Kartilya
“Education is a vital weapon of a people striving for economic emancipation,
political independence, and cultural renascence. We are such a people…”
[Prof. Renato Constantino,The Miseducation of the Filipino]
THE OFFICIAL POLITICAL DIGEST OF LA LIGA POLITICA
University of Mindanao Political Science Discipline
Oppose the total sellout
Dare to speak... of our national patrimony
In 2007, the Arroyo administration sold
Defend and Uphold PhP90.6 billion worth of public assets and
properties in its desperate attempt to keep the
CAMPUS PRESS FREEDOM!
FREEDOM! buckling economy afloat, and to cover up for
heavy losses from the global economic recession
and domestic corruption. This is the biggest in
the history of Philippine government, and needless to say, the worst.
While peasants remain landless and
squatters on lands they have been tilling for
decades, the vast plains and arable lands
have been converted to golf courses, subdivi-
sions, malls, et cetera––all of which are owned
by foreign corporations and their local coun-
terparts belonging to the ruling elite of Philip-
pine society. The frontiers have not been
spared and are now corralled for logging
and/or mining concessions.
INSIDE
p5 The State of Philippine Democracy
p6 Cha-Cha:one-way ticket to the blue
p9 Of Cash and Drugs
p10 On tuition and other fee increases
p12 Campus Issue
p14 Subjugating the Philippine
system of education
p16 RA7942, Mining Act of 1995
CARP vs. GARB
the agrarian reform dilemma
February 2009
It’s all
Yours!
Under such schemes, our economy re-
mains oriented in exporting raw materials
and human workforce, but overly dependent
on foreign imports and financial capital. By
ardently delivering the country’s commerce
and industry into the hands of foreign mo-
nopolists, the government has ultimately
placed the Philippine economy in a backward
state.
The Arroyo government argues that this
scheme is actually the face of development
and progress, a Strong Republic. But the
actual state of majority of the Filipino people
belies the devious claims of the Arroyo ad-
ministration. Simple arithmetic would show
that the Land Use Conversion, Trade Liber-
alization, and Privatization programs are
counterproductive to the national economy
and only benefits the likes of the First Family.
In the last two years alone, more than
80% of Filipino families have had to make do
continued on next page

Kartilya 18 3 Kartilya

from page 17 It shall also include non-land assets or im-
movable and movable properties apart from
Instead of serving the basic interests of lands that are used as facilities and equipment M ORE THAN EXPRESSING OUR VIEWS
landless peasants, the landlord-dominated Con-
or accessories in the operation of agribusiness
gress per se lacks the political will to break the
enterprise.
land monopoly once and for all.
tical Science majors and students from other
GARB’s scope and coverage is undeniably Primer fields of disciplines to express their political
In opposition to what seems to be a never- CHRISTIAN LLOYD M. ESPINOZA
wider as compared to that of CARP which only views. It should foremost promote social
ending CARP extension and as an alternative Editor in Chief, Kartilya
covers land areas that are 50has. and below. awareness and critical thinking across the
thereto, Rep. Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis par-
HB3059 shall cover all lands that are reserva- entire UM community, extending to the larger
tylist introduced HB3059, the Genuine Agrarian
tions of state colleges and universities, and all society outside of the university.
Reform Bill (GARB) in 2007, supported and en-
dorsed by Bayan Muna and Gabriela Women’s
lands that have been declared by various presi- T he pilot issue of Kartilya garnered posi-
dential decrees and presidential proclamations tive response from both students and some We have thus resolutely pursued in publish-
Party. But just like the P125 across the board
as part of reserved or devoted areas for tourism faculty members, and even from other student ing this issue despite the aforementioned
nationwide wage and salary increase proposed
development, military reservations to name a writers of various publications in different
by the late Anakpawis representative Crispin limitations on the firm belief that this shall
few other classifications that have not been schools. There have been enthusiastic encour-
Beltran, the bill remains to be at the bottom list of further pave way for discussions on issues
covered by CARP. agements to publish a regular issue and to
the House agenda. that confront our society.
widen the circulation. Financial impediments and
The distribution of lands shall be completed
GARB’s Objectives day-to-day academic life have unfortunately We believe that the articles on this issue of
within five years from the effectivity of the Act.
caused some delays for the release of this sec- Kartilya are enough collection of embers to
The Department of Agrarian Reform is man-
The central aim of this bill is to break land ond issue. ignite the nationalist spirit among our constitu-
dated to expedite the distribution to meet the
monopoly and implement free land distribution to ents. Indeed, our task is a daunting one, but if
specified deadline. GARB requires a short span
the peasantry. After lands shall have been equi- Kartilya has been founded under the basic sustained, will further enflame into a burning
of time for the completion of sharing unlike
tably distributed to peasant-beneficiaries, coop- guiding principles of La Liga Politica in advocat- passion for us to collectively act in changing
CARP’s 10 years, since it presses the govern-
eratives and other mutual aids shall be imple- ing liberty, integrity, fraternity, and equality. It the course of history towards a genuinely
ment to employ land expropriation (with just
mented and strictly monitored by peasant or- pursues the visions of the framers of our organi- democratic and progressive society.
compensation as provided for by law), thus
ganizations, and the government shall appropri- zation to create a venue for intellectual discus- This is our commitment, this is our firm re-
radically breaking land monopoly and empower-
ate full financial assistance to raise agricultural sions that serves as a vehicle to elevate the solve.
ing the peasantry.
production so as to ensure that the distributed political consciousness of students and in incul-
lands will not fall back into the hands of the land-
lords, either through leasing or selling.
A comprehensive study of HB3059 would
show similar provisions and measures with that
cating nationalist and patriotic ideals.
Kartilya
As such, we have devised a method to en- THE OFFICIAL POLITICAL DIGEST OF LA LIGA POLITICA
of the “Maximum Agrarian Revolution” program U N I V E R S I T Y O F M I N D A N A O
All of these are peripheral objectives under of the National Democratic Front which it pro- courage LLP and non-LLP members, and stu-
CARP, however, government subsidy to the posed during the stalled Peace Negotiations dents from other disciplines to write so as to EDITORIAL BOARD
beneficiaries and farm collectivization and with the government panel. It is thus seemingly ensure that a wide range of articles can be
Christian Lloyd M. Espinoza
mechanization are given more emphasis under collected for publication. So far, as it turned out,
dubious if the bill would reach its 2nd reading Che Sudario
the proposed GARB. Lands shall also be distrib- just about enough articles have been submitted
given that the Congress is dominated by big Dina Dalagan
uted to beneficiaries for free unlike CARP in that the editorial board has not had to go Desiree B. Villanueva
land owners, and more so now that the Arroyo
which beneficiaries will be paying an amortiza- through the much arduous phase of debating Earl Looking
government is ready to grant 100% land owner-
tion for a period of 30 years after the Certificate over which articles to discard for later publica- Ronnie C. Clarion
ship to foreign businesses should charter
of Land Ownership (CLOA) had been granted. change be finally executed. tion. Samuel Dave O. Solas

