Rizal, Ninoy and revolution (adapted)

A post-Rizal birthday entry courtesy of National Artist for Literature F. Sionil-Jose. This selection relives and resolves the debate on whether Rizal was actually a radical-revolutionary in slightest terms or a reformist in his comfortable midst. This also reminds me of a lesson in PI (Philippine Institutions) 100 of the same issue. But arguments, backed by personal and historical accounts of the author really set a resolved to this long standing dispute among scholars and academics. But standing on the shoulder of Bonifacio, Sionil-Jose's findings confirming Rizal's inevitable support for the 1896 revolution is a relief in view of an on going struggle in the countryside and of the classes.

Complete story here.

Sionil-Jose:
"Rizal was opposed to Bonifacio’s revolution. To seek his support, Pio Valenzuela visited him in Dapitan where the Spaniards had exiled him. Rizal argued against that revolution, saying that Filipinos were not ready for it, that the cost — and the bloodshed — would be tremendous. Such a position is made clear in his writing, particularly in the second novel, El Filibusterismo, where Ibarra turned Simoun returns to the country a full-fledged revolutionary. But the very reasons Rizal presents against revolution are nullified by the conditions depicted in both novels; they argue forcefully instead against the authorial denial."

"And when the Spaniards executed him, his martyrdom, like Ninoy’s murder, galvanized the people to act compulsively against the colonial power. His death confirmed Bonifacio’s dream — that upheaval was not just inevitable, it was also supremely righteous."

Frank's Fury outshines Sulpicio Lines

Lessons never learned*.

That best describes the latest rage brought about by typhoon Frank (Int'l Name: Fengshen) in Visayas and Southern Luzon. The highlight of which is another tragedy courtesy of the ill-fated M/V Princess of the Stars which sank off Sibuyan Island in Romblon province, in broad daylight last Saturday after sustaining a whole. With her is the almost 700 unassuming passengers bound for Cebu. As of noontime today, at least 400 are feared dead.

The story suggests an old, same rhetoric. The Coast Guard gave a go signal for the 23 tonnage ship with a capacity of almost 2 000 passengers in the face of a threat of typhoon Frank as raised by PAG-ASA early Friday. PAG-ASA issued a Public Storm Signal No. 3 in Bicol and Southwesteren Luzon, including Romblon Island. For some unknown reasons, that the Coast Guard allowed the ship to sail off. In fact, calculations revealed by PAG-ASA that Frank will pass by Mindoro Island Friday night and Saturday morning, and knowing that Romblon Strait is adjacent to Mindoro Island, thus, a direct hit.

A local official in Romblon sounded the alarm of a ship that sank upside down late Saturday at least 3 kilometers off their town's shores. And that was the initial facts. The anticipated realities are the bloated bodies, innocent souls of children and women, the trauma to survivors, and the weeping families and loved ones. On the other hand, officials are expected to point at each other on the blame, while policiticians would take on the screen for their free grandstanding via the tragedy.

Speaker Nograles was right and more so, redundant, that it can be prevented. As with previous Sulpicio Lines tragedies, human error is always in the play. He added, that a five sea mishap from one shipping line is no coincidence. Sulpicio Lines has made a name for itself, as Guiness World Record holder for the worst sea tragedy during peacetime courtesy of M/V Dona Paz in 1987 which sank in almost the same area where Star sank and claimed and estimated 4 000 lives. The following year, another tragedy claimed 200 lives. In 1998, M/V Princess of the Orient, then the biggest passenger vessel in the country sank off the coast of Cavite and Bataan killing almost 200.

Without prejudice that Sulpicio might and should be morally and financially liable of these accidents. In the other side of the fence, government authorities, especially PCG has its own share of negligence to have allowed the sailing of a doomed ship at the height of super typhoon. Its not enough to make their heads roll from thier airconditioned offices, their body should also roll in the grounds of city jails, if not Munti.

Indeed accidents happen at the most unexpected times, but this one is something that can be expected or anticipated. My mother then was right, you must be ahead of everything, even if that means sacrificing your time and comfort if it means, life. PCG is inutile. Sulpicio meanwhile has to suffer the gravest of punishment even if that would mean suspension of their license, if only to ensure safety of passengers in the future. I wont allow myself to suffer the same fate when in the future I have to take the ship ride from Dumaguete-Manila and vice versa courtesy of Sulpicio's sailing coffin.

