What do the best of the campus minds think about President Arroyo's State of the Nation Address? StarLife compiled some of the thoughts of college editors of the region who participated in the regional journalism training held in Iloilo City. More than 200 campus writers from all six provinces of the Western Visayas attended the training. Here are excerpts from some editorials written by the young editors in their opinion writing workshop.

Fight Corruption First Plans will forever remain as plans - stagnant and a punch-on-the-moon - when they do not go beyond just being spoken words. Prior to that, specifically on the educational plans of the President and the allotted education budget, no student would have a lighter feeling unless they would be utterly visible that the government "really allotted and spent billions" for educating the Filipino youth.

The President stated in her SONA that her government succeeded in increasing the budget for education to P150 million this year from last year's P121 billion. She also announced there're is a college student loan fun increase to P4 billion to benefit more than 200,000 college students.

This is good news, especially for those who are striving to earn a college degree and those whose college studies cost them a fortune.

Even if these plans are true, students will still crave for the feel of having "less money to spend for their studies" and for "a cheap, yet quality education". They could no even feel and some, in worst cases, are not even aware that the government still have plans for improving the quality of Philippine education, or even the fact that the President was delivering her State of the Nation Address.

"Knowledge is the greatest creator of wealth. Education is the best gift to our children, it is also given by law," Arroyo said. It is true. But unless it would be given enough emphasis and the government set aside corruption for the welfare of the country as a whole, President Arroyo simply waste her saliva for her speech will change nothing.

- Daryl Lasatin,
West Visayas State University

Our Last Dessert?

The Human Security invades people's private lives and basically violates human rights. The president's words (on the Human security Act justification) contradict her actions. Hypocrisy, they call it. As what former Vice President Teofisto Guingona said," her speech was just the "icing of the cake"(but where is the cake?) .The more we look at the President's programs, the more we are attracted to them. But little do we know that the cake we are eating may be our final dessert."

-Menyn Veñegas,
La Consolacion College

Do Your Share

A glass will never be filled if the lid is tightly shut, no matter the amount of water is being poured. This situation clearly defined education, particularly the state of education in our country. It is because no matter what the government' efforts to uplift its value, it is dependent on the people who willfully want to be educated. If we are to believe what the president stated in her State of the nation Address, we would like to think that the government is putting more focus on educating the youth of the country. But then we ask: would this be enough to cover the out-of-school ones who may want to avail of education programs? We, young people, need quality education not only because of the monetary benefits that will come our way but also the internal blessings and values it can offer us. The government is trying to do its best. Let us also do our part.

- Jotham Funclara,
Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion

Winding Road Ahead

It always comes as a rational step to call for the people to be prudent during difficult times, like the one we are in now. The President have her report of accomplishments and plans amid rising expectations of people who want to feel the actual benefits she has summarized in her SONA. I'd rather be right than popular," she said as she unveiled her roadmap for development. An interesting statement, indeed as she continues to tread the challenging paths of national leadership. We, of course, know the road ahead for her is still long and winding.

-Herman Gaylan,
Guimaras State College

Your Choice

As President Arroyo addressed the nation, the government has been doing its part in improving the quality of life in the country. But what tarnishes these positive signs are the continued dissent and a number of other pressing issues - from political killings to graft and corrupt, unemployment and poverty despite the creation of job opportunities which do not match with the realities in the market. We know that as individuals in a free society, we have choices and our choices become our tools and even power to make things come true. We don't have to complain and grumble always. If President Arroyo said shed rather be right than popular", so, too, should we.

-Hedrick Sipacio
Central Philippine University

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