UP Students: Fake Scholars
UP students are not supposed to be called “Iskolar ng Bayan” (Scholar of the Nation). They are “paying scholars”. If you are paying more or less PHP 21, 000, would you really feel that you are indeed a “Iskolar ng Bayan”? Upon enrollment, UP students get in line to pay for their tuition holding wads of cash roughly four times thicker than those from New Era University would pay for. I am sure that we don’t need figures, charts, and statistics to prove the veracity of my claim.
Had it been somebody from PUP, PLM, PNU, TUP, or any state university/college who boasted himself as “Iskolar ng Bayan”, I am inclined to agree. Otherwise, if it’s from UP who claims such, I will maintain the same incredulous revulsion.
Braggart, think twice! Admit it or not, you don’t deserve to be called “Iskolar ng Bayan”… in the true sense of the word.
UP is not a state university. FYI, as 2008, UP is now considered the National University of the Republic of the Philippines. And I dont find anything wrong on why we call ourselves iskolar ng bayan, you are limiting the term for the financial state or for the cost of the education. Why we are calling ourselves iskolar ng bayan is because part of the taxes of the people of the republic is being utilized for UP. FYI, budget for colleges or universities that are handled by the government receive lesser (super lesser) money than UP (3/4 ata amin), hence, giving us the right to be the iskolar ng BAYAN, since most of the money is being use for us.
nuff said.
arg. i still want to argue. but that would take time. pagod nako eh. i dont want to argue about something written by a bitter blogger. sorry, dude.
@clevearguelles03: Yes, I agree UP is not a state university.
Isn’t that too literal? I mean taking the label “Iskolar ng Bayan†too literal. And who is to say one is used in the true sense?
Yes, we have to admit that the students of the University are paying higher than those in other Universities, even exceeding some private institutions. But it doesn’t mean that we are less.
Iskolar ng Bayan is a label accorded to us because the taxpayers subsidize our education by form of government appropriation to the University, not on the basis of the tuition paid.
We in the University accept criticisms from someone external, but I think your answer is so arrogant to tell us that we don’t deserve the label.
The true sense of “Iskolar ng Bayan†is beyond tuition or any other fees. It is bringing back to the people who subsidized us what is due for them, service, leadership and excellence.
JRRG
@clevearguelles03: Do you really deserve the “label†accorded to you?
And NEU is such a great school.
UP students can’t be necessarily labeled as “fake scholars”. Partial scholars could be a more appropriate term to use. Subsidized tuition fees come from the taxes of the people in the form of the national budget that is annually allocated to all the state universities. With the way things are going right now, the country is in bad shape to allocate more resources to the university than it should so as to cover for the tuition fees of all it’s students. “Scholar ng Bayan” doesn’t equate to 100% coverage of tuition fees. Looking at the bigger picture, the university has to do all means to generate enough resources to be autonomous so if it entails letting its students pay for a little piece of their pie, so be it. These are small sacrifices in order to have the best education that every Filipino deserves.
nice way of getting hits. a little cheap, but hey it works. you should have taken the upcat, who knows you just might have passed.
@benj: Did I say that New Era is a great school? A school is a school; it’s the student who makes most of the difference.
@Daniel: Thanks for the term “partial scholars”. Yes, that’s more suitable to describe UP students.
@arpee lazaro: Yes, I’m getting hits. So?
i passed the UPCAT (and LAE, for that matter). i went to a different school but had my tuition subsidized by the DOST (i.e., a government scholarship). i have been a taxpayer for the past 9 years. ergo, i have standing to say this:
yes, i have long been persuaded that UP is essentially a state-subsidized PRIVATE school, having not lived up to its mandate of tertiary education for the poor but deserving.
oh, and even the SC has a comment on this “school vs. school” pseudo-issue in Mane vs. Bulan.
@the jester-in-exile: I don’t think that this is a “school vs. school” issue.
so para walang away, iskolar rin ng bayan ang lahat ng nasa state universities…
ewan ba kasi kung bakit exclusive term yan for UP (para bang champagne region yan na sila lang ang pwidi? surely ang nasa MSU ay isa ring iskolar ng bayan…)
ang mga assumptionista naman, pwede ba silang tawaging “pekpek ng bayan” dahil open sila to all?
