on deanship (of UP Tacloban)

Compensating for the cost

One is closer to God and the other is creative and imaginative. At this juncture, what are the gains and losses that the college undergone in the eighth deanship selection?

Dr. Virgildo E. Sabalo, our new dean, obtained a bachelor's degree in agribusiness from the Visayas State College of Agriculture-Baybay, Leyte. He got a master's degree in Business Management from the college and a PH.D. in human resource management from the University of San Jose-Recoletos in ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Cebu City. He has held adiministrative positions in the college. He is the Associate Dean to Dean Marieta Sumagaysay (2003-2006).

Dr. Victorio N. Sugbo, the contender, is a highest ranking professor in in the college with many papers, creative works and books published in the country and abroad. He holds a PH.D. in communications and master's degrees in the teaching of English (as a second language) and in industrial relations from UP Diliman. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Political Science (magna cum laude) from the Divine Word University. He held administrative posts in the college, too.
In retrospect, the committee completed the evaluation of the nominees' credentials and announced the eligibility of Dr. Sabalo and Dr. Sugbo on the third day of August. It enjoined all UPVTC constituents to attend the vision paper presentation on August 14, as well as the sectoral consultations that followed. "Dr. Sabalo's nominators include around twenty faculty led by Dr. Sumagaysay, some administrative staff, alumni, and students. Dr. Sugbo's sole nominator was in the person of Prof. Merlie Alunan [of the Division of Humanities]," Mongaya, the student representative of the Search Committee, disclosed to the Vista.
UP President Emerlinda Roman said that although both of the nominees are highly qualified and competent, the decision favored Dr. Sabalo because they see him as more suited in their plans for the university.
The qualifications in the dean selection encompass:
1.) Commitment to academic freedom and the values and ideals of the University;
2.) Distinction or outstanding academic credentials in the nominee's chosen field of expertise which should be along the lines of the College's discipline or fields;
3.) Leadership qualities and administrative or managerial capability; and,
4.) Should consider resource generation as an important function of the position.

Those who claim to be neutral evaluate the dean selection process through the qualifications. Both competitors have the commitment to academic freedom and the values and the ideals of the University (Qualification no. 1). Sabalo has managerial and resource generation capability (Qualification nos. 3 & 4). Sugbo has outstanding academic credentials compared to that of Sabalo's (Qualification no. 2). But it is not along the lines of the College's plans as confirmed by Pres. Roman. They insist that the decision favored Sabalo because of his resource generation ability. It is in line with the Arroyo administration's anti-people policy of abandoning the education sector to commercialization. One of the items in the guidelines for dean selection is a nominee's credentials/capability for income generation.

The Chancellor decides on who to recommend, partly on the basis of the search committee findings. The decision, however, will come solely from the UPV Chancellor Glenn Aguilar regardless of the committee findings. During the BOR meeting on November 25 held in MacArtur Beach Resort, Palo, the decision was 7-2 in favor of Dr. Sabalo.

Even after the announcement of the deanship results, disorder and factionalism still set in. The supporters of the each nominee back up their claims that their choice deserves the position. Students are caught between the two contending sides. Sabalo adherents affirm that their leader is the one best suited to the position. He has the managerial abilities; he has held key positions in the college. His appointment as the eighth dean of UPVTC is no luck. Sugbo supporters, on the other hand, dispute over the decision of the BOR and the Chancellor because they insist that leader need to have authority over his colleagues. For a leader to have authority he has to be superior in terms of capabilities. After all, a leader is supposedly chosen because he stands out.

Does Dr. Sabalo really possess most of the qualifications? Is being closer to God enough? He has the three years to prove us otherwise.

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another essay

Killing spree

How would you like to die? To be eaten by a shark in one bite or be hacked by a saw in pieces? Either of the two would be a lot fairer than be exterminated because of mere speculation. This is exactly what is happening now. Thousands of innocent civilians are being killed every day because of Arroyo's "war on terror". The Arroyo regime is proving to be worse than the dark days of Martial Law.

Under the US-Arroyo regime, the highest number of political killings was recorded. Most of the victims were human rights advocates, priests, lawyers, journalists and activists but a large number of the victims are innocent civillians.

