Serve The People

April na naman, graduation season ika nga bukod pa sa birth month ko. Maligayang pagtatapos nga pala sa lahat ng magsisipagtapos ngayong taon. Pagkatapos ng anim na taon sa elementary o apat sa high school o apat o higit pa sa kolehiyo o kahit dalawang taon sa pre elementary pa yan, nagbunga na ang pagsusunog ng kilay ninyo kung nagsunog man kayo ng kilay. Pero bago kayo mag-inom o magtawag ng night out kasama ang mga kaibigan at malalapit na tao sa inyo, sana isipin nyo din ang hirap na dinanas ng magulang, kamag anak, benefactor, sponsor o sinumang nagpa aral sa inyo.

Sa kaso kasi ng mga iskolar ng bayan o yung mga isko at iska, aba eh malaking bahagdan ng tuition natin ay galing sa buwis ng mamamayan, emphasis lamang sa buwis ha. Sabi nga ni Prof. Winnie Monsod, kung gusto natin i-quantify ang tunay na halaga ng UP education, ikumpara sa tuition sa Ateneo o La Salle, yun daw ang UP education. Wala mang siyentipikong basehan ito pero you get the point.

Isipin natin ha, yung isang magsasaka o mangingisda na nagbabayad ng buwis, ni hindi nga mapa-aral ung anak nya pero meron siyang kontribusyon sa tuition na binabayaran natin dahil lamang nasa UP tayo. Yung teacher na napakalaki ng bawas sa sweldo nya para sa tax, halos hindi na magkaugaga sa pagbebenta ng sabon o avon sa school para lang mapunan ang kakulangan ng sweldo, may kontribusyon pa sa tuition natin. May balak ba tayo after graduation para magpalik naman sa mangingisda, magsasaka at titser na ito?

Lagi natin naririnig serve the people, serve the people, sa pagkakatanda ko, meron pa ngang napakalaking banner niyan doon sa tuktok ng DL Umali noong graduation namin last year eh. Hindi naman ako magmamalinis, isang taon na ako grumaduate, nasan na ang serve the people? After graduation dumerecho na ako sa law school, sabi ko sa sarili ko tatapusin ko ang law at ipasa ang bar, tiyak mas madami ako matutulungan. Hindi ko naman nakakalimutan ang pangakong yun.

Tanong ng iba, pano ba yun, kelangan ba i-quantify, kelangan ba literal na bayaran mo in any way yung ginastos na buwis para sa pag aaral mo? Kelangan ba maging magsasaka ka din o mangingisda o titser para makabawi? Kelangan ba dito ka lang sa Pilipinas, huwag ka mag aabroad? Para sa akin kasi, if you live up to what is expected of an iskolar ng bayan, marahil isang paraan nay un para makapag give back. Aminin natin, napaka idealistic natin nung estudyante pa, na iniisip natin we can change the world and all that, pagkalabas ng UP, nandun pa rin ba yung idealism? Yung kagustuhan na mabago yung pangit sa lipunan? Ewan ko, sarili lamang natin yung makakasagot nun. Sabi nga eh, sa bawat sampung kamatis, marahil dalawa o tatlo dun ay bulok, ang magiging tanong lamang, alin ka dun? Dun ka ba sa bulok?

Muli, maligayang pagtatapos class of 2014! Dangal at husay mga kapwa iskolar ng bayan! Serve the people!

How to survive Atty. Amurao

Before you actually look for tips or ways on how to survive in Atty. Amurao's class, I have to tell you, I cannot give you any. But hold on, hold on. I got 92 as final grade in criminal law 1 under him. I hope that is enough reason to continue reading.

Like everyone else who, for the first time heard the name of the legend, and who, according to sources is the terror-est professor in San Beda, I was really nervous during our very first day. I did not know his face or what he looks like. A blocmate told me he is tall so as we were waiting for our professor in crim, (the classroom door has some kind of a glass where you can see people at the other side. The glass is situated in such a way that people's faces, atleast those with an average height, can be seen) he was joking that if we would not see the professor's head or face behind the glass in the door, for sure, we are doomed because that is Atty. Amurao. And true enough, we haven't seen the prof's face, and true, it is Atty. Amurao.

