A CHALLENGE TO EVERYONE

"CONCERNED ALUMNUS" CHALLENGES EVERYONE TO DO SOMETHING REAL ABOUT THE ISSUE


the gcr issue in general and this blog in particular have generated so much energy and controversy and anger and, we must admit, entertainment. reading the allegations against the chancellor makes my blood boil. if they were true then i'd be the one of the first to want her removed from office. the operative word here being "if." again, if the chancellor is as bad as people make her seem then i want her out of u.p. asap. but one crucial question is this: how long can the anti-rivero people sustain their energy and anger and desire for change when all they see is allegation after allegation? how long can this gossipy mood last? will we ever rise above the level of gossip? what about the promised concrete steps to do something real about the issue? i'm still waiting for those because they will raise my energy and excitement and involvement. without them i will just tire of this, and so will everyone else. is something legal really being done to address the issue, or is someone just fanning the flames of controversy for as long as they will amusingly burn? i hope it's the former because otherwise i will only feel very manipulated. i speak in behalf of a lot of people when i ask: what's next? and the answer better come soon or else this party van we're riding on will run out of gas pretty soon

MOMMY GILDA'S SELF-INTEREST

"ANONYMOUS" SAYS MOMMY GILDA NEEDS A REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT IS SELF-INTEREST VIS-A-VIS BEST INTEREST OF THE UNIVERSITY

Ing ana diay na si Madam ka walay konsenxia mugasto sa kwarta sa Univebersidad? Samamtalang sa pagsugod niyag lingkod usa sa iyang mga unang gihatagan ug pagtagad mao ang pag-downgrade sa mga sweldo sa mga NGS. Duna jud intawoy way nahimo nihawa na lang kay halos katunga sa iyang sweldo gi-slice ni Madam Gilda in the best interest of the University kuno. In fairness baya naa pud baya to sya'y natampo alang sa Unibersidad. Pero sa dihang nabasa nko ning sulat ni Silent Night murag di man makita ang best interest sa University dire. Ang tan-aw nako ani self-interest man ni ug uban pa except the former. Haskan baya maayo cguro mag-refresher unsay lang sa best interest sa University kay murag garbled ang signals ni Madam Gilda.

A MILLION-PESO QUESTION

"ANONYMOUS" EMAILED TO POSE A MILLION-PESO QUESTION: "How can high ranking officials allow the Chancellor to go out of control and unnecessarily spend so much money in an activity (like her investiture) that can be successfully held without spending too much?"


My assumption is that in any organization, any money requested by an official to be spent must be approved (thru channels) first before granted. the approval of course is based on whether the expenses and its amount is reasonable or not. however, if the official had already spent personal money for any "official" matter then naturally he/she will ask for a reimbursement. but any reimbursement would still require approval. having said that, i am sure that any Univ activity that requires money (specially a huge amount as 600,000 pesos would require an approval (thru channels) of other Univ officials. so that means there is a way to control the expenditures of the Chancellor. How can high ranking officials allow the Chancellor to go out of control and unnecessarily spend so much money in an activity (like her investiture) that can be successfully held without spending too much?
My point is this...yes our Chancellor wants to spend UP money anytime and whenever she wants...But is there any way we can stop her....? i am sure there is...like other high ranking officials dispproving any money request/reimbursement if it is unreasonable unless they think otherwise of course.
If the Chancellor spends so much UP funds at the rate she is going, I am sure UP funds will be depleted in no time (in unnecessary causes). We all don’t need any elaboration of what will happen to UPMin if this happens.

"SILENT NIGHT" SAYS "SHAME ON YOU, MADAM CHANCELLOR!!!"

"SILENT NIGHT'S" REACTION TO MOMMY GILDA'S STATEMENT "IPAGRAMOT NYO PA BA SA AKIN ANG P600,000..."


Ah.. mura man ug "commission" na singil kesyo naa sya disulod na pundo.. di ba it goes with the job sa isa ka Chancellor na mag-active search ug funds for the University? Cge ato iningleson para maka-sabot ang dili taga Mindanao, lalo na si Pres. Roman ug uban pa na mga intelectual..

It certainly sounds off-tangent... "ipagramut nyo ba sa akin yan", looking at it in a wider spectrum, the Chancellor has denied benefits that are rightfully for the students, faculty and staff by exercising her authority to spend "Juan's" taxes to expenses that are extravagant.. those are not her own money but that of the people of the Philippines... She can spend all her life saving for all i care.. but when she unilaterally decides to spend University/Filipino-people's funds that's another matter..