Arroyo never condemned these political killings. It is only just recently that she was forced to release a statement as regards the said killings due to pressure from the international community. Ironically, the President heaved lavish praises upon Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, Jr. who we know is a killing machine in her Plan-for-the-Nation Address last July 24, (She did not articulate the state of the country). She commended Palparan for his so-called successful anti-terror campaigns. It can be remembered however that Palparan terrorized ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Mindoro Island, Eastern Visayas and later Central Luzon leaving numerous cases of human rights violations under his command.
The Parallels of the Marcos & Arroyo Regime
US Arroyo Ngayon… US Marcos Noon…
Total war Martial Law
Æ Æ
Strong Republic New Society
Æ Æ
State Terrorism & State Fascism &
Militarization Militarization
= =
Systematic Human Gross Human
Rights Violations Rights Violations

Source:KATUNGOD-SB

The killings and abductions are frequent, weekly if not daily, all over the country. The Arroyo administration is undoubtedly the perpetrator. The staggering statistics of human rights violations in our country attracted sympathy from the international community. Turkish attorney Hakkan Karakus, president of the International Association of Peoples' Lawyers (IAPL), grieved over the assassination of Bayan Muna member Atty. Fidelito Dacut of this city. Those defend the victims have become victims themselves. Arroyo's guilt was scrutinized by a trial endorsed by more than a hundred international personalities and institutions, including former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) academician and linguist Noam Chomsky, and former Justice of the Supreme Court of India Jittendra Sharma.

These killings rose in concurrence with the political crisis plaguing the Arroyo presidency. The violations were deemed as worse than what happened since the Marcos years.

Instead of allocating greater budget for education and basic social services, Arroyo chooses to prioritize military spending in her grandiose plan to supposedly quash insurgency. However, it is not news about military raids on the CPP-NPA that we hear everyday. What we see in the papers each day is the rising toll of human rights violations and poltical killings. The youth is not excused from such violations on human rights. Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan of UP Diliman are just two of the numerous victims of the counterinsurgency program launched by the government.

As of this writing, there are 756 victims of political killings. But we are sure the count does not end there. This points to death squads formed under Oplan Bantay Laya. Ironic as it seems, those who are expected to promote the welfare of the Filipinos are the number one violators.

This is a continuing threat we should guard against; because the impeachment complaint against Arroyo was junked. As long as she clings to the Presidency that is not hers in the first place, she will persist on tormenting our lives.

We should not be afraid of dying, though. To die is not an ill-fated experience, to die without giving a fight is worse.

