Tag Archives: state u

komentaryo

Portrait of Spocky Farolan as UP Regent (Part 2)

Does this man deserve two blog entries?

Yes, for two reasons. One, he has not stopped. After he went ballistic on that first thread, he actually posted another status, this time saying that he might now be open to the proposal to make the State University a post-grad university, so that he doesn’t have to deal with UPCAT examinees anymore. He hashtagged this thoughtless assertion “Not really a proponent of this but I’m pissed so screw you” and “galit sa mga punyetang ingrato” and “I have been anger free for a while ngayon pumutok so putangina niyo.”

Two, while he *tries* to admit that he lost his temper when he shouldn’t have, he also spends as much time defending his original violent, angry, and absolutely uncalled for responses to the public on his Facebook page, saying that in fact, if you look at his thread, whenever there’s a proper comment, he actually responds properly as well.

That is not only the weakest excuse, it’s also a lie.  (more…)

komentaryo

Portrait of a Duterte appointee as UP Regent (Part 1)

One wanted to give UP Board of Regents member Spocky Farolan the benefit of the doubt, and imagine that whatever was posted by the Philippine Star on Twitter on April 7 about his response to UP entrance exam (UPCAT) takers on his Facebook wall was just taken out of context. But as I read through Farolan’s Facebook comments thread myself, I realized that what was tweeted by Philstar was but the tip of the iceberg.

This government official and Presidential appointee, went ballistic on social media unlike any Duterte appointee so far. This is a man who represents first of all the President of the Philippines in the UP Board of Regents, and here he was using foul language, calling K-12 graduates names, throwing invectives their way, and saying to kids and parents waiting for the UPCAT results that they didn’t have to go to UP anyway — UP doesn’t need them.

It’s easy to dismiss Farolan as just another one of Duterte’s men — after all, we’ve got many Farolans in Congress and the Senate, across the Cabinet and our government agencies. What else is new?

But what is new is that Farolan is speaking for the State University, which (we would like to think) is held to higher standards of professionalism and ethics and public service. This is not the kind of behaviour we stand for in the State U. In fact my UP education taught me to stand against displays of arrogance and entitlement such as that which Farolan displayed for all the world to see on social media.  (more…)

komentaryo

Portrait of a UP teacher as mining lobbyist

On Wednesday, March 29, GMA News Online ran a story about a UP teacher claiming two things: that Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) employees were ordered by an undersecretary to “find fault” in mining operations, and that students will not find good jobs in the mining industry after graduation.

These are University of the Philippines students, ones this same professor has taught, ones that taxpayers’ money has put through university education, and they are being told they will have no options outside of the current mining status quo.

The thoughtless statements, the baseless nameless accusations, this doomsday scenario, is unexpected coming from a teacher of the State University. But then again, we have heard this same professor at the Commission on Appointments (CA) caucus standing against the confirmation of environmentalist Gina Lopez as DENR Secretary, as we have heard him countless times defending the mining industry, while always falling silent on irresponsible mining projects and how these have wreaked havoc on communities and the environment.

I guess these statements shouldn’t have been such a surprise. (more…)

komentaryo

explaining Kristel away

as i continue to wrap my head around the aftermath of Kristel’s death, as one grapples with what ultimately is an injustice, one is also forced to respond to the most insensitive comments cloaked in notions of being “more objective” or being “scientifically, medically correct.”

and while we mourn, we are also fuelled to fight. and as many others are out on the streets, are boycotting their classes, i fight the best way i know how: with words.

at a time when social media Pilipinas is revealing its elitism, its utter lack of sensitivity, its denial of the real conditions of poverty that a majority in this nation suffer, i will fight word for word. word for fucking word.  (more…)

kultura

no money for books?

napadaan kami kahapon sa Academic Book Fair sa SM Megamall, na usually naman ay mas boring talaga – at mas mahal – kaysa sa annual Mega Book Fair na ginagawa sa far away venue na World Trade Center. parang ang market kase ng ABF ay mga libraries ng eskuwelahan na ideally ay may budget para gumastos ng libo-libo for local and imported sets of encycolopedias, journal subscriptions, and “new releases” ng mga university presses. may discount pa rin naman, na siguro’y lumalaki pang lalo kapag maramihan ang bili.

