SIGWAlkout: Progressive groups call for action

Students from universities and high school, youth, and progressive groups protested tuition fee increase in “SIGWA: Kabataan Para Sa Edukasyon, Laban Sa Pasismo” held at Malcolm Square, yesterday, February 28.

Students who walked out of their classes to join the rally from University of the Philippines and Saint Louis University met at the Post Office Loop to officially start their call for action. They were joined by organizations such as National Union of Students Philippines Cordillera, League of Filipino Students Metro Baguio, Innabuyog-Gabriela Youth, Anakbayan Metro Baguio, Youth Act Now Against Tyranny, College Editors Guild of the Philippines Baguio-Benguet, and others.

The groups took their advocacies on the streets of Session Road down to Malcolm Square where a program was held to raise awareness on issues such as tuition fee increase, budget cuts on state universities, mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), and press freedom among others.

Aside from the speech of youth leaders, a skit from the Tanghalang Bayan ng Kabataan sa Baguio (TABAK) and a rendition of the song Tala were also performed. The protest ended with a song performed by the protesters Di Niyo Ba Naririnig, the Filipino adaptation of the popular Les Misérables song, “Do You Hear the People Sing?”

TOFI: Tuition and Other Fees Increase

One of the main issues tackled in the protest was the tuition fee increase in private schools especially in the biggest private university in the Cordillera, Saint Louis University (SLU). Charles Vergara, the SLU School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts- Supreme Student Council (STELA-SSC) governor, spoke about the 7% increase in tuition as implemented for incoming freshmen in the university. If implemented, the increase will be an accumulated total of 42% since 2015.

Vergara also spoke about how the university in the past would have consultations among students to present the incoming increase. Since the tuition fee increase would be implemented on incoming freshmen, Vergara said that the university did not have consultations anymore. He said that this was called a carry-over scheme.

“Ang carry-over scheme kasi magtataas sila [the university] ng tuition fee sa incoming freshies so ang irony doon hindi nila nacoconsult iyon sa incoming freshies and yung mga first year na papasok na iyon kung ano yung nasagap nila yun na yung tuition nila hanggang graduation, so ang lagi nilang tinataasan ng tuition ay iyong incoming freshies,” Vergara said in an interview.

(The carry-over scheme is a way [for the university] to increase tuition fee. The irony is they don’t consult the incoming freshmen about it. The price for the tuition fee the freshmen will pay for in their first year will be their fee until graduation. That's why they [university] always increase the tuition on incoming freshmen.)

According to Vergara, one of the steps they are taking to solve the issue is to file a petition on the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for a consultation among incoming freshmen about the tuition fee increase.

“Nagkasa kami ng signature campaign sa mga students, yung signatures na nakuha namin, iyon yung ipinasa namin sa Commission on Higher Education- Cordillera Administrative Region (CHED-CAR) na kung saan ang nilalaman ng aming petition ay siyempre na tulungan nila kami na itigil itong tuition fee [increase] at syempre na sabihan ang SLU na sabihan kami sapagkat hanggang ngayon wala pa rin silang balak na magconsult sa amin,” Vergara added.

(We started a signature campaign among students. The signature campaign was submitted to the Commission on Higher Education Cordillera Administrative Region (CHED-CAR). The petition contains our call for help in stopping this tuition fee increase, and to tell SLU to have a consultation with the students [about the increase] first because the university does not plan to do that.)

Free Education and Budget Cuts

Meanwhile, the local protest that started at the UPB Parking lot was about free education and impending budget cuts.

Cheska Kapunan, chairperson of the League of Filipino Students- Metro Baguio (LFS- Metro Baguio), discussed why they still protest for free education, the K12 curriculum, and their discontentment with regards to the status of education in the country today.

“Sa kasalukuyang sitwasyon natin, ang porma ng edukasyon ay isang commodity na accessible lamang sa makakapagbayad,” Kapunan said during her speech at the UPB Parking lot.

(In our current situation, education is a commodity that is only accessible to those who have the means to pay.)

“Sino sa atin dito ang pinangakuan na pagkagraduate daw ng Grade 12 ay makakapagtrabaho na? Pero anong klase ba ng trabaho ang naghihintay para sa atin? Kontraktwal, kulang na sahod, at walang benepisyo para sa mga manggagawa.” Kapunan added.

(Who among us have been promised that after we graduate, we will have jobs? But what kind of jobs await us? Contractual, insufficient salary, and laborers who lack benefits.)

In an interview with John Gemuel Maramba, Chairperson of the Alliance of Concerned Students – UP Baguio (ACS UPB), he spoke about the effects of budget cuts in the university.

“Ang pwedeng maging consequence ng isang budget cut sa isang paaralan ay wala siyang magiging pera sa kasalukuyang taon. Itong pera na ito ay mailalaan niya sana, halimbawa sa pagpapagawa ng kanyang mga facilities, sa mga bagong kagamitan, pangsweldo sa mga manggagawa na nagttrabaho sa loob ng pamantasan, at sa mga maintenance fee tulad ng kuryente at tubig.”

(The possible consequence of the budget cut is the loss of money for the current year. This money would be allotted for building facilities, new equipment, salary for laborers within the university, and the maintenance fees for electricity and water.)

Fascism, Press Freedom, and Mandatory ROTC

Maramba also emphasized that aside from the status of education, the protest was also about state fascism.

“Sinusulong at finoforward din natin sa walkout this year ay yung kampanya natin na palitawin ung mga iba’t ibang isyu na pumapaloob sa ating unibersidad. Katulad ng mga issues na naka-orient sa pagiging fascist na pamamalakad ng ating educational system, at fascist din na pag-atake sa pamantasan in general,” Maramba said.

(For the walkout this year we are campaigning for the various issues within our university. These are issues that include the fascist regulation of our educational system and the fascist attack towards our university in general.)

Christel Baptista, the Baguio coordinator of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines Baguio-Benguet Chapter, also spoke about press freedom.

“Mula sa pagsampa ng mga kaso hanggang sa harassment, killings, at initimidation, nanatiling mapanganib ang malayang pamamahayag sa ilalim ng administrasyong ayaw sa pagiging kritikal ng mamayan,” Baptista said in her speech.

(From filing of cases, harassment, killings, intimidation, Freedom of the Press remains threatened under this administration that hates critical citizens.)

Mandatory ROTC was also tackled and discussed by Reginald Flores from Youth Act Now Against Tyranny.

“Ang presensya ng militar sa mga probinsya at mga local na komunidad, ay nagdudulot ng malawakang kaso ng pang-aapi, panggagahasa, pagpatay, at iba pang porma ng pasismo.” Flores said in his speech.

(The presence of military in provinces and local communities is causing a widespread case of abuse, rape, killing, and other forms of fascism.)

In an article released by Inquirer in December 2019, President Duterte assured the public that the revival of the mandatory ROTC program will not be a means for abuse and violence.

When asked the leaders about the concrete steps they are taking to solve the issue, they all said that the Anti-Vilification Ordinance recently filed is a way for them to put their protests into action.

(READ HERE: https://thehighland360.wixsite.com/highland360/post/youth-groups-file-anti-vilification-ordinance READ MORE: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1202982/mandatory-rotc-will-be-free-of-abuses-duterte-security-officials)

by Sabrina Estrada