Photos by Arkibong Bayan, Joselle
Ebisate, Judy Taguiwalo,
Kabataan Partylist,
Roselle Pineda, Saligan sa CSSP
and Victor
Villanueva as indicated by the filenames |
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SUCs launch “protestivals” for higher
budget and burn “octopenoy” effigy in
Mendiola |
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x
skolar ng Bayan’ on strike
Thousands of students, faculty and
administrators march for higher budget for education, social services
September 23, 2011
Students, faculty, and administrators from different State Universities
and Colleges (SUCs) walked out of their classes, declared a strike and
marched to Mendiola today to call for higher state subsidy for education
and social services.
Thousands of Iskolars ng Bayan from University of the Philippines,
Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippine Normal University,
Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology, Rizal
Technological University, Marikina Polytechnic College and Technological
University of the Philippines walked-out from their campuses and marched.
A historic “long march” was launched by the UP Diliman community which
they dubbed as “Isko Tsunami Walk,” but theirs was more daunting than
Shamcey’s signature walk, as they traveled more than 13 kilometers from
Quezon City to Manila.
Strikes, campus walkouts and mass planking activities also took place in
La Union, Baguio, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna, Bicol, Iloilo, Tacloban, Cebu,
and Lanao.
According to Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson of youth group
Anakbayan and convenor of Kilos Na Laban sa Budget Cuts, the youth and
people are “extremely fed up and will not allow another round of budget
cuts and misprioritization.”
“We stand-up today as Iskolar ng Bayan and pag-asa ng bayan. The Aquino
government stop ‘planking’ ala-tuod. We will not tolerate a government
which chooses not to provide adequate education and health services for
its people. This is both a wake up call and a warning,” said Crisostomo.
In the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2012, P21.8 billion was
allotted for 110 SUCs, far from the more than P45 billion requested by the
SUCs. This is lower than the this year’s SUC budget of P22.03 billion.
Fifty schools will have their total budget slashed by a combined P569.8
million, 45 will have cuts in their MOOE funds by P250.9 million, and 58
will have cuts in Personal Services (PS) by P403.3 million. Budget
allotted for Capital Outlay is zero.
The basic education budget of P238 billion is likewise insufficient said
Crisostomo which will in real value amount to only P6.68 per Filipino per
day spending. The UN recommended is 6% of the GDP which is at P550
billion.
Budget for health services meanwhile is at P44.4 billion, far from the P90
billion proposed by the health sector and the P440 billion recommended by
the World Health Organization (WHO). Health spending for every Filipino is
at P1.20 per day.
“Meanwhile, they have increased the military budget by 9.9 % to P114.4
billion. Last year, pork barrel funds have been increased by P10 billion.
They have a P39 billion budget proposed for dole-outs from only P10
billion in 2010. Billions of ‘intelligence’ and PPP funds are inserted.
These should be realigned to social services. Mas mahalaga ang libro kaysa
bala, edukasyon kaysa kurupsyon, buhay ng mamamayan kaysa kita ng iilan,”
said Crisostomo.
Crisostomo said that these wrong priorities show a “defect” in the elite,
haciendero-led social system under the Aquino administration, which should
be “dismantled and changed.”
“We want social change, real change, not loose change. The youth and
people should wake up to the reality that nothing will change unless they
rise up and defend their rights and fight for real change. We have been
waiting for so long, we have been played for fools for so long, and they
will keep doing so. It’s time that we strike back,” he said.
Crisostomo said bigger actions are being prepared in the next few months
to push Congress and Senate to reject the 2012 “anti-people” Aquino
budget. He said they will anticipate the Senate hearings and the bicameral
conferences “do whatever it takes to fight for the peoples’ rights and
increase budget for social spending.”
References:
Vencer Crisostomo, 09224290258
John Francis Losaria, 09289996194
Vanessa Faye Bolibol, 09261703655
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PHILIPPINE NORMAL UNIVERSITY
PRESS RELEASE
September 22, 2011
Reference:
Arsadon Vera
VP Internal
09278795754
Donadette Belza
Editor-in-Chief, The Torch Publications, official students publication of
PNU
09165126022
PNU students call for strike against budget
cuts
Future teachers denounce Aquino’s second round of budget cut in education
and other social services.
“Tulad ng UP, PUP at iba pang state universities sa bansa na naglunsad na
ng iba’t ibang porma ng kilos-protesta laban sa pagkaltas sa badyet,
nandito rin ang PNU upang mariing tutulan ang pagkakaltas sa sektor ng
edukasyon lalo pa’t itinuturing kaming National Center for Teacher
Education,” said Arnold-John Bulanadi, Student Government President and
Student Regent.
Further, Bulanadi exemplified that the meagre 2011 PNU approved budget
cannot sustain the university’s operations. As a direct effect this
semester, PNU experimented on a merging of classes program to save budget
for faculty salary.
With this situation, students-leaders initiated a build-up activity strike
encouraging the PNU community to protest against budget cut in education
through a RED DAY CAMPAIGN. This involves red nail polish application, red
ribbon and balloon set-up, and free t-shirt printing of No To Budget Cut
call.
