The current pandemic, alongside the multitude of issues and recent crises, has further deteriorated the living conditions of the Filipino people. In particular, the education sector is plunged into a worsened state.
Kabataan Party-list national president and first nominee Raoul Manuel directly pointed this out last February 4 during the 52nd General Assembly of Student Councils (GASC), highlighting that the current remote learning set-up has been far too romanticized.
“Ito ang nagpapadali ng pag-eexport ng ibang bansa sa atin. Nagagamit ang education at culture para sa dayuhang kompanya,” Manuel stated.
Exposing the colonial, commercialized, and anti-democratic character of education, the youth sector has consistently clamored for a nationalist, scientific, and mass-oriented education — a system born of the conditions and needs of the Filipino people.
Calls for genuine safe return to schools have echoed throughout the pandemic, especially following the onslaught of typhoon Odette and the surge of COVID-19 cases. The University of the Philippines (UP) constituency is among those heavily affected, grappling with an increase of vulnerable students, and a direct decrease in workforce.
Given this, the UP community urged the UP administration to heed their demands, and implement academic easing, ensuring the welfare of students, faculty, and workers, and finally, to move the semester.
However, last January 26, UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo issued a statement to the UPD community in response to the calls for the semester to be moved for academic ease. He explained that moving the semester would compromise delayed students who want to graduate as soon as possible, future students who would like to enroll in the university, outgoing students who want to take licensure exams, and an understaffed workforce who need to evaluate students’ credentials.
With the extremely inhumane conditions in the UP community, especially with the stress of accomplishing backlogs and INCs, the community continuously asserts the urgency for a break. In fact, according to the data gathered by the UPD University Student Council (USC) through an academic ease sensing form, 833 students are reported to have been symptomatic.
College of Social Sciences and Philosophy (CSSP) majors reaffirm the plea for academic ease and the semester to be moved. Given just 5 days to recover over the break, they highlight that the constituents’ hardships and grievances must no longer remain ignored.
Different organizations, staff, the faculty, and other constituents further encourage the administration to strictly enforce academic easing policies such as the non-implementation of strict deadlines, a decreased workload, and a no-fail policy to assist and alleviate students’ academic burden in the face of a rising pandemic.
The consciences’ grievances
CSSP Philosophy Major Ruth Aguinaldo expressed how she was disappointed in the decision of the administration to move the semester.
“Hindi lahat ay nakaka-cope up sa panibagong surge ng COVID-19. Hindi lahat ay kayang magsimula kaagad ng semestre. Hindi lahat ay nasa magandang kalagayan ngayon,” Aguinaldo resented.
CSSP Freshie, Shiftee, and Transferee (FST) Council chairperson and Political Science major Nick Aguilar cites the university’s pride over its supposed honor and excellence. Aguilar regards distinct graduates of UP, alongside its “ability to adapt to the changing times.”
“The recent decision of the UPD administration to not move the second semester clearly does not show either honor or excellence; it instead shows a decision that results in the creation of more stressors for the academic community,” Aguilar told SINAG.
He added that the administration’s rejection of the postponement of the second semester does not benefit anyone in a physical or mental health crisis.
“For an institution known for advocating power to the people and being involved in the country’s democracy, UPD deciding not to properly implement a health break despite the cries of various individuals and organizations is a two-faced resolution,” History major Sean Heinrich Flores contended.
He furthered that the settlement and solution to the problems faced by the constituency are crucial in starting a new beginning. He emphasized that academic ease can uphold the values because the lives of the UP constituents should matter.
However, Anthropology department representative Doms Cordero remarked that the administration’s responses are due to the insufficiency of communication between the university and its constituents.
Cordero pointed out that the lack of transparency on their decision-making is “unfortunate, disappointing signs of an absence of compassion and a blatant disconnection from the people.”
Jim Bagano, a graduating student from the Geography Department, stated that approximately 6,600 groups, students, and faculty members have already expressed their concerns and supported the proposal to relocate the semester.
He added that the USC has also exhausted its efforts in reaching out to the administration in order to negotiate some concessions. However, Bagano added the administration’s response is rather discouraging as they provide unsubstantial and merely general responses to their constituency’s calls.
Ash of BS Psychology believed that the root of UP administration’s inaction is the national government’s ineffective pandemic response, suggesting a domino effect.
“Lahat tayo dapat [ay] nabibigyan ng pahinga dahil sa nakamamatay na sistema ng edukasyon dito. Hindi ba nila nabigyan konsiderasyon ang mga paghihirap na naranasan ng mga tao dahil sa kalamidad, burnout, at pagtaas ng kaso ng COVID sa bansa upang iusog ang semestre?” Ash argued.
