“In a time when most Filipinos are hard-up, it is indecent that schools’ net profits continue to increase yearly and yet these schools still continue to increase tuition rates and add miscellaneous fees to their charges,” says NUSP secretary-general Isabelle Baguisi.

Baguisi adds, “Schools say that tuition and other fees increase to prevent possible bankruptcy and stalled school operations but, when they post hundreds of millions in profit, statements such as those are as good as lies. There is no threat of bankruptcy; there is only the possibility of a reduction in income. This is profiteering in its most naked form.”

The statement comes following reports to the organization that academic year 2012 – 2013 will have another round of schools pushing for tuition and other fees increase. It also comes out in the heels of reports that the Far Eastern University and the Centro Escolar University netted P302.57 million and P248.12 million from last year.

“Facing the threat of education being reduced to a mere commodity for the privileged, the youth can no longer afford to stay silent and unconcerned. Various youth groups and student councils in the country are challenging their schools to open accounting books and to justify tuition increases. We are not afraid to challenge them on this because it is our right to do so, and it is the administration’s responsibility to be forthright.”

Baguisi ends by challenging the Aquino administration and the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) to get involved and do their jobs. “CHEd should pay attention to the failure of CMO 13 and replace it with a genuinely pro-student tuition consultation guideline. This administration, on the other hand, should quit its frivolities and review the Education Act of 1982.”###

Reference:

Isabelle Therese Baguisi, NUSP Secretary-General, 0915-629-3896

Photo by:NUSP

TODAY the National Union of students of the Philippines (NUSP) spearhead the nationwide campaign against Tuition and Other Fee increases (ToFI). In a press conference the Union launched its campaign to monitor the increase in tuition and other fees by both private and public schools.

Ms. Issa Baguisi, Secretary General of NUSP decried what she called a direct “assault on students and their parents by opportunist schools”. She adds that at a time when wages fail to meet the minimum standards for decent living it is simply unjust for such increases to be imposed.

The Union has initially collected data on schools that did not consult the studentry as well as State Colleges and Universities, particularly in the Cordillera Administrative Region, set to increase their tuition.

“Where are students supposed to go now?” Says Ms. Baguisi. “What the schools are doing are only increasing the resolve of the students to go out of their class rooms in the comings days to fight for their right to education.”

The Union has opened its member student councils, website, and other social networking accounts for reports from students all over the country on fee hikes.

“This serves as their [schools] warning,” says Ms. Baguisi at the end of the conference.

Reference

Issa Baguisi

0915-629-3896

Photo by: NUSP

Photo by:NUSP

Photo by: NUSP

In the past decade, there has been an alarming jump in base tuition rates, with the nationwide average in tuition fees increasing by 108% and the national capital region’s going up by 143%.  Aggravating the problem of rising tuition rates is the sudden appearance of miscellaneous fees that can be described as redundant, exorbitant, and dubious.  These schools fees – along with other school expenses like uniforms and textbooks – have netted big schools hundreds of millions in profit and spots in the country’s top 1000 corporations.

While profit-seeking schools have made their millions, millions of Filipino youth have lost their chance to earn their degrees due to the rising cost of education. According to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), of 100 youths who enter grade 1 only 14 will continue on to graduate with a college degree. While the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) has estimated an 83% drop-out rate for college students in the past three years.

The rise in tuition and other fees have hurt the most numerous and most vulnerable of the schools’ stakeholders – the students. With the increasing costs of basic expenses like transportation and food, skyrocketing school expenses are pushing the youth to choose between an education and simply living. If a commercialized, moneymaking framework is continued in the education sector, we can surely expect drop-out rates to increase.

More than ever, the times call for a stop on unjustified and unwarranted tuition and other fees increase. This respite will greatly help students to achieve their dreams while also allowing parents a little room to breathe. The times also call on schools to be more transparent in financial matters and expenses while engaging students in genuine consultation with regard to student fees. Now is also the time for students to become more active and involved with making decisions in where school funds go, after all it is their parents’ hard-earned money.

We are calling on the Palace and on the Commission on Higher Education to implement the moratorium on tuition and other fees increase, to junk CHEd memorandum 13 s 1998 and replace it with a pro-student tuition regulation order, and to repeal the Education Act of 1982.

Tuition Monitor concept paper

Manifesto against ToFI

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1) Please feel free to download a copy of the manifesto and pass it around so more people can learn of, support and become signatory. Councils, publications, organizations, and individuals are invited to become signatories of the manifesto; simply post your intent in the comments section or contact us through nusp_national@yahoo.com or at 0915-629-3896.