*The Torch Publications *PNU Manila Student Government *ANAKBAYAN-PNU
*GABRIELA Youth-PNU *ACT Teachers Party-list-PNU *Office of the Student
Regent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UP, SUCs “strike back” for higher budget
by ANAKBAYAN on Sep 21, 2011
UP community holds strike, calls for higher budget for education, health
and social services
Thousands of students, faculty, administrators and staff walked out of
their classes in University of the Philippines – Diliman (UP Diliman)
today and declared the start of a three-day campus strike in protest of
low budget for education, health and social services.
Colleges were shutdown as thousands marched along the UP academic oval,
barricaded the University Avenue and sang the campus hymn UP Naming Mahal
in front of the Oblation. A whole day activity, including a fashion show
dubbed as “Budget Couture” will be featured in the afternoon.
UP President Alfredo Pascual, UP Diliman Chancellor Saloma and at least
sixteen college deans supported the fight for higher budget for UP and
education and signed the unity statement of UP Kilos Na Laban sa Budget
Cuts, a broad alliance spearheading the strike.
“We are alarmed that state support for education under President Aquino is
diminishing in measures, and deteriorating in quality. Amidst the low
wages of the Filipino workers and the skyrocketing prices of basic goods
and services, it is high time to ensure that fundamental education does
not become a further burden to the ordinary Filipino,” said the statement.
In the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2012, P21.8 billion was
allotted for 110 SUCs, far from the more than P45 billion requested by the
SUCs. This is lower than the this year’s SUC budget of P22.03 million.
Fifty schools will have their total budget slashed by a combined P569.8
million, 45 will have cuts in their MOOE funds by P250.9 million, and 58
will have cuts in Personal Services (PS) by P403.3 million. Budget
allotted for Capital Outlay is zero.
For the University of the Philippines system, P1.16 billion was slashed
2010 and 2011, and an additional cut of P200 million is pending for 2012,
bringing down the UP system budget from P5.75B to P5.54B — an allocation
that amounts to only 32% of the UP budget proposal of P17.07B.
According to Vencer Crisostomo, Anakbayan national chairperson and
convenor of Kilos na Laban sa Budget Cuts, the UP strike is part of a
week-long nationally coordinated “strike back” of about a hundred State
Universities and Colleges (SUCs) nationwide against cuts in their budget
and calling for greater state subsidy for SUCs and education.
Yesterday, up to 8,000 students of Polytechnic University of the
Philippines (PUP) walked out of their classes and marched around their
campus together with their administrators. The PUP strike continues today
with “teach-ins” and “alternative classes” to be held in front of the
campus gate.
In UP Manila, meanwhile, a different kind of protest — a dodgeball
tournament against budget cuts – was held in preparation of their own
campus strike, which will start tomorrow. Various actions were also held
in Philippine Normal University, Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of
Science and Technology, Rizal Technological University and other state
universities and colleges.
“We commemorate Martial Law by embodying the activism of the earlier
generation of young people which fought for social change. Today we strike
in defiance of a government which chooses to abandon education in favor of
corruption, foreign and military spending. We will barricade the school
gates for several days so that many may still be able to enter them and
afford education in the future. We fight for change for the nation and the
future generation,” said Crisostomo.
Crisostomo said that a big march to Mendiola will be held on Friday
September 23. The UP community is expected to conduct a historic march
from UP to Mendiola which they called “Isko Tsunami Walk,” in allusion to
Shamcey Supsup’s Miss Universe walk.
“We are calling on Congress and the Aquino government to rechannel funds
from military, corruption and dole-outs to our schools and hospitals.
Bigger actions are being prepared to make sure that the Aquino government
does not get away with a weng-wang budget which the people rejects,” says
Crisostomo.
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Photo by Stand
UP-CMC |
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September 23, 2011
PRESS RELEASE
Pauline Gidget Estella
CEGP National Deputy Secretary General
09069357722
More than 8,000 youth march to Mendiola to
protest budget cuts
At the end of the “strike week,” more than 8,000 youth from different
schools in Metro Manila marched to Mendiola in a “historical show of rage”
against the impending cut on the budget for education and other social
services.
This week, schools including University of the Philippines-Diliman (UPD),
UP Manila, Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), Eulogio Amang
Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (EARIST), and Philippine
Normal University (PNU) launched a series of protest activities. These
activities range from the creative – mass “planking,” die-ins, “funeral
marches” – to massive build-ups such as the PUP unity march with 8,000
students, faculty and employees.
“This day is the culmination of the week-long spate of protest activities
against the social services cutback. The P146 million cut on the budget
for state universities and colleges (SUCs) will lead to higher tuition
rates and bloated miscellaneous fees, making education a privilege
exclusive to those who can afford,” said Vencer Crisostomo, spokesperson
of Kilos Na Laban sa Budget Cuts, an alliance of organizations condemning
the “continuing trend of state neglect of basic services.”
The students started the program in front of Mendiola Peace Arch at around
2 P.M. They were joined by other sectors such as employees, health
workers, teachers, among others. Administrators from different SUCs also
joined the students in the protest action.
Earlier this week, Senator Allan Peter Cayetano and some lawmakers already
expressed solidarity with the groups caling for higher state subsidy.
In other regions, students staged their own massive actions. In Central
Luzon, for instance, 11 schools held symbolic activities and protest
rallies against the budget cut.
“Last year, we have already registered our opposition through consecutive
strikes in several SUCs. The government, however, did not draw any lesson
from our collective show of force. It even tried to discredit our claims
through deceptive explanations,” said Pauline Gidget Estella, national
deputy secretary general of College Editors Guild of the Philippines, the
widest and longest-running alliance of student publications in the
country.
