The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and President Noynoy Aquino should immediately impose a moratorium on tuition and other fee increases nationwide.

Amidst record high poverty and unemployment rates, a freeze in tuition and school fee increases should be implemented to stop drop-outs and to relieve to parents and students of additional burden.

The Aquino government should be more sensitive to the plight of students and their parents. Many families are no longer able to send their children to school due to skyrocketing expenses. Drop out rates are on the rise.

CHED earlier announced that 267 schools are set to increase tuition by around 10%. The actual number could be much higher as CHED does not include in their list miscellaneous and other fees.

Even public universities such as University of the Philippines, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Mindanao State University, which are supposed to provide accessible education are increasing school fees. This situation, which is a direct effect of the cuts in the budget for state universities and colleges is deplorable. At the very least, the gov’t can stop its schools from hiking fees.

Aquino and CHEd’s noynoying regarding tuition hikes has been detrimental to students and parents. The government is abandoning its responsibility to provide quality and accessible education. As it is, 80% of college students do not graduate mainly due to high costs.

The school fee hikes that the CHED has approved recently are unjust and unwarranted. Many schools are profiteering and imposing exorbitant and dubious fees.

In fact, the top private schools in the country are raking hundreds of millions in superprofits. The biggest schools are consistently among the top 1000 corporations.

CHED’s claim that the fee hikes underwent proper consultation processes is simply false. To begin with, their tuition hike memo is flawed and provides for automatic approval in favor of school owners.

Student leaders have filed their opposition to the tuition hikes in these so-called consultations but have been approved anyway by CHED. In a Congress hearing, CHED admitted that it has never rejected any proposal to hike tuition. The CHED approves proposals for tuition and other fee hikes regardless of their nature. In this sense, they are in cahoots with capitalist-educators in robbing students.

We must remind the government of its constitutional mandate to provide quality and accessible education in all levels.

Maybe we need to tell President Aquino that not everyone is born a haciendero. Majority of the people are poor and hungry and will simply not be able to afford a new round of tuition hikes.

Aquino should immediately order a moratorium on all tuition increases this year; regulate tuition rates and scrap dubious fees; and increase significantly the budget for SUCs and education.

Ultimately, the government should remember that education is a right, not a privilege of the rich.

Sadly, it seems the Aquino gov’t does not adhere to the same principle.

Sa tuwid na daan, mukhang walang preno ang pagtaas ng tuition.

On the ‘Revised STFAP Scheme’

Office of the Student Regent

3 June 2012

Students from different UP units raised concerns again as they were welcomed by the issue of ‘Bracket B certification/Revised STFAP scheme’ as registration for the 1st semester for AY 2012-2013 starts. This was the same issue that has already been raised to the UP administration last year and favorably resolved thru a dialogue with the UP administration headed by President Alfredo Pascual, the Office of the Student Regent and sectoral representatives from UP Kilos Na.

Adjusting the Default Bracket

While implementation was deferred last year, this revised STFAP scheme shifts the “default bracket” or “base tuition” from Bracket B (P1000/unit for Diliman, Los Banos and Manila; P600 for Baguio, Visayas and Mindanao) to Bracket A (P1,500/unit for Diliman, Los Banos and Manila; P1000 for Baguio, Visayas and Mindanao). This means that students who did not apply to or failed the STFAP will have to pay the tuition fee for the highest bracket (Bracket A). The old scheme put everyone into Bracket B, automatically paying P1000 or P600 per credit unit, unless they apply for a lower bracket or they declare that they belong to the highest bracket. With the new scheme, students wishing to belong to Bracket B or to pay the supposed “base tuition”, have to submit a notarized Bracket B certification signed by the parent and the student together with a vicinity map of their residence, plus other documents* to the office concerned. Failure to submit the certification and other supplementary documents will put the students in Bracket A. This new process was observed in almost all UP units including regional. 

While it has been the position of the Office of the Student Regent and the systemwide-wide alliance of UP student councils KASAMA sa UP that there is a policy change with regards to STFAP especially the change in “default bracket,” it has been the position of the UP administration that there hasn’t been a change in the “default bracketing” because there is no “default bracket” or “base tuition” being followed in the university. The administration even stated that the idea of a “default bracket” only came up because there are no requirements needed to belong to this bracket; therefore many assumed that it is the “default bracket”. However, this position of the UP administration is inconsistent with the policy reports of then-UP President Emerlinda Roman (De Dios Report) used to propose the tuition and other fees increase (TOFI) including the changes in STFAP during 2006.

