Sunday, October 31, 2010

FORTY THREE for the 43: 43 vehicles protest caravan for the immediate and unconditional release of the 43 Health Workers

(To enlarge the graphic, just click on it)

FORTY THREE for the 43: 43 vehicles protest caravan for the immediate and unconditional release of the 43 Health Workers

PUBLIC INFORMATION DESK
publicinfo@karapatan.org
Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights
2nd Flr. Erythrina Bldg., #1 Maaralin corner Matatag Sts., Central District
Diliman, Quezon City, PHILIPPINES 1101
Telefax: (+63 2) 4354146
Web: http://www.karapatan.org

KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights organizations and programs, human rights desks and committees of people’s organizations, and individual advocates committed to the defense and promotion of people’s rights and civil liberties. It monitors and documents cases of human rights violations, assists and defends victims and conducts education, training and campaign. It was established in 1995.

KARAPATAN Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Komentaryo: Patuloy na paglaban sa diskriminasyon sa U.P.



Ni All U.P. Workers Union

Hindi naglubay ang ating unyon para labanan ang patuloy na diskriminasyon sa unibersidad. Noong Mayo 27 pa ang desisyon ng BOR na bigyang tenure si Sarah Raymundo; hanggang ngayon wala pa ring tenure!

Noon pang Hunyo 24 inaprubahan ng BOR ang P10 T para sa faculty at P8 T para sa REPS at kawani na sagad. Di pa rin ito ipinatutupad.

Lumilitaw na kahit manalo ang mayorya sa BOR pero tutol si Presidente Roman, hindi niya ipinatutupad ang desisyon. Kaya nga hindi naglubay ang ating unyon sa paggigiit na ipatupad na ang P10t at P8 T sagad at bigyan na ng teaching appointment si Sarah Raymundo. Serye ng protest lunch sa Quezon Hall at jog and walk laban sa diskriminasyon ang inilunsad ng All UP Workers Alliance. Nagdaos pa ng vigil noong Oktubre 27, isang gabi bago ang BOR meeting nitong Oktubre 28.

May panimulang tagumpay na tayong nakamit. Pumayag na rin si Roman sa 10-8 t sagad award. Ang kagyat na implementasyon ay P10t para sa faculty at P6t para sa mga kawani at REPS habang hinahanapan pa ng paraan na mapunuan ang kulang na P4.5 milyon para sa dagdag na 2t para sa mga kawani at REPS. Pag-atras ito sa matagal na posisyon ng Administrasyong Roman na 10t at 6 t lamang ang kayang ibigay!

Siyempre di pa tapos ang ating laban sa diskriminasyon na nasusuma sa "Kung gusto may paraan, kung ayaw may dahilan" na motto ng kasalukuyang administrasyong Roman:

1) ipatupad ang desisyon ng BOR na bigyang tenure si Sarah Raymundo
2) tiyakin na makuha natin ang dagdag na 2t para sa mga sagad na kawani at REPS
3) dagdag na 10 days leave benefits para sa mga kawani at REPS.

Mabuhay ang militante, progresibo at makabayang unyonismo sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas!

Mabuhay ang mga kawani, REPS at guro ng pamantasan!












Source: http://www.facebook.com/?tid=1666689833325&sk=messages#!/album.php?aid=32643&id=107602369270905&fbid=162265357137939

U.P. Faculty Regent’s Updates on the October 28 Board of Regents’ Meeting

By Faculty Regent Judy M. Taguiwalo

Faculty Regent’s Updates on the October 28 Board of Regents’ Meeting
October 29, 2010

The regular monthly meeting of the BOR was held last October 28 at Quezon Hall, UP Diliman. Only seven of the 11 board members were present: President Emerlinda Roman, Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, Alumni Regent Gladys Tiongco, Regent Nelia Gonzales, Student Regent Cori Alessa Co, Staff Regent Buboy Cabrera and I. Chair Licuanan and Senator Angara were out of the country on official business. Regent Chua was not present and Malacanang has not named a new Regent in place of Regent Sarmiento who passed away last October 3 in Prague, Czech Republic, where he was visiting his daughter, the current Philippine Ambassador to that country.