The government claimed that the budget for SUCs even increased by 10
percent through the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF) and the
SUCs Development fund. However, these are “conditional” funds because the
institutions must first fill up the regular employee positions before the
MPBF could be released, while the SUCs Development fund will be given only
to schools whose curriculum is patterned after the administration’s
priority areas like tourism, Estella explained, adding that they should be
given directly to the SUCs or simply added to the allocation.
Moreover, there are questionable funds that the lawmakers can realign to
the allocation for SUCs, said Estella. For instance, intelligence and
confidential lump sum funds for national defense and the Armed Forces of
the Philippines amounting to over P5 billion could be rechanneled to
social services, especially because there are reports of corruption in the
use of these funds.
“There’s no question in the validity of our demands. For a government that
chooses to prioritize flawed policies over our basic rights, this
historical collective action is our response,” said Estella.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 22, 2011
PRESS RELEASE
Pauline Gidget Estella
CEGP National Deputy Secretary General
09069357722
A day before the national day of action
against budget cuts
Schools nationwide stage creative activities, massive build-up actions
A day before the national day of protest against the education cutback,
schools in Metro Manila and other regions staged numerous activities
ranging from the creative – planking, die-in, cultural night – to the
massive build-up actions like snake rallies and noise barrages.
Around P146 million was slashed from the budget for state universities and
colleges for 2012. “Even for the schools that received an increase, the
allocation still falls short of the required budget,” said Pauline Gidget
Estella, national deputy secretary general of College Editors Guild of the
Philippines, the widest and longest-running alliance of student
publications in the country.
In UP Manila (UPM), students kicked off the strike by walking out of their
classes, followed by a symbolic closing of the university at 10 A.M. The
students, along with faculty and employees, marched in a “snake rally”
around the campus.
“UP Manila is an institution characterized by commitment to providing
quality and affordable health services. However, with the impending cut on
the budget for social services, particularly health services, this is a
duty that cannot be fulfilled,” said Cleve Arguelles, vice chairperson of
UPM.
At 6 P.M., the students gathered in UPM College of Arts and Sciences lobby
for the cultural night and bonfire film-showing, in which films about the
national situation were shown.
At the same day, Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and
Techonology (EARIST) students started its one day strike, with hundreds of
students joining the “bandwagon,” in which the mob will march around
Nagtahan bridge in Sta. Mesa starting 10 A.M. The students then marched to
Mendiola at 1 P.M.
Creative activities
Meanwhile, in Philippine Normal University, students launched the “Red
Campaign,” in which red balloons and red ribbons were tied to bulletin
boards and class rooms. They also painted their nails with red, with each
letter of “Budget cut” written on each nail.
The activities in Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) and UP
Diliman were as creative. On the second day of UP Diliman strike,
organizations staged “Olats sa Cuts, the Stations of the Cuts Cultural
Program,” in which students showed the actual situation of each sector of
the society under President Benigno Aquino III’s term. At night, before
the dormitories’ campout, the university held a “retro night” titled
“Walastik, Dehins sa Cuts, Repapips!”
PUP students held a modelling show and their own version of UP Diliman’s
“budget cuttoure.” Like EARIST students, they also staged a “mass
planking” and lied stiff like a plank of wood inside school premises.
In Southern Tagalog region, students in UP Los Banos (UPLB) mounted a
“Pose to Oppose” protest center in Humanities building. Photos of students
with “I pose to oppose” written on them were shown in the exhibit.
Students also held a protest action in the center at 4 P.M.
In Northern Luzon, different sectors in UP Baguio gathered around a
“campfire” from 6 P.M. onwards. The campfire was a culminating activity in
which members of the community talk about their situation in relation to
the impending budget cut.
“On the day before the 23rd, the schools have become a venue where the
youth have devised creative means to show their indignation over the
continuing trend of state neglect. On the September 23 national day of
action, the activities will be more than just an array of creative
methods, but a show of force through numbers,” said Estella.
UP Diliman kick-off and boodle fight
Yesterday, UP Diliman kicked of its strike when more than 1,000 students,
faculty and administrators joined the unity march around the Academic
Oval. Since 8 A.M., the students have been gathering at different
colleges. In the College of Arts and Letters, the building was closed down
and classes were cancelled.
At around 12 P.M., the strikers gathered at Palma Hall steps and formally
declared that the “university is on strike.” “UP Naming Mahal” was sung
after the declaration.
The strikers then watched “Budget Cuttoure,” a fashion show where the
models tried to represent the budget cut through their outfit. UPM also
held a dodgeball event known as “Dodge that cut,” a representation of the
students’ opposition to the budget cut.
Another creative way of representation is UPLB’s “funeral march.” Students
marched around the premises at 4 P.M. yesterday and carried a caskette
with “RIP Education” painted on it. They also attached crosses with
“Resurrect on September 23! Save Our Education!” to bulletin boards.
Meanwhile, PUP started its second day of strike through a boodle fight, a
symbolic activity in which students and faculty ate rice and tuyo on
banana leaves laid out on long tables.
