Crisis in the University

The media are invited to a press conference on March 3 (Wednesday), 10:00 am at the Bulwagang Tandang Sora, 3rd Floor, College of Social Work and Community Development (CSWCD), UP Diliman, Quezon City.

Faculty Regent Judy Taguiwalo, Student Regent Charisse Banez, Staff Regent Buboy Cabrera, Dr. Jose Gonzales of the PGH, concerned University of the Philippines (UP) faculty and students will be speaking on the continuing problem of undemocratic governance and crisis in the UP System.

• For the first time in UP’s history, students were stripped of their representation from the UP Board of Regents (BOR) as the current student regent was prevented from attending the board meeting and removed from her position due a technicality.
• For the first time in UP’s history, three regents overstayed their temporary designations to the BOR which lapsed in 2009.
• For the first time in UP’s history, the appointment of a University official was revoked without due cause. In UP Manila, the sitting PGH director was removed from his post a month after he was appointed by the board and sworn in as director.
• For the first time in UP’s history, classes as large as 300 will be the norm at UP Los Baños.

These are but a few of the problems faced by the UP community which undermine the mission of the University to serve the large majority of the people. Hear about the PGH Directorship, large classes in UPLB, protests in UP Mindanao on the reappointment of their Chancellor, impunity, undemocratic governance and the crisis in the University.

Your media coverage is requested.

For more details, please contact Prof. Danilo Arao (Department of Journalism) at (0908) 866-ARAO.

References:

Dr. Jose Gonzales, (0917) 541-3020
Dr. Judy Taguiwalo, Faculty Regent, (0916) 782-9666
Mr. Buboy Cabrera, Staff Regent, (0919) 598-3351
Ms. Charisse Bañez, Student Regent, (0927) 658-3115

Concerned University of the Philippines (UP) students, faculty, REPS and staff will hold a protest action tomorrow (January 29, Friday), 8:00 a.m. as the Board of Regents (BOR) holds its meeting in Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, Quezon City. Simultaneous protest actions will also be held in the campuses of UP Los Banos (UPLB), UP Cebu and UP Mindanao.

Various issues related to governance will be raised by the protesters.

They support the tenure appeal of Prof. Sarah Raymundo of UP Diliman and the continued stay of Dr. Jose Gonzales as the duly appointed Director of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) of UP Manila.

On the other hand, UP Los Banos faculty and students denounce the January 4 memorandum of UPLB Chancellor Rey Velasco ordering the implementation of a large class size (from 160 to 350 students) for ALL foundation and general education courses in UP Los Banos starting June 2010.

In Cebu, the faculty and students are against the unilateral decision of UP Cebu Dean Enrique Avila to suspend the acceptance of applicants for the admission test of UP Cebu High School scheduled on March 6 and in effect laying the grounds for the abolition of the high school unit of UP Cebu.

Protesting UP Mindanao constituents are supporting the appointment of a new Chancellor of UP Mindanao instead of reappointing the incumbent who they believe has not fulfilled the requirements for democratic governance in the university, particularly transparency and accountability.

Media coverage is requested.

Contact persons:

Prof. Mykel Andrada, All-UP Academic Employees Union: (0927) 474-1362
Arnulfo Anoos, All-UP Workers Union: (0939) 194-0878
Prof. Danilo Arao, CONTEND UP: (0908) 866-ARAO
Jaque Eroles, UPD Student Council: (0915) 328-0878

Gaano nakaapekto ang namamayaning tradisyon ng paggamit ng Ingles sa print media sa pagkakatali ng paggamit ng Filipino sa tabloid?

Mahalaga ang epektibong paggamit ng sariling wika sa midya para sa pambansang pagkakaisa at pagbubuo ng pambansang kamalayan. Dahil ang peryodismo sa wikang Filipino ay mas naiuugnay sa tinatawag na “yellow journalism” na makikita sa mga tabloid at ilang programa sa telebisyon, napapababa nito ang pangkalahatang pagtingin sa pambansang wika. Kung iuugnay ito sa polisiya ng pamahalaan (at ilang eskuwelahan) na bigyang prayoridad ang Ingles sa halip na Filipino, hindi na nakakagulat ang pagkakaroon ng mentalidad ng maraming Pilipino, lalo na ang mga nasa kapangyarihan, na mas mainam na matutuhan ang Ingles kaysa Filipino.

Ano ang bentahe at disbentahe ng paggamit ng Filipino sa print at sa kabuuan ng midya?

Kung gagamitin ang sariling wika, mas maiintindihan ng maraming Pilipino ang mensaheng nais ihatid. Makakatulong din ito sa pagbubuo ng pambansang identidad.

Masasabing disbentahe ang paggamit ng sariling wika sa mga dayuhang nais maintindihan ang ating midya. Pero pundamental na usapin kung para kanino ba ang midya ng Pilipinas. Mainam ngang maintindihan tayo ng lahat (Pilipino’t dayuhan) pero kailangang magbigay tayo ng kaukulang prayoridad sa sariling kababayan. Maaaring magkaroon ng kompromisong may ilang seksyon/programa sa midya na gumagamit ng wikang Ingles, pero dapat na nakakapangibabaw ang wikang Filipino.

Nagsagawa kayo ng isang pag-aaral na nangailangan ng pagmo-monitor ng mga newscast sa telebisyon sa isang takdang panahon (eleksiyon, kung di ako nagkakamali). Sa mga programang ito, gaano kasinsin ang paggamit ng Pilipino?

