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27Nov/092

Statement of the UP Manila Political Science Committee on the massacre in Maguindanao

26 November 2009

The UP Manila Political Science Committee condemns in the strongest possible terms the latest case of election violence in Maguindanao.

November 23 will go down in history as a day of unparalleled evil and barbarity. More than 50 unarmed individuals, mostly women, media workers, lawyers and members of the Mangudadatu clan, were butchered in an attempt to preserve what appears to be a monolithic kingdom ruled by the Ampatuans in Maguindanao.

The massacre in Maguindanao comes as a shock to Filipinos and the rest of the world and happened in a time that has long forgone Stone Age barbarism and arbitrariness for rule of law and due process.

The brutal killings did not only reveal the extent of lawless violence in several areas in the country but bare the bigger tragedy in Philippine politics – the continuing supremacy of established political clans who act as impervious and invincible gods. It’s further proof that nothing has essentially changed and that the country remains a confederacy of fiefs ‘owned’ by a few affluent families.

The overconcentration of power in the hands of political dynasties has been sustained and reinforced by brokerage-style politics that has come to characterize the current regime.

Political patronage allowed warlordism and a culture of impunity to thrive in Maguindanao and other parts of the country in exchange for political support from the Ampatuans and other influential political clans for the vulnerable Arroyo presidency. Since 2001, the Ampatuans intermittently ruled the province and were largely credited for delivering the votes for Mrs. Arroyo in the 2004 presidential elections and giving the administration ticket a 12-0 win in the 2007 senatorial race.

As we grieve with the victims’ families and call for immediate justice, we also denounce the evident attempts of Malacanang to shield the Ampatuans from accountability. The failure of the Arroyo administration to act swiftly displays the government’s duplicity in bringing the perpetrators to justice. The mere fact that the government chose to send emissaries to the Ampatuans and not arresting officers despite clear evidence that indicate the involvement of specific persons shows its double standard and preferential treatment for its political ally.

We call on all Filipinos to remain vigilant. The gruesome massacre presages the possible escalation of cases of election violence and echoes circumstances that led to the fraudulent elections in 2004 and 2007. It poses a huge threat on the conduct and credibility of the upcoming automated elections and opens an opportunity for individuals and groups who want and stand to benefit in a no-election scenario.

We also call on Congress to pass pending measures prohibiting all forms of political dynasties and laying the foundations for genuine participatory democracy that provides equal opportunity for public service. ###

Popularity: 3% [?]

Tagged as: ampatuans, and, Arts, CAS, college, deparment, DSS, maguindanao, massacre, of, political, polsci, PS, science, social, statement, up, UP Manila, upm 2 Comments

30Oct/0910

Of Planners and Plans

Next semester, I have been planning to do many things. I even asked my friend Des Santos to make a deal that one has to follow its to do list religiously. A fine should be given if the list will not be followed. One of the things in this list is to use my planner religiously. I'm liking the word religiously. I actually have two planners for this year. I was able to use them but I got tired that I stopped using them after a good three months. I was disappointed. I want the OC Planner type of person.

UP Planner

I own a planner by the UP Diliman Centennial University Student Council. I bought it for 350 pesos or 400 pesos? I can't remember. I have this mild memory loss when it comes to prices. Its actually good and formal. Not very formal, just executive-ish.

UP Planner

I can't find a picture of a real sample of the planner in the net. I'm too lazy to take pictures of it and upload it on PC. It's just too complicated. I was able to use it as a journal. It served as a diary of some sort for me. It also served as my accounts sheet. I wrote my daily and future expenses there. I also tried to collect all the receipts just to make sure that all is written. But when my expenses got complicated and I can't keep track of my transactions, I stopped using this. Its easy to be lazy.

Blogberry Planner

I also own a planner from the Stradmore. Des Santos convinced me to buy this planner because it's suited to college students. I was convinced even if it meant another unnecessary expense for me. The looks and the features inside are so tempting. I bought the Stradmore's Blogberry University Lifestyle Planner. Its about 300 or 400 pesos. I can't remember.

Blogberry University Lifestyle Planner (Stradmore)

It's distributed by the ever-reliable National Bookstore. I bought the green one because it's my favorite color. I used it as my scheduler and my goal planner. It's useful for students because it's patterned after the academic year. I write my 'goals to achieve' here. After a month, I will do a self-evaluation. Its quite fulfilling. But it requires a lot of work. I'm too lazy to do it every now and then. After two months, I stopped. I realized I can't maintain a journal or a planner. Saaaad. But I will try to change that lifestyle next semester. This has to be a planner semester.

