Kris at Kalasag

Summer na naman!! May Bago na namang Kawalanghiyaan!!!

2009-05-01T21:58:00.000-07:00

Bakit ganun ang nagyayari ngayon? Lantaran ng niyuyurakan at binabale wala ang mga karapatan ng mga faculty members. Wala ba talaga silang pakialam sa welfare ng kanilang mga empleyado? Sinusuway nila ng walang patumangga ang mga nakasaad sa reglamento ng SLU.

Binigyan ng 6 units na load ang isang part time instructor ng CAC. Ok lang sana kung ang mga guro sa CAC ang apektado. Hindi!! Binigyan sya ng 6 units na Hist 22!! Bakit kaya? Dahil ba sa abugado sya at konektado sa DOLE? Mukhang nagpapalakas sila kasi maraming kinakaharap na demanda ang SLU sa DOLE. Buti sya kahit hindi magturo meron syang trabaho. Pano yung inagawan nila ng load sa Soc Sci? Mga full time, permanent na faculty members!! Ang nakakapagtaka mukhang napakatahimik ng dekano ng Human Sci!!! Akala ko ba mataray sya? Hindi ba inaway nya yung dekano ng Educ? Bakit ngayon hindi sya magsalita para protektahan ang mga guro nya. Obvious namang niyurakan pati ang kapangyarihan nya. Pinakialaman ang kolehiyo nya. Bakit hindi nya inaway ang dekano ng CAC? Baka kasi yung mga walang kapararakang mga intirga lang ang pinapatulan nya.

Bilib ka nga sa dekano ng CAC. At least he's looking out for his faculty. Meron bang ganun sa ibang kolehiyo? Wala nyan sa Human Sci!!!

Ano naman ang ginagawa ng UFESLU? Wala ba silang aksyon sa obvious na paglabag sa karapatan ng mge guro? Inutuil talaga sila!! Baka pinoprotektahan nila ang mga posisyon nila. Ano kaya ang pwede nilang magawa? Aaksyon pa kaya sila?

Hanggang kailan ang ganito? Mababago pa ba ang makasariling paggalaw ng mga tao sa SLU? Magkakaroon pa ba ng tamang gawain? Abangan na lang ang pagdating ng karma sa kanila. Sana masaya kayo sa ginagawa ninyo at hindi ninyo maranasan ang nararanasan ng mga ordinaryong empleyado. MATAKOT KAYO SA KARMA!!!

May katuturan pa ba ang LABOR DAY? Happy pa ba ang Labor Day?

SLU "SIN" TENNIAL CELEBRATION

2008-12-17T16:26:00.000-08:00

I completely agree that SLU is now 100 years old...

Just look at these facts:

1. Accounting Practice which is 100 years old...

The Accounting Office continues to practice an accounting procedure which is perhaps 100 years old! Imagine, it refuses to change its accounting practice to serve the greater interest of the employees by deducting as early as January the correct taxes so that come December, they will receive their 13th month pay in full.

2. 100 year-old management principles

We are a witness to the seeming ignorance of our managers.

A President, who is a businessman-priest, merely delivers empty promises during his speeches. He only enjoys travelling aroung the country and abroad for management planning kuno! He is known for coming up with illogical projects like the impractical Bakakeng Campus and the failed international medicine. His only "successful" project is a "tennis court." So maybe he should instead go into making tennis courts around the country.

A vice-President, who earned a doctoral degree but thinks and decides like an elementary or a high school student leader.He continues to occupy his office but does nothing important.

A vice-president who has a law degree but thinks like a LAW STUDENT. He passed the bar alright but he decides against legal precedents. Maybe, he should return to law school.

A vice-president, who has an accounting degree but is ignorant of new accounting principles. She is, however, interested in making herself richer by the day. She perhaps even owns a house in the UNited States.

Deans, who are holders of doctoral or master's degrees but is ignorant about managing their subordinates. They even make their offices inaccessible to people.

Our HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE which does nothing to DEVELOP the HUMAN RESOURCES or persons inside SLU. All it is concerned about is keeping many employees contractual or part-time. It even enjoys terminating the services of employees. It's name should not be HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT. It should be changed into RECRUITMENT AND TERMINATION OFFICE (RATO).

3. 100 year old facilities

Imagine, our managers could afford to go "pasyal" around the country and spend millions yet the facilities in SLU remain unimproved!

4. No concern for the employees

The CICM celebrated its 100 years but SLU employees get nothing! All the SLU Administration could affort to give us is a T-SHIRT! Eh kaya naman ng SLU na magbigay sana ng CENTENNIAL BONUS... Saan naman napupunta ang pera ng SLU, sa BELGIUM?

The employees are complaining...Instead of solving the problem,HECHANOVA could only answer, "Kung ayaw ninyo sa SLU eh magresign na kayo." Ganyan ba talaga ang dapat AMA ng TAHANANG SLU?

Haay SLU! Just like during the Spanish times.. The friars or priests then and now are only concerned about becoming rich.

To borrow the words of Senator Mar Roxas, "Putang ina ninyong lahat na managers ng SLU!"

HYPOCRITES IN SLU

2008-10-07T17:44:00.000-07:00

This is a rejoinder (agreement) to the article written by Mr. Jason Moldero on the immorality issues in SLU. SLU wants us to be morally upright but some of its top leaders are not moral. It's a case of "do as I say but do not do as I do."

Why does SLU want the employees to hold standards that SLU managers are exempt from? I was a witness to a colleague who was asked to admit her mistake to Father Hechanova just so she will not be meted a penalty. But have the Managers of SLU admitted any of their mistakes? NONE!!!

The other examples of unpunished immorality of SLU Managers have been fully discussed by Mr. Moldero.

Let's stop this hypocrisy of SLU Managers!

SLU'S DICTATORIAL REGIME

2008-10-05T01:49:00.000-07:00

Napapansin po ba natin na matinding ipinagbabawal ng SLU Administration ang paglalabas ng mga kritismo laban sa kanila? Mas nakaka alarma na tila nakikiisa ang UFESLU sa pagbawal ng paglalabas ng mga kritisismo laban sa SLU Administration. Ang mga eto ay lantarang paglabag sa "freedom of speech" na nakasulat sa ating Saligang Batas.
Ano po ba ang "freedom of speech?"
Freedom of speech and of the press does not mean only approving existing political beliefs or economic arrangements, lending support to official measures, and taking refuge in the existing climate of opinion on any matter of public consequence.When weakened, the right becomes meaningless.The right belongs also to those who question, who do not conform, who differ.The ideas that may be expressed under this freedom are confined not only to those that are conventional or acceptable to the majority. To be truly meaningful, freedom of speech and of the press should allow and even encourage the articulation of the revolutionary view, though it be hostile to or derided by others; or though such view “induces a condition of unrest, creates dissatisfaction with conditions as they are, or even stirs people to anger. To paraphrase Justice Holmes, it is freedom for the thought that we hate, no less than for the thought that agrees with us.
So sana hwag tayong matakot ilantad ang mga katiwalian ng SLU Administration. - by Kota -

Of Morality and Immorality

2008-09-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

The time has come for me say a few things about morality and immorality in SLU. With the many speculations, dismay of some and judgment of others on my character and reputation, I chose to be silent for the last 8 months since my illegal termination last November 2007. With so much throbbing, every time I hear from a colleague in the University make false insinuations and thoughts about me, there was no day that I have not planned to give a response to the baseless, libelous and character assassination made against me by some employees. I chose to be silent not because I am afraid with the SLU admin but because I respect the principle of subjudice on my case which is now with the NLRC. The merits of my case are now within the hands of NLRC. As of the moment, I would not want to pre-empt any comment that would jeopardize my arguments in the NLRC. But one thing is for sure, I will not waiver nor succumbed to any offer of SLU admin on my case even if it means going up to the Supreme Court. Let my case be a glaring example of viciousness and utter display of cruel, evil and arrogant power of SLU admin to terminate an employee without just and reasonable cause. Let my case also be a classic example of the kind of fairness and brutality the SLU extends to her employees.

This open letter to the SLU community aims to expose what every single employee in SLU already knows. I was terminated by SLU because of the supposed immorality acts I have committed with the “supposed” sexual harassment I made to a Mongolian CICM foreign student. My answers to all these allegations are now with the NLRC for their perusal. I will give comprehensive information on my case on a separate letter soon. The irony on my termination is actually the fact that I was dismissed because of committing immorality. Believe it or not, the SLU admin thinks that getting rid of me makes them a moral force of goodness and propriety. They thought that what they have done against me was the right thing to do to an employee who had committed immorality acts. SLU admin believes that they are cloth with purity and with totally unstained ground. The SLU admin always project themselves as moral entrepreneurs in the University that every act they make carries with it the seal of God.

In my almost 8 years of employment with SLU, I have witnessed the pervasive illicit affairs of married faculty members and employees with their students and forbidden affairs of some admin officers to their employees and students. But how many employee/s or officers were penalized or reprimanded? I bet you know the answer. How many have seen a CICM priest who celebrate mass in the SLU chapel and a former SLU employee boastfully roaming around the city and seemingly happy being together? I bet you know this priest. One ranking SLU admin who “fathered” a child outside his marriage?- I guess you also know this person. More recently, a member of the SLU admin who was recently convicted by the RTC for harassment still got promoted? I still bet you also know this admin member.

With the many sexual harassment cases against employees with different ranges of gravity on the acts committed, I was the only employee in the history of all the many and endless labor cases of SLU, who was dismissed from employment. This is because I was never attuned to their oppressive ways and acts for I have consistently criticized the unchristian ways of the SLU admin. With the baseless allegations against me, the SLU admin could have easily thrown away the complaint against me since they know very well that the complaint was fabricated and push through by no less than my former department head who was hurt after I filed a case of malversation funds on the fund raising activity we had in our department. From day one, after they handed me the letter of complaint, I knew that the SLU administration was fully behind it (with my former department head leading every bit of the way) and was very determined in pinning me down. (My complaint by the way to my department head was NEVER even given an answer from no less than the SLU President While a complaint completely devoid of any truthfulness against me initiated by my department head became the reason for my dismissal). In a patented exercise of tyrannical acts, the SLU President terminated me without a single regard to my answers on the complaint and without a Christian consideration of the economic and financial consequences of his decision against my work and profession. What is even more painful was the fact that the concocted stories made by the Mongolian student were absolutely taken as the gospel truths by the members of the committee and the SLU administration. I am an assistant professor of the University from the time of my illegal dismissal who strived on my own to finished my Masteral degree and have proudly represented not only the school but the entire country for the American Summer Studies Institute in the U.S. and had numerously directed and written several plays staged in the CCA and Baguio and one who humbly tried to build my name and honor in my almost eight years in SLU, however, none of these “contributions and dedication “ were even appreciated to the prejudiced of my character and reputation in this case. They disposed of me so easily as if I am an evil person who had committed the most sinful act.

But then again, I am neither their ally nor their close associate who blindly tag along their capricious whims and interest. Maybe if I am an obedient follower, my fate in SLU would have been different. This is the present situation today in SLU. A lot of unequal application of justice: Those who foolishly follow them will go unharmed but those who remains a thorn is booted out.

So what morality are we talking in SLU?---there is none. Only fools and idiots buy the idea that SLU admin is out there to proclaim their new found moral ascendancy among its employees and students. They are as rotten and deceitful in many ways. The only consolation we can have is the fact that we do not pretend to be moral entrepreneurs because we know that we cannot also be one. But with the SLU admin, everything is possible-even sacrificing the employment of one just to meet their self-aggrandizing purpose. I challenged now the SLU President if indeed he believes that he can be a moral force in the University to clean up first his own backyard before he can pursue any serious and meaningful reforms on cases of sexual harassments and immorality in the University.

Just in case the SLU Administration will also file a case against you, don’t beg to them for mercy and compassion because you can never expect one. They are the meanest and most hypocritical creatures. Do not allow them to intimidate or buy you just because they have millions of pesos allotted specifically for their labor cases. They are as ruthless as the beast, very hungry to exercise their powers and very conceited in pursuing their perceived oppositionist by terminating them so that their capricious whims and interests shall always be kept to their side. With the many labor cases filed against SLU, just always be on guard and be vigilant because it happens so quickly how you can be their next target.

Jayson Moldero

CLARIFICATION OF ISSUES

2008-09-14T06:19:00.000-07:00

FROM: ALDRIN L. APOLONIO

Secretary-General, Union of Faculty and Employees of Saint Louis

University

UFESLU

TOPIC: CLARIFICATION OF ISSUES

Dear Colleagues,

Last month, there have been some “papers” circulating around the campus about unresolved issues in the University such as (1) contractualization, (2) the union becoming a union of the administration because many officers of the UFESLU are now department heads, and (3) an attack on Father Jess Hechanova.

