NATIONAL UNION OF STUDENTS OF THE PHILIPPINES

February 27 is a National Day of Action Against Tuition and Other Fee Increases!

2009-02-26T15:16:00.005+08:00

Calling all formations/chapters and student councils nationwide, join the protest on Friday, February 27, 2009. Assert for our RIGHT TO EDUCATION!

National Day of Action Against Tuition Fee and Other Increases
February 27, 2009

MANILA: Students' Protest CHED National Office, CP Garcia St., UP Diliman, Quezon City

DAVAO: Students' Protest CHED Regional Office

BACOLOD: Presscon and Schools' Trooping

BAGUIO: St. Louis University and University of the Cordilleras Students' Protest and Walk-out; Centralized Protest at the People's Park

CEBU: Picket/Dialogue CHED Regional Office

You can still organize on your own regions and provinces!

IMPOSE A GENUINE MORATORIUM ON TUITION AND OTHER FEE INCREASES!
EDUCATION IS A RIGHT!
ADVANCE A NATIONALIST, SCIENTIFIC AND MASS-ORIENTED EDUCATION!
EDUCATION FOR ALL!

No To Tuition and Other Fee Hike! Impose A Genuine Tuition Moratorium

2009-02-26T14:48:00.002+08:00

PRESS RELEASE: Feb 17, 2009
Students demand "genuine" tuition moratorium

NUSP calls CHED appeal to private schools "useless" regulatory measure

The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) led youth and student groups in calling for a categorical tuition and school fee moratorium, saying that the recent memorandum by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is 'toothless' and would have no effect whatsoever on decisions by schools to raise their fees, in a picket rally outside the CHED main office today.

NUSP president Alvin Peters said that CHED's memorandum could only be considered an "appeal" to schools not to increase tuition and other fees in light of the crisis.

"As long as the deregulated environment of tuition persists, there can be no guarantee that any CHED memo will have the political will behind it to enforce genuine regulation of charges that schools impose on students," said Peters.

"At the end of the day, CHED should be able to enforce its regulatory powers over schools and not merely be reduced to "appealing" to schools to observe its policies."

Peters cited an NUSP study of tuition and other fee rates for the past 8 years, saying that since 2001, the national average tuition rate per unit increased by 69.81 percent. Meanwhile, the national capital region average tuition rate increased by 118.53 percent.

Last school year, 372 private colleges and universities have increased their tuition at an average of 36.75 pesos per unit. In the National Capital Region (NCR) where most universities and colleges are located, the rate per unit is pegged at 855.20 pesos, increasing 10.83 percent from last year.

"Meanwhile, according to National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), the participation rate of school-age children is constantly declining. The participation rate at the elementary level, or the percentage of children aged 7-15, enrolled in primary schools dropped to 83 percent in school year 2006-2007 from 96.95 percent in 2000. Also, the percentage of children aged 13-16 enrolled in high schools has fallen from 65.43% in SY1999-2000 to 58.59 percent in SY2006-2007," said Peters.

In the light of the continuing day-to-day economic problems that the average Filipino family experiences—the skyrocketing prices of the daily commodities while the wages of workers remain low; the tuition and other fee increases will be another burden to the Filipino people.

Peters warned that if tuition and miscellaneous fees continue to soar unchecked, more students would be forced to drop out of school.###

PRESS RELEASE:
CHED lambasted for "spineless" memorandum on tuition hike freeze

Students to CHED: appeal to schools NOT ENOUGH!

Student leaders from the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) together with Kabataang Pinoy and the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) lambasted the Commission on Higher Education for its "spineless" memorandum appealing to higher education institutions (HEIs) not to increase tuition and other fees for the coming school year, saying the memo was essentially useless for students and parents facing the economic crisis.

With the subject, "Appeal to HEIs to implement a "NO TUITION FEE INCREASE POLICY" for school year 2009-10, the memorandum from CHED chairman Emmanuel Angeles cited the "requests of various groups, parents and students" and "the current economic condition of our country and the intensifying global crisis" in "seeking support of [HEIs] by implementing a 'NO TUITION AND OTHER FEE INCREASE' policy for SY 2009-2010."

"The memo is merely a publicity gimmick by CHED to convey the idea that CHED is doing its part in protecting the right to education of thousands of students and their parents who are facing an increasingly difficulty economic crisis," said NUSP national president Alvin Peters.

For his part, NUSP vice president Einstein Recedes belied claims that schools would not be increasing tuition and other fees, saying that the NUSP-initiated Tuition Monitor had been able to gather as many a dozen schools which were preparing to hike their fees.

"As early as January, our hotline has been receiving a lot of complaints from our member student councils in Metro Manila and in other regions with indications that their respective school administration had scheduled tuition consultations for the month of February," said Recedes.

Among schools that Tuition Monitor reported as scheduling consultations for their proposed increases are the University of the East in Manila and Caloocan, Technological Institute of the Philippines, Philippines School of Business Administration, Lyceum of the Philippines University. Also expecting a tuition hike is the Ateneo de Davao University in Davao City.

Recedes revealed that they had reports that even CHED memorandum no. 13, CHED's existing guidelinea for tuition increases was violated repeatedly by several schools with some schools not issuing notification about proposed fee increases, the lack even of consultations and lack of transparency in general.

The NUSP challenged CHED chairman Angeles to implement a genuine moratorium and not rely on a simple appeal.

"At the end of the day, CHED should be able to enforce its regulatory powers over schools and not merely be reduced to "appealing" to schools to observe its policies," said Peters.

Peters cited an NUSP study of tuition and other fee rates for the past 8 years, saying that since 2001, the national average tuition rate per unit increased by 69.81 percent. Meanwhile, the national capital region average tuition rate increased by 118.53 percent.

Last school year, 372 private colleges and universities have increased their tuition at an average of 36.75 pesos per unit. In the National Capital Region (NCR) where most universities and colleges are located, the rate per unit is pegged at 855.20 pesos, increasing 10.83 percent from last year.

In the light of the continuing day-to-day economic problems that the average Filipino family experiences—the skyrocketing prices of the daily commodities while the wages of workers remain low; the tuition and other fee increases will be another burden to the Filipino people.

Peters warned that if tuition and miscellaneous fees continued to soar unchecked, more students would be forced to drop out of school, citing a study by the National Stastical Coordination Board which confirmed the declining cohort survival rate in schools. ###

PRESS RELEASE: Feb. 19, 2009
Students slam CHED existing tuition consultation guidelines

Schools can raise fees without ever consulting students - NUSP

In a statement today, the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) slammed the Commission on Higher Education's (CHED) existing guidelines for higher education institutions (HEIs) intending to increase tuition and other fees, saying CHED's Memorandum No. 13 is "useless" in even ensuring that students and parents are duly consulted regarding proposed miscellaneous fee increases.

NUSP executive vice president Einstein Recedes said that the CMO No. 13 is a veritable "rubber stamp" for schools to increase tuition and other fees.

Recedes pointed to the fact that CMO No. 13 was re-implemented as the guidelines for tuition increases after Malacañang had ordered the lifting of a tuition cap and thereby suspending CHED Memo No. 14, during the same period of tuition consultations two years ago.

No consultation needed for miscellaneous fees

"The difference between CMO No. 13 and CMO No. 14 which at the time was in effect is that the antiquated CMO 13 does not provide for consultation with students of miscellaneous fee increases and new fees," said Recedes.

"By reverting to the antiquated and much-reviled CMO No. 13, CHED had effectively ensured that exorbitant fees such as development fee, energy fee, cultural fee and the like could be imposed on students even without consulting the students."

Slack implementation of tuition increase guidelines

Recedes said that while students have tried to maximize CHED's guidelines despite its "obvious flaws," many schools continue to violate basic provisions of CMO 13.

"Despite the CHED memo, we have documented several schools that do not even hold consultations with the student council before they implement tuition increases," said Recedes.

Recedes called on CHED to investigate and to penalize schools which violated the guidelines.

"If all CHED can come up with to mitigate the issue of soaring tuition fee rates is a flawed and ultimately useless guidelines, the least it could do is to ensure that such guidelines is effectively implemented," said Recedes.

"It is quite clear that existing CHED policies favor the interests of private school owners to make profit at the expense of students and no such policy is in effect to stop or even regulate the skyrocketting fees in schools," said Recedes.

The NUSP challenged the CHED to impose a genuine moratorium on tuition and other fee increases especially in light of the economic crisis. ###

PRESS RELEASE: Feb. 26, 2009
Students to Congress: Enact tuition moratorium bill, Repeal Education Act of 1982

NUSP challenges House leadership to act on tuition moratorium

In a kapihan press conference of the House of Representatives, the largest alliance of student councils and governments in the country called on House Speaker Prospero Nograles to enact House Bill 2440, filed by Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño, which imposes a 3-year moratorium on tuition and other fee increases in all educational institutions. The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) also urged Congress to review Batas Pambansa 232 or the Education Act of 1982, the law which legitimized the deregulated environment of education.

NUSP national president Alvin Peters said that it was high time for the country's legislators to review existing government policies which have led to the soaring cost of education and as a direct result, the rising number of out-of-school-youth.

“There is an urgent need for a comprehensive review of existing government policies on education if we are to address the roots of the crisis of Philippine education and implement concrete policy reforms,” said Peters.

Peters blamed Education Act of 1982 for incessant hikes in tuition and other fees as “it gives school owners limitless powers to determine their own tuition rate.”

He also called on lawmakers to investigate and recommend the filing of charges against schools which are allegedly profiting from exorbitant fees. Schools frequently included in the top 5,000 corporations in the country are Centro Escolar University (CEU), Far Eastern University (FEU), Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT), University of the East (UE), AMA Computer University and STI Colleges .

Peters said that, while the NUSP was aware that many congressmen themselves are school owners and keenly protective of school owners' interests, they nonetheless appealed that these legislators would inhibit themselves from the proceedings which would determine the enacting of the tuition moratorium. “We hope that they put the interests of the greater majority first in this instance,” said Peters.

Peters cited an NUSP study which revealed that since 2001, the national average tuition rate per unit has increased by 69.81 percent. Meanwhile, the national capital region average tuition rate has increased by 118.53 percent.

Peters announced that they would hold a nationally coordinated action this February 27 to voice their calls in key cities around the country. “We warn all potential candidates for the 2010 elections that this is an issue that they and the positions that is critical if they are to gain the youth's vote,” said Peters. ###

PRESS RELEASE: Feb. 23, 2009
NUSP: School fee hikes not improving education quality, for huge profits instead
Students announce National Protests vs. tuition increases on Feb. 27

In a press conference today, student leaders from the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) said that contrary to schools' claims that school fee increases are needed to improve the quality of education, the deregulated environment of Philippine education has only served to fuel schools' profiteering.

NUSP executive vice president Einstein Recedes said that many schools have been "profiting for decades" from exorbitant and some "absurd" school fees such as development fee, energy fee, comelec fee, copier fee, accreditation fee and cultural fee.

Recedes said that the deregulated environment of education has allowed for the existence of profit-making schools which have "repeatedly failed to provide quality education." Recedes cited miserable passing rates in board exams other gauges of education quality showing a decline in Philippine education in the past two decades.

"Many schools, already allowed to collect a gamut of school fees and charges have merely been emboldened by CHED's guidelines on tuition increases since CHED Memo 13 doesn't even require the school to consult proposed miscellaneous fee increases and new fees with students," said Recedes.

Recedes pointed to various "profit-making schemes" that were designed by schools to circumvent possible regulation by the CHED. "Schools are implementing such schemes as the ladderized tuition and other fees and the carry-over scheme which assumes a different rate of tuition for the different year levels."

For his part, NUSP national president Alvin Peters urged lawmakers to review Batas Pambansa 232 or the Education Act of 1982, which Peters said is the behind incessant hikes in tuition and other fees as it gives school owners limitless powers to determine their own tuition rate.

He also called on lawmakers to investigate and recommend the filing of charges against schools which are allegedly profiting from exorbitant fees. Schools frequently included in the top 5,000 corporations in the country are Centro Escolar University (CEU), Far Eastern University (FEU), Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT), University of the East (UE), AMA Computer University and STI Colleges.

"There is an urgent need for a comprehensive review of existing government policies on education if we are to address the roots of the problem and implement concrete policy reforms," said Peters.

Peters announced that they would hold a nationally coordinated action this February 27 to voice their calls in key cities around the country. "We are urging the government to heed the call for a tuition and other fee increase moratorium immediately and the repeal of Education Act of 1982," said Peters. ###

Students reiterate opposition to random drug testing in schools

2009-02-09T15:35:00.000+08:00

Students reiterate opposition to random drug testing in schools

The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) today reiterated its position against the proposal to implement random drug testing in schools, saying that arguments against they made against the measure in 2002 still apply today.

