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Baguio students march to Congress

QUEZON CITY (Mar. 31) – After a forum, massive street protests, and a rock concert billed as “books not bullets,” Baguio–Benguet Chapters of the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) and the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) trooped to Philippine Congress on March 28. This served as their closing activity for this academic year. They will stage massive come-back protests on June.

Together with their respective national offices, they called on NUSP alumnus Representative Lorenzo Tañada and CEGP alumnus Teodoro Casiño to support their petition to the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) for the repeal or review of CHEd memorandum 14, which allows private institutions to increase fees without proper student consultations, so long as it is “equal or less than the current inflation rate.” The students claimed such guideline favors only the school owners.

The students were frustrated when CHEd Cordillera Regional Coordinator Dr. Magdalena Jasmin said that “higher education is a commodity”. NUSP and CEGP invited Jasmin, and other local government officials to shed some light on the issue. During the said forum, the offices ironically gave pro-administration positions.

Meanwhile, the students also visited the “Batasan 5” who were still confined in the House of Representatives. In a campus media briefing, representatives Casiño, Liza Maza, Rafael Mariano, Satur Ocampo, and Joel Virador explained how the Arroyo administration exploits the communist bogey to pick on the progressive party list representatives.

Afterward, the NUSP and CEGP Baguio–Benguet Chapters led the awarding of maingel (warrior) miniature trophies. The students regard the Batasan 5 as living banwar (heroes), fighting fearlessly for the truth, freedom, and justice and for the peoples’ interests and welfare. Likewise, NUSP national office dubbed the five with “doctorate degrees for serving the people.”

The students also supported the young congressmen who call on for the impeachment of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and for their continued opposition of the proposed Charter Change.

Breaking the barriers

In University of Baguio (UB), 14 student leaders were charged of “Illegal assembly” by the Student Affairs Office director Jerome Palawag, as these students oppose UB’s proposed 7.5% fee increases. Palawag later apologized to the UB Supreme Student Council as the event was exposed to local media. However, he did not apologize for the UB Vice President for Administration Dr. Miller Peckley as he called on the local police and student marshals to disperse the protesting students, causing some physical harassment.

On February 29, a pillbox exploded beside the protesting students, which Peckley blamed on the students. The students disputed that it is illogical for them to throw something that will explode and may hurt the protestors.

St. Louis University (SLU) students suffered the same fate as they protested against their administration’s 7% proposed increase. SLU Supreme Student Council Chairperson Arthur Odsey was given a notice of expulsion after he led the walkout.

Odsey condemned Student Affairs Office Dean Gil Espiritu’s repressive acts leading to the formation of Louisians Demanding Espiritu’s Removal (Louder!).

On March 3, Louisians also gathered in front of Bayantel building (Upper Session Road). They asked the said company to cancel their issuance of internet cards to their school, which the students claim as excessive charges. To date, the SLU administration lowered the hike to 1%, and cancelled the collection for internet card fees.

Baguio Central University (BCU) president Margarita Fernandez demanded Benjamin Kiwang to not enroll again at BCU as he questioned the school’s 10% proposed tuition increase. Fernandez did the same last year with leader Chester Mark Tuazon of Samahan ng mga Mag-aaral sa Nursing at Midwifery Students (SMNM). Tuazon led the series of student protest resulting to the dropping of College of Nursing’s P24, 000 affiliation fee , and reducing the 10% tuition hike to 5%.

In all the obstacles the Baguio-Benguet students experienced, surely the fire of their unrelenting struggle continues. # Angelica Campo/CEGP Baguio–Benguet for NORDIS

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