Power failure failed to shut down the voices against educational repression on June 26.

The forum/book launch of IBON Foundation book Mula Tore Patungong Palengke: Neoliberal Education in the Philippines did not keep everyone “in the dark”, as it pushed through with only flashlights and the guest speakers’ audible voices within the walls of Claro M. Recto Hall, UP Faculty Center, University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman.

Mula Tore Patungong Palengke features essays by UP professors and employees taking their stands on neoliberalism, deregulation, transformative education, privatization and liberalization.

Prof. Danilo Arao, professor at the UP College of Mass Communication points out the real score on “progressive deregulation” and how it is used as policy by the government.

Arao cited earlier acts, such as the Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997 and the Medium-Term Higher Education Irredemption Plan, as a form of deregulation by the government.

“We should hope for an educational system that is nationalist, scientific and mass-oriented,” Prof. Arao restated.

Behind Liberalism and Neoliberalism

Neoliberalism is only a means of the capitalists’ ruling the poor, according to All UP Academic Union Vice President Edberto Villegas.

“Ang Neoliberalismo ay nagiging balakid na mismo sa pag-angat ng sangkatauhan tungo sa mas mataas na lebel ng kabuhayang tao. Ang tunay na layunin nito na kontrolin ng burgesya ang lipunan ay lalong nalalantad na. (Neoliberalism hinders public progress toward an improved way of living. Its real purpose of the bourgeoisie controlling the masses is being revealed,” Villegas said.

Villegas, in his book article “Liberalism, Neoliberalism and the Rights of Culturalist Education”, noted the commodification or “selling” of knowledge being rendered progressive to the eyes of the public.

Neoliberalism is the movement for free trade between countries and the removal of its barriers, like regulation and tariff.

State of Philippine science and technology

Dr. Giovanni Tapang, a professor at the UP National Institute of Physics and chairperson of Advocates of Science and Technology for the People, gave his views on the rise of the Science and Technology Park in UP and its implications.

Tapang said erecting the said park would be useless since there are no local industries that can accommodate it.

He also noted RP’s poor performance in international Math and Science competitions.

“More than just lagging behind in industrialized countries, the backwardness of science and technology in the country has deprived the people of its possible benefits. Hindi lang dahil bansot ang S and T; ang pinakamalaking problema ay hindi ito natatamasa ng ating mamamayan. (Not only is Science and technology small; the problem is that Filipinos do not benefit from it),” Tapang claims.

He added that foreign investors have thrived in the country, depriving it not only of natural but also of intellectual resources.

“Para umunlad ang agham at teknolohiya, kailangang lumaya muna ang mamamayan. (Free the people first for science and technology to prosper),” Tapang concludes.

On Privatizing UP

Contractualization of UP workers and privatization of its agencies can greatly affect the quality and morals of their work, said Clodualdo Cabrera of the All UP Workers Union.

Cabrera mentions the dislocation of UP employees because of privatization. They are being forced to do a job different from their previous one, so they would lack the skills and the job would be compromised.

Sometimes, he said, employees would even be forced to resign.

"Ang patuloy po na pribatisasyon sa pagsasara ng mga opisina ay delubyong raragasa sa karapatan ng mga manggagawa...Para po kasi sa amin, ang kasiguruhan sa trabaho ay ang pangunahing karapatan na dapat tinatamasa ng bawat manggagawa sa ating lipunan. (Continued privatization will erode the rights of workers. For us, job security is the main right every worker in society should be enjoying).” Cabrera stated.

He added that workers in privatized agencies are more prone to harassments and less benefits.

"Ang mga pasimuno at utak ng pribatisasyon at kontraktuwalisasyon sa UP ay maituturing na makabagong makapili at traydor…Labanan po natin ang pribatisasyon, ipaglaban po natin ang tamang sahod sa UP at sa (lahat ng) manggagawa sa buong Pilipinas. (The proponents of privatization and contractualization in UP can be seen as traitors…Let us fight privatization and fight for adequate salary for all workers).” Cabrera said.

Mula Tore Patungong Palengke will have its second launch on Sept. 1 at the 28th International Book Fair, World Trade Center, Metro Manila.