Sa dalawang pag-aaral tungkol sa pagkober ng midya sa eleksiyon noong 2004 at 2007 na kung saan naging bahagi ako, kapansin-pansin ang paggamit ng wikang Filipino sa primetime TV news. Nakatulong ang paggamit ng sariling wika sa pagpapakalat ng impormasyon sa mamamayan. Pero may ilang kahinaan sa pagbibigay ng konteksto at pagpapalalim ng pagsusuri sa mga isyu. Hindi rin masyadong natalakay ang mga plataporma dahil mas binigyang-pansin ang mga personalidad at karakter ng mga kandidato. Sa pangkalahatan, ang paggamit ng wikang Filipino sa midya noong panahong iyon ay kumikiling sa sensasyonal, tsismis at trivia.

Sa print media, ano ang mga obserbasyon ninyo sa paggamit ng wika ng mga mamamahayag sa Filipino?

Mas nagagamit ang wikang Filipino sa mga tabloid na may oryentasyong magbalita lang ng mga tungkol sa krimen, tsismis at trivia. Ang “yellow journalism” na ito ay naipapakalat sa mas maraming Pilipino dahil sa paggamit ng sariling wika, bukod pa sa murang halaga ng isang isyu ng tabloid.

Pero dahil sa mga tabloid na ito, ang opinyong pampubliko tungkol sa peryodismo sa wikang Filipino ay mas naiuugnay lang sa “yellow journalism.” Nakakalungkot na hindi nakikita ang potensyal ng sariling wika sa pagpapataas ng panlipunang diskurso.

Anu-ano ang mga problemang kailangang tugunan, kung pagsusulat sa Filipino ang pag-uusapan?

Pangunahing salik ang oportunidad na maaaring ibigay sa mga peryodistang nais gumamit ng wikang Filipino. Kumpara sa maraming broadsheet at magasing nakasulat sa wikang Ingles, halimbawa, limitado lang kasi ang maaaring pagsulatan sa wikang Filipino. At bagama’t maraming programa sa radyo’t telebisyon na gumagamit ng wikang Filipino, kailangan ding suriin kung paano ginagamit ang sariling wika sa diskusyon ng mga isyu. Kung nagiging mababaw lang, halimbawa, ang pagsusuri at mas binibigyang-pansin ang tsismis at trivia, hindi nakakatulong ang mga programang ito sa pagpapayaman ng sariling wika.

Gaano kalaki ang maitutulong ng isang stylebook para matugunan ang mga suliraning ito?

May malaking maitutulong ang isang stylebook pero mas mahalaga ang oryentasyon ng mismong organisasyong pang-midya. Kung may problema sa huli, magiging bale-wala ang anumang stylebook dahil mapapatibay lang nito ang isang mali.

Sa inyong tingin, gaano kahalaga ang papel ng pagpapalaganap ng masinsing paggamit ng wikang Filipino sa pagbaka sa pamamayani ng paggamit ng Ingles sa print media?

Marami nang pagtatangka noong magkaroon ng broadsheet sa wikang Filipino pero hindi ito nagtatagumpay. Maraming dahilan kung bakit mahirap magkaroon ng isang broadsheet sa wikang Filipino. Una, ang halaga ng broadsheet ay para lang sa mga nasa gitna’t nakatataas na uring mas pamilyar sa wikang Ingles dahil sa klase ng sistema ng edukasyong mayroon ang Pilipinas. Ikalawa, walang lakas ng loob ang mga kapitalistang gumamit ng wikang Filipino dahil hindi ito ang “pormula” para kumita nang malaki sa print media. Ikatlo (at may kaugnayan ito sa ikalawang punto), hindi naman tinitingnan ng mga may-ari ang organisasyong pang-midya bilang instrumento ng pagmumulat kaya wala sa konsepto nila ang papel ng Filipino sa panlipunang diskurso.

Ang stylebook ay para sa Pinoy Weekly. Ano-ano ang mga bagay na maaaring idagdag sa gabay sa istilo bukod sa mga batayang patakaran (hal. sa grammar, ispeling, tambilang, pagbabantas) upang maipakita ang karakter nito at ideal na isinusulong nito?

Kailangang mapatingkad ang kaibahan ng Pinoy Weekly sa iba pang tabloid o organisasyong pang-midya. Para sa mga may-ari ng midya o patnugot na nais gumamit ng wikang Filipino, kailangang malinaw kung bakit nararapat na gawing modelo ang Pinoy Weekly sa pagsusulong ng makabuluhang peryodismo.

DAEJEON, Timog Korea – Mabagal ang oras para sa naghihintay. Mabilis ang pagtakbo ng minuto para sa taong may sanlaksang trabaho. Paano na lang kung ikaw ay katulad kong inaantabayanan ang nakatakdang pag-alis habang nakatali sa napakaraming gawaing kailangang matapos?

Sadyang kay bilis ng panahon! Ang Marsong nagdaan ay tila ilang taon na sa aking pamantayan, lalo na’t kung iisipin ang paghihirap na dinaanan ko sa pagpunta sa Korea. Ano bang mararamdamam mo kung mapadpad ka sa isang lugar na hindi naiintindihan ang wikang kinagisnan (Filipino) at natutuhan (Ingles)? Alam mo rin ba ang epekto ng lamig ng panahong bago sa iyong katawan sa panahon ng pag-iisa’t pag-aalala?