I want to categorically state that I DID NOT MAKE THOSE “PAPERS.” However, I AGREE TO SOME EXTENT to the criticisms made. Below are explanations on certain issues in the University.

I. About our taxes

Last January 29, 2008, the UFESLU submitted to the SLU Administration the following proposals:

(a) the 12,000 economic package should be RECLASSIFIED as RICE SUBSIDY so that this amount would NOT BE TAXABLE; and

(b) the EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS of the children of SLU employees should be made into a SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM so that the tuition fee will NOT BE TAXABLE

HOWEVER, UNTIL NOW (!) or after SIX MONTHS (!) from the time the UFESLU submitted these proposals, the SLU Administration HAS NOT ANSWERED our proposals. Apay ngay nga haan da sumungbat? Bassit laeng met daytoy nga dawat tayo…

II. Contractualization

If we are to read our collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the probationary period of college teachers is two years or four semesters (CONTINUOUS and SATISFACTORY). So, on the FIFTH SEMESTER (after the four semesters of continuous and satisfactory service), the teacher should be PERMANENT. But in SLU, there are many teachers who have met the above qualifications and yet they are still considered contractuals (!).

The UFESLU is now doing some move to resolve this conflict. Hopefully, this issue will be resolved WITHIN the University and there is no need to file a case OUTSIDE. Apay ngay? Apay mabalin aya nga FOREVER contractual ti maysa nga teacher? Ni apo padi met…

III. Department Heads as officers of the UFESLU

Some of the officers of the UFESLU were elected as officers WHILE THEY WERE DEPARTMENT HEADS or GRADUATE PROGRAM COORDINATORS. So, the employees voted for them even if the employees knew that they are department heads or graduate program coordinators. The others officers were only appointed as department heads after they were elected as UFESLU officers.

In a company, the employees are classified as (1) Managers, (2) Supervisors, and (3) rank-and-file. In SLU, the Managers are usually the HEADS (or Directors, Superintendent, Deans) of the different offices. Supervisors are those “employees who, in the interest of the employer, effectively recommend such managerial actions if the exercise of such authority is not merely routinary or clerical in nature but requires the use of independent judgment” [Art. 212 (m), Labor Code]. Rank-and-file are (just like us) the ordinary employees. The UFESLU is a union of the rank-and-file employees.

Under the law (Art. 245, Labor Code), MANAGERS CANNOT JOIN the UNION of the rank-and-file employees. So a Dean, Director, Superintendent, University President, University Treasurer, University Registrar or a Vice-President CANNOT join the UFESLU.

Also, SUPERVISORS CANNOT join the UNION of the rank-and-file (Art. 245, Labor Code). The reason why managers and supervisors cannot join the union of the rank-and-file is because if these managerial employees (or Supervisory employees) would belong to a Union, the latter (managerial or supervisory employees) might not be assured of their loyalty to the Union in view of evident conflict of interests. The Union can also become company-dominated with the presence of managerial employees (or supervisory employees) in Union membership. (Bulletin Publishing Co., Inc., vs. Hon. Augusto Sanchez)

So, the question now is, “In SLU, who are the supervisors who cannot join the UFESLU?” They are the persons who EFFECTIVELY RECOMMEND managerial actions which recommendation requires their INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT. [Art. 212 (m), Labor Code).

Department Heads or Graduate Program Coordinators are chief and often especially-oriented who work with and commonly are in charge of a group of employees in a college. They are the persons designated by the employer-management to direct the work of employees and to supervise and oversee them. They are representatives of the employer-management with authority over particular groups of workers, processes, operations, or sections of the school. They are the link in the chain of command and the bridge between the management and labor. In the performance their work, Department Heads and Graduate Program Coordinators definitely use their independent judgment (like in the evaluation of teachers) and are empowered to make recommendations for managerial action with respect to those employees under their control (like the hiring or non-hiring of a teacher). Their work is NOT basically routinary and clerical.

So….What do you think, are department heads supervisors who cannot be members of the UFESLU?

IV. Maternity leave computation

A faculty member who goes on maternity leave usually will “pay back” to SLU a certain amount when she returns to work. So, employees on maternity leave will NOT use their 60 days (or 78 days) of maternity leave since the longer their leave, the higher the amount that they will PAY to SLU.

The UNION brought this matter to the SLU Administration. However, the SLU Administration insists that its computation is correct and teachers should still “pay back” a certain amount after their maternity leave. Upon an inquiry by the UNION, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) did not accept the computation of SLU. I am sure Father Jess Hechanova knows this problem. Apay ngay nga parparigaten yu apo padi ti empleyado?

V. Summer Loading

The UFESLU submitted to the SLU Administration the following proposals to solve the problem on summer loading:

1. Decrease the minimum class size during the summer term. The minimum class size should be decreased from thirty -five (35) to a MAXIMUM of twenty-five (25) students in each class.

2. Maintain a thirty-five (35) student MAXIMUM for each class (all classes) during the summer term.

3. Averaging. During the summer term, some classes have full fifty students (50) but some classes also have less than the SLU imposed thirty-five (35) student-for-each-class. Since some classes already have 50 students, the classes with less than 35 students should not be dissolved. With this, the need to fill the class to a maximum of 35 students is already solved with the “excess” of other classes.

4. Paid summer in-service work of faculty members such as curriculum development, syllabi upgrading, research work, module making, and other possible work related to their teaching. This summer work will be given equivalent units.

5. Return to the old system of assigning permanent general faculty members for each of the colleges (not globalization) Awanen koma ti globalization…

6. Close coordination with the mother college of general education teachers on the subject offerings during the summer term.

7. The problem on NSTP

8. Allow incoming freshmen to enroll for summer

The answer of the Administration to these proposals? NONE (!)

So, the UFESLU has already filed a case before the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) so that this problem will be solved. Mabalin koma nga ma-solve daytoy nga problema ditoy SLU ngem haan met marikna da apo padi ti rigat iti teachers no summer.

We heard that DEANS receive about 60,000 pesos a month. Ofcourse, our VICE-PRESIDENTS and the UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT receive HIGHER. Baka times 2 pa! This means that during SUMMER, these people receive the SAME monthly salary. But for the teachers who are WORKING HARD to TEACH during summer, they ONLY receive about 8,000 a month for three units. (!) APAY NGAY? Apo padi, haan kayo kadi maasi kadakami?

VI. Holiday Pay

The SLU Administration has NOT PAID us our holiday pays for the holy week (March 21 and 22), Independence Day (June 12). Its reason is that these holidays ARE NOT PART OF THE SEMESTER. But we have been receiving holiday pay in the past. Manu lang met apo padi nu bayadan dakami iti holiday pay? Haan met siguro mabawasan iti kinabaknang iti SLU.

VII. The complaints against three MEMBERS OF THE MANAGEMENT

At the onset, it is very important to know that these three individuals are PART OF MANAGEMENT. Please take note later that they have pending cases and yet NOTICE the “penalty” or “action” given to the complaints against them.

The FIRST MEMBER OF MANAGEMENT, whom we shall refer to as “ID,” is accused of bringing home a “boom” without permission from the University. This matter was brought to the attention of Father President who PROMISED to conduct an investigation and impose the PROPER penalty. A few months later, we heard that Father President APPROVED the SABATICAL LEAVE of “ID” for three months. Is this what Father President calls as PENALTY for “ID”? Is it unfair? Look, if an ordinary employee is accused of bringing home (or stealing) something from the University, that ordinary employee will either be DISMISSED or SUSPENDED. But for “ID” (who is a member of the management), he is REWARDED a SABATICAL LEAVE for committing an offense in the University. Apay ngay?

For the SECOND MEMBER OF MANAGEMENT, whom we shall call as “LES,” several teachers complained of a BIASED evaluation tool that “LES” is maintaining. “LES” is reportedly using this evaluation tool to FAIL teachers who are against him. The problem was brought to the attention of the SLU Administration who PROMISED that the matter will be taken up in the in-service seminar of the teachers last May 2008. However, during the in-service seminar, this problem was not taken up. Again, we observe that if it is a MEMBER OF THE MANAGEMENT who is charged of an offense, the SLU Administration IMPOSES a LIGHTER PENALTY or the SLU MANAGEMENT does not take any action to correct said mistakes.

In the case of the Department Head, SHE FAILED in her evaluation from her subordinates and despite protests against the department head from the teachers, the Administration continuous to keep her as department head.

Apay ngay nga haan nga pareho to justice ditoy SLU?

VIII. Salary Increase of the employees

In the computation shown by the SLU Administration, SLU collected LAST YEAR the amount of 420 million pesos from the tuition fee (college only). This school year (2008-2009), there is an increase of 4.5% in the tuition fees for college only. The computation of SLU Administration of the 4.5 % increase is 420 (SLU’s earnings last year) multiplied by 4.5% = 19 million pesos. So, the increase (or incremental proceeds) is 19 million. But, under the law, employees will only get 70 % of the 19 million which is about 13 million. The 6 million (19 million minus 13 million) will be taken by the SLU Administration.

Therefore, SLU Administration will surely get 420 million this year from the tuition fees PLUS 6 million (from its share in the increase.) or 426 million!!!!!!!!

From our share of 13 million, the SLU Administration computed that our salary increase is supposed to be only ONE PERCENT. But the SLU Administration increased this to FIVE PERCENT. Kasla nga naka-utang tayo pay iti SLU Administration.

But looking at the MONEY of SLU this year (426 million!), the SLU Administration can STILL increase our salaries for more than FIVE PERCENT. Isunga mabalin nga umabot inggana 12 percent iti salary increase koma iti employees. But, I guess the SLU Administration is NOT giving the employees a higher salary increase since it is saving for the RESEARCH SEMINAR of the Deans, Heads of Offices, all the Vice-presidents, and the SLU President inBohol, Palawan, Leisure Coast, and Hotels Or maybe, they will AGAIN visit China, Hongkong, India, South Korea, etc. I only hope they could also visit IRAQ!

Apay ngay nga bukbukudan yu ti gawis (grasya)?

CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY…

THESE ARE MY PERSONAL VIEWS AND THESE DO NOT REFLECT THE SENTIMENTS OF THE OTHER OFFICERS OF THE UFESLU.

ALDRIN L. APOLONIO

Secretary-General, UFESLU

First Semester na naman!!! (Wala pa ring pagbabago)

2008-08-14T04:28:00.000-07:00

Maraming nangyari, nangyayari at mangyayari sa taong ito. Pero wala na yatang hihigit pa sa karanasan natin ukol sa pagtaas ng presyo ng langis, presyo ng bigas at presyo ng mga iba't-ibang uri ng pagkain. Lahat ng mga tao ay nahirapan dahil naapektuhan ang buying power ng kanilang pera. Ang mga empleyado ng SLU ay hindi immune sa ganitong problema. Tulad ng iba sobrang apektado rin tayo.

Ito na sana ang pagkakataon ng unyon para ipakita ang malasakit nila sa mga empleyado. Gumawa sila ng paraan para mabawasan ang paghihirap ng mga manggagawa. Tulad na lang sana sa pagrerestructure ng ating exemptions sa tax. Alam naman siguro nila ang bagong tax law.

Pwede namang gawing overtime ang mga substitutions natin para hindi na maisama sa income natin. Exempted na ito sa tax. Mas lalaki ang take home pay natin. Pwede ring tawagin sa ibang pangalan ang Php 12,000 na economic benefit natin. Pwedeng sabihing Php 1,500 nito ay para sa rice subsidy. Tax exempt na agad ito. Yung ibang natitira pa pwedeng sabihing clothing allowance ito at ito ay tax exempt ulit. At least hindi na mababawasan pa ang economic benefit natin sa pagbabayad ng tax. Pati siguro yung 13th month pay natin hindi na mababawasan. Makukuha na natin ito ng buo. Maeenjoy na natin ang pasko at bagong taon dahil me ibibili na tayo ng pang-noche buena at media noche.

Huwag naman sanang idahilan na ito ay hindi pwede o kaya'y labag sa batas dahil pati ang gobyerno ay ginagawa ito. Ang mga increase ng mga empleyado nila ay ibinibilang na bahagi ng COLA para hindi mabuwisan. Hindi naman siguro ito labag sa turo ng simbahan. Kasalanan bang isipin ang kabutihan ng nakakarami? Or are we supposed to suffer?

Mahirap ba gawin ito? Ito ba ay labas sa sinumpaan nilang tungkulin? Political will lang kumbaga.

O baka naman tama yung sinasabi nung sulat na naikalat noong isang linggo...

