"Uphold STRAW!" - UP ALYANSA, BUKLOD CSSP, and Akbayan Youth

UP ALYANSA, with BUKLOD CSSP and Akbayan Youth, successfully concluded the UPHOLD STRAW Forum at Palma Hall Room 207 on September 3, 2010. Former Rep. Risa Hontiveros of AKBAYAN Partylist was the event's main speaker. Cheanne Matriz, member of the Akbayan Youth NCR National Council, delivered a national situationer on the state of students' rights and welfare. 

This well-attended forum discussed the advocacy for a Students' Rights and Welfare Bill to be passed in Congress. House Bill 2190 (An Act Providing for a National Policy on Students' Rights and Welfare) is authored by Rep. Walden Bello and co-authored by Rep. Kaka Bag-ao of Akbayan.

In line with this advocacy, UP ALYANSA is part of the Coalition for Students' Rights and Welfare, a broad alliance which includes the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP) and the Movement for the Advancement of Student Power (MASP).

Group hits UI PEN’s anti-atudent policy; Calls for dialogue

Nearing enrollment for the second semester of the academic year, a youth group denounces what they deem as unfair practice of the University of Iloilo management.

The private university recently released a memo which gave an automatic incomplete grade to all students who have failed to settle their accounts.  The memo was released by the school administration managed by the Phinma Education Network, a private business firm.

Taken into effect, the memo adds extra fees for students in paying 150 pesos per subject for the reprocessing of their grades.  An average student takes 7 subjects per semester.

The Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP) criticized UI management for its capitalist approach towards education.

“This policy is clearly anti-student borne out of a capitalist venture within a welfare service”, remarks Joey Limson, Iloilo coordinator of SCAP.  “Education is a welfare service and business interests should be relegated under the public interest”.

SCAP’s sister organization within UI, the Political Science Society, called for a dialogue between the students and the school management.

The UI-based organization is launching a signature campaign calling for a suspension of the memo.  The organization also calls for CHED to intervene in order to protect students’ rights.

Kaiser Cordero, a member of the Political Science Society, reported that the memo was never circulated well among the studentry and thus caught the students by surprise.

“Our teachers can’t encode our grades because they had the system blocked”, added Cordero.

The organization’s president Karl Smith dela Peña in a Facebook post said, “the teaching pedagogy has changed drastically! It’s very obvious that the UI PEN is no longer observing the philosophy of student-teacher relation”.

“The inconvenient truth is that it’s already capitalist-clientele relation”, added dela Peña. ●

MASP: "To say no to the STRAW Bill is to say no to upholding students' rights and welfare!"

The Movement for the Advancement of Student Power (MASP) strongly condemns the campaign against the Students’ Rights and Welfare (STRAW) of different youth and student groups. This deceptively express their opposition to the Students’ Rights and Welfare Bill (STRAW Bill) proposed by Akbayan Party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros.

Number of student and youth groups simultaneously launched several campaigns against the STRAW Bill. For an instance, The Torch Publications, the Official Student Publication of the Philippine Normal University, published an article entitled “Beauty in Disguise: Paglalantad sa Mapanlinlang na Kagandahan ng STRAW Bill”. The article alleged that the bill is anti-student and that it endorses bureaucracy, instead of denouncing it. However, the article did not cite specific provisions to significantly validate their arguments.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers Party-list (ACT Party-list) and other allied organizations also slammed the passage of the STRAW Bill.

Series of Technical Working Group (TWG) meetings were conducted before the recess of the Congress. The main purpose of these TWG meetings is to consolidate and consider necessary and essential amendments for the Magna Carta of the Students’ Bill (Consolidated version of Rep. Rodriguez’s and Rep. Lagman’s Students’ Magna Carta Bill and Rep. Hontiveros’ Students’ Rights and Welfare Bill). MASP actively participated in the TWG meetings to propose some amendments. However, representatives from different youth organizations and different sectors did not even see the presence of these Anti-STRAW Bill youth groups in the TWG meetings to propose their own amendments.

The first point is that if these Anti-STRAW Bill groups really wanted to propose such amendments specified by The Torch Publications, they should have attended these TWG meetings. The National Union of Students in the Philippines (NUSP) was one of the Anti-STRAW Bill organizations. NUSP President Alvin Peters was present in the TWG meetings; however, he never said that NUSP is against the STRAW Bill. In fact, he even raised more cases that even validate the fact that the legislation of this students’ Magna Carta is really necessary.