*Whatever the outcome of the investigation, I would make it a point not to take the boat ride when I go home to Negros. Sulpicio Lines' MV Princess of the Carribean and Cotabato is plying the DGT-MNL-DGT route once a week, and I've been onboard for several times. I'd rather take the plane or the RO-RO trip even if that means extra money and time.

UP closed to brightest of poor ::JUNK TOFI!

Sa okasyon ng ika-100 taon ng UP, nakakalungkot at patuloy na nakakabahala ang mga realidad sa dati'y tinitingalang pamantasan, katulad nang isinalaysay sa ibaba. Hindi na kailangan ang malalimang pagtingin sa isyu ng tuition fee increase at rebracketing ng STFAP, malinaw sa pagbaba ng bilang enrolees ang kabulukan ng sistemang ito. Sa kaso ng batang binaggit sa artikulo sa ibaba, malinaw rina ng pagkait ng estado, partikular ng mismong UP, ng karapatang makapag-aral at makapag-kamit ng de-kalidad at dapat sanay murang edukasyon ang isang poor but deserving student.

Hindi maaring sabihing isolated case lamang ito, sapagkat ang bilang ng mga enrolees na mismo ang magsasabi sa kagipitang dulot ng TOFI. At sa gitna ng pagsasabatas ng bagong UP Charter, ano pa ang maasahan ng iba pang mahihirap ngunit may katalinuhang makapasok sa UP. Sinasabi ni Prop. Winnie Monsod na marapat lang na saluhin ng mga mayayaman ang tuition fee ng mga mahihirap,ngunit kung tutuusin, bakit ba marami na ang mayayaman sa UP kumpara sa mga mahihirap na estudyante? Malinaw na repleksyon ito na hindi na afford o kayang tustusan ng isang ordinaryong pamilya ang pagpapa-aral sa UP. Lalo na yung mula sa mga probinsya. Kung sa ngalan ng pantay na akses sa edukasyon ay mas maraming mahihirap ang di makatamasa ng edukasyong UP, anupa't na ging state university, at ngayon national university ito.

Ang kaso ng batang tinukoy sa ibaba, ay isang kwento ng pag-asang huwad. Tumpak ang pagsasalarawan na parang nanalo siya sa lotto ng pumasa sa UPCAT, ngunit di nakamit ang premyo dahil sa walang downpayment. Sa muli't-muli, ang realidad na ito patunay sa ipinagmamayabang ng gobyerno, sa kasong ito, ramdam mo ang KAHIRAPAN!

Ibasura ang TOFI! Igiit ang Pagtaas ng State Subsidy!

------------------------------------------------

ni Prof. Noli Reyes

On the third day of classes in the hundredth year of the University of the Philippines (UP), a freshman from Cotabato province, a Chemistry major at UP in Diliman, Quezon City, had to drop out. Together with his father, the brokenhearted young man went to see each of his instructors to have his subjects invalidated.

While his Math 17 instructor was deleting his name from the class list, I could see the poverty, desperation, anger and sense of resignation in their faces. It was not the disappointment of winning the lottery and being denied the prize later. The young man is a member of a minority group in Mindanao. Without any connections and in the absence of any socialized admission policy, he qualified as a freshman in the College of Science of UP Diliman, a distinction he earned through intelligence, pure hard work and perseverance amid poverty. But in a few days, father and son are going back to Mindanao for good.

The father explained they could not afford the “socialized” tuition at P600 per unit for students in Bracket C, families whose annual incomes range from P135,001 to P500,000 per annum. The father and son expected to be in Bracket D, families with annual incomes ranging from P80,001 to P135,000. Students in bracket D pay P300 per unit.

UP president Emerlinda Roman seems to be disconnected from reality, or she must be fooling herself by insisting that the new Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP) is fair and proper for an “iskolar ng bayan” [scholar of the nation]. Her family should try living on P6,666.75 a month (which when multiplied by 12—the number of months in a year—equals P80,001, the lower bound of Bracket D incomes).

UP, no longer conscious of its role in society, chooses to ignore the long-term impact of offering greater genuine educational opportunities to the brightest among the poor, who are getting poorer amid the reported economic gains of the country. Socialized admission and tuition fee schemes do not lower academic standards. I’ve had countless students from public schools and far-flung provinces. They come to UP not as well prepared as their counterparts from the best schools in Metro Manila. But many later outshine the sometimes overconfident Manila-raised kids.