###

Source: Bulatlat.com

on the elections

Trapo sa eleksyon
ni jan & george

Marumi. Nakakadiri. Wala nang maniniwala ngayon na malinis ang pulitika. Ang eleksyon kasi sa panahong ito ay labanan sa pagitan ng prinsipyo at pera. At kapag magsalita na ang pera, tumatahimik ang prinsipyo. Anupa't babaha na naman ng salapi. Kwartang ninakaw ng mga politiko sa kaban ng bayan kaya ang mga mamamayan ay tumatanggap ng pera kasi ito naman ay galing sa kanila.
Dati pa, tahimik na akong nagngingitngit sa mga politiko ng ating bansa o kaya sa mga taong bumuboto sa kanila. Lahat na lang na maisip kong posibleng masisisi sa papalalang sitwasyon ng ating bansa isinisisi ko. Sa tuwing papalapit ang eleksiyon, nahahati sa dalawa ang pananaw ng mga tao. May mga naniniwala pa rin sa mga pangako ng mga politiko dahil sa matatamis nilang mga dila. Itinuturing silang pag-asa, na mag-aahon sa kanila mula sa abang kalagayan. Sa kabilang dako, may mga mulat na sawang-sawa sa mga litanya ng mga politiko sa tuwing nagtatalumpati sa entablado. Tiyak ko ring pinanabikan ng mga trapo ang panahong ito.
Kagaya ng ibang trabaho, may katangiang kailangan para makasabak sa mundo ng pulitika – ang apat na "k" ng mga trapo: Kwarta, Koneksyon, Kasinungalingan at Kapal ng mukha. Kailangan nilang paghandaan ang mga bagay na magiging basehan ng pagkapanalo nila. Hindi na bago sa mga trapo ang pagbibigay ng pera sa mga botante. Sa pamamagitan ng kanilang koneksyon, mapapadali ang pagkumbinse sa mga botante. Sa pagdating ng miting de avance dapat din niyang ihanda ang litanyang sasambitin para makumbinse ang mamamayan na siya ang nararapat piliin sa mga kandidato. At sa bandang huli, dapat makapal ang kanyang mukha upang harapin ang mga naniwala sa kanyang sinseridad ngunit kanya lamang binigo.
Isa lang ang sigurado ngayong palapit na ang botohan, lahat ay gagawin ng mga kandidato. Ilang buwan pa lamang, napapanood natin sa telebisyon ang balita tungkol sa mga pinaslang na mga politiko. Ang hidwaang ito ay hindi lang sa pagitan ng mga politiko at kalaban niyang mga politiko rin. Ang mga mamamayan ay nanganganib ang buhay dahil pinapaslang lamang ang mga kritiko ng mga pulitiko.
At ngayon, isa na ako sa mahalagang pwersa na magdedesisyon sa kapakanan ng Pilipinas sa Mayo. Hindi na bilang tagapagmasid lamang. Tagapagmasid sa kinahihinatnan ng ating bayan. Nakaatang sa ating mga balikat ang malaking responsibilidad bilang mamamayang Pilipino. Kasali na tayo sa magluluklok sa mga uupo sa poder ng gobyerno. Sana hindi masayang ang ating mga boto.
Hindi ko pa naman binibigyang-wakas ang aking paniniwala na balang araw pagbabago ay makakamtan din. Umaasa pa rin akong mababaliktad pa ang tatsulok. Sana maging kritikal sa pagpili ang mga botante at hindi nila ibase sa kakarampot na pera na ibibigay ng mga kandidato na nagsisilbing piring at busal sa mga nakakatanggap.

###

another poem

The Shell

I pick the splendid shell from the shore
And place it in my heart
Then, it falls.
As I stoop to get it
The waves come crashing
And take the shell away.

a poem

No "us" only "you and me"
for my most beloved

You gleam in the heavens
When I take a respite
As I start to ascend
you depart from
the sky.

