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PHILIPPINE EDUCATION: PLAGUED BY DEBT CRISIS

If you were one of the thousands of 'Iskolars ng Bayan' who protested against the blurgeoning conditions imposed on the economy by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about the call for higher allocation for education in the national budget, you might be bewailing now. The discussions on the budget remain stalled in the lower House as a result of the entire impeachment issue against President Joseph Estrada.

The budget cut was indeed, unconstitutional. How can they deprive us of our right to have decent education when its fundamental objective is the development of man's intellectual and creative capacities. Thus, paving way to the creation of skilled and educated manpower vital to our nation's stability and progress. The Constitution also granted high concern for education when it mentioned that 'The State shall assign the highest budgetary priority to education and ensure that teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents through adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment'.

Being a severely indebted country, we continue to reside in a perennial state of financial crisis. The Philippine's total foreign exchange liability as of June 2000 was estimated to have amounted to $52.164 million. With the current foreign exchange rate targeted to $1=P50 (at least), the debt burden of each one of us was estimated at P34,402. It's sad to think that even the unborn are already indebted. This definitely cripples the business sectors leaving the foreign investors in a perpetual state of financial abundance. To have a more in-depth understanding about the status of our foreign debt, let us trace back how we got such a huge figure through the years that gave financial hemorrhage to our economy. The Philippine debt crisis reached its peak during the Marcos administration. In 1975, the mid-Marcos regime, our nation's debt burden was a mere $4.9 billion. By 1979, this had risen to an estimated $13.3 billion; by 1983 (the beginning of the end for Marcos dictatorship as waves of protest followed the assassination of Benigno Aquino Jr.), to $24.1 billion; and by 1987 it jumped into an estimated $28.6 billion. By the end of the Aquino administration in 1991, an increase resulted primarily due to the after-effects of the coup d'etat leaving our debt to an estimated $31.3 billion. During the mid-Ramos regime of 1995, it moved further to $39.8 billion. It reached $52.2 by the start of the Estrada administration in 1999. According to Mrs.Ofreneo, two factors contributed to this increasing debt burden. First, was brought about by the anxiousness of the giant North American, Japanese, and European banks to lend billions of petrodollars to Third World countries, including our nation, in the 1970's. The other was the borrowing spree which Marcos' allies engaged in, to finance business empires which piled up debts which were later passed on to the government to assume.

Whether we like it or not, debt service as a percentage of the national budget shall eat up a huge part suppose to be allocated for education. In UP alone, the administration's proposal of P6.8 billion for next year was slashed by half by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), proposing instead P3.84 billion for the university. UP President Francisco Nemenzo said that while the university can manage with only P3.84 billion, he fears that they might lag behind other universities for their inability to provide modern and upgraded facilities in UP, as well as, the freezing of the faculty and employee's salaries.

The shortfalls are striking. The quality of education suffers. The lack of equipment and teaching aids has reached the level of absurdity. According to Mr. Balbuena, he calls the institution he works as the 'school of assumption'. In his science class, he tells his students, 'Let us assume that this is a microscope' since there is no microscope. Eventhough he already asked the administration to provide one, they remained deaf to him due to lack of funds. The government is too short of cash to provide the educational needs of the public schools. This further resulted to the remarkable raise in tuition fees making it inaccessible for the poor people to afford.

In the midst of rapid inflation, salaries of teachers and employees stagnate or barely rise. I pity those who remain in service. They're like farmers tilling the soil beneath the scorching heat of the sun. They teach more classes with more students per class but still they remained underpaid. Many of them would rather choose to work as domestic helpers abroad than live a life of deprivation and sacrifice at home.

We are also deprive of new learnings and academic experiences. Perhaps, up to this time, many are still cyberspace illiterate and even don't know how to surf in the net. It is sad to admit that only 45% of the student population are technologically abreast with the many breed of high-tech gadgets and equipments.

But perhaps, the most worrying situation for us students is the added allocation of our education needs from our weekly allowances. This means a major slash suppose to be reserved for our regular gimiks.

How to fight debt hemorrhage?

The debt problem is too important to leave to the government to decide. Its impact on us it too severe for them to ignore. UP President Nemenzo gave his assurance that his administration would continue lobbying for an increase in the budget.

The popularization of the debt issue and the role of the people should be accentuated through public campaigns. Filipinos from all walks of life must work hand in hand in the creation of a people-created debt policy and not simply bow down to the pressures imposed by the IMF.

Let us be optimistic to the concept of foreign debt. Let us consider it as a challenge for our nation's growth and equity rather than as a burden. As students, we should participate in the educational programs and seminars offered by private and public organizations that concerns the debt development. We must partake in the mass protection of our natural resources and report to the proper agency any unjust depletion of these resources. The government should expertly convert the debts into funds for activities furthering development and meeting social needs, such as the UNICEF's "Debt Relef for Child Survival and Education".

Time is running. All problems have their corresponding solutions. Financial hemorrhage can be cured. Let us unite towards immediate debt relief.