Here is my update on significant items of the meeting. Staff Regent Buboy Cabrera said he will make the report on the discussion of the Sagad award and the additional 10 days sick leave benefits for REPS and administrative staff.

1. Search for the next UP President: The November 19 BOR meeting to select the new UP President was reiterated. The interview by the Board of the 11 nominees will be held the day before or on November 18.

2. Faculty Regent Selection process: Vice President for Academic Affairs Amelia Guevara reported to the Board the results of the first round of nomination for the Faculty Regent Selection. The 2011-2012 Faculty Regent will come from UP Los Banos. The top five nominees and their votes during the first round are the following:

Teodoro Mendoza --- 428
Ida Dalmacio ----------- 159
Salvador Catelo ------- 100
Jezie Acorda ------------ 35
Felino Lansigan and Rita Laude ---30

The breakdown per CU of the first round of nomination showed that Dr. Mendoza topped the nomination in all six constituent universities except at the OU where he got one out of four votes.

The names of those going into the second round of nominations (meaning those who accepted the nominations) will be known by the first week of November. The actual voting which will select the next Faculty Regent will be on November 15 to 18, 2010 on the dates specified by the administration of the various CUs.

The rules for this selection prohibit campaigning by the nominees. Deans may however invite the nominees to talk to the faculty if they so desire. It is therefore important for us to read the CVs and vision statements of the nominees once they are uploaded on the UP website for us to make an informed choice of our next representative to the Board of Regents.

1. UP Budget: The P1.39 billion budget cut for the 2011 UP budget remains as of second reading in the HOR. Rep. Angara requested President Roman to submit priority items that may be included when the House committee deliberates on possible insertions to the budget. President Roman said she will do so and emphasized the need for additional MOOE for PGH whose budget has been cut. The budget deliberations will continue once Congress resumes sessions on November 8.

1. Appointments of officials:

Dean, School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS), UPD—Prof. Johann Frederick A. Cabbab
Dean, College of Social Work and Community Development, UPD—Dr. Rosalinda Pineda-Ofreneo
Director, National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, UPD—Dr. Cynthia T. Hedreyda (third term)

5. COA report on the UP Mindanao Chancellor: As I shared with you in my September update on BOR meeting, the concern raised regarding the overspending in the 2007 investiture of the UP Mindanao chancellor was tabled for the next meeting. The Commission on Audit in Davao City in its August 23, 2010 “Report on the Special Audit /Investigation Conducted of the University of the Philippines Mindanao “ found that that Chancellor Rivero had overspent by P269,584.67 or by 72% of the approved budget investiture budget of P374,216. The report ended with the recommendation that the UP Mindanao Chancellor should “ be admonished to prioritize the allocation of its funds on U.P.-Min's mandated purposes.” (For a copy of the August 2010 COA report, please see http://diliman-diary.blogspot.com/2010/09/commission-on-audit-criticizes-up.html). The Presidents of the UP Mindanao chapters of the All UP Workers Union and the All UP Academic Employees Union as well as the Chair of the UP Mindanao Student Council wrote “strongly urging” the Board to:
“Let Dr. Rivero personally restitute the excess amount spend during her investiture, amounting to PhP269,584.67. It is clear from the breakdown of this amount that the expenses were extravagant, unnecessary, or personal (i.e., expenses of her guests); Recall Dr. Rivero’s appointment as chancellor of UP Mindanao based on moral integrity and misuse of limited funds; to whom much is given, much is expected in terms of accountability;
Translate “admonish” into specific sanction for Chancellor Rivero.“

President Roman said that Chancellor Rivero had appealed the decision of the COA and the COA Mindanao report has not been officially transmitted to the University. The Board should recognize the right of the Chancellor to due process before taking any action.

