Taga- UP ako, Dugong Iskolar ng Bayan

Dateline : June 18, 1908 The University of the Philippines (UP)   was established  as an act of the First Philippine Legislature. Act No. 1870, otherwise known as the "University Act", specified the function of the University, which is to provide advanced instruction in literature, philosophy, the sciences, and arts, and to give professional and technical training.

 At present, the University of the Philippines System is composed of seven (7) constituent universities (CU) located in 12 campuses around the country.

Seven (7) of fifteen (15) Philippine Presidents have attended courses in the University either as undergraduates or as postgraduate students, while 12 Chief Justices of the Supreme Court, 36 out of the 57 National Artists and 34 out of the 35 National Scientists are affiliated with the University.

U.P. is partly subsidized by the Philippine government.Students of the university and its graduates are referred to as “[Mga] Iskolar ng Bayan” (“Scholars of the Nation”).This makes admission into the University extremely competitive.

The symbol of U.P. is the Oblation. This is a figure of a naked man, with arms outstretched and face pointed upwards. The Oblation is based on the second stanza of Jose Rizal's Mi Ultimo Adios.

From 1987 to 1991, i became one of the so-called "Iskolar ng Bayan" as  part of the UP Diliman studentry when i took BS. Economics.  Basically, I became attached to three main organizations , Economics Society or ECOSOC, Philippine Collegian or KULE, and SAMASA Alliance .My relatives and friends usually asked me "bakit ka ba naging aktibista". Perhaps my answer will be because UP is the perfect place to grow in all aspects, whether it be politically, socially, etc. Yes, I myself became part of UP Activisim movement. And i am proud that it made me a better person. Perhaps, members of the various generation of activism has their own way of reminiscing such so era."Iba nung panahon namin"...My passion for photography likewise developed.

I entered UP College of Law in 1992 and earned  my law degree in 1998. I shifted from the day class to the  evening class to be part of the  "working student" species of lawyers. I write for TODAY as one of their regular reporter as well as international news agencies like Reuters, AFP, AP, UPI and others covering a wide range of topics such as environment, human rights, politics, peace process, agriculture, agrarian reform and many more . Take note: my daily schedule is writing in the morning and the afternoon before going to UP to attend my classes in the evening. Then I go home where I read the assignments for the following day during the almost two hours trip of the bus going to Las Pinas. In between my work and classes, I still go hiking with my friends called the Squakings or SKWAKSIn August23, 1997 i was kidnapped  which i wrote in my piece "Face to Face with Crime"  “SIGE, tumakbo ka na ng mabilis at huwag kang lilingon at baka barilin pa kita (Run, Run fast and don’t turn back or I’ll shoot you).” The words could be apart of a movie script, but these were in fact words of my abductors . To me, words of freedom.

In April 1999, i am officially Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho, the lawyer,  after the Supreme Court posted the successful passers. I chronicled my experience in taking the 1998 bar exams in "Notes in Bar Exams."

 

Presidents of the University of the Philippines

Murray S. Bartlett, 1911-1915

Ignacio B. Villamor, 1915-1921

Guy Potter Wharton Benton, 1921-1925

Rafael V. Palma, 1925-1933

Jorge Bocobo, 1934-1939

Bienvenido Ma. González, 1939–1943, 1945-1951

Antonio Sison, 1943-1945

Vidal A. Tan, 1951-1956

Enrique Virata, 1956-1958

Vicente G. Sinco, 1958-1962

Carlos P. Romulo, 1962-1968

Salvador P. Lopez, 1969-1975

Onofre D. Corpuz, 1975-1979

Emmanuel V. Soriano, 1979-1981

Edgardo J. Angara, 1981-1987

Jose V. Abueva, 1987-1993

Emil Q. Javier, 1993-1999

Francisco Nemenzo, Jr., 1999-2005

Emerlinda R. Roman, 2005–2011

Alfredo E. Pascual, 2011–present

Dead Poet's Society and Carpe Diem

Dateline: June 2, 1989. the film  "Dead Poets Society" starring Robin Williams, premieres. Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American drama film directed by Peter Weir and starring Robin Williams. Set at the conservative and aristocratic Welton Academy in Vermont in 1959, it tells the story of an English teacher who inspires his students through his teaching of poetry

  

The film popularized the aphorism Carpe diem, a phrase from a Latin poem by Horace, translated as "seize the day".The phrase is part of the longer Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero – "Seize the Day, putting as little trust as possible in the future". The ode says that the future is unforeseen, and that instead one should scale back one's hopes to a brief future, and drink one's wine.