Mula Marso na siyang simula ng aking pagtatrabaho rito bilang visiting professor, binilang ko ang mga araw na nagdaan at minarkahan ko sa aking kalendaryo ang mga nakatakdang pagbisita ni Joy sa Korea, pati na ang aking mga pansamantalang pagpunta sa Pilipinas. Aba, pati ang ilang araw na pagpunta sa Indonesia para magbigay ng pananalita ay nagsilbing oportunidad para makapiling ang mahal na asawa.

Talagang hindi mapakali sa pagbibilang ng mga sandali! Pero kung dumating naman ang unang araw ng pagkikita ay tila nakikipagkarera ang mga segundo para sa mabilis na pagsapit ng gabi. Bawat araw na nagdaan ay kabawasan sa kabuuan. Hindi man ito nasayang dahil sa kasiyahang naramdaman, indikasyon pa rin ito ng katapusang may hatid na kalungkutan.

Ang 17 araw na pagbisita ni Joy nito lang Nobyembre, halimbawa, ay tila 17 oras lang sa aming alaala. Marami man kaming napuntahan at magkasamang ginawa sa muling pagkikita, may panghihinayang pa rin sa bawat araw na nabawas dahil papalapit nang papalapit ang kanyang paglisan.

At ngayong nakatakda na akong umalis sa dayuhang bansang dalawang semestreng pinagsilbihan, kapansin-pansin ang mabagal na pagtakbo ng mga minuto’t segundo tuwing iniisip ang eksaktong oras ng paglipad ng eroplanong maghahatid sa akin sa Pilipinas. Ang dapat ay maliliit na bagay na may kaugnayan sa pag-iimpake ay nagiging malaking isyu para sa akin na nagdudulot ng walang-batayang pagkainis sa hindi-mawaring konteksto.

Ang simpleng pagpili ng tatak at kulay ng packing tape ay kinailangan ko pang pag-isipan nang malalim samantalang hindi naman nagkakalayo sa presyo ang mga ito, at alam nating lahat na hindi pangunahing usapin ang kulay. Ang simpleng pagbabago sa takdang araw ng pagkuha ng jumbo box na ipapadala ko sa Pilipinas, halimbawa, ay naging dahilan ng walang-batayang pagkainis at pagkasira ng araw ko noong Biyernes. Sa totoo lang, hindi naman ako dapat mag-alala dahil kukunin din naman ito!

Kung sabagay, normal lang naman ang aking hindi-mapakaling aktitud. Sa loob lamang ng ilang araw ay iiwanan ko na ang Korea. Ramdam na ramdam ko na ang ligayang hatid ng muli naming pagkikita ni Joy, ng muli kong pagpasok sa luma kong opisina sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (UP), ng muli kong pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga kapwa guro’t peryodista.

Pero may komplikasyong hatid ang aking pagkabaon sa maraming gawain, na kung tatanungin ang sinumang nakakakilala sa akin ay tila bahagi na ng aking propesyunal na buhay. Dahil tapos na ang fall semester dito sa Linton Global College ng Hannam University (HNU-LGC), abala ako ngayon sa pagkokompyut ng mga grado. Kung sa UP ay komportable akong magbasa ng mahahabang papel sa wikang Ingles man o Filipino, mas mahabang panahon ang kailangang gugulin sa pagsusuri sa mga isinumiteng papel ng mga estudyante ng HNU na karamihan ay hindi pa matatas sa wikang Ingles, ang midyum ng pagtuturo sa LGC.

Bukod sa ibang sistema ng pagbibigay ng grado (ang pinakamataas na marka sa UP ay 1.0 samantalang sa HNU ay 4.5 o A+), iba rin ang kultura ng mga Koreano’t ilang dayuhan pagdating sa mga grado nila. Madalas ang kanilang pagrereklamo kung bakit mababa ang kanilang nakuha at kailangan mong bigyan ng kaukulang panahon ang lahat ng kanilang katanungan hanggang makumbinsi silang tama ang ginawa mo.

Hindi ako naiirita sa ganitong gawi ng maraming Koreano’t iba pang dayuhang estudyante ko. Sa katunayan pa nga’y natutuwa ako dahil binibigyang halaga nila ang kanilang pang-akademikong katayuan. Marami sa kanila ay may mga scholarship na kung saan kailangan nilang masigurong mapapanatili nila ang mataas na grade point average (GPA).

Sa aking palagay, wala sa bokabularyo ng mga Koreano ang sumipsip sa kanilang mga propesor para lang makakuha ng mataas na grado. Kung ayaw nila sa iyo, hindi ka nila papansinin. Pero kung gusto ka nila, handa nilang ipahayag ang kanilang nararamdaman.

Sadyang nakakataba ng puso ang mga iniwang mensahe ng mga estudyante ko sa huling semestre ko ng pagtuturo sa HNU. Halimbawa, may isa akong estudyanteng takot na magbigay ng mga sanaysay na kailangan niyang isulat dahil mahina siya sa wikang Ingles. Pinilit ko pa rin siyang magbigay ng mga kinakailangang papel, pero binigyan ko pa rin siya ng mababang marka dahil sa kalidad ng kanyang mga isinumite.

Sa halip na sumama ang kanyang loob, tinanggap niya ang kanyang grado’t nagpadala pa siya ng email sa akin. Ito ang sipi ng aktuwal na mensahe niya: “I will remember your advices that i am normal  being afraid of writing. and i will never forget even i couln’t see you again. Thank you for being my professor for last semester. I learn many things from your class. I hope you had special remembrance in Korea as well. In the future, i will see you with professional English ability.”