1. Implementation of the May 27,2010 BOR decision granting the appeal for tenure of Prof. Sarah Raymundo: Sarah Raymundo remains without any teaching appointment over five months since the BOR decision. The Department of Sociology continues to refuse to prepare her appointment papers. Other options for Sarah Raymundo have been explored but none has led to any possibility that she will be able to teach this second semester.
2. Tenure issue of UP Cebu Professor Roberto Basadre : Prof. Basadre has fulfilled all the requirements for tenure and has been recommended by the UPV Cebu College Academic Personnel Committee for tenure last September 4, 2009. The Dean of the UPV Cebu College overruled the recommendation for tenure on the grounds of the possible reorganization of UP Cebu High School. Instead the waiver rule (extending the temporary appointment of a faculty, usually used to allow time for faculty members’ publication to come out) was used to extend his temporary appointment twice in a row. With the creation of UP Cebu College as an autonomous unit under the Office of the President, the tenure recommendation of the CAPC remains unacted and Prof. Basadre is in danger of losing his teaching assignment when his temporary appointment ends in May 31, 2011. In fact the UP Cebu College Dean wrote that :

I again raised the issue in the October 28 BOR meeting and observed that the creation of UP Cebu College would have as its victim Prof. Basadre. President Roman said she will clarify this with Dean Avila of UP Cebu College.

Other items deferred for future deliberations:
1. The UP Administration recommended that the “computation of the sick leave benefits of those faculty extended beyond age 65 be based on the salary of actual retirement date instead of the salary at age 65.”  The Staff Regent asked for a deferment of approval so that information on the possibility of extending this to administrative staff and REPS could be explored. I also asked for deferment until the information on the names and number of faculty who would benefit from this policy and the financial implication of such extension be provided to the Board. My request for deferment is also based on the fact that the UP Administration has objected (on account of lack of money) to extending to faculty members who have reached the ceiling of their ranks as Assistant Professor or Associate Professor to cross ranks outside of the regular call for promotion. This policy of crossing ranks outside of the call for promotion currently applies only to faculty members who are about to retire.
2. Professor Emeritus: I was provided a copy of the September 24 letter to the UP System Committee on Professor Emeritus written by seven professors of the Land and Water Resources Division of the Institute of Agricultural Engineering regarding the nomination of Dr. Wilfredo David, former UPLB Chancellor, as Professor Emeritus in Agricultural Engineering. That letter also pointed out that the college recommendation “to extend the services of Dr. David for one year beyond the mandatory retirement age of 65 years was not favorably acted upon by the present UPLB administration.”

On October 20, I requested to have this item on the agenda of the BOR meeting. Prior to the October 28 BOR meeting, the OSU provided me a copy of the October 21 letter of Vice President Guevara, who heads the system committee on professor emeritus , to the UPLB professors. In that letter, VP Guevara explained that the “UP System committee evaluates only the nominations endorsed by the Chancellors, upon the recommendation of their respective CU committees on Professor Emeritus”. In the same letter, VP Guevara informed the professors that “Dr. Wilfredo P. David was not nominated by UPLB Chancellor Rey Velasco. In his letter, Chancellor Velasco informed our office that “Four faculty retirees with the rank of full professors were evaluated by the UPLB Committee on Professor Emeritus but the Committee believes that none of them qualifies to be nominated to the prestigious nomination.”

During the BOR meeting, VP Guevara further explained that the Dean of the College to which Dr. David used to be connected did not recommend him for Professor Emeritus. I said that there are several concerns emerging from this issue:

  • The need for transparency on the criteria for selection of professor emeritus and the composition of the committee tasked to make the recommendations; (I have been provided a copy of the criteria used by UP Diliman for the professor emeritus nomination but none from UPLB)
  • The need to inform faculty members nominated for professor emeritus but who were not awarded the title the reason for such decision. Those nominated for professor emeritus belong to a small group of distinguished professors of the university and they at least deserve to be informed of the reason why they have not been awarded the title.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Diliman Ghost Videos of the Week - But not for the Faint of Heart

Video No. 1: MALIGNO: Mga Multo sa UP (Credits)


Video No. 2: white lady sa CLSU Muñoz Nueva Ecija


Video No. 3: Ghost in Internet Cafe


Video No. 4: Marikina Provident Villages Ghost Stories


Video No. 5: Mahirap ang panonood ng TV

Executive Committee of the University Council of U.P. Diliman denounces all forms of Plagiarism and SC's "show cause" order vs. U.P. Law Faculty, upholds Academic Freedom

Editor's note: The following is a statement of the Executive Committee (EXECOM) of the University Council of U.P. Diliman dated October 27, 2010. The EXECOM is composed of the Deans/Directors of the different Collges and Schools in U.P. Diliman, including the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellors, University registrar, and three (3) members-at-large.