“This signifies the unity of the PUP sectors in the fight for greater
state subsidy. Although there has been an increase in the budget for PUP,
the increase is not enough to fill the gap between the amount needed and
the amount given,” said Rommel Aguilar, PUP student regent. Last September
20, on the first day of PUP strike, around 8,000 people joined the unity
march.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strike Two: UP Mindanao students slam PNoy admin’s
second round of budget cuts
DAVAO CITY - Students from University of the Philippines (UP) - Mindanao
staged a protest action at the campus in Mintal, simultaneously with the
on-going strikes against budget cuts on social services in other parts of
the country.
“The Aquino administration has turned a deaf ear once again to the voices
of the people. With another round of budget cut in social services like
education and health, the PNoy admin has shown its insincerity in
addressing soci-economic problems of the country. Hindi tayo ang kanyang
“BOSS”,” said Rendell Cagula, chairperson of the UP Mindanao University
Student Council.
For the fiscal year 2012, the Aquino government allotted only P21.8
billion for the budget of 110 state colleges and universities in the
country, lower than last year’s P22.03 billion.
Last year, students and other sectors nation-wide conducted strikes and
protests against budget-cuts by the government. And with another round of
budget - cuts this year, thousands and thousands of students are expected
to join strikes.
“For Pres. Aquino to claim that his administration prioritizes education
and other social services is a bitter pill to swallow. It is evident that
his administration’s proposed national budget, will only increase the
already swelling number of students dropping out or not enrolling to
school so as a consequence to the continued slashes from subsidy to state
universities and colleges on top of skyrocketing tuition fees,” said
Cagula.
“The students and the people will continue to protest against the PNoy
administration as it continues to implement anti-student and anti-people
policies. We are being denied of our most basic rights to education and
social services. And this is enough reason for more people to join us as
we intensify our actions in the coming weeks,” stressed Cagula.###
For reference:
Krista Melgarejo
Chairperson, National Union of Students of the Philippines - Davao City
Chapter
09393392075
Photo Credits: Kit Frias
--
National Union of Students of the Philippines
Davao City Chapter
Mobile: +639266453953
Email: nusp.dvo@gmail.com
Facebook: facebook.com/nusp.smr
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▲ Planking for a cause
....
in Mendiola ▼ |
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... in Congress ▼ |
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.... in UP Diliman ▼ |
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Plangka
Ni Kislap Alitaptap
25 Setyembre 2011
Ilapat sa kalsada ang
Pawisang mukha.
Langhapin ang aroma ng
Kalsadang pinison ng kakulangan.
Hanapin sa kaharap na kalsada ang
Butil-butil na kalawang na nagsibitaw
Sa mga umaarangkadang makina.
Hayaang yakapin ng usok
Mula sa gasolinang nasusunog
Ang kasuotang may bakas
Pa ng matagal na pagkakatiklop.
Hayaang ilahad ng kalsada
Sa inyong mga pandinig
Ang katapatan ng inyong mga ibig.
Hayaang magtalsikan ang
Bumubulang laway ng mga bantay
Sa kastilyong wang-wang.
Hayaang magpatalastas ng
Pagbabawal ang mga pantas ng batas.
Hayaaan silang magsipirma
Sa mga republic act.
|
Muli, ilapat sa kalsada
Ang inyong pagpapasya.
Pagpapasyang tatawid,
Babagtas, at sa inyo’y maghahatid
Sa hangganan nitong
Sementadong kalsada.
Iplangka sa kalsada
Ang inyong kahandaan.
Kahandaang humakbang,
Sumuong, sumalubong,
At makipagkamay sa mga
Palad na walang pagpapanggap.
Muli, pakinggan ang paghinga
Ng lupa sa ilalim nitong kalsada.
Pakinggan ang walang katiyakang
Paghakbang ng mabibigat na mga paa.
Pakingga’t maghanda sa paghatid
Ng hangin sa napagkaisahang hudyat.
Abe! Baking! Magmintina!
Kaloy! Plangka sa kaliwa!
Muli, ilapat sa kalsada ang
Pawisang mukha. # |
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September 22, 2011
PRESS RELEASE
Reference:
Fatima Villanueva
Sentral na Konseho ng Mag-aaral
09057553964
Rommel Aguilar
Student Regent
09291422695
Media Officer:
Maybelle Gormate
Editor-in-Chief The Catalyst, official student publication of PUP
09993172620
Solidarity Day in PUP,
Students plank against budget cut
UMAKSYON-PUP holds a Solidarity Day in accordance with its week-long
strike that calls for a higher PUP budget. The said event aims to register
to the government the insufficient fund it gives not only to PUP, but to
the education sector particularly the State Colleges and Universities in
an entertaining but striking way.
Though deviant from the traditional
holding of placards and propaganda materials, this event equally shows the
students’ fervent support to the call. Their mere participation in the
Solidarity Day is a clear manifestation of how they really suffered in the
lack of funding in the university.
Students plank in protest for the insufficient fund allocated by the
government. There are also nationalistic performances from the student
organizations, speeches in support of the strike, and a noise barrage that
awakens the minds of the people in the government. Through these, PUP
community oneness is once again proven.
PUP Student Regent Rommel Aguilar
said that in this event, the talents of PUPians are harnessed to call for
the higher budget for the university. “It is given that PUPians are
talented students, but because of the lack of funds, facilities that can
help develop more our talents are not present here. As a result, we are
now using our talents to tell the government that they must give us a
higher budget.”