The anti-STRAW Bill stand of NUSP is very contradicting to what they showed in the TWG meetings.

Second, the STRAW Bill was written by the students themselves. It is not true that it did not undergo consultations because before it was filed to the Committee on Higher and Technical Education (CHTE) in the House of Representatives, it has already undergone series of consultation processes.

Third, Kabataan Party-list did not attend the majority of these TWG meetings. If it is true that they actively participated in proposing their own amendments, they should have attended said TWG meetings.

Finally, the ‘loopholes’ as said by these Anti-STRAW Bill youth groups were already clarified and modified in the TWG meetings and these modifications are already subject for committee deliberation.

The STRAW Bill’s sole intention is to provide protection for the student sector against any form of discrimination and unfair treatment within the universities. It is the bill of the students, for the students and by the students. A students’ bill promoting their own rights and welfare being opposed by students’ group themselves is a mere manifestation of being an ‘anti-student’ group.

If these youth groups have their other agenda, they should take those agenda in the proper venues wherein they can talk about these matters. The immediate legislation of the STRAW Bill should not be compromised because of the delaying tactics of these self-serving groups.

The movement reaffirms that there is a need to legislate a piece of bill that will guarantee the sector’s right and welfare. There is a need to break the chain of campus repression. There is a need to democratize every campus and the education system as a whole. Education democratization is a requisite to radically reform our education system that is envisioned to be accessible, to be of quality and to be empowering to all.

MASP wants to reiterate that saying no to Students’ Rights and Welfare Bill (also known as the Magna Carta of the Students) is tantamount to saying no to upholding students’ rights and welfare and to education reform.

Therefore, MASP, along with the Students’ Rights and Welfare (STRAW) Coalition, will constantly campaign for the passage of the Magna Carta of the Students Bill and will strongly call to break the chain of campus repression and oppression. ●

Passage of Magna Carta of Students: “Over my dead body!” - Rep. Piamonte

“Over my dead body!” was the response of A-Teacher Rep. Mariano Piamonte, Jr. to student leaders and fellow legislators at the House of Representatives for the passage of Magna Carta of Students in the technical working group meeting for the said bill last May 27.

Akbayan Youth, co-convenor of the Coalition for Students’ Rights and Welfare, condemns Rep. Piamonte’s brazen statement and attitude given the continuing violation of students’ rights. “The Magna Carta of Students is meritous and long overdue. Rep. Piamonte should justify his opposition otherwise it is a huge insult to students and their families who continue to struggle for the right to education,” Cheanne Matriz, Akbayan Youth Spokesperson for Students’ Rights says.

Students’ rights violations

The Coalition for STRAW cites some examples on students’ rights violation. In St. Joseph’s College in Quezon City unmarried pregnant students are not allowed to continue their studies in the institution unless they “take a leave of absence until after they deliver their babies.” It’s either that or they’re asked to drop out. San Beda College on the other hand is in fact conducting “masculinity tests” on its alleged gay students. Aside from these, a gay student from Philippine Normal University was reportedly prevented to run for Student Council Office unless he cuts his hair accordingly, to look manly enough for a university official.

All over the country, many colleges and universities still do not have student governments and publications; while those who have have their student leaders picked and publications run by the school administration. Students are wary of expressing their opinions for the fear of being kicked out of school.

CHED “lukewarm”

Akbayan Youth also expresses concern over the apparent “lukewarm” treatment of CHED on the substitute Magna Carta bills of Reps. Risa Hontiveros, Edcel Lagman, Rufus Rodriguez and Crispin Remulla in the House of Representatives.

“Instead of being more assertive to pass the bill, CHED has not become helpful in getting the bill a priority concern among policy makers. The CHED has not been consistent in its positions and have sent silent representatives in meetings in Congress,”says Matriz.

Best deal

The consolidated and substitute bill in the Lower House took into consideration the valid concerns of school administrators without necessarily compromising basic students’ rights, according to the Coalition.

“The Magna Carta is not in any way a one way and one shot effort to reform the whole education system but it is a first big step to at least mitigate the worsening students’ rights violations,” says Jamie Pring, Coalition Spokesperson.

