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WHY MACAPADO SHOULD BE THE PRESIDENT OF MSU

“As an Academic and an administrator, he stands very tall indeed.  He earned his MA and Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Hawaii, his MPA from UP and his BS in Public Administration from MSU—all on scholarships.”

- Solita Collas-Monsod,
A Curius Choice for MSU President, PDI August2006
 
MACAPADO Muslim is indeed very well educated. All his credentials brought him to the top of the search committee’s list before Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed Gen. De Leon as the president of Mindanao State University. Frustrated as he could be – Monsod even published an article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer venerating him and questioning Arroyo’s choice.

At the recent Grand Alumni Homecoming held at MSU Marawi, copies of an open letter to the Board of Regents were distributed to some guests with Monsod’s article as a strategic attachment.  Basically, the open letter was to condemn De Leon’s appointment and expose the “details of [his] bad management” rather than promote Macapado (oh well… the attachment speaks for itself- being stapled in front, the message is loud enough).

Since De Leon’s term is indefinite and the heat of the issue of the search for the system’s president remains up, Macapado’s bid for the position is just as hot.

The search committee has prescribed the qualifications and Macapado has undoubtedly met them. All he has to do now is to be very visible to GMA given that everything he has worked on is unnecessary if he’s not Malacañang’s bet – the university is under a unique policy that the Philippine President has the prerogative to appoint anyone, and I do mean anyone he or she desires to be the next “MSU Idle” – the university head.

Now let’s get to the real frame of the game… “Why Macapado should be the Next President of MSU?” – Why Arroyo shall choose him over a military man or anyone she can obviously benefit from for that matter? Well… a person that is in many ways like her would be an intelligent choice. She might not be aware how their characteristics compliment each other. Let me mention some of them (that the curriculum vitae would especially miss out).

First, Macapado condemns vigilance in his administration (an MSU-General Santos City Chancellor). 

He fired a professor who reported his anomalies to the Commission on Audit (the professor sued him for the illegal termination – the court kept on favoring the complainant but due to what seemed to be an endless “motion for reconsideration” concessions, the case is still running). His act triggered demonstrations in the streets of the campus protesting his accused corruption and the layoff.  

Under his administration, he successfully closed a student publication that was critical to him – reopened it after a year and placed people that won’t speak of his ills.  He removed the student council by making his people (Kudos to the OSA Director!) stop the elections for the new set of officers since, the powerful party was from the militants – for a year (2001), no student council was functioning – sweet déjà vu huh?.  And because he hates freedom of speech, he withheld the funds of the student council and publication. Now, these organs must kiss his feet before they can fully operate – not signing any resolution for the disbursement of the student’s funds can sabotage any student organ’s term.

There’s more! He also got to dismiss 12 student leaders from the university and warned 50 others. Some documented cases of harassments perpetrated by his bodyguards against the demonstrators can reinforce the mentioned achievements.

If Arroyo condones Political Killings (by honoring the Human Rights Violator Gen. Jovito Palparan, not categorically giving position to the cases on other regions and acting sincerely on this), Macapado has his own version of oppressing activists and all his constituents for that matter.

Second, Macapado like Arroyo experiences ouster mobilizations almost every year of his term. The students like the Filipino people go out in the streets to call for the head’s resignation.  Back in 2000, intense daily rallies objected his reappointment as the MSU Gensan Chancellor – and like Arroyo, he’s still in the position. HE’S INVINCIBLE!!!

Third is that he has constructed a façade for his destruction.

Like Arroyo, there’s the proud hosting of the ASEAN Summit with all efforts to cover the picture of poverty– so much like Bush’s visit and our country’s expenses for that. She has achievements and plans mentioned in every SONA, missing out the real state of nation with peasants and workers enslaved by our semi-feudal and semi-colonial system.

Macapado’s concrete roads, ceramic-tiled buildings, and new computers can sure cover up for the already 400 then 100% tuition fee increases and amazing introduction of miscellaneous fees (so unfelt) that drastically caused the decrease of the enrollees (from 6000-4500) and increased the number of those who filed leave of absence. That’s the way to promote literacy!

He abolished the privileges of cultural minorities (CM) violating RA 1387 that mandates the promotion of the integration of the CM to the mainstream of the national body politic – the CM in MSU Gensan used to be automatic scholars. Most are really from poor families and now many of them just went back home to plow the field instead or join the armed struggle (and I’m serious).

Lastly, Macapado and Arroyo give us the reason to think – we shouldn’t be just vegetables and lay there ‘til we get eaten or rotten. Think… what should be done next is up to you.

MSU-Gensan wants to share to the system how it’s like to be under his power. Let everyone get a taste of him. Macapado should be the next President.

posted by: ayesha at 19:59 | link | comments (9) |