Aside from the performances, teach-in
protests are also present and continued where students take alternative
classes about the present society.###
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.... at PUP |
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NO TO CUTS! |
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Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines
Press Release
September 24, 2011
Aquino stoking more street protests with 'planking'
attitude towards people's clamors--CPP
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today said the the Aquino
government "is stoking more massive protest actions with his 'planking'
attitude towards people's democratic demands to put an end to IMF-imposed
policies of liberalization and privatization."
The CPP issued this statement at the end of a week marked by street
protest actions. The CPP congratulated the tens of thousands of people who
marched to the streets and registered their protest against the
anti-people and pro-IMF policies of the Aquino regime. "These protest
actions are the people's only resort to the increasingly intransingent
attitude being exhibited by the Aquino regime."
Last Monday, jeepney drivers launched a nationwide protest strike against
what they denounced as overpricing by big foreign oil companies which has
resulted in oil prices being jacked up by at least 20 times this year.
Jeepney drivers have been demanding a P9 per liter rollback in the price
of petroleum products. Monday's protest action was one of the biggest
transport strikes in recent years. It was carried out by jeepney drivers
after the Aquino government refused to heed the drivers' clamor to repeal
the Oil Deregulation Law which has allowed oil companies to raise oil
prices with impunity.
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Yesterday, close to ten thousand
students from state colleges and universities in Metro Manila marched to
the Mendiola bridge to protest planned cuts in budgetary allocations for
education and social spending and against the policy of privatization of
the school system. Several thousand more students walked out of their
classrooms in various parts of the country. In the proposed 2012 budget of
the Aquino regime, allocations for capital outlay for education, health
care and other social services were reduced as the governments pushes
state universities and colleges and public hospitals to generate their own
income through commercial activities.
The protest actions yesterday were marked by the simultaneous "planking"
of thousands of students who lay still in their campuses and on the
Mendiola bridge to protest the inaction of the Aquino government to their
demands for greater budgetary allocations for education and its
intransingence with regard to implementing policies imposed by the IMF and
World Bank.
"In the face of the widespread protests, the Aquino regime is acting like
a 'plank', ignoring the sufferings of the people under the policies of
liberalization, privatization, deregulation and denationalization imposed
by the IMF and implemented by successive regimes since the late 1980s,"
said the CPP. "The Aquino regime is wont to dismiss the protest actions as
mere 'inconveniences' and publicity stunts in a desperate attempt to
belittle the demands of the people."
"By acting like a 'plank' with regard the people's clamor for change, the
Aquino regime is stretching the limits of the people's patience," added
the CPP. "Mr. Aquino is stoking the people's rage and risking more massive
protest actions in the future." |
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Mendiola! Mendiola! ▼ |
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x
KABATAAN PARTY-LIST
Office of Rep. Raymond V. Palatino
North Wing Room 419, House of Representatives, Batasan Complex, Quezon
City
Email: cong.mongpalatino@gmail.com Telefax: (+632) 931-5504, Trunkline:
(+632) 9315001 loc 7378
Headquarters: 118-B Scout Rallos Extn, Brgy. Sacred Heart, Quezon City
Telefax: 352-1054
Press Release:
September 23, 2011
References:
Rep. Raymond ‘Mong’ Palatino, Kabataan Party-list, 0908-5927099
Bugsy Nolasco, media liaison officer, 0922-8240740
===================================================================
SUCs nationwide launch strike vs. P24 billion
lack in funds
Prayer rallies, noise barrages, white ribbon wearing, mass planking, stop
dance, parade of colors – some of the activities launched by State
Universities and Colleges (SUCs) today as part of the nationwide strike
against budget cuts and the P24 billion lack in funds of public higher
education.
According to Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raymond “Mong” Palatino, “The
nationwide strike embodies the outrage of our SUCs against the inaction of
the Aquino administration to reverse the cuts and provide sufficient
funding for our public universities”
Last Tuesday, Palatino submitted in Congress a petition letter addressed
to Committee on Appropriations chair Rep. Joseph Abaya containing a list
of proposed budget amendments including a P24 billion increase for the
budget of SUCs.
Palatino said that the P21.8 billion budget given to SUCs for 2012 is
actually P24 billion short of the P45.8 billion budget requirement based
on the needs of SUCs.
“I urge the Aquino administration to grant these amendments. Otherwise,
we’ll be left with no choice but to continue with the protest actions up
until President Aquino heed the just demands of our SUCs,” Palatino said
during an inter-faith prayer rally in the Technological University of the
Philippines (TUP)
In the National Capital Region (NCR), thousands of students, faculty and
administrations marched to Mendiola where they burned an effigy called
“OctoPnoy” to signify the eight (8) budget wrongs committed by President
Aquino such as budget cuts to social services like education and health,
debt-servicing, and palliative measures like the Conditional Cash
Transfers (CCTs), among others.
Palatino said that based on the conservative estimates of SUCs nationwide,
20 thousand students, faculty and administrators have joined the
coordinated strikes today. ###
--
Office of Rep. Raymond ‘Mong’ Palatino
Room 419, North Wing, House of Representatives,
Batasan Complex, Quezon City
Tel: 931-55-04, 931-5001 (loc. 7378)
Reference:
Kabataan Party-list Rep. Mong Palatino
Mobile: 0908-5927099
Bugsy Nolasco, Media Officer
Mobile: 0922-8240740
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Office of Representative Antonio L. Tinio
ACT Teachers Party-List
House of Representatives
PRESS RELEASE
September 23, 2011
References: ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. Antonio L. Tinio (0920-922-0817)
Julie Anne D. Tapit, Media Officer (0915-762-6522)
ACT Teachers solon pushes for higher subsidy for SUCs as students hold
nationwide strike
ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio called for a drastic increase in
the budget of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) to address the
shortage of regular faculty in the country's public higher education
institutions.