The Congresspersons will be voting on June 2 on the substitute bill for it to be taken or not to the plenary after the Congress’s recess.

“We look forward to the legislators’ attendance and support on Tuesday. That will be very important to pave way for another battle to get this bill passed once and for all,” added Pring.

Broad support for Magna Carta

The Magna Carta of Students has been consulted with student councils all over the country. Currently, the Coalition for STRAW includes: Akbayan Youth, Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), Movement for the Advancement of Student Power (MASP), Center for Youth Advocacy and Networking (CYAN); the National Anti-Poverty Commission Youth and Students’ Sector (NAPC YSS), the National Youth Parliament (NYP), Student Councils and organizations from Ateneo De Manila University, University of the Philippines- Diliman and Manila, De La Salle University and College of St. Benilde, Rizal Technological University and  Philippine Normal University. Also part of the Coalition are university and college student councils from Zamboanga City, General Santos City, Davao City, Marawi and Davao Del Norte.

Members of the Coalition have written petition letters and done rounds of personally approaching their Congressman to support the said bill. On June 2, the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education will vote on the bill. ●

UP ALYANSA at the Magna Carta of Students technical working group meeting in Congress

UP Alyansa ng mga Mag-aaral para sa Panlipunang Katwiran at Kaunlaran (ALYANSA) participated in the final technical working group (TWG) meeting on the proposed Magna Carta of Students filed by Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros in the House of Repesentatives. The meeting aimed to discuss contentions on provisions of the said bill before being voted upon in the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education and, hopefully and eventually, in the House of Representatives plenary. UP ALYANSA, since its inception and in its struggle for students' rights and welfare, has been active in lobbying for the Magna Carta of Students. The formation is currently part of the Coalition for Students' Rights and Welfare (STRAW) together with the Student Council Alliance of the Philppines (SCAP), the Movement for the Advancement of Student Power (MASP), Akbayan Youth, BIGKIS UP Manila, and other student groups from various schools. 

In the TWG meeting, the formation was represented by UP ALYANSA Chairperson Viktor Fontanilla and former UP ALYANSA Vice Chairperson for Students' Rights and Welfare Jeff Crisostomo. Also present was USC Councilor Luis Geronimo, head of the newly-formed USC Committee on Policy Reforms, Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes and Rules. In the previous TWG meetings, UP ALYANSA's resource speakers were Fontanilla, Crisostomo, and former CSSP Student Council Chairperson Jamie Pring.

UP ALYANSA's campaign for the passage of this bill is in line with its Break the Code local campaign which aims to include a bill of students' rights within the proposed UP Diliman Code of Student Conduct. ●

Students' rights are human rights! Support the Magna Carta of Students Bill!

“The ratification of a “Magna Carta” for Students is long overdue, Congress has obviously neglected this issue over the years and this has resulted to several students’ rights violations and abuses in a number of universities across the country,” says Tina Langit, UP Manila Medicine Student Council President and Student Council Alliance of the Philippines Vice Chairperson for the National Capital Region.

The Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), a broad network of student councils and governments, together with Akbayan Youth and the Movement for the Advancement of Student Power (MASP), has filed the latest version of the bill September 17 last year. However, since two more versions already exist in the House of Representatives, the Committee on Higher and Technical Education (HoR-CHTE) has decided to create a substitute bill which will consolidate the three house versions.

“It’s actually quite disappointing that it has taken this long before the advocacy has taken another leap. We are hoping that the 14th Congress will take this seriously this time around,” adds Langit.

SCAP is currently a part of HoR-CHTE’s technical working group (TWG) for Magna Carta of Students. At present, the TWG was able to tackle several provisions of the substitute bill (i.e. Right to Admission, Non-Discrimination and Quality Education, Right to Organize, etc.) in its first TWO meetings but has not reconvened ever since. SCAP is growing wary of the very slow developments in the lower house and is at the same time appalled to learn that fellow youth groups have expressed their lack of support for the bill.

“Magna Carta is not in any way a one shot effort to reform the whole education system but it is a first step to at least mitigate the worsening predicament,” says Third Bagro, UP Diliman University Student Council President.

Basic issues, such as the students’ right to be admitted in schools without prior discrimination to their civil status, gender/political preference has been violated in the past by several academic institutions.