Is STFAP Working?

Aside from what was aforementioned, President Pascual asserts that there is no new scheme but rather a stricter implementation of STFAP to ensure that students will be honest about their socio-economic standing and that more financial aid applicant will be accommodated. However, the first phase of Office of the Student Regent’s STFAP Review and data from the Philippine Collegian proved otherwise.

In a study done by the Philippine Collegian, 1 out of 10 STFAP applicants during the year 2011 was dissatisfied with their approved bracket and appealed to be put into a lower bracket. Statistics also show that STFAP has consistently increased the number of students in Bracket A and decreased the number of students in lower brackets (Bracket D, E). Worse, even those who were put into lower brackets have to apply for a tuition loan (2out of 3).

On another note, almost all respondents in the first phase of the STFAP Review cited inconsistencies in the requirements and processes and difficulties and expensiveness in the processing of documents required.

Position & Analysis

It is the opinion and the stand of the Office of the Student Regent guided by the reports of the students in the different UP units that the new scheme/policy changes in STFAP effectively changed/raised the “default bracket” resulting to an increased “base tuition/tuition fee.” The high cost of UP education has always been the primary concern of the students as well as the general public weakening democratic access and compromising the public character of the university.

It is also in the opinion of the OSR guided by policy studies as well as direct surveys and inputs from the students that STFAP fails to meet its objective of financially aiding and assisting the students to cope with the high cost of UP education. STFAP has always served against the interest of the students acting as a smokescreen for increases in tuition, justifying the systematic and continuous abandonment of the government to its responsibility to provide enough subsidies, and transforming a public university into an income-generating institution that relies heavily on its own income.

In the immediate, the UP administration must defer the implementation of this new scheme pending policy consultation with other stakeholders as well as a comprehensive review of the STFAP taking into consideration the results of the studies of the different student institutions.

In the long-run, it is crucial that UP must understand that policies such as STFAP, utilization of idle assets, public-private partnerships and other income-generating schemes fit into the long-standing policy of the past and present governments to subscribe to the neoliberal policy of deregulating the education sector- abandoning the responsibility to provide subsidy and privatizing educational institutions.

In the end, the UP community must consider ‘enacting more systemic changes in its policies in order to concretely address the issues of democratic access but it should be done within the frame of demanding greater state support to UP; not through increased student fees in whatever form or guise.’ The pledge of the UP administration to strengthen the public character and public service nature of the university will always get full support from the ranks of the students in the context of democratic governance and uncompromised rights, interests and welfare of the students.

###

Sources:

 

Statements and Reports from Student Regent Krissy Conti and UP Kilos Na

Philippine Collegian

KASAMA sa UP

*Raised during the 1280th BOR meeting, 4 June 2012**Meeting with President Alfredo Pascual, 5 June 2012- updates to follow

DepEd and public schools forcing students to “home school” is tantamount to rejection and abandonment of responsibility to educate the Filipino youth.

“Home study” is actually short for “stay home and don’t study anymore.”

The fact that schools can no longer accommodate students exposes the falsity of DepEd claims that the education situation is improving and that the nation is ready for K12.

Instead of coming up with lame schemes and false propaganda, gov’t should give sufficient funds for education. The current P7 per student daily spending is far too small.

The Aquino administration should rechannel the additional “pabuya” pork barrel and corruption prone CCT dole out funds, as well as unneeded military funds to schools and education.

We in Anakbayan are dismayed with recent news indicating that former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo may be allowed to post bail and escape detention. This, after co-accused and former COMELEC chair Benjamin Abalos was allowed to post bail re charges of election sabotage due to failure to present witnesses.

If Arroyos manage to post bail and escape, the government of President Noynoy Aquino is to blame. It has been 2 years already, and it has failed to file strong cases against the former president. As it is, Aquino has allowed special treatment via hospital detention for the former president despite doctors’ findings that she is no longer sick.

Aquino’s failure to file a strong case vs GMA reinforces the Filipino people’s belief that the administration’s motive in ousting Corona is personal vendetta and not to bring GMA to justice.

Why are strong charges of plunder and ZTE, human rights violations and cases related to Hello Garci still not filed despite various complaints filed at the Ombundsman?

Is Aquino deliberately giving Arroyo a way out?