The Angst of the Contractual Faculty

2008-08-03T09:11:00.000-07:00

A contractual faculty sent an email to the kris at kalasag email address but because of our busy schedule it hasn't been opened and read since April. Posting it in the kris at kalasag blogsite this month is still timely because current contractual faculty members may still have the same sentiments. Hopefully the writer of this email is still employed in the university. Sorry if it took a long time to post it. This is dedicated to all contractual employees... Here it is:

Contractual faculty ako. Matagal na. Di pa ako napepermanent. Eto ang buhay contractual.
Every semester, I have to reapply in the hope of teaching for the term. Every sem, anxious ako kung tatanggapin pa ako sa susunod na apply ko. Lagi ko tinatanong sa sarili kung nagustuhan kaya ng department head at lahat ng kanyang alipores ang pagmumukha ko last sem? Palagi naming ipinagdadasal na sana may magretire o kaya mag-apply na titser sa China at magresign para naman mapermanent na kami. Usually we teach every first sem only but once in a while we also teach during second sem when there are extra loads. Sa summer talagang wala akong load kaya yung naipon ko nung second sem ipang enroll ko muna sa masteral para next sem may edge ako against new applicants. Baka kasi may bagong mag apply na may masteral, tsugi na ako.
Kapag contractual ka, last priority ka sa lahat. Sa classes, sa schedule, sa rooms, sa equipment, at sa faculty table. Sa iyo lahat yung mahirap turuan at magugulong klase. Mga tira-tirang schedule na napagpilian na. Mga extreme schedules gaya ng 7:30 am at 7 to 8 pm, all in the same day, 6 days a week, sa iyo. Pati na rin mga extra at unpaid na gawain gaya ng pagseserve sa chapel during mass, pagkanta at pagsayaw sa mga okasyon, pagkuha ng minutes of the meeting, pagbili ng lunch at meryenda ng department, pagdecorate sa lobby kapag may exhibit. Ang iba kong mga kasamahang contractual, inoobligang magblow out kada semester. Swerte daw kami at natanggap uli sa SLU. Yehey blowout. Naman! Kapiranggot na nga sweldo namin at walang benepisyo, huthutan pa! Lagi kami nasasabihang, "pasensya ka contractual ka e. Bawi ka na lang pag permanent ka na". Kelan kaya yun?

Kapag contractual ka kelangan pakisamahan mo lahat. Kahit napakacorny, napakayabang o napakakulit ng faculty, magpakaplastic ka. Malay mo, next year, sya ang DH. Pero swerte ako dahil ang mga nakasama ko ay mababait at mga propesyonal. Worthy to emulate, ika nga. Di gaya ng ibang mga contractuals na nakasabay ko medyo dismayado sa mga nakasama nila. Ako din nadidismaya. May mga DH at faculty nga kasing imbis na turuan ka, isipin ang kapakanan mo, sila pa magpapahamak sa yo. Gaya nung issue tungkol sa unpaid consultation hours ng CICS, nung inamin nung department head sa comment nya sa post na sya ang nagsabing magsakripisyo mga faculty nya at magrender ng libreng 3 hours a week "for your own good" sabi nya. Anong klaseng DH kaya ito? DH na may problema. Di kaya sya aware na kahit 8 hours ang irender nya as consultation hours every day, bayad sya? Tapos hihingi sya ng sakripisyo mula sa mga faculty nya for 3 hours a week. Buti kaya kung magrender sya ng libreng 3 hours a week din, maglagi sya sa opisina nya ng 51 hours a week bibilib ako. Sir niloloko mo naman faculty mo. Ipahamak ba?
Opo, kahit contractual kami, may isip din kami. Akala kasi nung iba, porke mga bata kami, di umiimik, sunod ng sunod, wala kaming sariling opinion. Nagbabasa din kami ng mga issues lalo na dito sa Kris at Kalasag. Sinusubaybayan namin itong blog na ito. Gaya nung pagcomment comment ng mga supposed "professionals" dito sa blog, (buti tinanggal na, para di putaktihin ng comment itong post ko) napaka unprofessional, mean and vicious. I'm appalled! (Who would say b***ch repeatedly kundi isang b***ch din?) May nagsasabi pa ng bastard! (Sya rin pala yun.) Yung mga comments nyo, reflect on you. Nagpakilala kayo at nagcomment comment kayo ng ganun? Na-obvious tuloy kung ano kayo. When you are supposed to be college instructors, models to us, your yournger colleagues, and to your students? Opinion ko lang naman.
Alam nyo ba na dun sa post ng CICS consultation hours, sa dinami dami ng comment (close to 80), 3 lang na tao ang pinakamadaming comment paiba iba lang ang pangalan. 2 dun nagpakilala, yung isa nag apologize pa at sinabing di na sya makikialam kasi its not proper for his position daw. Pagkatapos na pagkatapos nun, nagcomment din naman uli gumamit lang ang ibang mga pangalan. Di na po ito opinion lang, we have concrete evidence. Our group of contractuals checked out the IP address of each commenter. The IP addresses are unique to the user at hindi ito makakapagsinungaling. Here is what we found: si JR paiba iba din ng pangalan, at napakaraming comment, pansin nyo pareparehong wrong grammar diba. Pati yung isang nagpakilala na natamaan daw ng sinabi ng pastor nya madami ding ginamit na pangalan, 4 to be exact. Ano ka ba? Di ka ba kinilabutan at ginamit mo pa pastor mo? Kahit na nagclose na yung commenting dun sa post na yun, tuloy pa rin ang pagcomment sa ibang posts ng di magagandang salita ng dalawang ito gamit ang iba't ibang pangalan pero pareparehong IP address. At eto ang shocking para sa amin, yung isang post ni Renato Dekartos na may tungkol sa kape, ang IP address na ginamit dun ay pareho sa IP address ni..... hulaan nyo. Tumpak! Isa lang ang ibig sabihin nyan, kayong dalawa lang ang nagsisiraan, naghuhudasan? Kaya pala ganun na lang ang praises nya kay jr, mga praises na wala namang kinalaman sa isyu. At taka rin kami dahil bakit masyado ka nakialam sa issue e hindi ka naman damay? Suspicious character ika nga. (Mula pagiging Viento hanggang pagiging Tabasco) Sinabi mo pa pangalan mo sa blog, tuloy you are a subject for criticism. At tama rin ang aking kasamang F, lalaki lang ang puedeng magsabi ng "Magpakalalaki ka". Lalaki lang ang magaassume na babae lang ang paibaiba ang isip. Napaka gender insensitive mo! Naku, wala nang rerespeto sa mga to. Magpakatao kayo oy! You are the perfect example of hypocrites. Ito lang ang di ko maintindihan, nasa IT kayo, alam nyong mabibisto kayo sa IP address ninyo, nag alias pa kayo.
Minsan, dahil sa napakatahimik namin, akala ng mga kasamahan namin wala kaming naririnig sa mga usap usapan nila. Siraan ng siraan. Pag magkakasama naman parang ang sasaya. Di man lang nila subukang wag iparinig sa amin. Minsan nga pinaguusapan kami nasa parehong kuarto naman kami! Mga mams and sirs, nakakarinig po kami. Kung may mga nakakaalam ng mga sikreto ng ibang faculty, kami yun. Alam namin kung sinong sir ang may STD, sino yung boyfriend o girlfriend na studyante ni mam o sir, yung anomalyang ginagawa ni mam, yung mistress ni sir, yung hininging gamit ni sir mula sa nagcomplete na student, yung inutusan ni mam na estudyanteng magbayad ng bill nya sa beneco, yung pagpalit ni sir ng grade ni miss nat sci, ay madami pa po. Pero kahit ganun, hindi namin ito ipinagsasabi. Pakiusap lang namin sa mga kasamahang faculty, faculty din po kami, propesyonal din. Huwag sana kaming i-underestimate. Sana wag ninyo kami idadamay sa mga away away ninyong wala kami kinalaman. Hirap na hirap na kaming magpabango ng pangalan para sa susunod na sem ma-hire uli kami. Sana ituring nyo kaming mga colleagues nyo rin. Sana mapermanent na kami.

Making noise

2008-08-03T08:12:00.000-07:00

Early Saturday morning, an unsigned manifesto/letter was posted on the doors of faculty rooms. It criticized the members of the UFESLU board of directors who are at the same time members or part of the administration because they are either department heads or graduate program coordinators. This is the reason, according to the manifesto/letter, why they were not able to solve existing problems the faculty members and employees are facing right now. Unforunately, it was taken down before others were able to read it.

The kris at kalasag welcomes such act. It is supportive of undertakings that serve as constructive criticisms to the current UFESLU administration. However, it would like to give some unsolicited advise to the writer/s of the manifesto:

1. Please do not remain anonymous because doing so may only affect the credibility of your manifesto/letter. You will not lose your job because of it because the union does not have the power to fire you.

2. Do not stop with only one letter. Follow it up with others. If you need to use this blogsite to spread your message you are welcome to it.

3. Do not be afraid of the repercussions that your manifesto may bring. Of course, some people do not want to hear the truth; they do not want to be exposed. But the faculty members and employees need people like you. Go for it!!!

You have the support of the kris at kalasag. Please have the manifesto reposted or distributed because the others were not able to read it. Hope to hear from you again soon.

5 Keys to Increasing Your Pay

2008-04-28T05:02:00.000-07:00

by Eileen P. Gunn
Tuesday, April 22, 2008provided by

It could be that managers and workers have a different take on what it means to be a top performer, and so they disagree on who should get the corporate spoils.

Most workers think that if they know what their job is and do it well, hitting all their goals on time and within budget, then they're doing a good job and deserve to have raises and bonuses heaped upon them. That would be true in a pure meritocracy. But in the real world, the politics of compensation are not that simple. Here are five keys to increasing your salary and benefits:

1. The boss's priorities rule

From the boss's perch, the biggest raises and plumpest perks go to the people he values the most and doesn't want to lose. These are the people who help him to get things done, meet his goals, and generally look good. In short, your performance and the raise it garners are less about you and all about him.

This is why leadership expert Rebecca Shambaugh, author of It's Not the Glass Ceiling, It's the Sticky Floor, says that your campaign for a bigger raise starts with finding out what your boss values. Talk to him about it both formally and informally. And talk to people who know the important things happening at your company and your boss's role in them.

"Executives value people who fit in well with them and with the team, who understand the culture and can help them get the results they want," she says. "So find out what's on the top of your boss's mind, and drive your work and your team's work around those things rather than the other things on your agenda that are lower priority for him."

2. You are as good as you say you are

Once you've got your priorities straight, make sure your boss, and anyone else who matters, knows about the great work you're doing for the company. And don't wait for those annual performance reviews to let them know. It's the informal interaction that the boss takes in all year long that creates an impression of who you are and how you fit into his work.

So shoot him e-mails to ask advice or let him know about progress you're making on the work he most values. When you get an e-mail from someone else noting your success or thanking you for help on this work, forward it on.

Be able to speak up at meetings in an informed way about the projects closest to the boss's heart. And when you run into your boss in the elevator or at the water cooler and he asks how it's going, skip the polite, generic small talk. Instead, opt for an upbeat sentence or two that relates how excited you are about work coming up or just completed on one of those coveted projects.

Leadership gurus like Shambaugh call this socializing your agenda. In layman's terms, you're tooting your own horn and laying the groundwork for the formal sit-down discussion about your performance and the salary and bonus it should carry.

3. Know what you want

Compensation is more than just salary. So when it comes time for that sit-down, know what you want and have the data to support it. Know what others in your field receive in terms of pay and other perks, and what the salary range is for your job at your company. Then think about what is important to you. Do you most want a raise, a better bonus, more stock, or something else?

"Talk to others in your organization who know your boss and ask for feedback on your pitch to him," Shambaugh says. "Find out what his points of resistance are going to be so you're prepared to respond to them."

4. Have a plan B

If the raise you want simply isn't going to happen, don't go away empty-handed, Shambaugh says. In its stead, "ask for more training, a trip to an important conference, or Friday mornings off—whatever has value for you."

And suggest a plan for discussing it again in a few months. "No doesn't always mean no. It can mean not right now," she explains. So zero in on why the boss is handing you that "No." If it's not in the budget, let him know what you would like your salary to be when he sets a new budget. If he wants to see you hit a certain milestone before bumping up your pay, then agree to a plan and time frame for getting there.

5. Know when to walk away

Fourteen percent of people who are thinking of leaving their company this year say the desire for better pay is the reason, according to a survey from human resources consulting firm Blessing White. That's twice the number of people who say they are staying because they expect a good raise or bonus.

Sticking by a company through a short financial squeeze or a few rounds of salary freezes doesn't make you a pushover if other aspects of the job work for you.

But the time can come where you just need more money. Or it can become clear that the boss is never going to see you and your value to the team the way you want him to. When that happens, it's not only OK to seek greener pastures; it's the savvy thing to do. Even within the same company, starting over with a new boss gives you a clean slate for establishing who you are and negotiating what you're worth.