Puro mensahe rin ng pasasalamat ang nakuha ko sa marami pang iba: “i will miss you and i hope to say goodbye.” “You are so passionate and professional professor. I wish all the faculties were like you.” “thank you for everything and take care in the philippines.” “I’m appreciating for your teaching for 1 year.” “I learned many things. I think you are great professor.”

Ang mga ganitong klaseng pasasalamat ay nagpapaalala sa akin kung bakit nagustuhan ko na rin ang pagtuturo katulad ng pagmamahal ko sa peryodismo. Kung noon ay tiningnan ko lang ang pagiging propesor bilang pinansiyal na suporta sa aking peryodismo, ngayon ay pantay na ang pagpapahalaga ko sa dalawang propesyon.

May sinabi noon si Confucius na isinalin sa wikang Ingles: “Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Sa aking opinyon, hindi akma sa akin ang kasabihang ito dahil hindi ko tinitingnan ang peryodismo’t pagtuturo bilang trabahong magbibigay ng personal na kasikatan, pag-abanteng propesyunal o benepisyong pinansiyal. Para sa akin, ang epektibong paggampan ng mga ito ay maliit na kontribusyon ko sa pagkilos para sa pagbabago.

Sa madaling salita, ang aking nahanap ay hindi dalawang trabaho (sa propesyunal na pamantayan) kundi makabuluhang pagkilos. Ang peryodismo’t pagtuturo ay serbisyo sa nakararaming mamamayan, lalo na ang kabataan. Kahit kailan ay hindi usapin ang perang makukuha mula sa mga gawaing ito, dahil pangunahing salik sa mga ito ang makapagbigay ng kaalaman.

Kuha ni Joy Balean-Arao noong Marso 2009.

Sa kontekstong ito dapat maintindihan ng lahat ang desisyon kong huwag nang mag-renew ng aking kontrata sa Korea, kahit na may alok ng mas matagal na pananatili sa maunlad na bansang ito. Nariyan man ang tukso ng permanenteng pag-alis sa Pilipinas dahil sa sanlaksang problemang kinakaharap nito, ang mismong mga problemang ito ay nagtutulak sa akin para bumalik. Wala man akong susing papel sa kilusan para sa pagbabago, nais ko pa ring tumulong kahit sa pamamagitan lang ng pagtataguyod ng makabuluhang peryodismo’t pagtuturo.

Pero higit pang mahalaga ang pangangailangang makapiling si Joy, dahil ang pansamantalang paghihiwalay ay hindi maganda para sa relasyon ng mag-asawa. Hindi pa rin mapapalitan ng ilang oras na pag-uusap sa Skype ang personal na pagkikita’t pagyakap sa minamahal sa pagtatapos ng araw.

Sa panahong tulad nito, sadyang mahirap gampanan ang maraming gawain dahil patuloy ang paglalakbay ng aking isip. Kapansin-pansin ang kontradiksiyon sa ilang araw na nalalabi bago ang aking takdang pag-alis.

Nararamdaman ko kasi ang mabilis na pagtakbo ng oras sa pagsusulat ng mga artikulo, pagkokompyut ng mga grado at iba pang mahahalagang gawain. Pero sa kabilang banda, lalo na sa panahon ng pag-iisa, nariyan ang mabagal na pagsapit ng takdang oras na siyang hudyat ng aking pagdadala ng matagal nang nakaimpakeng maleta.

Para makipag-ugnayan sa awtor, pumunta sa www.dannyarao.com.

A Challenge of Conscience

The brutal, indiscriminate mass murder on Monday in Ampatuan town, in Maguindanao province, raises the ultimate challenge of conscience. It carries the culture of impunity at work in this country to such levels of horror that, if it remains unpunished for long, can send the nation into an inexorable descent into absolute dehumanization.

The crime thus calls for swift justice, which can only be achieved through a credible and independent process, which in turn can only be achieved without the hand of this government – a government justly mistrusted generally and openly friendly precisely to the very members of the clan accused in the massacre.

We, ourselves colleagues of the more than a score journalists who were killed, demand the following:

One, the creation of a commission outside the government to investigate the crime;

Two, the arrest and prosecution of all the people involved in it in any way, as murderers themselves or their protectors;

Three, the formation of a special court to try the case;

Four, fully guaranteed protection for the witnesses;

Five, the disarming and dismantling of all private armies, such as those evidently employed in the massacre.

Six, the enlistment of persons of unquestioned probity in the whole process;

And finally, the resignation of the government if it fails to deliver such basic satisfaction – indeed, the very same government that has encouraged, by partisanship and conspiracy, the culture of impunity of which the massacre has been the most abominable manifestation.

Signed:

Business World
Center for Community Journalism and Development (CCJD)
Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR)
College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP)
Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ)
National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP)
Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI)
Philippine Human Rights Reporting Project (PHRRP)
Philippine Press Institute (PPI)

Seoul and Manila are poles apart in terms of development, but can Koreans learn from the Philippine experience?

Why should a Korean newspaper devote precious column space to Pinoy-related matters? The answer is simple: Pinoys have a lot to share.

Consider this space as a way to provide relevant information to Korea.

The latter, after all, has given Pinoys overseas employment and foreign investments, among many other opportunities.

