MANIPESTO NG MGA ISKOLAR NG BAYAN

The Filipino youth continue to face countless attacks from the various crises of the society in almost every single blink of our eyes. From unemployment to poverty; from hunger to meager budget for social services; from oil price hikes to extra-judicial killings, and the list continues, infinitely. Most alarmingly, the youth is burdened by the crisis in the system of EDUCATION in the Philippines.

Educational institutions in the country continue to or prefer to run their schools as corporations, maintaining a Commercialized, Colonial, and Repressive atmosphere of education. Declarations of No Tuition Fee Increases do not actually provide a more accessible private education. For years of tuition and other fees increases (TOFI) in almost all schools, an average Filipino family’s capacity to send their children to school have likewise continuously dropped. On one hand, many schools still continue to implement TOFI, despite the crises and high prices of commodities. State Universities and Colleges, on the other hand, continue to fall victim to gross Government neglect – from continued budget slashes to commercialization of education. This is the case of a deregulated educational system – giving preference to the private sector the responsibility of educating the Filipino youth.

Worse, the government through the House of Representatives is proposing to amend the Philippine charter via a Constituent Assembly (CON-ASS). As with its foregoing charter change (CHA-CHA) attempts, this one, also seeks to delete economic provisions that limit foreign investment and ownership in potential profitable sectors and industries, including education.

Charter Change (CHA-CHA) will outrightly sell Education, along with our natural resources and lands, to foreign corporations.

Having laid these, the Philippine Education is in deep crisis, which forebodes a future so bleak, where like in our history only Ilustrados may attain higher education; where foreigners reign supreme and a nation like in our history so greatly oppressed.

Thus, we, mga iskolar ng bayan of the Mindanao State University-Marawi City and Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, demand the following:

• Greater state subsidy for state universities and colleges in the country.
• Investigation and refund of all alleged illegal collections and exorbitant miscellaneous,

  rental and laboratory fees.
• 3-year moratorium on all proposed tuition and other fee increases.
• No to Charter-Change.
• Promotion of a nationalist, scientific, and mass-oriented Philippine Educational System.

References:
Reywynx Morgado, LFS-MSU Marawi Chairperson (09297466734)
Jesson Bael, LFS-IIT Chairperson (09098627388)
 

National Union of Students of the Philippines [NUSP]
National Office Office of the Student Regent, Vinzons Hall, UP Diliman, QC Telephone 9818500 loc. 4511 or 4512

June 16, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Reference:
Einstein Recedes, NUSP National Vice-President, 09226762013
Bugsy Nolasco, Media Liaison Officer, 09228240740

NUSP joins protests at class opening,
challenges the youth to unite against Cha-Cha

The youth is once again challenged to unite and act against any move to amend the constitution before the 2010 elections.

The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) joined students in class openings by leading anti-Cha-Cha protests with the call for the youth to “create acts of hope.”

Einstein Recedes, national vice-president of NUSP, said that “the issue of charter change poses a great challenge for the youth to bravely counter the moves of President Arroyo and her allies to amend the constitution.”

“The railroading of HR 1109, the revelation of Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman about President Arroyo’s plan to run for congress in 2010 and reports about President Arroyo’s 14 visits to Pampanga reveal her plan to say in power beyond 2010. We, the youth, are challenged to create acts of hope aimed at protecting our nation’s future, darkened by the greedy and power hungry Arroyo administration,” Recedes said.

Referring to Msgr. Gerry Santos, president of The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), who recently made a statement urging the youth to engage in fora and discussions instead of protests against cha-cha, Banez said that “fora and group discussions are in fact components of mass protests and are essential to any meaningful assessment of social issues. Through mass protests not only are we able to manifest our discernment of the issue, we are also able to manifest the power of collective action. Let us not forget the distinctive role of mass demonstrations in the history of our nation.”

The protest was part of the series of youth actions against Charter Change leading towards the national day youth and student action on July 10, to be led by NUSP and other youth groups. ###