In St. Joseph’s College in Quezon City, for example, unmarried pregnant students are not allowed to continue their studies in the institution unless they “take a leave of absence until after they deliver their babies.” It’s either that or they’re asked to drop out. Saint Pedro Poveda College also discourages pregnancies outside of wedlock. San Beda College on the other hand is in fact conducting “masculinity tests” on its alleged gay students. (Bagas, 2008; Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Aside from these, a gay student from Philippine Normal University was reportedly prevented to run for Student Council Office unless he cuts his hair accordingly, to look manly enough for a university official.

Some violations go as far as detaining/prosecuting student leaders and activists who express dissent over certain school and State policies.

Furthermore, Student Councils/Governments, in a lot of schools nationwide, are merely allowed to act as “event’s organizers or program implementers” of school administrations. More often than not, SC’s, are not consulted on crucial matters such as tuition increase. Venues for student participation remain very limited to this date.

SCAP believes that Student Councils, just like the Youth Councils in communities, are potent arenas for political reforms. This is where good governance starts and this opportunity should not be wasted. Therefore, it is the inherent responsibility of this society to empower and strengthen this institution such that it can become a training ground for future leaders.

“Education knows no sex, religion, physical status or gender. On the contrary, it should encourage free and critical thinking which should help in molding and crafting new ideas and means that could later contribute to genuine national development.” says SCAP Secretary General Paula Bianca Lapuz.

Violating students’ rights is a poor sign of democracy. SCAP believes that a national policy on students’ rights and welfare is imperative in actually democratizing and liberating academic institutions.

SCAP has helped to form the Coalition for Students’ Rights and Welfare, to consolidate the efforts of all the Students’ Rights advocates. The coalition is comprised of different student councils and organizations mostly based in the NCR area. These youth leaders actively engage policy debates inside schools and inside the Congress. The coalition likewise, is actively lobbying for the bill’s immediate passage.

SCAP remains steadfast in its pursuit and encourages fellow youth groups to join the advocacy.

“The only way for us to move forward is for us to join hands and give this bill a fighting chance,” Lapuz concludes. ●

Student councils urge Congress to prioritize STRAW Bill instead of political bickering

The Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP) pressed lawmakers to prioritize the Students’ Rights and Welfare Bill instead of quarreling over the leadership in the Lower House.

“Replacing Jose de Venecia with Prospero Nograles is like choosing a lesser evil, if the latter should even prove to be a lesser “trapo” than his predecessor. There isn’t much of a change, at least not a change for the better,” Mark Boado, SCAP Chairperson said.

SCAP points out that the change of leadership in the House of Representatives will not make any difference at all. The coup attempt on de Venecia has but proven the unholy allegiance of Congress and Malacañang. Perhaps the palace simply doesn’t see de Venecia fit for the job anymore, since he cannot silence his own son, Joey de Venecia, during the Senate probe on ZTE. Apparently, de Venecia is only getting a dose of his own medicine. The rule of majority indeed is painful for the losing party. But what is terribly ill in this predicament is that the whole nation is once again drawn into a political squabble of the traditional politicos.

“As I see it though, knowing Nograles, it won’t be a surprise if we see another impeachment complaint quelled by July, or a resurfacing of Charter Change in no time. The minority should not waste their time in this loathsome discord and instead help the youth to push for the STRAW Bill in the most immediate time possible,” Tina Langit, SCAP Vice-Chairperson for NCR said in a statement.

The legislators should focus on substantial measures like the STRAW bill, which can help resolve the perpetual issues confronted by the youth.

“Congress people are playing a much bigger version of the boat is sinking, which, by the way, is really obnoxious. This is the concrete manifestation of a decaying institution. Whether it’d be Nograles or de Venecia, it would still be the same. What Congress is facing right now is the perennial challenge to its leadership to uphold what little integrity is left of it,” Langit added.

The quality of education in our country is continuously declining, and this dreadful political retribution is the only thing that keeps the majority in the Lower House active these days. They should be ashamed of themselves.

“There is no better time to unite, but now. The youth, especially those who are in schools, should come together and call on all legislators to give more time in acting on bills that will benefit our sector and the rest of society as well,” concluded Boado.

SCAP fervently condemns the incredulous collision of political dynasties inside HoR and urge all the members of the parliament to give STRAW bill their committed time and effort. ●

Students continue to campaign for student rights' and welfare

The Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP) spearheaded a series of student dialogues in different universities in the National Capital Region to increase awareness about the Student Rights and Welfare (STRAW) Bill.

