a historical event and we share this resounding victory to all Filipino youth who voted for and supported Kabataan Party-list. We are overwhelmed but more than ready to take on the task and challenge of being the sole voice of the youth in Congress.

We are youth from different walks of life. We have long-ago advocated for the youth to devote its intellect, energy and courage to building a better society devoid of corruption, inequality and social injustice. We are youth that foster active participation in nation-building, good governance and change.

In this junction in history in light of our recent victory, we, the youth, are change. Kabataan, tayo ang pagbabago.

We will uphold, promote and defend the interests of the youth to be able to harness our potential as a vital, albeit marginalized, sector in society.

The Filipino youth have always played a pivotal role in ushering in significant changes in history. We have always been at the forefront of uprisings and revolutions every time the social, political and economic conditions in society became too intolerable for Filipinos to endure.

It was young men and women who prevailed in the leadership and membership of the revolutionary army and other patriotic forces against Spanish colonialism, against US colonization, against Japanese fascism and against the puppet regimes in the Philippines.

It was also the Filipino youth who were the biggest marchers and rallyists during the historical First Quarter Storm of 1970, the people power uprising that toppled the Marcos dictatorship in 1986 and once again in the similar uprising that ousted the Estrada regime in 2001.

We are more than willing to take up the cudgels our forebears left us. Right now, a rotten system of governance and a severe global economic crisis confront us but we rise to the challenge of our times.

In the past eight years of the Arroyo administration, the youth has also always been amongst the most vigilant and vocal against issues of electoral fraud, corruption and plunder, human rights violations, tyranny and social injustice causing poverty, hunger and indecent living conditions to the people.

While we recognize that one year is too short a time in the House of Representatives, we pledge to work tenfold to efficiently and effectively bring our new brand of politics to Philippine government. To be able to fully realize this, we appeal to all Filipino youth to work hand-in-hand with us. We reiterate the need for active youth participation in nation-building and continue to rely on the strength and unity of the youth movement to reinforce our sole youth voice in Congress.

We will immediately register our opposition against charter change and join moves by other progressive party-lists to disqualify human rights violator Ret. Gen. Jovito Palparan from assuming party-list representation.

We are also now consulting with youth from different sectors to aid in our plans to immediately submit for legislation bills concerning youth empowerment in governance, employment for the 900,000 new graduates, and tuition fee hike moratorium, among others.

Finally, we look forward to bigger things that lie ahead in the future. It is the Arroyo administration’s last year in office and the youth are anticipating and working for significant changes come 2010. As early as now, we pledge to work for a transparent and clean 2010 elections that will realize the youth’s clamor for good governance and change. We are set to embark on a nationwide youth voters’ registration and education campaign in the aim to collectively mobilize the broadest number of young Filipinos to register, vote, and guard the 2010 ballot.

Change is bound to happen if and when the youth strives for it.

Kabataan, maraming salamat!

Kabataan, tayo ang pagbabago.

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Rep. Raymond Palatino, the first youth sectoral representative in Congress

29-year-old Raymond “Mong” Palatino is considered as one of the most brilliant youth leaders in the country. He was chair of the University Student Council of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman in 2000 and president of the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), the largest alliance of tertiary student councils nationwide from 2001 to 2003. He is also one of the leading youth veterans of EDSA Dos.

An education graduate of UP, Palatino has been a prominent figure in various campaigns and issues concerning youth and students. He was convenor to several youth alliances such as the Education for All (e4all) Movement, Abolish ROTC, Tuition Refund, Youth Action Network against electoral fraud and violence, Youth Demanding Arroyo’s Removal (Youth DARE), Youth against Charter Change and Tyranny (Y-CHAT), Youth for Accountability and Truth Now (Youth ACT Now), and TxtPower, a consumer rights advocacy group, among others.

In 2004, Palatino was recognized by the Quezon City government for exemplary youth leadership and was awarded by the United Nations Association of the Philippines as an Outstanding Youth Leader for Advocacy on National Concerns.

Palatino also writes for several online publications, aside from maintaining his own web blog. He is a web columnist for tinig.com, former news editor of yehey.com, a contributing editor for Global Voices Online, and one of the leading members of Bloggers’ Kapihan, an online network of young bloggers. He has also been a regular resource speaker of both Houses of Congress on youth and education issues.

