IMPLULSES
Inconvenient truth
(Note: Below is the article passed by Engr. Herman Lagon to the Philippine Information Agency as requirement for the Search for the Best Performing School Paper Adviser in Western Visayas. For the second time in a row, Engr. Lagon, who is also a columnist of this paper and a physics teacher of Ateneo de Iloilo, ended as champion of the said contest. Awarding was held during the College Press (Copre) Conference held November 30 at the Iloilo Grand Hotel.--Ed)
Most politicians often promise us that they will help eradicate poverty, promote development, build sustainable peace, etcetera. However, the Filipino youth and students (even parents, teachers and school administrators included) can't help but wonder where all these promises will lead to.
Lest we forget, these are the same politicians, pretending to be public servants who at the zenith of uprisings and elections, recited a litany of promises and guaranteed to defend and advance the genuine interest of the people, especially of the youth. And yet, these promises, much more the pledge of assurance from some of our often-dishonorable politicians, are still waiting to be fulfilled.
Note that I did not say all politicians, but Most with a capital M.
Years under them, the Filipino youth and students are uneducated, indebted and hungry.
Proof of this is the dismal state of our educational system and the other sad but vital facts about the country and the youth, the undisputed future of the land. According to Ibon Facts and Figures, PulseAsia and the National Statistics Office, as of now:
* 1 in 10 Filipinos has never gone to school (6.8 million),
* 1 in 6 Filipinos is not functionally literate (9.6 million),
* 4.1 million are illiterate,
* 11.6 million youth are out-of-school,
* More than half (51 percent) of Filipinos had at most elementary education,
* Out of 1000 Grade 1 pupils, only 688 will finish their elementary education and only 7 will acquire the required competency skills,
* Of 100 students that enroll in Grade 1, only 9 will finish college; and only three of them will land a job, decent or otherwise,
* The Philippines has one of the most crowded classrooms in Asia with a class size of 60 students per class,
* Room shortage is more than 44,000 despite government's recent pronouncement that there are no classroom shortages,
* Textbook shortage is pegged at 25 million and counting,
* Public school teacher shortage is close to 60,000,
* 15 percent of schoolchildren are malnourished,
* The country is 41st and 43rd out of 45 countries in performance in Math and Science, respectively,
* Only 1 out of 4 public school teachers are confident and competent enough to teach English,
* Many of the 1.8 M illiterate children with ages at least 10 years old are street children, child laborers and victims of armed conflict,
* In a study conducted in 2004, there are 2.75 M young smokers and 5.7 M drinkers,
* Children 13-18 years old are found to be the most susceptible victims of sexual abuse,
* It was reported that there are 4.7 M working children.
Let's have some facts of general feel:
* The country has the most corrupt government according to hundreds of PERC-interviewed foreign and well-placed domestic businesspersons.
* Most Filipinos (including the CBCP) believe that our government is currently suffering from "moral bankruptcy."
* The Philippines is in the Top 10 of the most bribe-prone countries in the world,
* More than half of the Filipinos believe that they are poor and they have experienced hunger,
* One person (usually politically critical to Malacañang) in every three days die due to extrajudicial killings,
* The country is the second worst place for journalists in the world,
* Top 10% of Pinoys take 37% of the total income in the country, while the lowest 20% receive only 5%,
* Land remains monopolized by a rich few, and underemployment is over 20%,
* More than a third of the population live below the poverty line (despite the distorted Palace's definition of what poverty is), with nearly half of the 88 million population living less than P100 a day (note that the minimum wage is about P300 at an average and the living wage is approximately P650).
This is the real situation of the Filipino youth and the real dire, malnourished condition of Juan dela Cruz, a rough glimpse of the future. This is what traditional politicians are not talking about in their blissful offices and talking sorties. This is the problem yearly being drowned in empty promises, hollow rhetoric and orchestrated standing ovations. This is the crisis our government--including some of those in the realm of the local government, the religious and the academe—is refusing to admit and address.
But we are not taking this sitting down, right?
Hence, I urge you (the Filipino youth and those sectors concerned with your welfare: the parents, teachers, administrators, workers, peasants, government officials, civil society workers), I urge you to reaffirm your commitment to safeguard and press forward our genuine right to quality, relevant and accessible education. On top of all these, let us forge our commitment to social justice and moral recovery!
Beginning today, let us give others a taste of what they can expect from the vigilant youth and its allies. In a time when turncoatism and hopelessness seem to define this particular juncture of our history, we will remain watchful, aggressive and unwavering in our responsibility to help build a better future.
For yes, we must accept disappointments, but never should we lose hope.
Lesson is, we must neither just give up our future to just anybody nor give up our future to just any statistics presented to us. If we want change, immediate, organized and well-thought-of actions must come from us. Every little contribution—like throwing garbage in the trash can or falling in line as required—counts.
Let this be the test of our commitment. A testament for our thirst for more creative and solid alternatives.
No silly promises anymore. Never shall we be apathetic and disinterested any longer.
Serve as an effective partner of the community!
It's time to walk our talk.
(Engr. Herman Lagon is a physics teacher of Ateneo de Iloilo. He may be reached through h_lagon@yahoo.com.)