Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Senti with UP

Two things recently reminded me of my UP days. The first made me think of my university while the second made me think of myself.

First was the UP Pep Squad bagging the championship for the cheerdance competition for this UAAP season. I think during my time (not so long ago, I swear), there wasn't even such a category in the UAAP. Or maybe there was but I never again attended any UAAP game after I completed the required units on Physical Education. So maybe it was just something I missed out.

Notwithstanding my indifference to the UAAP, I am still not exempted from sentimental school loyalty. Though I did not jump with joy on the news of the squad's victory, there was that spark of elation when I heard of it from my current and ex-Isko friends. Pride can really be contagious.

The second event was the 31st anniversary of the League of Filipino Students (LFS). With Multiply contacts who are members and then also belonging to the e-group of former members, there was no escape from reading the activities conducted for the celebration and the photos that went along with them.

I always think back of my LFS days in UP with fondness.

When I stepped inside their tambayan to become a member, I never thought that I'd stay on. Except for the rally I joined in when I was in third year highschool back in the province, I was a greenhorn when it came to politics and activism. Still, I had my share of keeping abreast with current events and social issues and the LFS and its reputation piqued my interest.

From then on, I plunged into student activism.

I never missed out on the discussions ranging from issues of the day to the natdem principles. I went to rallies and had my share of squaring off with police and paid thugs. I joined the room-to-room campaigns and also had my sleepless nights during USC elections.

Then there were the times when we went to other sectors to know of their concerns and learn from them. We spent weekends with urban poor communities, peasant areas, and with workers in their picketlines. In strike areas such as the Nestle-Magnolia one in Cubao, I learned to sleep on sidewalks with my reliable malong but more importantly, I got insights on the capitalist-worker relationship.

Call me romantic, sentimental or idealist, but it was in my time as a student activist that I got to appreciate the Iskolar ng Bayan tag. One of the lines that struck me most during that time went something like this:

Ang paaralan ng isang tunay na mag-aaral ay ang lipunang kanyang ginagalawan. Ang kanyang guro ay ang mamamayan. At ang kanyang pagsusulit ay ang pagsasagawa ng mapagpalayang pagkilos.

The UAAP and a number of tatak-peyups events – Oblation Run, UP Fair, Lantern Parade, Maskipaps, Live A.I.D.S., - make me melancholic of my alma mater.

As for the years I spent with LFS, well it never really ended.

15 comments:

Abou said...

LFS used to be so active here in the province. The spark of activism had mellowed and so are the students' voice...

KRIS JASPER said...

you are rich in experiences pala, no wonder your writings are always worth reading.

Gayzha said...

I did have my makibaka days, (also with LFS), but I chose not to get involved much deeper, as one of our closest comrades (who was 4 months pregnant) was killed in the battlefield ... and I thought there were other ways to fight the system. Today, I'm still wondering what happened?

Lyka Bergen said...

Aaay! Taga UP ka pala? kaya pala..... chos!

Anonymous said...

Kaya ka pala magaling mag english.taga UP ka pala..siguro best in Math ka ano? hehe..Seriously, bow ako sa mga taga U.P...there's always much respect and adulation anchored when I hear the school's name.

Prop Carl said...

Anakbayan ako sa uste parekoy, at balak ko sumapi sa LFS sa upb, kaso ala ako kakilala. can you hook me up, kung may mga kilalala ka pa dun?

anyways, i felt this post... look at where u are now, higher level activism. you're really living your principles and advocacies.

taas ng tingin ko sau pareng aaron. kaya lang lagi ka nalang nasa meeting status sa ym...

ingat pare.

jericho said...

@abou: it happens. one can always work not to ..;)
@kris: thanks. feeling ko ang tanda ko. lol
@gayzha: kala ko: "today, i'm still wondering whether there are other ways" hehe
@lyka: kaya pala ...? tse! hehe
@sherwin: best in costume ako. chos! ;)
@kyogre: sige, try ko humanap ng contact sa lb. tagal na akong wala sa YS eh. hehe

bananas said...

tama si kyogre. ang buhay ni aaron ay meeting. im syor, nong nasa UP yan, meeting din yan ng meeting. Kung nagkaanak man yan o kung magkakaanak man yan, at tatanungin ng teacher ng kanyang anak kung ano ang werk ng aaron, ang sasabihin ng anak ay: MEETING.

ArchieMD said...

Ang paaralan ng isang tunay na mag-aaral ay ang lipunang kanyang ginagalawan. Ang kanyang guro ay ang mamamayan. At ang kanyang pagsusulit ay ang pagsasagawa ng mapagpalayang pagkilos.

> ito ang tatak Unibersidad ng Pilipinas. Handang ipaglaban ang malayang diwa at pagiisip.

lucas said...

wow... sobrang bibo mo pala during your academic years... and so experienced. that's why you're writing has depth... :)

i'm glad UP won again this year. UST fumbled in their routines alot as i can remember... loved the tribal theme :)

Turismoboi said...

kala ko naman kaya ka senti kasi member ka dati ng pep squad? kala ko namiss mo ang pagtumbling sa ere etchos!

... said...

Ay, 'di lumabas ang comment ko kaninang umaga.

Oh well, nevermind. Pangchachaka lang naman yun sa mga taga UP. Charo0o0ot! Piz! =p

wish ko noon makapag-aral sa UP, kaso lang bobo ako at 'di pumasa sa aptitude test. Tsk!

kiel estrella said...

ako rin miss ko na rin UP.

maikli lang stint ko sa LFS , mas matagal sa CEGP, kasama ni czarina.

mas bata ka dahil di tayo nagabot. ngayon kung tawag sa yo kuya jericho, ako - uncle? i feel so old...

Anonymous said...

mula kolehiyo hanggang ngayon pinaglalaban mo pa rin ang karapatan ng mga kababayanan naten.. Bayani ka Jericho!

JedMeister said...

LFS in our school was also active a few years back. now i don't know why they suddenly became so inactive anymore...