Summer na naman!

2008-04-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

Pag ganitong panahon masaya ang mga bata kasi 2 buwan din silang walang pasok. Pagkatapos ng 1 taon na paghihirap para matuto at makakuha ng mataas na marka kailangan din nilang magpahinga. Nakakapagod din naman magaral. Siguro sa isip nila kulang pa nga ang 2 buwan para gawin ang mga bagay na di nila masyadong magawa kapag may pasok. Ang masaklap nga lang walang allowance. O well... ganun talaga. Di mo makukuha lahat ng gusto mo. Ika nga nila: "You can't have your cake and eat it, too.

Tayong mga magulang, samantala, ay patuloy sa pagbabanat ng buto para matustusan ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga anak. Buti na lang tayong mga instructors mayroon tayong bakasyon. Iyan ang isang kagandahan sa ating propesyon. Kapag bakasyon ng ating mga estudyante nagbabakasyon din tayo. Iyan marahil ang isa sa mga dahilan kaya pinili natin maging isang guro. Noong ako'y estudyante pa nabasa ko na teaching is a vacation daw. Kaya nga ako naging guro dahil dun. Kaya lang dyslexic yata ako. Noong guro na ako saka ko na lang naintindihan kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng katagang yun. Di pala vacation kundi vocation pala!!!Hehehe! Joke lang po.Belated April Fools' Day!

Marahil kaisa ko kayo sa ng pagdarasal na sana ay marami ang magenrol para sa summer classes para may load naman tayo. Hindi lang basta may load kundi full load sana. Para naman hindi tayo mamroblema sa budget natin para sa 2 buwan. Madalas kasi na ang mga nakukuha nating sweldo sa summer ay kulang para sa panggastos natin. Kaya madalas din na ang iba ay humihiram ng pera sa SSS o Pagibig o sa 2 ahensyang yun.

Kumusta na kaya yung solusyon sa problemang yun? Maalala ko na may mga isinaad na panukala ang 1 sa mga bloggers dito sa site natin. Naisulat na nya ang mga pwedeng gawin para masolusyonan ang problema. Sana maisakatuparan na ang mga yun ngayong summer term na darating. Para naman maenjoy nating lahat ang summer term na ito at ang mga darating pang summer term.

BASIC RIGHTS OF WORKERS

2008-03-06T02:35:00.000-08:00

What is the NCMB?

We shall take off from a recall of our past discussion. Within SLU, a case may be settled through the grievance procedure as shown in these steps:

1. Filing of the letter of complaint to the UFESLU President by an employee

A letter of complaint is filed by an employee (addressed to the UFESLU President) and against SLU for interpretation of the CBA or interpretation of any of the rules and regulations in the University.

2. Clearing Meeting

The UFESLU schedules a Clearing Meeting with the SLU Administration. The Clearing Meeting is an informal meeting of the parties to determine the issues and to attempt to arrive at a settlement of the case.

3. Grievance Meeting

If the case is not settled in the Clearing Meeting, the case is elevated to the Grievance Meeting which is a more formal meeting of the parties to discuss the legal implications of the issues and to attempt to arrive at a settlement of the case.

4. UFESLU Files a case to the NCMB

If the parties fail to arrive at a settlement of the issues in the Grievance Meeting, the UFESLU will now file a case in behalf of the employee to the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB).

Now, the NCMB…

The National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) is a part (attached agency) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the other agency being the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC). To illustrate,

DOLE l----- NCMB
l
l-----NLRC

But these two agencies – NCMB and NLRC – have different issues that they handle. The issues that may be brought before the NLRC will be discussed later.

No employee can directly file a case against an employee to the NCMB. The case must FIRST pass through the Grievance Procedure outlined in the CBA before it can go to the NCMB.
As the term implies, the function of the NCMB is mediation (arbitration) and conciliation.

Conciliation is done by the Head of the NCMB. In this stage, the parties are compelled to appear before the Head of the NCMB for possible settlement. Should this fail, the case goes to mediation or arbitration.

In the arbitration stage, a voluntary arbiter (VA) is selected by mutual agreement of the parties to mediate and render a decision based on an impartial appreciation of the facts. The NCMB has a list of accredited voluntary arbitrators (AVA) where the parties can select. The AVA renders a decision similar to a judge.

If one of the parties does not accept the decision of the AVA, he/she may appeal to the Court of Appeals (CA). From the CA, appeal may be made to the Supreme Court (SC).

The NCMB is located at the Benitez Court, Magsaysay Avenue, Baguio City (in front of AMA Computer School).

Men!!!

2008-03-04T16:44:00.000-08:00

For all those men who say, Why buy a cow when you can get milk for free. Here's an update for you: Nowadays, 80% of women are against marriage, WHY? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage.
Men are like....

1. Men are like .. Laxatives .... They irritate the crap out of you.

2. Men are like.Bananas The older they get, the less firm they are.

3. Men are like Weather Nothing can be done to change them.

4. Men are like .... Blenders You need One, but you're not quite sure why.

5. Men are like ....Chocolate Bars Sweet, smooth, & they usually head right to your hips.

6. Men are like ... Commercials ..... You can't believe a word they say.

7. Men are like Department Stores Their clothes are always 1/2 off!

8. Men are like ...... Government Bonds .... They take soooooooo long to mature.

9. Men are like ..... Mascara They usually run at the first sign of emotion.

10. Men are like Popcorn .. They satisfy you, but only for a little while.

11. Men are like Snowstorms You never know when they're coming, how many inches you'll get or how long it will last.

12. Men are like Lava Lamps Fun to look at, but not very bright.

13. Men are like Parking Spots All the good ones are taken, the rest are handicapped.

Sound of Silence?

2008-03-04T16:08:00.000-08:00

Habang ang karamihan ng mga eskwelahan at mga unibersidad sa bansa, kasama na ang sister school nating University of Saint Louis sa Cagayan at iba pang premyadong catholic universities, ay kumikilos at ipinadarama ang kanilang damdamin ukol sa isyung politikal na mainit ngayon nakakapagtataka na ang mga taga-SLU ay tahimik na nagmamasid lang sa tabi.

Ayon sa isang reliable source, dating aktibista raw ang ating presidente. Ang tanong ko lang po bakit kaya parang iniiwasan nya ang mga isyung politikal na kahit man lang pagusapan sa unibersidad ay di pinapayagan?

Maalala ko na noong kasagsagan ng panawagan ng mga taong magbitiw ang dating pangulong Estrada noong 2001 kaisa ang mga estudyante at mga guro ng SLU na lumabas sa lansangan para iparating ang kanilang saloobin ukol dito. Bakit ngayon tahimik tayo? Ano ang nagbago? Mas malala pa nga ang administrasyong Arroyo. Bakit di man lang tayo kumibo?

Sana ay magising na tayo. Ipakita natin hindi lang sa mga taga-Baguio at buong Pilipinas kundi lalung lalo na sa mga estudyante natin na tayo ay may malasakit sa bayan. Hindi ko naman sinasabing tayo ay magrally rin o kaya'y hingin ang pagbibitiw ng pangulong Arroyo. Kahit man lang sabihin na sinusuprtahan sya. Ang importante ay magsalita tayo.

Kailan natin babasagin ang ating katahimikan? Ika nga ng isang blog dito sa ating site: MGA LOUISIANS MANINDIGAN!

Moral thresholds

2008-03-04T16:07:00.001-08:00

Emerging for a press conference in Malacañang last Monday, Mr. Romulo Neri was suddenly very voluble, apparently immensely pleased with the rationalization of himself that he has come up with, to wit, that his actions in permitting “grossly overpriced” government procurement contracts characterized by “massive kickbacks” were justified so that he could remain in government and reform it from within. Ah, that’s some load of bovine manure that you are trying to dump on the public, Mr. Neri. Shame on you.

I think that Mr. Neri – who kept signing off on patently anomalous deals because they had influential “political sponsors” – should just admit that he finds the thought of being excluded from the walkways of power so horrible that he has lost all sense of moral proportion. He should spare us, please, the diagrams and email blasts that try to paint him as a crusading knight trying to hold back the “oligarchic” forces of darkness that would unconscionably steal from the struggling poor of this country. That line collapses with the revelation of his friend and erstwhile consultant, Engineer Rodolfo Lozada Jr., that Mr. Neri asked him, as a condition for testifying, to “raise patriotic money from those ready to help him have a new source of livelihood” in a post-Arroyo government. Patriotic money? That makes Mr. Neri positively mercenary. What makes him pathetic is that, while he cannot even deny outright having said (or thought) that Mrs. Arroyo is “evil”, he still tries to curry her favor by saying weakly that he doesn’t remember having said so.

It is, actually, incredible that Mr. Neri does not seem to realize that even more problematic for us than the “oligarchs” he says he is focused on are the supposed professionals like himself who do not have the moral backbone to do what is right by the public they swore to serve and, instead, pathetically rationalize what is perniciously and wickedly wrong. That oligarchs and rent-seeking businessmen will try to obtain from government – by fair means or foul – deals profitable to them and disadvantageous to the public at large must be a given: this is what men of immoderate greed do, and such vulgar men exist in every society. But, the role of public servants like Mr. Neri is, precisely, to prevent such deals from taking place and to see to it that the public interest is protected from any would-be plunderers.

In Mr. Neri’s case, his function as economic planning chief was specifically to determine which projects would advance the public interest and which ones would not. He was supposed to be the public’s sentry at the gate, but I suspect that he quickly forgot that he was supposed to hold the gate closed against pillaging bandidos when he found that he enjoyed it more if he held the gate open so that the rampaging cowboys could pat his head as they galloped past with all the treasures they filched from a now unprotected public.

Mr. Neri’s diagram about the “oligarchs’ control of the Philippine economy and President Arroyo’s dependence on the oligarchs, the military, and local government units for her political survival” is, frankly, sophomoric and dated. What he appears to have only now discovered has been the situation in this country since its independence and this lecture has been given to numerous generations of students of history, political science, business, and economics. But that situation (if I might lecture Mr. Neri) has evolved over the years. To cite one major source of change, globalization and open borders have already diminished greatly the power of any local oligarchies where markets are generally free of artificial barriers to entry. But, artificial barriers to entry continue to be created by government bureaucrats who are actively bought and “captured” by vested interests. These captured bureaucrats are also the main gapangeros in rigging public bidding exercises for any juicy government procurement.

To cite another change, although large legitimate business enterprises continue to be an important source of campaign contributions for political candidates, the concededly much more important source today of such contributions is the undocumented cash generated by illegal activities like the jueteng, drugs, and smuggling rackets. Thus, the clear and present danger for us is not a political structure controlled by legitimate business enterprises, but one controlled by jueteng operators, drug dealers, and smugglers.

Thus is government our real problem. Government functionaries, like the disappointing Mr. Neri, allow themselves to be captured by politicos and their cronies and used as instruments for furthering private interests. This makes them dangerous enemies of the people because they pretend to be looking out for our interests while helping thieves pick our pockets. The problem of our government is that even career government bureaucrats who do not now participate in such thievery keep silent and thus passively allow such goings-on. Since career bureaucrats cannot be fired from their civil service jobs anyway – they can only be put in the “freezer”, their powers clipped – when they refuse to cooperate and blow the whistle on irregularities, it would seem that the lure of power today trumps any moral imperatives. This is such a tragedy.

Moral thresholds are, I think, at the heart of the issue regarding the level of corruption in our society in general and the amount of plunder going on in the Arroyo government in particular. The moral threshold of Mr. Lozada was crossed by the sheer garapalan of the National Broadband deal. Mr. Neri, by obviously enjoying his TV-filmed walk with Mrs. Arroyo and her Cabinet, is telling us that his line is nowhere near being crossed. He has selected a side and it is certainly not the side of the Filipino public.

The great political economist Adam Smith wrote, referring to those in government, that “Such people, as they themselves produce nothing, are all maintained by the produce of other men’s labour.” I wonder if Mr. Neri understands the meaning of this and comprehends the harm his misplaced moral threshold is doing us all.

Galing ng Filipino

2008-03-04T15:57:00.000-08:00

In a New York sidewalk, a Filipino is
enjoying a hearty breakfast "
coffee, croissants, toast, butter,
jam, etc.

When an American, chewing gum, sits
next to him and starts an unwanted
conversa tion..

Americ an: You Filipinos eat the whole
bread?

Filipino : Of course!

Ameri can: ( Blowing bubbles with his
gum) We don't. In the States we
only eat what's inside. The crust we
collect in a container, recycle,
rebake them into croissants and sell
them to the Philippines .

American: Do ya eat jam with bread?

Filipi no : Of course!

Ameri can: (Chuckling and crackling his
gum between his teeth) We
don't. In the States, we eat fruit at
breakfast, put all the peels,
seeds and leftovers into containers,
recyc le them into jam and sell it
to the Philippines .

