Students gear up for SONA protest

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.