‘Class Tendencies’ prevalent, said Ridon
‘CLASS TENDENCIES’ PREVALENT, SAID RIDON
“Masyado nilang pinapairal ang ‘class tendencies’ sa pagbira,” criticized opposition lawmaker and Kabataan Partylist Representative, Hon. Congressman Terry Ridon in an interview last Wednesday.
Congressman Ridon allotted time for a couple of students from the University of Santo Tomas for an interview regarding several issues frequently debated these days.
The first issue brought up was that of Mary Jane Veloso’s execution being on hold and what the government has done to be of assistance.
The Kabataan Partylist, proclaimed Ridon, is the primary resistant against the decision, and that the government is lacking the initiative to do anything.
“Dapat managot si PNoy kasi wala siyang naitulong. Kung meron man, tulad ng sinasabi ng ilan sa atin, hindi ito naging sapat.”
[PNoy should be held responsible because there was nothing he did to help. If there was, like what some of us are saying, then it wasn’t enough.]
He added, “Nakakasuka na napapabayaan niya (PNoy) itong mga isyu na ganito.”
[It’s sickening that he (PNoy) is just neglecting issues like this.]
When asked about the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) stating that Veloso’s mother is just being used by activists, he retorted with, “Makikita naman natin sa timeline na may laban talaga si Mary Jane. Masyado nilang (PDI) pinapairal ang ‘class tendencies’ sa pagbira.
“E hindi naman nararapat na basta nalang magtanaw ng utang na loob sa gobyerno ang mahihirap. Kung tutuusin, ang gobyerno pa nga mismo ang nagpapahirap sa mga mahihirap na nga.”
[We can see in the timeline that Mary Jane has a fight. They (PDI) make their ‘class tendencies’ prevalent in their work.
[But it is not right to have the poor to just be in debt to the government. After all, the government itself is making the poor poorer.]
In connection to the ‘class tendencies’ of the PDI and, of course, of the society because of the government, Congressman Ridon was asked about his take regarding the Labor Export Policy (LEP).
“Unang-una, ayaw naming (Kabataan Partylist) magpatuloy itong klase ng mekanismo na ‘to para ‘magkatrabaho’ ang kasalukuyang walang trabaho. Walang katotohanan na mas giginhawa ang buhay ng mga kababayan natin kapag naipadala sila sa ibang bansa.
“Patuloy silang naghihirap sa pinansiyal at maging sa emosyonal na nibel. Mahirap ang malayo sa pamilya. At itong mekanismo na ‘to, pangtuta. Dapat humulma ng trabaho ditto mismo sa ating bansa, katulad ng pagpokus sa kabuhayan ng ating mga magsasaka.”
[First of all, we (Kabataan Partylist) don’t want this type of mechanism of ‘giving jobs’ to those who are currently unemployed to continue. There is no truth that exporting our fellow Filipinos to other countries will make their lives more comfortable.
[They continue to suffer on a financial and even an emotional level. It’s hard to be far from your family. And this mechanism is for puppies. Jobs should be moulded here in our very country, like focusing on the livelihood of our farmers.]
The next issue brought up was that of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) firm K to 12 implementation for the next school year despite a pending legal challenge before the Supreme Court (SC).
The Coalition for K to 12 Suspension argued that Republic Act 10533, which paved way for the K to 12 program, failed to provide labour protection to teachers and non-teaching staff.
Statistics accentuated that around 56,000 college teachers and 22,000 non-teaching personnel are in danger of their losing jobs due to the transition period that will significantly reduce the number of those who will enrol in college because of the addition of two years in high school.
Congressman Ridon, although starting to stir up, said as calm as he could, “Hindi ho kami (Kabataan Partylist) pabor dito sa ganitong pamamaraan ng ating gobyerno. Hindi ho kami para sa suspensyon o sa rebisyon, para ho kami sa absolutong pagbabasura sa naturang utos.”
[We are not in favour of this kind of scheme by our government. We are not for the suspension or the revision, we are for the absolute prohibition of the said order.]
Connected to this, of course, is the issue of the tuition fee increase for universities and colleges across the country.
The Department of Education (DepEd) has allowed 1,299 private schools to increase their tuition fees by five to 35 per cent for the academic year 2014 to 2015.
In a report of Dante Perello for GMA News, Education Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali assured the public that the decision to approve the tuition fee hikes of private elementary and high schools in the country has gone through the proper consultation process.
Congressman Ridon stressed, “Syempre, alam naman nating ang edukasyon ay karapatan ng bawat Pilipinong nag-aasam nito. Ang kaso, ang sistema ng gobyerno natin ay hindi sistemang abot-kaya para sa lahat.
“Ang nangyayari, hindi natutugunan ng ating pamahalaan ang pangangailangan ng mamamayang Pilipino, bagkus ay mas lalo pang napapahirapan ang mga ito.”
[Of course, we know that education is a right of every Filipino who wishes it. The case is that the system of our government is not a system that is within reach for everyone.
[What happens is, the needs of the Filipinos are not being met by the government, instead it is becoming more difficult for them (Filipinos)]
Without a doubt, Kabataan Partylist Representative, Hon. Congressman Terry Ridon is against the administration and its system of handling the country, especially regarding their people.
Whether it’s the educational system, the economical system, or the justice system, it is easy to say that the current administration, generally, have everything in common with the previous administration.
President Noynoy has taken a lot of credit for his country’s improved economy, the successful war against government corruption, massive upgrading of airports, and so on.
Many believe, after close investigation of his administration’s accomplishments and failures, there is not much to be proud of.
His eyeglasses seem to let him see two different things at any given time: his imaginary reality and the real plight of the country outside of the presidential palace.