@thenashman: I would agree that students from most SUCs should be called “Iskolar ng Bayan”. But still, it’s not suitable for UP students.
oooooooooohhhhhhhh… *speechless*
@Jehzeel Laurente: Are you speechless because you can’t help but scoff as conceited UP students keep on defending themselves that they are “Iskolar ng Bayan”?
Guys, do you understand the contextual meaning of the word scholar as it was used in your most-cherished-label “Iskolar ng Bayan”? Don’t define the word scholar in its literal sense. I’m quite certain that you know how the word scholar was used in this context.
While it can be said that they should not be called Iskolars ng Bayan (as you suggested ‘paying scholars’) because they are paying larger tuitions than the schools you have listed, one can not dismiss the fact that being a Iskolar does not rely solely on the fact that they are paying for their education. By pointing out that there are cheaper schools (by which I mean cheaper [mas mura] in their tuition and nothing more), proves but a few things: one, that UP is not as cheap as your standards define cheap ; or that two, that their services are slowly requiring financial attention for a lot of reasons unknown to you and I (and probably to their students too). Of course, I could go on with a list but let me focus on those two things as for this reply via 3 or so arguments. (And please don’t mind my rudeness, I find that sometimes vulgarity is the only way.)
1. Just because UP is supposedly cheap, it doesn’t mean that the school is for quote poor unquote people. As you have implied, not having the capacity to pay should be a requirement. Why must one not have wads of cash for his/her education? Why must not one spend for his education? Why is it important to define the financial standing of being a student specifically, being a scholar? To say that would lead to, among a lot of things, discrimination and sectoral prejudices. That is, that the school should limit their students to less fortunate people who can’t pay P21,000. What about the people who can pay for it, and want to go there, and actually have the smarts to go there? I’m meaning to say that to imply that the students should not be Iskolars because they pay for P21,000 is to discriminate against those who can pay for more than that. You probably think that this is an elitist POV, and yes, I so agree. But it seems to me that you’re angry with that specific sector. Then this would’ve proven one thing: that prejudice takes direction. I will not discuss the prejudice this imposes on the other classes.
2. In connection to that, pointing out financial capacity as the sole basis is narrow as it is a weak argument. Any dictionary that you can look to will define being a scholar as one of two things: a. a person with high academic achievement (ex. a scholar in the field of physics) or; b. a student holding a scholarship grant. Further, a scholarship (grant) is defined as a financial “support” given or awarded to a student with basis of their academic or other achievement. Being a Iskolar is not defined by wads of cash that is four times thicker. Rather, and obviously at that, one has to have academic or other achievements. Note the use of the word, ‘given.’ It is there because “Iskolarship” requires that one qualifies for it, not because it is cheaper. Lest I remind you that UPCAT has one of the biggest number of failing applicants. O, and UPCAT is not a test of financial capacity, if you must know.
3. You are dismissing the fact that UP is government-run. If you can, connect the dots. Phil. Government, Government-run university, tuition, TOFI, fiscal things, taxes, Government. If you get it good. If you don’t, I will speak no more of the connections. I’m sure this is also true with the other state universities. Have you ever considered that your thinking like that because UP is a famed state university?
Further,
4. The notion that it (Iskolar ng Bayan) is a feeling discharges the idea that UP is UP because it has the oblation, or that it took the color maroon, or that Mang Larry sells Isaw Manok for two pesos (the last time I checked), or that it’s admission test is open to anyone who qualify for it. Being a scholar is not a feeling. As with any aftermath, it is simply the after effect of being there because being enrolled there means being a UP student, and UP wouldn’t be UP if it did not label their students “mga Iskolar ng Bayan.”
And lastly, you can forget all that I have just blabbed about but by all your capacity try to remember to never forget the next one.
5. It’s a school thing. Shallow? Yes. Correct? Very much so! So by this, do you mean that we Blue Eagles should grow wings? A touch of royal blue on our arms, perhaps? Or that we should all live in Loyola Heights? Or that Thomasians have a growling entrance exams? The list goes on, really. Iskolar ng Bayan is not just a term with the true sense that you speak of. It’s an identity. Don’t take this the wrong way but if you weren’t so busy disclaiming Iskolars ng Bayan and their wads of cash for tuition, and instead found(ed) your own then you wouldn’t have to publish this.