2) Please also download and pass around the copy of the concept paper for the Tuition Monitor campaign. Thank you!

3) Please visit and share this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/NUSP-Tuition-Monitor/272768889462391?sk=info

The National Union of Students of the Philippines denounces the brutal attack of UP student leader Lordei Hina, secretary general of the Center for Nationalist Studies (CNS) and a member of the Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (STAND UP), last February 1, 2012, at Vinzons Hall, UP Diliman. We fervently pray and wish for her speedy recovery.

One of the perpetrators of the crime, Mr. Danmar Vicencio, has been accosted by police forces, while the other accomplices remain at large. Lordei sustained brain injuries via an ice pick that damaged her left and right temples. The police recommended that frustrated murder should be charged to Vicencio, thus, it is by far frustrating that the fiscal downgraded the charges to serious physical injuries. The severity of the damage caused by the attack is unimaginable. Thus it is only imperative to seek justice for Lordei: charge the perpetrators with frustrated murder and immediately arrest and charge the other culprits.

As a nationalist student leader, Lordei has been at the forefront of the struggle for the advancement of student rights and welfare, foremost of which is the campaign against budget slashes in the education, health and social services sector. Social justice is not an idea alien to Lordei. We have seen her lead and participate in the fight against tuition and other fees increase, urban poor demolition, and oil price hikes, human rights violations, and others.

During the past years, UP saw how Lordei intensely fought for an increase of state subsidy for UP, education and social services. The cuts have been consistent as evidenced by slashes in the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses, and corollary to this, the budget for the university’s security. The government has been nothing but inutile and has been a perennial advocate of budget cuts to state universities and colleges. Such cuts undermine not only the quality of education but also the security of campuses and offices.

It is crucial to push for greater state subsidy, not only to UP and the education sector, but to other basic social services, in order to maintain a healthy and safe environment. Let not this incident pass off as another figure in the already long list of victims of government’s abandonment of education.

The government should be shaken and the Filipino students and people should be no less than vigilant in its struggle for just budgets and for justice for Lordei Hina!

Justice for Lordei Hina!

Charge Danmar Vicencio with frustrated murder and arrest the other culprits!

Fight for greater state subsidy for UP, education and social services!

Photo credit: JC Sibayan/NUSP

Mendiola- Earlier, students led by the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) urged Pres. Aquino to stop all tuition and other fee increases.

The protest of the students portrayed the president as CupiNoy who inflicts heartbreak to students through his arrows of “pagmamahal.”

“Every February, we are burdened by tuition and other fee increase proposals but Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is inutile and the President Aquino chose to fool around with his love life,” said NUSP secretary general Isabelle Baguisi

“The President has his Grace, but where is the grace if 8 out of ten high school graduates do not make it to college?” she added

NUSP projects that national average tuition will balloon to P600 per unit and college drop-out rate may increase to 85% if increases are not stopped.

“We call for Pres. Aquino to stop breaking our hearts and immediately act for a moratorium of school fee increases alongside oil and basic commodity prices.” Baguisi said

She added that the Education act of 1982 and CHED memorandum 13 (tuition increase guideline) must be immediately junked for it has been effective only in worsening the inaccessibility of quality education.

A Statement In Light of Davao Rep. Ungab’s Davao Regional State University System (DARSUS) or HB 5311

National Union of Students of the Philippines – Southern Mindanao Region

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/426768_2987081488541_1607175531_2562924_1238353578_n.jpg

Cong. Isidro T. Ungab, the representative of the third district of Davao City has proposed House Bill 5311 or an act to establish the Davao Regional State University System (DRSUS) which shall integrate four state universities and colleges (SUCs) in the region, namely; University of Southeastern Philippines, Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology, Southern Philippines Agribusiness and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology and the Davao del Norte State College.

The proposed house bill aims to reduce the number of SCUs in the country so as to maximize the limited budget for SUCs.

The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) believes that HB 5311 further justifies the continuous decrease in the budget of SUCs. The bill concretely compromises the budget for college education in the detriment of the Filipino youth’s rights and welfare.

As members of the youth sector, we are one in saying that the righteous path in addressing the deteriorating quality of and access to a college the Philippine education system is to broaden the access to education of the poor majority especially in the provinces, allocate due budget for state colleges and universities and ensure that quality education is provided for the country’s future generation.

For almost two years under the Aquino administration’s “daangmatuwid”, the Filipino people have continued to suffer the impacts of the worsening socio-economic crisis. The administration through its palliative dole-out systems such as the Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT) has been unable to uplift the lives of the Filipino people. This is more proven by the budget slashes of what is actually an indecent, and shameful budget allotted for basic social services, including the chronic decrease for the education budget.

