EDUCATION SHOULD BE WITHIN REACH, NOT JUST FOR THE RICH

"College education should be within reach, not out of reach," says Sonny Angara in reaction to an incident involving a UP student who committed suicide.

Wow. So convincing but wait -- isn't Sonny Angara an ex-officio member of the UP Board of Regents? The same board that implemented the "No Late Payment Policy" which drove Kristel Tejada to take her own life? All UP policies are approved by the board, isn't it?

Yes, Sonny Angara is a board regent being the Chair of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education. And as the administration candidate who champions education, Angara also brings Coco Martin to his campus tours. This must cost a lot of money.

Because if we believe what ABS-CBN reporter and PM tabloid writer Gretchen Fullido, Pilipino Star Ngayon showbiz editor Veronica Samio and Bulgar entertainment writer Vinia Vivar wrote in their March 20 columns respectively that Coco Martin's fee is P35 million to endorse a candidate, then we must also take note that the tuition in UP is around P30,000 per semester. Thus, Angara could have sent 1,700 'Iskolar Ng Bayan' to school.

Obviously, the son did not even consider the fact that his father was a former UP President.

No more 'trapos' in the sacred halls of the academe. Please.