Student leaders from University of the Philippines (UP), Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) and other state universities and colleges gathered yesterday in unity against fee hikes set to be implemented in state universities and colleges (SUCs) this school year.

Led by the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) and Kabataan Partylist, the student leaders said the fee hikes will mean less access to education and more problems for Filipino students and their families.

Students lament the fact that after CHED has allowed 256 private schools to hike tuition, now government schools which are supposed to cater the poor are hiking fees.

“Gov’t is clearly abandoning its responsibility to send Filipinos to school,” said NUSP secretary general Issa Baguisi.

UP tuition hike

In UP, a P500 increase in tuition rates is expected through what the students call a “tuition rebracketing scheme.”

According to UP Student Regent Cleve Arguelles, the additional requirements for the Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistce Program (STFAP) has resulted to a change in the “default bracket” which mean an increase in “base tuiton” from P1,000 per unit to P1,500 per unit in Diliman, Manila and Los Banos and from P600 to P1000 per unit in other campuses.

The UP admin has denied that it has implemented a tuition hike but confirmed that it has implemented a new STFAP scheme. Meanwhile, many students complain of “bracket sliding” or assignment to brackets with higher tuition.

“STFAP has acted as a smokescreen for increases in tuition, justifying the systematic and continuous abandonment of the government to its responsibility to provide enough subsidies, and transforming a public university into an income-generating institution that relies heavily on its own income,” Arguelles said.

He called for the immediate deferment of the implementation of the new scheme “pending policy consultation with other stakeholders” as well as “a comprehensive review of the STFAP taking into consideration the results of the studies of the different student institutions.”

Meanwhile, a #scrapSTFAP campaign has been launched by various groups on facebook and twitter to counter the new scheme.
A photo has been circulated on the internet saying “in UP, one is presumed rich until proven poor.”

PUP fee hike illegal

PUP student leaders meanwhile report a fee hike of at least P490 in insurance, medical and PE uniform fees which, according to them, was passed by the administration illegally.

According to PUP Student Regent Helen Alfonso, the fees are “exorbitant, unwarranted and unjust.”

Alfonso says these fees have not been included during the past because they are not applicable to all students. More importantly, many will not be able to afford PUP education any longer because of these fees.

She said the fees were not approved by the board and was deferred. Despite this, admin officials still implemented it.

Alfonso appealed to newly elected PUP president Emmanuel De Guzman, which the students supported, to stop the implementation of the new fees.

PUP has more than 68,000 students in 23 campuses nationwide.

NUSP also received reports of fee hikes in Ifugao State U, Benguet State University, Apayao State College, Mountain Province State Polytechnic College and Mindanao State University. Reports from other state schools are still being gathered.

Protests set

NUSP and the student leaders said they are gearing up for protests against the fee hikes and to call for greater spending for SUCs and education.

The operations budget for 58 SUCs have been slashed last year despite protests from students, teachers, and administration officials.

For students, these policies prove that Aquino is anti-education and anti-poor. It seems the policy of the administration is to hike education costs and push students to drop out.

Sa tuwid na daan, dirediretso din ang pagtataas ng tuition.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/421479_110830502390745_1210926706_n.jpg

http://kalasagcalupd.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/student-regent-statement-on-revised-stfap-scheme/

In his testimony in the Senate Impeachment Court, Corona signed a waiver allowing banks, government offices and institutions to release to the public his accounts, assets and financial records under the condition that the 188 congressmen who signed the fast-tracked impeachment complaint against him and administration Senator Franklin Drilon sign the waiver as well.

Moment of truth

“I am humbly asking all 188 complainants from the House of Representatives, led by the congressmen in the prosecution panel, and Senator Franklin Drilon, to join me in a moment of truth,” Corona said, easily toppling Lady Gaga’s “I am not a creature of your government”

quote as political soundbite of the week.

He said this would be a “as a gesture of transparency and reconciliation with the Filipino people and to one another.”

“This is what the country is asking for.  Let us face the people together. The nation is at a standstill.  Our people are watching all of us. Our people have been drawn into this intriguing web of dissension and divisiveness. This proceeding has divided the nation. We owe it to the people. Let’s together show them we are first and foremost their public servants, and we surrender to their call for transparency and accountability. Let us rise to the occasion and prove to them that we deserve their trust,”

he added.

