By Antonio Calipjo Go

AUGUSTO “Boboy” Syjuco, director general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), was the first Arroyo Cabinet member to be charged with grave misconduct for using P9.2 million in TESDA funds to print 250,000 copies of his book “Salabat for the Soul.”

In a Jan. 30 resolution, however, Malacañang swiftly dismissed the corruption case filed by the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) against Syjuco, who even now insists he should not be held liable since he did not gain financially from the publication of his book that was distributed for free to TESDA students.

A series of full-page paid advertisements published before the yearend announced the “good news” that TESDA was again giving away free copies of another book written by Syjuco. The title of this “pinakabago at free na libro” is “Mag Tek-bok Ka Bok” and it is supposed to be a “pamaskong handog ng Pangulo (Christmas gift from the President).”

Hoping to find a book that might help out-of-school youth see a way out of their predicament by means of the guiding light of true, sincere and dedicated instruction and inspiration, I read the book with the funny title. Seeing as how Tek-bok is really all about “Tito” Boboy, I cannot for the life of me understand why he is saying that he does not derive any gain from printing them.

I’ve never seen a book as completely dedicated to the practice of narcissism and toadyism as Tek-bok. Boboy’s handsome visage appeared 14 times in the book, compared to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s six. The pages are replete with passages that pay homage to the “glory and grandeur” of the author himself.

Self-serving captions such as “Blessed is the man who hears many call him Father” and self-indulgent lines such as “Si Congressman Syjuco kapag tumalikod hawig si (from behind looks like) Bembol Roco, kapag humarap tulad ng gwapong si (from the front looks like the handsome) Jericho” show in no uncertain terms what or who the subject of the book really is.

The anecdotes presented in the book create the impression that TESDA was instrumental in the success of the individuals featured. How could this be when TESDA’s initial implementation of its “Ladderized Education” started only during the school year 2006-2007?

Disgusting jokes

The puns and jokes at the bottom of every page, far from amusing, create the opposite effect of disgusting and repelling the readers. Here are some of its translations of English terms to Filipino: Juanito Lakarin (Johnny Walker), Esteban Pagtakhan (Stevie Wonder), Burgos Hari (Burger King), Maria Natividad (Mary Christmas).

Some Pinoy tag lines: The more, the manier; The sky’s the langit; Don’t touch me not; Give him the benefit of the daw. Sablay quotes: To err is human, to errs is humans; When the cat is away, the mouse is alone; You, you, you, the both of you three; Its hard 2 face d problem f d problem is ur face. Sablay hirits: My answers have been prayered; It’s as brand as new; You’re barking at the wrong dog; Mute and academic.

All of these are not funny. They present to the world a false image of the Filipino as a race of silly, shallow, simple-minded people.

Page 15 shows an illustration of a professor wearing a suit that’s way too small for him. On the chalkboard he has written: Cat, dog, rat. He looks stupid! This portrays the teacher as dumbbell and clown, not someone deserving of honor and respect.

We are told about “the Syjuco couple’s ‘education for all program’ which distributes school uniforms yearly to students in the second district of Iloilo. These uniforms have become symbols of hope and dignity for the poor people of Iloilo and the poor people of this world.

Mighty TESDAns

Everywhere he went in the district that elected him twice to Congress with an overwhelmingly decisive majority vote, Congressman Syjuco was loved by children — daw artista nga ginadugok sang mga bata. The school uniforms are part of an annual assistance package which the congressman then — and his successor and wife — have extended to more than 500,000 students in his district for the last ten years.”

What of it? What has that got to do with TESDA?

The last two pages of the book show the many government officials who are connected to TESDA in one way or another. Made to assume the roles of superheroes and superheroines are “mighty TESDAns” such as Commission on Higher Education Chair Romulo Neri (as Mighty Thor), presidential assistant on education Mona Valisno (as Wonder Woman) and even Gloria Sevilla, her pudgy face placed atop a drop-dead gorgeous body!

We see at the very center of this endearing tableau the President as superwoman and, of course, Boboy as superman! I nearly puked when I first saw this pathetic rendition, all the while thinking that I’d rather be eaten alive by an alien monster than risk being rescued by people such as these! There’s a Tagalog word for this: malaswa.

In aid of self and ego

The many half-page and full-page ads of Syjuco, paid for using TESDA funds, and the books he is said to have authored, published using TESDA funds, are all in aid of self and ego.

Boboy certainly gains a lot — the eternal sunshine of the President’s affection as well as free promotion and publicity for himself — all at the expense of the public, a large percentage of whom spend their entire lives living like rats under bridges and inside sewer pipes. We the people know that Tek-bok, of course, isn’t free, as advertised. It was purchased at tremendous cost, in terms of many dreams snatched and many hopes dashed.

Good books, like good men, are honest and forthright. Tek-bok, for not being clear about its true purpose and intention, is a bad book, is a toad, is as ugly as the sound of its name. Propaganda masquerading as instructional material, “praise release” in the guise of a book, that is how I read Tek-bok.

There ought to be a law

Books like this deceive and delude the reader into thinking that he is gaining something by way of wisdom or practical knowledge when in fact he is being diminished and degraded. A good book should be able to teach something, and one that does not do so not only wastes your time but also dirties and defiles your soul.

The much-ballyhooed school uniforms, the very expensive paid ads (even the prayer Boboy offered at the start of one regular Cabinet Meeting at Malacañang in October 2007 was publicized in the form of a quarter-page paid ad), the books that make you want to puke, like the shameless Philippine Tourism Authority seals with the name of its general manager Robert Dean Barbers engraved on the sidewalks of Boracay, all came from public funds.

The people’s money should be used solely to promote the common weal and welfare. There really ought to be a law which will prevent politicians and government officials from using public funds to promote and perpetuate themselves. It isn’t decent; it just isn’t right. Malaswa.

One Response to “Dissecting a toad: Mag tek-bok ka bok”

• 1
  angelo peralta
  September 8th, 2009 01:11

  to your superman!
  he is a fraud. he promised scholarships slots to people in pangasinan provided they will attend the sarah concert. these youths are poor that is why they cannot go to college but the more your superman pushed them deeper to debts because these poor people went into 5-6 debts to buy the 500 peso tickets plus the expenses in buying the tickets, attending the concert and follow up of vouchers. MAAWA KA NAMAN> KAWAWA NA NGA SILA NILULUBOG MO PA. KUNG GUSTO MONG KUMITA GUMAMIT KA NA LANG NG PERA NG TESDA SA COMMERCIAL< WAG MO NG APAKAN ANG MGA BATANG KAWAWA<

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