NO TO PLAGIARISM! ASSERTING ACADEMIC FREEDOM
A Statement of the University of the Philippines Diliman Executive Committee*

We, the University of the Philippines Diliman Executive Committee, denounce plagiarism and uphold academic integrity.

As educators, scholars and researchers, our worth is measured by the integrity, excellence and discipline we bring to our work.  Plagiarism undermines that integrity and destroys the value of scholarship.

We strongly disagree with the Supreme Court’s decision to exonerate Justice Mariano del Castillo from charges of plagiarism based on the lack of malice or negligence on his part (in In Re: Del Castillo, A.M. No. 10-7-17-SC, 15 October 2010).

The lack of malice or intent does not excuse the act of plagiarism. 

The Court has undermined academic freedom by threatening to discipline 37 faculty members of the U.P. College of Law for taking a principled position on a grave academic concern.

We stand by the U.P. College of Law Faculty for speaking out against plagiarism.

We ask the Supreme Court to withdraw the “show cause” order against the 37 faculty members of the U.P. College of Law. 

U.P. Diliman Executive Committee, 27 October 2010
________________________________

*Composed of the Deans/Directors of the different Colleges and Schools in U.P. Diliman, including the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, University Registrar, and three (3) members-at-large

adiNation Sponsors Running Clinics for all Levels at U.P. Diliman


Adination U.P. Diliman Group

November 9, 2010

The Adidas adiNation of Runners (ANR) movement which has about a thousand members in the Metro Manila area scattered among its present four group sites in Pearl Drive, Ortigas; Madrigal Circle in Ayala Alabang; Boni High Street in Taguig and Ayala Triangle in Makati will be opening another venue at the University of the Philippines, Diliman Campus in Quezon City on November 9, 2010.

The running sessions will be held every Tuesday evenings thereafter, starting at 6:30pm assembly time while sessions starts promptly at 7:00pm.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

local.ph: Flower shop blooms in the busy streets of Diliman

QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA— Despite the challenges of putting up a flower shop in the busy streets of the city, Blooms and Foliage Inspirations Co. has been doing business for five years now at the heart of Quezon City and still counting.

Located at Scout Gandia corner Scout Torillo in Barangay Sacred Heart Diliman, the flower shop was made possible by four people who share a common interest in gardening.

U.P. Student points out errors in Diliman Diary's coverage of U.P. NCPAG Professor Briones' remarks as a nominee in several fora for U.P. Presidential nominees

Editor's note: We are reposting below an email we have received today from U.P. Student John J. M. Duldulao pointing out several errors in our past reporting of the remarks of University of the Philippines (U.P.) National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) Professor Leonor M. Briones, who is one of eleven nominees for U.P. President. Several fora were held at U.P. Los Banos, U.P. Diliman and U.P. Manila where the nominees presented their visions for U.P. and answered questions from the audiences. The Diliman Diary has corrected the errors and apologizes for any inconvenience we may have caused. Mr. Duldulao also sent copies of the written speeches of Professor Briones at these three fora the texts of which we are making available to interested readers, who may click on the links below:

Speech of Professor Leonor M. Briones at U.P. Los Banos on September 20, 2010:

Speech of Professor Leonor M. Briones at U.P. Diliman on September 24, 2010:

Speech of Professor Leonor M. Briones at U.P. Manila on October 14, 2010:


Letter of Mr. John J. M. Duldulao

26 October 2010

The Editor
Diliman Diary

Dear Sir:

Thank you for keeping us informed and updated on the search process for the next UP President! Your posts on the fora are very helpful in making the constituents, alumni and supporters of the university aware of the nominees’ visions and views on different UP issues.