I hope those in authority at the UP System will seriously look into this..because as she (Chancellor) often says she leads by example.. therefore, a pity for UP Mindanao students who are supposed to be equipped with what is ideal, excellent..

To madam Chancellor have a conscience -- isipin mo yung ginagastos mo sa party at socials mo even isang dinner mo mas malaki pa sa sweldo ng karaniwang tao... shame on you!!!

This is really sick!!!

FOR YOUR COMMENTS

"CSM FACULTY" SENT IN THIS EMAIL TO ASK YOUR COMMENTS:

During the consultation of Mommy Gilda with the students on September 10, she was asked several times about her excessiveness in spending more than P600,000 for her investiture.

In response, she was quoted as saying, “Assuming umabot talaga sa P600,000 ang expenses ng investiture, iraramot nyo pa ba sa akin ito, considering na meron naman akong maipapasok na pera sa UP Mindanao?” (For the full transcript of the dialogue, please refer to the recent Himati issue.)

IF YOU WISH TO REACT TO MOMMY GILDA'S STATEMENT, KINDLY POST IT AT THE “COMMENT SECTION” BELOW:

FILING COMPLAINTS

"LAW STUDENT" SUGGESTS THE FOLLOWING TO SET THE LEGAL WHEEL INTO MOTION

Kinahanglan ug due notice. Kinahanglan pud ma audit siya, complete with all evidence. Concerned agencies, like COA, will ask her to explain. Pero kung naa moy evidence, puede siya ma Ombudsman.

By the way, puede mo magsulat sa Ombudsman bisag ANONYMOUS. I-check gihapon sa Ombudsman ang inyong mga complaints.

Mao ni ang address ug contact numbers sa Ombudman Mindanao dinhi sa Davao:

Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao
4th floor H&C Building, Alvarez Street
Ramon Magsaysay Avenue, Sta. Ana
Davao City 8000
Tel No. (082) 221-3431-33
Fax (082) 221-3038

THE POWERFUL DRIVER SLASH LOVER

"ANONYMOUS" SAYS DRIVER-SLASH-LOVER IS POWERFUL


Grabe c driver bai.Empowered na empowered. Isang beses nung nsa oc me, dinig na dinig me ask xa asa niadto ang Information Officer (IO) ngano wala pa sa opisina. Nitubag ang asistant nga naa siya'y giadtoan sa downtown work related. Sabi ni driver sumosobra na c IO panay ang Official Business (OB) dapat ipasilip na mga lakad nya kung totoo nga na work related. Chief of Staff na diay ni xa ron, maoy nisantop sa akong huna-huna. Nag-xerox ko niadtong tungura ug narealize nako nga dapat mag-kinto ang IO ug uban pa sa driver slash Chief of Staff.

DEPLETION OF UP MINDANAO FUNDS

"CLOSE KAY BANKER" SAYS RIVERO WILL DEPLETE THE FUNDS OF UP MINDANAO UNTIL THE END OF HER TERM




THE COUNTDOWN TO THE DEPLETION OF UP MINDANAO FUNDS BEGINS. . .


Ang akong nadunggan nangayo daw siya ug pondo sa UP System to enable her to bring in her relatives from Manila to Davao for her investiture.

The UP system declined her request and reasoned that she should pay for her visitors' expenses if she wants to bring them to Davao.

Pagkahuman daw niya nadawat ang regrets sa iyahang request, nihilak daw siya. As usual, unsa ba diay ang bag-o?

Later on, nahibal-an namo nga gi-charge diay niya ang mga expenses sa iyang mga bisita sa re-programmed fund sa UP Mindanao.

Ang ingon sa akong source, ang reprogrammed fund (PhP 6 million) mao daw ni ang savings sa UP Mindanao. Mao daw ni ang accumulated savings sa UP Mindanao since it was established in 1995.

She reprogrammed this money to be spent every year during her term at P2 million per year.

Ang gipasabot ani: Mahubas na ang savings sa UP Mindanao pagkahuman sa iyahang term!

BREAKING THE CULTURE OF FEAR AND SILENCE IN UP MINDANAO

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PAPER OF UP MINDANAO, HIMATI, URGES ALL UNIVERSITY CONSTITUENTS TO “BREAK THE CULTURE OF SILENCE AND FEAR” INSTILLED BY RIVERO

BREAKING THE CULTURE OF FEAR AND SILENCE

Every 21^st of September we commemorate the day Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law, perhaps to hark back to the violence of the regime and to draw a stark comparison between the present regime and the Marcos’ dictatorship.