He told us that there was really no formula for a student to pass in his class but, study, study, study and study. At first, I was still very hopeful because I have had also terror professors way back in UP and I have survived in all of them. But Atty A was really different.

We were actually lucky because for the first time in our class, he allowed us to open his book. His book was first released in time for the first semester. Prior to our batch, he only allows hand written notes during class. On top of that, i believed he liked our section.

I can still remember the tension during our first recitation class under him. But it was not entirely difficult to look back because for the rest of the semester, the tension and the uneasiness that i have felt during the first day was in the same intensity up to the last. My first recitation grade was 85. The first question he posed for me was about the justification regarding the imposition of punishments. Tuesdays and Fridays were really the most dreaded days for me. I cannot even say thank God it is Friday during Fridays because it is an Amurao day. I remember also praying that if typhoons or floods may disrupt classes, it must do so during either Tuesday or Friday. But typhoons never hit the Metro during those days. That is how strong Atty. A is.

I used to tell my classmates that if ever I will have my own child and he is diagnosed of having a heart ailment, I would not let him take law.

Until now that I am having my semestral break in the province, I can still see Atty A in my dreams.. no, that is an exaggeration.

For all the heartbreaks, frustrations and momentary self assessments during the whole semester, i am very proud to say, i survived Atty A.

I have my own formula in studying: hard work, intelligence and luck. Luck is something that you cannot really control. Intelligence is a tool so that you may know in which subjects you need to exert extra effort and in which you think your forte. You have to maintain the balance between these three. If you think the subject matter is your water-loo, you have to exert much more effort and probably look for bling blings to bring good luck, haha. If you think it is your forte, you still have to work hard but the extra you, give to the other subjects which you think are your water loo. That was how i handled criminal law and the other subjects. On top of that, of course you need to ask for Divine Guidance.

I survived Atty Amurao, you can too.

NO TO CHEATING

First I would like to say hi to one of my masugid na tagasubaybay (yesss), DK. He told me he wanted to be mentioned in my blog. You got the first line my friend. Haha

Today officially starts our one week sembreak. Everybody loves sembreaks but one week? That sucks. But before going into that, I would like to reiterate my position on a very important issue—cheating. You see my dear readers (as if there are really that many huh) I personally consider cheating as malum prohibitum, that is, the mere act of doing it already considered unlawful. Good faith is not a defense. Intent is not a defense.

Cheating starts in very little things until you actually apply it to bigger things and you never notice but it is already your way of life. Look at these greedy politicians seating comfortably in the Congress, when do you think they start cheating? Of course they started that in little things. Maybe even in simple murmuring with their seatmates during classroom exams in 2nd year high school.

As a rational being, we can always rationalize things to our advantage. We can always justify why we did or did not do something. But in the case of cheating, this must be absolute. No matter how small that may be, it is still considered cheating. If I become a lawmaker, my landmark legislation will be a law on cheating in schools, that’s how passionate am I about this.

Anyway, here’s the back story. Last October 22, we had our final exams in Persons and Family Relations under Judge S. I was one of those exempted to take because my midterms standing is already quiet high (well, at least to the Judge’s standards) but I opted to take though it will no longer affect my grade. I just want to look at the exam questions as it might help in the future. A few minutes after we started, Judge told us that he will go out for a while and get a drink. As soon as the door closes, my not so honorable blocmates at the back started whispering with each other to the point of actually distracting the other takers. I looked back and momentarily hold my gaze hoping that if they see me looking at them, they have the shame to actually stop. But they never did. What’s worse is that C, a son of a former lawmaker, put out his iphone in the middle of the exam, Y beside him is also looking at the iphone. This triggered me to do something no one ever thought of doing—telling all these to the Judge.

I waited for him outside and the first line that went out of my mouth was “Sir I do not actually want to tell you this but I really cannot contain it. This is not an honorable thing to do.”

Really not an honorable thing to do. But for those involved, I’m still mabait as I did not name names.

When I was still in UP, cheating is never a problem. There are exams when Tita Lorns from the department will just give us the exam questions, walk out from the classroom and go back to get our papers as the time’s already up. In UP, when the professor or proctor started distributing the exam questions, not a single noise will be heard. I have never caught someone looking at another’s paper or whispering with the other, either they’re too smart to get caught or no one really cheats. I remember my professor in PolSci 1 during my freshman year saying, “in UP, cheating is not a problem”. According to her, it is just about pride. If you are a valedictorian or an honor student way back in high school, will you look at the other’s paper? Or will you give your answers to your seatmate? I think this set up applies for the freshmen. But for the higher years, a different reason is applicable, when they already grasp the University motto, Honor and Excellence, they will apply that. Honor first before excellence that’s why they (we) don’t cheat.