Filipino : Do you have sex in America ?

American: Of course, we do!

Filipino : What do you do with the
condoms?

American: We throw them,
of course!

Filip ino : We don't. In the
Philippines , we put them into
containers,recycle them, melt them down into
chewing gums and sell it to
America .

BASIC RIGHTS OF WORKERS 2

2008-03-04T02:05:00.000-08:00

WHERE TO FILE CASES

This article hopes to answer as simply as possible the questions: “What would you do…

(1) if there is a case filed against you by SLU, or
(2) if a co-employee files a case against you, or
(3) if you want to file a case against SLU or
(4) if you want to file a case against a co-employee.

Under labor law, these are the possible places (venue) where a case between an employer and an employee case can be heard.

1. The Grievance Procedure under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)
2. The Regional Office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
3. The National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC)
4. The National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB)

The agencies above have different jurisdictions. Meaning, a case cannot be filed with one agency if the case is not part of its power to decide. We shall then discuss the jurisdiction of the above-mentioned agencies.

I. The Grievance Procedure in the CBA

Simply put, the Grievance Procedure in the CBA is a remedy where the case must first be tried to be solved within the University before it goes to another agency outside of the University. This means that the grievance is more of an internal settlement of a case.

Not all cases can be put to the grievance procedure. It is only when the issue INVOLVES (1) the INTERPRETATION of the CBA; (2) the interpretation of school regulations and policies that the case can be put under the grievance. For example, if an employee believes that the evaluation tool is subjective, this may be brought before the grievance. Also, if the employee has questions on an interpretation of a provision of the faculty manual or non-teaching manual, this may be brought before the grievance.

How is the grievance procedure done? The grievance starts when an employee files a letter of complaint addressed to the President of the UFESLU. The UFESLU President then schedules a CLEARING MEETING where the representatives of the SLU Management and the UFESLU meet. The Clearing meeting, as the first step, is quite informal since its aim is to arrive at a possible settlement. The SLU Administration is usually represented by the three vice-presidents and the Personnel Officer. The UFESLU is represented by the President and the Secretary-General. The complainants may appear in this meeting.

If the case is not settled in the Clearing Meeting, the case goes to the GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE MEETING which is a formal meeting of the parties. The SLU Administration is represented by the SLU Legal Officer. The UFESLU is represented by the President and the UFESLU legal counsel. The parties will also still aim to settle the issue at this stage.

If the issue is not solved in favor of the employee in the Grievance Committee Meeting, the case goes out of the University and the UFESLU will now file a case (in behalf of the employee) to the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB).

(Next issue, what is the NCMB?)

LOUISIAN MANINDIGAN

2008-02-27T15:10:00.000-08:00

Sa harap ng mga pagbubulgar ni Jun Lozada tungkol sa ma-anomalyang ZTE-NBN transaksyon, saan lulugar ang mga Louisian? Patuloy bang tikom ang ating mga labi ngunit halos lahat ng mga universidad sa Maynila ay pinagsisigawan ang agarang pagbitiw sa tungkulin ni Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? O tayo ay tatalima na lamang sa pananaw ng mga Obispo ng Simbahang Katoliko na ayaw pababain sa pwesto si PGMA?

Bilang isang mamayang naghahangad ng katotohanan, tayo sana ay makiisa sa mga Pilipinong nagnanais na magbitiw na sa pwesto si PGMA. Na minsan tayo ay nanindigan para sa katotohanan ay isa lamang sa ating mga maipapamana sa darating na henerasyon.

Panahon na...Louisian manindigan!

Tamang gawain

2008-02-27T04:54:00.001-08:00

Ano lang ba kung gumawa ka ng tama?

Kung gumawa ka ng tama walang problema

THE "GODS" ARE BACK

2008-02-26T15:20:00.000-08:00

The "Gods" are back from their trip in Palawan for their "management planning." Ano kaya ang maganda nilang pinag-usapan sa Palawan? Last year, as a result of their "management planning" in Bohol, the "Gods" required the students to "clean" their armchairs. Maybe today, as a result of their "management planning" in Palawan, the "Gods" will require the students to clean the walls and the ceilings.

Sa mga empleyado? The "Gods" will just send us (the employees) for one day at a secluded seminary and have our recollection. Sayang, hindi rin natin makikita ang underground river sa Palawan.

To borrow the words of Lozada, the ZTE-NBN witness, how could we "moderate the greed" of these "Gods?" Kawawa naman ang mga guro na nagpapakahirap na magturo at ang non-teaching na nagpapakahirap ng magtrabaho...

But seriously speaking, this trip by the "Gods" is in reality "rest and recreation." Buti pa sila...

SLU Walkway Anomaly (Northern Dispatch)

2008-02-18T06:09:00.001-08:00

An elected officer of the Saint Louis University Supreme Student Council (SLU-SSC), here, who was later expelled from his position after he demanded that funds used in the construction of the SLU covered walkway be returned to the student fund exposed what he described as anomalous transactions by its president.

NEEDED BUT REJECTED. The questioned SLU covered walk path should be funded by university fund not from the student fund, student leaers asserted. NORDIS Photo

Joined by other officers of the Executive committee and the Congress of Louisians, the student leader also demanded transparency even from the SLU administration.

In an interview, Elton Jun Veloria, secretary for public relations of the SLU-SSC said he was expelled by SSC Pres. Michael Carl Flores after he and two other officers questioned the proposal to allocate some P400,000 from the student fund for the school’s shaded walk path.

Veloria said the construction of the project should be shouldered by the SLU administration and not funded by the student central fund.

“Tuition and other fee increases are justified by the administration that 20% of the increases would be spent on infrastructure projects,” Veloria cited a Commission on Higher Education (Ched) guidelines on tuition hikes.

As this developed, the Student Affairs Office directed the SSC complaint to the student court because it was heavily premised on violations of the SSC Constitution and By-laws. The student court is inexistent and has yet to be installed, according to the student leaders.

Illegal and anomalous

Veloria also questioned Flores and the SLU administration for pushing through with the construction in December despite prior disapproval by the Congress of Louisians and the absence of an approved budget, citing provisions of the SSC constitution and by-laws and other rules on fund releases.

The student body scrapped the item for the walk path installation from the General Appropriations Act on December 11.

On December 22, three officers of the Execom retracted their earlier approval for the allocation of funds for the walk path project on three grounds, which included the absence of a canvass form attached in the resolution; the failure to indicate an amount and the absence of a Congress concurrence.

In the same letter Veloria, Cortez and Valerie Marcius Aquino, secretary for audit, said it is not the SSC’s responsibility to construct the project, iterating the 20% ToFI for improvement of facilities.

Two subsequent retraction letters were sent on January 4 and 7.

The written account he signed with Rolirey H. Flores, speaker of the Congress of Louisians and Paul Christian Cortez, secretary for Finance stated that the project was done in December when no student was in school.

The officers also questioned the release of funds from SSC funds, despite irregularities, which Veloria claims, is known to the administration.

“The haste by which the project was implemented and the timing cast a darker show of doubt on the Shaded Walk,” the written statement said.

Student responsibility

Veloria’s group reminded Flores that their responsibility as student council officers is to protect the rights and welfare of students.

They also clarified that they are not against the construction of the walk path because it would benefit students, especially during inclement weather. They made it clear that their responsibility is to ask the university to shoulder the construction and not draw the funds from the SSC.

The Anakbayan-SLU chapter supported Veloria and his group demand that funds used to construct the walk path be reverted to the student fund. It said the funds were mysteriously drawn without the knowledge of the secretary for finance.

“The SSC is a training ground for the youth to become worthy people’s servants and not a training ground for graft and corruption,” Anakbayan said in a support statement.

Arbitrary

Veloria maintains that he was arbitrarily expelled by Flores, who cited as ground four absences in the Execom meetings, which he contested in another letter.

Anakbayan believed the expulsion did not go through due process.

It supported Veloria’s analysis that he was expelled due to Flores’es disregard for democratic processes as embodied in the SSC by-laws.

Flores alleged that he could not find proof that Veloria was never absent in meetings because no documents could be found in the SSC office.

The appointment of John Balignasay as a replacement for Veloria was not approved by the Congress of Louisians. Instead the Congress ruled that Veloria be reinstated for lack of basis for expulsion.

Aquino and Cortez are reportedly threatened of expulsion for supporting Veloria. Like Veloria, they were voted into office by the student population, according to Anakbayan.

Flores, 29, a barangay captain in a downtown barangay, here, is a nursing student.

Nordis tried, but failed to get an interview with Flores.

HOLIDAY ECONOMICS

2008-02-14T01:58:00.000-08:00

“HOLIDAY ECONOMICS” (The power of the President of the Philippines to move certain holidays to another date.)

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9492

AN ACT RATIONALIZING THE CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL HOLIDAYS AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 26, CHAPTER 7, BOOK I OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 292, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF 1987

a) Regular Holidays

New year’s Day - January 1
Maundy Thursday - Movable date
Good Friday - Movable date
Eidul Fitr - Movable date
Araw ng Kagitingan - Monday nearest April 9
(Bataaan and Corregidor Day)
Labor Day - Monday nearest May 1
Independence Day - Monday nearest June 12
National Heroes Day - Last Monday of August
Bonifacio Day - Monday nearest November 30
Christmas Day - December 25
Rizal Day - Monday nearest December 30

b) Nationwide Special Holidays:

Ninoy Aquino Day - Monday nearest August 21
All Saints Day - November 1
Last Day of the Year - December 31

In the event the holiday falls on a Wednesday, the holiday will be observed on the Monday of the week. If the holiday falls on a Sunday, the holiday will be observed on the Monday that follows.

Provided, That for movable holidays, the President shall issue a proclamation, at least six months prior to the holiday concerned, the specific date that shall be declared as a nonworking day:

Provided, however, The Eidul Adha shall be celebrated as a regional holiday in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao."

Approved: July 25, 2007
(Sgd.)GLORIA MACAPAGAL – ARROYO
President of the Philippines

BASIC RIGHTS OF WORKERS

2008-02-14T01:45:00.000-08:00

Right to Self-Organization and Collective Bargaining

The right to self-organization is the right of every worker, free of any interference from the employer or from government, to form or join any legitimate worker's organization, association or union of his or her own choice. Except those classified as managerial or confidential, all employees may form or join unions for purposes of collective bargaining and other legitimate concerted activities. An employee is eligible for membership in an appropriate union on the first day of his or her employment.

Collective Bargaining involves two parties:

1. the representative of the employer
2. a union duly authorized by the majority of the employees within a bargaining unit called exclusive bargaining agent.

It is a process where the parties agree:

1. to fix and administer terms and conditions of employment which must not be below the minimum standards fixed by law
2. to set a mechanism for resolving their grievances

The result of collective bargaining is a contract called collective bargaining agreement (CBA). A CBA generally has a term of five years. The provisions of a CBA may be classified as political or economic. Political provisions refer to those refer to those which define the coverage of the CBA and recognize the collective bargaining agent as the exclusive representative of the employees for the term of the CBA. Economic provisions refer to all terms and conditions of employment with a monetary value. Economic provisions have a term of five years but may be renegotiated before the end of the third year of affectivity for the CBA.

Sacrifice

2008-02-13T05:36:00.000-08:00

Sacrifice is not an economic policy. And it is certainly not a goal for which the nation should be striving. Besides, it is not the people who need to sacrifice, it's the bloated government.

Jack Kemp

Tuition Fee Increase and Employees' Salary Increase

2008-02-12T21:11:00.001-08:00

This next school year, 2008-2009, another round of tuition fee increase (TFI) is being baked by the SLU Administration. While the Student Supreme Student Council (SSC) is planning its move on this planned TFI, the employees must also brace themselves for the possible increase in their salaries.

In the past, the increase in the salaries of the employees was done through percentage system. So if the TFI is 5%, in all probability, the increase in the employees' salaries will also be 5% percent. Granting, therefore, that your salary is 10,000 a month, the 5 % increase of your salary is only 500 pesos a month (10,000 x .05 = 500; magiging 10,500 a month) or if your salary is 20,000 a month, the 5 % salary increase is 1,000 pesos (20,000 x .o5; magiging 21,000 a month). But if the salary is 60,000 a month (like Deans?), their 5 % increase salary increase is 3,000 pesos a month (60,000 x .05; magiging 63,000 a month). Unfair? Nakikita natin na sa PERCENTAGE SYSTEM mas lumalaki ang agwat ng sweldo ng mga Administration officials sa sweldo nating mga rank-and-file.

That is why, the employees should insist that the salary increases should be accross-the-board. Meaning, if the SLU Administration so desires, the amount of 1,500 pesos should be given equally to all employees regardless of rank. Pero pag ayaw ng Administration, kaya ba nating ipahayag ang ating mga saloobin sa freedom park?