As can be inferred I’m from Ateneo. Given your state of mind, I think that you can take this either as some know-it-all who comes from a school that needs wads of cash, dipping his nose to an area he probably has never seen and just merely know about, or an elitist blindly talking because he has an Ateneo education (all implications thereafter, considered). Well, I don’t really care which one you pick (my, how elitist of me). But let me qualify that since I admit that I know nothing of the financial situation, I can see this more objectively (my, how know-it-all of me). And what I really see is an advertisement for New Era University (all implications thereafter considered), and the other schools. (I took advertising principles, I should know; again, how know-it-all of me)
Or a person who is convincing him/her-self that he/she made the right decision of going to the said school(s). In that case, I go back to the notion that it is merely an advertisement.
In the end really, what’s there to judge is your capabilities that you (supposedly and ideally) picked up from college. The taste of the fruit will determine the harvest. And UP seems to be doing a good job at that. I’m just so curious as to why you dramatize it.
Yan kasing tuition increase na ‘yan, eh! Tuloy naku-question ang pagiging “iskolar ng bayan” natin. Pero anu’t anuman, mananatili tayong “iskolar para sa bayan”. Parang kasaysayan at pangalan ng Samasa na ito, ah! Hehe. Pero, agree ako sa ‘yo, Mi!
Den, cool ka lang. Plug natin tong entry mo sa UPAlumni.net, ha?
Did you in as much as try to find out where the term “Iskolar ng Bayan” came from? It’s the system of subsidizing the tuition fees of those who need it based on the assessment of a student’s family’s socio-economic status. Funding for the subsidized tuition comes from taxpayer’s money. Graduate school students will never enjoy this privilege maybe primarily because they already have the capacity to look for jobs and sustain their post-graduate education. The undergrad is the priority, you see.
Some companies offer educational subsidies to their employees in exchange for high performance or GPA. Tap that, instead.
and i can see on your other blog why you are proud of your alma mater… good reasons you have there…hehe
hindi naman talaga state uni ang UP ngaun sapagkat ito ay national university na po. it will get a separate and higher subsidy than state unis.
nako naman. mahabang debate ito at maraming factors kung bakit nag taas ng tuition ang UP. basta i’m convinced that it’s for the best. Kung alam mo lang UP is giving it’s all to get money. Maraming taong nagbabatikos pero di naman nila alam ang tunay na nangyayari. they are dismissing the idea agad without even evaluating the benefits. of course may mga disadvantages. that’s inevitable pero this is still the best move that UP did.
hehe. un lang po.
la naman ako paki-alam kung iskolar ng bayan ako o hindi basta alam ko i’m studying in the country’s premier university.
mabuhay ang UP!
your claim is so narrow-minded and senseless. why? we are called “iskolar ng bayan” because we are subsidized by the government. and the money being used comes from the people who pay taxes, not because we are paying small amounts for our tuition that we are called “iskolar ng bayan”.. if we are not subsidized by the government, i think our tuition would be like that of ateneo, la salle or even UA&P. get it? again, because we are subsidized, not because we are paying small amounts.
The word “iskolar’ as used by the UP students, and not literally as you are saying, is not just about being subsidized by the government. As a told history,the term ‘iskolar ng bayan’ has been associated more on being and rendering service from that “subsidy”.
And if UP students are not suitable to be called isko, then how will you define those other SUC whose budget are just 1/4 of what UP gets every year? super partial iskolar ng bayan?
I watched I-Witness’ episode about UP’s centennial “scholars”. Howie said that, like the main character in the documentary, there is a continuous change about the so-called Iskolar ng Bayan. Paunti na raw nang paunti yung mga TOTOONG Iskolar ng Bayan. Kasi, ang gustong iparating ng show ay iskolar ka dahil mentally equipped ka but not financially. Yun naman talaga kasi yung pagkakaintindi sa isang “scholar” kapag pagbabasehan ay ang system ng education dito sa’tin…
I think I get your point. A scholar is someone who studies for free due to his/her intellectual capacity, so to speak. They don’t pay ANYTHING — and to pay 21thousand would be out of that bracket.
Is this what you’re trying to point out? Or was my definition incur ignorance?
Galing mo tsong ah… hehe… nice one!
