Posts published during April, 2009

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April 22, 2009

Around Old & Downtown Manila (Part 3)

After walking along the Pasig River, we decided to cross Jones Bridge and go to Intramuros, where we stopped by the Manila Cathedral and Plaza de Roma. It was a relatively long walk, though there wasn’t much traffic at all since it was a Sunday.

Manila Cathedral is the seat of the Archdiocese of Manila, which, during the Spanish occupation had jurisdiction over the entire archipelago. Fronting the Manila Cathedral is Plaza de Roma with a statue of King Carlos IV of Spain. At the southwest side of Plaza de Roma is Palacio del Gobernador, which used to be the seat of the Spanish Governor General of the Philippines. It now houses several government offices.

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April 21, 2009

MAKABAYAN Launching

I’m reposting below a news release with regard to the launching of MAKABAYAN (Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan) coalition party last week, of which Kabataang Pinoy is a part of.

Progressives launch new coalition party

Heeding the clamor for better and transparent governance, partylists and people’s organizations in the Philippines formed the Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan (MAKABAYAN, Patriotic Coalition of the People) last April 16, 2009 at the University of the Philippines Bahay ng Alumni in Quezon City, Metro Manila.

MAKABAYAN is a patriotic and pro-people political coalition aiming to pursue wide-ranging reforms in the 2010 Philippine national elections and beyond.

Consistent partylist electoral winners Bayan Muna (People First), Anakpawis (Toiling Masses) and Gabriela Women’s Party and new partylist groups Kabataang Pinoy (Filipino Youth), Courage Party (of government employees) and ACT Teachers Party, all in command of a network of highly skilled and motivated organizers and supporters nationwide, formed the core of the coalition.

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Around Old & Downtown Manila (Part 2)

From Plaza Miranda, we walked along Hildalgo snaking through the streets past Avenida Rizal into Plaza Lacson. I noticed what used to be the classic Prudential Bank building has now, well, the Bank of the Philippine Islands brand on its face.

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April 20, 2009

Around Old & Downtown Manila (Part 1)

Last week, one of my friends wanted to buy supplies at Divisoria in Manila. Because we had a previously botched road trip, I suggested we take the Divisoria trip as an opportunity to just roam around the streets of old Manila.

Quiapo is where we started. Here are some pictures.

There was a time early when I was a freshman in college when I would just board a bus to Quiapo after my day’s classes, instead of going to my organizations’ tambayans in Mass Comm, or instead of simply going home. I would just walk around Plaza Miranda, buy DVDs at the stalls along Hidalgo, and there were times I would even cross Quezon Bridge on foot and take pictures at Lawton with my SLR camera with black-and-white film.

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April 19, 2009

CHED is spineless, Malacanang lied

130 private schools hike tuition, SUCs raise school fees

Kabataang Pinoy today criticized the Commission on Higher Education as 130 tertiary schools across the country revealed tuition hikes for the next school year. According to CHEd, the schools are reported to have asked an increase in their tuitions by 5, 7 or 10 percent.

“It now appears that CHEd’s earlier appeal for a freeze in tuition hikes is really just lip service and downright insincere,” said Kabataang Pinoy Spokesperon Alvin Peters. Peters is also currently the national president of the National Union of Students of the Philippines, spearhead of the Tuition Monitor Hotline.

“We have documented these increases as early as February, during tuition consultations, when our hotlines buzzed with complaints from students everywhere. We brought them to CHEd’s attention but they neglected to act on our complaints and instead just came up with a bogus appeal for a tuition freeze to downplay student protests,” Peters said.

Peters said that they have submitted to CHEd a critique of CHEd Memorandum No. 13, the existing guideline for tuition increase consultations, pointing out its flaws and inadequacy to regulate tuition. He said that they have also repeatedly requested for dialogues with CHEd with regard to “˜bogus consultations’ where students were either not informed of consultations or were “˜tricked’ by school administrators into agreeing to proposals without due process.’

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The cute naivete of Tisay

She probably gets this from playing with her friends in the neighborhood or at the daycare, but obviously this concept of “boyfriend” is something new and fascinating for Tisay. She would proudly drop the name of some of her male playmates and giggle if you ask her who her “boyfriend” is. May konsepto na rin siya ng “kasal”. One night, as she was about to sleep on bed in between my parents, she asked “Mama, sino boyfriend mo? Si Papa?”

Hilarious! And it didn’t end there, she added, “Kailan kayo ikakasal?” My mom answered, “Kasal na kami, ‘nak.” My mom then points to a wedding portrait on the wall, “‘Yan o, picture namin ni Papa noong kinasal kami.” And then Tisay starts crying! “Bakit ‘di niyo ko sinama!? Di niyo ko sinama sa kasal niyo!”

Another night, still on bed as my parents were about to sleep she points to my father’s belly and asks, “Papa… buntis ka? May baby diyan?” *ROTFL*! Whew, buti hindi ako tinatanong ni Tisay nang ganyan. ‘Pag dumating ang panahong ako tinanong ni Tisay n’yan, magpapapayat na talaga ako nang seryoso.

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Kabataang Pinoy, Tayo ang Pagbabago!

Kabataang Pinoy aspires for a Filipino youth that devotes its intellect, energy and courage to building a better future.

Kabataang Pinoy envisions a new society devoid of corruption, inequality and social injustice.

Kabataang Pinoy encourages the youth to work collectively with other sectors to build a bright future. It upholds, promotes and defends the interest of the youth to be able to harness its fullest potential as a sector. It works to unite the Filipino youth to campaign for social, political, economic, cultural and environmental justice in the Philippines, and enjoins youth from all walks of life to foster active participation in good governance, nation-building, and social change.

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1st IamNinoy Heroes’ Summit

Some weeks ago, my brods and I were helping organize the 1st IamNinoy Heroes’ Summit with the Benigno S. Aquino Foundation and some other partner organizations. Attached below is a press release we prepared for it. Congratulations to my batchmates who spearheaded the project!

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April 13, 2009

It’s not just a Plan B or C

A few weeks ago, my colleagues in the UP Diliman University Student Council and representatives from the College Student Councils in Diliman deliberated among each other and chose to send me as the Student Regent nominee of UP Diliman to the UP System-wide Student Regent selection tomorrow in UP Miag-ao in Iloilo.

Hay, the things I [allow myself to] get into. I don’t know how to plan my life for this year anymore. With all these present uncertainties and possibilities. I’m just very indecisive right now. I don’t know which ones to do, which to drop, which to prioritize. Let’s see what will happen.

So it’s off to Iloilo for me today for a KASAMA sa UP (Katipunan ng mga Sangguniang Mag-aaral sa UP) National Congress then for the SR Selection sessions of the General Assembly of [UP] Student Councils (GASC). See you all when I get back.

I’m pasting below a short essay I wrote after some of my law blockmates nominated me with the College of Education Student Council endorsing the nomination.

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April 11, 2009

At the Portia Ball

A few Sundays ago, I attended the ball of Portia Sorority as the date of a dear friend and blockmate, Nessa (who just won as top USC councilor for STAND-UP). It’s been a while since I’ve been to a ball. And it was, if my memory serves me right, the first time I danced in a cotillon. We pulled it off, despite just two practice sessions.

The ball was held at the Manila Polo Club.

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