GARB’s Scope, Coverage, and Time-frame We have also enlarged the editorial board in Kartilya is published by La Liga Politica
our efforts to ensure a pluralist body representa- twice every semester. For criticisms and
The coverage of lands that are to be distributed tive of different political tendencies. Admittedly, suggestions please email us:
kartilya_llp@gmail.com
has radically been widened under Rep. though, we have not yet been successful in
Mariano’s bill. It shall include the A to K classifi- composing a board that is broad enough to fully Facts and figures that appear in some articles have
cation as stated in HB3059 from which I made a represent different political beliefs. However, been obtained from IBON Databank, College Edi-
summary and coined a phrase: “All agricultural Kartilya should not only serve as a spot for Poli- tors Guild of the Phils., Philippine Daily Inquirer,
lands of any Kind.” DepED, CHEd, NUSP, and Anakbayan-National
Kartilya 16 5 Kartilya

from page 15
The need for redirection

Such is the trend in the Philippine educational system. And as such, there is an undeni-
T HE STATE OF PHILIPPINE D EMOCRACY
able need to redirect it towards genuine national development in order to bring about social eman-
cipation. Although there have been nationalist stirrings and efforts made by patriotic members of On her way to guillotine on November
the intelligentsia long before (among them the nationalist Claro M. Recto), we have yet to hear a Perspectives 8, 1793, Madame Roland uttered what has
well-designed education policy that truly addresses this need. now become a classic line: “Oh liberty!
RONNIE C. CLARION What crimes are committed in thy name!”
The transformation and reorientation of the current rotten system of education in the coun- (Excerpt from Florentino H. Hornedo’s The Power to be)
try is not possible without the development of a critical consciousness that reflects and acts upon
the existing social (dis)order. Any meaningful change in our basic curriculum must be liberative of
The above passage reflects the dire conditions of the country Philippines. Indeed, her people
the docility that has long infringed our mentality, dissolving what little nationalist ideal there is left in
suffer from being deprived of freedom in almost all aspects or phases of their lives. Situations in
the heart of every Filipino youth.
our land portray the exact opposite of what we are supposed to enjoy as an independent country
considering that we practice a democratic system of government.
Philippine education, therefore, must produce Filipinos who are conscious of their coun-
try’s problems, who understand the basic necessities for a resolution, and who care enough to sac-
rifice for national emancipation. One observance in a democratic setting is the conduct of elections through popular will. It is
clearly emphasized that the people’s will is the sole decisive force by which elections could be
processed. And in the same way it is through elections that the masses find a venue for a better
The Character of the Philippine Educational System change. But there has never been an exemplary election.

BY ABRAHAM JAMBANGAN JR.
The Philippine educational system is colo-
nial, commercialized, and repressive. It basically
serves the needs and interests of imperialism by
producing battalions of cheap and repressed
labor force. It also strengthens colonial culture
that has dominated the Philippine society since
the Spanish rule.
The privatization and deregulation policies
on education have further driven it into becoming
a commodity. State universities are being privat-
ized while capitalist-educators gain increasing
power to extract bigger profits through tuition and
miscellaneous hikes.
In the campuses, the students’ democratic
rights such as the right to organize, right to an
autonomous student government and publication,
and the right to peaceably assemble are grossly
violated. Teachers and nonteaching staff are also
victims of unreasonable wages and salaries and
the lack of benefits that are due them. Democ-
ratic rights are being violated across the aca-
demic community.
This state of the Philippine educational sys-
tem is also perpetuated even by the so-called
sectarian or church-owned schools. They are in
chorus with the government and the rest of the
capitalist-educators against the youth and stu-
dents, depriving them of their legitimate de-
mands and interests.
The crisis of the Philippine educational
system is an offshoot of the chronic economic
and political crises of the Philippine society.
There will never be an end to the crisis of the
Philippine educational system unless the entire
social system that breeds it is transformed to
that of a truly humane society with peace that is
based on justice.
The May 2004 election is just the same with that of past
elections where subversion of the people’s will is prevalent.
Election periods have become big-time jobfairs where there is
a nationwide employment for dirty jobs. Candidates hire peo-
ple to work and campaign for them to secure votes by what-
ever means –– bribery, job offers, and other favors.
And since Philippine elections are characterized by mas-
sive cheating, the hegemony of money over honesty serves as
the basis for electing bogus government officials rather than
honest public servants. Many of the candidates would not tell of the uncertainties faced by the Fili-
pino people under their administration, or of the grim future that awaits the nation should they be
elected to position. Nearly all of them would always set sugarcoated promises and visions.
The present precarious Macapagal-Arroyo administration is the result of cunning and unlawful
election process of May 2004. If we are to portray the state of the nation under the ruling regime, it
is characterized by a high record of human rights violations which seem to have become the
trademark of her rule. The spate of political killings and abductions of political activists have
alarmed both national and international human rights organizations. Mass leaders and supporters
of partylist groups that are critical to the government’s inability to operate democratically have
been the prime targets of harassments, killings, and enforced disappearances.
Deprivation could not only be observed at home but outside the country as well where dis-
placed OFWs are sent to war-torn countries. Forced by circumstances due to high unemployment
rate in the Philippines, poor Filipinos take risks for opportunities abroad. Though temporarily resid-
ing outside of the country, dollar remittances of these workers have not been spared of corruption.
continued on page 7