Korea may be globally known as the Land of the Morning Calm, but many Pinoys see it as the Land of Golden Opportunities.

Of course, it’s also endearingly perceived as the Land of kimchi and bulgogi, which Pinoys in South Korea can’t seem to get enough of.

Aside from their passion for food – Koreans are encouraged to eat adobo and balut – Pinoys have something in common with Koreans as both are known for being hospitable.

This time, however, allow the Pinoys to say maraming salamat (thank you very much) for the chance to share.

In case you don’t know, Pinoy is a colloquial word for “Filipino.”

We are definitely citizens of the Republic of the Philippines, but we have also practically become de facto citizens of the world (including Korea) as a result of labor migration.

Korea may only be an hour ahead of the Philippines, but it is seemingly decades ahead of the latter in terms of economic development.

Based on World Bank data in 2008, Korea’s gross national income per capita ($28,120) is about seven times more than the Philippines’ ($3,900). Despite the low per capita income, the Philippines strives to do better regardless of the crises and disasters that come its way.

Urbanization brings about individualism and indifference, and those in metropolitan areas in the Philippines are not an exception to this trend. But during times of emergency, you can expect Filipinos to unite and help each other.

As a result of Korea’s progress, migrant Filipinos are amazed by it upon stepping out of Incheon airport.

Even those in the Philippines are in awe of Korea’s beauty as they watch television shows like “Jewel in the Palace” and “Boys Over Flowers,” only two of the highly-rated Korean dramas shown in the Philippines.

And despite the fact that most Filipinos are not familiar with the Korean language, they still appreciate the singing and dancing talents of K-pop groups like the Wonder Girls and Big Bang.

In turn, Koreans have become familiar with the Philippines for a very practical reason. Seoul is 1,627 kilometers (1,011 miles) from Manila, making the Philippines one of the nearest and cheapest destinations for those who want to learn English.

Yes, the Philippine government always claims English as its comparative advantage, making Filipino workers “very marketable” to the outside world.

But just how marketable is the Philippines as an investment haven to Koreans?

According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP; Central Bank of the Philippines) total net foreign direct investments in 2008 amounted to $1.3 billion, of which Korea accounted for $29.12 million.

Interestingly, Korea has a growing interest in the Philippine economy. Net foreign direct investments from Korea amounted to only $0.02 million in 2005, but it rose to $3.01 million in 2006 and dramatically increased to $14.46 million in 2007.

Korea is slowly getting to know the Philippines. Much as investments (both foreign and local) are necessary for Philippine development, labor migration is still the key to getting much-needed dollars.

Data from the Philippine Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) show that there were 8.7 million Filipinos around the world in 2008, and South Korea accounted for 0.9 percent of them (80,715).

Based on BSP statistics, remittances of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) deployed in Korea in 2008 amounted to $81.6 million. This was only 0.5 percent of total OFW remittances in 2008.

That the Philippines is largely dependent on overseas migration through the years is evidenced by a 171-percent increase in OFW remittances, from $6.0 billion in 2000 to $16.4 billion in 2008.

The Philippine National Statistics Office (NSO) reported that there were 1,292,899 deployed OFWs in 2008. This means that 3,542 Filipinos went abroad every day that year.

Migration indeed becomes a sorry reality as the Philippine economy fails to generate jobs for unemployed Filipinos, currently estimated at 2.9 million as of July 2009.

Given all these, you may ask: What lessons can Korea get from the Philippine experience?

How can partnerships be forged between the Philippines and Korea in a manner that can be mutually beneficial?

In what areas can both countries help each other to achieve their desired goals?

Much as a helping hand from an Asian neighbor is necessary to achieve Philippine development, we believe that Korea could learn a lot from the Philippine experience.

This is most especially true in the Korean mission to globalize not only its economy in particular but also its society in general.

We hope to provide some suggestions. We are the Pinoys in Korea, and through this column we are honored to share our experience with you.

Editor’s Note: Starting this issue, the column “Pinoy Voices” appears every Monday and members of PhilRPG (Philippine Resource Persons Group, an organization of Filipino professors in Korea) will take turns writing in this space.

*The writer is a visiting professor at Linton Global College of Hannam University in Daejeon.

by Danilo A. Arao

Dada Bacudo, Drea Pasion-Flores, Danny Arao, Dennis Gorecho and Alecks Pabico at the Kule office, Vinzons Hall, UP Diliman. Thanks to Dennis for this undated picture.

Alecks and I joined the news section of Kule in the late 1980s. If memory serves, I was just a few months ahead of him.

He was my best friend even if we were the complete opposites – Alecks was funny and level-headed, I was serious and hard-headed. Alecks was always smiling and sometimes self-deprecating, I was always unsmiling and sometimes self-conscious. If our sense of humor were beer, Alecks’ jokes were Red Horse (extra strong, on target!) while mine were Super Dry (corny, off the mark!)

How could one forget his countless jokes and pranks? Let me give you a classic example: One day, he found a bat on campus, brought it to the Kule office and borrowed a friend’s paper fan. He put the bat on the conference table near him and covered it with the fan. For every person who would enter the Kule office – the door was very near the conference room – he would request him or her to hand him the fan. I could still see the smile on his face whenever someone shouted or cursed upon seeing the dead bat underneath the fan. He would then ask his victim to sit beside him and wait for the next one. If I recall correctly, I was Alecks’ third victim.