“I beg you, ladies and gentlemen of the prosecution, not to engage me in argumentation about who is on trial here. We—you and me—are on trial here. Let’s stop all the posturing to show the Filipino nation what we’re made of. This is no trick or manipulation. This is an invitation, a challenge for public accountability made only with the hope that we can all together give our nation one shining moment in public service.”

“If any of you should choose to decline, I regret that there is no point in my waiver because this will allow the completion of persecution I have suffered. I am no thief. I am no criminal. I have done no wrong. But honorable senators, I also am no fool,”

he said.

Sign up

While it would have been better and bolder if the Chief Justice did not bind his disclosure with such condition, it should not be difficult for the advocates of impeachment to sign the waivers as a
gesture of sincerity, and as a pledge to transparency and accountability in government.

Heck, President Aquino himself should lead the pledge and should immediately order his allies to sign the waiver. The administration should exercise the same swiftness and determination with which they railroaded the approval of the impeachment complaint in the lower house. If they could do it then, why should it be a problem now?

Since the start of the trial, the prosecution have used public funds and consumed much public attention better spent on many other issues. They went on fishing expeditions and conducted propaganda campaigns, and not a few times even lied and misled the public, just to build a case against the Chief Justice. Now that an opportunity to put the truth out in the open presents itself, signing a sheet of paper should not be very hard for these noble crusaders. They owe the public at least this much.

Tonyo Cruz writes:

Some say Corona’s gambit should be rejected for what it is. But saying so would unduly limit the crusade for good governance and accountability. Looking at it anew and against the backdrop of our long-running complaints towards a corrupt state populated by corrupt officials, Corona’

s challenge is sensible and should open the floodgates to holding all these officials accountable to the public.

The signing of the waivers could be a “win-win” solution, so to speak. Unfortunately, Drilon, Tupas and the “matuwid” administration officials are quick to reject the waiver challenge.

Are they afraid that the ghosts they created will come back to haunt them too?

Written for Blogwatch.ph 

Youth groups held a protest in front of Commission on Higher Education (CHED) yesterday as the commission announced its approval of a new round of tuition and other fee increases for school year 2012-2013. According to CHED, as much as 256 higher education institutions are set to increase tuition rates by an average of 10% this coming school year.

 Anakbayan, National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) and Kabataan Partylist called on the Aquino government to “be more sensitive” to the plight of the majority of the Filipinos who are poor.

“We are furious on how President Aquino and CHED affectionately understand yearly needs of private HEIs to hike tuition, due to increasing costs but fail to see or hear parents and students difficulties,” said NUSP secretary general Issa Baguisi.

It looks like CHED and the government is once again noynoying regarding tuition increases. As it is, 8 out of 10 students entering college fail to finish studies due to high tuition rates. With increasing poverty and rising prices, youth groups said it is criminal to further hike tuition.

Various complaints have been filed by youth groups to CHED offices regarding dubious fees, unjust increases and bogus consultation processes but have apparently been ignored by CHED.

Student councils and organizations decry “dubious, redundant and exorbitant fees” being collected by schools. NUSP says schools collect absurd fees which are clearly income-generating rackets.

“Will the President tell us that he is again “powerless” to protect students just as he is powerless to protect citizens from oil price hikes?” said Baguisi.

It seems CHED has also turned a blind eye to the fact that many schools have been raking millions in profits out of parents’ pockets. The biggest private schools have been consistenly among the top corporations.

According to the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), the top 5 schools have amassed at least P3 billion in accumulated profits in the past 6 years. Students ask: isn’t CHED’s mandate to defend the right to education and not protect balooning profits of capitalist-educators?

Serious legal charges should be explored vs CHED and Aquino for complicity in the robbery being done by capitalist-educators. No less than the Constitution states that quality and accesible education in all levels should be ensured by the state. They have clearly abandoned this mandate.

Due to cuts in budget allocation, fees in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) are set to increase as well. According to NUSP, Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) is set to increase its miscellaneous fees by 100%, from P500 to P1000.

The Mindanao State University (MSU), Marawi campus, will also see its tuition rates go up by 1400%. Students in MSU, currently paying Php 85 per semester, will now have to pay Php 50 per unit. Meanwhile, all 12 state universities and colleges in the Cordilleras have proposed an increase their tuition rates by as much as 300%.

We have to remind the president that not everyone is born rich and that not everyone can send their children to exclusive private schools. It seems the education policy under Aquino is ‘No Money, No Entry.’