Kartilya 14 7 Kartilya

Public Opinion
Subjugating the System of Philippine Education:
The History of Curriculum Malformation ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF CHA-
CHA-CHA?
BY DINA DALAGAN

BY CHRISTIAN LLOYD ESPINOZA & RUSS YBAÑEZ No,no,no...Definitely no because I do not know how to Regarding Cha-Cha, yes I agree on this simply be-
dance to a joke. cause I think it’s about time to make changes, or shall
Once again there is no guarantee that our current we say, see a new face of government system and
condition will change if our Constitution will be political status in the country Philippines. I think this
The American conquest of the Filipino mind amended. There is definitely no problem with our Con- would bring hope to the people who are somewhat
stitution, the problem lies on the selfish and corrupt hopeless on our government and political situation.
The history of Philippine education entered a new paradigm upon the arrival of the people who implement the Constitution. Thank you. -Michael Pasco, AB Mass Communications
‘Thomasites’ (a shipload of American teachers composed mostly of ex-military personnel) in 1901, -Arthur Sales, AB Political Science
Yes, I think there is nothing wrong if we allow some
when the public school system was institutionalized, with a curriculum patterned after the US model
Definitely NO. Even if the present regime of Gloria changes in the Charter that might help develop our
of education (Viola, 2006). In his essay, “The Miseducation of the Filipino,” historian Renato Con- Macapagal-Arroyo and its allies keep on saying that country. For example, if we would allow foreign inves-
stantino writes: this Charter Change that they pursue has nothing to do tors to have more freedom to use our natural re-
with the extension of the president’s term, still we don’t sources, this can help us because we do not have
“Under the guise of preparing and teaching us in self-government, the Ameri- know their real intention in pursuing cha-cha. We al- enough capital to harness our resources.
can imposition of public education was designed for the Filipinos to be Ameri- ready have a good Constitution so why change it? -Myrna, BS Nursing
canized in their outlook; and this was greatly attained by the use of English as Hence, what we must change are those people in the
government who corrupts the entire country. In my opinion, I think we should allow our officials to
the only medium of instruction (all part of subtle but extremely effective “cul-
-Arnito S. Calio Jr., AB Political Science amend the Constitution but not this time. I think it is
tural” imperialism).” better if charter change will be done after President
I am not in favor of changing the charter. Why do we Arroyo’s term because it is very possible that the
So much emphasis and interest did the United States need to change the system of government anyway? administration will use this for their hidden agenda and
employ for the “education” of their “little brown brothers” that public Perhaps it’s the set of officials that needs replacement they can influence those who will be tasked to draft
education “…[sic] was run as part of the US Department of Defense and not what the administration is trying to insist. the amendments. It is also better if it will be done
to ensure compliance” (Constantino, 1970). American military -JT, BS Criminology through a Constitutional Commission.
authority knew well that military victory does not necessarily signify -Joseph John, BS Education
conquest. Education had to be consistent with the broad purposes of
American colonial policy and no measure could quickly promote the
democracy...from page 5
pacification of the islands as education.
Their remittances keep the indebted Philippine economy afloat yet the government has always
The enactment of the Jones bill acquiesces to Constantino’s been lukewarm in providing total assistance to our overseas workers who pay billions of pesos for
statement that the Department of Education was never entrusted to their supposed welfare and protection.
any Filipino until the establishment of the Commonwealth
government. Article 23 of the Jones Act provided: “…that there shall Though presented with piles of proofs, the Batasan, the Office of the Ombudsman, and even
be appointed by the President, by and with the consent of the the Supreme Court have not done any decisive action regarding these matters. This only demon-
Senate of the United States, a vice-governor of the Philippine strates the supremacy of the Executive branch over the other two branches of the government, a
islands…[who] shall be the head of the executive department blatant abuse of power. One can form a judgment of the complicity among officials in different
known as the Department of Public Instructions, which shall agencies and departments. With all her cronies and underlings, Arroyo has been able to wash her-
include the Bureau of Education…” self clean of all the responsibilities on the matters at bar. These make it easy for the ruling clique to
crush dissents from below.
Malformation of Educational Curriculum:
So long as we are headed by a bogus government and not by honest public officials, we can
Betraying the role of education
never fully enjoy our freedom to which we are entitled and we are bound to live in an autocracy-
obsessed society. Hence, we are restricted to act according to there own rules and not on how
UP Journalism Prof. Danilo Arao contends that education is an
they ought to rule in accordance with the Constitution. Military-instigated killings under the present
important foundation for national development (2002). Yet, more than
administration which dispenses Marcosian authoritarianism will continue as long as the bureau-
six decades after the so-called independence from the American colo-
crats who serve as puppets to American and foreign dictates stay in power. Democracy can never
nialists, the Philippine educational policy has done so little to develop
grow on such a toxic soil.
the nation and remains subservient to foreign dictates.
Kartilya 12 9 Kartilya

Campus Issue Where have all our fees gone? OF Ca$H BY DESIREE VILLANUEVA

Editor’s note: We have observed that the statement of accounts has not been in-
cluded in our Form-1 upon enrollment. A P10.00 charge is required should a stu-
dent wish to obtain a printout of the breakdown of fees. We managed to obtain a
sample of the breakdown of fees for a regular 26-unit account and asked some
students if they have enjoyed what they paid for. Here are what they had to say:
& DRUGS...
T he M e d i a C i rc u s o ve r A lab a n g b oy s
The Philippines ranks first on the list of countries whose population (aged 15-64) uses
methamphetamine. A 2004 Dangerous Drugs Board survey found 6.7 million users of illegal
drugs in the country. In its efforts to curb the rising toll of criminality, the government
stepped up the campaign against illegal drugs.