Both have used the rhetoric of violence---literally and symbolically. Too many activists have died, forced to disappear, imprisoned and tortured---all by their blood smeared hands. The only difference is, Marcos was blatant enough to declare martial law while the other continues to hide behind the rhetoric of the need to eliminate the ‘enemies of the state’ to achieve economic stability.

Under the guise of supposedly well meaning laws like the Human Security Act, she persists in rounding up on her critics, propagating an environment of fear and indifference among the populace. The same situation is prevalent in UP Mindanao, albeit, perpetrated by different personality and it is scaring some shitless. Others have opted to leave and seek more ‘peaceful’ and greener pastures while some have resorted to treading on their tiptoes, preferring to keep their opinions to themselves rather than shake the boat.

But silence and running away does not solve the problem, if anything else it helps in the acculturation of the status quo. And doing so downplays us to being mere pawns in the race for power which is equivalent to us saying that we have no right to accessible education and no right to a free and democratic country.

During the days of martial law, the youth were brave enough to gather even if groups of threes and more were punishable by imprisonment, torture and even death. It was the dark ages and yet they have mustered enough courage to fight back, to assert, to break the culture of fear and silence.

We are under similar circumstances, yes, and like before let us not be remiss in leaving everything as it is. For only in enforcing change can we prove to the people on whose taxes we live on that we are more than academic papers and achievements. That we are still a university that can be heralded as the defender of democratic rights, of quality and affordable education, the bastion of academic freedom, and social justice.

And in this light, we invoke everyone to uphold our democratic rights, resist repression and violence, and live up to what it means to be a Iskolar ng Bayan for silence never is and will never be the answer.

HIMATI EDITORIAL

HIMATI'S EDITORIAL CARTOON LAMBASTING THE SCHEMES OF RIVERO IN INSTILLING A CULTURE OF FEAR AND SILENCE IN UP MINDANAO


Illustration by Marius Monsanto, Himati Editorial Illustrator / Staff

EXCERPTS FROM HIMATI

THE HIMATI SAYS THE PUBLICITY GIMMICK OF RIVERO (a.k.a., THE INVESTITURE) WAS EXPENSIVE, INEFFECTIVE AND UNNECESSARY!!!


COMMENTARY: THE DIALOGUE WITH CHANCELLOR RIVERO


By Minin Sinsona, Himati Staff


. . . The first question raised by a student was the 600,000 peso investiture issue.

. . . Students argue that it is an unnecessarily large amount spent on an event that could have been successful for far less. The students questioned the Chancellor's priorities for the university.

The investiture was allegedly for publicity of UP Mindanao. If that was the case, then it was ineffective and unnecessary. The money could have been allocated for the facilities that the campus needs.

A professor who wished to remain anonymous, who was present at the said event also attested to the unreasonable amount and said it did not seem like it was worth as much.

BREAKDOWN: Decoding the Php 600,000 Investiture Cost

SOME EXCERPTS FROM THE HIMATI ARTICLE EXPOSING THE ANOMALOUS EXPENSES OF RIVERO DURING HER INVESTITURE

BREAKDOWN: Decoding the Php 600,000 Investiture Cost

By: Lourdes Angelie Edig, Himati Editor

Ano ang masasabi mo sa performance ni Chancellor Gilda Rivero? (What can you say about Chancellor Gilda Rivero’s performance?”

It wasn’t until these words were printed on a sheet of Manila paper posted on the freedom wall near the Administration Building last September 4 did a controversial issue arise, more than a month after its perpetuation.

. . . A professor who was present during the investiture attested to the unreasonable amount and said it did not seem like it was worth as much. The latter requested anonymity for fear of adding fuel to the already volatile university situation.

. . . In a recent survey by the Himati Icon, 52% of student respondents were of the strong opinion that the P600,000 budget was too expensive, 10% were not aware of the Investiture, 8% would not wait for the actual costs to come out before commenting, while 4% thinks the P600,000 budget was “Okay Lang.” Also, some added that the money would have been better spent on dorm facilities, laboratory equipment and supplies and cementing the roads around the campus, especially going to Kanluran (CSM). . .

HIMATI COVER PAGE

The official student paper of UP Mindanao, Himati, picked this cover design for its recent issue (Volume XI, Issue I) questioning the anomalous expenses of Rivero during her recent investiture. Originally, the cost was estimated at P600,000. But according to reliable sources from within the organization who have access to liquidation reports, the cost of the investiture has already reached a whopping P1,000.000!!!