"There is a gross shortage of qualified regular faculty in all 110 state
universities and colleges," said Tinio. "Congress must address this by
allocating the necessary funds."
Tinio made the call in support of today's nationwide youth strike against
the budget cuts to higher education proposed by the Aquino administration
in its 2012 national budget.
"We're one with the students, faculty, staff, and administrators of the
country's 110 State Universities and Colleges in their call for increased
allocations to higher education," said Tinio.
The ACT Teachers solon proposed an additional Php 2.4 billion for SUCs for
the creation of 8,000 full-time faculty positions as an amendment to the
2012 General Appropriations Bill currently under consideration in Congress
Tinio explained that the creation of new teaching positions has not kept
pace with the explosive growth of enrollment in SUCs in the past two
decades. "Enrollment in SUCs has more than doubled since 1990, but the
number of regular faculty has remained more or less constant in the
majority of SUCs." He cited the case of the Mindanao University of Science
and Technology in Cagayan de Oro. It had 185 regular faculty and an
enrollment of 4,000 when it opened in 1978. Since then, not a single new
faculty item has been added to their roster even though their enrollment
has grown to over 9,000."
Tinio decried what he described as a "de facto moratorium" on the creation
of new teaching positions in SUCs. "This has forced SUCs to hire large
numbers of faculty on a part-time, contractual basis.
He noted that, of the 40,307 teachers serving in SUCs last year, 12,462
were part-time faculty. "Almost one-third of the teaching force in SUCs
are part-time faculty." In some instances, part-time faculty outnumber
their full-time counterparts. He cited the case of the Polytechnic
University of the Philippines with 1,695 part-timers over 1,186
full-timers. "One of the most glaring is J.H. Cerilles State College in
Zamboanga del Sur, which has 522 part-timers against 114 full-timers.
He described part-time faculty as among the most exploited among the ranks
of teachers. "They are paid a very low hourly rate, giving them an average
monthly compensation of around Php 8,000 a month, which is below minimum
wage. They have social protection benefits such as GSIS and Philhealth,
are not allowed to unionize, and have no job security. It becomes more
difficult for our SUCs to attract and retain qualified faculty given such
working conditions."
"In the ongoing public debate on budget cuts to higher education, much has
been said about the reduced allocations for maintenance and operations and
the zero capital outlay of SUCs," said Tinio. "This is understandable,
given their direct impact on tuition and other fee increases. But the most
massive cuts are being made in personnel--specifically the freeze on
hiring of regular faculty and the large-scale deployment of part-time,
contractual teachers. This is where the biggest costs are cut, through the
exploitation of teachers."
Tinio further noted that budget cuts on teaching personnel have the
greatest impact on the quality of education in SUCs. "It directly affects
teaching and research, which are the core functions of universities. No
new regular faculty items in the context of burgeoning enrollment means
larger class sizes, heavier teaching loads, longer teaching hours,
drastically reduced time for research and professional development for
faculty." #
--
Office of Representative Antonio L. Tinio
ACT Teachers Party-List
"Ang Tunay na Tinig ng Teachers!"
Office Address Rm 618 South Wing, House of Representatives, Batasan Hills,
Quezon City, Philippines 1126
Tel. +632-9316193 +632-9315001 loc. 7317
Email tinio.dal@congress.gov.ph rep.antonio.tinio@gmail.com
=================================================================
Youth solon hits “hasty” approval of the 2012
national budget
17 SEPTEMBER 2011
Upon the approval on 2nd reading in the House of Representatives of the
P1.81 trillion national budget for 2012, Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raymond
“Mong” Palatino called the move an “utter disregard to the funding needs
of basic sectors such as education and health.”
“The hasty passage of the 2012 national budget in the House reveals the
skewed funding priorities of the government with its utter disregard to
the funding needs of basic sectors such as education and health. One finds
it hard to stomach such haste in light of budget cuts to basic social
services and the bloated funding for inadequate programs like the CCTs and
PPPs. How can we, as supposed servants of the people, approve such
disproportionate budget?” Palatino said.
Responding to the statement that last night’s session was an achievement
for its prompt approval of the national budget, Palatino said that it
“smacks of superficiality to consider the hasty budget approval an
achievement.”
“More than the quick passage of the national budget, what we should
ultimately consider is its content. Whom does it serve? Does it properly
address the funding needs of our people?” Palatino said.
Palatino reiterated the plan of various sectors especially the youth to
launch nationwide actions next week to protest against the budget cuts to
social services like education and health. |
Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raymond
Palatino |
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Anakbayan Chair Vencer Crisostomo |
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Para
sa kabataang lumalaban, para sa kabataang makabayan
ni Judy Taguiwalo, former UP Faculty Regent
Inihanda para sa Protesta sa Mendiola
Setyembre 23, 2011
 Oo, inaamin ko, senior citizen na ako! Kasabay nang pag-amin na
yan-ipinagmamalaki kong naging bahagi ako ng henerasyon ng kabataan na
kalahok sa First Quarter Storm ng 1970, sa Diliman Commune ng 1971, at sa
paglaban sa diktadurang Marcos mula 1972 hanggang Pebrero 1986.