an essay

A Promdi's Paradise

I dream constantly of vast greens. The alarm went off. It was time for me to follow religiously my routine of waking up at 6am or 6:30 when laziness stops me from getting up. Then, I would go to the bathroom to take a bath. After that, I would dress up, prepare for school and eat. Next, I would board a jeep bound for school; follow my class schedule. After class, I would go to my boarding house, eat, read a little and sleep. This cycle will repeat as days went by.
The sun burst on the horizon, accompanied with air filled with mist. The twittering of the birds on the trees—
Beep…Beep! The blowing of the horn of the tricycle made me come to my senses. The thought vanished. I hastily crossed the street in the downtown area. I was irritated by the intrusion of the tricycle driver. Noise has never been a good friend of mine. I would always complain about it that one of my batch mates suggested it would be best if I live in the woods.
The coconut trees swayed gently to the rhythm of the whisper of the humid air. Down below the hills, many people were gathered in the rice fields. I was under the sun perspiring heavily; walking barefoot on clay on the way to the rice field adjacent to the foot of the first hill. It was harvest time.
The fire truck in the fire department, along Justice Romualdez St.(Tacloban City) buzzed; it was twelve noon. My stomach made a strange sound synchronized with the buzzer. I was hungry. I had only an hour left before 1pm—a class must be attended. I looked at the stocks I bought at a grocery store. Pancit canton, beef loaf, corned beef, etc.: typical instant foods nourishing busy students. Eating instant foods had become my habit. Sometimes, my taste buds resist theses foods. I went out of the boarding house to look for a carenderia—fried fish for P15, vegetable for P5 and beefsteak for P25. At least carenderia offers a variety. But home-cooked meal is still the best.
My mother sent me for an errand. I had to buy fish I the town market. I spotted a fresh blue marlin. I bought it immediately. Then, I went home to clean the fish and fry it.
Fresh foods are in abundance in my town. Afar cry from the frozen fishes sold at the city market. In my hometown, any individual could just go out to the sea and fish. The fishes caught could be made into a delicious viand with just tanglad, libas and other spices and mixed it with salt. Such is the provincial way of life: simple but happy.
The fifteenth of this certain month was fast approaching. I was obliged to pay for the rent fee of my boarding house. Definitely, it was not a home away from home. Water was a bog problem in most of the boarding houses, it still is. Students have to fall in line waiting for the water to flow from the faucet. The dripping of the water would annoy anyone because it takes much time for someone to have a fill of his pail. At nighttime, boarding houses is in complete disorder. Some diligent student could not concentrate on studying. The putting out of lights at bedtime is also an issue. Some like the lights turned on when they are asleep while others do not.
I am one of the students dreaming of the comforts of their home. No board mates to adjust to, no rent fees to pay for. My mind traveled for miles…
Waves were splashing on the shore. Everything under the sun was glistening. The coconut trees swayed with the winds. I was under a coconut tree facing the sea, contemplating on the joy that simple things bring. The beach was captivating, indeed!
After a few minutes, dark clouds hung above. The rain threatened to interrupt my solitude.
The rain fell hard. I awoke and turned the electric fan off. I looked at the clock feature in my cellphone; it was 5:34am. All I heard was raindrops. The steady rhythm of the rain took me to Lumayon river.
The rain was as light as a spray. My batch mates and I ignored the rain. It tokk us a twenty-minute trek from the town proper to this river, but it was worth it. With its turquoise waters, Lumayon was a sight to behold. We dipped in its cool waters; splashed anybody who just stood on the river bank.
Time was ticking away fast. The tick-tock of the clock was so loud. It served as a reminder of the worse things to come…
The nostalgia I felt was replaced with horror. The scenes in my mind blurred. After a few seconds of seeing nothingness, horrible pictures materialized in my mind: Lumayon was scattered with garbage, decaying pests, and other disgusting things; the seawater was colored dark brown; the coconut trees were cut down; fishes floated on the water, some were strangled with brown weeds; subdivisions took the place of the rice fields; no living things could be seen. The place seemed to be a ghost town. Then, a thought struck me—where was I when this terrible thing occurred? Was it premonition? I do not know.
Change is inevitable. There will come a time when my hometown will be urbanized: buildings will be scattered in its vicinity; jeepneys, multicabs will be roaming the streets, polluting the place with black smoke. But how far would we, the residents, gamble in the name of industrialization? Years from now the hometown I admired will turn into a city. What are the benefits? Do theses benefits outweigh the sacrifices to be made?
My roommate awakened me. I was panting when I woke up. Beads of sweat rolled down my forehead. I had nightmares lately and they keep on coming. My troubled mind made me restless. When will those demons depart? It was the question of a coward. The right thing for me to do was tame these demons lurking in the dark recesses of my mind. Anyway, why am I so concerned of my hometown? Why was I so involved with the thought that I was not able to control the fears flowing through my veins?
Way back then, my innocence deceived me into wishing of living a city life. The thought that I will someday lead that kind of life put me to sleep at night with a smile on my face. Now, theses thoughts bother my sleep. I think of my self as a misfit to city life. I was mistaken when I assumed that I belong to the city. I was completely wrong.
One night, the vast greens whispered its secret to me. It was helpless hence it cannot save itself. It emerged from its prison made of tarnished iron. From out of nowhere, fire came into view. It slowly ate up the vast greens. The howling was getting louder and louder. Then, morning came.
The dawn brought hope. I continued to live my life as it was before. I ignored those troubling thoughts. I do not want to burden myself anymore. Those demons vanished and I stopped dreaming of vast greens. I became apathetic. I was able to convince my self that it was just a bad dream. I must take courage in fighting those thoughts. I owe myself a rest.
For months now, the vast greens seemed to be a thing of the past. But one night, I saw the vast greens running away from me. I was not able to recognize it at first but its form betrayed it. I ran after it with all my might until I fell down. That was then I admit to myself that I missed the vast greens.
Now I want to go home because I missed Arteche, Eastern Samar, my hometown—my paradise.

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February 2006