Cutting classes

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.

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

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Our broadcasting laboratory was way outdated compared to those in private colleges.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.