In President Aquino’s message in light of the 2011 fiscal budget, he said, “We are gradually reducing the subsidy to SUCs to push them toward becoming self-sufficient and financially independent, given their ability to raise their income and to utilize it for their programs and projects.”

For 2011, the Aquino administration allocated P22.03 billion for SUCs nationwide; decreasing the budget by over P 1.8 Billion. For 2012, the government allocated only P21.8 billion, which means another P 23 Million. Over 110 SCUs all over the Philippines share this measly budget.

But the continuous budget slashes have only result to continuous tuition and miscellaneous fees hikes, eventually privatizing the education. In essence the government keeps on being the number one agent in making education inaccessible, thus violating the right of the youth to education.

In line with its neo-liberal framework which aims to privatize public institutions like SUCs, the government has been consistent with the design to reduce the number of SUCs in the country.

SUCs, as the name suggests are ‘supposedly’ funded by the government. The essence of having these institutions is to cater quality and accessible education to the youth, by virtue of the universal truth that we are the future of our nation and must thus be provided with the fundamental knowledge, training and practice to capacitate us for our roles as future leaders.

Hence, HB 5311 highlights the government’s abandonment of its social obligation to the Filipino youth.

We call on the administrators, students, teachers and staff not only of the affected SUCs, but from all SUCs in the country to support and join us in the fight against HB 5311, for greater state subsidy for SUCs and for a nationalist, pro-Filipino and scientific education.

“In a time when Filipinos are being assaulted by various price increases for basic necessities, the government should try to find ways to alleviate the burden on expenses on like education”, said NUSP Secretary-General Isabelle Baguisi

According to her, “The continuous increase in tuition fees, apart from the addition of questionable miscellaneous fees, is a huge issue with the Filipino youth right now. It is a cause for heartbreak when so many young people are denied the right to education simply because it has been put out of reach by such high fees. It is just right that, given the context of the time, there be a moratorium on tuition and miscellaneous fee increase.”

The student Union is calling on Malacanang, through CHEd, to regulate fees and to junk CHEd memorandum order 13, the present guideline for tuition fee consultation.

Baguisi pointed to the CMO 13 as “inutile and basically useless”. The Union says that even with CMO 13 tuition fees still “continue to skyrocket while miscellaneous are left unchecked and unregulated”.

“The Union is calling for the scrapping of this memorandum order and its replacement with something more pro-student. We have forwarded our critique of CMO 13 and we have also forwarded our alternatives, alternatives that reinforce genuine consultation  and genuine student involvement. However, it is disappointing that CHEd does not seem to take these calls seriously. It’s high time that CHEd, and the Palace, listen to public clamor with this issu.” she ends.

Reference:

Isabelle Therese Baguisi, NUSP Secretary-General, 0915-629-3896

PALIHAN 2012: Student Council Election Training on January 28, 2011, 8am to 5:30pm at College of Mass Communication, University of the Philippines-Diliman. Registration fee is P100 inclusive of certificate, training kit and lunch.

TULONG KABATAAN is a volunteer and relief network of various youth and student groups established by the National Union of Students, College Editors Guild, Anakbayan, Student Christian Movement, League of Filipino Students, KARATULA and Kabataan Party-list. We urgently appeal to all Filipino youth to aid the speedy recovery of our fellow countrymen. Youths in schools, communities, offices and so on are called on to gather and donate relief goods such as rice, canned goods, medicine, clothes, and other useful items.

Send your donations to the following Tulong Kabataan centers:

No. 89 K-7 Street, Kamias, Quezon City
Contact: 09261703655 (Vanessa), 09473168407 (Rainier), and 09324015588 (Athena)

You can also send money via the following:

Bank Account:

Account name: National Union of Students of the Philippines- Head Office, INC.
Branch:  Chinabank, Quezon Ave, Quezon City Philippines.

Account No: 107-248551-3

You may also contact:

Kabataan Partylist- Southern Mindanao Region Chapter
700A E. Jacinto St., Davao city

Contact: 221-6589 and 09266453953 (Krista)

 

Panday Bulig Relief and Rehabilitation Center

Tabang Mindanao Center

12th-22nd streets, Nazareth

9000 Cagayan de Oro City
T/F: +63 (88) 856 6413
E: pandaybulig@gmail.com
(look for Ms. Beryl Tranco)

 