NUSP national president Alvin Peters said that the recent announcement of implementing drug testing in schools is merely a knee-jerk and shortsighted reaction by the government to the Alabang boys scandal. "The measure is punitive, arbitrary and discriminatory and essentially illustrates the lack of any comprehensive plan to go after the real culprits in the drug problem: the drug dealers and corrupt government officials who turn a blind eye to drug dealers' activities," Peters said.

Peters cited provisions in the existing Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 which his group opposed in 2002 when the said Act was recently signed into law.

Article III section 35 of the new law obliges students in secondary and college levels to undergo drug testing upon recommendation of a faculty or school authority; while section 42 empowers the same school officials in apprehending students suspected of using illegal drugs.

"Drug testing in schools is open to abuse and discriminate against delinquents, emotionally-troubled children, fraternity members, activists, gangsters and other students the school may want to get rid of," said Peters.

NUSP questions effectiveness of drug testing in schools

Peters also questioned the effectiveness of drug testing to curb drug use among the youth saying that the United States which started conducting drug tests in schools in 1998 had no conclusive evidence to show that the measure was successful in discouraging drug abuse.

A study published by the Journal of School Health in the US in 2002 revealed that drug use in schools which conducted drug tests is the same with schools that did not implement the program. The US National Institute of Health funded research was done by researchers of the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan.

Peters said the government would only waste precious taxpayers' money by implementing a program whose scientific validity is being questioned in other countries.

"Already scarce funds for education must be used wisely to buy basic school needs like textbooks, classrooms and facilities and not for an expensive and ineffective drug testing program," Peters said.

Peters said that drug testing in schools can be abused by corrupt bureaucrats looking to signing juicy contracts with private laboratories and companies.

The student leader instead urged education officials to focus their time and energy on instituting a program that will include drug education in the curriculum of schools.

The NUSP said the government should trust educators and their students to be able to deter drug use and identify drug users even without the drug test.

The NUSP clarified that students are very eager to join the battle against illegal drug trade and use in the country since it also victimizes their fellow youth "but they are rejecting the regulatory measures proposed by the government which seek to punish the victims instead of running after drug pushers outside the school and preventing drug use in the first place."

2009-02-03T15:04:00.001+08:00

Students denounce CHED's "lies" about additional year for college courses

Student leaders from the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) were joined by various youth and student groups in a press conference hosted by Atty. Adel Tamano, president of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila to belie recent claims by CHED that it had put off any measure to extend the number of years of university and college courses.

The groups reiterated their call against any measure to extend the number of years of education. NUSP national president Alvin Peters said denounce claims by CHED that they were ready to shelve the proposed 5-year nursing and education courses, saying that the alternative 10+2+3 scheme was essentially the same as a 5-year course.

"CHED is lying through its teeth when it says that they will not push through with plans to extend college education by an additional year, especially because CHED chairman (Emmanuel) Angeles is part of the taskforce which has recommended an additional 1-year pre-baccalaureate system for education," said Peters.

Peters was referring to the Presidential Taskforce on Education Reforms which was formed last year and recently released its recommendations. CHED chairman Emmanuel Angeles is the vice chairman of the taskforce.

John Henry Rico, vice chairperson of the Health Students' Action said that they would step up efforts to oppose the measure since it would ultimately result in more students being forced to drop out of college.

An additional year means additional expenses for parents and longer agony for those longing for employment. It does not necessarily mean increased competency for nurse graduates. The deterioration of the quality of nursing education, brought about by the increasing profit-orientation of the nursing education and training will neither be resolved nor lessened by the added year," Rico said in a statement.

For his part, Peters said the proposal to extend all courses to 5-years was a ploy by the government to "disguise its neglect in providing jobs for new graduates."

"By extending students' stay in college for an additional year, the Arroyo government is trying to avoid graduates immediately becoming a part of the swelling number of unemployed."

"Gusto na naman ng gobyernong ito na i-magik ang mga datos para palabasin na hindi siya inutil, bagay na pinatunayang sanay na sanay na siya," said Alvin Peters, NUSP national president. (The government is clearly attempting to do magic with the data once again in order to disguise its inaction and neglect, something it's been shown to have a penchant for)

The NUSP slammed the proposal, saying it was the "height of insensitivity" to mandate an additional year for already struggling students and parents amidst the worsening economic crisis.

No one is fooled by CHED's justifications of the proposal," said Peters. "If the government really wants to improve the quality of education, CHED should monitor the performance of and regulate higher education institutions in the implementation of their programs," Peters emphasized.

"If the recommendations of the PTFE are anything to go by, the Arroyo government would push the country's education system into a crisis from which it might never recover," said Peters.

Among the other recommendations of the PTFE include: the rationalization within a moratorium period of the creation and conversion of state universities and colleges; re-orienting the premises of financing public higher education; establishment of the National Educational Evaluation and Testing System (NEETS); establishing common standard for accreditation per discipline; and curricular reform in higher education.

Peters warned that the proposal to add an additional year to course offerings in universities would ultimately result in a "more intensified exodus of students from tertiary education and subsequently a larger out-of-school-youth population." ###

Resign, CHEd chief told
By Thea Alberto
INQUIRER.net

http://newsinfo. inquirer. net/breakingnews /nation/view/ 20090202- 187019/Resign- CHEd-chief- told

MANILA, Philippines -- Youth groups are demanding the resignation of the chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) for being "profit-oriented" following his proposal for an extra year in college to improve the quality of education in that level, their officials said Monday.

At the same time, the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) and Kabataang Pinoy [Filipino Youth], along with lawyer Adel Tamano, president of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (University of the City of Manila, PLM) and United Opposition spokesman, said that CHEd Chairman Emmanuel Angeles' plan only "favored profit-oriented higher educational institutions" and were "anti-poor and anti-student."

"CHEd Chair Angeles is currently listed as member of the Board of Trustees of Angeles University Foundation as its corporate secretary. He has a reputation to have a negative bias towards the poor and marginalized," said Tamano in a statement.

Vencer Crisostomo, Kabataan Pinoy spokesman, said the planned five-year program was "insensitivity to the difficulty being experienced by the students and parents due to high education and living costs."

"This policy will cause a significant number of students to drop out from school especially considering that there is a global economic crisis. Instead of coming up with senseless projects like this, the government should focus on lowering education costs and making education more accessible," he added.

At the same time, CHEd should "overhaul its educational policies" if it really wanted to improve the quality of education, said NUSP national president Alvin Peters.

"The current recommendations of CHEd and the government will only push the country's education system into a worse crisis. This has been the case for the past years. The government should reverse its policy of deregulation and privatization of education and should raise the budgetary allocation for public higher education," he said.

TANGGULAN Paralegal Training

2009-02-02T11:10:00.003+08:00

January 31, 2009

To our Fellow youth leaders,

Warmest greetings!

To date, there are 194 victims of enforced disappearance and 927 victims of extrajudicial killing since President Gloria Arroyo assumed her post in 2001, according to KARAPATAN, an alliance for the advancement of human rights in the Philippines. These alarming numbers were affirmed by the United Nations (UN) through UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary execution, Philip Alston.

This alarming situation, which is deeply rooted in the economic issues of the country, led to the establishment of TANGGULAN in 2001 as the national center advocating for democratic and academic rights of youth and students. TANGGULAN continues to unite various youth groups from different sectors in defense of our civil liberties and human rights.

On February 7, 2009 (Saturday) at 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM, TANGGULAN will conduct a Paralegal Training as part of its campaign and advocacy program for Human Rights. This will be held at Good Samaritan United Methodist Church (beside World Vision and across Maxima building) along Quezon Avenue, Quezon City. There will be PhP 50 registration fee which will cover lunch, snack and kit.

Objectives of this whole day event are as follows:
1. To provide young people of the basic knowledge on Human Rights in relation to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR);
2. To deepen understanding of the current National Situation that give stress on the intensifying human rights violations among Filipino people: politically, economically and culturally;
3. To be equipped on legal mechanisms in countering vilification, harassments, arrests and other forms of human rights violations happening inside and out of campuses and;
4. To be active participants in human rights advocacy in the country.

Attached is our enlistment form to be submitted to TANGGULAN Secretariat: scmp(dot)national(at)gmail(dot)com not later that February 3. You may also reach us thru text at 09289526973 for further queries.

With these at hand, we look for your utmost response. Working together, we hope to extinguish the plague that is spoiling the future of the youth, and this country.

For human rights,

(SGD) (SGD)
BIYAYA QUIZON JOHANNA MAE DELA CRUZ
National Chairperson Youth Desk
Student Christian Movement of the Phils. National Council of
Churches in the Phils

NUSP NOTE: Our Union is a main convenor of TANGGULAN. If you are interested to attend this activity please notify Henrie Enaje at 0908-5048925.

Tuition Monitor (TM, Empowering the Students)

2009-01-26T13:44:00.000+08:00

Tuition Monitor (TM, Empowering the Students)

What is Tuition Monitor?

Tuition Monitor or TM is a campaign initiative of various student councils, publications and student organizations specifically created to address the issue of tuition and other fee increases in Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs).

TM is a national network of students uniting against the rising cost of education in the country with a definite objective of disseminating information on the illegal suspension of CHED Memorandum Order No. 14 (CMO 14) and its amendments (CMO 42) to the reimplementation of CMO 13, providing assistance (even legal assistance) to student councils who will primarily be consulted on school fee increases, documentation of the events occurring during the whole consultation process. A TM hotline will be available to all students to air their grievances over the school consultation process.

Proponents

The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) is a nation-wide alliance of student councils/governments/unions committed to the advancement of the students’ democratic rights and welfare. Since its establishment in 1957, the NUSP has been consistently at the forefront of the students’ struggle for their rights and welfare.

What are the objectives of Tuition Monitor?

to vigilantly examine tuition and other fee increases imposed by school administrations
to gather data on specific cases of questionable tuition and other fee imposition and the lack of consultation with students
to ensure that students are properly and thoroughly consulted on each and every increase in tuition and other fees as specified by CHED Memorandum Order No. 13 (CMO No. 13)
to critically examine the suitability of CMO No. 13 from our concrete experiences during its implementation
to push for legislation guaranteeing a genuine regulation of school fee impositions.
to push for a review on the illegal suspension of CMO No. 14 and its amendments (CMO 42) and the reimplementation of CMO 13
to push for a nationwide moratorium on tuition and other fee increases in all colleges and universities

What are TM’s activities?

We organize focus discussion groups on CHED Memorandum related to tuition and other fees increase.
We arrange conferences among student councils and organizations to share experiences and lessons with their respective campaigns against tuition and other fee increases in their schools
We conduct forums and symposia in various schools to discuss and disseminate the issue of tuition and other fee increases and the right of students to be consulted
We initiate lobbying sessions with our lawmakers from the Senate and House of Representatives.
We conduct dialogues with officials from the CHED to air our grievances and raise our concerns
We popularize our campaign against unabated tuition and other fee hikes by producing and distributing TM pins, t-shirts, and cell phone logos to our fellow students
We build alliances with other sectors in the university with the aim of gaining further support for our issues and aiding them with their struggles
We organize mass actions such as pickets, walk-outs and rallies with the students as symbolic protests in furtherance of our goals
We expose anomalous tuition and other fee impositions and the lack of consultation through investigative reporting by student media.

How can you contact us?

Please contact us at our TM hotline (09238177804) or email us at nusphilipines@yahoo.com for any inquiry or if you have any concerns regarding tuition and other fee increases in your school.

NUSP 50th Anniversary Poster

2007-09-27T01:36:00.001+08:00

When gov’t works with private sector

2007-08-22T06:32:00.000+08:00

August 17, 2007 02:04:00

Inquirer

The front-page photo (“Batanes schools now fully wired”) in the Inquirer’s July 31 issue, which showed students of the University of the Philippines helping “erect an antenna near the Batanes National High School in Basco,” was reminiscent of a picture of Iwo Jima taken during World War II.

The story tells how the joint effort of local leaders, civil society and the private sector led to the interconnection of all public schools in the island province of Batanes. It is a particular story with general implications. Time and again we say, “Filipinos can do it.”

To drive the point: The government did not have to enter into a shadowy contract like the $329-million NBN deal (financed through an official loan, by the way) with China’s ZTE since Filipinos can actually do the job -- at practically less cost and with no strings attached.

To drive the point further: It shows that development and infrastructure projects (which the government is fond of) may be done by local industries -- with capital from the government for pump priming; the projects don’t have to be farmed out to foreign countries. This way, the benefits to be derived from the projects will be enjoyed by more sectors.

