Think about it
‘Nakuryente!’
By Jun Velasco
“Playing safe is probably the most unsafe thing in the world.“—Anon
WELCOME home to your native Pangasinan soil, Claire Yen, world-renowned artist of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao!
Claire’s mother, former Syncletica Bugayong Toledo of Bugallon town, was schoolmate of former Lingayen Mayor Josefina Vila Castaneda, wife of Mayor Jonas, from pre to high school at St. Columban in the capital town.
We met Claire in the company of the Bukidnon datus, who were introduced to us by our colleague Dennis Mojares, who has gained the friendship of the Mindanaoans who were looking for a bridge to Malacacang.
When Claire learned that we were a Pangasasinese, she asked how she could renew old ties with her mother’s kin and relatives on her native soil. She is scheduled to speak before the Rotary Club of Downtown Dagupan and the More than the Conquerors at Lenox Social Hall on Tuesday evening.
* * * *
Very early morning last Sunday, we received a phone call from Malued boyhood mate Ruben Morante, now a big shot in business and education in Pangasinan.
When our late tatays — his Lorenzo “Tason Taso” and our Pio Sr., both singers; Mama Ensoy, well known father of kabayawasan, and ours, da Jerry Vale of Dagupan — were candidates for kagawad in Malued, Ruben and us did the public speaking for them. No, both Mama Ensoy and erpat were good speakers. Probably it was their ploy to let the public know that they had “great kids.”
It was a delight to talk to Ruben, now a doctor of education; he is the president of the Philippine Accountancy and Science School in Alaminos City. What was not a delight was the reason for his early morning call.
He said, “mali yong kolum niyo, kuya, akoryente kayo’“
He was referring to our column article on a news item we read in the Inquirer with the head, “Alaminos university gets CHED OK.”
We told him we were shocked by the story, too, meaning the Ched’s approval.
“NO, NO, NO, Kuya, it’s not true, the writer is misleading the public.” The writer misleading the public? Or the Inquirer misleading the public?
He calmed down when we assured him we shared his view.
First, it has saddened us no end that courses reserved for private education are being eaten up by the low tuition- state universities, signaling a death knell for private education.
So we listened to Ruben’s aches. Brilliant. Terse, to the point, marks of a great educator. We’ll print a few of his points here, but solid wallops, ala Pacquiao’s solids.
For a long time we’ve been following Gonzalo Duque’s criticisms on state universities’ overbearing stance; their encroachments on private property. Not only by the Pangasinan State University, but by the others enjoying public money subsidy with the gall to encroach on the privates. We’ve reexamined the role and mandate of state universities in a free enterprise, their viability, etc.
We told Ruben, come to think of it, our article was in fact a dig at whoever gave the PSU branch in Alaminos the right to step on the heads of private colleges and universities for giving it the right to offer those courses.
“Please have the patience to correct the falsehood,” Ruben pleaded.
We reviewed the newspaper story. And re-read our column. Why, we were at the core questioning it. The head of our column as “PSU’s Alaminos suspicious mandate.”
In fairness, we lift from a mountain of letters and articles these few but vital points sent us by Dr. Ruben:
It is not true that CHED Director Vitriolo said the Alaminos branch will offer the courses, but rather, ” may … subject to ocular visit of the above programs by the by the Technical Panel for Teacher Education and Agriculture.”
CHEd Chairperson Patricia Licuanan, referring to her meeting with Mayor Braganza and Estira, said that “the degree programs being offered at Pangasinan State University -Alaminos are not compliant with the PSGS of Ched and that Alaminos campus will only offer Associate courses pending compliance of the documents needed for offering degree programs.”
She added, “We further agreed that no new students for the degree programs will be admitted during this 1st semester. SY 2011-2012.”
How could it have happened that a vital piece such as a college course offering would get mired in confusion?
Maybe it’s about time the Ched should clear the air AGAIN, now, once and for all, with the photos of Chairman Licuanan and President Noynoy in huge billboards to be installed all over Western Pangasinan!
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