Dela Salle celebrates a 100

I'm not an alumnus of Dela Salle. Yet, I consider myself a part of their history since I once taught there. And those times were memorable.


I was'nt in my middle twenties back then, still fresh from college, yet able to teach at the University of the Philippines and La Salle University. I had a very strong academic record. I graduated with masteral units and that earned me the right to teach History at Dela Salle (in 2004, I taught Mass Communications).


My life revolved on two things: teaching and journalism. I report to the newsroom of DZBB at 9 in the evening, wrote 45 news stories every single day and went out of the office by 7 or 8 in the morning. From there, I proceed to UP to teach two classes about history. Afterwards, I go to La Salle in the afternoon. That was my routine for at least three years. (my goolai!)


Back then, the quadrangle was full of decades-old trees. Concrete benches were constructed beneath those trees and when I find the time, I would sit there and rest.  I would converse with my students there, explaining to them the wonderful workings of dialectics and encouraging them to apply these fundamental laws in widening their understanding of the world.


La Salle is a wonderful employer. I became a member of the La Salle Faculty which earned me the right to discounts at the canteen and of course, borrow books from the library. I enjoyed my stay there. 


Some of my students, like Alvin Aguilar, Owen Singson, Cong. Teves and even Darlene Antonino-Custodio carved their particular niches in society. Others became owners of their own businesses while some, well, ascended to the family businesses. 


Sometimes, I think about continuing teaching since it was one of those times that I feel satisfied and contented about life. 


I plan to teach again sometime in the future, maybe when I'm nearing my sixties. I would like to share whatever knowledge I accumulated through the years to the next generation. 


That university deserves the honors and glories that people gave it as one of our most beloved institutions of higher learning.


Now, I am proud to say that:


1. I learned the basics from UP
2. Learned the law from San Beda and Ateneo Law
3. Taught all these to La Salle.


Congratulations La Sallians! May you always shine like stars in the darkest of nights.

PUP's First Quarter Storm On!

Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) students have now set barricades inside their campus to protest the impending 2,000 percent tuition hike increase. The PUP regents are now meeting today and are set to impose a very inequitable decision that would cause the frustration of thousands of students.

Education has become a dream of the poorest of the poor in this country. Fact is, education is not included in the things which Filipinos plan to have due to very limited financial resources.

Now that the PUP regents board want to increase the per unit costs from 12 pesos to something as surreal as 300 pesos is, for me, a very real reason to militate against the government.

How callous this government is! How they wasted billions of pesos allotted for fertilizers and how the DEPed has wasted billions more for illicit activities, when the very future of this country, the young students' lives are being gambled.

Let the students show their disgusts and campaign for the protection of their rights.

BY the way, it will not only be the students of the PUP that will be militating against the dastardly plan of the government to increase tuition fees.

Members of the UP Regent will also be meeting today to discuss the increase of tuition fees in the premier university of the land.

Some student leaders of the University of the Philippines have consulted me and I urged them to fight for their rights to education. Education is a right, not a priviledge. 

Let the Second Quarter Storm rage now!!