In view of this, I would like to share additional information on the statements as reported in the blog posts. It is mentioned in the September 24 post that “…Briones told the audience that she ‘left PhP 125 billion with the National Treasury when I was fired by then President Joseph E. Estrada…’"[i] However, it was not then President Estrada who fired Professor Briones for telling the truth; it was then President Gloria M. Arroyo who fired her for not lying in favor of the latter. In fact, the PhP 125 billion, that is comprised of PhP 75 billion in the custody of the Bureau of Treasury and PhP 50 billion in the custody of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, is what was left by the Estrada administration when Prof. Briones was the Treasurer of the Philippines. Former UP President Dodong Nemenzo even said that because of this, which he referred to as the strongest evidence of Prof. Briones’ integrity, he felt proudest of her[ii].

Meanwhile, in the October 15 sidebar article, it is stated that “[s]he said that if she became U.P. President, she could help address this issue by getting back gthe PhP 100 million taken out of U.P.'s Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) in the national budget as well as the Php 300 million still owed to it by the national government under the U.P. Charter.[iii]  She actually said “she could help address this issue by getting back the PhP 1.179 billion in the MOOE which was not granted by the DBM.” In fact, that was what she requested from Congress in the Appropriations Committee hearing when she presented the alternative budget proposal.

The alternative budget that she presented stated that,
“[t]he University of the Philippines needs additional funds for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenditures (MOOE) to meet budget deficiencies for existing programs and projects; including provision of fund for utilities (water and electricity) and repair and maintenance of various school buildings and facilities of different campuses of the UP System. Likewise, there is need to appropriate necessary funds for the completion and start of operation of several buildings of the National Science Complex (NSC) and the Engineering for Research and Development for Technology (ERDT) Projects of the College of Engineering.
Under RA 9500, ‘An Act to Strengthen the University of the Philippines as the National University,’ it is mandated that ‘in addition to the regular appropriations for the University under the annual GAA, a centennial fund shall be appropriated in the amount of One Hundred Million pesos (PhP 100M) per year for a period of 5 years which shall likewise be included in the GAA.’”[iv]

I hope that I was able to share substantially in addition to the information that your team has gathered for the Search Process for the next UP President. I am also attaching copies of Prof. Briones’ speeches that I have obtained from the fora for the nominees for UP President. Thank youand mabuhay po kayo!

Sincerely,

JOHN J. M. DULDULAO
Student, University of the Philippines


[i] "U.P.’s problems are ventilated by its very own nominees for U.P. President as they present their visions, and answer questions before critical audiences at UP Diliman and the rest of the U.P. System." Diliman Diary. Diliman Diary, 24 Sep 2010. Web. 26 Oct 2010. <http://diliman-diary.blogspot.com/2010/09/ups-problems-are-ventilated-their-own.html>.
[ii] Nemenzo, Francisco. Parangal: Prof. Leonor M. Briones. UP National College of Public Administration and Governance. Assembly Hall, UP-NCPAG, Quezon City. 18 10 2010. Speech.
[iii] "Open Forum answers of Nominees for U.P. President on October 14, 2010, at Science Hall, U.P. PGH."Diliman Diary. Diliman Diary, 15 10 2010. Web. 26 Oct 2010. <http://diliman-diary-sidebars.blogspot.com/2010/10/open-forum-answers-of-nominees-for-up.html>.
[iv]Social Watch Philippines. Alternative Budget Fiscal Year 2011. 1st ed. Quezon City: 2010. 35. Print.

Quezon City to field police bike patrols

Quezon City (27 October) -- Quezon City Police District director P/CSupt. Benjardi Mantele launched "Tourist Police Project" at Gateway Mall in Cubao last Friday in accordance with PNP's "Bantay Turista" program.