He says - She says (A valentine's day blog)

2008-02-12T04:59:00.000-08:00

A man is a person who, if a woman says, "Never mind, i'll do it myself, " lets her.

A woman is a person who, if she says to a man, "Never mind, i'll do it myself," and lets her, gets mad.

A man is a person who, if a woman says to him, "Never mind, i'll do it myself, " and he lets her and she gets mad, says, "Now what are you mad about?"

A woman is a person who, if she says to a man, "Never mind, i'll do it myself," and he lets her, and she gets mad, and he says, "Now what are you mad about?" says, "If you don't know I'm not going to tell you."

From Sunstar Baguio

2008-02-11T16:29:00.000-08:00

Quoted from Sunstar Baguio Newspaper:

"Tuesday, February 12, 2008
SLU leader in trouble for P400k walkway
By Rimaliza Opiña

THE president of Supreme Student Council (SSC) of Saint Louis University (SLU) is embroiled in a controversy involving the P400,000 worth shaded walkway that connects three buildings of the university. SSC president Michael Karl Flores was accused of irregularity when he implemented the construction of three walkways for the Diego Silang, Waldo Perfecto, and Otto Hahn buildings despite the absence of appropriations for the project under the SSC's general appropriations act. According to Elton Jun Veloria, former SSC secretary for public relations, construction of the walkway was done during the Christmas break-at a time when officers did not have time to "stop" its installation. Veloria, along with SSC secretaries for finance and audit Paul Christian Cortez and Valerie Marcius Aquino, withdrew their support to the resolution approving construction of the walkway after the Congress of Louisians ratified the proposed budget, but without the P400,000 for the walkway, as proposed by Flores. "It was only on the third week of December 2007 we found out that not only did the Congress of Louisians remove the shaded walk from the budget proposal, it also scrapped the P400,000 proposed budget which you placed in that item," Veloria, Cortez and Aquino pointed out in their letter to Flores dated January 7. Veloria said they are not against the project, but stressed funds for the purpose should come from the SLU administration, not from funds allotted for the SSC. He added that the SLU accounting office did not release any amount because the project was not approved. Veloria ceased to be an officer of the SSC, last month, reported for incurring a succession of absences during meetings of the SSC executive committee. The SSC constitution and bylaws provide officers who fail to attend four consecutive meetings will be deemed removed from office. However, Veloria asserted that he was not absent in any of their meetings. He claimed his removal was meant to restrain opposition to the project. Sun.Star tried to get Flores's comment via his cellular phone, but he did not respond. However, in a document obtained by Sun.Star, Flores argued that the proposed budget was deemed approved, because the Congress of Louisians failed to ratify the budget within the required time period, which is 10 days from the day it was submitted for appropriation. Section 10 of SSC budget processing procedure deems the proposed budget as the final budget if Congress of Louisians fails to pass an appropriations act, within the prescribed period. In response, the Congress of Louisians, through its speaker Rolirey Flores said the congress acted within the time period and was transmitted to the execom. This issue was referred to the Student Affairs Office. This in turn was referred to the student court. However, Veloria said the matter would remain unresolved because members of the student court have yet to be appointed. The student court is composed of 10 members. It was created by the Congress of Louisians under the committee on appointments. "

Quotable Quotes

2008-02-07T15:39:00.000-08:00

Sa tingin po ba ninyo walang makikinig sa mga sasabihin ninyo? Take it from Gandhi who said,

"You may think your actions are meaningless and that they won't help, but that is no excuse, you must still act." -- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Summer Loading

2008-02-07T01:01:00.000-08:00

So summer is just a few months away. The Administration is allegedly having problems on how much to spend in case it pursues its plan to go to Palawan (?). (Nakakainggit!) However, the faculty members are having problems on where to get money to spend during the summer because of the yearly problem on summer loading.

To solve this problem on summer loading, the UNION submitted several suggestions (please see below).

The answer of the SLU Administration to these proposals? NONE

These proposals were given last year. Yet up to this time, the SLU Administration has not given any answers to solve the problem on summer loading. Hanggang kalian tayo magtitiis?

So kung titingnan po natin, puwede namang ma-solve yung problema sa summer loading dito sa loob ng University. Pero, mukhang sa labas na naman ng SLU eto mabibigyan ng solusyon. Nag-iisip tuloy ako…The SLU Administration is depriving many of its teaching employees their rightful salaries (nine units) during summer. Mayaman naman ang SLU!!! Napakakaunting bagay, hindi man lang nila maibigay…

So here are the proposals submitted to the Administration to solve the summer loading:

1. Decrease the minimum class size during the summer term. The minimum class size should be decreased from thirty -five (35) to a MAXIMUM of twenty-five (25) students in each class.

At present, SLU claims that thirty-five (35) students should be the minimum class size for the summer term for a “break-even” situation in terms of expenses and salaries of teachers. However, in the past years, when the total enrollees of SLU for each semester is lower, SLU allowed even fifteen (15) or twenty (2) students for the summer classes. Ironically, at the moment when the enrollees at SLU have dramatically increased, the number of students for each class during the summer term has increased.

2. Maintain a thirty-five (35) student MAXIMUM for each class (all classes) during the summer term.

This means that each class (all classes) during the summer term should have a MAXIMUM of thirty-five (35) students. Logically, no class then has more than 35 students.

3. Averaging

During the summer term, some classes have full fifty students (50) but some classes also have less than the SLU imposed thirty-five (35) student-for-each-class. Since some classes already have 50 students, the classes with less than 35 students should not be dissolved. With this, the need to fill the class to a maximum of 35 students is already solved with the “excess” of other classes.

4. Paid summer in-service work

Faculty members will be required to do summer work such as curriculum development, syllabi upgrading, research work, module making, and other possible work related to their teaching. This summer work will be given equivalent units.

5. Return to the old system of assigning permanent general faculty members for each of the colleges.

Before globalization, general education teachers were permanently assigned to specific colleges. With this, there was no problem on summer loading since the Deans of the colleges were obliged to offer subjects for their general education teachers during the summer.

For instance, before globalization, a general education math teacher is permanently assigned in the College of Natural Sciences (CNS). He/She was always given full nine units during the summer term since the Dean of the CNS had to offer basic mathematics subjects for the summer so that his/her general education math teacher would have something to teach.

At present, general education teachers are now placed under the supervision of a specific college (ex. CHS, CICS). But there is nothing wrong of putting specific general education teachers in specific colleges so that the Deans of the specific colleges have to see to it that his/her general education teachers have something to teach during the summer. But the supervision and evaluation of these general education teachers stay with their mother college (ex: CHS, CICS).

6. Close coordination with the mother college of general education teachers on the subject offerings during the summer term.

At present, the different colleges decide on what general education subjects to offer during the summer. Such that these colleges are not knowledgeable on what subjects to offer so that the general education teachers will have full summer load.

This could be solved when the Deans of the different colleges coordinate with the mother college (ex. CHS, CICS) of general education teachers to discuss subject offerings during the summer.

7. The problem on NSTP

During the summer term, NSTP classes are offered to first or second year students with a class reaching 100 students. These classes of 100 students each are usually held for the whole morning or the whole afternoon. With this set-up, summer load for general education teachers will be greatly lessened since most of the students who are supposed to take basic subjects during the summer are enrolled in NSTP. Most students would only be free then in the morning or in the afternoon which set-up reduces the number of subjects they take for the summer.

In the past, ROTC was offered regularly every Sunday of the semester. There should be no reason why the same set-up should be applied in the present for the NSTP.

This may be done even while at present there are still unresolved issues in the giving of NSTP loads to teachers. Last time we heard, there are still no written guidelines on the selection and rotation of NSTP teachers. In fact, many teachers attended NSTP seminars and are therefore qualified to teach.

8. Allow incoming freshmen to enroll for summer

First year students of some colleges are fully loaded and over loaded during their first semester in SLU like the College of Nursing and the College of Natural Sciences. If some of the basic subjects are offered during the summer for these colleges, it would greatly reduce their stress during their first semester. Likewise, there would be additional load for general education teachers for the summer.

Qoutable Qoute

2008-02-06T03:01:00.000-08:00

Para sa mga may desk (Sino ba sa SLU ang me mga desk?) ;-)

"A DESK IS A DANGEROUS PLACE FROM WHICH TO VIEW THE WORLD"

Contributions (blogs and monetary)

2008-02-04T14:01:00.000-08:00

Dear colleagues in the university

If anybody out there wants to contribute to the Kris at Kalasag ( blogs) you can email us at this address: krisatkalasag@gmail.com.

Those who want to give monetary contribution for the printing of the Kris at Kalasag newsletter you can see us personally at Perfecto bldng room 302 or email us and tell us where to pick up your contributions.

We understand your concern and would keep your identity anonymous if you want it that way.

Thank you and more power!

Trivia naman tayo!!!

2008-02-04T05:05:00.000-08:00

Did you know that...

a nursing extension of SLU is being put up in the campus of our sister school in La Union (SLC)?

Its construction has started last December. The construction is being done 24/7.

CONTRACTUALIZATION OF SLU COLLEGE TEACHERS

2008-02-03T16:12:00.000-08:00

QUESTION:

In general, what law governs the probationary employment of teachers in private schools or higher educational institutions (HEIs)?

ANSWER:

According to Policy Instructions No. 11 issued by the Department of Labor and Employment, "the probationary employment of professors, instructors and teachers shall be subject to standards established by the Department of Education and Culture". Said standards are embodied in Section 75 (now section 93) of the Manual of Regulations for Private Schools, to wit:

“75. Full time teachers who have rendered three consecutive years of satisfactory service shall be considered permanent. (Emphasis supplied)

The legal requisites, therefore, for acquisition by a teacher of permanent employment, of security of tenure, are as follows:
1) the teacher is a full time teacher;
2) The teacher must have rendered three consecutive years of service; and
3) such service must have been satisfactory.

Now, the Manual of Regulations also states that "a full-time teacher" is "one whose total working day is devoted to the school, has no other regular remunerative employment and is paid on a regular monthly basis regardless of the number of teaching hours" (par 77); and that in college, the normal teaching load of a full-time instructor shall be eighteen hours a week. (University of Santo Tomas, et al. v. National Labor Relations Commission, et al., 182 SCRA 371, 376-377, February 15, 1990)

Further, under DOLE-DECS-CHED-TESDA Order No. 1, s. 1996 (February 7, 1996), the college teacher must possess “at least a master’s degree.”

QUESTION:

While the Manual of Regulations for Private Schools (MRPS) requires “three consecutive years of satisfactory service,” for a private school teacher to acquire permanency, may this 3-year probationary period be lowered?

ANSWER:

YES. The law (Art. 281, Labor Code) does not prohibit the parties from lowering the probationary period of three years. The “…parties to an employment contract (may) agree otherwise…” (Buiser vs. Leogardo, G.R. No. L-63316, July 13, 1984)

The lowering of the probationary period is that which is provided in the COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT (CBA) between the employer and the employees union. So, it is perfectly all right if the CBA will provide for two (2) years probationary period.

QUESTION:

After rendering (2) consecutive semesters or two years as provided in the CBA, will the probationary teacher AUTOMATICALLY acquire permanent status?

ANSWER:

In the case of Cagayan Capitol College vs. NLRC (G.R. Nos. 90010-11, Sept. 14, 1990), the Supreme Court held that “upon the termination of the three-year probationary period (under Section 93, Manual of Regulations for Private Schools), the teacher becomes permanent…on the compliance with the third requisite that the services of said teacher during the probationary period was satisfactory.”

Applying the same principle with respect to a CBA probationary period (for example, two years), the teacher becomes permanent after rendering the two-year probationary period if the services of the teacher was also satisfactory based on his/her evaluation ratings.