Think about it, the Department of Transportation and Communication need not even have run a full-page ad (Inquirer, 8/4/07) paid with public funds to defend ZTE. That was simply too much for a project that Filipinos can do.

MARCO M. DE LOS REYES, national president, National Union of Students of the Philippines (via email)

Applause in Congress, boos in streets

2007-08-07T07:11:00.000+08:00

Inquirer
Last updated 01:23am (Mla time) 08/07/2007

Seems like the only people who applaud the President’s speeches are her aides and allies.

On several occasions, civil society has pointed out conflicting statements in Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s speeches -- especially in those speeches regarded as policy pronouncements. For instance, some time last month, during the declaration of the La Mesa watershed as a protected area, Ms Arroyo said that the watershed is a protected area “subject to private rights.” Among those who applauded that pronouncement was former Mayor Lito Atienza, who is now the environment secretary.

Of course, environmentalists took a more critical stand. Rather than praising the President, they held a press conference expressing their resolve to continue their fight for the protection of the watershed -- the “lifeblood” of Metro Manila.

In reaction to another speech, no less than the State of the Nation Address at that, agrarian reform advocates took offense at the ambivalent stand of the government on agrarian reform. Ms Arroyo said: “DAR will be moved to Davao…. 'Dapat maging daan sa tagumpay sa agribusiness ang reporma sa lupa' [Land reform should become a way for success in agribusiness]…. We must reform agrarian reform so it can transform beneficiaries into agribusinessmen and agribusinesswomen.”

Where else could it have been better said than in front of the landed class in Congress? A thunderous clap. Outside, the farmers booed.

In many other instances, the President has blurred the difference between public concerns and private interests. It is no wonder, then, that the rift between the rich and the poor is widening. Ms Arroyo has become the symbol of affluence and lack of sensitivity, as well as the guardian of the elite.

MARCO M. DELOS REYES, national president, National Union of Students of the Philippines (via email)

Students gear up for SONA protest

2007-07-21T22:54:00.000+08:00

News Release

July 21, 2007

Students gear up for SONA protest

Dismal state of education, more dropouts show real state of the nation

Thousands of students are expected to swarm Commonwealth Avenue Monday to hold their own State-of-the-Nation address, the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) said in a press conference today.

“Year after year, Mrs. Arroyo drowns herself and the people of fabricated achievements by bragging self-induced fairytales of improving conditions of governance and the economy. But the students have had enough of her promises, more so her lies” NUSP Secretary General Alvin Peters said.

Peters also disproved claims made by Arroyo of making education the legacy of her government, saying education remains one of the most neglected programs of this administration.

“How can this government make education its legacy if it continues to spend poorly on education and college diploma remains an elusive dream to ordinary Filipino youth?”

“Students and parents continue to bear the brunt of paying high fees for education. The past seven years under the Arroyo administration witnessed the further deregulation of the tuition system leading to bigger increases in tuition and other fees both in private and state schools. The recent tuition hike in the country’s premier state university, the University of the Philippines, merely mirrors out government policy to eventually hand over the responsibility of providing education to the private sector,” Peters added.

“Students can no longer be swayed by the president’s big words. The ailing condition of Philippine education and the growing number of out-of-school youth are enough indicators of the real state of education and the Filipino youth.”

“The youth’s future will remain dim under this administration which prefers to spend more on war than education.”

Reference: Krish Rainjit Salas, NUSP Media Officer, 09196145108

2007-05-26T10:01:00.000+08:00

ATTENTION: All Student Councils and Student Governments in the National Capital Region (or Metro Manila)

We will be having an NCR Student Councils' Assembly this coming June 9, 2007 at the conference room of the National Youth Commission building (along Quezon Avenue, near cor. Banawe Ave.)

This will feature a grand discussion on the NUSP's history and orientation and will be followed by a skills training course which is especially designed for new student council officers and members. We will also discuss our joint plans for the semester, in particular our campaigns and advocacy.
For details, please contact Kae at 09266740679 or Alvin at 09206209362. We hope to see you there!

2007-04-29T00:55:00.000+08:00

Press Release

April 19, 2007

NUSP joins more than 240 organizations from more than 90 developing nations urging US Congress: Help Combat Global Poverty by Rejecting Fast Track

Widespread Opposition to Fast Track Weighs on Continuation of Doha Talks

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) joined more than 240 national and international groups representing religious, civil rights, youth, environmental, farm, health, development, and labor groups announcing opposition to any new grant of Fast Track trade authority. Fast Track is a political mechanism in the United States that delegates to the president the U.S. Congress’ constitutional authority to set trade policy, without which it is understood that Doha WTO expansion would not be approved in the U.S. The current Fast Track expires June 30, 2007, though any trade deals to be considered under Fast Track must have been agreed upon by March 31, 2007 to give Congress proper notice. Because Doha talks have not concluded, they cannot be considered under current Fast Track authority.

These groups from more than 90 nations signed onto a letter that conveys to members of the U.S. Congress that the Doha Round of WTO expansion is passionately opposed by civil society organizations from developing countries as a threat to their livelihoods, the global environment, democracy and stability. The NUSP has signed onto the letter among other groups in the Philippines including the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), IBON Foundationa and the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) and international groups including the Asian Peasant Coalition (APC).

“There is overwhelming evidence across the globe that this round of trade talks could be the most damaging in history to developing nations. Doha is the anything but “development round.” We need a new direction on trade and the US Congress has an opportunity to make that happen and curb the devastating effects of failed trade policies like what is being negotiated at Doha,” said Alvin Peters, secretary-general of NUSP.

The letter emphasizes the harmful effects of Doha and the World Trade Organization on developing nations.

We are writing to share our view that this New Direction [on trade policy] must include rejection of the current attempts to expand the failed World Trade Organization (WTO) through the "Doha Round." We are unified in our commitment to an entirely new vision and policy for multilateral trade that would benefit, rather than damage, the world's workers, farmers, environment, and future development potential. Therefore, we urge you to reject pressure by U.S. corporate giants and other WTO proponents to renew Fast Track for WTO negotiations.

The letter, delivered to Democratic members of the House and Senate, arrives while the Bush administration responds to changes to proposed NAFTA expansions to Peru, Panama and Colombia offered recently by Democratic leaders of the Ways and Means Committee, which oversees trade policy in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Peters reiterated the negative effects these policies are having on Philippine education, citing government policies on education leading towards the further commericialization and deregulation of education. “The fact that so many students aren’t able to study anymore in the Philippines, that tuition and other fees continue to soar unabated can be directly linked to these globalization policies,” Peters said.

The full letter and all its signatories can be found at the website www.ourworldisnotforsale.org

3RD LUZON-WIDE STUDENT CONVENTION, May 3-6, 2007, Villa Alfredos Resort, CIty of San Fernado, Pampanga

2007-04-28T19:33:00.000+08:00

2007-04-15T15:49:00.000+08:00

Students warn of relentless tuition hikes

Manila Standard Online
February 28, 2007

By Florante S. Solmerin

MEMBERS of the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines are up in arms over the decision of the Commission on Higher Education suspending memorandum order 14 and effectively lifting the cap on tuition increases.

Ched made the move at the height of the consultation on the proposed tuition increases by higher education institutions, the students’ group said.

“The CHED suspension of CMO 14 is suspect as much as it is a betrayal of the students and their parents,” said Dion Carlo Cerrafon, SCMP chairman. “The result is like an automatic imposition of tuition and other fee increases.”

Leni Valeriano, SCMP vice chairman said that for many students and parents, the suspension of CMO 14 means “the comeback of relentless tuition and other fee increases. It will resurrect the uncapped tuition increases and takes our struggle a decade backwards.”

SCMP also calls on school administrators “not to take an opportunistic stance on this sudden back-tracking of CHED. We call on especially the colleges and universities run by the religious to restrain increases during this consultation period which is also the start of the Lent.”

SCMP cites the National Union of Students of the Philippines ‘ report that many schools had already proposed increases as high as 15 percent and 20 percent.

The University of Sto. Tomas, Philippine School of Business Administration and the Far Eastern University held their tuition consultation with students this week and yet to publicize its proposed increase.

SCMP called for a moratorium on increases in tuition and other fees. ###

Long, fearsome night

2007-03-28T13:26:00.000+08:00

Inquirer
Last updated 01:23am (Mla time) 03/28/2007

Like any typical Filipino kid, I was taught to fear the darkness of the night. "Tikbalang," "aswang" and "kapre" were creatures that ate young kids strolling in dark alleys way past bedtime.

As I grew older (and stayed up late longer), I learned that drug addicts, snatchers and holdup men were to be feared more than the "aswang" in the dead of night. Boy, I must have grown so fast -- now I fear for the country more than I fear for myself in the dead of night. Let me explain by citing some of the incidents that led me to such fear:

• At 3 a.m. of March 19, 2007, detained Bayan Muna Party-List Rep. Satur Ocampo was taken out of prison for a plane ride to Leyte. Anyway, the flight was aborted halfway.

• Past 11 p.m. of Dec. 29, 2006, convicted rapist Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith of the US Marines was surreptitiously transported from the Makati City Jail to the US Embassy.

• Twice the House of Representatives stayed up late till the early morning hours the next day to quash two attempts to impeach Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo; and once to railroad Charter change.

Hell must be jubilant over Ms Arroyo’s leadership. After all, under her guidance, the government operates “like a thief in the night.” Unfortunately, every time the thief strikes, democracy suffers; and we are robbed of our rights and liberties.

With barely two months left before this year’s elections, I can’t help but worry that there is going on a sort of dress rehearsal for late-night operations come May. Oh yes, of course, three Sundays ago, a building of the Commission on Elections went up in smoke in the dead of night. I just hope this incident wouldn’t count.

But definitely, there are enough reasons for us to wake up from our deep slumber and keep the lights on through this long night.

MARCO M. DE LOS REYES
National President
National Union of Students of the Philippines

2007-03-22T23:46:00.000+08:00

Manifesto: Sign the ONLINE PETITION FOR KA SATUR To: Department of Justice and Philippine National Police

PETITION FROM FRIENDS OF SATUR OCAMPO IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

Free Satur Ocampo! End Political Repression!

We, parliamentarians and friends from different countries, express grave concern and great alarm over the arrest of Rep. Satur Ocampo, Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, who is currently campaigning for reelection under the opposition party Bayan Muna.

We fail to comprehend why a warrant of arrest was issued based on a criminal case for murder committed 22 years ago at the time when Satur was in prison during the martial law regime of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos. We are also concerned why a 22 year-old case was resurrected during the campaign period at the time when Satur, a staunch critique of the government, is heading the campaign of his party for reelection. We are alarmed that Satur is not granted at least, his right to bail, since it is improbable that the evidence of his guilt is strong considering that the crime imputed is more than 2 decades old.

We are aware of the escalating political killings in the Philippines targeting members of opposition parties and government critiques. We were also informed of escalating harassment against them during the election period, and would like express our belief that opposition parties, including their leaders, must be allowed to campaign freely during the campaign period.

We express our deepest concern over these developments and urge the Philippine government to respect Saturs rights to due process. We urge the speedy release of Satur Ocampo from prison and that he and his party, and all opposition parties for that matter, be allowed to freely campaign. We call for a stop to the political killings and human rights violations in the Philippines.

*To sign the petition click here

PRESS RELEASE: UST Students Slam Admin Deception in the Fee Consultations

2007-03-10T07:46:00.000+08:00

6 March 2007

“It was an attempt to fool the students.”

Thus said incoming Faculty of Arts and Letters Student Council President JC Valeroso regarding the conduct of fee increase consultation in the University of Sto Tomas a week ago.

The UST Administration issued a notice calling for a dialogue on February 26 between the Student Council Presidents and the Rector to talk about myriad issues and grievances with regard to tuition. It turned out that the dialogue was a tuition increase consultation for the next school year. The time and venue of the February 26 consultation was not stated in the said notice.

At the end of the one-sided meeting, the UST administration posted an 8.4 percent increase in their tuition.

“It was their long-crafted tactic to be able to implement anti-student policies. With this, the administration has once again committed blatant crime of depriving us, the students of our right to be consulted and right to be informed,” Valeroso said.

The questioned tuition increase in UST came a week after the controversial suspension of CHED Memo Order No. 14, which provided for a ceiling on the allowable school fee increase. CHED Chairman Carlito Puno has earlier defended their action saying that the suspension of the Memo is only for one year. In lieu of CMO 14, an old 1998 guideline was re-implemented – CMO 13.

“We already expected this to happen because of the suspension of the tuition increase ceiling – tuition increases will shoot up. Unfortunately, CHED is the one which encouraged the private schools for their ulterior motive for profit,” NUSP Executive Vice President Diana Directo explained. “Worse, that is at the expense of the students and their parents,” she added.