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I have been thinking also if I should work again as a student assistant. This time, I want to work in the Graduate Program Office of the College of Arts and Science or GPAS. I need to buy a new phone. My current phone reboots itself whenever it wants to. It also has this 'sim card registration failed' syndrome. I hate this phone but I can't buy a replacement. I still have a spare phone as part of my postpaid freebie but that phone is like a stone age phone. It hangs whenever I tried to send multiple messages. It sucks. Talking about my postpaid. I'm trying to control myself because my previous bill is 1,700 pesos. I pay my own bills. I can't maintain a plan like that. Anyway, let's all enjoy our semestralbreak!

I plan not to go to the memorial park this coming all soul's/saint's day. I'm not convinced why do I have to visit them.

The Ilustrado

Popularity: 3% [?]

Tagged as: 2009, 2010, all saint's, all soul's, Arts, assistant, blogberry, cellphone, college, day, globe, GPAS, graduate, lifestyle, memorial, Office, park, plan, Planner, postpaid, program, rebooting, science, stradmore, Student, undas, university, up, USC 10 Comments

26Apr/098

006-010

006. Student Assistant

I'm currently a Student Assistant in the best department in UP Manila, Department of Social Science. (Hahahaaa! :D) Its not that hard naman though ang haba ng working hours. This is for summer lang naman, hopefully. I have to answer the telephone every now and then (which is so fun!), to distribute/release class cards to those who are so masipag to get them, to deliver outgoing files to their right places, to inform professors of something or sometimes everything, to supervise/manage the reservation of DSS' equipments and of course, to do anything that they want me to do. I applied for the student assistanship because I will be in school rin naman for most of the summer dahil FBC na ako. :D

007. FBC

Yeapp. I'm a Freshman Block Coordinator na. I'll be handling the BioChemistry block (WTF!) and i'll also help them adjust to college life (Awww). I will also help them finish their Physical and Dental Examination and their Enrolment. In short, I'll be with them most of their freshman days. Hahahaha! :D What a punishment for them! Hahaha. XD

008. CS

I'm so happy that I finally achieved something after my elementary days. Hahaa. This is a surprise for me because I got 4.0 in my Math 11. Luckily, I've passed the removal exams. At parang hindi pa ako masaya, ginawa pa akong CS. To all those na non-UP students, CS stands for College Scholar which is the same as the Dean's Lister in other Universities. :D Am i over-celebrating?

009. The Effing 'Fourth Way'

Eff. Talagang walang kinabukasan ang Pilipinas sa set of legislators natin ngayon sa House of Representatives. WTF! House Resolution 737 and 1109 are craps. I understand a handful of things naman. Hahaaa. Changing the economic provision to benefit the foreigners is not a good idea, its like selling the Philippines to other countries. Soon it will be Philippines run by the Japanese or the Americans. (The Republic of the Philippines by the Government of Japan/America) Hahaaa. XD As if hindi pa bad idea ang pag-change sa economic provision, gumawa pa kayo ng FOUTH WAY. Eff! Bicameral ang Congress natin. Elementary pa lang, alam na yan.

010. DLSU College of Law

Let's see after five years. :D Maganda naman ang roster of faculty.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Tagged as: 1109, 737, arguelles, assistant, BioChemistry, Change, Charter, college, Congress, CS, Dean's, DLSU, DSS, Economic, FBC, FBCP, Fourth, House, Lister, manila, of, of Law, OSA, PDE, personal, Philippines, Provision, Representatives, Resoulution, Scholar, Student, up, Way 8 Comments

9Apr/090

Branded Nation: The Marketing of MegaChurch, College Inc., and Museumworld

Category:	Books
Genre:	Reference
Author:	James Twitchell

This is a deviation from my interest. Haha. :D Surprisingly, the author is not Michael Crichton. It's James Twitchell. James Twitchell's style in writing is very interesting. It is not technical nor very non-technical. Haha. It allows the reader to be excited and to maintain their interest on the topic but at the same time to acquire deep knowledge and good understanding of the topic. James is witty, funny but also dense.