To allow the employer to refuse to make the teacher permanent after finishing the probationary period of satisfactory performance, would make the teacher contractual forever. The Supreme Court said:

“It is noteworthy that what determines whether a certain employment is regular or casual is not the will and word of the employer, to which the desperate worker often accedes. It is the nature of the activities performed in relation to the particular business or trade considering all circumstances, and in some cases the length of time of its performance and its continued existence.” (De Leon v. National Labor Relations Commission, G.R. No. 70705, August 21, 1989. 176 SCRA 615, 620-621)

In another case, the Supreme held the dismissal of an employee after the expiration of his contract as illegal because he has already satisfied the probationary period provided by law. This is the case of A. Bongar vs. NLRC and AMA Computer College, G.R No. 107234, 24 August 1998, where the Supreme Court held:

“It must be noted that the principal cause of the petitioner’s dismissal was the alleged expiration of his teaching contract. This contention, however, is negated by the fact that petitioner, as the record shows, had rendered service for nearly four (4) years. AMA’s contention that petitioner could not qualify as a regular employee for failure to comply with the three-year service rule is likewise unavailing. On this point, we concur with the opinion laid down by the NLRC, to wit:

“If this line of reasoning (which we perceive to be too technical to serve the ends of justice) is adopted in the process of determining the regularity of a teacher’s employment, the possibility of a teacher becoming infinitely non-regular is not too far-fetched to expect. For all that unscrupulous school has to do to negate or render meaningless the rule on probationary employment, is to inflexibly confine the recruitment or employment of its teachers to part-time basis, or to revert as what happened to the complainant herein, an originally full-time status to mere part-time bases to prevent in any way the incumbent teacher from becoming regular, a subtle way of circumventing the Labor Code provisions on probationary employment.” (underscoring supplied)

In Kimberly Independent Labor Union for Solidarity (KILUS) vs. Drilon and KILUS vs. NLRC (GR. No. 77629; G.R. No. 78791, May 9, 1990), the Supreme Court held that a casual employee with one year of service of service becomes regular:

“As long as the employee has rendered at least one year of service, he becomes a regular employee with respect to the activity in which he is employed. The law does not provide the qualification that the employee must first be issued a regular appointment or must first be formally declared as such before he can acquire a regular status. Obviously, where the law does not distinguish, no distinction should be drawn.”

In Zosimo Cielo vs. NLRC (GR No. 78693, January 28, 1991), Zosimo Cielo, a truck driver, was employed by Henry Lei Trucking Company. He signed a contract of employment where one of the stipulations was:

“1. That the term of this Agreement is six (6) months from and after the execution thereof, unless otherwise earlier terminated at the option of either party.”

After rendering service from June 30, 1984 to end on December 31, 1984, Zosimo was formally notified of the termination of his services on the ground of expiration of his contract. When Zosimo filed a case with the then Ministry of Labor, the trucking company argued that the contract having expired, it was the prerogative of the trucking company to renew it or not as it saw fit.

But the Supreme Court held:

“The private respondent’s intention is obvious. It is remarkable that neither the NLRC nor the Solicitor General recognized. There is no question that the purpose behind these individual contracts was to evade the application of the labor laws by making it appear that the drivers of the trucking company were not its regular employees.

Under these circumstances, the private respondent hoped to be able to terminate the services of the drivers without the inhibitions of the Labor Code. All it had to do was refuse to renew the agreements, which significantly, were uniformly limited to a six-month period. No cause had to be established because such renewal was subject to the discretion of the parties. In fact, the private respondent did not even have to wait for the expiration of the contract as it was there provided that it could be “earlier terminated at the option of either party.”

By this clever scheme, the private respondent could also prevent the drivers from becoming regular employees and thus be entitled to security of tenure and other benefits, such a as minimum wage, cost-of-living allowances, vacation and sick leaves, holiday pay, and other statutory requirements.”

This pattern of harassment employed by employers has not escaped the attention of C.A Azucena, Jr., a respected labor lawyer and author, who commented:

“ x x x in the great preponderance of cases, the employer’s efforts (of harassment) are much more covert (or hidden) and are generally disguised to escape detection.” (The Labor Code with Comments and Cases, Azucena, 1996, p. 209)

QUESTION:

In SLU, if a teacher has just finished the mandated two-year probationary period and is due for permanency, may the university hire NEW contractuals instead of making the teacher permanent or regular?

ANSWER:

NO. The contractual employee “shall be given priority in case a regular position is available.” [Art. 7, Section 7.13 (a), CBA]. Hence, the university should not hire NEW contractuals.

QUESTION:

In SLU, what is being done to solve this problem?

ANSWER:

This issue has been brought before the attention of the SLU Administration. However, the SLU Administration believes that when the teacher finishes his/her probationary period (two years) with satisfactory performance based on the yearly evaluation, the teacher does not automatically become permanent. The SLU still maintains that it has the management prerogative whether to make the teacher permanent or not. That is why until now, there are many teachers in SLU who have rendered more than two years but are still contractual.

There are now two pending cases before the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) to determine the legality of the argument of SLU. One case (where the teacher rendered 3 consecutive years) was decided in favor the employee, that is why the employee is now reinstated. The other case, where the teacher has rendered two consecutive years, is still pending.

Printing of the Kris at Kalasag

2008-02-01T07:29:00.000-08:00

The time has come for the printing of the hard copy of the Kris at Kalasag. According to one comment by a reader: there is a need to print a hard copy because despite the presence of its blog site not all employees have access to the net and thus can not read the blogs found in the site. The reader even added that he/she is willing to contribute to the cost that will be incurred in the printing. I hope he/she wouldn't mind that I will hold him/her to his/her words. So if he/she is reading this I hope he/she would bring her contribution to Perfecto bldng, room 302. Look for Sir Jops Andaya.

The invitation is also open to our dear friends out there. We hope that you too can and will be able to send or bring your contributions to Sir Jops Andaya at room 302, Perfecto bldng.

We will be looking forward to our working together to keep our fellow employees informed of the issues affecting our dear university. Thank you in advance.

INSIDER STORIES

2008-02-01T01:35:00.000-08:00

ABOUT OUR TAXES

So, last December 27, 2008, the UFESLU and the SLU met to discuss the problem about our taxes. By the way, if we refer to SLU , this would refer to Atty. Arnulfo Soriano, Mrs. Evangeline Trinidad, Dr. Noel De Leon and sometimes Ms. Geraldine Sanil. During this meeting, while SLU was represented by a CPA (Mrs. Trinidad) and a lawyer (Atty. Soriano), the UFESLU was also represented by Ms. Alice Lerma, Mr. Edwin Valencia (CPA), Atty. Rigoberto Gallardo (CPA), and Mrs. Elvira Dacayo (CPA) (o di ba!?). With overwhelming proofs and evidences that the UFESLU presented, the SLU Administration was open on the "reclassification" of the economic package as "rice subsidy." With this reclassification, the 12,000 rice susbsidy would be non-taxable. On the scholarship program of an employee, the tuition fee is also non-taxable provided the employee signs a contract with the Administration agreeing on an equivalent number of years for every year of service.

On the tuition fees of our dependents, the UFESLU presented a similar case at De La Salle Unversity (DLSU) where its dependents are considered as scholars and consequently, the tuition fees of their dependents are non-taxable. All these proposals were submitted to the SLU Administration for its consideration. The UFESLU believes that, with all our proposals supported with BIR Rulings, the SLU Administration decides in favor of the employees. Now, what if the SLU Administration refuses to consider as a scholarship grant the educational benefit of our dependents despite a clear BIR Ruling in our favor? Are the 1,400 union members willing to voice their disagreement outside of their work places?

ON THE PHILHEALTH

Upon a check with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth), the individual contributions of all SLU employees were last updated in March 2006. So for nearly two years, our individual contributions were not updated. However, SLU regularly remitted our contributions to Philhealth in "bulk." Ibig sabihin, lahat ng pera na binayad natin eh ibinayad ng SLU sa Philhealth pero hindi sila nag-submit ng listahan sa Philhealth kung sino yung mga nagbayad. In a clearing meeting about this issue, the SLU Administration blamed the employees for not doing the initiative in checking the status of their contributions with Philhealth. So tayo daw ang may kasalanan. SLU never admitted any lapses because of this unfortunate incident. The solution? Some individuals are planning to file a "class suit" with Philhealth to determine the culpability of SLU. Para sana hindi na maulit eto...interested to join?

DELOADING OF SOME IPR FACULTY MEMBERS

A certain faculty member of the Institute of Philosophy and Religion (IPR) was not re-hired "allegedly" because of the end of his contract. He has been with the University for three (3) continuous years. This faculty member filed a case with the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) which decided the case in his favor. Nanalo siya. In the decision, he may be actually reinstated or reinstated merely on payrol. Ang ginawa ng SLU, he was actually reinstated by giving him a load of 24 units. Ang problema, seven (7) IPR faculty members were deloaded and their loads were given to him. The UFESLU cried foul over this action. SLU ang may kasalanan na tinanggal nila yung teacher tapos nung ma-reinstate eh babawasan ng load yung iba?

In a Clearing Meeting, the SLU Administration believes that its action is legal. So, the case will surely go outside of SLU para malaman kung sino talaga ang tama. Napapansin ninyo, dumarami ang mga kaso laban sa SLU? Hindi sana eto mangyayari kung aaminin "nila" ang kanilang mga pagkakamali. Sino ba naman tayo para hindi marunong magpatawad.

Consultation Hours in the CICS

2008-01-28T03:36:00.000-08:00

The CICS is due for a reevaluation for Level 1 accreditation. CHED saw that the faculty do not practice posting or announcing a consultation period for students, parents or anyone who wants to confer with the faculty member outside classes. This is true for the simple reason that SLU faculty do not render consultation periods as indicated in the Faculty Handbook. So CHED recommended that each faculty of the college should render at least 3 hours consultation period per week.

During the regular faculty meetings the department heads informed the faculty of the recommendation of CHED and asked each one if we are willing to render 3 hours of our free time for consultation hours just so we can comply. Most, if not all, faculty members were against the idea even when the department heads appealed for a small sacrifice on our part for the good of the college. The faculty members were adamant at the idea especially because of the issue of precedence. So the meetings concluded with the faculty members not in agreement with the request for consultation hours.

The issue came out again during the college meeting last December with the dean asking everyone to submit consultation hours for the upcoming reevaluation. She stated that "3 hours a week is not much" while talking about the CHED recommendation. But before anyone could question her, she changed the topic very swiftly.

Everyone was surprised this January when a memo-like form asking everyone to write their consultation period schedule with a checklist of whether the schedule was posted and/or announced to the class. Attached to it was a questionnaire regarding the agreement/awareness/approval of some activities of the University. There was even a deadline for submission so everyone deemed that it was a compulsory document. Each faculty were consulting each other about what to put in the form and one even said that we should not write any schedule as a sign of protest. Some faculty members consulted lawyers and was told that it is illegal for the administration to require faculty members to render productive time without pay. Some faculty went to the Union president and asked for advice and were told that they should not sign yet until she has conferred with the VP for Academics. She talked to the VP and was told that he has no idea about the consultation hours being asked by the dean. In the end, we were told that the dean denied that she was requiring for the consultation hours. She said it was voluntary.

What does she think we are? Idiots? If it was voluntary why then would she say that she only asked for it so that "the evaluators will know where to find them"? Then we are obliged to submit so that the evaluators can find us.

Because of this, we were able to discern which faculty members are kissing up to the dean. We understand that the contractuals would submit their consultation hours immediately because we know that they are at the mercy of the dean. But what we can not understand are regular faculty members who would volunteer and lie about their consultation hours. The person who said we should not submit as a sign of protest was the first one to submit a schedule for consultation. When questionned he even said he was able to talk to the VP for Academics and according to him the VP said it is for our own good and that it is just on paper. If this was true, you mean he will agree into submitting a schedule just for the sake of the accreditation? You will give a schedule kunwa-kunwari?But that's deceitful. You would be lying so that the college can be accredited? This is putting a flavor of dishonesty into something that should be noble.

Renato Dekartos

Napanan na ngay jay kwarta mi: A WARNING!!!

2008-01-21T20:07:00.000-08:00

It has come to our attention that a number of our co-employees do not have their Philhealth number and thus are not members of this insurance company and are thus not entitled to the benefits of the said company.

Unfortunately those who were affected only found out about it now after they have suffered from an illness. One of them in fact is suffering from a serious illness which requires her to be under constant medical care. She needs the benefits NOW! What happened to the monthly payments religiously deducted from them? Why are they deducting from them when in fact they are not actually members? It seems that the accounting office is not doing their job! Shouldn't there be a commensurate punishment?

To the employees of SLU: Please go to the Philhealth office and check the status of your membership or if indeed you are a member. Who knows when we might need it. It would be a big hassle emotionally and financially if we are sick and to find out we are not entitled to these benefits.

To those who are affected: do not sign the forms the offices are asking you to sign because it might weaken the case tha might be filed against SLU in the near future. We shoud make them answerable for the money they deducted but have not remitted.

We will keep you posted....

Luis Gonzaga

A labor strike at the UC!

2008-01-21T19:22:00.000-08:00

Maria Elena Catajan of the ZigZag Weekly reports that after two decades of industrial peace at the University of the Cordilleras (formerly the Baguio Colleges Foundation), employees are again restive, with the UC union Kapatiran all set to stage the first labor strike in the educational sector since the Union of Faculty and Employees of Saint Louis University (UFESLU) strikes in 1988 and 1989. Kinda makes the Louisian unyunista nostalgic for the times when Luisito(a) was a social being and mindful of his/her rights as an educational sector worker, right? Those were times when a grievance was felt by union officers and all members alike, when the "sakit ng kalingkingan ay sa buong katawan nararamdaman," and the UFESLU leadership stood kapitbisig with the rank and file instead of signing sweetheart deals with the administration (waiving away a whole year of CBA benefits we may add with justifications of typographical errors).