EMAIL FROM FORMER STUDENT REGENT RAFFY SANCHEZ

Former Student Regent Raffy Sanchez said he articulated the position of the students during the BOR meeting---that is, the students will support any of the four nominees except Dr. Gilda Rivero because of her anti-student, anti-worker stance---but President Roman was quick to state her preference for Dr. Rivero over Prof. Dans Lee.

Hi,

I don't know who your source is but I was personally present in the board meeting in question. Please let me clarify the following:

1.) Indeed the meeting took place in an executive session. This means that the only persons present when her selection was decided were the regents and the secretary of the university. I am against this kind of an arrangement because it runs counter to the tenets of transparency that the University espouses. By tradition, however, the selections of chancellors, deans, and even the president are done in an executive session. This was not a special case.

2.) A "split-vote" did not take place. Neither did the chair have to prod the president to explain her choice. On the contrary, the president's explanation took place before the voting. That is the process according to parliamentary procedures.

3.) I think it is correct to criticize the proceedings for lacking an indispensable component- a written, accessible record. Nonetheless, the office of the secretary of the university keeps a tape record of the deliberations. But, based on experience, even the student regent could hardly access that tape record. I have tried requesting from said office during my time. The office has its reasons.

4.) In my report on the 1217th BoR Meeting to the UPMin Student Body, I have clearly articulated my insights on the events that took place during the proceedings. Let me cite relevant portions of this report for everybody's enlightenment, viz:

"Another crucial matter discussed was the appointment of the chancellor of UP Mindanao, the youngest unit of the UP System. The students’ position is clear—they will support any of the four nominees except Dr. Gilda Rivero because of her anti-student, anti-worker stance. Dr. Rivero is currently the vice-chancellor for academic affairs of UP Mindanao. The UP Mindanao USC has reported that she issued a letter of reprimand to its chair and had said letter attached to the USC Chair’s official academic record. This is a case of summary execution. Democratic process entails that the chair or any student should go through a fair trial and if convicted, meted with the appropriate penalty. This reprimand was issued because of a successful call for boycott against ToFI by the UP Min USC which paralyzed the classes in the unit. Reports from both faculty and other sectors indicating Dr. Rivero’s harsh treatment towards them are also contained in the committee assessment. Dr. Roman began the deliberation by playing safe. She said she preferred either Dr. Rivero or Prof. Dans Lee. After I articulated the students’ position, Dr. Roman was quick to state her preference for Dr. Rivero whom the Board appointed. This is not merely an issue of popularity. This is about choosing an academic leader who can uphold the ideals of the university and the welfare of its constituency. Given the kind of attitude that Dr. Roman’s Administration has towards democratic processes, I can understand her preference. The Student Body of UP Mindanao fears that with this development, in due time, the unit will return to the Dark Ages."

5.) Based on my recollection of the meeting in question, I can confirm the following:

a.) The president explained her preference for Dr. Rivero over Prof. Dans Lee by saying that the former has the right answers which the latter lacks although she asks the right questions.

b.) The president also expressed her comfort in having someone who knows how to manage a unit. Because of the demands for the centennial celebration and other upcoming activities, she said that she couldn't micromanage a unit.

c.) The nomination of the alumni association of Davao was made a basis to support the chancellor's selection. The alumni regent pointed out in that meeting that the chancellor enjoys the support of the active alumni association. At that time, I could not question this assertion as we were presented with a black and white account of such support. I only learned later that the nomination is not backed by a resolution from the alumni board.

d.) I can't distinctly remember her "not having a house in Manila" as being a basis for her selection. I think the phrase used was that she was "willing to relocate in Mindanao" (given that her family already resides abroad).

I may have missed some details but these are the crucial points. If you require more information, please ask. Actually, I may be under the pain of a reprimand for expressing what transpired in that executive session. It is supposed to be confidential. But I cannot, however, permit the escalation of this conflict and the movements that may arise therefrom if the foundations in which they stand on are pieces of information that are rather unverified.

I share a number of your valid sentiments. But, as a former student leader and mass organizer, I urge you to please come to the open. Let us put brave faces and names behind our calls and statements. That bravery can only spring from careful ascertaining of the correctness of our cause—one that transcends the boundary of self-interest, that is, one that calls for liberation not so as to take the place of the oppressor but one that commits to justice for all. Unless this type of bravery is shown, any attempt at mass organizing will remain tainted with a questionable motive.

Great is my belief that the learned and noble men and women of UPMin could discuss and come up with a clear-cut manifesto of unity to collectively address their concerns in a manner that is not parochial. No matter how honorable its cause is, a movement that exists in isolation is elitist. It will collapse in succession. UPMin deserves something better. This daunting task requires collective action. Collective action has a tested formula: the binary method of negotiations and mass actions.