“The bill which aims to uphold and protect the students’ rights and welfare, was filed last September 18, 2007, and we hope to get the support of the students,” said SCAP’s National Chairperson Mark Roy Boado.

Student councils and political parties in different universities in the National Capital Region (NCR) have conducted fora, round table discussions, and symposia to inform the students of the basic principles of the bill.

“We have already done discussions in De La Salle University Manila, San Juan de Letran University, University of the Philippines, and Rizal Technological University in Mandaluyong. We are aiming to invite the majority of schools nationwide to participate in this campaign,” Boado mentioned.

The struggle to pass the Magna Carta of Students has proven to be an arduous task. Hence, the STRAW Bill is another way to sustain the struggle.

“Right now, we are having a difficulty in raising the awareness and appreciation of the bill in Congress, since the priority of the House is the passage of the Cheaper Medicines Bill now that the budget deliberations are over. However, we will remain insistent on pushing for the bill,” asserts Tina Langit, SCAP NCR Vice Chairperson.

“What is genuinely unique about this bill is that it contains penalty clauses which the other versions of the Magna Carta of Students lack. Aside from that, the STRAW Bill is the only legislative effort of its kind which was created with the help of students themselves. We were very careful as well not to override existing laws which pertain to somehow similar provisions in the STRAW Bill like the Anti-Hazing Act,” Langit added.

The STRAW bill aims to encourage students to practice their rights conscientiously with due consideration and respect for the rights of the other stakeholders within the university. It will protect students from discrimination, harassment, and the curtailment of their rights.

The bill has been receiving a positive response as far as the student sector is concerned. Dialogues with school administrators are also being arranged by the alliance to ensure a participatory process in pursuit of the passage of the bill. ●

14th Congress: Students' Rights and Welfare Bill filed by Akbayan solon

Deputy Minority Leader and Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros filed today the Students' Rights and Welfare (STRAW) Bill , a proposed measure that would hopefully reinvigorate a movement that has always been crucial to Philippine democracy. "From Rizal to Lean Alejandro, the student movement has played an important role in nation-building and democracy. The passion and imagination of students have always fueled struggles for equality and justice, and ironically, the State has been remiss in protecting and promoting their rights and welfare," Rep. Hontiveros said.

Several student leaders from various colleges and universities in NCR accompanied Rep. Hontiveros for the filing of the bill, which essentially affirms the rights and freedoms accorded to students by the Constitution and other international human rights agreements. "Unfortunately, these constitutional guarantees and international human rights protection have not yet found expression in our laws and in the government's programs. The STRAW bill hopes to correct this anomaly by advancing students' rights and welfare through concrete mechanisms and penalties and through the strengthening of our education agencies," Rep. Hontiveros said.

Student leaders welcomed the filing of the measure. "Violations of students' rights and welfare remain rampant, and this is the time for Congress to do its duty to act on a problem that has long been neglected by the government and our legislators," according to Jeff Crisostomo, Chairperson of Akbayan Youth - UP Diliman and a Councilor of the UP Diliman University Student Council.

The bill covers a wide range of protection for students' rights and welfare, including innovative mechanisms that address various issues. "For instance, the bill introduces minimum standards on consultation of students and parents for tuition and school fee increases. Furthermore, it expands the regulatory powers of CHED, Dep Ed, and TESDA to ensure that in private and public schools and universities, the rights and welfare of students are protected," Rep. Hontiveros said.

Meanwhile, Bianca Lapuz of the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP) said that the penalties imposed under the bill would guarantee that school authorities would respect students' rights and welfare. "School administrators and also students who will violate to the provisions of this Bill will be accordingly sanctioned to make sure that every student would be able to enjoy and exercise the rights and freedoms accorded to him or her by the Constitution," Lapuz said.

The bill likewise recognizes that even students may be penalized for violating students' rights and welfare. "Under the bill, student organizations that impose stiff membership fees or unnecessary membership requirements like hazing may be penalized," Rep. Hontiveros said.

"We urge Congress to act on the bill with due haste. After failing to approve the Magna Carta for Students for several years, Congress has the obligation to pass the STRAW bill immediately," Crisostomo and Lapuz added, saying that student councils worked closely with Akbayan for the crafting of the bill. ●