University of Mindanao The Cast amusing part. Gonzales, a topnotch lawyer and
famous prosecutor of the Aquino-Galman double
8000 DAVAO CITY, PHILIPPINES They are the Alabang boys; rich, powerful, murder case, has maintained his position when
influential, and alleged big-time drug syndicate all other cabinet members have been shuffled
STUDENT’S ACCOUNTS OFFICE caught by agents of the Philippine Drug En- and reshuffled many times. Santiago has a 37-
forcement Agency during an entrapment opera- year military career and is the former chief of
tion on September 20, 2008. Richard Santos staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Both
To Whom It May Concern:
Brodett, Jorge Jordana Joseph, and Joseph men can be very stubborn which is often how
Ramirez Tecson were among those that have they get their jobs done.
This is to certify that Mr./Ms. Umyong Nadenggoy of the Col- been arrested by PDEA after a season in which
lege of Arts and Sciences is officially enrolled in the University a number of drug lords got away scot-free. The Next Picture
of Mindanao, Davao City for Second Semester 2008-2009 with the Alabang boys are now subjects of a tug-of-war
following assessment, to wit: between the PDEA and prosecutors, and the At the height of this issue, DepEd has pro-
Defective na, may
may virus pa; Department of Justice under Sec. Raul Gonza- posed that a random drug test on students be
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS ‘di talaga ako nakagamit les. A parent of one of the Alabang boys is said conducted. They are more than willing to spend
what “FIXED” charges? to be behind a lucrative government contract their already meager budget for a high-cost,
ng PC sa Lab!
having to do with (drug) running. ineffective, and discriminatory measure instead
Tuition Fee (302.50 x 26) P 7,865.00 of acquiring books and classrooms or the inclu-
daghan lagi og Now showing sion of drug-awareness in the curricula. But what
Fixed Charges 2,332.00
mga fees for can an ordinary student do?
DynEd Facilities and Improvement 550.00 With the resurgence of the issue of narco-
DynEd 150.00 laboratory tapos
every year? politics, bribery, and money laundering, DOJ The fight against illegal drugs is an old mu-
Laboratory (1) 700.00 naga-
naga-amot pa mi Sec. Raul Gonzales has made a major come- sic we’ve all heard of over and over again. It has
Computer Laboratory Fee 710.00 for activitites... back on primetime television. The secretary has yet again suddenly become a media attraction.
Special Laboratory committed himself to go hands-on over the issue Gone were the fertilizer scams, the ZTE broad-
Development Fee 150.00 once and for all. When reports about a P50 mil- band deal, the plot to impeach SC Chief Justice
E-Learning Fee 1,500.00 E-Learning what? lion bribe offer to prosecutors and the DOJ Puno, et cetera. We people easily forget.
Testing Material Fee 240.00 came out, Sec. Gonzales sneered at it and re-
CHEd: 20% of torted that if it were true “that means they are If the Alabang boys were not the main dish,
Grades Mailing Fee 10.75
the tuition fee richer than Meralco.” On the other hand, PDEA will the campaign against illegal drugs remain an
----------
shall go to the Total Assessment 14,207.75 boss retired Gen. Dionisio Santiago commented appetizer? What else is on the menu? It stirs up
improvement of asa nga test materials?
materials? that “P50 million is a small amount than having one’s mind though whether the government is
Less: to spend a lifetime in jail.” Santiago also hinted serious about this campaign or is it just a conven-
facilities. So why 1. 10/29/2008 DP 1,000.00 we buy our own test
of a possible links of the boys to international ient stage play to divert the public’s attention over
do we have to ---------- booklet at
drug syndicates. the scams that involve the President. What I see
pay more for it? Balance: wala man lagi mi 13,207.75 P2.50 each! P3.00 pa is that this case will be forgotten by the forgetful
nadawat nga mail? jud kung intrams The face-off between the two competent public soon enough. What’s next? Charter
men, Sec. Gonzales and Gen. Santiago, is the Change?
Kartilya 10
Policy Analysis
On tuition and other fee increases
Some notes on CHEd Memoranda Nos. 13, 14, & 21
BY CHRISTIAN LLOYD M. ESPINOZA
“The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens
to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate
steps to make such education accessible to all.”
[Art. XIV Sec.1, 1987 Philippine Constitution]
E ducation as an important, all-encompassing element for the progress of any given
society, is guaranteed as one of our basic birth rights in the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights to which the Philippines is a signatory. Our very own Constitution emphasizes this,
as well, in recognizance of the youth’s indispensable role in nation-building.
But in a country where the economy is encumbered with foreign monopoly, education
has become an extension for further political-economic domination and cultural aggression.
Not only has education in our country been tailored to fit to foreign labor demands, it has
also become highly commercialized as a commodity, market-driven, and profit-oriented in ut-
ter contempt of the Constitutional provisions.
In the last two years there has been an average of 15% tuition fee increase nationwide
excluding increases on miscellaneous and other fees. With this rate, it is not surprising that
many schools are among the top-listed corporations in terms of income generation. The
government claims to be moving mountains to regulate this widespread trend and has com-
missioned its agencies to address the issue. Yet just as in the case of the phony CARP, the
government’s sincerity to address this problem is seemingly dubious.
The Commission on Higher Education, in accordance with the Higher Education Act of
1994, promulgated and adopted several measures to “regulate” the rampant fees increases
in the tertiary level. In its Memorandum Order No.13 series of 1998 concerning the guidelines
and procedures to be followed by Higher Education Institutions (HEI) intending to increase
their tuition fees, CHEd mandates:
“…to conduct consultations with the student councils/government, faculty, alumni, and
non-teaching personnel associations...”
It also provided for the creation of a Multi-Sectoral Committee on Tuition Fee
(composed of CHEd, DepEd, DSWD, SRC-Youth Sectoral Representative, COCOPEA,
PASUC, National Faculty Associations, and National Student Organizations), and
outlined the consultation requirements, consultation process, and its procedures.
Consultations as defined in the memorandum are “actual meetings and/or
discussions on the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed tuition fee
increase wherein the participants will have an opportunity to air their objections,
sentiments and the like, without fear, and under a free and candid atmosphere.”
11 Kartilya
These, however, have all but remained rhetoric. The National Union of Students of the
Philippines reports that many of their complaints and petitions on violations of school admin-
istrators with regards to the consultation process netted a cynical response from CHEd offi-
cials that “quality education is expensive.”
Still to the advantage of business interests, CHEd released its Memorandum No.14 se-
ries of 2005 which gave further leeway for schools to impose tuition fee increases without
having to consult the students, provided that the increases would not exceed the prevailing
national inflation rate as determined by the National Economic and Development Authority.
This covered fee increases for incoming freshmen. Under this clause, schools can raise their
