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Iskolar ng Bayan

12 August 2008 Posted by Lanie Bauzon View Comments
Lanie Bauzon

“Serve the people!”

This is the slogan or battle cry of some service-oriented organizations I joined back in college at the University of the Philippines Baguio.  So strong was the statement’s impact to my young mind that I took it to heart and made it as one of my personal missions in life.

Thus began my journey to serve my purpose after graduation by looking for a job that would not only provide me with material rewards but personal fulfillment as well.  So, I tried embracing the noblest profession of all — teaching.  Molding young minds that are the future of the world somehow gave me the satisfaction that I was contributing something worthy to the society.

I couldn’t see myself then working in the government — an institution laden with graft and corruption, underpaid employees, palakasan system, and the like.  I didn’t want to immerse myself in an environment I would not be very comfortable at.  Besides, the student organizations I was very active at in college were labeled as anti-government.

Certain circumstances, however, had their way of changing people’s minds and destiny.  After four years of teaching, I found myself working at the GSIS.  A comrade once chided me na nagpapa-alila na yata ako sa gobyerno.  But I assured him that my new job was not a betrayal against our ideals but rather a service being rendered to the employees of the government.

Serving the people knows no boundaries or ideologies.  Working in the government, in fact, gave me more opportunities to be of service to the very same people I vowed to serve in the first place.  There is no better reward for a job well done than getting a sincere “thank you” in return from people who are least privileged in life.  Thus, I have chosen to stay in the GSIS for nine long years because a career in the government is all about public service.

And I still stand by my mission to serve others in my own little ways the best that I can. With or without the GSIS. With or without the slogan.  After all, it’s my way of paying back to the people for being one of their “Iskolars ng Bayan”.

 

  • armanuccbse
    ang galing! talagang hanga ako sa mga "Iskolars ng Bayan", sila ang mga estudyanteng malayang naipapahayag, maliit man o malaki, ang kanilang mga nararamdaman. mapalad at may institusyong nangangalaga sa talino't kakayahang kailangan ng bansa. mabuhay ang UP!
  • ceci
    Salamat din kay Lanie sa pagpapaliwanag. Ang kasabihang "serve the people" ay kinuha kay Chairman Mao, na sa kanyang mga kasulatan ay kumuha din ng inspirasyon sa pagtuturo ni Confucius, batayan ng Chinese civil service sa nakaraan hanggang sa kasalukyan. Natitiyak ko na marami sa ating mga dating aktibista ay naghanap din ng trabahong di-salungat sa kanilang mga prinsipyo, kung saan sila makakapaglingkod sa bayan. Sa aking sariling paglalakbay naunawaan ko rin na ang mga sistema ay hindi salungat sa kapakinabangan ng mga tao. Ang sumasalungat ay ang mga tao sa loob ng sistema na pinipilipit ito ka sariling kapakanan. Masasabi mo ito sa anumang lugar, dahil kung mapang-api man ang sistema, dapat itong pantay-pantay na mapang-api sa lahat, subalit laging may lumulusot. Itong "palusot" ay kaisipang napakalalim na ang ugat sa atin, tuloy nahihirapan tayong makilala siya.

    Marami ding nagsasabi sa akin na pinagtaksilan ko na daw ang pagiging "iska" dahil nakatira ako sa dayuhan at doon ako nagbabayad ng buwis. Subalit sa totoo lang, masarap makita na ang iyong buwis ay nagbubunga ng tulong at pag-unlad na nararamdaman ng iyong kapwa, maging Pilipino man sila o banyaga. Wala din akong pagsisisi sa aking gawain, na nagsasalin ng mga manwal ng Europa at Basel II laban sa katiwalian. Alam kong ginagamit ang mga ito ng mga multinational upang labanan ang kabulukan mula sa dakong pribado.
  • ceci
    Manong Den, tinatawag kaming "iskolar ng bayan" dahil binabayaran ng bayan ang isang bahagi (kahit kakaunti man lang) ng aming pag-aaral sa pamamagitan ng mga buwis.

    Dahil dito, kinakailangang mahigpit ang UPCAT. Kakaunti lamang ang pinagkukunan (ang tinatawagang "resources") at kailangang ipuhunan ito sa mga pinakasiguradong taya sa hinaharap ng bayan.

    Para sa akin, sulit lang ang ibinayad namin. Nagturo din ako sa UP, at nag-aral din sa UK at ibang bahagi ng Europa, at ang paggugol ng isang pamantasan upang panatiliin ang mataas na antas ng pagtuturo (kasama na ang kalagayan ng mga tauhang nagtatrabaho) ay hindi maliit.
  • nalluig
    salamat po at nakakuha po ako ng idea para sa essay ko:)
  • Mark
    SOME CORRECTIONS: (in form but definitely not in substance)

    Mr. DEN RELOJO, my profuse thanks to you for providing the face to the saying, ” a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.”

    You obviously don’t know what you're blabbing about. If it’s true that you’re not from UP and was unable to qualify for the UPCAT, I can understand the vitriol-loaded, venom-dripping, spiteful and short-sighted statement. If it’s true, I can understand that you didn't understand everything you said.

    What clearly escaped that shallow and dense mind of yours is that UP students are called “Iskolar ng Bayan” not out of a misplaced sense of pride but because that’s exactly who they are, who we are. We deserve to be called “Iskolar ng Bayan” because it’s the Filipino (Mr. Relojo that includes you, unfortunately) people’s taxes which made it possible for us to study in UP.

    We use the title “Iskolar ng Bayan”, in expression of gratitude for the Filipino people who’ve helped us be where we are and not because we are harboring a hegemonic attitude.

