June 7, 2021
By Sheri Rose Malicdem
Following the University of the Philippines Baguio’s (UPB) distance learning, its students constantly struggled as they await for the much needed remote learning support from the university.
A year-long since the pandemic, freshman Mathematics major like John Paul Metiam desperately struggles with his online class in the second semester as he tirelessly walks towards an open farm field, just to skim for an internet signal. Not minding if it is day or night, John Paul endures his phone as the only gadget he has.
From the UP System’s data, a staggering number of 5,600 UP students cannot afford remote learning and around 1,600 of them have no resources at all. In spite of this grave concern, only around 270 out of 1,385 learning assistance packages for its first semester grantees were successfully given in a systemwide distribution.
With hopes to ease the burden, students had sought help through the university’s recently launched Student Learning Assistance System (SLAS) Online and Kaagapay UP Learning Assistance Package. However, much to their dismay, this supposed assistance remained on the waiting line.
Overwhelming SLAS processes
Anthropology major Josephine Jra Tribiana applied to SLAS Online because her family finances were greatly affected by the pandemic combined with the aftermath of Super Typhoon Rolly at their province in Catanduanes. Later, she qualified and was initially assigned to the Full Discount (FD) bracket where she can receive a total of Php3,500 per month.
Since last semester, SLAS Online is the core of the UP System in remote learning assistance for its financially challenged students. It is an extension of the UP Student Financial Assistance (SFA) Online which opened its first batch of applications last August 28, 2020.
However, in the case of Josephine, the happiness she felt for being accepted in the program was short-lived. She first needed to have a bank account to claim her stipend. It was expensive enough for a student like her given the back-and-forth fare which was tripled than its original cost added with the fees for her required documents.
“Yong DBP Office ay 30-minute ride mula sa bahay. It would cost me exactly 150 pesos para makapunta doon. Nung nagsimula ‘yong pandemic, nagmahal ang pamasahe, three times than the normal amount. Then, I also had to file my requirements such as TIN ID so kailangan ko rin bayaran ‘yon. Overall, I think nakagastos ako ng 500-700 pesos sa pamasahe at papel lang. Iba pa ‘yong another 500 for [the] initial deposit,” Josephine shares her requirement woes.
(The DPB office is a 30-minute ride from home. It would cost me exactly 150 pesos to get there. When the pandemic started, the fare price went three times higher than the normal amount. Then, I had to also file requirements such as TIN ID, so I had to pay for that as well. Overall, I think I spent 500-700 pesos for the travel and papers alone, and another 500 for [the] initial deposit.)
Speech Communication major Realyn Rabago is also among other eligible students for SLAS Online. She was grateful for the help but even such limited financial assistance was disbursed almost a month late.
“Masaya kasi may dumating na tulong. Medyo matagal nga lang. Last semester, mga November na dumating yung stipend eh mga September ako nag-apply. Ang sa akin lang, may ibang students kasi na inaasahan talaga buwan-buwan ‘yong stipend,” Realyn emphasized while sharing her sentiments with her fellow scholars.
(I am happy for the support given. It was only not on time because last semester, the stipend just arrived in November, but I applied back in September. For me, it is about those students who are heavily relying on our monthly stipend.)
Awaiting Kaagapay grant
Aside from this university-funded assistance, the UP SFA partnered with the Kaagapay program, a resource-generation project initiated by the UP Padayon Public Service Office. The organization aims to equip UP students with the necessary remote learning tools. In this campaign, they offer gadget or cash grants for upgrading one’s gadget amounting to Php20,400 per student, and a year-worth internet funding.
Computer Science major Cyrena Tiangson is a Kaagapay grantee with cash for gadget upgrades and an internet subsidy. Fortunately, her internet subsidy has been distributed, although more than a month late since the start of UP’s second semester.
When asked about her gadget upgrade, Cyrena sadly has still no updates after five months of waiting.
“Advice kasi sa amin, bumili muna [ng gadget] dahil for sure iko-cover naman daw ng Kaagapay. Nakakalungkot kasi syempre ‘yong perang pinambili ko nung gadget ay hindi naman basta pinulot,” Cyrena lamented.
(They advised us to buy first [a gadget] because Kaagapay will surely cover it. It makes me sad because we’re not just picking up some money to buy a gadget.)
She revealed that the money was from their family’s emergency fund as she and her sister badly needed the gadget in their online learning.
“Minsan napapaisip na lang ako what if may biglaang emergency lalo na ngayong pandemic? Saan kami kukuha ng pera knowing na ‘yong perang dapat i-re-reimburse ay wala pa rin hanggang ngayon…,” Cyrena shared her worries.
(Sometimes it makes me think what if there would be an emergency, especially amid a pandemic? Where will we get cash knowing the supposed money that should be reimbursed was still not here…)
Even with a word of reassurance, for John Paul, he is left with ‘no choice’ but to express his agony in these trying times. He shares his sentiments for other students who have nothing, voicing out ‘not when it is already too late’.
“Walang choice kung hindi maghintay. ‘Wag na lang din sanang dumating sa point na saka lang darating ‘pag sobrang late na. Para sa iba kasi na ito ang inaasahan, ngayon nila kailangan ‘yon,” John Paul stressed enough the demands of virtual learning.
(There is no choice if the packages are still not delivered in UPB. But not to the point of arriving when it is already too late. Because for others who do not have gadgets to use, they need it now.) SYNC IN
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