And it is not that job satisfaction has reached penultimate highs in SLU these days. The only reason for industrial peace hereabouts is that employees appear to have no leaders willing to stake out their necks for them should they want to - as they say, "get loud!" Strikeable issues about, not least of all the still unresolved issues on the "lost" first CBA year (2006-2007), the summer loading, contractualization of the faculty... hey wait! Why are the members of the UC union going on strike? Here's Catajan's account: Unfair labor practices (are) the reasons for the planned strike, namely: interference, restraint and coercion in the employees' right to self-organization, discrimination in assigning teaching loads, selective appointment of contractual employees, differences in salary scales, and violation of the duty to bargain. Sounds family!

A strong union depends on the level of awareness by its members of the various natural, constitutional, and statutory rights to which they are entitled and to their capability to fight for them over the negotiating table and at the picket line if need be. Towards this end, the unflagging dedication of the union leadership to the ideals of the union - the betterment of working and living conditions of the working class - is of vital importance. We need leaders who will educate us on what our rights are, who will speak for us with our own voices and not with the tongue of management, and who will strengthen us with their own zeal rather than frighten us with their lack of courage. Shall we see them this year or do we also fall without seeing the dawn?

Matanglawin

Human Security Seminar

2008-01-20T19:47:00.000-08:00

Announcement: The Department of Social Sciences and the Department of Political Science, SLU, will be hosting a forum on "Peace and Order and the Human Security Act" on January 25, 2008 at the SLU Center for Culture and the Arts from 2:00 - 5:00pm. Professor Milo N. Distor will deliver the opening lecture entitled "Human Security and the Response of Critical Pedagogy." Please come!

Tips to prevent global warming

2008-01-19T22:36:00.000-08:00

The holidays did not dampen our enthusiasm about the issue regarding the overtaxation on the employees of SLU. In fact when we entered our faculty rooms after the holidays, the officers of the UFESLU distributed papers containing their suggestion or solutions to our tax problems. I really admire their dedication to their job as representatives of the SLU employees (wink, wink!). They must have spent the entire holidays thinking of these suggestions (wink, wink!).

The cynic in me unfortunately reacted to this practice:It is a waste of paper. Imagine the number of trees sacrificed just so that they can convey their message across. If Al Gore would find out he would surely be sore! This practice can contribute to global warming!

I hope the UFESLU officers or anyone who will read this will not begrudge me for writing this blog. I am doing this for the greater good. To save our planet from the ravages of global warming. Let me therefore give unsolicited tips for the UFESLU or anybody who will do what they did. Believe me, this is to prevent global warming (wink, wink!):

1. it would be better if instead of writing them on paper the officers should talk with the admin about these suggestion first. This will also be good for their reputation since they would not be accused by cynics like me of using the issue to improve their image. It would give the members the idea that they are really working. It might also be thought of as giving false hopes to the employees.

2. after talking with the admin they should make sure that such suggestions have been approved and will be implemented. That way they would save paper since they would not have to the suggestions that were disapproved. Because our "honest" admin may not agree to some suggestions because it would destroy their reputation in the eyes of BIR.

3. Instead of writing them on paper why don't they just hold another assembly. there's nothing like a good assembly to strengthen the communication lines between the members and the officers. The flow of communication would not be one way. There would be free flow of ideas. We can learn from you and you can learn from us. It would even be a reason to suspend classes and enjoy a free merienda...

4. Better enlist the help of our colleagues from the CICS and create your own website or blogsite so that you do not have to use paper. Let's have a paperless communication. It would even enhance our skills in the use of computers. Let's also take advantage of the internet connections we have in our office as well as the brand new pentium 3 computers they gave us (wink, wink!).

Hopefully this tips would be followed so that our children's children's children's children would still have a planet to live in. Hopefully by then they wouldn't hve problems on taxes....

Luis Gonzaga

At it again?!

2008-01-18T18:23:00.000-08:00

Remember how the old set of officers managed to loan out nearly P400,000.00 of Union funds that are still uncollected to date? It seems the dirty tricks department of our beloved union is at it again, disbursing an "initial release" (will there be a second, third, or more releases?) of PhP 135,000.00 for 1,200 blankets distributed as Christmas gifts last December. This amounts to a unit price of PhP112.50 for every blanket worth no more than PhP100.00 in the hangar market - maybe much less if purchased in bulk. Who raked in profits with the deal? More than that, it appears that even the UFESLU Treasurer did not know who the dealer was, the check was made out to cash (and, therefore, NOT paid directly to the seller), and the decision on blankets was made in contravention of an earlier decision made by the Board of Sectoral Representatives. But what do you expect with a Business Manager who has distinguished her stint in the Executive Board with an exemplary performance of perfect absences!

The hypocrisy of SLU admin

2008-01-17T04:58:00.000-08:00

To all of you who had been waiting for my reaction and what i can say on the ruthless, unchristian and totally destructive termination of SLU on my employment, Below are some painful facts i need to say. The gossips, speculations and utterly disregard of some on my " presumption of innocence" on the case against me be once and for all be dispelled. Thanks for this site to air my side of the issue.

I was illegally dismissed from a fabricated harassment case of a Mongolian student who failed in my class a year ago. The case is now with the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC). I am very confident that the court will vindicate me from the harsh and arbitrary termination of my services with SLU. LU several times to resign in order that they will not put in file the alledged complaint in my certificate of employment from them. But I did not resign because all the allegations against me were perpetuated by a nemesis co-faculty who colluded with the foreign student to file a complaint against me. As with the merits of the case, the truth will come out eventually and let court be the judged on my innocence or guilt in the administrative complaint against me.

It is important to note that I have received numerous scholarships (both in and out of the country) and opportunities that I had during my stay in the University. Such fast professional development created some envious colleagues of mine who became instrumental in my monumental illegal dismissal.

Jason Peter Moldero

Welcome to a gateway for critique

2008-01-16T22:58:00.000-08:00

With this new gateway, created by our friends in the CompApp Department of the CICS, we hope that we can reach out to more of our colleagues within Saint Louis University as well as to others who are also in the quest for substantive changes within our workplace. Indeed, this perspective of a university - as workplace - needs to be highlighted in as much as its more visible image as a center of christian value formation and academic excellence has been used more than often as a facade to the grimmer realities of the life of salaried workers, both faculty and non-academic personnel. We live in critical times, after all, and have to contend with harsh economic realities as well as face up to the challenges of emergent socio-political imperatives. So on with our crusade.

For starters, let us aim our sights at our own organization and have ourselves a contemplative TRUE or FALSE quiz:

1. An officer of the Executive Board, pressed to run during the last elections only as a foil to a committed and dedicated candidate, has distinguished her stint at the board with an unblemished record of CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM (True or False?)

2. There was no bidding conducted for the purchase of the UFESLU Christmas Gift (True or False?)

3. The Executive Board DISREGARDED AND OVERTURNED without consultations the decision of the Board of Sectoral Representatives on what gifts to purchase (True or False?)

4. The blankets were overpriced at PhP112.00 per blanket (True or False?)

5. The Treasurer was not involved and was even pressured by other officers to release the check for the gifts which was also made out "to cash" (True or False?)

6. The expenditures for the last UFESLU general assembly are still unliquidated to date (True or False?)

Back to the future??!!

2008-01-16T05:55:00.000-08:00

I fancy myself as a catholic but i am never a religious person. You have to blame my parents for that. Of course, you have to factor in the school I went to when i was younger. It was a non-sectarian school although it allowed some religious instruction. I attend mass occasionally but never took it to heart. My experiences never instilled in me the need to be close to the religion i was born with. That's the reason i shouldn't be shocked about how priests act today. But i still have the traditional views of an ordinary catholic. I still believe that priests have to show certain acceptable acts and deeds:Think of the people first before their own welfare like the kinds of priests shown in the movies. But things have surely changed. The whole world is changing and so are they.

This reminds me of the priest we have in our town. The new administrator of our parish. I have been hearing comments about him. Most of which are bad. It seems that aside from having no manners (having the gall to stop a tribute to a former member of the church choir, who just passed away recently, using the mic for everyone to hear) he is quite obsessed with money. Last November, All saint's day to be exact, He did not start blessing the tombs until we had paid his assistant and had a receipt to show him. From what I have heard from those who attended the holiday mass/es he announced that the parishioners should give more. Shouldn't he have waited for another chance or couldn't he have done it in a more tasteful way? Another encounter with him proved without a doubt his greed for money: We were asking for a special schedule for baptism. When the church worker asked him about it I overheard him say "basta agbayad da."

A few weeks after the funeral my grand aunt called to admonish me about my supposed behavior that time. I supposedly disrespected the priest because I stood up even after he has stopped speaking. She told me I shouldn't do that because it's bad karma. She even added that quarelling with a priest is just like quarelling with God. That's a lot of bovine residue! Comparing God to the priests that i know is blasphemous to say the least. Their acts do not seem Godly. It was Rizal who told women, in his essay "To the Young Women of Malolos," to raise their children according to the image of the true God. Unfortunately some of the priests i know do not represent the true image of God.

These kinds of priests make my skin crawl. They reminded me of the Spanish friars of old. Whose abuse of their power gave them notoriety. It only proves that things have not changed since the time of the Spaniards: the perception of corruption, divide and rule tactics, closed mindedness on suggestions from their "vassals;" autocratic rule, getting rid of their critics a la Jose Rizal, denial of human rights especially the denial of due process and other inhuman acts and policies.

Nothing is truer to what i described above than in our dear alma mater. Nothing has changed at all. It might have even gotten worse. The only indication of modernity is the electronic billboard found in the main gate. We have been hoodwinked by the claim of transformation. They were transformers alright but they are of the decepticon variety. How can people who represent the ideals of a catholic university do such things?

First of all; they are sacrificing a stable and established course and department. A department that has served countless numbers of students and became instrumental in the development of the careers of these students. Most of whom are lawyers, government employees, and not to mention the majority of instructors in the same department. Why do they favor one over the other? Why do they listen to one and not the other? Or is this a classic example of divide and rule? Pitting one against another in order to consolidate their power?

Secondly; why are they afraid of true change? Are they afraid that by implementing true and genuine change their positions are imperiled? A lot of employees have suggested a few changes but to their disappointment they were met with either indifference or hostility. Actually, these suggestions can make all our, administration's and employees', jobs a little bit easier and even increase the morale of our employees.

Thirdly; the way they treat their critics. Not a few of the employees have suffered the "wrath" of these people because of the statements they have uttered against the policies of these people. Recently an employee was dismissed because of a case filed against him. His case: sexual harassment. It could have been left at that but a deeper analysis of the situation would make us think twice about his dismissal. The employee was a critic of these people. It would seem therefore that their intention in dismissing him would be to get back at him for what he said against these people. If indeed he is guilty and their intention is to get rid of some "bad apples" in SLU how come some who did much worse acts are still among the employees of the school. Is the dispensation of justice in SLU selective? I think there is a double standard in punishing erring faculty members. You will be punished if you are a critic of these people. So if you want them to be blind to your misdeeds you better not speak against these people. Manila mayor Fred Lim's favorite quote: "the law applies to all otherwise none at all," applies to this situation. But It seems they believe more in Hannibal Lecter's famous quote: "quid pro quo Clarice, quid pro quo..."

Lastly; these people seem to act only when there are complaints. Especially if these complaints arise from their actions. Until now they haven't acted yet on our claim for compensation when we entered our classes last year arising from the confusion regarding the start of the implementation of the CBA. Those who did not attend their classes were not penalized. It therefore means they should pay us for entering our classes that time. But since nobody complained or filed a case against them they did not act about it. Isn't it that Christians should admit their mistakes if they claim to be honest? Or they are only honest if it would mean money would come out of our own pockets but dishonest when the money comes out of the school's money and goes to our pockets? Does that mean they are happy if we are suffering?

I hope that there won't come a time that our reputation will be sullied by the acts of these people. Because it seems that the university is relying only on its reputation right now. But let us not rely on this because it might not last. Let us instead work to prove our excellence as the light of the north...If they won't stand in our way.

Luis Perfecto

Our Own Blogspot

2008-01-15T17:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Kris and Kalasag blogspot! It has come to our attention that our newletter never reach a lot of our employees. Therefore, they never get to read about issues concerning our co-workers. This may be due to the limited number of copies that are printed each issue. With our new blogspot our friends and co-workers may now read our articles through the internet and could give comments on the issues concerning our rights and privileges as employees of Saint Louis University. Happy blogging!