Sporting blue-collared polo shirts and shorts, Quezon City's young, energetic and medium-built policemen are now seen on bike patrol assignment, in the city's commercial and busy areas, particularly in places being visited by tourists.

Mantele said that an initial batch of 20 policemen, mostly rookie cops from the District Public Safety Battalion (DBSP) and are mostly physically fit and have good stamina, were deployed to man one of the city's busy business centers - the Cubao area.

Cubao area was set as a launching site for the project after the Araneta Business center Association strongly supported the move by donating some of the needed uniforms and equipment needed by bike patrol cops, especially the 20 units of mountain bikes to be utilized for the purpose.

The move, Mantele said, is also in line with the city government plan to develop QC as one of the tourist centers in Metro Manila.

He noted that QC Mayor Herbert Bautista had explicitly said during every Peace & Order Council meeting that tourism is an economic driver, thus the development of tourist police is imperative.

After the Cubao area, the QCPD, in close coordination with the Cultural and Tourism Affairs Office (CTAO), will soon launch other tourist police units at places like La Mesa Eco Park in Fairview, stretches of Katipunan Avenue, Tomas Morato, Timog Avenue, Quezon City Memorial Circle, UP-Ayala Techno Hub and Eastwood Libis.

Tourist assistance centers (TACs) will also be established in every unit or police station in tourist areas where the police could immediately render appropriate security and related public safety services to both foreign and local tourists.

Mayor Bautista is among the guests of honor in the occasion, together with newly-appointed NCRPO Director Nicanor Bartolome and Miss Universe 4th runner-up Venus Raj. Officials Araneta Business Center Association and QCPD also graced the event. (PIA-MMIO)

The Gbob Worldwide Music Community: About "Diliman Dub"

There's nothing mystical and everything mundane about this song, really. "Diliman Dub" picks up where our other "road songs" ("Philcoa", "Quirino Highway") left off -- a lot of allusions to roads in Quezon City's Diliman district.

Diliman, to the unitiated, is a mere college town -- there are at least two major universities, residential areas for students and teachers. On the outskirts, though, bars come to life, boy meets girl, someone goes through a hangover and all that's left of the previous night is a recollection of roads taken.

To read more, click here:

The Gbob Worldwide Music Community: About "Diliman Dub"

KatrinaElid.blogspot.com: Field Trip Day 2

Today, I went on a company visit to UP Diliman in Quezon City. Before we went in UP, we had a breakfast in Grills and Sizzles, Examiner, Quezon City. We arrived in UP around 8:00 o'clock in the morning. The UP faculties welcomed us and we registered before the symposium starts. We had our seminar, UP-USEP (Information Technology Symposium), held at NISMED Auditorium, UP Diliman. Before they present their speakers, they taught us the Y4IT moves. All of us really enjoyed the Y4IT moves.

Read the rest here:
 
KatrinaElid.blogspot.com: Field Trip Day 2

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Harry Roque's Blog: MORE PLAGIARISM IN THE DEL CASTILLO's PONENCIA IN "ANG LADLAD"

One of my former students who is now pursuing further studies in the US made an independent review of the ponencia of SC Justice Mariano del Castillo in the "Ang Ladlad" case and listed the following instances of plagiarism:

To read the entire post from the blog of U.P. College of Law Professor Harry Roque, click here:

Harry Roque's Blog: MORE PLAGIARISM IN THE DEL CASTILLO's PONENCIA IN "ANG LADLAD"

Harry Roque's Blog: Further Mistakes from MS Word or more Plagiarism from Justice del Castillo?

In the earlier case of Ang Ladlad, (GR No. 190582, April 8, 2010) Justice Del Castillo appeared to have committed plagiarism as well. Our study is only preliminary but the exigencies of the situation have compelled us to make this public.

In the Ang Ladlad decision allowed a gay rights group to run in the party-list elections, and was released 20 days earlier than the Vinuya decision. The ponente here is also Justice Del Castillo.
 
Read U.P. College of LawProfessor Harry Roque's blog here:
 
Harry Roque's Blog: Further Mistakes from MS Word or more Plagiarism from Justice del Castillo? 

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