Saturday, March 30, 2013
Tejada: Wages of privatization
DIE HARD III
Herman Tiu Laurel
3/20/2013
In the Philippines, public education funds are channeled to support the finances of private — often religious — schools through the voucher system. That is, students enrolled in public schools, where there are shortages of facilities, are given vouchers to study in the nearest private school instead. How much these vouchers cost has never been explained in detail to the public, even as private schools are clearly making good money from them. Thus, instead of public funds being managed properly to ensure that growing public school needs are met each year, the privatization-oriented government churns out these harebrained ideas fed by the neoliberal "educators" who now control the Department of Education (DepEd).
A prime example of this is the schoolhouse building scheme under PeNoy's public-private partnership (PPP) program that will cost P1.2 million (PPP figures) while government construction of the same will cost only P700,000. The Filipino-Chinese business community donates similar schoolhouses and its chamber even reports these as costing only P300,000 per unit (with the same set of specifications).
The suicide of the bemedaled 16-year-old UP Manila Behavioral Science scholar Kristel Tejada for failing to cover even the discounted "socialized" UP tuition must be put in the context of the overall neoliberal economic, social and ideological regime. The schoolhouse building crisis is but an illustration of commercialization and privatization raising costs.
NUSP, the student group, errs in personalizing the issue but is correct in critiquing the State Universities and Colleges' "socialized tuition" policy as a mask for commercial tuition impositions where it should be free and subsidized.
Kristel's death seems more senseless than many reported suicides of the poor as Filipino society still has a special place in its heart for young "scholars." Others not so regarded, like ordinary laborers who jump from pedestrian overpasses or kill themselves after losing their jobs and then kill every member of their kin, merit only momentary tabloid attention to draw the curious among readers.
‘Hasta Siempre’ — A tribute
DIE HARD III
A diverse stream of ideologues from the political intelligentsia came, too. Not long after Cuban Ambassador Jorge Jimenez arrived and sat at the front row beside Ka Dodong Nemenzo, veteran activist cum theater and TV director Joel Saracho opened the event, followed by the Philippine National Anthem. Ka Dodong was the first to speak and explained that the Venezuelan ambassador could not make it due to a sudden health issue. The Venezuelan flag did arrive later and was installed beside our national flag — though we missed the Venezuelan anthem which the embassy didn't bring.
Ka Dodong gave a comprehensive and humorous account of President Hugo Chávez's struggles, especially toward building his Bolivarian socialist reforms in Venezuela as well as his constant jousts with US imperialism, particularly against Bush Jr. Following Ka Dodong were songs from Noel Cabangon, including the emotional chorus from everyone of "The Internationale" in Filipino. I was seated on the aisles as I lost my seat when I went out of the auditorium a second. That was how crowded it was. I stood to sing "The Internationale" which never fails to well up the emotions from the dreams of my youth, which I suppose was also the case for everyone in the auditorium at that moment. Dr. Ed Tadem, UP Professor of Asian Studies, explained the experience of change and social justice in Venezuela under Chávez's socialist revolution.
Then I was called to speak my piece. In brief, I said: "Hugo Chávez has already done a lot for the Philippines. For one, I notice that personalities identified with the Old CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines, Lava tradition) as well as the New CPP, the "rejectionists" and the "reaffirmists" (pro- and anti-Jose Ma. Sison factions from the National Democratic Movement), the Social Democrat and Democratic Socialist movements, pro-Marcos, pro-Trillanes, anti- and pro-PeNoy elements from the "Left" have been brought together under one roof and in one forum by Hugo Chávez. That is no simple feat. And it is the inspiration of Hugo Chávez that brings us together, we people who have no greed in our soul the way Hugo Chávez represented all people with no greed in the soul."
I went on to narrate the other good deeds Chávez would have done for the Filipino people and the world, like his offer of very cheap petroleum to President Joseph Estrada during his state visit to the Philippines in 1999, which, unfortunately, Venezuela could not work out as this ran counter to the interests of the private US-controlled oil companies that benefited from the privatization of Petron and PNOC (Philippine National Oil Co.).
Estrada and Chávez had many similarities as presidents. Both were extremely popular and populist; they were elected almost at the same time and deposed by coups d'etat backed by US corporatists (Erap in 2001 and Chávez in 2002). Their only difference: Erap's pro-poor and patriotic intentions were framed in a mainly civilian, patrician and paternalist approach while Chávez had a clear socialist-nationalist framework backed by militant socialist and reformist military movements.
I finished my tribute flashing the front page of a newspaper that used an article of mine, which had the word "Poison" boldly emblazoned over a portrait of Chávez. Yes, the late Venezuelan leader was most likely poisoned and murdered, as what had happened to many anti-imperialist, anti-US-Israel political figures, from Gen. Omar Torrijos of Panama to the six current Latin American heads-of-state struggling with cancer, as well as Yasser Arafat a few years back. So half-jokingly, I turned to Ka Dodong and said, "Please be careful."
For now, we offer "Hasta Siempre" (Till Forever), the title of the popular tribute to Che Guevara, which Noel Cabangon sang and is now also aptly dedicated to our "Comandante Eternal" Hugo Chávez:
"Till eternity
"We learned to love you/ From the heights of history
"Where your sun-bright courage/ Laid siege to death
"For us on earth you left behind
"The clear and deep transparency, of your beloved presence
"Comandante Che Guevara (Hugo Chávez)
"Like the revolutionary, who led a new enterprise
"Your liberating strength, awaits and guides us still…
"We will carry on now, as we followed you then."