The book is about the marketing of the Churches, Education and Museum as a commodity and the way, us, the consumers accepts it. Twitchell's insightful explanations of the marketing strategies of the three domain are very interesting and very real since his insights are not far from what is really happening.

If you are an outsider in Marketing, this book is a real blast. But those who are in the field would find it boring since it states the obvious.

Read this and you will not look at Churches, Universities and Museums the same way again. Though this 300-page book can be easily reduced to a 30-page book, it is still interesting to read.

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4 out of 5. :D

Popularity: 1% [?]

Tagged as: branded, churhces, college, inc., james, marketing, megachurch, musuemworld, Nation, of, review, the, twitchell No Comments

16Aug/080

Quit Mode. Quit Dancing?

I'm feeling super tired dis past few days. College is alot harder than high school as they say pero i thought a little harder lang. When i was in high school i used to stay up to 1am when teachers bombards us with homeworks but now 2am is nothing but an everyday routine at kulang pa dahil hindi mo pa matatapos yung iba.

I think some of my blockmates do not experience this pagod especially for those na walang org or any affiliation. Yung trainings sa indayog mejo nag tatake ng time talaga tska mejo nakakapagod rin sya in a sense na hindi mo magawa yung dapat gawin. After class, training, after training, home, after eating dinner, homeworks, endless works, nakakapagod lang.

Pero i'm not yet 100 percent sure kung dapat bang mga quit na sa indayog dahil mejo na s2tress ako. Kasi kapag nag quit ako, opportunity wasted, tapos yung feeling of being able to dance mawawala, yung passion ko di ko ma fu2llfil, ang hirap iwanan yung bagay na gusto mo. Another thing kung bakit iniisip ko mag quit eh kasi my mom and I, hanggang ngayon may conflict kami. Concern kasi sya masyado sa acads ko, palagi nyang pinapakita sakin yung grades nya to remind me na asa UP ako for me to study not to move my body.

This recent week, wala akong kahit anong training hours dahil nag iisip talaga ako kung ano ba dapat kung gawin. After class, I usually go home na for relaxation. I sleep then watch television. Minsan naman dumadaan pakong bookstore to find a book that could advice me for college survivals, ayoko kasing magkamali sa decision ko. Nag work naman sya ng konti sa akin kasi medyo nakapag relax ako. If i will continue to attend training sessions, i'll end up being frustrated na naman at stressed. Yeah, indayog has a real atmosphere of frustrations talaga kasi lahat ng makikita mong gusto mong gawin, hindi mo magawa.

Its not on the people naman or the indayog, its about me, i've been absorbing things wrongly. I'm not thinking the brighter way. Dapat kasi kapag nakikita ko sila na may nagagawa na gusto ko ring gawin, dapat yun ay magiging inspiration to strive harder, to attend trainings frequently para matutunan. Madali kasing sumuko si cleve. Arrrgggg. Bakit kaya suko na kagad ako? Ambilis. ttttsssssskkkkk...

Let me fly.

"Kapag di ka makapag decide sa isang bagay, mag toss coin ka, maririnig mo na lang yung sarili mo kung ano ba talagang gusto mo"

Popularity: 1% [?]

Tagged as: arguelles, college, Indayog, personal, pol scie, survival, up, upm No Comments

6Jul/080

UP won!

It was a fresh victory for UP Fighting Maroons Men's Basketball Team on their first game on the 71st season of UAAP. UP was expected to win since NU Bulldogs were a no-match to hungry players of UP Fighting Maroons. Most members of the UAAP commitee agreed on that thing as they were interviewed after the game. "Ang UP Centennial nila, naghanda yan, hindi basta basta magpapabaya." Taken from an interview with one of the commitees.

People haven’t forgotten their winless performance last year, and have used this to dismiss this squad as this generation’s version of last generation’s NU. However, the UAAP has a way of turning the tables on unsuspecting individuals.

A simple win is good, a couple of wins is momentous, but getting into the Final Four is nothing but a miracle for the men's basketball team of UP Fighting Maroons. he ya! Mananalo kami! ASA. =)

Too bad ADMU won. T_T Animo LA SALLE!

UP FIGHT!

[matatapang, matatalino, walang takot

kahit kanino, hinding hindi magpapahuli..

ganyan kaming mga taga UP!]

Popularity: 3% [?]