According to the student leaders, “the UST Administration violated both CMO 14 and CMO 13, but this whole hullabaloo can be attributed to the whimsical and biased action of CHED,” Directo said.

The Thomasian student leaders who led the campaign against the incessant fee increases were charged with violations against the Student Conduct and Discipline, particularly prohibiting students from engaging in assemblies, boycotts, and marches. However, it seems that they are far from being cowed.

“We will file counter-charges against UST for implementing an unconstitutional policy. We are, in fact, getting more support,” Valeroso finally said. ###

Student leaders plan filing of TRO against CHED's suspension of Tuition Cap

2007-03-01T22:37:00.000+08:00

Alleges possible Malacañang intervention

1 March 2007

"The lifting by CHED of the tuition cap to appease school owners reeks of Malacañang's intervention and we students will stop at nothing to ensure that this injustice is corrected."

This was the statement today of the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) secretary-general Alvin Peters when he revealed plans by the students to file a temporary restraining order (TRO) against CHED's Memorandum from the Chairman which lifted the tuition cap provided for by the amended CHED Memorandum Order No. 14 (CMO 14) last week.

"We are infuriated that the government agency that is supposed to safeguard the right of the students to quality and affordable education has turned its back on the students for the umpteenth time."

Earlier this week, the Commission on Higher Education had made public the suspension of CMO 14 and its subsequent amendments while restoring CMO 13, series of 1998, as the guidelines for tuition fee increases for the next school year.

"The students' hard-won gains in their campaign for a genuine mechanism of tuition and other fee regulation, has suffered a major setback because CHED has chosen to kowtow to private schools' interests."

Peters claimed that fierce lobbying by private school groups like COCOPEA (Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations) and CEAP (Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines) resulted in CHED's capitulation, thereby suspending the amended CMO 14 and as a result the tuition cap based on the inflation rate. Peters further alleged that Malacañang may have had a hand in CHED's action, saying "it is a grave possibility and one we are looking closely at, that powerful private school owners might have petitioned the President herself to intervene in the matter of the tuition cap."

"The CHED can no longer deny the reason behind the dubious suspension of CHED Memorandum Order number 14 and its amendments, which provides that tuition and other fee increases should not be more than the current inflation rate," Peters said.

"It is clear as the sun that COCOPEA has exerted undue influence and pressure for the removal of the tuition hike cap by claiming it "has affected their competitiveness and has prevented them from improving their facilities," he added.

Peters vowed that the NUSP together with other national youth groups such as KABATAAN Partylist and the College Editors Guild of the Philippines would resort to legal moves to enforce a moratorium on tuition and other fee increases for the next school year while CHED reviews its memorandum.

"We demand a freeze of all tuition and other fee hikes for Academic Year 2007-2008 while the matter of the CMO 14 is unresolved," Peters said. ###

Suspension of CHED memo 14 triggers bigger tuition hikes, sparks students' uproar

2007-02-27T20:31:00.000+08:00

Students call for moratorium on tuition and other fee increases

27 February 2007

Student leaders from different private schools in Metro Manila led by
the Kabataan Partylist and the National Union of Students of the
Philippines (NUSP) stormed the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
main office today to protest the hasty suspension of the CHED
Memorandum Order 14 (CMO 14) few days before the end of consultations
for tuition and other fee hike proposals.

This morning, student leaders from NUSP, LFS and Kabataan Partylist,
joined by students from University of Santo Tomas and Far Eastern
University, held a dialogue with CHED to seek enlightenment about the
abrupt suspension of CMO 14 and re-implementation of CMO 13.  Students
spray painted the façade of CHED office to show its disgust over the
immediate suspension of the said CMO, saying CHED was inutile and it
easily capitulated to the demands and pressure of COCOPEA
(Coordinating Council of Private Educators Association) and CEAP
(Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, student councils from the University of the East and the
University of Santo Tomas led other schools in the university belt in
a series of noise barrage action this afternoon to protest the sudden
increase in the rate of tuition hike proposals in several private
schools in the country immediately after the suspension of the CMO 14.

A candle lighting activity against unabated tuition increases will
ensue infront of the UST Jubillee gate at 5:00 pm.

Last February 20, CHED Chairman Carlito Puno released a new memorandum
informing all higher education institutions that CMO 14 and all
amendments thereto have been suspended "pending review by the
commission." In lieu of CMO 14, the memo provides that CMO 13 is to be
used for all tuition increase proposals for AY 2007-2008.

The re-implementation of CMO 13 effectively removes the cap on tuition
hikes based on the national inflation rate and the inclusion of
miscellaneous fees among the items that require student consultation.

2007-02-27T15:56:00.000+08:00

2007-02-25T17:21:00.000+08:00

2007-02-24T21:24:00.000+08:00

February 22, 2007
Jeffrey M. Tupas

MANILA -- Young stars Angel Locsin and Dennis Trillo are among the show business personalities who will appear in a star-studded video endorsing the new Kabataan Party-list (Youth).

Now featured in www.youtube.com, the Kabataan video has been attracting the attention of the youth, most of them expressing their support for the party, if not giggling over the presence of Trillo in the video.

Produced in January and released to the public this February, the video teaser had been on the top 35 videos of YouTube for four days. It can now be downloaded from the Internet and is being circulated in schools and communities nationwide.

"We did not pay the young people who appeared in the video. We let them read the script and they were the ones who chose what lines they would like to narrate," Mong Palatino, the group's national president and number one nominee, said in e-mail exchanges with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of the INQUIRER.net.

The brief description to the video says: "In this time of corrupt governance and political unrest/instability, the nation needs young, vibrant and innovative minds who will restore integrity and morality in governance and lead the nation to genuine progress and social change."

Also making a pitch for Kabataan in the video are noontime TV show hosts Ciara Sotto and Paolo Ballesteros, reggae band Brownman Revival vocalist Dino Concepcion, Agaw Agimat vocalist QT Paduano Nadela, TV host and student activist Atom Araullo, Filmmaker Sinag de Jesus, Palatino and fellow party nominees Rico Almoquera and Ella Colmenares.

Locsin, who was a member of the Anak ng Bayan (Kabataan's former name) in 2003, is the younger sister of Colmenares. Patino said they met with Locsin in January and asked the actress if she would agree to appear in the video teaser.

"We told her it is our aim to represent the youth sector in Congress and we can only be successful if young people will actively participate in our advocacies. She agreed. She asked her friend Dennis Trillo to be part of the video teaser and Dennis agreed too," Palatino said.

Ciara Sotto, who is also a member of Kabataan Party-list, asked Paolo Ballesteros to be part of the video.

"We want the young people to be more active, aggressive and creative in demanding reforms in the country. We hope to show the idealism of the youth. We want to manifest our disappointment about the current state of affairs in our country. Instead of wallowing in cynicism, we appeal to the passionate energies of the youth to work for genuine changes in our society," Palatino said.

"We thought of featuring young people from different walks of life who will articulate our message for a more active youth involvement in the social and political life of the country," Palatino added.

He said the video, as a political material, would be used by the party even after the elections -- whether or not they would get a seat in Congress.

"It intends to disrupt the disappointing status quo by proving that young people are really determined to fight for changes. TV ads of politicians were made mainly for the 2007 elections. Our video will be used even beyond the elections. Its objective is to encourage the youth to be more active in politics," he said.

"The involvement of youth personalities will help popularize the video among young people and hopefully our target audience will get our message. I hope they will also appreciate that the video featured not only showbiz personalities but also young people from different backgrounds," he added.

The video teaser has been receiving various reactions from the youth themselves.

"Masyadong matalas para sa pangkaraniwang kabataan. Highly political. Kunsabagay, kailangang basagin ang mga tradisyon para makapaghawan ng landas tungo sa pangmatagalang tagumpay. Nakakatuwa ring may mga celebrity endorsers na tayo. [Too sharp for the ordinary youth .... In any case, we need to break with tradition to create a path towards long-term success. It’s great we already have celebrity endorsers]," one commented.

"Finally, a party which I can give my full support to…You have my vote," another said.

"Sayang…di pa ako pede bumoto…[It’s a shame, I cannot vote yet] haissshh..But still, you have my support. This video made me think for a while, haha...nice one!" said another comment.

The only youth party aiming for a sectoral representation in Congress, the Kabataan Party (formerly Ang Nagkakaisang Kabataan para sa Sambayanan or Anak ng bayan) also ran in 2004 but failed to make it.

Named by Pulse Asia as one of the topmost favorite party-list groups in the 2004 elections, the group claimed being a victim of massive vote shaving and padding (dagdag-bawas).

The party's defeat however failed to deflate and weaken its desire to be at the forefront of the political arena as they worked with various youth organizations including the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP), and the Kabataang Artista Para sa Tunay na Kalayaan (Karatula).

Over the years, the party fought for the rights of the students and consistently blocked and campaigned against incessant tuition and other school fee increases while demanding from the government the people's basic right to a quality and free education.

This is a sector that demands to see "another Cory [Corazon] Aquino who united a grieving nation in the mid 1980s… a new Miriam Defensor-Santiago who amazed the youth with her wit and bravado during the early 1990s."

Also on its list of advocacies are employment, good governance, consumer rights, independence, democratic rights, youth empowerment, and identity and culture -- all of these articulated in the video in a rather assertive fashion that only the youth and the daring can muster.

"Kabataan, panahon na para sumuway at maging mapangahas…[It’s time for us to defy and to dare]," Trillo said in the teaser.

“Walang ibang tagapagmana ng bukas kundi tayo…walang ibang maghuhulma ng bukas kundi tayo…. [Nobody else will inherit the future but us ... Nobody else will shape the future but us],” Locsin said.

In January, Sotto, whose father Vicente “Tito” Sotto is running for senator under the government's TEAM Unity, signed up to join the party during its national convention.

In the teaser, the younger Sotto said: "Sumalungat sa karaniwang agos ng kawalang-pakialam [Let’s go against the usual flow of apathy]."

Palatino, in his own blog, said that the youth could actually make the election less filthy by going out on May 14 to vote. Voting, he said, was the youth's duty and responsibility.

"If the election is dominated by the elite, let's make the elite listen to our problems. If election is a popularity contest, let's demand a concrete platform from all candidates," Palatino said.

"If we abandon the elections and allow the trapos [traditional politicians] to dominate the campaign, elections will be more meaningless and futile exercise. But our vigilance and active engagement would probably make a difference in the reforms we want to achieve by electing competent leaders and removing imbeciles in government," Palatino added.

But voting, he said, would be just one of the many ways where the youth could actually get themselves involved during the elections.

Aside from voting, he said, the youth could volunteer for candidates and parties who "espouse what we think the country needs."

"We can report electoral violations [use those camera phones]. We can campaign for an honest and peaceful election through texting, chat, blog, and joining advocacy groups during the counting of votes," he said.

"We can cancel out all our activities on May 14 in order to brave the long queues and vote in our local precincts. If we don't vote, somebody else will vote on our behalf. Remember, ghost voters are hard to catch in a superstitious country like ours. Voting is also a rare chance to get even with bad politicians," he added.

The youth party is also out to dispel political analysts’ doubts about the capacity of the Filipino youth to deliver votes.

"Young voters could potentially dictate who will seat in the Senate and the next batch of local leaders. This is possible if the youth will vote on May or if they are not registered, influence family and friends to vote for candidates they want to win," he said.

"Analysts doubt the potency of the youth vote. According to them, the youth will not be a significant force in deciding the outcome of the coming polls. This is our chance to prove the skeptics wrong. The youth vote is real. We only need candidates who can inspire the youth with their creative and sensible election agenda," he added.

Students Hold National Day of Action vs. Tuition and Miscellaneous Fee Hikes

2007-02-24T14:55:00.001+08:00

Slam new round of fee increases for next school year

22 February

The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) and KABATAAN Partylist led students from various private schools around Metro Manila in a “national day of protest against unabated tuition and other fee increases” today at the University Belt in Manila.

Around 2000 students from various schools such as University of Sto. Tomas, Far Eastern University, University of the East-Manila and Recto, De La Salle Araneta University, Centro Escolar University, Mapua Institute of Technology, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Lyceum of the Philippines, St. Scholasticas College, Asian School of Arts and Sciences and the Technological Institute of the Philippines-Quezon City participated in a program along Morayta Avenue that showcased the students’ creativity and energy, with KABATAAN Partylist mascot “Isko” entertaining passersby.

“The National Day of Action today is particularly timely because this month, many schools are proposing to implement tuition and other fee increases next school year in the series of tuition consultations currently underway,” said NUSP secretary-general Alvin Peters.

Peters said that any proposed increases in tuition and other fees next year are “completely unjustified” because the question of the legality of the fee increases implemented last school year “remains unresolved and unaddressed.”