fees virtually every year! Instead of making an allowance for the consumers who directly take
the impacts of inflation and are already suffering from low wages and salaries, the program
evidently serves to the interest of school owners, insulating them from inflation setbacks.
In 2006, CHEd memo 14 was withdrawn, resurrecting the memorandum no.13 which all
the more gives school owners the legal right to raise the fees as high as they want although
they are still required to “consult” the students––a process that is most often violated. This
was reinforced by CHEd memorandum no.21 which gives freedom to the Office of Student
Affairs to impose jurisdiction over student governments and student publications. The
school administration may and can also establish a student council and/or publication,
hence, jeopardizing the autonomy and independence of these two major student institutions,
and depriving genuine student representation in the school’s highest policy-making body.
Fee increases can then practically be imposed hassle-free.
During the last five years, Higher Education Institutions have continued to grow in num-
ber parallel to the growing rate of increases on tuition and other fees. Miscellaneous fee in-
crease and other unexplained “fixed charges” have also added to this perennial burden. Stu-
dents, therefore, have been shouldering the capitalization, expansion, and financing of new
projects! Education commercialization is undoubtedly profiteering at its best.
Beyond declarations to provide accessible and quality education, we have yet to see a
program that truly advances the protection of this basic right. Although there have been ef-
forts in this regard, policies such as the Higher Education Modernization Act ironically un-
dermine the very essence of this principle. Token actions and government intervention such
as the student tuition moratorium does not also provide real and long-term solutions.
We thus call on our educators and the government to review their educational policies
and sincerely address this issue. Concrete and serious actions must also be taken to ad-
dress other issues concerning the education sector such as state subsidy and budget alloca-
tion, lack of classrooms and instruction materials, and teachers’ salaries among
others.
Unless the government adopts an educational program and policy that is pro-
students and nationalist-oriented, the Filipino youth will remain a reserved army of
docile labor force, waiting in line to serve under foreign lordship.
Kartilya
July 8, 2005. The “Hello Garci” scandal made a pub-
lic debut which served as an added impetus for the
rebirth of massive campaigns to oust President Gloria
Arroyo. Former President Fidel V. Ramos and then
House Speaker Jose De Venecia were the first to
come to her aid. This was the concession for Gloria
to push the Congress for a charter change. The plan
to setup a Transitional Government which would be
headed by Macapagal-Arroyo was the first to come
out after their alleged compromise agreement.
July 25. In her State of the Nation Address, Gloria
pronounced that “It’s time to start the great debate on
charter change.” According to her, only by changing
the Constitution can our economic and political prob-
lems be resolved.
August 19. EO 453 was issued mandating the crea-
tion of a Consultative Commission to conduct public
consultations. ConCom was to give birth to a refer-
endum to determine if the public is in favor of Cha-
Cha.
November 29. The lower house passed a resolution
recommending for a Constitutional Amendment. This
had reached the 2nd reading but could not be passed
as a “concurrent resolution” as it was turned down in
the Senate.
December 15. The Abueva Commission created by
Malacañang submitted their recommendations for
amendments. Included in their recommendations was
the provision of No-Elections in 2007, paving way for
a GMA-headed transition government until 2010.
However, these have all been foiled for the mean
time, owing to the broad anti-Arroyo and anti-Cha
Cha protests and mass mobilizations.
8 13
What the admin has to say…
Appendix 1. A resolution changing the
form of government from Presidential
to Parliamentary.
Parliament – the fusion of Senate and
House of Representatives into a unicam-
eral parliament that would hold both legis-
lative and executive powers.
- Political parties shall have 30%
representation in the Parliament.
- Members of the Parliament should at
least be a college graduate.
- The Prime Minister shall be the head of
the Parliament and will hold executive
powers.
- The president shall be the head of State
Appendix 2. A resolution to change the
provisions on national patrimony.
- The State shall be entitled to enter into
joint-ventures with corporations 100%
owned by foreign nationals.
- Foreign-owned corporations shall be
allowed to own 100% of industrial,
commercial and residential lands.
- Corporations that are 100% foreign-
owned shall be allowed to lease public
lands.
- No restrictions on ownership and control
of public utilities (water services,
electricity, transportation, etc.).
- Corporations that are 100% foreign-
owned shall be allowed to own and
operate mass media and advertising
companies (three years after the
Constitution had been amended under
such terms as provided for by the law).
WITH REPORTS FROM ANGELO RUSS YBAÑEZ
ABRAHAM JAMBANGAN JR.
& SHERWIN VERANO
T he issues over the collection of “redun-
dant” and unnecessary fees have been perennial
subjects of protest actions of militant student
organizations. More than five years ago, these
have also been among the disputed issues which
consequently resulted to the closing down of the
Student Council of that time and The Collegian,
the former official student publication in the uni-
versity.
These issues took a resurgence when in
February 2007, the university administration
pushed for a 10% tuition fee increase. The pro-
testors claim that the consultation process did
not follow the correct procedure in accordance
with CHEd memorandum order #13. In the mid-
dle of the second semester of the last school
year, charges for Dyn-Ed and E-learning were
also added to the students’ account which ac-
cording to the protesting students is illegal since
it never underwent proper consultations.
Another wave of protest campaigns erupted
when on the enrollment for the second semester
of the current school year, the breakdown of fees
no longer appeared in the students’ Form-1. The
Alliance of Concerned Students, composed of
different clubs, organizations, and individuals,
was created to call for transparency of data re-
garding the proceeds of the fees.
Reacting to a picket staged by militant stu-
dent organizations which landed on local televi-
sion networks in January this year, the university
administration, through OSA director Deborah
Diamante, said that students should address
their concerns to the proper offices. She added
that their complaints be formally made through a
letter. Director Diamante also assured the stu-
dents that their fees have all been utilized for
their benefit.
Kartilya
Campus Issue
However, the Alliance of Concerned Stu-
dents reproved Diamante’s statement and said
that as early as November of last year they
have already requested for a Student Summit
through the CCSG but was rejected by the uni-
versity administration. According to ACS, it is
also the lookout and responsibility of the ad-
ministration to inform the students of the break-
down of their fees as provisioned in RA6728
and RA7722.
An independent survey conducted by
Kartilya also found that students have paid
P1, 500.00 for E-Learning and P150.00 for Dyn-
Ed although they have no such subjects. Early
this school year, a rebate of P590.00 (Accoun-