Pero i really have to disagree with you.. enough said by the first person to provide his comment here… at sana naman yung ibang nagpopost dyan, sana CORRECT spelling po ang gamitin natin, pwidi po ba? nasisira blog ni den eh… ^^
UP is not a private school. It’s funded by the government.
Di mo lang mabayaran yung tuition ng UP kaya bitter ka eh. Hello, ung iba nga trimestral na 60k+ yung binabayaran.
And what the hell is New Era? Numero uno pa rin ang UP sa employment rate (it’s a fact yo).
Guys, it’s the quality of education that matters most.
oh eh ano naman ang point nyo?
UP is UP. Tayo pa rin and da best.
Yun na yun.
ang astig mo kua!!!!
an eyeopener ang sinulat mo!!!!
Not a good topic Den,
Why not discuss topics that would benefit all of us Filipinos?
We are just all one and the same…
Pessimism will not take us far..
Thanks for this Reyn:
Actually, the context is so limited that you can see it in a multitude of ways. The way you see it is that in the most blunt way, we get free schooling. The following are the definitions of a scholar and just add a “ng bayan” and it can mean either of the two:
1. a learned or erudite person, esp. one who has profound knowledge of a particular subject [in the country]
2. a student who has been awarded a scholarship. [by the country]
nkknosebleed nmn d2.. pero tma nga nmn.. npklki nmn ng binbyad ng UP students pr msbing skolar cla.. prang di n kc cla scholar dhl s lki nun eh!
ang mga taga-up ay fake scholars talaga. panay reklamo na lang.
(scholar: someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines)
–
SM SCHOLARS=ISKOLAR NG BAYAN?
hakhak
Isa ho akong SM isko, at oo, 100% ang tuition fee discount ko. As in wala akong binabayaran ‘pag enrolment. [Actually, may monthly allowance pa nga eh.] In short, palamunin ako ni Henry Sy, Sr.
hakhak
Nagulat din ako nung nabasa kong umaabot ng 21, 000 ang tution ng taga-UP. Naisip ku ren, “Iskolar pa ba nga ba iyon?” Ngunit siyempre, ang scholar naman ay isang matalinong nilalang, by definition. At ngunit ulet, ang Iskolar ng Bayan ay may kolokyal na konotasyong palamunin ng gobyerno. [PALAMUNIN is figuratively used.]
hakhak
wala akong paki sa isyung ito
hakhak
elyens
XXXxx
nga pala… dapat RUMBLINGS with a “U” and not RAMBLINGS yung title ng site mo… wala kasing word na ganun. hehe.
@cor: FYI, rambling is defined as “a definite route, taken merely for pleasure”. “Ramblings” is the plural form of rambling. Ma’am you should have taken the trouble of checking it on a good online dictionary before making your pompous comment.
You should have learned that from your very, very good school, shouldn’t you?
naku kuya, grabe namang value judgement’yan. nang dahil lang ba sa nagtaas ang tuition fee ng eskwelahan namin eh hindi na kami maikakategorya bilang mga Iskolar ng Bayan? yun lang ba ang maituturing mong salik upang hindi na kami tawaging gayon? hindi naman namin kagustuhang magtaas ang aming matrikula. pero nandyan na ‘yan eh, umiiral na. kaya nga ginagawa namin ang aming bahagi sa iba’t ibang kaparaanan sa abot ng aming makakaya upang maresolbahan ang isyung ito. may mga utak kami kaya kami nakapasa rito. magagaling at matatalino kami. kami ang mga estudyanteng may utak. at hindi na namin kasalanan kung ang iba na mga pumasa (kung sinuman sila) eh hindi nagtuloy mag-enroll sa UP. ngunit gaya nga ng sinabi ko kanina, yamang dumadaloy sa aming mga dugo ang pagiging Iskolar ng Bayan, matatag kami sa paglaban ng aming karapatan.
we don’t need to brag about being the “Iskolar ng Bayan”. After all, it isn’t about how much we pay in school. That reason seems to be that of a narrow-minded person. Of all descriptions and definitions of being a Scholar, why choose money to be an argument?? Everybody in the Philippines has to pay for education. why not brag about something we feel we deserve? should we be punished? Shoot us!
mga taga-up dyan, hinay-hinay lang.