 





    One of my favorite scene is when  John Keating (Williams) is about to exit, one of his students  calls out "O Captain! My Captain!" and stands on his desk. The principal ordered him to sit down or face expulsion. Much of the class climb onto their desks and look to Keating, ignoring the principal' s orders until he gives up. Keating leaves visibly touched.

 

 "Carpe Diem ."And if not now, Then when?" It encourages youth to enjoy life before it is too late.

It is significant to note that Carpe Diem, in essence, somewhat became the slogan for youth activism. U.P. Collegian editor Abraham Sarmiento, Jr., pricked the conscience of many youngsters  as he asked on the front page  of the college paper: Sino ang kikibo kung hindi tayo kikibo? Sino ang kikilos kung hindi tayo kikilos? Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa? . A dissenting opinion in one Supreme Court decision cited this phrase adding  that "Countless others forfeited their lives and stand as witnesses to the tyranny and repression of the past regime. Driven by their dreams to free our motherland from poverty, oppression, iniquity and injustice, many of our youthful leaders were to make the supreme sacrifice."

In December 1975, Sarmiento, Jr. and Fides Lim, the managing editor of the Collegian were picked up for questioning by the military, in connection with an editorial entitled "Purge II" which Sarmiento, Jr. had written. They were released shortly, but not before they were brought before then Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, who personally expressed displeasure over the editorial . He was later  locked up in the military camp and released only when he was near death from a severe attack of asthma, to which he succumbed. Among the arresting officers was  Senator Panfilo Lacson.

Other significant events this day: in 1980, the  movie "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes," was  released in Germany. In  1896 , Guglielmo Marconi applied for a patent for his newest invention: the radio.                    

Tatak KULE

Beyond prestige and honor, the Collegian’s legacy is a tradition of fearless and critical journalism that writes, and rewrites, history. Words that were printed in the invitation letter i received for the Alumni homecoming of Philippine Collegian last night at the Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman in celebration of its 89th year anniversary.The theme was "TATAK KULÊ: 89 na taon ng tapang, talas at talab ng pamamahayag ng Phililppine Collegian "

The Philippine Collegian is the official student publication of the University of the Philippines Diliman. It is more commonly known to UP students as Kulê (pronounced coo-leh). It is known for its radical, often anti-administration views. It often gives critical views on the policies of the UP administration and the Philippine government.

Mosquito Press is a term in journalism coined during Martial Law. It is a term used for publications such as the Philippine Collegian, which continued to criticize the martial law government despite the dangers this entailed. These publications were likened to mosquitoes, which are small but have a stinging bite.

 

Copies of the weekly Kule are usually available either on Tuesday or Thursday. Passing by the lobby of UPs colleges, students would hurriedly grab a copy on their way to class to read burning issues of the day in UP and beyond.

From 1987 to 1991, i became one of the so-called "Iskolar ng Bayan" as  part of the UP Diliman studentry when i took BS. Economics. I became attached to  organizations like   KULE, and SAMASA Alliance My relatives and friends usually asked me "bakit ka ba naging aktibista". Perhaps my answer will be because UP is the perfect place to grow in all aspects, whether it be politically, socially, etc. Yes, I myself became part of UP Activisim movement. And i am proud that it made me a better person. Perhaps, members of the various generation of activism has their own way of reminiscing such so era."Iba nung panahon namin"...My passion for photography likewise developed as photo editor of KULE..

 Apart from invoking nostalgia, the organizers of last night's affair noted that  the event also aims to raise funds to maintain the current state of operations of the publication. The student publication fee in UP Diliman has been fixed at P40 per student every semester since 1989. Due to increasing production costs, the Collegian now incurs an average deficit of P200,000 per year. coincidentally, 1989 was the year i entered Kule under the term of then editor in chief Ruben Carranza, then Francis Perez then Alecks Pabico.

     There were earlier reports that Kule  was  unable to publish regular issues since August 2006 because its funding has been withheld by the UP Diliman administration. Many see this as a curtailment of the freedom of the publication to operate without intervention from the UP administration. This has led to a long, protracted stand-off between the two groups. It has led, among many things, to rallies, walk-outs, the publication of what is known as the "Rebel Kulê." At present, to keep the student’s informed, the Philippine Collegian has made available its issues online (http://www.philippinecollegian.org/