We must remind the Aquino: education is a right and not a privilege of a few and the state has the responsibility to ensure education for all.

NUSP warned of more protests if “noynoying” continues. They called on CHED and the Aquino government to immediately impose a moratorium on all tuition hikes next year and investigate dubious fees.

“Back to school protests are geared up and will continue not until Pres. Aquino and CHED impose a moratorium on Tuition and Other Fee Increases,” said NUSP.

Written for BlogWatch

A resident was shot dead and more than 30 injured, many by gunfire, as police forces demolished homes and several commercial establishments in Silverio Compound, Paranaque City, April 23.

News video footages anddocumentation by citizen media groups showed members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) armed with M16 rifles firing indiscriminately as they dipersed residents who formed a human barricade to try to stop police and demolition teams. Also shown were scores being arrested, bloodied and beaten up even as they were already in the custody of the police.

“Bato lang po at mga katawan namin ang aming pangdepensa sa aming mga bahay, pero tinapatan nila kami ng mga sniper at mahahabang baril,” said the residents.

After several rounds of volley gunfire, Arnel Leonor Tolentino, 21 was confirmed dead by gunshot on the head and several others also shot in vital areas are in critical condition. Not a few residents have gunshot wounds in their arms and legs, some as young as 15-16 years old.

Ready for battle

“Naghihimagsik ang aming kalooban sa karahasan na ginawa sa amin ng gubyerno. Alam namin na pupunta sila para gibain ang mga bahay namin, yung barikada at mga bato ay para ipagtanggol ang aming bahay. Pero bakit sila nambaril, bakit kinailangan nilang pumatay?” said Shella Bernal, a community leader in Silverio.

According to Bernal, truckloads of police and SWAT personnel came early in the morning and was clearly geared for battle.

“Yung iba sa kanila, hindi naman taga-Paranaque yun. May mga snipers pa sa taas ng building,” said the residents.

Congressman Edwin Olivares and former Congressman Ed Zialcita, seeking to prevent a violent confrontation also helped negotiate and mediate between the police and residents.

“Hindi mapakiusapan ang mga pulis na ‘yun. Alam mo kapag kakaiba ang tapang nila eh, hindi sila nasisindak man lang. Nagnenegotiate na nga kami, eh bigla naman silang nag-teargas. Yun na,” said Zialcita.

Various accounts from residents, negotiators and media confirm that tensions rose when the police shot teargas canisters at the barricade. Residents threw the canisters back at the police and hurled stones to keep the police away from the barricade. Then, shots were fired by the SWAT team aiming at the residents.

‘Blank bullets’

“Dalawa agad yung bumulagta nung unang nagkaputukan eh. Marami yung tinamaan sa binti at paa,” said Bernal.

Arnel Leonor Tolentino, 21 was seen lying on the pavement and was later confirmed dead by gunshot.

“Yung katabi ko, si Raymond Aquino, asawa nung chairwoman ng vendors assouciation, sa dibdib tinamaan, parang patay na eh,” said Roy Velez of Anakpawis NCR. Aquino was initially among those reported dead but was later found in the hospital in critical condition.

Among those shot was Rodman Ortega, a 16 year-old resident, which was shot in the right arm which shattered his bone.

“Pinauwi ko na nga siya, kasi baka madamay pa nga. Patawid lang daw siya at bigla siyang tinamaan sa braso. Pag-uwi nya parang nakahandusay na at duguan. Kaya pinuntahan ko nga yung mga pulis at pinagmumura ko eh. Wala naman kaming baril, bato lang, bakit kami ginanon,” said his father.

According to his father, Ortega was refused treatment by a nearby hospital after failing to pay P15,000. Medics from people’s organizations which conducted a fact-finding mission later attended to him.

Paranaque City Mayor Jun Bernabe and police forces later claimed that only “blank bullets” were used.

Arbitrary arrests

The police later made random arrests, video footages showed plain clothesmen apprehending what appeared to be minors, passersby and some women. Videos also showed bloodied residents already handcuffed but still being beaten upby the police. A total of 33 were arrested, 8 of them minors and 2 women.

According to the residents, after the police managed to enter the community and conduct the demolition of their talipapa, they raided houses, rounded-up men and arrested residents.

“Nagsona sila, binahay-bahay nila at aarestuhin daw lahat ng kalalakihan, kaya marami ang nagtago, hindi din makalabas at makapagpagamot yung may mga sugat. Nahirapan din kumuha ng impormasyon,” said Velez.