itong “new releases” ang dinayo ko dun. dahil alam kong may centennial books na ilo-launch ang U.P. Press in relation to the centennial celebrations of the University. at sa ganang gumastos na rin lang ng limpak-limpak ang admin sa mga concert at commemorative products, aba, mataas ang expectation ko na ginastusan rin nila ng limpak-limpak ang mga libro.

but no, ang unang installment ng mga librong itinuturing nilang “the most excellent of the excellent”, ay mga librong matagal ko nang nakikita sa kanilang bookstore shelves. hindi ito “new releases” kungdi old releases, na binibigyan ng bagong buhay sa pamamagitan ng pagtaguri sa kanilang “Centennial Publications”.

wala naman akong issue sa usapin ng mga lumang libro. ang librong Ang Bagong Lumipas (translation ng A Past Revisted) ni Renato Constantino, na bahagi ng Centennial Publications, ay hindi nawawalan ng bisa. at maraming librong katulad nito.

ngunit subalit datapwat! anubanamang mag-isip ng iisang theme para sa mga cover ng mga librong ibebenta sa atin bilang “landmark collection”? anubanamang i-package ng mas maganda ang mga libro, magpanggap man lang na may budget na inilaan para sa mga manunulat at librong itinuturing ng Unibersidad na kumakatawan sa kanyang isang-daang taon bilang State U? at the very least, pampalubag-loob na ito sa mga “National Scientists, National Artists, and respected scholars” na ipinagmamalaki ng Unibersidad sa pamamagitan ng pagturing sa kanilangmga akda bilang Centennial Publications.

instead of any of the above, what did the press do for this first installment of “classic” releases to pay tribute to its scholars, and its readers as well?

nilagyan nila ng sticker ang cover ng mga libro, kung saan nakasulat ang “U.P. Press Centennial Publications”. isang 2″ by 1.5″ sticker in a color that’s barely gold bilang tatak ng pagpaparangal.

it’s just one step above using a stamp and purple ink.

unless soooobrang bongga ng susunod na installment ng mga libro, and that is not just in terms of really new releases but in terms of the authors they’ll publish and the relevance of these books, then this Roman administration will just prove itself uncaring of books, scholarship, and culture altogether.

at please, wag na nilang iwagayway ang kanilang nga concerts at commemorative books bilang proof of their love for culture. the former is really just a show of Filipiniana attire (in fairness, hindi nag-uulit si Roman ng outfit ha), and the latter, an excuse for propaganda for one U.P. admin to the next cloaked by historicism and scholarship. ang literary contest, tinipid pa, at walang runner-up prizes. anuba.

ok lang sana kung ang moda ng admin ng U.P. ay pagtitipid sa panahon ng krisis at sentenaryo. but no. kumusta naman ang P5 million para sa Centennial Notes! sa konteksto ng lalabing-isang naka-bracket 1 sa STFAP, ay, kahindik-hindik! kahiya-hiya.

The Breakdown of the P150 Million Budget for the U.P. Centennial Celebrations

Item                                Amount in Millions (P)

1. Centennial Lectures = P 13
2. Tri Media Projection = 12
3. Centennial Concert = 5
4. Centennial Notes = 5
5. Centennial Awards = 2
6. Centennial Literary Contest = 2
7. Audio Visual Presentation = 2
8. History Project = 1.4
9. Coffee Table Book = 1.5
10. Digital Film Making Contest = .7
11. Centennial Music Video = .7
12. Centennial Address Book = .5
13. Centennial Glass Plates =  .5
14. Centennial Song Contest = .4
15. Centennial Newsletter = .3
16. Events Poster = .15
17. Capital Outlay Projects =  5
18. Administrative Expenses = 5
19. Honoraria =  1.5
20. Centennial Commission
a. Operations =  1
b. Travel = 2.5
c. Contingencies = 10

Total: P147.15 milyon

*Inaprubahan sa Pulong ng UP Board of Regents September 28, 2008, UP Los Baños.