Applying what you’ve learned
I learned from James Anderson that one way of addressing problems is by changing the situation that’s causing the problem in the first place.
They say that one reason for cutting down the budget for SUC’s is the under-performance of most SUC’s, and there are quite a number of them. The overflowing SUC’s declared by the Congress as such also serve as avenues for corruption. Umm… So why not instead of decreasing the budget, which will also affect SUC’s which aren’t under-performing in the first place, why not just remove substandard SUCs? In this way, the innocent SUC’s will not be harmed, plus it sends across a message of keeping standards or else. And this also continues the role of SUC’s in society.
Now isn’t that more practical than decreasing the budget for SUC’s? I swear, common sense isn’t so common anymore.
Now I remember why I didn’t vote for you…
Burgis ka kasi. Burgis na hindi alam ang pakiramdam ng kahirapan.
No one believed me when I said that Noynoy would cut state subsidy for SUCs. This is what happens when you give the power to the elite who have no first-hand experience of kahirapan. (Yeah, it’s TagLish but it brings across the point harder.)
This makes me want to rub it in people’s faces and say “i told you so.” But I won’t.
Unlike others who actually appreciate the idea of scholarship, this government doesn’t seem to get the point of subsidy for State Universities and Colleges. Sure, tertiary education may be just for the intellectual elite. But what about the members of the intellectual elite who will be denied access to quality tertiary education just because the system has screwed up priorities.
And when you think about it, the budget for DepEd was really meant for the K12 program. Hence, there really is no increase in the first place for the basic things that are supposed to be addressed (i.e. facilities, equipment, etc.)
And how do you expect the k12 program to work when it is being built on an unstable foundation? Sure there are some schools like the private schools who may already be capable of the additional years. But then again, the k12 program is for the students who would want to work right after that. I doubt students of private schools would let themselves be employed without tertiary education.
Noynoy, you better get your act together. I mean, good job with the RH bill and all. But that doesn’t end there. If your incompetence surfaces any more, you can be sure that a Marcos will be sharpening its claws in the Senate to regain power.
***
All those who have meditated on the art of governing mankind have been convinced that the fate of empires depend on the education of the youth. Aristotle
Maybe…
“… but perhaps those best suited to power are those who never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, take up the mantle because you must…” Albus Dumbledore
Such words reflect the image of President Noynoy Aquino as someone who just happened to answer the clamor of the masses due to the time’s context. Fate, it must be, that led his mother, a former president, to kick the bucket just in time for Noynoy to take it upon himself to be the symbol that the opposition is calling for. Timely, yes. And maybe for a reason.
While I have all my reservations against his candidacy, and I have all my complaints while he was still president-apparent and president-elect, I have to give him the chance to prove himself worthy. Not because I believe he deserves that chance but because I believe I can lay this aside for the love of my country. Needless to say, I will laud all laudable actions, and condemn all condemnable ones. (This is to clarify that I am not attacking him out of bitterness because my candidate did not win. That ship has sailed the day after elections. But if you still think that’s the case then a bigot you are.)
My mom once brought up to her uncle the fact that Noynoy is just living under his parents’ shadow. He answered “so what?” Maybe because her uncle lived in the time when merit and fitness weren’t prerequisites to positions of power that’s why he doesn’t find this wrong. But if for the lower positions of the government such are required, what more for the highest seat in the state? But I guess the last name serves as merit enough. (Not like his mother was a hero anyway but oh well.)
He’s not at all impressive. In fact he gives the appearance of dim-wittedness. And maybe he is so that if I recommend that he ought to decentralize his government he wouldn’t even realize that he’s being subtly insulted. But then again, maybe, just maybe, this is what the country needs. (Of course I believe otherwise but who knows? This might work.) Maybe it’s his simplicity that will win over the citizens’ cooperation.
He may not have the best slogan. Heck, “kung walang corrupt walang mahirap” logically translates to poverty being a sufficient condition for corruption. But at least he’s one step ahead by actually identifying the problem. I don’t doubt he can live up to being non-corrupt. I just hope he has enough charisma to make his constituents follow suit.
So he’s not the candidate of my choice. But he is the choice of the majority of the people. He’s not only their president, he’s also mine. Because I am a critic, I will keep a close watch on him. But because I am educated enough, I will support him and wish him a successful six years of presidency.
Congratulations, President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III!
[meant to be posted yesterday, june 30. but due to lack of internet…]
On Machiavelli and Moore
Those left standing will make millions writing books on the way it should have been. – Incubus
Niccolo Machiavelli said that writing about politics should contain what is and not what should be. But I guess in our time now it’s better to write about what should be rather than what should have been. While the former is still able to spark some hope to readers, the latter talks of observed mistakes in the past.
They say to learn about mistakes of the past helps us avoid repeating it. But I think it would be more helpful if we focus on the more relevant mistakes, say the one nearest the present. Because if we keep studying about the invasion of the Spaniards, the Americans, the Japanese, and the British (yeah, they did conquer us for a time), we get a picture of that time’s context. But we need to know the recent contexts because it is more relevant. Take for instance martial law. If we can formally study that then we, as the youth who are too young to remember those times or too young to have lived during those times, can get a firmer grasp on why the politics here is as it is now.
That is not to say that studying about the country centuries ago is bad. But we don’t really have to know the details, just the bigger picture. I guess this is why me = epic fail in history. I get the big picture and I can’t really take all the exact details.
[This reminds me of Bob Ong’s story that in school they were asked how many holes were in the boat in the early part of noli. When they checked their books, there was no mention of how many holes were there. I also checked my version and saw the same thing. Only to find out for myself years later that in the original version it indeed was mentioned. I forget now the exact number but I do remember that it was the same number as the girls riding the boats. And I can remember there were “plugs” to the holes which is also equal to the number of boys there. So I’m guessing innuendo, perhaps?
But I digress.]
***
Michael Moore was once asked in Larry King Live that if he will just keep looking for mistakes in America, why doesn’t he just leave. (or you know, something to that effect)
And he answered that it’s precisely why he wants to stay. He looks for things to fix because he wants America fixed. He’s not complaining about it in the sense that he will just complain. He says what’s broken with full intention of showing what it is that needs to be fixed.
The same applies here. But the problem is, what if the things I see as problems, things I want us to fix, are not what most people see as problems in the first place?
Can I Just Say?
I couldn’t believe it at first when Jun told us that the government will have him arrested. And look what happened now. Does anyone know if there’s any pro-Lozada rally soon? Please let me know.
All those who washed their hands clean off the NBN-ZTE deal have now been promoted to higher positions in the government. Coincidence? You be the judge.
Fellow Filipinos, please do not take this lying down. So many blatant abuses and injustices have been done and we’re just going to stay here and not do anything? At least let the government know that we, the citizens, are not as stupid as it thinks we are.
Well at least the senate is doing something about it. For now. They’re not under the president’s payroll anyway.
Lair of the Mad Scientist 