Velez had to be wrapped in bedsheets and pretend that he is sick in order to get out to report to people’s organizations what transpired and seek help.

‘Development’ plan

According to the reports, the 9.7 hectare Silverio Compound, home to at least 28,000 families is set to be demolished to pave the way for the construction of condominiums and commercial establishments owned by billionaire Henry Sy, owner of SM Development Corporation (SMDC).

Yesterday, as the news of the violent demolition rages, an “@officialsmdc” twitter account was created to tweet denials that SM owns the lot and that is is planning to build condominiums in the area. SM also releasedadvertisments to deny links to the demolition.

However, in government documents obtained by the residents, SMDC is indicated as a “housing development partner.”

Incidentally, a SM Hypermarket supermarket stands directly accross the compound.

“Dinemolish nila yung talipapa kasi kompetisyon sa katawid na SM. Pero simula pa lang yan kasi ang plano nila katabi na ng supermarket yung mga condo at commercial complex,” said one of the residents.

The residents say the demolition of the “talipapa” will affect the livelihood of more than 1,000 small vendors and fishermen in Silverio. Besides, they said, these “commercial” establishments are also residential areas.

“Naglagay lang ng lamesa sa labas, pero sa loob may nakatira,” they said.

Mayor Bernabe said there will be no relocation for the homes already demolished.

Bernabe, in his interviews, have confirmed the plan to commercialize the lot. He was quoted in the media saying that the lot will be used for commercial and income generating purposes for the city. He also said the demolition is to pave the way for a plan to build a medium rise housing project to accomodate some 1,800 families (out of the 28,000) using 3 hectares of the compound, the rest will be subject to commercial use.

Not squatters

This however, is contrary to the plan the Paranaque government originally intended for the compound.

The compound has earlier been placed by the local government for distribution to residents through the Community Mortgage Program. In 2003, a city ordinance have been issued to expropriate the land to be distributed. A deposit of P10 million have reportedly already been paid by the goverment for the residents.

“Ang aming paglaban ay makatwiran sapagkat ang lupa ng Silverio ay inilaan para sa mga taga Silverio Compound at hindi para kay Henry Sy at mga negosyante,”said a statement from Kadamay Paranaque.

In fact, residents said, the legal battle now pending in the courts is only regarding how much compensation the local government will pay the previous land owners and how much the residents are set to pay.

To their surprise, a few months ago, the local government  started announcing plans to partner with SMDC to build condominium units. Rumors circulated that SMDC had already paid a hefty sum of money as “downpayment.” Last March 7, the local government started the demolition of commercial areas and homes near the highway.

“Tuyo nga ang ulam namin eh, magcocondo pa kami? Sana isipin nila yung kapakanan ng tao, hindi ng mayayaman na,” said an angry resident.

A sign put up outside one of the houses said “Hindi kami squatters, babayaran namin ang lupang ito.”

The residents said they tried to dialogue with the Mayor and the city government and held several rallies in front of the city hall to no avail.

“Palibhasa last term na ni Mayor, malapit na magretire, siguro nag-iipon na yan. Lupa na para sa tao, ninegosyo pa,” said a resident.

On April 10, 2012, a notice to demolish Purok 1 and 4 was served to the residents. On April 19, a city council resolution signed by majority of the councilors and the vice mayor seeking to stop the demolition was reportedly drafted and was submitted to the mayor.

Bernabe refused to implement the resolution and the demolition pushed through.

‘Massacre-prone’

Various groups including Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), Makabayan Coalition, Anakbayan, Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY), Anakpawis, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and Karapatan condemned the murder and the violent demolition. BAYAN led a fact-finding, first aid and solidarity mission to Silverio compound after the incident.

“There should be no whitewash regarding the incident, and there should be an independent, speedy investigation on the matter. The violence against the urban poor must be stopped, those arrested must be freed immediately,” said Bayan.

The groups noted that while what happened was one of the worst cases of violence against urban poor, this is not the first time something like this has happened under the administration of Benigno Aquino III. According to Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano, more than 40 cases of violent demolitions have been documented under Aquino.

“Mas marami pang mga ganito dahil sa programa ng gubyerno para sa ‘kaunlaran’ kuno pero para sa lang sa mga crony at iilang mayayaman. Para sa mahirap ang Aquino PPP ang ibig sabihin: pagpatay, panunupil at pambubusabos,” said Mariano.

