Upcat and Rizal

The choice of topic for today had left me torn. With a crucial House of Representatives vote on the reproductive health (RH) bill coming up on Tuesday, I first thought I should write about the debates around sexuality education, which is actually stirring as much controversy as the provisions on family planning.

But I have a feeling that even if the vote pushes through, its importance will be mainly to show the alignment of forces around not just RH but of Philippine politics in general. I see very interesting alliances between Catholic leaders and some of the most controversial politicians, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo included, just to kill the RH bill. Let history be the judge. The debates on the RH bill’s provisions will continue for years to come, whatever happens to the bill.

For today then, I thought I’d write on the University of the Philippines’ College Admission Test, or Upcat. This weekend, thousands—there were 70,000 last year—of Filipino high school students will be taking the Upcat, with their parents probably more stressed and anxious than they. To show just how anxious parents can be, although UP campuses will be used for the testing, my Saturday graduate class insisted on having a class, with the students arranging for a venue. Why? Because the class has three mothers with kids taking the Upcat this weekend, and they felt that attending a class would be healthier than waiting at home and fretting.

I’m going to offer some advice for affected parents, lolos and lolas, ates and kuyas, and guardians, as well as students.  This is not official and has no UP endorsement; the advice is coming from a UP educator, written with head and heart.

Wall climbing

For the parents, please, please don’t stress out the students. Offer support by making sure they eat well and get to bed early, and if they can’t sleep, be around if they want to talk (or if they don’t, keep your distance). Gently discourage TV and electronic games that are too active (i.e., that might get them even more hyped up). Do some wall climbing with them (you can use the garage gate if it’s the middle of the night), or let them go off with friends who’re about to take the Upcat, too.

Some parents and guardians might find their kids actually being almost nonchalant about this. Don’t nag them if they’re that way; in fact, be thankful they’re not too stressed about it. The last thing you should be doing is threatening them (as I’ve known some parents to do) about having to work in the coal mines or a call center to support themselves if they don’t get into UP.

For the students, you’ve read the advice about eating and sleeping well. Avoid stimulants like coffee, chocolates and certain people (sorry, parents, but that could be you, too).  And when I say eat well, that doesn’t mean bingeing. For students who are taking the afternoon test, avoid heavy lunches, which will cause blood to rush from your brain to your guts, and relax you in unwelcome ways.

Be careful not to put your parents through any more stress than what they’re already experiencing. They’ve gone through so much already, from playing Mozart to you when you were still in the womb, to nurseries and Kumon and all that.

So at least put on that “dedma” look that adolescents are so good at and pretend you’re not stressed. But if you sense that’s upsetting them, then put on some signs of anxiety as well. If you think staying home is unhealthy for everyone, then go off with friends who are also taking the Upcat. I’ve already asked your parents for permission. If you haven’t done so yet, go and visit the testing site. For many of you that will be a UP campus, which should inspire you even more to pass the Upcat.

I suspect that for many parents and students, especially UP alumni and faculty, a lot of the tension comes from fear of losing face, with feelings that someone who doesn’t make it isn’t bright enough (or isn’t as bright as their UP prof parent).

We have to change that mindset. Very bright kids have been known to not make it for any number of reasons, but a lot may have to do with the way the test is taken. As with other exams, the Upcat isn’t just about knowledge but also about how well you deal with challenge and stress.

There’s excellent information on the Upcat process with practical tips at upcatreview.com/10-myths-about-the-upcat. I want to say I don’t know the people at this review center, and even if I did, UP administrators are not supposed to endorse anyone. But I liked the way the information was presented, complete with provisions for anxious students to write in, and to be advised, about their concerns.

Courage

I especially liked the way this website refers to the Upcat as a test of courage, and am reminded of how Jose Rizal screened students for his Colegio Moderno in Dapitan, an account of which appears in Austin Coates’ biography “Rizal: Philippine Nationalist and Martyr.” Boys who seemed to have proven themselves to be of “sufficient intelligence” would go through an important test. Rizal would ask the candidate to walk with him around sunset, during which he would intentionally leave his walking stick at a certain place.  Rizal would then return to his house with the candidate, by which time it would have become quite dark. He would then suddenly “recall” having left his walking stick along the way and ask the boy to go back and retrieve it.

I chuckled on reading this story, knowing how strong the concept of “dili ingon nato” is in the Visayas and Mindanao. The term refers to the “not like us,” or spirits, who are also said to enjoy coming out to vex humans especially around sunset. Imagine how it must have been like in Rizal’s time for young boys to venture out in the dark. Those who could not gather up courage would give Rizal some excuse for not going back to get the stick. These boys’ parents would receive a note from Rizal expressing his regret that there was no vacancy. The others who dared go out into the dark were admitted to Rizal’s school which, although short-lived, did provide superior education and produced some luminaries, from a datu to a governor.

The Upcat is conducted during the day, but it does involve young people dealing with the unknown. We at UP want people who are bright, and courageous. Courage is, after all, not the same as being fearless. Courage is daring to confront your fears. For those who do get into UP, the system is there to give you tools to build up even more courage, to deal with even more formidable challenges.

So, do look at the test as daring to confront the unknown.  While you’re taking the test, just keep thinking of a Cebuano word that Rizal might have learned: Padayon (Keep moving forward)!

I’ll write again when the Upcat results are released.

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E-mail: mtan@inquirer.com.ph