Retro Night

September 21, 22, and 23 were important dates for students of UP and other state colleges and universities. They launched a massive strike against the government's slashing of the budget for education and social services. In UP alone, various organizations ans student councils collaborated to organize activities for the three-day event. There were dorm camp-outs, walk-outs, fashion shows, educational discussions, film showings, and most importantly, the "Tsunami Walk."

The night before the September 23 March from Diliman to Mendiola, there was a retro-themed cultural night entitled "Walastik, Dehins sa Cuts, Repapips!" A lot of organizations were present there, all joined to support the mini-concert's aim of opposing the budget cut. There were also bands and groups from outside UP that performed to show their approval.

This was the first cultural night that I ever attended, and I didn't expect that I would enjoy it. It is amazing to see different performances aiming to voice out something socially significant. But more to the enjoyment is the message conveyed by the performances. It is not just a mere form of entertainment, but a show with a purpose of binding people with the same aspirations.


**photo by Wilbert San Juan**

A Struggle to the Top

UP has always been one of the leading producers of newly trained Filipino scientists, artists, researchers, and scholars. Yet with this vivid display of academic excellence comes an unfortunate disposition in terms of extracurricular activities. Since the University Athletic Association of the Philippines or UAAP was established, the Fighting Maroons has been competing in the various events that the association holds. It is a question though, why the university fails to stamp its mark on men’s basketball championships which is one of, if not the, most sought after titles in the UAAP.

UP has not been lacking of the moral support from its students; win or lose, there is a cult of Iskolars following their Fighting Maroons team, chanting the famous "U-ni-ber-si-dad ng Pilipinas!" cheer, screaming  with every point made by their favorite players. When the team wins, much much pride is being shown by the students, showing off that the university not only promotes academic competence, but physical capabilities as well. When it loses, which happens most of the time, they joke about the players having a hard time getting their heads in the game, when they have tons of acad works to finish. Supporters are most of the time hesitant that the team will lose. Not because the players are weak, maybe there's more to it than that.

The coaches and coaching staff of UP Fighting Maroons are not short of the capabilities of honing the potentials of the players in their specific fields. They themselves were trained and specialized in their lines of work, and therefore they are fitting to be trainers of the UP varsity team.

The players alone cannot be the reason why the team loses. They were handpicked and chosen to be representatives of the university, and more or less they do their best to show the talents they possess. The last thing that can be the reason to this dilemma, is the facilities for training.

We are very much acquainted that while the university boasts of its state-of-the-art facilities for science and technology, its facilities for physical development are deficient. The gym is almost disintegrating, and the new gym looks like it would still take a long time for it to be finished. It is not that this area of the university is ignored, but the deficit in budget tends to look more into the "more important" matters of the academe. They spend more on other things that would help the university sustain itself.

With the training grounds lacking, the players would have a hard time working on the best of their potentials. Not only the men's basketball team, but the varsity team in general. We are very proud when they top their respective events, boasting of honor and excellence they contribute to the academe, coy when they lose. Yet we do not know that in every participation they make in these competitions are the struggles of carrying UP Pride with them.

Ang SONA ni Mr. Wang Wang

(This entry is a combination of our experience in the vigil, the SONAng bayan, and the educational talk with farmers and workers.)

Almost one year passed since President Benigno Aquino III sat in position. When he was inducted as president, many Filipinos rejoiced, hoping that there will be a change in the rotten system of the government. His flowery words marked an impression on every man that can hear it. Everyone's expecting that he will be on the right path, as what he is always saying.

Is he?

The night before the SONAng Bayan, people from different organizations gathered in Vinson's Hall lobby to have an overnight vigil and to prepare for the next day's activity as well. They created paper masks of PNoy with words printed on his hat: "Papet", "Pahirap", "Pasista." They also created placards that displayed their protests against the system the president is implementing. We met new people, like Kuya Miko, Kuya Pepi and Ate Geri, members of Center for Nationalist Studies (CNS), who explained to us the reason why they're having the overnight vigil and the mob on the next day. We also watched an indie short film entitled, "Ang Sandaling Sadya Nila Lire at Isa."

"Walang pagbabago, sa ilalim ni Aquino!"

July 25, 2011: Morning on that day, President Aquino might be preparing himself for his second "State of the Nation Address." Most Filipinos were waiting for whatever plans PNoy would say in his SONA. But in Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, students and people from different sectors gathered to have breakfast together. But the Almusalang Bayan is not the only event that day. That was only a part of the preparation for the march through Sandigan Bayan - the place where the SONAng Bayan would be held.

While eating our pandesals and drinking our coffees, we gathered in circles and listened to Kuya Miko. He gave us informations about the bourgeois, farmers, and the current Philippine situation in general. He illustrated the "triangle" of the society. This triangle showed the ratio of social classes, starting from the landlords at the peak of the triangle to the farmers at the base. Farmers, in great number, are being controlled or exploited by their landlords, who, in small number, benefits most. Kuya Miko also explained why they were counter attacking PNoy's SONA. The voices of the majority - the farmers, the workers, and the poor - should have the chance to be heard by the Filipino people.

"Lupa, edukasyon, karapatan, ipaglaban!"

After the Almusalang Bayan and educational talk, we had our march through Sandigang Bayan. While marching, we kept yelling chants. The march was a fantastic sight; we saw the UP community joined the march, together with students from other schools like PUP. Farmers, workers, and other sectors also went to Sandigang Bayan. At the Sandigang Bayan, different groups performed, with the theme of protest and dismay. While we heard PNoy's speech through the speakers, we gathered at the center to witness the burning of PNoy's effigy (head of PNoy that looks like a rotten penoy). After watching various performances, we again gathered in circles, and listened to two farmers from Hacienda Luisita and a worker from Pentagon as they shared their experiences.

Listening to their story made us feel bad. We really don't accept how come these people experienced such cases: being exploited, fooled, tortured, and killed by their merciless bosses and landlords. How come these bourgeois benefit more when it's the laborer who works and works? How come these Cojuancos and others possess a big chunck of land that is really not theirs? How come farmers in our country don't have their own land? PNoy, what are you doing?

It's also disappointing that PNoy never mentioned anything about the welfare of farmers and the improvement of education in his SONA. Instead, his SONA was filled with criticisms on the Arroyo administration. Why can't he move on in the past? Why did he keep on reviving Arroyo's negative issues whereas did nothing to fix the effects?

My message to PNoy? Move on with Arroyo, dude. Stop playing with your PSP. Ruling the Philippines is not like playing Sims. You have to be serious with the issues - issues involving your boss, as you said, the Filipino people. Kill the bourgeois state of thinking in your brain. Feel the burden carried by the majority - the farmers, the poor.