tancy) and P1, 200.00 (Eng’g) were allegedly
credited to the accounts of some students but
were still made to pay the E-Learning fee upon
enrollment for second semester. The remaining
balance out of the E-Learning fee rebate has
not been explained.
Some CSG and CCSG officials also con-
firmed that they have been urging the admini-
stration to come up with a written explanation
and justification of the collected fees being
questioned but have yet to receive any re-
sponse from them.
This matter has already been raised by the
ACS to the Davao City Council’s Committee on
Education through the office of Councilor Ma.
Belen Sunga-Acosta.
In an interview, Councilor Acosta told the
Kartilya that an inquiry will be conducted as
soon as her office receives the written com-
plaints of students and that the city council
would make proper intervention should the par-
ties concerned fail to reach a resolution after
exhausting all possible means thereto. The
councilor also stated that the right to information
is very basic and that it is obligatory (for the
university administration) to be transparent.
Kartilya
CHA-CHA:
One-
One-way ticket to the blue
BY ANGELO RUSS YBAÑEZ
P resident Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be
making her biggest miscalculation. Cha-Cha is
now laying the ground for a decisive confronta-
tion between the US-backed Arroyo regime and
the Filipino people who see it as Arroyo’s one-
way ticket to prolong her rule.
As early as the public debut of the Hello
Garci scandal, President Gloria Arroyo and her
minions have been brokering to change the
charter. Desperate to hammer down her agenda
unnoticed by the public and the media, the ad-
ministration dubiously initiated a “people’s initia-
tive,” soliciting signatures to amend the Constitu-
tion––a process that is supposed to be initiated
by the people themselves. The project was pur-
sued despite the earlier ruling of the Supreme
Court that it was baseless and illegal.
The Arroyo administration has also at-
tempted to bait the MILF to surrender by capital-
izing on the ill-fated MOA-AD and riding on the
movements for federalism. Arroyo however
failed to get the support of the federalists in both
chambers of the Congress.
It is seemingly obvious that Mrs. Arroyo ma-
liciously intends to stay in power beyond year
2010, or at least set an escape route to get away
from the piles of complaints and accountabilities
that await her once she steps down from power.
With this alone, she has all the reasons to se-
cure the backing of all government machineries
and the political support of the United States.
Such is why Arroyo is committed to grant
100% ownership of our natural resources to for-
eign businesses, using Cha-Cha as a prime ins-
6 15
trument to ensure economic, intellectual, and
actual physical control of the entire country. The
neo-liberal policies of deregulation and privatiza-
tion have brought about faster pace of dena-
tionalizing major sectors of our economy. Rein-
forced with the bias for comprador-type of busi-
nesses, this scheme opens up vital areas such
as logging and mining concessions, public utili-
ties, and government mega-projects, lubricated
by ‘development aids’ of multilateral financial
institutions.
The use of political supremacy to coax the
small factions of the Opposition to submit to her
tutelage is also an integral part of GMA’s
schemes. President Arroyo controls two of the
biggest political parties in the bureaucracy,
LAKAS and KAMPI, and uses it as a machinery
to materialize her political ambitions.
Employing militarist tactics, GMA has also
stepped up her campaign against critical groups
and individuals. The Arroyo government has
continuously trampled the Constitutional provi-
sion that guarantees equal protection of the law
with her draconian Human Security Act and
several presidential proclamations that curtail
civil liberties.
But this is destined to fail as the people can
never be silenced. The Arroyo regime’s legal
maneuvers and militaristic rule may have
gagged many critics but it can never suppress
the social volcano waiting to erupt. The people’s
verdict shall continue to haunt her even if she
succeeds to stay in power beyond 2010.
Kartilya
Dr. Edberto Villegas affirms that “the sole interest of the State in Philippine education is to
ensure a curriculum that would serve to further raise the profits of imperialist Transnational Corpo-
rations and their local accomplices” (2005). He adds that DepEd’s Millennium Curriculum (Curricu-
lum 2002) was a “streamlining” of Philippine education, collapsing subjects which imbibe social
awareness, patriotic ideals and critical thinking, and abolishing subjects (and courses) not required
by the imperial businesses. The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) also concluded that Millen-
nium Curriculum not only streamlines the school curriculum but sacrifices other aspects that would
comprise wholistic education for students. Similar streamlining schemes are also observed in
Higher Education Institutions, private or state-owned.
This treachery was further brandished by no less than President Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo. Addressing a crowd of state universities and college officials, the president recognized the
role of Philippine education in preparing Filipinos to become overseas contract workers. She went
on with her speech encouraging the school officials to train their sights on strengthening the over-
seas workers base beginning with “tweaking” the school curriculum to make Filipinos the best
workers in the world.
The conspiracy
The government policy of labor export which banks on international migration does not
resolve the prevalent joblessness in the country (Palatino, 2004) and has contributed in the coun-
try’s chronic brain drain. By constantly slashing the budget for education, access to quality learning
now becomes an even more far-cry to the Filipino youth. What then is the prime objective of the
recent revisions in the educational curriculum? Who benefits from what and who plays the game?
Back in the Marcos era, prior to the enactment of The Education Act of 1982 (EA 1982), a
survey called the Presidential Commission to Survey Philippine Education (PCSPE) was conducted
in 1969 funded by the Ford Foundation. This was to evaluate the performance of the Philippine
education system and explore “initiatives on the part of the Department of Education to interest the
World Bank in the Philippine educational improvement” (Foundation for Nationalist Studies, 1982).
The report found that the Philippine labor force was “underutilized” and the prescription
was to “enhance” it by linking export-oriented economic strategies with education. Thus, upon the
issuance of EA 1982, the curriculum of the first six grades was altered to serve as the “basis for the
formation of trained manpower” (Ibid).
Further loans have thenceforth been granted by the World Bank to “support” the agricul-
tural sector in teaching the farmers “the modern secrets of mechanized farming.” We have since
been reliant on United States technology and other tools for agricultural production. Technical train-
ing centers and experimental agricultural schools (installed near export processing zones) were
established.
Viola articulates that “the connection between educational curriculum and the needs of an
export economy ensured that multinational corporations would have an abundant supply of semi-
skilled labor.” The kind of educational system World Bank wants to shape is to meet the manpower
needs of transnationals…[and] insure the internationalization by the entire student population of
values and outlooks supportive of the global capitalist system.
continued on next page

