NUSP alumna Sonia Roco's message to the 3rd National Students Congress

It is a joy to be with you today, celebrating the 50 years of the National Union of Students. None of you present here was already born in 1957 when the NUSP was founded., otherwise you would all look as wise as I do, or as they would aptly put it, we are the forgets, and you are the bagets generation.

Golden jubilees are meaningful occasions to remember those leaders of yesteryears, like Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, Augusto Kimpo, Ever Macatulad, all past presidents from Far Eastern University, Senator and Secretary of Education Raul S. Roco, Oscar Contreras past presidents from San Beda College, Edgar Jopson, from the Ateneo, and many others who went through the pangs of giving birth to NUSP. They laid the strong foundation on which a patriotic, democratic and progressive alliance of student leaders that upholds and defends the rights and welfare of the Filipino students would grow, develop, mature and last through the many ups and downs of it organizational life. As the Philippines' prime student organization, NUSP unites all students in the country through their mandated representative student councils, governments and unions in the struggle for the fundamental right to education. It was true, then, as it is true now.

For this year I congratulate you all, your NUSP Executive Board, the officers, the student councils present here, for choosing a courageous theme of: LEAP FORWARD TO 50! To leap means to take risks- to trust that when you do leap you will land safely with both feet on the ground.

Yes, go forth, we are with you all the way especially when you consolidate our victories and learn to treasure the scars that went with them. Continue the campaign for a relevant and accessible education! Celebrate the fifty years of the in the future but now; always ready to defend the rights of our youth in all aspects of our national life.

From you will rise the hope and the fulfillment of Raul S. Roco’s vision and dream of a beloved Philippines, with “ creative people in a self-reliant nation united under God.”

MABUHAY TAYONG LAHAT!


Sonia M. Roco, St. Joseph’s College
Secretary NUSP Executive Board, 1964