Playing with Fire
Saludo ako, Congressman Victor
By Gonzalo Duque
WE saw a standout, shining Victor Agbayani last week.
The man we used to sometimes criticize here for his inaction on the regional drug rehabilitation center project in Burgos, Pangasinan stood ten feet tall during the education committee meeting at the House of Representatives. We were there as president of the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities.
We were impressed at his demeanor as a public official, sharp, sober and authoritative.
As a lawmaker, he is good, great and pwedeng mag-speaker if only Ate Glow would smile on him and if he decides to go for it.
In that committee hearing where basic and higher education issues were debated, our Congressman Victor Agbayani stole the thunder from the activist Teddy Casino who behaved as if he wanted to kill private education in this country.
Victor, in his mild and winning demeanor, gave Casino an authoritative lecture on economics, market forces and free enterprise which for a while escaped the activist solon’s mind. You’d be proud of this Agbayani show of excellence and an air of authority. He said that if Casino’s idea was followed, we would kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. There’d be no more investors in education. The word should be regulate, not strangulate. As all enlightened citizens will tell you, we pay for quality, but it must be done in accordance with the best interest for the highest good in our free enterprise system.
Those who heard Victor including our colleagues in PACU told us our Pangasinan lawmaker is “super.” Congrats, Vic. Saludo kami sa yo.
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In the same committee hearing, we tackled the sensitive issues on changing the curriculum of certain courses in a wrong way by some officials of the Commission on Higher Education who could be guilty of abuse.
Some CHED Officials were behaving more powerful than our lawmakers. Take the case of the unpopular idea of adding more hours and days and units to the nursing curriculum. They were trying to ram down the throats of our parents and students additional burdens.
The law is that a wide range of consultations was needed before policies are made. These Ched people would not have anything of it.
We firmly put our feet down on their high-handed proposals drawing the applause … ahem…ahem…of the students such as those from the National Union of Students who were closely monitoring the proceedings. Ano kayang mindset mayroon itong mga taga Ched?
During the debate, Congressman Mariano Paimonte urged the Ched “to stop this Ched foolishness” by suspending the new curriculum and conducting hearings in accordance with Republic Act 7722, which requires the holding of public hearings before any proposal is arrived at.
It will be recalled that in 2006, we questioned this proposal before the Regional Trial Court in Dagupan City, and we were sustained. The court ordered the CHED to follow the law on public hearings. Kayong mga nasa Ched, gising na nga kayo at baka siplatan da kayoy balon Cosme!
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Heard the ditty “Cycles” sung by Frank Sinatra? We want to dedicate it to Manong Joe de Venecia who seems weary and tired. Ang message ng Cycles is it’s best to pause for a while, take a respite and reflect when things are not coming your way. Listen to the voice of your heart. Feel the things around you. Ponder, hum, sing, cry if need be, because when you are down its best take things with gentleness. Don’t push too hard and fast. Because life is like that, it doesn’t mean that when are down, you’re through, for God might want to tell you something. Slow down a bit, it’s part of the game… the game of life.
We still have the best for you, Manong Joe.
(Readers may reach columnist at punch.sunday@gmail.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/playing-with-fire/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)
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