After the new STFAP took effect last year, UP is no longer an option for the brightest among the poor. I agree with the cab driver whose daughter qualified for UP Diliman, as narrated in Youngblood (Inquirer, 3/24/08) by Mariel Kierulf Asiddao, a UP Mass Communication student. The cab driver insisted it was ESTIFAK and not STFAP.

NOLI N. REYES, professor, Institute of Mathematics, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City

Ref: http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/letterstotheeditor/view/20080620-143711/UP-closed-to-brightest-of-poor

On Agrarian wREckFORM

On June 10, Filipino peasants marked the 20th year of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) since its inception via Republic Act 6675 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) under the Aquino administration. Twenty years after, the picture in the countryside seemed to be the same two decades ago, or even worst , amidst blatant land conversion and manipulation under CARP.

Regardless of the issues that hound the program since its conception through its extension in 1998, present scenario may well distinguish the boon and bane of this measure.

As of 2008, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) accounted a remaining 1.8 million hectares of disposable lands, hence, the move to extend for another five years. With a P12 billion unexpended budget from the P162 billion total CARP allocation, a five year extension would just be enough, at least for land acquisition and distribution (LAD).

DAR claimed that the extension would only cover LAD. However, DAR Sec. Nasser Pangandaman's calculations seems to fall short of reality. Pangandaman boasted of an increase in annual target of distribution of land, from 100 thousand hectares prior to 2005 to 130 thousand hectares or more upon his assumption in DAR. But setting the 1.8 million hectares as jump off point, it would show that the 5 years extension is not enough without downplaying the extra effort that maybe exerted along the way. Or if we are to deduct the 600 thousand hectares assigned to DENR for disposal, and setting a generous 200 thousand hectares per annum distribution in 5 years means a balance of 200 thousand ha. of undisposed lands.

Closing its deadline, campaigns from various persuasions heightened and the people's attention is focused to Congress where a battle is highly anticipated. But early on, the Senate downplayed any moves for extension saying that CARP was ineffective and inutile from the beginning, and extending would be futile. Sen. Nene Pimentel challenged DAR to prove the effectivity of the program and submit to the Senate raw data.

While in the Lower House, several versions of pro and anti extension Bills were filed. Standing out were three versions, the Lagman, Beltran and Garcia versions. Ultimately, the Garcia version is flocked in by iconic landlords such as Iggy Arroyo, Garcia, Durano, Remulla, etc. and it called against extension. While the Lagman version calls for the 5-year extension, and almost similar to the proposals of Malacanang and DAR, supposedly with reforms. And the Beltran version, which is the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill which seeks to put a halt to CARP and enact an overhauled program that would ensure immediate land distribution.

While each camps claim merits to their proposed measure, it would appear that choosing the best choice entails a closer look at the accomplishments, or rather disappointments of CARP. This post wont dwell on the details but on achieving its promises, of a COMPREHENSIVE land distribution. Then, let me just cite several cases of blatant manipulation into what progressive peasant groups called, the inutile, fake and pest program.

• An almost 8,000 ha of prime of farmlands in Hacienda Looc in Nasugbu, Batangas were converted into an exclusive eco-tourism called Harbor Town developed by SM Properties as per Presidential order, thus displacing thousand of farmers, fisherfolks and residents within the hacienda.
• Several thousands of hectares of land in Silang,Cavite, previously farmed for fruits and vegetables is now undergoing development into a word-class golf course owned by Ayalas, displacing hundreds of farmers. Part I(more details to follow)
  

Independence Day Notes

::In the face of a grave moral turpitude, apathy is a sin and inaction is suicide. liberate yourself, free our nation.

::Letting CARP, die a natural death is conceiving a new life to the great mass of peasants who continuously fought for genuine agrarian reform.

::Arroyo's subsidy program is but a band-aid solution to the crisis, albeit, relieving the pain, the infection is persistently lethal.

::The confirmation of some cabinet members in the Commission on Appointments, amidst valid questions in legality of the process, entails a tyranny of the majority and of self interests, with respect to 2010.

::DAR's Nasser Pangandaman was short of his calculations in finishing off land acquisition and distribution (LAD) in the 5 years extension of CARP. Given a 150,000ha/annum LAD target, the target of 1.8 million hectares is far from reality. That is, the tragedy of simple arithmetic.