She also emphasized that moving the semester should not be a request but a necessity for everyone, considering the dire conditions of the students, faculty, and staff.
“Ang aksyong ito ay ‘di hamak na isang manipestasyon ng komersyalisado, neokolonyal, at neoliberal na edukasyon kung saan ay nakabase ang pagsukat ng halaga batay sa kakayahan nito na lumikha at maging produktibo kahit ang kabayaran pa ay ang kalusugan at kagalingan ng bawat isa,” Sociology major Mark Gallardo highlighted.
Demands and needs of students
CSSP majors continue to amplify their campaigns, addressing their individual and collective sentiments, experiences, and experiences in an online set-up.
Aside from genuine health breaks, among the constituency’s demands include the completion of units and subjects.
Some of the departments in CSSP were primarily concerned in terms of laboratory and fieldwork, peer-to-peer learning and research consultations, as well as facilities needed for the face-to-face conduct of classes. Constituents demanded an extended break before proceeding with the second semester.
“The boat is sinking and the people in it are struggling. Amid the strong tides, the boat is only as strong as the people in it and we must draw strength from the fact that every member of the community is cared for and stronger,” UPD University Student Council (USC) stated.
Defending roles of the student youth as catalysts for change
The youth, the Konsensiya ng Bayan, have always led in organizing pro-people campaigns, intensifying the collective share of knowledge and efforts to amplify the community’s calls.
“To have a conscience in the first place, we must know what exactly our nation needs. These needs may not always be physical or tangible, but it can also be mental, emotional and spiritual,” Flores stated.
Freshman Linguistics students point out the urgency “to be knowledgeable of the issues we face at hand. We must not forget how big a contribution the university had during Marcos’ time. To not just UNITE unite in action but also in learning/ and awareness.”
Cordero remarked that the social sciences have historically been marginalized in favor of “more practical” subjects of study and activity, even in the realm of education.
Mark Flores, a sociology studentt, urged the people to demand accountability from the Duterte administration, highlighting their power to remind those in the position of their duties to the people.
FSTC Chairperson Nick Aguilar emphasized that Konsensya ng Bayan’s participation in the calls for #LigtasNaBalikEskwela is significant. He stated that solutions must be based on the parties’ information.
“Sa pagtatawag ng #LigtasNaBalikEskwela, napaparating ang hinaing at kinakailangang natin bilang Konsensya ng Bayan, kasabay ng pagsulong sa kahalagahan at kaugnayan ng agham panlipunan patungo sa kaunlaran at ikabubuti ng ating bayan ngayong elections season,” Cordero added.
Philosophy Major Aguinaldo urged the public, especially our families, to open their eyes to what’s happening to society, encouraging each one to have a comprehensive discourse and critical thinking on who should vote for the election.
Ash of the Psychology Department demanded the current and succeeding administration to act on and address the backward orientation of the Philippine education system.
Bagano, meanwhile, spoke about how the Konsensiya ng Bayan should be more critical of social cues and in unraveling underlying systemic reasons for things. To amplify the interests and demands of the people, KAPP should be more active in initiatives for educating, organizing, and mobilizing people in the community.
“Konsensya ng Bayan should struggle to ensure that our calls as students, now under the banner of #LNBE, will be heard, may it be from academic conventions up to key social events like the upcoming 2022 elections,” Bagano added.
These calls must be assessed with a conscience that prioritizes the people’s interests. The absence of student involvement in the process of formulating these plans may be observed in the clamor of many to appropriately answer issues and concerns made by students about returning to campus.
As Gallardo asserted, “Tayo ang magsisilbing mitsa para sa mga pagkilos, tayo ang dapat palagiang magsimula ng mga inisyatiba, tayo ang nararapat panggalingan ng paunang aksyon.”
The Konsensiya ng Bayan emphasizes the need for the administration to consider the situation of students and teachers when making decisions and settling long-standing issues. The community demands the UP administration to take the initiative in bridging their discrepancies with their constituency to achieve pro-student, pro-faculty, and pro-worker policies amidst the pandemic.
Since the presidential elections are coming up, the interviews and candidate declarations prove that this election will be unprecedented and is a pivotal time for the country. It is a primary course of action to critically evaluate candidates who reflect people’s best interests.
By educating and mobilizing the public, the youth can generate significant social change, relentlessly demanding accountability from all candidates and ensuring that those who are in power will genuinely serve the public.
Conscious silence should not be the new normal in the time of heightened tyranny. The times call for immediate response. As long as students’ problems are not fully addressed, the UP administration must consider their demands. The administration must listen to its constituents, and unite with the calls of the Konsensiya ng Bayan and Iskolar ng Bayan.
#MoveTheSemUP
#DoBetterUP
Featured image by MovePH