Palatino is also a proud father to his new son Neil Esmond, born a day after the issuance of the SC Resolution, and daughter Renee Elle, 4 years old. ###

Justice for Teacher Rebelyn Pitao

Justice for Rebelyn Pitao

Statement of the National Union of People's Lawyers

The brutal torture and murder of Rebelyn Pitao, a young school teacher and daughter of an alleged  officer of the New People’s Army, are condemnable for the heinousness of the crime and for putting another obstacle on the peace process.  The fact that the victim was abducted in broad daylight by armed men in front of many witnesses only points to the military as the perpetrator of another case of extra judicial killing.  The military has the motive, the means and the opportunity to execute the crime, important components in establishing the guilt of an accused in criminal law.

The precise military operation executed by armed men showing no fear of being accosted by the authorities or recognized by witnesses could only have been done by the military. The immediate denial of the AFP even before any investigation was conducted on the crime is one more evidence of the “denial” which UN Special Rapporteur charged the military with, in his report on extra judicial killings in the Philippines.  Pres. Gloria Arroyo who has long been accused with responsibility for this method of eliminating those who oppose her regime cannot escape responsibility by merely expressing outrage over the incident.  She must immediately order the relief of the highest AFP and PNP officers in Davao considering that the crime was conducted with impunity in their jurisdiction.  It would be hypocritical for Pres. Arroyo to relieve military and police officers if jueteng persists in their jurisdiction, if she would not similarly do the same in cases of extra judicial killings or enforced disappearances.

The NUPL demands, in light of the escalating cases of extra judicial killings, that Pres. Arroyo immediately relieve on the basis of command responsibility and investigate for complicity, the highest ranking officer of the AFP and the PNP in any area where extra judicial killing has taken place.  This “automatic relief” policy in cases of extra judicial killings should be a warning on government security forces who have tolerated if not participated in this insidious form of human rights violations. The attack on the innocent daughter of a suspected NPA rebel also violates various international covenants which prohibits such acts because of the danger of spiraling violence against civilians.  Even members of the Mafia have made an unwritten rule that civilian members  of their families should not be attacked  because the counter retribution against innocent members of the families will only worsen the violence. 

We welcome the  pronouncement of the NPA that it will not conduct retaliation on non-combatants who, under international humanitarian law, are not legitimate targets of attacks. Article 13 of Protocol II of the  Geneva Conventions and ratified by the Philippines provides that “The civilian population as such, as well as individual civilians shall not be the object of attack. Acts or threats of violence the primary purpose of which is to spread terror among the civilians are prohibited”.    This war crime was the basis for the warrant of arrest recently issued by the International Criminal Court on Sudanese President Omar al Bashir and will be the basis for holding Philippine human rights violators accountable in the future.

Even the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), the agreement between the Philippine Government and the National Democratic Front signed in 1998 also prohibits the same underArticle 4 (2)  “Civilian population and civilians shall be treated as such and shall be distinguished from combatants and, together with their property shall not be the object of attacks.”  The statement by Sec. Cerge Remonde equating the killing of Rebelyn Pitao to the NPA ambushes on military and police personnel not only shows the callousness of Sec. Remonde but also his ignorance of the international conventions treating civilians differently from combatants such as the military and the police. Remonde must be immediately reprimanded for such insensitivity and ignorance. The intentional killing of civilians, including relatives of suspected combatants, must be condemned.  The perpetrators must be immediately held accountable for  gross human rights violations.  The escalation of extra judicial killings only makes it more imperative for the government to implement the Alston recommendations and theautomatic relief policy.

Confusion

I want to shout jump and let the animated catharsis bloom to life! I'm full and heavy! Just wanna get through with it.

SISTER STELLA L @ 25: Tuloy ang Pakikibaka!

SISTER STELLA L @ 25: Tuloy ang Pakikibaka!

Quarter of a century later, the rage of Sister Stella L remains as pertinent as when it was released in 1984. The proof, alas, is in the death toll. To date, 850 mainstream journalists and other public figures have been killed in the name of the Philippine government’s 2001 "War on Terrorism" campaign. Human rights violations number to 169,530 individuals, 18,515 families, 71 communities, and 196 households. One person is killed every three days.

 

The terror of Sister Stella L knows no boundaries, not even the four corners of the silver-screen. It is real and present. And we live it.

 

Thus, with urgency, the University Film Institute of the Philippines and the Vilma Santos Solid International celebrates the 25^th anniversary of Sister Stella L with a screening in the UP Cine Adarna on March 20, 5pm. The event will also feature an exhibition of production memorabilias and a forum with the esteemed cast and crew, including Governor Vilma Santos.