Ipinagmamalaki kong kabahagi ako sa daluyong ng protesta sa kalsada noong
1970 hanggang 1972 na nagpalaganap sa pambansa-demokratikong pagsusuri at
linya. At isinabuhay ko ang panawagang “Digmang Bayan, sagot sa martial
law” sa panahon ng batas militar.
Mahusay na iniugnay ng pambansa demokratikong kilusan na ang problema ng
kabataan, sa krisis sa edukasyon at kawalang kinabukasan; na ang problema
ng mga magsasaka sa laganap na kawalan ng lupa; na ang problema ng mga
manggagawa sa napakababang sahod at kawalan ng seguridad sa trabaho; na
ang panunupil sa mamamayang lumalaban ay mahigpit na nakakawing sa tatlong
ismo—sa imperyalismo na nagtitiyak ng kontrol malalaking dayuhang
kapitalista sa ekonomiya at pulitika ng ating bansa; sa pyudalismo na
nagtitiyak sa patuloy na paghahari ng malalaking panginoong maylupa sa
milyun-milyong ektarya ng lupaing agrikultural; sa burukrata kapitalismo
bilang tagapagmantene ng sistemang mala kolonyal at mala pyudal sa ating
bayan at nagpapalaganap ng pasismo.
Sa pamamagitan ng dambuhalang mga rali, mga lakbayan ng mamamayan, mga
pulong pag-aaral sa mga komunidad, mga discussion groups sa eskwelehan, sa
mga statements na pinarami sa pamamagitan ng mimeographing machines, mga
likha ng mga artistang bayan tulad ng mga street theatre, mga tula, mga
awit at mga dibuho, malawakang naipalaganap ang pambansa demokratikong
pagsusuri at ang sosyalistang hinaharap nito.
Siyempre, hindi naman sa isang iglap nangyari ang malawakang pagyakap at
pagkilos ng libo libong estudyante’t kabataan at mamamayan sa
pambansa-demokratikong linya. Produkto ang malalaking mobilisasyon sa
mahabang panahon nang masikhay at matiyagang pakikipamuhay sa masang
estudyante, manggagawa’t magsasaka, pakikipag-aralan, pag-oorganisa at
pagpapakilos sa kanila. 1961 ipinunla ng mga kasamahang tulad nina Jose
Ma. Sison, Juliet de Lima at Fidel Agcaoli ang binhi ng bagong pambansa
demokratikong kilusan at 1969 bumulwak ang mga campus strikes sa iba’t
ibang unibersidad laban sa mataas na tuition at 1970 pumutok ang First
Quarter Storm. Ang susi sa pagdaluyong na ito, at lagi natin itong tandaan:
tama ang pagsusuri at linya ng pambansa demokratikong kilusan na may
sosyalistang perspektiba at handa ang mga aktibista’t kadre para tahakin
ang linyang ito sa pamamagitan ng pagmumulat, pag-oorganisa at pagkilos
laluna sa hanay ng masang manggagagawa at magbubukid.
Hindi naging maalwan o derecho ang naging takbo ng kilusang pambansa
demokratiko. May mga kahinaan at pagkakamali at sa gitna ng mga hamon at
kahirapang dinanas ng aking henerasyon, binigyang lakas kaming magpatuloy
sa katotohanang wala pa ring esensyal na pagbabago sa katangian ng
lipunang Pilipino at nanatili ang tatsulok ng mga uri sa ating lipunan.
Binigyang lakas kami ng mga akda tulad ng Paglingkuran ang Sambayanan, Sa
Gunita ni Kasamang Norman Bethune at ang Ang Matandang Hangal na Nagpatag
ng Bundok.
Ngayong gabi, nakikita ko kayo mga kabataan ng inyong henerasyon na
yumakap sa pambansa demokratikong kilusan, at ipinaabot ko sa inyo na
narito kami matatandang hangal na nag-umpisang magpatag sa mga bundok ng
imperyalismo, pyudalismo at burukrata kapitalismo sa panahon ng aming
kabataan, patuloy na kabalikat ninyo sa pagpapatuloy sa di tapos na
proyekto ng Rebolusyong 1896 para sa tunay na kalayaan at demokrasya at
para sa kaginhawaan ng mayorya ng ating mamamayan na hanggang ngayon ay
sadlak sa pighati at sa hirap.
Nais kong magtapos sa pangungusap ni Mao Zedong na siya ring sumulat at
nagsabuhay ng Matandang Hangal na Nagpatag ng Bundok:
Sa inyo ang daigdig, at sa amin din. Ngunit sa huling pagtatasa, ito'y sa
inyo. Kayong kabataang lubos ang sigasig at lakas, namumukadkad ang buhay,
tulad ng araw sa ika-walo o ika-siyam ng umaga. Nasa inyo ang aming
pag-asa. Sa inyo ang dagidig. Sa inyo ang kinabukasan ng ating bayan.
Mula sa aking henerasyong matatandang hangal na nagpatag ng bundok:
Mabuhay ang kabataang
lumalaban!