And with Fidel we say to you: Till eternity, Comandante…
(Tune in to 1098 AM, Tuesday to Friday, 5 to 6 p.m.; watch GNN's HTL show, GNN Channel 8, Saturdays, 8:15 to 9 p.m., 11:15 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m., and over at www.gnntv-asia.com, with this week's topic, "Catholic Argentina: The Dark Years;" also visit http://newkatipunero.blogspot.com)
Herman Tiu Laurel
3/18/2013
Last March 14, Thursday, at three in the afternoon, the Science Auditorium of the University of the Philippines-Diliman on Velasquez St. was filled to its rafters. Former UP president Francisco "Dodong" Nemenzo organized a gathering to pay tribute to the recently martyred President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez. I was one of the earliest at the auditorium and saw the crowds streaming in; to my surprise, it filled in no time. Groups came in. The masa were very well-represented and I thought: How encouraging that so many of them have taken the time for Chávez. Maybe there's hope that enlightenment can overtake Willie Revillame and the Sotto brothers."
A diverse stream of ideologues from the political intelligentsia came, too. Not long after Cuban Ambassador Jorge Jimenez arrived and sat at the front row beside Ka Dodong Nemenzo, veteran activist cum theater and TV director Joel Saracho opened the event, followed by the Philippine National Anthem. Ka Dodong was the first to speak and explained that the Venezuelan ambassador could not make it due to a sudden health issue. The Venezuelan flag did arrive later and was installed beside our national flag — though we missed the Venezuelan anthem which the embassy didn't bring.
Ka Dodong gave a comprehensive and humorous account of President Hugo Chávez's struggles, especially toward building his Bolivarian socialist reforms in Venezuela as well as his constant jousts with US imperialism, particularly against Bush Jr. Following Ka Dodong were songs from Noel Cabangon, including the emotional chorus from everyone of "The Internationale" in Filipino. I was seated on the aisles as I lost my seat when I went out of the auditorium a second. That was how crowded it was. I stood to sing "The Internationale" which never fails to well up the emotions from the dreams of my youth, which I suppose was also the case for everyone in the auditorium at that moment. Dr. Ed Tadem, UP Professor of Asian Studies, explained the experience of change and social justice in Venezuela under Chávez's socialist revolution.
Then I was called to speak my piece. In brief, I said: "Hugo Chávez has already done a lot for the Philippines. For one, I notice that personalities identified with the Old CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines, Lava tradition) as well as the New CPP, the "rejectionists" and the "reaffirmists" (pro- and anti-Jose Ma. Sison factions from the National Democratic Movement), the Social Democrat and Democratic Socialist movements, pro-Marcos, pro-Trillanes, anti- and pro-PeNoy elements from the "Left" have been brought together under one roof and in one forum by Hugo Chávez. That is no simple feat. And it is the inspiration of Hugo Chávez that brings us together, we people who have no greed in our soul the way Hugo Chávez represented all people with no greed in the soul."
I went on to narrate the other good deeds Chávez would have done for the Filipino people and the world, like his offer of very cheap petroleum to President Joseph Estrada during his state visit to the Philippines in 1999, which, unfortunately, Venezuela could not work out as this ran counter to the interests of the private US-controlled oil companies that benefited from the privatization of Petron and PNOC (Philippine National Oil Co.).
Estrada and Chávez had many similarities as presidents. Both were extremely popular and populist; they were elected almost at the same time and deposed by coups d'etat backed by US corporatists (Erap in 2001 and Chávez in 2002). Their only difference: Erap's pro-poor and patriotic intentions were framed in a mainly civilian, patrician and paternalist approach while Chávez had a clear socialist-nationalist framework backed by militant socialist and reformist military movements.
I finished my tribute flashing the front page of a newspaper that used an article of mine, which had the word "Poison" boldly emblazoned over a portrait of Chávez. Yes, the late Venezuelan leader was most likely poisoned and murdered, as what had happened to many anti-imperialist, anti-US-Israel political figures, from Gen. Omar Torrijos of Panama to the six current Latin American heads-of-state struggling with cancer, as well as Yasser Arafat a few years back. So half-jokingly, I turned to Ka Dodong and said, "Please be careful."
For now, we offer "Hasta Siempre" (Till Forever), the title of the popular tribute to Che Guevara, which Noel Cabangon sang and is now also aptly dedicated to our "Comandante Eternal" Hugo Chávez:
"Till eternity
"We learned to love you/ From the heights of history
"Where your sun-bright courage/ Laid siege to death
"For us on earth you left behind
"The clear and deep transparency, of your beloved presence
"Comandante Che Guevara (Hugo Chávez)
"Like the revolutionary, who led a new enterprise
"Your liberating strength, awaits and guides us still…
"We will carry on now, as we followed you then."
And with Fidel we say to you: Till eternity, Comandante…
(Tune in to 1098 AM, Tuesday to Friday, 5 to 6 p.m.; watch GNN's HTL show, GNN Channel 8, Saturdays, 8:15 to 9 p.m., 11:15 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m., and over at www.gnntv-asia.com, with this week's topic, "Catholic Argentina: The Dark Years;" also visit http://newkatipunero.blogspot.com)
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