One might ask why I’m very passionate about this. Simple. Training. If you have been trained that cheating is inherently immoral, you would not. If your University would not let cheaters go away unpunished, you would not cheat. If you came from UP, you will not cheat. Well, this is a generalization but there are of course isolated cases.

I really wish San Beda has a strict policy about cheating. Let us not tolerate it. We all know it is wrong. Speak up. We all say, NO TO CHEATING.

Not Really Random

Let’s go first to the most substantial, the issue on pork barrel. As a law student, it is clear in the principle of separation of powers that the legislative department makes, enacts and repeals laws. Nothing in the Constitution, (as far as my very limited knowledge on the Consti is concerned) says that they have the power to get pork barrels and use it in their respective districts. That is the strongest argument in favor of the abolishment of PDAF. Secondly, even if these Congressmen and Senators are justified in having these sums of millions of money, they must have used these in noble purposes, it must have served the people because in the first place, this money comes from the people’s taxes. The idea was that, people pay their respective contributions in the form of tax and they get it back in the form of public service and public works. But because of our beloved Congressmen, we get back nothing from the taxes that we pay. I wonder where our beloved Albanos in the first district of Isabela bring the people’s money for the longest time that they held the position.  I am for the abolishment of PDAF. I am for running after those who lambasted the people’s money. I am for rechanneling funds for social services.

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Last week we had our midterms week in San Beda. Modesty aside, the exams were not that tough as I expected them to be. Atty. Amurao gave back the corrected exam and I got 96%in criminal law, I am the highest in class. Who would not be happy about that?

I talked with a blocmate, Aaron, he also came from UP up there in Baguio. We were talking about UP LAE and San Beda, yes more like comparing San Beda and the mighty UP. He was interviewed for the LAE but unluckily he did not make it. He asked me if I will again take LAE and I said why not, I told him to take the exam again too may be this time he will get admitted. That’s when he told me about the murmurs during our Constitutional Law exam. In Beda, the prof himself would not be there during the exam. Someone will proctor.

During the Consti exam, our proctor came late, he was already distributing the exam booklets and questionnaires but everyone were still talking with each other. We were already beginning to answer when our proctor left us and went to the other classes. At first I heard murmurs, I was seated in front so I looked around to see who were still talking but I didn’t actually mind them and instead focused on the exam. Aaron told me that he actually saw F and J talking with each other during the exam, of course what else will they be talking about if not the exam itself?

I was disappointed, really. In UP I am very proud to say I did not cheat. There are moments when I can easily do that but I did not. It was better to submit a blank blue book than to look at my seatmate’s paper. That was how UP trained me. Honor and Excellence. I don’t know how their institution taught them. What the hell this is Law School, this is graduate degree, if they were not trained to be noble, shame on them and the institution they came from. Dear readers, do not be like them, do not talk with your seatmate during exam. Do not cheat and most especially, study in UP, not in some other institution which prides itself of being a catholic school but its graduates do not follow the right path.

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I was in UPLB last weekend for the pre pageant of CEMPLANGAN, an inter organization competition. I have heard several not so good news about my beloved EconSoc. Well, I am no longer a resident member at least so I cannot just judge because I was not really there and witness firsthand what were really happening. It is their time now to surpass or at least maintain the good name the org has earned for the last 26 years. Uphold excellence dear orgmates, love the org and everything else will follow.

Peace of mind, heart and soul

All freshmen in the College of Law are required to attend a peace retreat during their first year. This is a requirement imposed by San Beda for graduation. The schedule of our section was last Friday to Sunday. I was really looking forward to it, aside from the fact that it’s my first time since this is my first time to attend a catholic school, it was also a much needed rest for us, law students. But what I got was beyond rest and break from law school.

They gave us a list of prohibited items even before going to the retreat house. They were really strict about those. We had no cell phones and other gadgets and even wrist watches. We do not know anything about the outside world. Some were complaining about that but I told them, we were just used to having those material possessions that’s why we think that we cannot live without them but in reality, we can actually live, and it’s just for three days, no worries.