    Now, as to PUP, PLM, PNU, TUP, or any state university/college students laying claim also on the title “Iskolar ng Bayan”, I see no problem with it. But that doesn’t erase the fact that we deserve to be called “Iskolar ng Bayan”.

    The UP students are in continuous pursuit to finally achieve a 100% state subsidy of tuition and other fees, which they so richly deserve.

    Mr. Relojo just a piece of advice before you say something: please have the decency to use that brain you were gifted by the Intelligent Designer. It must have been unused for quite a time now that you just shoot that filthy mouth of yours wherever you like to without even pausing for a second and pondering. And yes, I am sure that the UP students don’t need figures, charts, and statistics to prove the veracity of my claim.

    For the last time: We deserve to be called “Iskolar ng Bayan” and we’re proud of it.
  • Mark
    Mr. DEN RELOJO, my profuse thanks to you for providing a face to the saying ” a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.”

    You obviously don’t know what your blabbing about. If it’s true that you’re not from UP and was unable to qualify for the UPCAT, I can understand the vitriol-loaded, venom-dripping, spiteful and short-sighted statement. If it’s true, I can understand that you don’t understand everything you’ve said.

    What clearly escaped that shallow and dense mind of yours is that UP students are called “Iskolar ng Bayan” not out of a misplaced sense of pride but because that’s exactly what they are, what we are. We deserve to be called “Iskolar ng Bayan” because it’s the Filipino (Mr. Relojo that includes you, unfortunately)people’s taxes which made it possible for us to study in UP.

    We use the title “Iskolar ng Bayan”, in expression of gratitude for the Filipino people who’ve helped us be where we are and not because we are harboring a hegemonic attitude.

    Now, as to PUP, PLM, PNU, TUP, or any state university/college students laying claim also on the title “Iskolar ng Bayan”, I see no problem with it. But that doesn’t erase the fact that we deserve to be called “Iskolar ng Bayan”.

    The UP students are in a continuous pursuit to finally achieve a 100% state subsidy of tution and other fees, which the UP students so richly deserve.

    Mr. Relojo just a piece of advice before you say something, please, have the decency to use that brain you were gifted by the Intelligent Designer. It must have been unused for quite a time now that you just shoot that filthy mouth of yours wherever you like to without even pausing for a second and pondering. And yes, I am sure that the UP students don’t need figures, charts, and statistics to prove the veracity of my claim.

    For the last time: We deserve to be called “Iskolar ng Bayan” and we’re proud of it.
  • Mark
    Mr. DEN RELOJO, my profuse thanks to you for providing a face to the saying " a little knowledge is a dangerous thing."

    You obviously don't know what your blabbing about. If it's true that you're not from UP and was unable to qualify for the UPCAT, I can understand the vitriol-loaded, venom-dripping, spiteful and short-sighted statement. If it's true, I can understand that you don't understand everything you've said.

    What clearly escaped that shallow and dense mind of yours you is that UP students are called "Iskolar ng Bayan" not out of a misplaced sense of pride but because that's exactly what they are, what we are. We deserve to be called "Iskolar ng Bayan" because it's the Filipino (Mr. Relojo that includes you, unfortunately)people's taxes which made it possible for us to study in UP.

    We use the title "Iskolar ng Bayan", in expression of gratitude for the Filipino people who've helped us be where we are and not because we are harboring a hegemonic attitude.

    Now, as to PUP, PLM, PNU, TUP, or any state university/college students laying claim also on the title "Iskolar ng Bayan", I see no problem with it. But that doesn't erase the fact that we deserve to be called "Iskolar ng Bayan".

    The UP students are in continuous pursuit to finally achieve a 100% state subsidy of tution and other fees, which the UP students so richly deserve.

    Mr. Relojo just a piece of advise before you say something, please, have the decency to use that brain you were gifted by the Intelligent Designer. It must have been unused for quite a time now that you just shoot that filthy mouth of yours wherever you like to without even pondering. And yes, I am sure that the UP students don’t need figures, charts, and statistics to prove the veracity of my claim

    For the last time: We deserve to be called "Iskolar ng Bayan" and we're proud of it.
  • Louie Rosario
    Hi po. Magtatanong lng po kung saan makakahanap ng mga apartment na malapit sa UP Baguio. Karamihan sa mga nakita naming bahay ayaw ng nanay ko eh. Natatakot siya. Sana po matulungan niyo ako makahanap ng matinong tirahan, may it be apartment or dorm. Salamat po.
    God Bless us.
  • @ manang pen: ay sayang hindi tayo nagkita nung nagpunta kami jan ng anak ko. we did get to talk to donna, who referred us to someone also in the registrar's office, pero I didn't get her name. mahirap pa daw kasi maghanap ngayon dahil hindi pa nag uuwian ang mga studyante for summer break.

    We were there on the 20th of March for my son's medical. Hindi ko rin natanong yung name nung assistant sa medical, he was also very nice to us.

    My son and I did the rounds of boarding houses na nakita ng niece ko na nagtuturo sa greenwood, but some of the ones I saw were merely closets that had double beds crammed into them, for the price of P3,500 a month! nakakagulat and at the same time nakakadismaya. also most of the places we passed would accept only female boarders. paano nalang ang mga boys namin ni Chinkee?

    But I'm still looking, at sana kung may makabasa nito na may marerecommend na boarding house preferably sa engineers hill please let us know.
  • Chinkee
    hi all!!! my son also passed the upcat but sadly he didn't qualify in diliman. he chose the baguio campus instead probably to get away from diliman where he's been studying since kinder in the up integrated school. do you know of someone who'll be renting out rooms in the walk up apts.?like bambit's anak, it's also the first time my son will be away from us.so, medyo gusto ko to find a place very near sa campus. kung pwede nga sa walk up kasi sa walk up din kami dito sa diliman. thanks for the help and info posted here...
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