Antics like these made presswork from Friday night to Sunday afternoon fun, not to mention unpredictable. Because of Alecks, we would forget the hard work that we did, just so many UP students would have a copy of Kule which they could use as seat cover for dirty benches on campus.

Oh yes, as Alecks jokingly said before, there had been a few who would bother to read our issues, and unfortunately some of them would end up sending complaints to the editors of Kule.

For those who had not been involved with Kule, each section (News, Features, Kultura, and even the Editorial Board) had a log book where we would write important announcements and report the progress of our articles.

How was the News logbook related to complaints from irate readers? Proof of Alecks’ irreverence was his introduction of the “Slandering Newsies” section in the News logbook where he identified (and jokingly congratulated) all Kule news writers whose articles became controversial due to such complaints.

He started “Slandering Newsies” when a group of faculty members complained about his article’s alleged lack of objectivity. He had written about a faculty member’s conflict with the dean of her college. Our editors at that time thought Alecks’ article was balanced and fair, but the dean herself and her allies thought otherwise. Even if the letter of complaint had been signed by most faculty members of that particular college, Alecks was not so affected by it. He even found something funny in the situation – at least he had one fan in the college, i.e., the dean’s enemy!

When it was my turn to be complained about by a high-ranking UP official because of a news article I had written, Alecks made me suffer by not just simply “congratulating” me but by drawing a not-so-flattering caricature of me on the News logbook. Looking back, it’s clear that his light-hearted manner helped me and the others withstand the pressures that went with taking our journalism too seriously, even if we were only students then.

Alecks obviously took his job more seriously than others so he ended up being appointed news editor of Kule in 1990. Initially I was assigned as his assistant, but after a few months I became classified as co-editor though the kind of collaboration that we did for the News section was the same. That’s one thing you could say about Alecks: For him, it was not an issue of title, position or power but how we could all work as co-equals. Because of his work ethic and dedication to Kule, he eventually became our managing editor.

How seriously did we take our jobs at Kule? Alecks and I would encourage the newsies to write about topics beyond UP. As section editors, we agreed to also find the time to write news and column articles on top of the responsibilities of editing, designing and laying out the news pages. And so Alecks, I and other newsies would find ourselves being in the same room with reporters of the mainstream media, who ask questions both probing and irritating like “Isn’t UP too far from where you are right now?” and “Why should a campus publication be concerned with an issue like this?”

If there were no one willing or available to write about important stories that require traveling very far from UP, Alecks and I would actually go ourselves. For example, even if we had not yet recovered from the July 1990 earthquake – Alecks and I, together with other friends at Kule, were on the fourth floor of Vinzons Hall when we felt the strong tremor – we decided to go to Pangasinan which was one of the hardest hit areas. Armed with tape recorders, notebooks, pens and a camera we borrowed, Alecks and I traveled around Pangasinan talking to different kinds of people and taking pictures. We ended up spending the night at an evacuation center and taking the next available morning trip to make it to our classes at UP on that day.

Alecks also had no second thoughts about sharing his experience as a campus journalist. In between presswork (and acads), we traveled for three hours to UPLB to conduct a workshop for the writers of Perspective, UPLB’s student publication. After the workshop which ended late at night, our friends at the Perspective gave us an envelope containing some money apparently meant for our transportation back to Manila. They also said that we could spend the night inside the publication office. Very tired and sleepy, we readily accepted the envelope and slept on our makeshift beds consisting of small tables put together.

You could see Alecks’ selflessness when, upon waking up, he asked me if we should accept the money even if Kule could reimburse us for our travel. We agreed to return the money, knowing fully well that Perspective could put it to better use, even if it’s just a small amount.

Many don’t know that Alecks had a way of making things work in a manner that was both fun and systematic. As a way to motivate the newsies to write on the News logbook, he came up with his own “SWS Survey” documenting the most number of notes addressed to a newsie. It was actually a self-serving survey as he and another newsie always got the top spot, conniving with this other newsie in writing notes to each other even for just the smallest of details. In a way, it helped expose the inactive and unproductive newsies as there were no notes addressed to them.

How could one describe News or EB meetings with Alecks? That he made people laugh is an understatement. I distinctly remember one newsie laughing so hard that she had to go out of the meeting to laugh some more. Another newsie who was just recovering from a sickness had to ask him to stop because she found it hard to breathe. Yes, his humor also proved to be hazardous to one’s health.

Of course, he could be serious when necessary. I remember a time when some newsies ignored deadlines, failed to report for presswork and submitted badly written articles. Instead of giving a warning to the erring ones, Alecks and I announced that both of us would resign if the entire section does not shape up. Our ploy actually worked because all of us beat the deadline and participated in the long hours of press work in the weeks that followed. Looking back again, the newsies were obviously worried about losing Alecks.

It was not surprising that all Kule editors and staff were very ecstatic when Alecks topped the Collegian Editorial Examination and consequently became Kule’s editor-in-chief for Academic Year 1991-1992.

As his best friend, I was very happy for him. He wanted me to help him run the paper. Unfortunately, I had graduated in April 1991 and made the hard decision to move on. Up to now, I still remember the disappointment on his face when I said that I cannot stay at Kule any longer.

His busy schedule and mine prevented us from seeing each other often, even if both of us were introduced to the small world of NGOs after Kule. I was with the now defunct CPD, of which a member-network was the CDRC where he worked. Later on, he would find himself working for TABAK, a PO affiliated with CPD.