at alodia day, eye opener ba ang nais mo? eto mas malupit:
http://jesterinexile.blogspot.com/2008/08/taga-up-ka-daw-wenongayon-up100-so.html
to JESTER:
hmm… You mentioned that you were a DOST Scholar… Take note the word scholar… Being a DOST “Scholar” for undergraduates, We receive 6,000 pesos Tuition fee subsidy… plus monthly stipends and book/clothing allowance… 6,000 is just a PART of whatever amount we are supposed to pay according to the bracketing system… Then if that’s his stand… then we SHOULDN’T consider ourselves as DOST “Scholars”….
what the hell is this?! my god! i don’t understand you, den. what school are you from anyway? we, UP students are called Iskolar ng Bayan primarily because we are given this responsibility of giving back to our country. you might want to check the meaning of the word “scholar” and you might want to brush up on your knowledge about Greece and ancient Rome. they had a lot of scholars back then. maybe, it will shed some light on your very poor definition of scholar. well, why Iskolar ng Bayan? while other 17-year olds were (probably) very excited about their freshman year in private universities and colleges, (e.g. excited about meeting new friends, girslfriend and boyfriends) we, UP students were already dealing with the country’s problems, start pa lang ng orientation. you think being called “Iskolar ng Bayan” makes us feel more important? no, it’s a label that’s laden with so much responsibility and obligations that you can never even imagine. This label that you foolishly attached to “paying wads of cash”, is actually, the label that keeps most Isko and Iska awake every night, thinking about how he/she could make a difference in this world. think out of the box, you poor little you. and i have one question for you… do you think that this blog has made any difference in this world? have you, in any way, affected change, through this senseless, bitter and poorly written blog of yours? if you can’t give me a good answer, don’t bother typing your response. (hahahahahaha) kidding
peace on earth and goodwill to men!
New Era??? Uhm, from what school are you again??? I think you’d have a different view if you were from UP, like me.
ang yabang naman ng nagsabi nito…
@Nash: I have also felt that stinking arrogance.
oi! mahiya ka nga! ur being mauled online tapos pinagyayabang mo pa… ano sa akala mo ka-level ka na namin? eeewww!!!
@Isabelle: I’m not being mauled. I’m enjoying the publicity! I’m damn grateful for all the hits and comments!
shame on you… being an iskolar ng bayan doesn’t necessarily mean that you are going to pay Less tuition fees. Iskolar ng bayan means that out of all those people who took the upcat which figures around 80,000 applicants, we are the cream of the crop! they only accept the top 5% in the university. Thus, the term ISKOLAR NG BAYAN! It has nothing to do with fees. PLUS, in your school who can you brag about? We have RANDY DAVID, WINNIE MONSOD and etc. how do you keep THE BEST PROFESSORS IN THE UNIVERSITY? IF you are as observant as you claim to be then you might have noticed the lack of GOOD QUALITY TEACHERS AROUND BECAUSE PAY IS HIGHER ABROAD. ESPECIALLY IN MATH.(thats why fellow iskos and iskas be thankful for powerpuff, power rangers and voltes V profs. because it shows that we still have the best profs in the NATION) The increase in tuition fees MAKES SENSE BECAUSE WE – ISKOs and ISKAs are GETTING THE BEST EDUCATION FROM THE BEST PERSONALITIES/PROFESSORS OF THEIR OWN RESPECTIVE FIELDS. THAT EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE FROM THEM IS SOMETHING EVEN YOU CANNOT QUANTIFY.
Weeh. I wasn’t supposed to leave a comment here ’cause I wanted a pretty boring online life, but this couldn’t be helped. (I believe I’ve said enough in Jester’s blog)
I scoff at those claiming to be “Iskolar ng Bayan” who are attacking the blogger’s school and intellect. Doing an “I’m-better-than-you” impression doesn’t take anyone anywhere, so please, if you must argue, be reasonable and “scholarly” enough to attack the point, not the blogger himself. Don’t waste brain cells by spouting off curses and insults (assuming you did use your brain, since you came up with those very colorful words). You’re simply no better than the person you’re accusing of idiocy/ignorance/whatever. I would have thought people from UP could offer a smarter rebuttal than what I’ve read. It’s appalling what some of you wrote. Tsk.