With you in the pursuit of excellence, I remain

For the students and the people,

Raffy Jones G. Sanchez
Lecturer in Social Sciences
Former Student Regent, UP System

WHY WE CALL HER "MOMMY GILDA"

Several people from outside the University have sent in their email to ask why we call the chancellor "MOMMY GILDA".

Bloggers, if you know the answer, please post it at the comment section below.

YOU ARE BEING WATCHED, YOU ARE BEING BLOGGED

UPMin PANOPTICON SOCIETY SAYS: MOMMY GILDA, YOU ARE BEING WATCHED, YOU ARE BEING BLOGGED

WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT BLOGGING MOMMY GILDA’S ABUSES?

We asked a UP faculty about her views about it. She remarked that Mommy Gilda has created her own Frankenstein! She is being watched, she is being blogged, as she put it.

“The blog on Chancellor Rivero’s abuses is like Jeremy Bentham’s idea of a Panopticon. In a way, Chancellor Rivero has created a Panopticon Society within and outside the campus who will expose her own misdeeds,” she explained.

After talking to the said UP faculty, we did a quick Google search on the terms “panopticon” and “panopticon society,” and we were led to the “The Future Place Blog” written by Ray Poynter at http://thefutureplace.typepad.com/the_future_place/2006/11/panopticon_soci.html.

Here are some excerpts from the site that might interest Mommy Gilda:

A post by kdawson on Slashdot uses the terms Panopticon Society, a term we might need to become more familiar with. The cause of the post was a story that the UK police are experimenting with fitting 8 mini-cameras to police officers helmets, to provide 360 degree video recording of incidents. The post links this innovation to the growth in CCTV and systems such as the ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition), to point out that we are increasingly being watched by people we can’t see. Part of the electronic wave I have written about before. For example, at the moment the UK Information Commissioner has estimated that there are 4.2 million CCTV cameras in the UK, one for every fourteen people, and the average person is captured on CCTV 300 times a day.

So, the panopticon society? The Panopticon was an idea for a prison designed by British philosopher Jeremy Bentham (1749-1832). The following definition is from Wikipedia
“The Panopticon is a type of prison building designed by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham. The concept of the design is to allow an observer to observe (-opticon) all (pan-) prisoners without the prisoners being able to tell if they are being observed or not, thus conveying a ‘sentiment of an invisible omniscience’.

The architectural figure ‘incorporates a tower central to an annular building that is divided into cells, each cell extending the entire thickness of the building to allow inner and outer windows. The occupants of the cells [...] are thus backlit, isolated from one another by walls, and subject to scrutiny both collectively and individually by an observer in the tower who remains unseen. Toward this end, Bentham envisioned not only venetian blinds on the tower observation ports but also mazelike connections among tower rooms to avoid glints of light or noise that might betray the presence of an observer’.”.

Bentham’s prison was never built in his lifetime, but there are prisons around the world modelled on Bentham’s ideas.

I do not know whether kdawson coined the term Panopticon Society (a Google search of “Panopticon Society” records 1,640 occurrences), or heard it elsewhere, but it seems to me a very apt phrase. We are all on view, and we can never be sure whether, at any given moment, we are being watched.

So, Mommy Gilda, please take note that you are being watched.

Also, you might want to see an illustration depicting Jeremy Bentham’s idea of a Panopticon. So we are posting it here for you as well.

Love,

UPMin Panopticon Society

MAGING MAPANURI

"SIGAW" ASKS CO-STUDENTS TO BE CRITICAL OF MOMMY GILDA'S BEATING AROUND THE BUSH DURING THE CONSULTATION

ang bilis ng mga pangyayari... umiinit na talaga. sana lang maging rasyonal tayo sa ating pakikipaglaban. ipon nga muna ng bala. diba next sem may mga scheduled dialogues? dun natin ipukol na naman yung mga issues sa kanya. sana sa mga susunod na mga dialogues nakaupo na rin ang mga deans at iba pang university officials para masagot rin ang issues na saklaw ng kanilang mga opisina.

pero maging mapanuri pa rin tayo pagdating sa pakikinig ng diyalogo kasama si Mommy Gilda kasi pansin ko(at ng marami pang iba) nung last dialogue ay magaling mag-evade ng questions si Mommy Gilda. magaling magpaligoy-ligoy...wag niyang akalain na mga tanga ang mga taga-upmin.