It’s a strange coincidence that he started to work for PCIJ in 1994, the same year that I joined IBON Foundation, an independent research think-tank. We somehow renewed our friendship when I helped in the PCIJ’s training for journalists on computer-assisted reporting in Baguio, Cebu and Davao, after which I co-authored PCIJ’s The Electronic Trail which was nominated for the 1998 National Book Awards.

During late-night gimmicks after our training, we shared stories about the fun times we had at Kule. Yes, the friendship was still there but we somehow grew apart.

Perhaps it was due to political differences. Being familiar with each other’s post-Kule writings, we were aware of each other’s convictions that put us on different pages of pursuing both journalism and social change. Unlike in our student days, I was not able to talk to him like a kasama (comrade). (Even at the risk of speculation, you can blame it on the unwritten rule among former comrades not to talk about IPO lest civility be replaced by hostility.)

I learned about Alecks’ serious liver ailment in the early part of 2009. But I already noticed that he had lost weight when I saw him at the awarding ceremonies of the 4th PopDev on November 25, 2008 at Gateway Mall in Cubao where PCIJ was an awardee and I was one of the judges.

We talked for a while and he flashed an enigmatic smile. Had I known that it would be my last time to see him (and that his death would come a year later), I would have introduced him to my wife Joy so that she could finally meet my best friend in college.

The strong rains (and the consequent flooding it brought about in Marikina where I live) prevented me and Joy from attending Kule’s reunion (which served as a fundraising for him) last July 17. I sent a message to Alecks through FB asking him if it’s possible for us to meet before I return to Korea. He gave me a short reply (July 23, 7:08 p.m.): “Salamat, Danny. Sayang nga at wala ka sa reunion. Sige. Kailan ba balik mo sa Korea?” (Thanks, Danny. It’s indeed unfortunate that you were not at the reunion. Sure. When will you be back in Korea?)

I now write this in the middle of the fall semester in Korea, regretting that I did not see him before I left the Philippines. My biggest regret, of course, is not being able to pay my respects for very obvious reasons. I take consolation from the fact that I am not alone in grieving over his untimely death. With the number of lives he had touched in his 42 years of meaningful existence, I am certain that they are grieving as much as I am, if not even more.

Goodbye, Alecks. And don’t worry about your other secrets (especially your lovelife in college). They’re safe with me (I think!).

Definition of terms:

• Alecks – real name: Alexander Pardo Pabico (April 19, 1967-October 7, 2009)
• Acads – academic work
• CPD – Council for People’s Development
• CDRC – Citizens Disaster Response Center
• EB – editorial board of Kule composed of the editor-in-chief, managing editor and the section editors (news, features, kultura)
• FB – Facebook, a social networking site
• IPO – ideology, politics and organization
• Kule – Philippine Collegian, official student publication of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman
• Newsie – a member of Kule’s news section
• NGO – non-government organization; provides support to a PO
• PCIJ – Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
• PO – people’s organization; a community-based, grassroots organization
• PopDev – Population and Development Media Awards organized by the Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc. (PLCPD)
• TABAK – Tunay na Alyansa ng Bayan Alay sa Katutubo (Genuine Alliance of the Nation for the Indigenous Peoples)
• UPLB – University of the Philippines in Los Baños

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
5 October 2009
Hannam University – Linton Global College

2 Tenure-track Faculty Positions

1 position in the Global Business Department
1 position in the Global Communication & Culture Department

Positions anticipated to begin: March 1, 2010

Application screening begins: October 26, 2009 – Open until filled

Hannam University is a private Christian school located in Daejeon, South Korea with about 15,000 students. Hannam’s 4½ year-old Linton Global College is the first home-grown college in Korea to be administered by an all native-speaker faculty & staff. Growth is expected rapidly in the next few years with each new freshman class, international exchange students and added majors. Our target is 400 students from 15 countries by 2015. Students at Linton Global College are immersed in English-only classes and live during the week in an English-only dormitory. The administration recognizes that the success of our program is dependent upon the quality of our faculty and staff.

We invite your application if you are an educational pioneer who enjoys educating college-level adults and has a professional commitment to developing quality students with creativity and integrity within a sincere Christian environment.

Responsibilities:

• Teach a minimum of 9 hours a week. Additional hours are paid at overtime rates.
• Regular research and publishing of academic papers.
• Contribute to curriculum development.
• Participate in weekly faculty & staff meetings.
• Offer standard office hours.
• Conduct bi-annual student interviewing & advising.
• Willingness to serve in an administrative capacity.

Required Qualifications:

• Fluency in English
• Citizenship other than Korean
• Earned Ph.D. in Business/Communication or related major.
• 2 years of teaching experience at the university level.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated excellence in college-level teaching
• Demonstrated excellence in scholarly activity
• Experience collaborating with university faculty
• A history of active involvement in state, regional, and national professional organizations
• Experience in integrating technology into teaching and learning
• Experience with diverse populations in school settings
• Experience in Asia
• An understanding of Korean culture
• Enthusiasm for our mission, vision, and core values
• The ability to facilitate collaborative problem solving
• The willingness to inspire responsible risk taking
• Knowledge about assessment systems that improve teaching and learning
• Strong human relations and communication skills
• A willingness to grow and nurture the growth of a new school

Salary Range and Application Procedures:

• This is a tenure-track appointment.
• Salary is calculated according to the degree level, university teaching experience, and relevant work experience.