Our first activity was confession. Father even lectured me. He said that change may be the hardest thing to accept in life and the hardest thing to live by but we do not have a choice but to accept it, otherwise we will get stucked. And it’s true. Yes, you can always look back at those that happened in the past, but you can’t live with those, be it good or bad, you have to keep moving forward, a better way to deal with those is that use the experiences to be a much better person today.

Applying that now, I really have to accept why I am where I am now. Seriously, I have to set aside the what ifs and why nots. As the speakers said, me being in San Beda is never an accident, in a more straight manner, me NOT being in UP Law is not an accident, there are reasons behind it and if I just focus on those reasons, I may be happy and content for where I am and what I have. It’s just proper setting of the mind.

The peace retreat really provided not only peace of the mind, but also that of heart and soul. I have to admit it, because of the pressures of law school, I now cannot reflect much or talk sincerely with Him without looking at the watch and limiting the time devoted for praying because I rather would use it to study. That was not the case in the three day retreat. We didn’t have to think of criminal law or amurao or the provisions or the case digests, instead we have devoted all our energy to actually listen to Him, not only with our ears but most importantly with our hearts.

Inspirational speakers also said that law school is not just a test of intelligence, we all have our undergraduate degrees so by one way or the other, we have already proven something, rather, law school is more of a test of character. A couple of years back, the bar topnotcher who came from San Sebastian, a graduate of UP, was a former student of San Beda, she was not retained. If only she gave up, would she be the bar top notcher? Would she be a lawyer by now? We all have those share of disappointments, frustrations and failures but that does not mean we should stop. That should not hinder us from pursuing our dreams. The road may be winding and full of detours but that is how we get tough. That is how we become good future lawyers.

Rants, frustrations, confusions and other what nots

It has been a while since the last time I posted something in this blog. I was busy in school.

Two weeks ago, I received a message saying,

“Hi. You’re scheduled for an interview tomorrow, 2pm at the NEDA infrastructure staff conference room, 3^rd floor NEDA-sa-Pasig bldg., #12 josemaria escriva drive, ortigas center, pasig city. Kindly reply for confirmation and bring copies of your TOR, diploma and certificate of eligibility tomorrow. Thank you.”

Well obviously it came from NEDA (National Economic Development Authority) for people who do not know what NEDA means, yes there are people who don’t. Anyway, I was scheduled for an interview after submitting a resume via email. I just tried honestly because I wanted to experience having interviewed by agencies/entities for employment purposes. I was very happy when I received that message of course. I went to the scheduled interview without preparing, not even reading NEDA’s mandates, I was shocked as I entered the room, eight people were there to interview me. I seated infront, at the center. It was a good experience until I got another message saying I’m scheduled for an interview with the Infrastructure Staff Director. The Director interviewed me. That’s when things got a little bit out of order. I got confused because, well, really, that’s NEDA, a government entity in charge of the country’s economy. If ever they employ me, how could one say no to such a wonderful opportunity but how can one say no to a childhood dream?

I can’t sacrifice my law dream. I am a planner, since grade 2 I know I wanted to become a lawyer, I did everything and I will do everything else to get that. I’m already in the first step of formal law education, will I have to defer it? On the other side, NEDA is the only entity that can move me out of law school really, if ever I decided to focus on econ, that is the first agency I will apply to. We’re econ majors, we have to be in NEDA. But is it great enough to make me defer law? I already decided in favor of law but now as how things are going in school, am I really for law?

When I took the NEDA exam, which by the way I passed, and have to absent myself in criminal law because I was not ready that day, the exam lasted whole day, that’s when I got three failing recit grades for two consecutive meetings. My record before that was relatively good. The day when I got my first two failed recit grades, my classmate Jobel, introduced me to her Boyfriend “uy si April pala, April Boyfriend ko. *Hi!* Alam mo ba, magaling to, laging nakakasagot kay Amurao”. And during the second meeting when I got the third failed recit grade, Francis, another classmate introduced me to his friend “Si April, magaling to sa class, Amurao killer to eh”. I was thinking, nabati yata ako eh. Of course that’s lame but I just wanted to cheer myself up. But really what happened? I already got the rhythm and all of a sudden, I got failed grades when my classmates are already catching up. I don’t know, I don’t know what the problem is, that’s the problem.