Peters revealed that the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) had released two memoranda which amended CHED’s highly controversial Memorandum No. 14 (CMO 14): CHED Memo Order 42, series of 2006 and CHED Memo Order 7, series of 2007. Students had protested CMO 14 for having placed exemptions to student consultations, namely for tuition increase proposals below or equivalent to the national inflation rate and fee increases for incoming freshmen.

“CHED has essentially conceded that CMO 14 is illegal for having removed student consultations in the first place,” Peters said. “By amending the illegal memo order, CHED has validated the students’ demand that tuition and other fee increases imposed this school year using CMO 14 are all illegal and should be refunded.”

CHED Memo 42 amended CMO 14 by in effect setting the prevailing national inflation rate as the tuition cap and restoring mandatory consultation for all levels.

But Peters maintained that amending CMO 14 still remains “not good enough, especially in the light of a new round of tuition and other fee increases and despite the failure to refund illegal fee increases for the current school year.”

Peters said that several schools have already held tuition consultations using the amended CMO 14 as the guidelines for the proposals for fee increases in June. “St. Scholasticas College concluded their tuition consultation Wednesday with a proposal 6 percent tuition increase, while the Technological Institute of the Philippines-Manila and QC campuses have announced plans to increase tuition by 6.2 percent, the national inflation rate as declared by CHED. Some schools according to Peters are also allegedly proposing increases above the 6.2 percent national inflation rate, such as the Asian School of Arts and Sciences with a proposed 10 percent tuition hike.

“As long as these yearly increases in school fees continue unabated and tuition spirals ever higher, tertiary education will continue to remain a distant dream for millions of Filipino youth,” said Raymond Palatino, KABATAAN Partylist national president and nominee. “And hence, in the coming 2007 elections, the youth will present this challenge to the aspiring lawmakers, whether or not these potential lawmakers take up our challenge will be our standard for electing them,” Palatino said.

Youths gear for nationwide class boycott

2007-02-24T14:50:00.000+08:00

Inquirer
Last updated 04:02am (Mla time) 02/18/2007

MILITANT student and youth organizations nationwide are gearing for a boycott of classes in Metro Manila and key cities across the country on Feb. 22 to protest the new round of tuition and other school fee increases.

"Tuition and other fee increases in these times of economic hardship and poverty are clearly uncalled for. These only make college education more elusive to young Filipinos," Kabataan Party-list president Raymond Palatino said in a statement.

Aside from the Kabataan Party-list, several chapters of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines and the National Union of Students of the Philippines in major private schools in Metro Manila and other cities nationwide are also set to join the protest action.

According to Palatino, his group and the NUSP—together with student representatives from De La Salle University, Araneta University, University of the East, Mapua Institute of Technology, Philippine School for Business and Arts, Lyceum of the Philippines, Centro Escolar University and University of Santo Tomas—already filed a consolidated complaint at the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) last Feb. 15 against their school administrations over violations in the guidelines for tuition and other fee increases.

He reiterated the students' call for a full refund of illegally collected tuition and other fee increases for the current school year.

"Private schools and CHEd should first settle the issues over the illegal implementation of tuition and other fee hikes this school year... before approving proposals for another round of school fee increases," Palatino said.

He said the school year was about to end but private schools which increased tuition and other fees have not yet started giving refund to the students.

"If these school administrators will get away with the illegal tuition hikes they implemented this school year, it's likely that they will implement even bigger increases for the upcoming semester without student consultation," he warned.

"While CHEd issued an en banc resolution last May, it only stipulated a refund for tuition hikes which exceeded the inflation rate," Palatino added.

He argued that tuition and other fee increases imposed this school year are illegal since a CHEd memorandum, which became the basis for these increases, violated Republic Act No. 6728, Section 10, which provides that any proposal for school fee increase should undergo student consultation.

In the same statement, NUSP secretary general Alvin Peters and CEGP president Jose Cosido called on CHEd and lawmakers to investigate dubious fees which are being collected by various private schools in the country.

"These fees are not only superfluous, these are downright ridiculous. Private schools are imposing exorbitant fees to jack up their profits," Peters said.

As an example, he said the Philippine Maritime Institute is charging its students with a safety on land and seas fee that is worth P5,000 to P6,000 while UE in Manila is charging cultural fee that is worth P162 and Internet fee of P976.

"The Asian School of Arts and Sciences is collecting P250 for athletic fee even if the school doesn't have a varsity team," Peters revealed.

The group claimed that more dubious fees are being charged by private schools like energy fee, development fee, accreditation fee, centennial fee or foundation fee and aircondition fee. Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon

Campaign Memorandum No. 1, Series of 2007: Campaign Memorandum and Student Leaders’ Guide to Tuition and Other Fee Increases

2007-02-15T00:25:00.000+08:00

8 February 2007

INTRODUCTION

This month, students from different colleges and universities nationwide face another round of tuition and other fee increase (ToFI) proposals. Private schools have made a routine out of the annual increases in school fees as they mouth “inflationary adjustment” to justify their motive. Quite unfortunately too, CHED memo order 14, as amended, implicitly echoes the same argument of school owners.

But, as student leaders, we are borne with the responsibility to critically analyze the situation and campaign for the protection of our right to education against incessant school fee increases. We are tasked to confront the problem head-on through well-planned mass campaign, creative and sustained collective actions, and well-strategized dialogues and negotiations.

BACKGROUND

This academic year (2006-2007), we pressed for the scrapping of CHED Memo Order 14 as we criticized its bias towards school owners and administrations regarding tuition and other fee increases. Our main points of criticism to CMO 14 (not exhaustive) were:

1. It provided exemptions to consultations if the increase is within the declared national inflation rate and when the increase is applicable only to incoming freshmen;

2. It legitimized exorbitant fees and new fees to be collected by the school without proper guidelines on the nature of fees allowable to be collected;

3. It lessened student and multi-sectoral participation in the consultations and reiterated the long-criticized faulty consultation processes allowed by the CHED memo.

In addition to the first point of criticism, we found out that CMO 14 violated RA 6728 as the former contradicted the consultation requirement of the latter. To be more specific, the exemptions to consultations in CMO 14 violated Section 10 of RA 6728, which states that “In any proposed increase in the rate of tuition fee, there shall be appropriate consultations…”

Because of this, we called for the refund of the illegal tuition and other fee increases. Hence, we launched the Tuition Refund Campaign. Aside from this, we also encouraged student leaders from various schools to lodge their complaints at CHED and call for the same refund.

INITIAL STUDENT VICTORIES

In the local scene, students from NCR schools UST, UE Manila and Caloocan, DLS-AU, Mapua, filed complaints to CHED and the efforts solidified the efforts of the students, as well as exposing their schools’ mechanisms in increasing school fees. St. Louis University of Baguio, meanwhile filed a complaint to the Regional Trial Court against SLU’s “carry-over sheme” of tuition increase. Student leaders in Davao City successfully gathered signatures from students in different private schools and lodged the complaint jointly to CHEDRO-Davao. These are some examples of local actions and activities regarding the ToFI campaign.

In the national scope, CHED issued an ante-dated memorandum that nullified ToFI above 7.6% (national inflation rate). CHED en banc Resolution 334-2006 dated 8 May 2006 became the basis for partial refund of ToFI in schools that posted increases above 7.6%. However, the implementation of the refund was not well coordinated and monitored. Moreover, it is still far from our call for full refund of the illegal ToFI.

Last September 2006, CHED called for a meeting of the Technical Committee for the Amendment of CMO 14. NUSP is a member of that committee, and we asserted for urgent reforms in the memo. It is not until January this year that we found that CHED issued another antedated memo that amended CMO 14. CHED memo 42, s.2006, dated 27 September 2006, provided the following amendments:

1. Section 8 of CMO 14 was amended as follows:

“Section 8. Tuition and Other Fees. The allowable increase in tuition and other fees in all levels should not be more than the prevailing national inflation rate.

Any increases in tuition and other fees in all levels to be made by private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) shall be subject to consultation with stakeholders, in accordance with the processes set forth in this Order, and approval of the Commission on Higher Education through the CHED Regional Offices.” (CMO 42 s.2006 section 1)

2. Section 10 of CMO 14 was deleted. (CMO 42 s.2006 section 2) Remember that sec10 of CMO 14 is the provision that provided for the exemptions to consultations.

TASKS AND PROSPECTS

The amendment of CMO 14 further validated the correctness of our call to refund the illegal tuition and other fee increases, and in essence, proved the rightness of our criticisms against CMO 14. As such, we must learn to utilize these victories and developments to further the cause of the studentry and restrain the round of ToFI for the next school year.

Primarily, we have to campaign to “STOP ToFI!” or to stop tuition and other fee increases in schools. Student leaders must take the step forward to arouse, organize, and mobilize the students to stop ToFI in their schools. This will be done through mass campaign and collective action.

Secondarily, we have to continue to campaign for the full REFUND of illegal ToFI in the present academic year. This secondary call should be made complementary to the primary by using the argument that schools must not venture to another round of ToFI because their previous ToFI is still on question because of the illegality of the process it underwent. (non-consultation with sectors involved; also because of the exemptions provided by CMO 14 before it was amended.)

Translating that to the national level, we must assert to the Commission on Higher Education that they should finally issue a memorandum ordering the refund of the fee increases in AY 2006-2007 in the schools nationwide. Also, further progressive amendments to CMO 14 must be pushed.

Local (in schools) and national campaigns must complement each other.

GUIDE IN THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST TOFI THIS YEAR

Because of CMO 42, which amended CMO 14, we expect consultation notices to be posted in conspicuous places around campuses as early as January. (Some had their consultations at the last quarter of 2006.) Strictly speaking, according to CMO 14, consultations must be “conducted not later than February 28 prior to the Academic Year the intended increase shall take effect.” Therefore, we have every right to question if the consultation of a school shall be conducted after February 28.

Particularly, here are some pointers for student leaders on what we should do in case the school proposes tuition and other fee increases:

Ø Build on the principle that education is a right. It is not acceptable, fair, and just for schools to increase their fees at a situation when the Filipino youth has already been eased out of education because of its inaccessibility.

Ø Conduct extensive research on the fee increase proposal (How much? For what purpose? Is it acceptable?), current school fees collected, and the financial stature of the school. Demand for the pertinent documents. It is your right. (RA 6728 and even CMO 14)

Ø Inform the students about the issue. Conduct forums and symposia regarding the subject matter.

Ø Organize tactical and issue-based alliances with fellow students, parents, faculty, and non-academic personnel against the new round of fee increase.

Ø Student councils/members in the consultation panel must ally and prepare negotiation tactics with the other like-minded members of the panel (i.e., faculty association, alumni association, employees union)

Ø Mobilize students on the call. Conduct creative and sustained collective actions like manifesto signing, colored-shirt wearing, streamer hanging, pin-wearing, mass actions, and the like.

Attachments and immediate references:

CHED Memo Order 14, s. 2005.

CHED Memo Order 42, s. 2006.

NUSP Campaign Memo, November 2006.

Complementary references:

Students’ Critique to CMO 14, prepared by NUSP, May 2006.

Restrictive school fees reduce access to college education, NUSP, June 2006.

Armed Men in Motorcycle Stalk UEP Student Regent

2007-02-03T11:09:00.000+08:00

26 January 2007

University of Eastern Philippines (UEP) Student Regent Jean Orsolino is now on hiding after she nearly escaped possible abduction by alleged military men around 10am today in Catarman, Northern Samar. In a text message, she related that she was having a haircut in a salon when a “dark-skinned man in military shorts and haircut” entered and was apparently looking for someone.

“Di siya kilala ng salon owners. Ako ang tinitignan niya. There and then, kinabahan na ako,” said Orsolino. She knew that the man has other companions outside the salon. Instantaneously, she called her classmates from the College of Law to fetch and accompany her back to the campus. Along the way, they decided to go to a safer place rather than go directly to UEP.

“There are circumstantial evidence that point that the persons who stalk Jean are the same to those who murdered Prof. Jose Ma. Cui, also from UEP, just a week ago,” said National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) President Marco Delos Reyes. “During our national student convention early this month, she related to us that she is in the order of battle (OB) of the military in Northern Samar. A week after, Prof. Cui was cold-bloodedly murdered inside his classroom. During the wake of the professor, news spread that a law student was the next target,” added Delos Reyes.

Jean Orsolino is the current president of the UEP University Student Council and member of the university’s Board of Regents as student representative. She became Eastern-Visayas coordinator of NUSP during her undergraduate years in the mid-1990s. She builds the NUSP chapter in Northern Samar now that she has returned back to school to study law.

