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ANAKBAYAN-TIMOG KATAGALUGAN
PRESS RELEASE Reference: PJ Santos
July 10, 2008 Secretary General, ANAKBAYAN-TK
Surging prices of oil bring
art, performances
of Southern Tagalog youth to the streets
Alarmed and angered over the weekly oil price hikes, youth group
ANAKBAYAN-TIMOG KATAGALUGAN (ANAKBAYAN-TK) vowed a series of non-stop
protest actions and performances in the streets starting today up to
Arroyo’s state of the nation address (July 10-28). The youth group,
together with Southern Tagalog Cultural Network (STCN), kicked-off the
18-day cultural caravan with street skits at the University of the
Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) and a protest action at Crossing, Calamba,
Laguna. The caravan also held short protest actions in front of schools in
Calamba.
PJ Santos, ANAKBAYAN-TK secretary general, hit the anticipated oil price
hike tomorrow which may amount from P6 to P10 based on Energy Secretary
Angelo Reyes’ statement. “It is clear from Reyes’ statement that the
Arroyo administration is not keen on preventing oil price increases. The
P1/liter rollback in gas price implemented by 3 oil firms is a far cry
from the total of P18/liter for gasoline and P19.50/liter for diesel that
it has increased this year alone.”
Santos said they will be soliciting signatures during the caravan to scrap
the 12% VAT on oil as one immediate measure to help lower oil price. They
will also launch an email brigade and lobbying campaign of the youth
urging Congressmen in the region to support the suspension of VAT.
“Malacañang’s statement that it will provide more subsidies for the poor
from VAT collections will not significantly address the problem. In fact,
the subsidies are a meager part of the revenues that the government robs
from the people.”
Aside from oil price hikes, the caravan will also campaign against the
soaring prices of tuition and rice which they said were the main issues
affecting students and youth in the region. Entitled ARANGKADA (Aral at
Sining ng Kabataan sa Kalsada), the youth said the caravan will show the
true state of the youth as it holds workshops, discussions, and protest
actions in Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon and Batangas. The activity is
also supported by the Southern Tagalog chapters of National Union of
Students of the Philippines (NUSP), College Editors Guild of the
Philippines, and Kabataang Pinoy Party.
In UPLB, students called for a roll-back of the 300% tuition fee increase
implemented last year. They also hit the UPLB administration’s series of
repressive actions which infringes on the right of students to
organization and proper consultation. Since March, campus elections have
been delayed by the UPLB administration. Policies have also been
implemented removing organization tambayans, prohibiting activities in
buildings after 7PM, and stringent requirements questioning the
recognition of student organizations.
“The state of UPLB is clearly reminiscent of Martial Law years when
organizations were banned and efforts of students to organize and express
themselves were hindered. Even the UPLB Perspective staff, the campus
publication, are not allowed to hold press works beyond 7PM when in fact
it is during the night the campus journalists have time to write and edit
articles. These student institutions were fought for during these times
and it is ironic that these are again being attacked many years after,”
UPLB University Student Council vice chairperson Charisse Bañez said.
Rayan Brozula, NUSP-ST deputy secretary general, said that tuition and
other fees also increased in state universities and colleges (SUCs) in the
region despite Arroyo’s statement to freeze tuition hikes in SUCs. “The
Commission on Higher Education should look into the 100% tuition increase
in the University of Rizal System and the P500 special assessment fee
collected from freshmen at the Polytechnic University of the
Philippines-San Pedro.”
“These attacks against the ranks of the youth paint a bleak future for the
youth under the Arroyo regime. We call on all patriotic youth to defend
our rights and welfare. Just as the generations before us fought against
Martial Law and other anti-people policies, this is our obligation not
only for our generation but also for the next,” John Paulo Bautista,
coordinator of Kabataang Pinoy Party, said.
In Lipa, Batangas, students
and youth held a forum to unite the ranks of the youth in the province
regarding the issues in education and the national situation. The youth
formed the Save our Education Movement-Batangas and Kabataang Pinoy Party
to advance these rights.
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