Playing with Fire
PSU’s Estira on the spot again!
By Gonzalo Duque
YOU should have heard educator Ruben Morante’s revelations before the Pangasinan Press Club forum last Wednesday. He said in sum the overstaying president of Pangasinan State University is most unfit for his post… for many reasons.
We in the private education could understand Ruben’s beef when he slammed the state university under its controversial president, Dr. Victoriano C. Estira.
Unlike Mr. Estira’s unfair implementation of a state university’s mandate, Ruben’s advocacy in higher education fits him to a T. We can not say the same of Mr. Estira because, well, we need not use the “nuclear bombs” unleashed by his legion of critics against him, like the reform-oriented faculty of the same PSU who vehemently protests in their letter to CHED Chair Patricia Licuanan his application (what gall!) for an extension (ugh!) of another three years because his term is slated to lapse next month.
No, we won’t raise what this group and other groups have already publicly censured regarding his fitness to his job. We’ll just focus on his unabashed betrayal of the cause of education which should have been as state university skipper and an agriculture graduate at that, to enhance the development of our natural resources such as at least agriculture in our dear province of Pangasinan, and regain its title as the rice granary of the Philippines.
By the way, we received a document that when Dr. Rodolfo Asanion retired as PSU president, four or five names were nominated to replace him. And you know what? It was not Mr. Estira who topped the list, but our friend, Dr. Prospero “Popoy” de Vera, who garnered the highest grade. Estira got the lowest and even flunked the passing mark. We’re still surprised how he wormed his way to the presidency.
But that’s water under the bridge. We have full and complete trust in the wisdom of the new board of trustees and the Ched Chair, the venerable, Dr. Licuanan who, we are told, has also received a copy of the letter signed under oath by a select group of PSU faculty members protesting his continued mis-rule at PSU.
Our problem with Mr. Estira is his penchant to gatecrash into the backyard of private education. As Dr. Morante stressed in his talk before journalists, Mr. Estira would beat his breast for PSU’s increased enrolment in nursing, HRM, and other courses that should belong to private education. Pampered by low tuition fees from a state university, students would naturally bite what PSU dangles at the expense of fair play in our democratic system.
It is public knowledge — this has been confirmed by the region’s assistant director of the Department of Agriculture, Cris Baurtista, that it won’t be long when the region including Pangasinan will lose its agriculturists in due time. Why? Because we don’t have a shining light to encourage the young to take up agriculture. So who will take over the management of our natural resources later? Nada.
In Israel, the citizens led by young agriculture talents succeeded in converting the desert into lush vegetation. Here in our country, we transform our rich soil and waters into patches of stones and cement. Distorted minds, yes, because we have many Estiras in the educational system.
For what he has been doing or undoing in the educational system in our province, expect it’s karmic for our young. And here’s the rub, those he has pampered with millions worth of purchase contracts in expensive equipment, computers and the like would also receive their comeuppance from the full might of the law. They are now being investigated.
Our Dr. Morante has already sounded the call for reforms in line with President Aquino’s campaign against corruption. The coming of the savior of our educational system is already within reach. We advise the pretenders to give way.
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We thank the Sangguniang Panlungsod led by Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez and her whose council the likes of Councilor Alfie Fernandez for granting private educational institutions tax exemptions. Reason finally has prevailed.
For what would happen to our country if all these institutions dedicated to the molding of young minds close shop? Instead of blocking their success, like what Mr. Estira is doing, to the general public, the stakeholders of our republic, should help sustain their mission.
Government can do just so much since it can’t do everything. So,we should encourage everyone in the sustaining the growth of all the forces that build a nation.
By the way, somebody texted us if the proposed Dagupan officials’ Third Thrilla at Pedritos had taken place. We said, not yet, because they, the city officials, needed a breather, a time to relax — recess muna, — tama yata si Pare Jun V, na dapat magkasundosundo na sila. Ay, we say again that’s for next week, because we had to give way to Dr. Morante’s timely cal. And as a sidebar, Jun V has been throwing accolade to the displayed unity of the Dagupenos and Pangasinan folk for the superbly successful Bangus Kalutan under the direction of Mayor Benjie Lim and the Pista’y Dayat under our great Governor Spines.
Millions of human bodies must have swooped down on our sea-rimmed and fish-rich province and city. It’s really a time to thank God for these bounties.
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