According to KADAMAY, the Aquino administration’s programs encourage these “violent, heartless acts against the poor.” The systematic and widespread demolition of urban poor communities show the anti-poor, pro-elite character of the current administration.

KMU notes: “This reminds us of a term used during the elections to describe a Noynoy Aquino government: ‘massacre prone.’”

Pinoy Weekly notes that the reign of impunity under Aquino has emboldened the shooters: “Wala siyang takot, alam niyang hindi siya pagpapanagutin. Sa ilalim ng administrasyong Aquino, standard operating procedure na lamang ang pamamaril sa mga sibilyan.”

Fight continues

The residents of Silverio are anticipating another wave of demolition activities in the next few weeks.

“Hinahabol nila yung eleksyon, baka sunigin nila kung hindi nila sa susunod kaya dapat magbantay,” said a resident.

In a solidarity program held after the demolition, various sectorsexpressed their support to the community and called on the people to continue the fight “oppression and corporate greed” and struggle for their right for decent homes, jobs and genuine social change.

The sentiment expressed by the people in the program was unanimous: the fight continues.

No amount of lies, repression and state terror from Bernabe, Sy or Aquino will stop them from further strengthening their ranks and defending their homes; not only for the sake of the current residents of Silverio compound, but also for all the poor people being murdered, oppressed and robbed of their rights, and in the name of those who died struggling for a better future.

Written for BlogWatch

It is not surprising that the public is outraged upon news of moves of certain schools to impose grave sanctions upon their students, among them, barring these students from graduation, because of belief by some administrators that they have committed acts “offensive to the schools’ values,” mainly because of photos of them seen on social networking sites.

A few days ago, it was reported that 2 students from a Catholic school in Cebu have been prohibited from joining graduation ceremonies due to what the administration believed were “obscene” photos posted on their Facebook accounts. Aside from administrative sanctions, the students also said they were insulted verbally, and that the school administration told them that they have “loose morals, drunks, and drug addicts.”

A day after, a similar incident involving six students enrolled in a private school in Marikina was reported. The students were barred from graduation and were not given diplomas after posting online photos of them simulating a kiss in public.

These punitive acts based on medieval notions of “propriety” and “morality” are oppressive, unjust and reactionary. The moves clearly violate the students’ democratic and constitutional rights, not to mention the emotional and psychological trauma these acts will inflict.

We laud the decision of Cebu Regional Trial Court to implement a Temprary Restraining Order and which upholds the right of the student against discrimination and to due process. We hope that it sets a precedent for other cases of the same nature.

These incidents show only the tip of the iceberg. Repressive and fascist-like acts of the same nature are being implemented in most schools in the country. There are numbers of reports of students being punished and even expelled from schools due to exercise of freedom to expression, organization and association, and are being punished for their political advocacies or religious beliefs.

There should be a thorough review of the state of campus and student rights in the country. Basic rights and civil liberties are not waived nor nullified once a student enrolls or enters a school. In the same light, “academic freedom” or “autonomy” could never mean that a school is exempted from respecting human rights.

Government should act and make sure student rights are respected in campuses. There are also moves to pass legislation to make sure students’ rights are respected in campuses.

Among these, Kabataan Partylist’s HB 4842 or the Students Rights Bill.

An integral part of this holistic development is their right to organize and join youth organizations, to exercise their freedom of speech and of expression, and to exercise their academic freedoms within our nation’s campuses. These rights are mandated by no less than the Constitution itself, Section 13 of Article II of which states that the State should protect and promote the youth’s physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being.

It is worth noting that when a student becomes a member of an academic community, he or she should not be stripped off of his or her rights. Often cited is a quotation from an American case,“Students do not shed their rights at the schoolhouse gates.” Unfortunately, the reverse is fast becoming the common experience of many of our students. It is this repressive condition, therefore,that necessities the creation of a measure to re-affirm the rights of our students. The creation of this measure , in effect, aims also instigate the cultivation of a free studentry whose welfare and interests are protected and advanced.

Moreover, these incidents also warrant, at the very least, a discussion and review of the general repressive and reactionary character of our educational system. These prevailing policies are indicative of the type of education we have: one that wishes that young people remain an army of uncritical, passive and obedient servants of the feudal status quo.

Written for BlogWatch