 

Directed by Mike De Leon and written by Pete Lacaba and Jose Almojuela, Sister Stella L tells of the socio-political awakening of a nun (Vilma Santos) as she helped workers on strike against an oil factory in Barrio Agoho ran by an abusive administration. Cautious, Sister Stella’s enlightenment was hastened upon witnessing the torture of political leader Ka Dencio (Tony Santos).

 

The strength of the film Sister Stella L lies in the nuanced study of the transformation of a common citizen. Beyond the blatant display of rarara activism, it reveals and resolves layers of conflict of Sister Stella: as a nun committed to serving God, as a woman struggling to reconcile feelings for an ex-lover, and as a citizen slowly seeing the truths of a brutal system.

 

Simply put, Sister Stella is everyone of us, in various shades of restlessness from living in a system that has consistently let its people down. Mike De Leon’s masterpiece is not so much an invitation to see a well-crafted film but a call to action. For really, the film is just a mirror of our realities. And Sister Stella L makes us turn the other way around, so we can start seeing, from reel to real, with eyes wide open.

PUP Magna cum Laude on the state of PUP Education

Chalk + Talk = Physics?

The weak condition of science and math education in the country is a reflection of the underdevelopment of our economy and the skewed priorities of government.

BY REYNALDO V. LUNA
Prometheus Bound/Manila Times
Posted by Bulatlat
Vol. VIII, No. 19, June 15-21, 2008

The economic growth of a country requires the development of skilled science and technology practitioners to serve the needs of a thriving domestic industry However, without a local industrial base, there will be no impetus to have an adequate number of technologically-skilled manpower.

The weak condition of science and math education in the country is a reflection of the underdevelopment of our economy and the skewed priorities of government. The training of graduates in science and technology should be towards the development of a local core of experts and not towards the continuing labor export. Adequate support should be provided to educational institutions, especially the state colleges and universities.

A case in point is the BS Physics program, which I recently finished, at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). Ten years ago, I was offered to take up the course, with only a few freshmen enrollees and even fewer graduating students from the course. More than seven out of 10 freshmen Physics students did not choose this course willingly. Most took it because there were no more slots in other colleges or were advised by the school registrar. Our learning was through "chalk and talk" discussions with very little exposure to hands-on physics.

During our first and second years, we were able to use the remaining instruments like Vernier calipers, micrometers, beam balances and stopwatches; and standard experimental setups like the force table for studying vectors.

But as one advances to the third and fourth years, more and more experiments on higher Physics subjects are left to "chalk and talk" discussions as no equipment was available. The students move on even without exposure and familiarity with standard physics laboratory equipment. In my own field, acoustics, there were no oscilloscopes for experiments that are vital in visualizing sound waves.

Advanced experimental physics courses become a gedanken or thought (imagined) experiment. One discusses the concepts and the procedure; and the instructor just provides the data for the students to analyze since no setup could be used.

Although students had been paying laboratory fees, there are no computers for our numerical analysis subject. Programs on paper cannot be tested to compile since there is no space to type it in. Some students are able to test theirs on their home computers but those without one found it hard to grasp computer programming and were uncertain if their program will run correctly. Even the professors use the computers and projectors at their expense to be able to teach the class.
Before 2006, there was only one professor who handled nine subjects for Physics majors. This led to uneven focus on some of these subjects, undermining the understanding of the students regarding those subjects. New faculty were hired to bring new ideas and expose students to new physics researches but they eventually left the college because there were better job offers outside PUP.

Yet some alumni are bringing hope to PUP. Those who finished their Masters degree are returning to teach. They become thesis advisers and coordinators. They teach advanced courses and help widen the horizon and perspectives of the physics students with seminars and trainings to develop scientific skills.

Despite obsolete and outdated facilities and materials, students find other ways to gain knowledge and expertise by attending conferences, trainings and congresses. Student theses are being compiled and exhibited on cabinets to highlight a tedious and painstaking period of research. PUP physics students continue to bring pride and honor to the university in contests, winning the Champion and First-Runner Up slots in the 2008 Technological University of the Philippines Luzon-Wide Physics Contest.

The state of the physics program in PUP is a direct result of how the government has misprioritized education. Even with the recent incentives for students to enter science and mathematics, the corresponding support structures in universities, such as laboratories, teachers and classrooms, still need to be augmented. The BS Physics in PUP needs better physics laboratories, more qualified instructors and research collaboration with well-established institutions to reach its goal of becoming part of a recognized center of excellence in physics in the country.

