Bambi Eloriaga-Amago
Republic Act 10648, or the Iskolar ng Bayan Law, includes a provision exempting the top ten graduates of public high schools from taking State Universities and Colleges (SUC) entrance exams, including the UPCAT (University of the Philippines College Admission Test.)
Pasig City Representative Roman Romulo, one of the authors of the law and a UP Alumnus himself, explained to GMA News that at least 80,000 graduates are expected to benefit from RA 10648. He further defended the law by saying, “This is an affirmative action policy that guarantees disadvantaged but gifted public high school graduates slots in SUCs, without having to go through a rigorous screening or elimination process… we simply decided to give the sons and daughters of marginal families a headstart.”
As news on the law broke, netizens took to social media to air their opinion on the matter. Over at Facebook Group, Narinig ko sa UP (Overheard at UP), a debate rages on the merits, or lack thereof, of the law. Some were in favor of it, such as Lyra Santiago. She tells Overheard:
“Competent po talaga ang mga public high school students sa Pinas. Kasali ako sa top ten ng isang public school at hindi madali ang makapasok doon kaya naman agree ako sa law na ito. Never pa akong naka-encounter ng palakasan sa school. Ang mga nakakasali sa top ten ay nahaggard, napuyat at namaho nang todo at nang maraming beses. Hindi porket hindi kami mage-exam ay hindi na kami deserving o hindi na namin na-meet ang high standards ng UP… Para sa akin, ang law na ito ay baby steps tungo sa Pilipinas na may equal opportunity at quality education para sa lahat ng estudyante — mahirap man o mayaman.”
(Philippine public high school students are competent. I was one of the top ten in a public school, and it was not easy to be admitted to the school so I agree with this law. I have never encountered the “palakasan” system at school. To be included in the top ten, students became haggard and stinky, suffering countless sleepless nights. Just because we won’t be taking the exams doesn’t mean we don’t deserve, or won’t meet the high standards of UP. For me, this law is like taking baby steps towards a Philippines that offers equal opportunity and quality education for all — rich or poor.)
Still, quite a number are unimpressed. One FB user says that “being called an ‘iskolar ng bayan’ is a privilege and not a right. Hindi pinamimigay ang karangalan na yun kaya paghirapan nila unang una sa pagtake at pagpasa sa UPCAT. (That honor is not being given away for free, so they should earn it first and foremost by passing the UPCAT.) This is so unjust!”
“Paano yung teachers’ favorite yung student kaya na top 10? Then makapasok sa UP?” (What about those who got into the top ten just for being teachers’ favorites? They’ll be admitted to UP, too?) Another FB user asks.
Paul Mendoza, Head of Marketing and Sales for an eCommerce Company and a UP Diliman alum, is a bit uncertain about the law, even though he himself is a product of a public school.
“Perhaps the idea behind it is that the top ten graduates of each public HS, regardless of size, could be considered as the most persevere of their batch (but not necessarily the brightest), and perseverance is an important quality to become successful in life.” Mendoza explains. “…discipline is one of the reasons why UP is one of the best schools in the country. Taking that away by diluting the student population with less ideal standards would have an effect on the training of our future Iskolars ng Bayan. It will make UP ordinary. Ordinary is not bad. This country, however, needs extra-ordinary people.”
Mendoza ends his thoughts on the matter by suggesting that all public school students should be given the chance to take the UPCAT, but without paying the exam fees. “This will benefit more people and the qualifier remains the same,” he believes.
Another product of the country’s public school system is not enthusiastic about the law. Lyma Uy, currently studying BS Biology at UP Baguio, used the social media to write an open letter to RA 10648’s authors Romulo and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. In it, she writes:
“Dear gentlemen… I knew you (and others who pushed through this law a.k.a Iskolar ng Bayan Act) meant well. I am a high school graduate from a public high school, and frankly, I wasn’t one of the top ten students from my school. And yet, with some hard work (and sleepless nights) I passed the UPCAT. Now some of the people I know are in the top ten of their schools, and yet, they didn’t pass the UPCAT… because not all schools have the same students, teachers and standards. Some schools are equipped with advanced subjects, demanding teachers and gifted students yet some, due to lack of funds and access to information, fall behind. There are many factors as to why a student becomes one of the top ten in his/her school. These include their teachers (because let’s face it, the palakasan system is a problem our education system has) classmates (their intelligence) and school standards… Do the top 10 of schools deserve to be scholars? Yes. Do they deserve to be exempted from school fees? Definitely, and in fact, I believe that everyone going to SUCs shouldn’t pay a dime… But passing the UPCAT or any other admission test for that matter will let you know that you actually have what it takes…”
Should you wish to read Ms. Uy’s open letter to Cong. Romulo and Sen. Cayetano in it’s entirety, just follow the link.