Past Editors-in-Chief

• Francisco Capistrano, 1923-1924
• Emerito M. Ramos, 1930-1931
• Wenceslao Q. Vinzons, 1931-1932
• Ambrosio Padilla, 1932-1933
• Arturo M. Tolentino, 1933-1934
• Armando de J. Malay, 1934-1935
• Romeno S. Busuego, 1937-1938
• Renato Constantino, 1939-1940
• Angel G. Baking, 1940-1941
• Delfin R. Garcia, 1941-1942
• Juan M. Hagad, 1946-1947
• Mariano V. Ampil, Jr., 1947-1948
• Leonardo B. Perez, 1948-1949
• Augusto Caesar Espiritu, 1949-1950
• Elmer A. Ordonez, 1950-1951
• Francisco D. Villanueva, 1951-1952
• Ignacio Debuque, 1952-1953
• Crispulo J. Icban, Jr., 1953-1954
• Luis Q. U. Uranza, Jr., 1954-1955
• Sabino Padilla, Jr., 1955-1956
• Homobono Adaza, 1956-1957
• Jose H. Y. Masakayan, 1956-1957
• Pacifico Agabin (Acting); Caesar Agnir, 1958-1959
• Leonardo A. Quisumbing, 1961-1962; Luis V. Teodoro, Jr. (Editor)
• Angelito Imperio, 1962-1963
• Tristan Catindig, 1963-1964
• Salvador T. Carlota, 1964-1965
• Enrique Voltaire Garcia II, Ancheta K. Tan 1965-1966
• Agustin Que, 1966-1967
• Miriam Defensor, 1968-1969
• Victor Manarang, 1969-1970
• Ernesto M. Valencia, 1971
• Antonio S. Tagamolila, 1971
• Reynaldo B. Vea, 1971-1972
• Eduardo T. Gonzalez
• Teodoro D. Yabut, Jr.
• Oscar G. Yabes, 1972-1974
• Diwa Guinigundo, 1974-1975
• Abraham Sarmiento, Jr., 1975-1976
• Cosme Diaz Rosell, 1976-1977
• Alexander Poblador, 1977-1978
• Diwata A. Reyes, 1978-1979
• Ma. Lourdes Mangahas, 1979-1980
• Roberto Z. Coloma, 1980-1981
• Roan I. Libarios, 1981-1982
• Napoleon J. Poblador, 1982-1983
• Raphael P. Lotilla, 1983-1984
• Benjamin Pimentel Jr., 1984-1985
• Noel Pangilinan, 1985-1986
• Dean Karlo La Vina, 1986-1987
• Ma. Cristina Godinez, 1987-1988
• Patrocinio Jude H. Esguerra III, 1988-1989
• Ruben Carranza, Jr., 1989-1990
• Francis Ronald Perez, 1990-1991
• Alexander Pabico, 1991-1992
• Pablo John Garcia, Jr., 1992-1993
• Bernard Cobarrubias, 1993-1994
• Michael John C. Ac-ac, 1994-1995
• Ibarra M. Gutierrez, 1995-1996
• Voltaire Veneracion, 1996-1997
• Lourdes C. Gordolan, 1997-1998
• Jeanie Rose Bacong, 1998-1999
• Seymour Barros-Sanchez, 1999-2000
• Herbert V. Docena, 2000-2001
• Duke M. Bajenting, 2001-2002
• Ellaine Rose A. Beronio, 2002-2003
• Sherwin A. Mapanoo, 2003-2004
• Jayson DP Fajarda, 2004-2005
• Juan Paolo E. Colet, 2005-2006
• Karl Fredrick M. Castro, 2006-2007
• Jerrie M. Abella, 2007-2008
• Larissa Mae R. Suarez, 2008-2009
• Om Narayan A. Velasco, 2009-2010
• Pauline Gidget R. Estella, 2010-2011
• Marjohara S. Tucay 2011

One of Kule's editor in chief,  Alecks Pabico passed away due to liver cancer on Wednesday, 7 October 2009, 4:36 p.m. at the St. Luke’s Medical Center. He was 42 years old. Pabico was the editor-in-chief from 1991 to 1992. I had the opportunity to work with him as photo editor during the earlier two terms. Until his last hours as a full person ( before he became ashes after his cremation), Alecks Pabico still brings smile and awe to other persons.  Imagine a funeral procession october 2009  from UP Chapel to the crematorium in Antipolo with Bob Marley's music being played instead of the traditional sad funeral songs. As we tailed the funeral car ( mira and the kids inside my car), I guess the people asked "Seryoso ba ito na patay ang nasa loob ng funeral car?" And when mira and I heard the fave song of Alecks (Three Little Birds), i recalled some of his last words to Mira as lifted from the song "Dont worry about a thing, cause every little thing gonna be all right"