::Arroyo points to global market conditions as rationale to the rice crisis. She insisted, that there is no shortage of rice, only prices are high. A classmate of mine lamented, "All along, I was right. Supply and Demand theory is false."

::The AFP remarked as if pointing the blame to Ces Drilon and company for not coordinating with them in their way to Maimbung town, hence, their abduction. ABS-CBN might ask, where are the Military and Police Mobile Groups that time? You are pursuing the mountains but not securing the roads. How intelligent was your intelligence?

::Ironically, Noli de Castro hits 'oligarchs' in his Independence Day message saying, they are root to poverty. An urban poor cried, "traidor, isa ka naman sa kanila eh!. Mahirap na nga kami, nawala pa trabaho at bahay namin dahil sa demolisyon, upang bigyan daan ang subdivision ng mga Ayala, Sy."

Breaking Ironies

Who could forget the fertilizer fund scam and Jocjoc Bolante?

While there has seemed to be a prevailing culture of amnesia and numbness around, Filipinos can't afford to forget the sins of Jocjoc Bolante. Its humble beginnings can be traced four years ago prior to the 2004 Presidential Elections, when GMA ordered the release of some P728 million of public funds to finance the distribution of fertilizers to aid farmers.

Timely as the need of farmers, that it also coincides with the campaign season. And GMA having the supposed authority over the program, channeled the funds through the Dept of Agriculture, under then, USEC Jocelyn Bolante. Complaints and probes later found out that there are indications that the fertilizer money have been diverted to the campaign funds of GMA herself, a factor which was seen to have boosted her campaign.

Malacanang then, obviously denied of any hand into the case, and put on the brunt to the then beleaguered Bolante. Afraid of prosecution pending Congressional probes and heightened public clout for transparency and accountability into the case, that Jocjoc (who was also then a top officer of Rotary Club in the counrty) left the country for the United States. Following the Senate investigation report finding Bolante as mastermind to the case, the US Embassy cancelled his visa, in which he lodged a legal challenge in the US.

After all options and alternatives were exhausted, Atty. Harry Roque, the persistent UP Law professor who sought after Bolante's prosecution, reported another blow in Bolante's application for asylum just last week, when the US Board of Immigration denied his appeal. Now, he has only one option of evading justice in the Philippines, that is a favorable decision from the US Federal Court, or ultimately, a failed extradition request by Philippine Authorities.

But DOJ Sec. Raul Gonzales, then silent on the issue, now expressed desperation in Bolante's case saying that he will be deported eventually. While for the Senate, the recent development signals another wave of struggle for accountability.

Much to the dismay of some lawmakers, Agriculture Committee Chair Sen. Angara is fed up to any further probes saying their investigations were completed already. On the other hand, the Blue-Ribbon Committee of Sen. Allan Cayetano expressed interest into another round of investigations, and ensuring the presence of Bolante in the Senate.

Meanwhile, the Ombudsman was reported to have found probable cause of pursuing corruption charges against Bolante, based on their investigation revealed just this week, which critics described as a 'show off' considering the 4 years elapsed time.

Ultimately,in the event Bolante would find himself back home sooner, and with some divine intervention he would speak out, many heads would surely roll up to the Palace. That if Bolante would still live by the Rotary's principle of "Is it the Truth?" and "Is it good for all?". But as a matter of anticipation, opposition lawmakers are looking closely at GMA's reaction, given her direct involvement as beneficiary of the funds.

Ironically though, at the height of this development comes GMA showcasing of another multi-million fertilizer subsidy program. Not to mention the P2 billion electricity subsidy and another 1 billion for education subsidy. To note, we are only a little less than two years before the 2010 elections.

More to this reservation of GMA's programs, which in the past is hounded and proven to have been the subject of corruption activities directly and indirectly involving her, is the anticipation and prevention of another wave of 'blatant theft of people's money', indicative of concernand lessons learned by a few lawmakers and advocates against corruption. In some terms, this is a slap in the face of ordinary farmers who are continuously lured into believing that GMA's reactionary government is of help to them by fronting more funds in there sector.

This development is but another opportunity to be conscious of our society and the evils that surrounds it, induced primarily by government itself. We must therefore remain mindful and closely watch the directions of this case. We can't afford any more to lose so much of peoples money for the gains of crocs, personified by Jocjoc Bolante. Otherwise, we might just woke up one day in 2010, having a Jocjoc Jr. in our midst. It's high time to break the ironies in this government.