Kartilya 4 17 Kartilya

AC
A CALL
ALL Innie, Minnie, Mining Mo…
BY CHE SUDARIO
RA 7942
Mining Act

TO ARMS
TO A RMS
The Pillar
Abraham Jambangan Jr.
Supreme Chancellor, LLP
T he great foundations of
our organization do not rest only
upon its members. Its pillars are
foremost grounded on the
masses of students and the
people. Upon its establishment,
the foreparents of La Liga Politica
have made it clear that the or-
ganization must not only exist for
itself.
This fundamental principle
has bound us to continuously live
the tradition of elevating our
political consciousness not as a
matter of sheer idealism but of
undying commitment.
Have you been to a quarry? An excavation site? Mining site? Never?
Well if you are just an average person minding your own business in your own lit-
tle world, or perhaps a typical rich kid born with a golden spoon in your mouth and
a silver platter on your table, then you definitely do not have any reason to venture
in places like that. Let me just tell you then of the goings-on in those places.
Juan de la Cruz owns 7,107 islands with a made to pay high taxes while Uncle Sam is
magnificent bounty of resources. One of the not.
sprung. Yet we have come out of is now confronted with insurmoun-
most valued treasures the islands keep which
has become a high-earning business is his
You might be wondering what’s in it with
mining that drives Uncle Sam to encroach
it firmer just as what our hand- table socio-political tribulations.
mining industry. It earns a lot that it can even Juan’s possessions. Simple: gold, copper,
shake symbolizes:
As we embark into a new pay all the debts of his great, great ancestors. nickel, and other sorts of minerals––things
“our principles may conflict, our
phase of fulfilling our commit- But would you believe it that Juan cannot even that would certainly beget lots and lots of
friendship may be shaken, but we
ment to serve, we must gear afford to buy himself the necessary things in life money…and power, of course.
shall remain brothers.”
ourselves to battle. The line has like undergarments? Well, believe it or not, he Right now, it’s not just the inequality to-
wards local miners or the sufferings brought
just simply can’t.
All through the years we been clearly drawn and we have about by man-made disasters and natural
He is just so trusting to give his Uncle Sam
have never allowed differences to vowed to take the side of the a special power of attorney. Now, his wicked calamities that poor Juan is faced with. Will
oppressed, the voiceless, and
divide and weaken our ranks. uncle, so wicked, was able to convince Juan’s Juan be able to survive his drama in life?
the dispossessed.
Instead, we have been able to business partners and consultants to push for We wanna hear from you. Don’t just sit
seize these opportunities and the Republic Act 7942, the Mining Act of 1995. there, do something. Let’s give a little bit more
We thus call on each of our
made them serve as sandstone members to sharpen their What happens is that Uncle Sam will have a of what we can. (A tip: write your sentiments
to sharpen our minds as we solve blades by integrating with our total access to his lands without giving any due on a piece of paper and send it to Malacañang
the puzzle of attaining genuine constituents. We must polish percentage of income to the owner. Worse, local if you’re hopeful that the president responds,
democracy in our society. our armors by upholding our miners are not given the needed financial assis- or post it on your not-so-famous blog and
Constitutional rights yet critically tance and insurance, and are instead being made make it famous).
“our principles may scraping the rusts that brittle it