Delos Reyes remarked, “Jean’s case is not isolated. We have received the same reports from our chapters and members from other provinces since last year. Mrs. Arroyo’s hands are indeed tainted with the people’s blood, and we cannot allow this to continue.” He added, “We call on the auxiliary government agencies like the Commission on Human Rights, CHeD, and even the National Youth Commission to conduct investigation to safeguard the lives of the students.”

“We warn the Arroyo government and the military not to lay even a finger to youth and student leaders throughout the country. We will fight back,” he finally said. ###

2007-01-31T18:47:00.000+08:00

Salubungin ang Kabataan Party

2007-01-23T21:05:00.000+08:00

Angel L. Tesorero

(Reposted from Pinoy Weekly, pinoyweekly.org)

Tiyak, marami na namang pulitiko ang manliligaw sa kabataan ngayong halalan. Mangangako sila, na kapag nahalal, isusulong nila ang interes ng "pag-asa ng bayan." Ngunit pagkatapos ng eleksiyon, gaya ng mga nagdaang halalan, mapapako ang lahat.

Hindi tuloy masisi ang karamihan sa kabataan, sakaling mawalan na sila ng gana na lumahok pa sa anumang eleksiyon. Pare-pareho lang anila ang nauupo sa puwesto, wala nang pag-asang mapalitan ang bulok na sistema ng gobyerno. Bagaman higit sa 50% ng mga rehistradong botante ang nasa sektor ng kabataan, mahirap na hamon ang pagbuklurin at pakilusin sila bilang nagkakaisang puwersa - bagay na siyang haharapin ng Kabataan Party ngayong darating na halalan.

Sasabak muli

Kahit maraming kabataan ang hindi na umaasang mababago ang lumang sistema, may tugon ang Kabataan Party: Pulitika ng Pag-asa, Pakikibaka at Pagbabago. Ito ang ibinungad sa PINOY WEEKLY ni Raymond Palatino, tagapangulo ng partido, kilalang lider-estudyante at dating tagapangulo ng Konseho ng mga Mag-aaral sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas at presidente ng NUSP (National Union of Students in the Philippines).

Ito ang ikalawang pagkakataong sasabak sa halalan ang Kabataan Party, na kilala noon sa pangalang Anak ng Bayan Youth Party-list. Lumahok ito noong halalang 2004, at nakalikom ng halos 216,000 boto - kulang na lang ng halos 35,000 boto para makuha ang isang puwesto sa Kongreso.

Edukasyon at trabaho para sa mga kabataan ang pangunahing platapormang dala-dala ng Kabataan Party. Ayon kay Palatino, isusulong ng kanilang partido ang batayang karapatan ng kabataan para sa edukasyon sa pamamagitan ng paggigiit ng dagdag na pondo sa edukasyon at kagyat na pagpapatigil sa tumitinding komersiyalisasyon ng edukasyon.

Ipaglalaban din ng partido na mabigyan ang mga kabataan at mga mamamayan ng disenteng empleyo, pantay na oportunidad at makataong kondisyon ng pamumuhay. Ang mga ito ang tugon sa sitwasyong nagtutulak sa kabataan para mangibang-bansa, gaano man ang panganib.

Bagaman may iba pang partido ng kabataan na lalahok sa halalan, pinakamalaki at pinakamalawak na partidong angkabataan ang Kabataan Party. Mayroon itong mga sangay sa iba't ibang pampubliko at pribadong paaralan sa buong bansa. Malawak ang kasapian nito sa mga komunidad sa kanayunan at kalunsuran. Nakarekluta na ng mahigit 100,000 volunteers ang Kabataan Party na magsisilbing makinarya nito ngayong eleksiyon.

Kampanya ng Kabataan Party

Kapos man sa pinansiya, malawak naman ang network na sumusuporta sa Kabataan Party. Binubuo ito ng NUSP, alyansa ng mga konseho ng mga mag-aaral; CEGP (College Editors Guild of the Philippines), pambansang samahan ng mga pahayagang pangkampus na itinatag noon pang 1931; Anakbayan, komprehensibong organisasyon ng mga kabataan na kinabibilangan ng mga batang propesyunal, estudyante at mga kabataan sa komunidad; LFS (League of Filipino Students), organisasyon ng mga estudyante na aktibong kasapi sa Asian Students' Association at International Union of Students; at SCMP (Student Christian Movement of the Philippines) , relihiyosong organisasyon ng mga estudyante sa mga paaralan.

Simple lang ang pangangampanyang gagawin ng Kabataan Party, hindi magarbo, maaaring walang naglalakihang streamer at poster at komersiyal sa radyo, telebisyon at diyaryo. (Hamon nga ng Kabataan Party sa mga tradisyunal na pulitiko na ipambili na lang ng pagkain para sa mga nagugutom ang kanilang gagastusin sa kampanya.) Subalit tinitiyak ng Kabataan Party na aabot hanggang sa pinakasulok na mga komunidad ang kanilang pangangampanya.

Noong nakaraang halalan, nakatoka sa iba't ibang komunidad at barangay ang mga campaign team ng Anak ng Bayan Youth Party-list. Kumatok sila sa bahay-bahay at nakipagtalakayan sa pami-pamilya. Dahil epektibo, muli itong gagawin ng Kabataan Party.

Gagamitin din ng Kabataan Party ang makabagong teknolohiya pang mas malawak pang maipalaganap ang kanilang programa. Papasukin nila ang cyberspace o internet. Pagaganahin nila ang mga Txt Brigade. (Texting ang isang naging susi sa pagpapakilos ng kabataan noong Edsa Dos.) Uugnay rin sila sa mga Sangguniang Kabataan upang magdaos ng pulong-talakayan sa mga komunidad.

Magbubuo ang Kabataan Party ng mga anti-fraud at poll watch team upang bantayan ang pandaraya at karahasan. Handa ring makipag-usap ang Kabataan Party sa mga pulitikong maninindigan para sa kapakanan ng kanilang sektor. Tahasan nilang lalayuan ang mga pulitikong naging instrumento sa panunupil sa kabataan at mga mamamayan.

Pag-asa at kinabukasan

Nangangamba si Palatino na magiging madugo ang darating na halalan. Noong nakaraang eleksiyon, isang buwang ikinulong nang walang kaso ang ikalimang nominado ng Anak ng Bayan na si Ronald Ian Evidente sa Negros. Ilang lider-kabataan na rin ang napaslang at dinukot sa ilalim ng administrasyong Arroyo dahil kabilang sila sa mga militante at progresibong kritikal sa gobyerno.

Gayunpaman, bukas at handa ang Kabataan Party sa pag-aalay ng talino, lakas at kung anupaman ang kinakailangan para sa pangmatagalang pagbabago ng lipunan. Tungo rito, tinatanggap ng Kabataan Party ang hamon sa pagsusulong, pagtatanggol at pagpapaunlad sa interes ng kabataan - na ang hantungan ay ang pagkakamit ng demokratiko, masagana at mapayapang lipunan.

Ang paglulunsad ng paglahok ng Kabataan Party sa halalang 2007 ay gaganapin sa pambansang kumbensiyon nito sa Enero 19 sa San Juan Gymnasium. Ang tema ay nagbibigkis sa iba't ibang amdamin at pag-iisip ng sektor: "Kabataan, Tayo ang Pag-asa at Kinabukasan!"

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

2007-01-18T18:50:00.000+08:00

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

A classic display of subservience to the US

2006-12-28T13:45:00.000+08:00

(taken from Inquirer; inq7.net)
Last updated 01:15am (Mla time) 12/28/2006

WE THOUGHT that our Philippine Constitution classes were clear enough for the common tao. Article II, Sec. 7 states that "The State shall pursue an independent foreign policy. In its relations with other states, the paramount consideration shall be national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest, and the right to self-determination."

However, it looks like our government, represented by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez and Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo, does not understand this very simple principle. They think that the Visiting Forces Agreement is over and above the Philippine Constitution.

Gonzalez had no right to scold Judge Benjamin Pozon over the media when the latter refused to turn over rape convict L/Cpl. Daniel Smith to US custody. We're sure that Gonzalez does not even understand the logic and principles on which Judge Pozon based his decision.

It is really a shame to have a government that cares more about its relationship with a foreign country than its relationship with its own people. Because of the Subic rape case custody issue, the Filipino people will all the more realize how they are being deprived of justice and law.

Again, we have no one else to blame but Secretary Gonzalez and the person he represents. His "lawyering" for an American rape convict is a classic act of subservience to foreign rule.

But if there is subservience from the puppet government, we thank that there is also strong resistance from the people. We thank Judge Pozon. We thank Nicole. We thank the multitude of Filipinos who continue to defy the US demand, in the name of sovereignty, independence and national dignity.

--MARCO M. DELOS REYES, national president, National Union of Students of the Philippines, via e-mail

Students Chide Malacañang over 2007 Budget Impasse

2006-12-23T10:06:00.000+08:00

23 December 2006

“They’re like the Grinch hiding in Santa Claus’s clothes.”

This was the pronouncement of the National Union of Students of the Philippines over Malacañang’s persistence to pass the 4.7 billion peso-worth school feeding program in the 2007 budget. Senate wanted to realign the said budget to school buildings and hiring of teachers citing that the feeding program will only be used in the 2007 elections. However, the House counterpart wanted the budget passed without Senate alterations.

Congress recessed on Thursday without passing a 2007 national budget. This will be the fourth time in President Arroyo’s incumbency that the country will run on a reenacted budget.

“We, the students, will not be used by the hypocritical charity of Mrs. Arroyo for their campaign in the 2007 elections. We agree with the Senate that the root of corruption must be weeded out from the budget,” declared NUSP President Marco Delos Reyes.

He explained that malnutrition and hunger among the Filipino students “can only be addressed sincerely by bringing livelihood to the families, and not by giving temporary and paltry food.” Delos Reyes added metaphorically, “It is very ironic. Government removed income for food from the Filipino families when they increased VAT, but now they want their candidate’s names to be put on the plates to be served to the school children.”

“The Senate approached the problem properly as they wanted the fund realigned to school buildings and hiring of additional teachers. We see that as a better investment,” said Delos Reyes.

However, the student union also expressed their apprehension that the reenacted budget will still be used in the coming May elections. They explained, “In 2004 we also had a reenacted budget. That gave the incumbent much discretionary funds that they used for campaign like the fertilizer scam, Philhealth cards, etc.”

This early, NUSP called for vigilance over the coming 2007 elections from the youth. “These are the events foreboding. The youth must prepare to stand and protect the sanctity of the ballot.” ###

Eroded Integrity of the UP BOR and Administration

2006-12-21T04:33:00.000+08:00

I was once a member of the UP Board of Regents. We were the group of people who voted to seat Dr. Emerlinda Roman as the UP President to replace the retiring Dr. Francisco Nemenzo. That was in 2004.

I criticized the structure of the BOR. Along with the UP community, we sought to democratize decision-making in the beleaguered University of the Philippines by advocating democratization through the passage of the unit assemblies in the UP Charter. We believed that the BOR is far less accountable to the University because of its skewed composition (with six Malacañang appointees, including the CHED chair) and representation (only one Regent for student and faculty).

The erroneous decision of the UP BOR on December 15, which approved the proposed 300 percent tuition increase, manifested the indifference of the Board of Regents to the constituency they were supposed to represent. It came as natural as raindrops because of the inherent structure of the board. But that is not my main argument and point of reflection here.

Let me still work inside the framework of the Board. The BOR I knew was cautious and careful so as to build a sense of legitimacy in its decisions. This is important in an academic community where legitimacy comes from the ability of board decisions, policies, and actions to withstand highly adversarial and intellectual public scrutiny and debate. I realized that principle more when we elected the next UP President (that is, Dr. Roman).

I remember President Dodong Nemenzo’s reminder to the members of the Board then: come the time that we are to decide on the UP Presidency, we should be in no less than a perfect attendance. Meaning: twelve members present and voting. That we did.

Unfortunately, this is not the case with the present BOR leadership. Leaving the Student Regent and Faculty Regent behind, seven (7) members of the BOR convened covertly at the UP College of Law, after an abrupt and unannounced change of venue, and approved without objection the 300 percent tuition increase proposal. 20 minutes were all they needed to discuss and approve the proposal. CHED Chair Puno and Pres. Roman made JDV’s con-ass effort an LRT compared to their Maglev. Dr. Roman has just given a new operational definition to the word railroad.

The BOR and UP administration cannot only withstand public scrutiny and debate; they refused and evaded public scrutiny and debate. In the past years, the BOR has been barricaded in its meetings at UPLB, UP PGH and even at Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, and they faced the community squarely. But recently, they hid behind a bush and even barred those that they thought do not belong to the clique. Certainly, there is no legitimacy in their shrouded act.

