Student Aid Network- Legazpi

THE STUDENTS OF LEGAZPI CITY CALL FOR SUSPENSION OF CLASSES UNDER A MARCOS PRESIDENCY

As the national elections formally began on May 9, 2022, the unofficial and partial results of which favors the son of the late dictator, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Filipino people are given the ability to exercise their right to suffrage by having a smooth and fair process which the Commission on Elections have failed to do and showed underpreparedness. As reports from different voting precincts experienced anomalies such as vote-buying, electoral fraud, malfunctioned vote counting machines (VCMs), and harassment of poll watchers.

The duty of civility does not end by casting their votes. It is our utmost responsibility to stay vigilant, protect what is right to defend our democracy.

We students, student leaders, organizations, the youth in Legazpi City appeal to all public and private universities in the city of Legazpi to suspend synchronous and asynchronous activities, examinations, and deadlines. There is no value in continuing our education under an inhumane administration. The knowledge that the students hone inside the four corners of the classroom is built on values which promotes honesty, integrity, and the undying service to our country.

The nation cannot afford for a late dictator’s son and an authoritarian president’s daughter to take over the seat in Malacañang. The youth will continue to fight for genuine democracy.





Sign the petition: https://www.change.org/suspendclassesLegazpi

UNITY STATEMENT OF STUDENT AID NETWORK ON THE CALL FOR SLU’S ACADEMIC BREAK

TRIGGER WARNING: SU***DE

The Student Aid Network, a network created to promote comprehensive student aid during times of crisis, is one with the students of Saint Louis University Baguio in their call for

In the midst of a pandemic, an estimated 500-600 students of Saint Louis University in Baguio City clamored for an academic break through a candle lighting protest held in front of their institution on Saturday, October 30.

The SLU Student Council released a statement urging the school administration to heed the call for a genuine academic break and to take action on the recent death of one student, including other unverified cases. Various organizations outside SLU also expressed their concern on the alarming unresponsiveness of the school administration.

Part of the official statement released by the SLU Supreme Student Council states, "Despite the goal to create Louisian professionals that are excellent in their craft, the question of will you still be able to produce quality professionals if a majority of them are working Sundays through Saturdays due to a never ending stream of requirements resonate now more than ever."

With almost two years of online learning, students have carried the burden of government incompetence—compromised quality of education and worsening mental health conditions. Heavy and unnecessary workloads sounded the alarm to lobby a genuine and compassionate academic break with the aftermath of the student protest resulting in a unity statement penned by the three major university student councils in the city: University of Baguio (UB), University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB), Saint Louis University (SLU), together with the National Union of Students in the Philippines-Cordillera (NUSP-Cordillera).

We, the various chapters of Student Aid Network nationwide, also support the call for a productive dialogue between the SLU administration and its student body on Nov 9 and the call for a city-wide academic break on Nov 12-17.

Instead of making the educational system a priority, the regime continues to turn a blind eye on the clamor of the youth which seems to be more engaged in suppressing human rights, red-tagging, and prioritizing anti-poor policies only benefiting the select few. In such difficult times, the administration, including private universities, must be all ears on the demands of both students and faculty.

The network believes that all aid must be given to our students, teaching and non-teaching faculty. We are firm in our call for and both of which are only possible if we grant our students sufficient rest.

“The world belongs to us. We are part of it and the world is a vital part of us.” - Edgar Jopson, Activist

Ngayong Septyembre 21, 49 na taon mula nang ideklara ang Batas Militar sa ating bansa, inaalala natin ang mga pangyayaring yumurak sa karapatan ng Pilipino at demokrasya ng Pilipinas. Inaalala natin ang mga boses na pinatahimik, ang mga sigaw na hindi dininig at ang mga buhay na kinitil. At nang hindi na maulit ang mga pagkakamali sa kasaysayan, kaakibat ng pag-alala nito ay ang pagkilos ngayon.

Halos limang dekada na ang nakalipas ngunit dala pa rin ng Pilipinas ang madilim na kasaysayan ng rehimeng Marcos. Hindi ito nalalayo sa mga pangyayari ngayon, mula sa tumitinding pasistang atake sa malayang pamamahayag tungo sa pang-ekonomikong krisis.

Isang araw matapos ideklara ang Batas Militar, nagsimula ang pagpapatahimik sa mga mamamahayag, media outlet at sa kabuuan, sa katotohanan. Isang halimbawa nito ay ang ABS-CBN, nahahawig ito sa pagpapasara ni Duterte sa media giant ng Pilipinas sa kadahilanang expired na ang prangkisa nito. Pareho ang layunin ng dalawa na pigilan ang sinumang magla lakas-loob ibunyag ang kabuktutan ng administrasyon.

Kamakailan din lamang ng mabalitaan ng sambayanan ang pagwawakas o pagsasawalambisa ng Department of National Defense sa 1989 accord nito kasama ang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas na nagsasabing bawal pumasok ang militar at kapulisan sa UP campuses nang walang pahintulot ng administrasyon ng unibersidad. Dahil sa pagsasawalambisa nito, ay nanganganib ang mga mag-aaral na nagpapahayag ng kanilang kritisismo at mungkahi sa gobyerno.

Ang katangian ng isang diktador ay ang pag-aasam na mapanatili ang kanyang kapangyarihan. Sa panahon ni Marcos, tinulak nito ang pagbabago sa Konstitusyong 1935 bago matapos ang kanyang termino. Gayundin ang Charter Change (Cha-Cha) ni Duterte na pagbabago sa 1987 Konstitusyon ng Pilipinas. Huwad ang sinasabing mas mapapabuti nito ang ekonomiyang kalagayan ng bansa sapagka’t nagbubukas lamang ito ng pinto sa mga dayuhang bansa upang pagsamantalahan ang yaman ng Pilipinas na nagdudulot ng matinding paghihirap sa mga maralita at paglala ng mga neoliberal na polisiya.

Ang asignaturang Philippine History ay tinanggal sa basic curriculum nang inilunsad ang neoliberal na programang pang edukasyon na K-12, dahil dito ay patuloy na nakakalimutan ang kasaysayan ng bansa at kasabay na rin nito ay ang pagdagsa ng historical revisionism. Makikita ito sa paglibing ng yumaong diktador sa libingan ng mga bayani, sa panukalang batas na binibigyang karangalan ang yumaong diktador sa Ilocos Norte, at sa bumabalik na kapangyarihan ng mga Marcos.

Maging sa panahon man ni Marcos o ni Duterte, tunay na nangunguna ang kabataan laban sa mabagsik na rehimen. Ang ating tungkulin ngayon bilang kabataan, ay ang pagkilos tungo sa pagkamit ng karapatan, demokrasya, at higit sa lahat, tungo sa mundong mapayapa. Hindi man natin kayang baguhin ang kasaysayan, may kakayahan tayong kumilos para sa maginhawang bukas. Kabataan, atin ang mundo, nararapat lamang na lumaban para rito.

Palabang araw, mga ka-10k! Makilahok sa online kalampagan ng Student Aid Network - Legazpi upang ipanawagan ang hinaing ng mga estudyante't g**o para sa ligtas, abot-kaya, at dekalidad na edukasyon. Gamitin natin ang mga placards na ito.