The situation is not one to deter the PUP student. With our strong tradition of upholding our right to education, we actively participate in actions to promote quality and free education. We continue to strive and make science meaningful both to ourselves and to others. Manila Times/posted by Bulatlat
 

Mr. Reynold V. Luna, a new physicist member of AGHAM, teaches Physics in PUP and is taking up MS Physics at UP Diliman. He is the 2008 PUP class valedictorian and graduated magna cum laude in May.

NUSP mourns the passing of Rep. Crispin "Ka Bel" Beltran

NUSP mourns the passing of Rep. Crispin "Ka Bel" Beltran

The National Union of Students of the Philippines mourns the passing of Rep. Crispin "Ka Bel" Beltran.

We once again reaffirm our highest regard for Ka Bel who throughout his life championed the cause of the poor and marginalized in Filipino society. We recall with pride having bestowed upon Ka Bel the degree of honoris causa during Ka Bel's year-and-a-half-long illegal and arbitrary detention by the Arroyo administration, for "outstanding service to the Filipino students and the Filipino people." The student union unanimously decided to bestow such a symbolic representation of its support to Ka Bel because of his unwavering commitment to advancing the rights and welfare of the Filipino masses to which he had dedicated his entire life to.

His lifelong crusade is one that we student leaders shall continue to emulate.

The NUSP calls on all its 600 members nationwide to honor the memory of Ka Bel by continuing to fight against oppression and tyranny, graft and corruption and to advance the welfare of the millions of Filipinos who remain voiceless and powerless.

Long Live the Spirit of Ka Bel!

 

Tribute to Ka Bel at the Philippine Independent Church, Taft Ave Mla, 6pm, May 22, 2008

Paalam Ka Bel

MANILA, Philippines - Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran on Tuesday morning succumbed to cardiac arrest while being treated at the Far Eastern University Hospital, hours after he had an accident in his Bulacan home Tuesday morning.

Doctors declared Beltran dead at 11:48 a.m., shortly after Beltran’s family decided to stop efforts to revive the lawmaker.

Earlier in the day, Beltran was rushed to the Far Eastern University hospital in Quezon City after falling from the roof of his house in Bulacan province Tuesday morning.

Beltran's daughter Ofelia Beltran-Balleta said the lawmaker suffered least five cardiac arrests since the accident. Quoting attending physicians, Balleta also said Beltran was already declared "brain dead" although still being revived by doctors.

Balleta said Beltran was rushed to the hospital in Caloocan following the accident but was transferred to the FEU hospital around 10 a.m. due to lack of facilities.

“Naitakbo kaagad siya sa hospital. Pagdating doon sa North Caloocan Doctor’s Hospital, nag-arrest ang puso niya. Ni-revive siya doon at an-revive naman. Mga 10 a.m., napagpasyahan naming na ilipat siya sa FEU Hospital. Along the way from Caloocan, nag-arrest siya uli. Narevive naman uli siya. While here in the hospital, four times siyang nag-arrest," Balleta said.

“Sabi ng doctor… brain dead na rin siya. Humihinga siya kapag sinasaksakan siya ng gamot at nire-resuscitate pero after wards after five minutes, nag-aarrest siya uli. So this time, mukhang hindi na rin kayang i-revive. Ganun kalala," she added as she broke into tears.

Cherry Clemente, Anakpawis secretary general, said went up to the roof of their bungalow house to do some repairs. “Medyo mataas yung inakyat niya, nagdilim daw ang paningin tapos bumagsak sa semento (The roof was quite high. He reportedly lost consciousness and fell on the concrete floor)," Clemente said, noting that Beltran was "hands-on" when it comes to household chores.

Clemente said Beltran’s head and eyes were swollen when he was rushed to the hospital. “He is in critical condition," Clemente said.

Clemente said Beltran was supposed to file Tuesday a bill for the repeal of value added tax on power. "He is preparing to go to Congress but he has to finish some chores first," Clemente said.

Only last July, Beltran was discharged from the Philippine Heart Center after being kept there since early 2006 over rebellion charges. - GMANews.TV

Take a peek! ü PUP Student Council Elections (Meeting de Avance 2008)

http://punongbathala.multiply.com/photos/album/83/PUP_Student_Council_Elections_Meeting_de_Avance_2008
pictures during the 2008 Student Council Elections MDA in PUP.