The fact is, they cannot look at the iskolars ng bayan in the eye because their actions disregarded social responsibility and universality of education – principles that UP kept in its last 98 years of existence. Education in our country has all the more become the right of the few.

Now, my enthusiasm to the Centennial of UP in 2008 has gone. I expect grand pomp and pageantry, but the meaning has lost. Despite of this, I still have hope for the students, and selfless faculty and employees who continue to spread their arms like Oblation. Indeed, they are the true carriers of what we know as “UP”.

Tuloy ang Laban!

MARCO M. DELOS REYES

UP Student Regent (2004)

NUSP National President

21 December 2006

PRIMER ON THE TUITION REFUND CAMPAIGN

2006-12-19T10:22:00.000+08:00

Why do youth and student groups demand tuition refund?

In brief, the Commission on Higher Education implemented a new tuition regulation policy (CHED Memo Order 14, series of 2005) which allowed schools to increase tuition without consulting students, parents, faculty and other stakeholders of education if the increase is below the prevailing inflation rate.

According to the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education, in its meeting on 5 June 2006, the CHED Memo Order 14 is illegal since it violated Republic Act 6728 which states that, “In any proposed increase in the rate of tuition fee, there shall be appropriate consultations conducted by the school administration with the duly organized parents and teachers associations and faculty associations with respect to secondary schools, and with student governments or councils, alumni and faculty associations with respect to colleges.” (Section 10)

Because the Commission on Higher Education erred by issuing an illegal tuition guidelines procedure (which private schools followed for their tuition and other fee increases this academic year), students demanded for the full refund of tuition and other fee increases this school year as a rightful remedy.

What is CHED Memo Order 14?

CHED Memo Order 14 (CMO 14), entitled “Guidelines and Procedures to be observed by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) intending to increase Tuition and Other School Fees and introduce New Fees” is the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) response to the growing resistance of Filipinos over increasing tuition and other fees, which render access to education more difficult during these times of economic hardship and crisis. It has the following features, according to CHED (non exhaustive):

> it covers not only tuition but “other school fee” increases including “new fees”;

> allowable increase in both tuition and other fees less than or equivalent to the prevailing year’s inflation rates, shall not be subjected to consultations; increase of tuition and other fees over the prevailing year’s average inflation rate shall require a consultation process with the concerned sectoral representatives;

CMO 14 is the revised guidelines of the previous CHED Memo Order 13 series of 1998 underlining the procedures for schools intending to increase tuition. However, CMO 13 proved to be ineffective in tuition increase as private schools evaded the memorandum through institution of new fees and circumvention of the consultation process.

The National Union of Students of the Philippines, along with other youth and student organizations and student councils, organized protest actions and pressed upon reforms in the regulation of school fees. Hence, on 9 May 2005, CHED adopted CMO 14. However, the struggle for accessible education in the country remains as the new memo order, in fact, aggravated the school fee increases and leaves much to be desired by the Filipino people.

What are the contentions of the students with regard to CMO 14?

Foremost of these, CMO 14 explicitly provided exemptions for consultations in Article 3, Sec 10, and they are as follows:

“Consultations shall not be required for the following:

> The rate of increases in tuition and other school fees is less than or equal to the rate of the prevailing year’s national inflation rate as determined by the National Economic Development Program.

> Tuition for incoming freshmen. However, any increase shall be based on prevailing national inflation rate.”

CHED employed a false sense of logic for using the prevailing inflation rate as an index to the rate of tuition and other fees. By allowing increases without student consultations, the CHED institutionalized annual increases in tuition, other fees and new fees as students are stricken off their role to confront these increases through student consultations. There must always be student consultations regardless of how small or big the rate of increases will be.

CHED, itself, stripped itself off its regulatory function (and responsibility) in CMO 14 because of the consultation exemption based on the National Inflation Rate. CHED Regional Offices (CHEDRO) would only need to check the documentary requirements (article 5, sec 13, except letter b) of schools proposing within the NIR. Hence, the schools shall only wait for ministerial confirmation of their fee proposals.

The basic point is that, at these times of increasing prices of consumer goods and utilities, an increase in school fees, even though within the inflation rate, is already an injustice to students and parents alike. Access to quality education, thus, becomes narrower to the Filipino people.

Secondly, CMO 14 did not regulate the kinds of “other fees” that may be collected by schools. In fact, it even legitimized those anomalous fees’ existence:

“Charges in addition to tuition that are collected for a specific purpose or service, as may be identified by the school authorities such as medical and dental, athletic, audio-visual, guidance, insurance, laboratory fee, laboratory deposit, library, student organization, internet, school publication, energy, developmental, related learning experience, study tours, miscellaneous, etc.” (Article 2, Section 6)

Thirdly, the consultation process stipulated in CMO 14 remains to be a “sermon at the mount” because a) the number of student participants were reduced to “at most three representatives”, and b) students’ ideas and dissension to fee increase proposals are not necessarily incorporated as they are only “noted” and needs only to be reflected in the minutes of the meeting.

Take note that consultations in CMO 14 are only required for those fee increases above the inflation rate.

How did the Congress Committee on Higher and Technical Education (CHTE) came up with the pronouncement of the illegality of CMO 14?

The National Union of Students of the Philippines, along with fellow national youth and student organizations College Editors Guild of the Philippines, Anakbayan, League of Filipino Students, Student Christian Movement, and Kabataan Party, continuously informed the studentry and the public about the faults of CMO 14. These organizations launched a campaign against CMO 14 and lobbied it at Congress.

At the June 5, 2006 meeting of the CHTE, students revealed to the committee that CMO 14 provided exemptions to fee consultations. With this revelation, the committee members responded that this should not be the case because the CHED should follow its mandate to regulate tuition. Cong. Abayon expounded on this:

“Rep. Harlin Abayon (1st District, Northern Samar), chairman of the Committee on Higher and Technical Education said CHED was not only negligent in its mandate to regulate tuition increase but it also violated Section 10 of RA 6728.

Abayon said a feature in CHED Memo Order 14 (CMO 14) allows increase in both tuition and other fees less than or equivalent to the prevailing year's inflation rates without consultation.

Abayon cited Section 10 of RA 6728 that states ‘In any proposed increase in the rate of tuition fee, there shall be appropriate consultations conducted by the school administration with the duly organized parents and teachers associations and faculty associations with respect to secondary schools, and with student governments or councils, alumni and faculty associations with respect to college.’

’This memo does not only violate RA 6728 but in fact amended the provision on consultation,’ Abayon said.” (12 June 2006, Congress Public Relations and Information Department, http://www.congress.gov.ph/press/)

Because of this pronouncement, the Tuition Refund Campaign was launched as early as June and July in the first semester of academic year 2006-2007.

What were the activities of the Tuition Refund Campaign?

The convening student organizations of the tuition refund campaign launched a Student Manifesto of Unity and quickly conducted information campaign to students nationwide. A blog site (http://www.tuitionrefund.blogspot.com/) was also launched to be the carrier of all pertinent documents and updates of the campaign.

Likewise, protests were launched at the CHED’s offices to push it to adhere to the pronouncement of Congress that CMO 14 is illegal, and that a full refund of tuition and other fee increase should ensue. Student leaders from various schools also lodged their complaints to the CHED regional offices against several schools to add up to the pressure for refund, in general and a resolution to the complaints, in particular. Notable campaigns were launched in UE Manila and Caloocan, UST, DLS-AU, and the private schools in Davao City.

How did the CHED react to the call of Tuition Refund?

CHED did not answer squarely the call of the students for full refund of the fee increases. The Commission insinuated on July 2006 that they adopted a resolution en banc prohibiting tuition increase above 7.6 percent, or the declared national inflation rate for 2006. The said resolution is thus stated:

RESOLUTION 334-2006

RESOLVE AS IT IS HEREBY RESOVED, that the Commission agreed that no private higher education institutions shall be allowed to increase tuition, miscellaneous, and other fees beyond the National Inflation Rate of 7.6% for School Year 2006-2007. (8 May 2006)

Take note that the resolution was dated 8 May 2006. However, CHED did implement this resolution in July 2006 only because of the clamor of the students for a full refund of fee increase. This action is, in fact, admittance on the part of CHED that it did erred in coming up with CMO 14. Aside from that, CHED also created a Technical Committee for the Review of CMO 14 in September 2006.

Because of the CHED resolution, around 140 schools nationwide has to refund their tuition and other fee increases until it reaches the limit of 7.6%. Students recognize this achievement as a small victory in the campaign. However, the campaign still remains to push for the full refund of tuition and other fee increases even in schools which have only increased fees by 7.6% because the fact still remains that they violated a law that necessitates consultations in any amount of increase.

How many schools should refund their tuition fees to students?

This school year, out of 1,428 private higher education institutions (PHEIs), 27.31 percent or 395 schools have increased their tuition. Of that total number of schools increasing tuition, 194 are increases above the inflation rate while 201 are below or equal to the inflation. This data was given by CHED in June 2, 2006. Hence, the number of schools that have increased their fees must have increased since that date.

Based on this number, there should be no less than 395 schools which must fully refund their fee increases to the students. According to CHED, in their adjusted number of schools that increased above 7.6%, there should be around 140 schools that will have to partially refund their fees to students in adherence to the CHED en banc resolution.

More or less, two million students nationwide would benefit in the refund of fee increases.

Is tuition refund possible when classes have already started in the second semester?

A quick answer: yes. Supposedly, schools should have refunded in the first semester. Some schools, for example, UE, DLS-AU, University of Batangas, have partially refunded their tuition collected in their adherence to CHED’s en banc resolution in the first semester. So, it is but proper for the other schools which have not done their refund in the first semester to conduct the refund now. And since it is already the second semester, the schools must roll back their tuition to reflect the refunded percentage in the first semester.

Student leaders take note: we have to reiterate that while it is proper for the schools to partially refund in accordance with the May 8 CHED resolution, schools must refund the fee increases in full because they violated the law for their non-consultation.

How can the schools refund the tuition and other fee increases?

Firstly, schools must organize a refund monitoring committee (multi-sectorally composed) to ensure the proper implementation of the refund. In most cases, student leaders have to assert for the creation of this committee. Take note that the refund also covers miscellaneous and other fee increases.

Secondly, schools can either give the refund in cash or it may be deducted to a student’s fee balance if he/she pays on installment. In both cases, the percent of refund should be reflected so that the students will know what they are getting.

Lastly, schools must practice transparency and accountability in the process of refund. Information must be disseminated to all students about the process to ensure that everyone will receive their just amount of refund.

How can schools be pushed to implement a tuition refund?

CHED must issue another memorandum requiring schools which implemented a tuition increase for the current schoolyear to refund the students. Public pressure on CHED to order a refund must continue. Students should file petition letters and complaints addressed to the leadership of CHED. Lawmakers can ask CHED to implement a tuition refund.

The key is for the continuance of the campaign to refund the illegal tuition and other fee increases. Students have gained some victories in the months that passed. The struggle continues for a true tuition regulation policy that will protect the rights of each citizen for quality education. ###

Culture of Impunity in the Philippines

2006-12-19T08:45:00.000+08:00

19 December 2006

Assassins and criminals are now even more emboldened to attack because of the pervading culture of impunity. 802 recorded political killings during the time of President Arroyo. Latest in the addition is the killing of 19-year old Sangguniang Kabataan chair from Cagayan Valley Nelson Asocena. If we may, the number will be 803, including Abra Cong. Bersamin assassinated last Saturday after attending a wedding.

This culture of impunity means that heinous crimes go unpunished, and this encourages perpetrators and would-be perpetrators to do the same. What is even more ironic is that this happens in our country where the government harks of the rule of law, peace and order.

If assassins can do it to a member of Congress, what more to an ordinary citizen exercising his/her political rights? The recorded killings of activists and journalists share the same aspects with that of Cong. Bersamin – motorcycle riders, up-close gunman, and politically motivated. Though there is a difference – the police is up on its feet to solve the congressman’s case, while the slayings of the peasants, workers, youth, and church leaders go unresolved and even whitewashed.

The only conclusion that we can draw is that the systematic extra-judicial killings, which the Arroyo administration has been silent on, have laid the fertile ground for the crimes that will affect even the encased politicos. Arroyo’s policy of inaction to political killings has bore a rotten fruit.

Now, even politicians are crying for help. Fellow congressmen said that the assassinations mark the start of the election period, with the final shovel pushed against charter change. That comment comes as natural as the sun would set every day. And it is a cause for worry to us.

