Facebook fan page “Atty. Rodrigo R. Duterte Supporter Page” suggested to have the University of the Philippines (UP) system shut down because they “could not see or feel any of the UP scholars’ help to the country.”
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This is what the page’s admin posted on November 14:
“Ang UP system ay 113 years na pinopondohan ng gobyerno ng 10 billion pesos taon taon. Itoy upang hubugin ang mga Scholar at makabuo ng mga solution sa mga problemang kaharap ng bansa. Subalit wala tayong nakita at naramdaman na ginawa ang mga ito upang tumulong sa bansa. Inaasahan nating mag isip sila ng paraan paano lulunasan ang trapiko, paano iresolba ang basura, murang pabahay, pagbaha at solusyon sa kahirapan. Ang nakikita natin mula pa noong unang panahon ang skwelahang ay ginamit na breeding ground ng dayuhang ideolohiya upang kontrahin ang gobyerno. Aktibo sila sa mga rally sa mga kalsada lalo noong panahon ng Martial law. Kung walang nakukuhang pakinabang ang gobyerno ay mas maigi pang isara ito at gawing mass housing sa mga dukha. Kakasya ang 100,000 families dito kasi 500 hectares ang kabuuan ng campus.”
UP students made sure to let their voices be heard in the comments’ section of the post, all while doing some fact-checking on the contents of the said post.
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Facebook user and UPian Arvin Troy Lim corrected the fan page’s admin for saying that UP has been around for 113 years when it has only been 108 years, given that the school was founded in 1908. As for the page’s claim of not doing anything to help the country, Lim pointed out how there are 36 or 37 national scientists from UP and how many professionals graduated from the state university.
Other commenters also jumped in, reminding the page’s admin that even the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. graduated from UP.
When we checked the list of 41 national scientists and where they graduated, 38 went to UP.
Another commenter also pointed out the fact that many of President Duterte’s Cabinet members hailed from UP.
Some of Duterte’s Cabinet who studied at UP to earn their bachelor’s or master’s degree include the following:
- DFA Secretary Perfecto Yasay
- DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones
- DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo
- DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña
- DBM Secretary Benjamin Diokno
- DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi
- DOH Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial
- DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez
- PAGCOR Chairperson Andrea Domingo
- Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo
Facebook user Beata Carolino hit back the Duterte fan page’s admin’s proposal to turn the UP campus into a housing project for the poor. Carolino said that the UP (Diliman) campus is actually home to many teachers, students, and other Filipino families, making it a community.
Facebook user Abby Gragasin responded to the page’s seeming resentment towards UP students who are quite active in staging rallies. She said: “Bakit nga ba kayo galit sa UP? Dahil nagrarally sila? Hindi naman sila nagrarally para lang makakontra, ginagawa nila yun dahil meron silang dahilan at ang dahilan na iyon ay ang alam nilang tama. Sino ang magpapakapagod magrally at gustong masaktan para lang makakontra? Mag-isip naman po. Pare-pareho lang po tayong mamamayan sa bansang ‘to.”
Another commenter, Mercy Pulido, brought up how UP has produced 7 presidents, 12 chief justices, 57 national artists, and 34 (now 38) national scientists. Look up the University History page of UP. These were likely not the latest figures, but it is enough proof to counter the fan page admin’s accusation that UP students are not contributing to the good of the country.
Facebook users JR Tamayo and Jake Crisologo also commented passionately against the fan page’s accusations.
Facebook user Josette Karen Branzuela noted how UP’s budget has been bigger than the other state universities because it also operates the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).
We found Branzuela’s source, a Rappler article, which also showed UP’s budget since 2010. This contradicts what the Duterte fan page’s claim that UP receives P10 billion each year.
The admin of the Duterte fan page probably realized just how wrong its accusations were after all the fact-checking comments its post has earned because they took it down on Wednesday afternoon, November 16.
Sources: (gov.ph, inquirer.net, up.edu.ph, rappler.com)
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