Mabuhay ang kabataang makabayan!
Mabuhay kayo, pag-asa ng bayan!
Ipagpatuloy ang di tapos na Rebolusyong 1896!
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More than 8,000 convered in
Mendiola from the PUP, TIP, ERIST, PNU, UP Manila and UP Diliman |
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x
UP Manila, EARIST shut down campus, thousands
plank nationwide
by ANAKBAYAN on Sep 22, 2011
SUC strikes continue
UP Manila, EARIST shut down campus, thousands plank nationwide
Students, faculty and administrators in University of the Philippines (UP)
– Manila and Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Technology walked out
from classes and closed the gates of their campuses as the nationwide
strikes of state universities and colleges (SUCs) for higher budget
continue.
Today’s strike also came alongside a nationally coordinated planking
protest for higher education budget, wherein thousands of students from La
Union, Baguio, Southern Tagalog, Iloilo and Lanao also participated. Mass
demonstrations and flash mobilizations were also held in Rizal
Technological University and Marikina Polytechnic College.
In UP Manila, students walked out and barricaded their campus at around
11am and held a noise barrage in front of Philippine General Hospital (PGH)
where they called for higher budget for health services. They were met by
PGH Director Joe Gonzalez.
“UP Manila is an institution characterized by commitment to providing
quality and affordable health services. However, with the impending cut on
the budget for social services, particularly health services, this is a
duty that cannot be fulfilled,” said Cleve Arguelles, vice chairperson of
UP Manila student council.
At about 1pm, students held a “planking” protest along Padre Faura which
was also done in other campuses nationwide.
“Sa totoo, parang ang gubyerno ang naka-‘plank’ kung pag-uusapan ang
edukasyon at serbisyo. Para silang tuod. They are doing nothing to improve
the lives of the people and to provide education and health care,” said
Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson of youth group Anakbayan and main
convenor of Kilos na Laban sa Budget Cuts.
Crisostomo said the gov’t must realign funds to SUCs, education and social
services. Only P21.8 billion was allotted for SUCs for 2012, down from
P22.03 billion last year, and far from the needed P45 billion.
Crisostomo said they have broken down their proposal to congress to
realign P23.8 billion from “intelligence,” pork barrel, debt, conditional
cash transfer, privatization and military to the budget of SUCs.
“Nakita namin na maraming pera na pwedeng ilaan sa SUCs at edukasyon. They
should prioritize education and social services and stop corruption prone
and unneccesary spending. Mas mahalaga ang edukasyon kaysa pondo sa
kurupsyon, mas mahalaga ang libro kaysa bala, ang buhay kaysa negosyo,”
said Crisostomo.
On Tuesday, up to 8,000 PUP students and faculty walked out and declared
the start of their campus strike. Yesterday, thousands of UP Diliman
students together with college deans, Diliman Chancellor Cesar Saloma and
UP President Alfredo Pascual declared a strike against cuts.
In UP and PUP, various activities were also held today including a retro
concert in preparation for a huge march to Mendiola tomorrow, September
23. All SUCs nationwide are also expected to participate in various
protests and marches.
Leading the movement are youth groups Anakbayan, National Union of
Students of the Philippines, College Editors Guild of the Philippines,
League of Filipino Students, Student Christian Movement of the
Philippines, Kabataang Artista Para sa Tunay na Kalayaan, and Kabataan
Partylist.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A concrete proposal: Gov’t must rechannel military,
corruption and dole-out funds to SUCs and social services
by ANAKBAYAN on Sep 22, 2011
The Aquino government and congress should
amend the 2012 budget to give what is due for the State Universities and
Colleges (SUCs), education and social services.
The Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
submitted a proposal of P45 billion budget for 2012 to the government. The
current budget of P21.8 billion, down from P22.03 billion last year, is
grossly insufficient to fund our SUCs.
The Aquino gov’t and Congress should rechannel the following funds to SUCs:
1. “Intelligence” and “confidential” lump-sum funds amounting to P789.3
million mostly from OP, DND. These funds are unaudited and are lump sum
funds which have been earlier found to be source of corruption. The funds
should be alloted to SUCs.
2. AFP modernization lump-sum fund of P5 billion. This is questionable
amidst reports that funds are being used for corruption. Moreover,
education should be prioritized over military spending. This should
instead be rechannelled to capital outlay of schools.
3. A portion of the conditional cash transfers and PAMANA dole-outs worth
P15.2 billion. These dole-outs are corruption prone and are artificial,
ineffective and expensive projects which will not help solve poverty.
4. The funds allotted to the Comission on Higher Education (CHED) and the
Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund worth P2.5 billion should be
directly allotted to the SUCs.
Realigning these funds can increase the budget of SUCs substantially by
P23.8 billion and provide the bare necessities the school needs to
operate. Government should work towards increasing the SUCs budget
substantially every year.
There are more funds not yet mentioned which can be rechanneled to
education and other social services such as debt servicing (P700+
billion), PPP funds (P21 billion) and others. For basic education we feel
that the government should work to give the 6% UN recommended budget or
about P550 million to DepEd. This is far from the P238 billion proposed
for 2012. For health, government should give P90 billion needed for our
hospitals and reject the meager P44 billion alloted. It must stop
privatization of social services.
The Aquino government should put its money where its mouth is and stop
making excuses. It should act now to fund provide quality education and
sufficient social services.
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