Be Part of the NUSP 3rd National Convention

2006-12-16T15:50:00.000+08:00

The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), a nationwide alliance of student councils/ governments/ unions, together with the student councils of De La Salle University, College of St. Benilde, University of the East Manila, University of the Philippines Diliman and University of the Philippines Manila, is proud to present the 3^rd National Student Convention 2007 to be held on 12-16 January 2007 at the San Juan City Gymnasium.

2007 marks the golden anniversary of the NUSP, and it is proud to be the sole student center in the Philippines, championing students’ rights and welfare. Thus, this year’s convention carries the theme:

LEAP FORWARD TO 50!

Consolidate our victories and continue the campaign for a relevant and accessible education!

Celebrate the fifty years of the Union by renewing our commitment to defend the rights of the youth and the people!

The National Convention is a 5-day event composed of discussions, trainings, workshops, cultural presentations, and dialogues on pertinent student concerns. More than 300 student leaders from all over the country are expected to attend this momentous gathering.

Join the Second Gawad Edgar Jopson

2006-12-16T15:31:00.000+08:00

GAWAD EDGAR JOPSON

Pagkilala sa Natatanging Konseho ng mga Mag-aaral

National Union of Students of the Philippines

Ipinangalan ang gawad na ito kay Edgar Jopson o Edjop, mahusay na lider-estudyante noong dekada 70 at naging tagapangulo ng National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP). Una siyang nakilala bilang tagapangulo ng Sanggunian ng Mag-aaral ng Ateneo de Manila University. Kalaunan, nakita si Edjop kasama ang malawak na bilang ng mga mag-aaral mula sa iba’t-ibang pamantasan sa magiting na paglaban sa mapanupil na Batas Militar. Hindi naging hadlang ang matinding pampulitikang paniniil upang manindigan si Edjop para sa pagbabagong panlipunan para sa malawak na mamamayan. Bagamat mula sa maalwang pamilya, mapangahas na hinarap ni Edjop ang hamon ng kanyang panahon – inialay niya ang kanyang talino, panahon at sigla ng kanyang kabataan para sa kapakanan ng nakararami. Siya ay binawian ng buhay na tangan ang tunay na kahulugan ng paglilingkod sa bayan.

Nananatili sa bawat lider-estudyante ang diwa at mga aral na iniwan ni Edjop. Sa kasalukuyan, ang mga sanggunian ng mga mag-aaral ang nagsisilbing tagapamandila ng mga demokratikong karapatan at interes di lang mga mag-aaral kundi ng mga aping sektor sa lipunan. Masasaksihan natin ngayon ang pagsusumikap ng mga sangguniang ito na maglaan ng serbisyo at pangangailangan ng kapwa nilang mag-aaral habang patuloy na nag-aambag sa mayamang kasaysayan ng kilusang kabataan. Tangan ang paninindigan at pagkilos – mula sa pagtutol sa di-makatarungang pagtaas ng matrikula at panunupil sa kampus, sa paggigiit ng karapatan sa edukasyon at kabuhayan ng kabataan at mamamayan, hanggang sa pagkakamit ng tunay na pagbabagong panlipunan – ang mga sanggunian ng mag-aaral ay isa sa mga natatanging halimbawa ng pamumuno at paglilingkod sa maningning na panahon ng kabataan.

Bilang pagkilala sa kanilang kolektibong pamumuno, binuo ang Gawad Edgar Jopson. Ito ay pagkilalang igagawad sa natatanging Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral na tapat na naglilingkod sa kapakanan ng estudyante at mamamayan. Ang mga katatangi-tanging sangguniang ito ay nagsisilbing mabuting halimbawa sa bawat estudyanteng Pilipino na manindigan para sa kanilang kolektibong interes at kagalingan.

Sino ang maaaring lumahok sa Gawad Edgar Jopson?

Ang Gawad Edgar Jopson ay bukas sa lahat ng mga sanggunian ng mga mag-aaral na:

nagsasabuhay ng diwang iniwan ni Edgar Jopson sa pagiging tunay na maka-estudyante at makabayan.

kolektibong namumuno sa pagkamit ng mga tagumpay para sa kagalingan ng mga mag-aaral

matagumpay na nakapaglunsad ng mga aktibidad na kapakipakinabang sa mga mag-aaral.

Criteria

Masinsin na pagplano – 20%

Kolektibong pagpapatupad ng buong plano – 20%

Pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga sektor pangkampus – 20%

Pagkamalikhain – 20%

Masaklaw na pamumuno sa mga estudyante – 20%

Paano sumali?

Isumite sa inyong rehiyonal o probinsyal na tsapter o sa pambansang opisina ng NUSP ang inyong naratibong report kalakip ang mga larawan o mga pagpapatunay ng inyong ulat. Maaaring isumite ang inyong ulat sa nusp_national@yahoo.com o kaya’y ipadala sa sumusunod na address: National Union of Students of the Philippines, C/o Office of the Student Regent, Vinzon’s Building, UP Diliman, Quezon City. Para sa katanungan, mangyaring maki-ugnay lamang kay Alvin sa numerong 0906-2458411 o 0920-6209362.

Ang pagpili ng mananalo ay pagpupulungan ng Pambansang Konseho ng NUSP na binubuo ng mga lider mula sa iba’t-ibang tsapter sa buong bansa.

--Ang paggawad sa natatanging Sanggunian ng mga mag-aaral ay gaganapin sa Pambansang Kumbensyon ng Mag-aaral

(National Students Convention) ng NUSP

(Enero 12-16, 2007) sa San Juan City, Metro Manila.

Student leaders announce plans to mobilize fellow students for Luneta prayer rally

2006-12-16T13:33:00.000+08:00

December 16, 2006

Guarantee intensified anti-chacha campaign

Student leaders from the University of the East-Manila, St. Scholasticas College, UP Diliman and Manila and the University of Sto. Tomas today promised a large student and youth contingent at the Luneta prayer rally against charter change to be held on Sunday.

In a press conference, the students read a “unity statement of the youth against charter change” as their counterpart to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP’s) statement.

Alvin Peters, secretary-general of the National Union of Students of the Philippines said that along with the endorsement of CEAP (Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines) of student participation in the prayer rally, the students also pushed through with their own initiative of simultaneous protest centers across Metro Manila before proceeding to Luneta. “We got together to talk about a unified conduct that will demonstrate a strong and united student front that is firmly opposed to charter change,” Peters said.

Peters outlined several assembly points at various schools before traveling to the venue of the prayer rally. “For the schools located along Taft Avenue, the assembly point will be at De La Salle University, Katipunan Avenue is the assembly point for UP Diliman, Ateneo and Miriam College and España Avenue in front of UST will be the gathering place for schools in the University Belt.” Peters revealed.

UP Students angered over 300 percent tuition increase, compare tuition increase to Con-Ass

Meanwhile, UP Diliman University Student Council (USC) chairperson Juan Paolo Alfonso said that they would mobilize as many as a thousand students for Sunday’s rally. “After the unacceptable approval by our university’s Board of Regents (BOR) of the 300 percent tuition increase in UP, we are even more adamant that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s charter change be stopped in its tracks, cha-cha should be buried once and for all,” Alfonso said, referring to the recent UP BOR decision to hike UP tuition.

“While we are dismayed about the outcome of the BOR meeting yesterday and we are reminded of the recent proceedings in congress with regard to the conduct of the tuition increase approval, we are steadfast in our opposition to charter change just as we are determined to continue the fight against tuition and other fee increases,” added Terry Ridon, chairperson of the UP Manila student council.

Student demands

“What we students want is a credible government accountable to the people, not a government ruled and controlled by self-serving politicians and corrupt officials,” said Einstein Recedes of the UE-Manila student council. Recedes maintained that the actions of the majority congressmen during the deliberations that paved the way for Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) were “proof-positive” that dirty politics is what currently holds sway in the country.

“Through charter change, the Arroyo’s administration hopes to suspend the May 2007 elections because it knows that the said elections will be an assessment by the Filipino people of her administration and it knows that in that assessment, her government will fail miserably. Arroyo and her cohorts are clearly desperate – the blatant attempts to rush Con-Ass through Congress and the persistent persecution of critics of the Arroyo regime are the concrete illustrations of this. The youth will not let this go without a fight,” Peters said. ###

The National Union of Students of the Philippines

2006-12-16T11:19:00.000+08:00

THE NUSP is a national alliance of student councils/unions/governments. It was established in 1957, and it is a patriotic, democratic and progressive alliance of student leaders that upholds and defends the rights and welfare of the Filipino students. As the Philippines' prime student center, 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.

OBJECTIVES

Work for the restoration and preservation of student councils and organizations, which assert and uphold the interests of the students
Advocate for a nationalist, scientific and mass-oriented educational system in the country
Promote and protect the people’s rights and welfare and work for a united struggle for genuine freedom and democracy
Promote international solidarity with the students and peoples of other countries who share similar objectives with the NUSP

LINE WORKS

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Leadership Training Seminar

The NUSP provides training for student leaders during its national conventions and biennial congresses. It includes input on leadership, workshops on public speaking, writing for advocacy, table battles and negotiations, etc. Upon request, the NUSP offers trainings to member
student councils.

Organizational discussions

Part of the NUSP organizing work is a systematic discussion on the organization’s orientation, history and line works.

Socio-political issues

The NUSP also holds fora and alternative classes tackling relevant socio-political issues which affect the Filipino youth.

RESEARCH, PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA WORK

The Filipino Student is the official publication of the NUSP.
The Unyon (Union) is NUSP’s political journal.
Primers and/or research papers on the Philippine educational system are also disseminated to NUSP chapters.
The Campus Watch is a summary of important and particular student concerns. Data are gathered through caucuses and consultations.
The NUSP maximizes the mainstream media to propagate its position on many student issues. NUSP officers are invited to television shows and radio programs. Letters to the editors from the organization are published in national and local papers.

CAMPAIGNS

Education

The NUSP leads the fight against unjustified tuition increases in private schools and cuts on subsidy to public education. It represents the Filipino students in various dialogues, hearings called forby the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education and the House of Representatives.

Students’ democratic rights

The NUSP stands against violations to academic rights and other democratic rights of the students. Campaigns have been launched for the recognition of student organizations in schools, abolition of the mandatory military course in college, repeal of other repressive policies (i.e. closure of student councils and publications, suspension/expulsion of student leaders, no permit no exam policy, etc.)

People’s issues

The NUSP also participates in various national issues affecting the Filipino youth. Among these include anti-U.S. military intervention actions, human rights violations, attacks on civil liberties, oil price hikes, unemployment, etc. The NUSP, like many student and youth groups in the country, was involved in the

ALLIANCE WORK

The NUSP has convened many broad youth formations such as the Estrada Resign Youth Movement, Education for All, AbolishROTC! and Youth Action Network. At present it works as a convenor of Tuition Monitor, Youth Demanding Arroyo’s Removal (YouthDARE) and Tanggulan Network forCivil Liberties.
It has also joined multi-sectoral alliances such as the Plunder Watch, September 21 Committee and POWER.
It continues to relate with progressive legislators to push for pro-student laws.

INTERNATIONAL WORK

The NUSP maintains relations with other youth organizations abroad.

It is a member of the Asian Student Association (ASA) and the International Union of Students (IUS).
It seeks to relate with other international youth formations for various forms of cooperation and solidarity.

STRUCTURE OF THE NUSP

The organizational structure of the NUSP is composed of the National Assembly, the National Council and the National Executive Board.

The National Assembly (NA) is the highest policy-making body composed of all the officers of the National Council including the national standing committees, all the officers of the NUSP chapters and a minimum of one delegate from each member council. The National Assembly is convened every two years (except for special sessions which can be called upon by the National Executive Board) when election of officers, adoption of policies, programs and projects and other organizational matters are forwarded by the national office or local chapters. It also acts as the constitutional body of the National Union should the need arises.

The National Convention refers to the assembly of student leaders once every two years in between the holding of the National Congress.

The National Council (NC) is the second highest policy-making body of the NUSP when the National Assembly is not in session. It is composed of the National Executive Board and all NUSP chapter representatives elected or appointed by their respective constituents. The National Council meets twice a year to assess the activities and performance of the organization and to adopt such policies and measures, as maybe necessary. In urgent cases, the National President may convene the National Council.

The National Executive Board (NEB) is the implementing and administrative body when the National Council and/or the National Assembly are not in session. It is composed of the National President, Executive Vice-President, Vice Presidents for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and the Secretary General. An expansion of the NEB includes the committee heads.

The NEB is tasked to formulate the rules that will govern the administration of the organization; draw up annual program of activities for the approval of the National Congress or the National Council; to act for and in behalf of the National Assembly and for the National Council on matters that require immediate actions; to prepare the agenda of and convene the session of the National Assembly subject to the concurrence of the National Council; and to define the positions of the NUSP on vital and urgent issues of the campus and national concern.