CARP vs. GARB

Our organization is a com-
posite of individuals who belong
to various tendencies in the
political spectrum––that of the
Left, the Right, and of those who
prefer neutral at the Center. Such
broad representation provides us
the advantage of covering almost
every angle of any issue that
concerns the students and the
people.
The previous year has been
of hard struggles and sacrifices:
conflicts and debates on certain
organizational and political issues
erupted; personal tensions have
conflict, our friendship inside out. We must tightly har-
may be shaken, but we ness our saddles to our vessel
and buckle up that we may not
shall remain brothers.” fall. Together let us assemble a
strong army that is fully
With the entrance of another equipped with battlements and
year, we must set ourselves well-knowledgeable of
ready to fulfill our tasks. The birth socio-political terrain.
of our very own publication, the
Kartilya, shall aid us in our com- When this shall have been
mitment to serve. done, our existence will have
served its purpose. We do not
But the prime machinery in have illusions of posing as the
awakening the studentry and the ‘el salvadores’ for we are con-
people is our solid membership. scious that only the people are
There is so much to be done es- the true makers of history. On-
pecially so that the entire nation ward to the battlefield!
kayod pa at
baka maremata
ang ating lupa...
the agrarian reform dilemma
BY RONNIE C. CLARION
Land distribution to landless Filipino farmers
the is a preset of provision under Art. XIII Sec.4
of the 1987 Constitution.
Prior to this provision, former Pres. Corazon
Aquino mounted the Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Program (CARP) which was later
enacted through the passage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) or RA 6657 on
June 10, 1988. However, the program had been excoriated for its failure to completely distribute
lands to the beneficiaries within its target completion timeframe of 10 years. It was later extended
for another 10 years yet the struggle for genuine agrarian reform continues. To date, the Senate
pledged support to re-extend the program for yet another three years while HB4077 in the House of
Representatives proposes a five-year extension of CARP. next page

Kartilya

from page 1
with Php110 a day while the top 20%
takes 52.8% share of the country’s total
family income –– a grave disparity in the
distribution of the nation’s wealth.
The worst is underway now that Ma-
lacañang is pulling all strings in ramming
its agenda to change the charter. Hell-
bent to stay in power beyond 2010, the
president subscribes to the advice of
IMF/WB and the US government to grant
100% land ownership to foreign busi-
nesses to “save” the country’s ailing
economy, in exchange for financial aid
and political support.
This will consequently hasten the pri-
vatization of the remaining government-
owned and controlled corporations
(GOCC), and open the economy totally
naked to foreign plunder and pillage. At
this rate alone, the entire country is going
2 19
right down to its grave.
Macapagal-Arroyo’s subscription to
this scheme being pressed by interna-
tional monopolists under neo-liberal glob-
alization is a total degradation of Article
XII of the Philippine Constitution.
If the president and her cohorts in Ma-
lacañang and the Congress succeed in
maneuvering to dismantle all Constitu-
tional protection on economy and national
patrimony, the entire country will un-
doubtedly plunge into a deep crisis far
worse than any it had in history.
With various issues being churned on
all sides to divert the public’s attention
from this matter, there is a need for all
nationalists to be ever more vigilant in
exposing and opposing the vile attempts
to desecrate the very vanguard of our
democracy, our Constitution.
Source: IBON Databank
Kartilya
FULFILL OUR HISTORIC ROLE by Abraham C. Jambangan Jr.
& Christian Lloyd Espinoza
Imperatives for the Filipino youth
Never before has the entire Filipino nation been driven into the farthest depths of crisis in his-
tory any more than the Arroyo administration did in seven years of clinging to power. The record-
breaking performance of the Arroyo regime in being the staunchest disciple of imperialist powers has
far surpassed any of its predecessors. Covering up for her bankrupt economic alleviation programs,
the president constantly boasts of increases in the country’s total GDP.
However, a closer look of the picture would reveal as to whose development have Arroyo’s
program served. The same old social conditions exist where the few ruling elite amass more than half
of the nation’s wealth while the people who sweat to bring the economy on its feet are left with bread-
crumbs to share among themselves.
But in the face of all political and economic impediments, the bold and daring spirit of the youth
can never be suppressed. Never in this country’s history has the youth remained silent on crucial
issues that affront them. The students sector has relentlessly been pursuing the fight against the
commercialization and commoditization of education, gaining momentum as the worsening social
conditions gradually expose the bankruptcy of the exploitative system being imposed by the ruling
elite and their foreign masters.
The students must, however, transcend to a higher level of political consciousness. While we
advance in upholding and protecting our democratic rights and welfare within the confines of the uni-
versity, we find many of our fellow youth forced to drop out of school and engage in jobs subjected
under inhuman working conditions. Others have been lured to antisocial activities––illegal drugs and
petty crimes––and worse, young women are driven into prostitution.
It is distressing that parents are barely able to extend comfort and support as household income
continues to drop. They are helpless, burdened by having to find and keep even the most exploitative
and oddest jobs. And while we have been used not to expect too much from our bureaucracy, none is
more dismaying than the current state of the Filipino youth under Arroyo’s stay in power.
Under the present regime, 36% of the estimated 44 million youth have been deprived of their
basic right to education. It is utterly preposterous for the president to lend economic and political ad-
vice to international leaders when she could not even attend to her own problems at home.
In the midst of such dismal situation that grips the entire Philippine society, the youth cannot af-
ford to stand on the sidelines and remain unmoved. History teaches us that the youth is a potent
force in determining the course of this nation. It also taught us not to bank on the illusion of the pri-
macy of student power. We must, therefore, realize that our predicament is just but a part of the sys-
temic problem of a neocolonial society––that of being dominated by the parasitic imperialists.
It is thus imperative for the Filipino youth to take the road beyond the borders of their confine-
ment and set forth into the slums and ghettos, the factories and workshops, the plantations and coun-
tryside; for in these places can we find the basic sectors of our society––they who carry the burden of
sustaining this nation and upon whose arms lay the wheel of history. Only from them can the Filipino
youth learn the intricacies of building a just and humane society. Only with them can the Filipino
youth gain strength to claim the future.