Example #1 – Ph.D. + 2 years teaching experience = about 57,300,000 Korean won per year
Example #2 – Ph.D. + 10 years teaching experience = about 68,000,000 Korean won per year
Note: International earning figures should not be compared at face value. Saving potential is the most relevant factor. The cost of living in Korea makes it possible for a single person to save 40-80% of net income depending on lifestyle.

• 50% of monthly health insurance premiums paid by the university.
• 50% of monthly pension contribution paid by the university.
• Assistance in locating housing. (Subsidized housing not provided for tenure-track faculty).

Please send via email to Linton Global College Coordinating Staff – Irobeth Rago at lintonglobalcollege [at] gmail [dot] com : 1) a cover letter, 2) a comprehensive CV, 3) three letters of recommendation, 4) two examples of scholarly work, and 5) a copy of university transcripts. A confirmation will be sent immediately upon receiving your application. You will be notified if you are selected as a candidate within 2 weeks of receipt of your application.

Contact Information:

Irobeth Rago, Coordinating Staff
Hannam University – Linton Global College
Department of Global Communication Arts
133 Ojeong-dong, Daedeok-gu
Daejeon 306-791 Korea
TEL: 82-42-629-8501
FAX: 82-42-629-8502
lintonglobalcollege [at] gmail [dot] com
http://globalcollege.hannam.ac.kr

I apologize in advance if you think I am abusing our friendship or professional relationship. But these are very troubling times in the Philippines that is continuously hit by disasters both natural and human-made. At this point, I have no choice but to ask for your help.

You may already know about Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) that hit the Philippines last September 26 and is now wreaking havoc in Vietnam.

As of this writing, more than 250 Filipinos have died and about 500,000 have been rendered homeless. More casualties are expected as search and recovery operations continue.

One of the hardest hit cities was Marikina where I live. Around 80% of my city got reportedly submerged in water as high as six meters. But please do not be concerned about me or my wife Joy. Our village (Marikina Heights) is located on higher ground so our house was fortunately spared from the wrath of the typhoon.

Despite our fortunate situation, I still got worried when all communications were cut off (along with the power) during the peak of the typhoon last Saturday (September 26, incidentally my mother’s birthday). As you know, I am currently on special detail here in Hannam University in South Korea and I wasn’t able to sleep due to the mixed feelings of anxiety and helplessness.

My wife may be safe, but I can’t say the same for many friends and colleagues who did not only lose their hard-earned properties but also their loved ones.

I can tell you several stories of heroism and tragedy due to the typhoon. I can also tell you about the sheer incompetence of the government and some politicians who are capitalizing on the tragedy in time for the 2010 elections.

But all I can relay right now is an appeal for help from you and your other concerned friends. It’s obviously not for me, but for the others who have lost a lot as a result of a disaster both natural (typhoon) and human-made (government). As you may know by now, more than 250 Filipinos have died and about 1.8 million were estimated to have been affected by the flood.

I write this letter to appeal to your generosity by donating any amount, not to me but to the less fortunate Filipinos who are not only grieving for the loss of their loved ones but are also trying to start life anew.

There are many ways to help, and I hope you and your friends can send anything through credible agencies like the Philippine National Red Cross. Trust me, you shouldn’t send anything to the Philippine government as it would end up in the pockets of the select moneyed few.

You do not need to give me whatever you’re willing to donate. The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Philippine National Red Cross could accept donations through bank transfers and even PayPal.

I admit I’m a bit embarrassed to do this. But please understand that I live in a Third World country and we need all the help we could get at this time of need.

Thank you for reading this short message and I wish you all the best.

Danny

P.S. – If you have friends in Vietnam, I suggest that you check up on them as Typhoon Ketsana is currently wreaking havoc there. Thanks!

Ditto

Outwitting Robbers
By Judith L. Balean-Arao

I happened to share a ride with an officemate who is also a fellow Bicolana this morning. We were on our way to the office. As we shared some details of our past activities, she told me a disturbing story that happened to her colleague.

It turns out that a colleague from her department was held up by two armed men inside an FX (an airconditioned public utility vehicle) at around 7:00 a.m. near Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City. They got into the FX near EDSA (Epifanio delos Santos Avenue) and announced the hold-up near the church. They told the driver to turn right on the street before the church. After that, they ordered the passengers to open their bags and take out their wallets and mobile phones. These were the only items they took from the passengers before they got off the vehicle.

The colleague of the person I was talking to had just withdrawn a huge amount of money to pay for the tuition of her children, bills and other expenses. She had made it a point to put the money allotted for each bill in its respective envelope. Fortunately, she forgot to transfer her P6,000 shopping money from her coin purse to a bigger wallet. This bigger wallet where she puts in receipts, doctors’ prescriptions, notes/reminders, among others, was the one that the robbers took. She had a separate case for her cards that was also spared. While rushing from her house to get a ride to report for work, she had just kept her empty-battery mobile phone inside the pocket of her pants. And the phone was spared! She was indeed very lucky that day.

What can we learn from the story? One, hold-ups can happen any time of the day, even in the morning. Two, distribute your money so that it would be impossible for robbers to steal it from you. Three, put your mobile phones in silent mode or switch it off while commuting. Four, believe in your instinct. And five, be vigilant and always be wary of suspicious individuals with whom you are sharing a ride.

If your instinct tells you that something might be wrong, then by all means get off the vehicle or create a commotion to attract other people or the authorities.