One time when I was studying in the library, I stopped, looked around, thinking, who among these people will be lawyers in the future? Passing rate in the bar last year was only 17%. What happened to the 83%? I’m pretty sure they also studied day and night but still they weren’t able to pass. I realized, for the next 4 yrs or so, my life will only revolve in the library, eight hours study time a day. When I examined how I have been spending my 24 hrs, it goes like this, 9 hrs study, 7 hrs sleep, 5 hrs class, 1 hr lunch, 1.5 hrs breakfast/bath, 1.5 hrs dinner/bath. Am I really ready for that kind of life?

I introduced the distraction. I must be the one to get my focus back. Law is what I wanted. Law is what I must get.

The unfairness of Law School

Today, our professor walked out from us.

Isn’t it ironic? We are studying Law, under the Constitution, every person shall not be convicted without due process of law.

This afternoon, we are scheduled to have our Statutory Construction class at 4:30-6:30pm. Atty. Pahate arrived a little before 5pm. She called Joey to recite. The question was something about the parts of a statute. Last meeting, she asked us to read a statute and be able to look for the necessary parts of it. Only a few had their copies, not even me. Joey could not answer well because she didn’t read. She was asked to sit down, Atty. called Peter to recite, knowing the guy, he would not get the correct answer, I’m a bit judgmental but yes, he could not, I don’t know if he does not study or what. As expected, he could not answer the question. That was the time when Atty. asked if we are indeed studying. She said it’s as if we don’t study. She even ordered our beadle to decide if we just want her to give us the midterm and final exams and not to meet us anymore. Of course our beadle said no, Atty. told us to just text her next meeting if we are ready to answer her questions, collected her things and walked out.

I’m really really furious, after studying day and night, a professor will walk out just because your classmate did not study? That is absurd! They say, in Law School, kasalanan ng isa, kasalanan ng lahat. That is bullshit. I was trained in UP to beat myself. Don’t mind others, if you study, well and good. If they don’t study, they will flunk, that has nothing to do with your grade. But here in law school, if someone didn’t study, that means everyone will suffer.

Atty. Pahate generalized without taking the time to ask a significant number of students first. She just asked two people, if she called me I’m sure as hell know what to answer because I studied, yes this may be a bit boastful on my part but I DID DAMN STUDY AND IF SHE ONLY CALLED ME TO RECITE, I CAN ANSWER. I CAN ANSWER. My god I’m really furious about this. My classmate went to the Dean’s office hoping to talk to Atty. and explain whatever. Kuya Jerome told her that Atty Pahate told him “Sabihin mo sa kanila may grade na silang lahat”. Do you know what that means? We all do already have a failing grade. At this point in time that should never happen. We were just starting. We were just damn starting.

Is this about the system? San Beda College of Law itself? Maybe. Why will someone pay for the wrong doings of others? If someone did not study, give him a failing grade. If someone can’t answer, ask another one. Do not generalize just because one or two students did not study doesn’t mean the whole class deserves to be failed.

Is this about the other classmates? Maybe. It is their sole duty as students of Law to study. If they cannot study, then drop the whole course. Why waste tremendous amount of money for something that you cannot do? Palibhasa anak ng mga mayayaman eh.

Am I at fault too? That can also be. I can just volunteer and answer the question, but that is not the practice, if I do that someone or even the prof might say I’m just boasting around or something. Or if we look at the other side of the picture, if I cannot accept the system, I could just drop the whole course, take LAE again, give whole effort and make sure to pass because as a product of the best University in the Philippines, I know UP Law School is not like where I am studying law now. I may also drop the course, submit resume to companies and start working. Forget about the law dream. Or I can take a masters degree in economics or business ad or something. 

 But I could not do that, I will not. I love studying law. I do not have failing recit grade yet in Criminal Law, I was already called to recite in Persons and I know I answered well. I even volunteered in Consti 1 one time. I’m literally studying day and night just to have a failing grade in Statutory Construction because of some other people? I don’t know. Can someone explain this to me? I know life is never fair but this is too much. Wala kaming kalaban laban may singko na agad? Am I just over reacting? I don’t know. But this is really unfair ladies and gentlemen.