No Baby Talk
By Georgene Rhena P. Quilaton-Tambiga
"Despite this (increase), some militant groups
are still cutting classes to protest what they claim is a cut in SUC
budgets."
I was reading deep into a paragraph of President Benigno Aquino
III's third State of the Nation Address, translated in English, and I knew that
this part of his speech at the joint senatorial and congressional opening
session would be my jump off point for this column.
Reading P-Noy's run down on the increasing education budget and
its impact on students transported me to my college days which aren't a too
distant past.
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| Cut & Cut. I had been dying to tell these students that the state cut SUC budget because there are those who enroll at UP only to cut classes |
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The evening before my first college school day an upper
classman and left-wing advocate joined me and a friend for dinner. He asked us
to join the rally during the ceremonial opening exercises. Though excited to
witness in reality a rally, I was adamant not knowing that my entire college
life would be marked by so many that caused my ire.
Often, our classes would be interrupted by these students who
would ask professors for a few minutes to convince other students to cut
classes to join a demonstration of sorts. One time, I was plagued by one of
them who came right up the lobby of my freshmen dorm to court me. No doubt he
was hoping that he could tuck with him an outspoken girl to another
demonstration under the roasting Iloilo sun. But his effrontery did not impress
me. Cutting classes for rallies is not my cup of coffee.
There was one time when, as a secretary general of the student
council, I fought tooth and nail to prevent the protesters from using the name
of the official college student council as they rallied against tuition fee
increase. That was after our political block won the debate against spending
students' fund for transportation expenses on rallies at Iloilo City. I have
nothing personal against protesters but I have my own way of fighting and any
left-wing suitor just gave up
Now, reading P-Noy's SONA, I perfectly understand this
particular point. As an alumna of a state university, I was one of those who
suffered from the meager budget of education.
Our broadcasting laboratory was way outdated compared to those
in private colleges. Our library was replete with duplicated textbooks. We had
to sell ad spaces in order to put out an academic-based community newspaper. I
had to give up my high-heeled sandals because the roads at the school I
attended were hopeless and was friend only to Converse sneakers and rubber
slippers.
Name the deprivation and we suffered it, save for the best
thing we had, our expert and competent professors.
But I did not even flinch. I told myself many times over that I
was an Iskolar ng Bayan and that my mother's remittances and that of millions of
hard working OFWs contributed much to the budget of state universities and
colleges (SUCs). I had to work very, very hard and work hard I did. Cutting a
class to rally was never on my to-do list.
See, no matter how many times over the president folds the
budget of SUCs if the students to do not contribute in the effort to push the
quality of education up the meter of international standards, the budget will
only be plain figures.
As a student, I have always been an advocate of self-imposed
changes for the better. Together with a handful of students in an established
organization, I believed in the Ripple Effect. Make a change and affect others
with it.
This is what many of us need to today. A hundred SONAs may be
delivered and 20 presidents may come to pass but if we do not contribute to the
effort for progress every development plan boils down to mere paper and speech.
This is what our students need to learn in school and in life:
Carpe Diem. Seize the day. While a student, do what a student ought to do: be
in school not to listen to the endless parrot speech of teachers but to take
advantage, ask the necessary questions, and discover your own potentials.
While a professional, use your talent and skills not only to
"hanap pera" for personal ends but also to contribute to the holistic
development of the community. And when contribution to community is mentioned,
we often think magnanimous things like feeding a million kids or building a
thousand homes for the homeless. We forget that merely doing our job well in
government offices, classrooms, bank counters, grocery stores, road
constructions, or even on a small news desk like where I craft the NewsRecord
week after week is already contributing to the community.
Even choosing to patiently wait in line for papers than push a
bribe is a contribution to development.
Honestly, I no longer care for figures especially those
mentioned during SONAs. I've had enough since professors required us to listen
to former President Arroyo's annual mathematical lectures. I've had enough nose
bleeding. What I do understand now is that a nation as sick as the Philippines
would take more than one presidential term to heal and more than one president
to climb up the ladder of progress again.
Progress takes each and every Filipino taking one leap forward.
And, yes, cutting classes to rally is just another step back.