Naipakitang muli ng kabataan na hinding hindi siya uurong sa hamon ng kasaysayan at muling iginuhit ang isa nanamang militanteng pahina sa kasaysayan ng pakikibakang masa. Nitong mga nakaraang buwan ay papalaki at papalakas ang naging lantad na katangian ng mga inilunnsad na pagkilos ng mga kabataan sa loob at labas ng mga paaralan. Sinimulan sa mga walk-out nitong simula ng unang semestre ng taon tungo sa mga pambansang welga sa mga SUCs nitong Setyembre. Malaki parin ang hamong kinakaharap ng buong kilusang kabataan at estudyante na ipagpatuloy ang ganitong papalaki at papalakas na pagkilos. Nariyan ang hamon na pagibayuhin ang kampanya sa pag-aaral sa buong kasapian at nasasakupan para mas malalim na maunawaan ang nabubulok na yugto ng krisis panlipunan. Sa mga susunod na laban hindi na lamang mga paang nagmamartsa ang kinakailangan ng ating kilusan. Kailangan ng mga mulat na mga guro at propagandista sa usaping panlipunan. Kailangan ng mga organisador na magpapalawak sa ating kasapian. Kailangan din ng mga lider-kabataang magpapakilos pa ng laksa laksa para itaguyod ang kanilang mga demokratikong interes.

Hindi parin nareresolba ang dekadekada nang usapin ng pagpapamahagi ng lupa lalu na sa mismong lupain ng pamilyang Cojuanco-Aquinong Hacienda Luisita. Maging sa usapin ng sigalot sa paggawa sa Philippine Air Lines ay pumanig ang pamahalaan ni Aquino sa bahagi ng kapitalista. Inutil ang pamahalaan sa usapin ng mga migranteng naiipit sa mga sigalot sa ibayong dagat at sa di-makataong pagtrato sa kanila. Patuloy ang pagtataas ng preyso ng mga pangunahing bilihin, kuryente, tubig, pasahe, at langis. Patuloy din ang pagpataw ng Value Added Tax sa mga ito habang maluwag naman sa pagbubuwis sa mga malalaking negosyo.

Patuloy ang pagtaas ng matrikula at ibang bayarin at panggigipit sa mga mag-aaral sa mga pribadong paaralan. Nilalantad nito ang kanilang lugar sa isang pamahalaang pinababayaan ang kanyang kabataan. Makikita ang pagtutulak ng pribatisasyon at komersiyalisasyon ng mga serbisyo gaya ng edukasyon sa tulak na rin ng dayuhan at iilan.

Nakapangumbabaw ang kamay ng dayuhan sa pangunguna ng Estados Unidos na nagdidikta ng mga palisya at patakarang nakagiya sa pagsusulong ng kanyang adyenda at kita. Pumapasok sa bansa ang lasong utang at ayuda at ibinubuyangyang sa pagsasamantala ang lokal na ekonomiya. Lantad ito sa nilulutong Chacha sa kongreso.

Kapansinpansin ang pagkukumahog ni Aquino na rendahan ang kanyang gobyerno sa pagitan ng naglalabanang mga interes sa loob mismong ng kanyang bakod. Makikita ang kawalang-kapasyahan ng kanyang pamahalaan sa lalu na sa pagsasampa ng kaso kay dating Pangulong Arroyo. Malinaw itong nagguguhit ng pagpapasyang panatilihin ang lumang sistema.

Sa mga panahon ng lumalalalang ligalig ay nangangailangan ng mas matitindi at papalakas na mga pagkilos mula sa hanay ng kabataan. Kinakailangan ang mapagpasyang pamumunong nakaugat sa mga obhetibong kalagayan at pangangaailangan ng mga kabataan at mamamayan. Ang kolektibo at militanteng pakikihamok ang magdidirehe sa mga usapin patungo sa interes ng mamamayan.

Mahalaga sa mga panahong ito na sinsinin an gating paglaban. Palaganapin at palalimin ang pagsusuri at pag-aaral sa lipunan. Palayain ang kamalayang palaban ng kabataan at mamamayan sa pamamagitan ng paghahapag ng mga alternatiba at ng kanyang tungkulin sa pagpapanday ng bagong sistema. Mula sa mga nauna nang naabot ng ating kampanya ay magpalawak pa ng hanay sa pamamagitan ng mulat na paggampan sa tungkulin ng pagrerekluta. Abutin pa ang mas malawak na bilan ng mga makakaalyado mula sa mga nauna. Konsolidahin ang ating hanay patuloy silang hamuning magpunyagi sa pagkilos. Magbalangkas pa ng mga aktibidad at serbisyo para sa ating mga nasasakupan. Higit sa lahat ay maglunsad pa ng mas mapangahas na mga pagkilos na magpapaunlad ng pampulitikang kamulatan at praktika n gating hanay.

Sa panahon ng walang puknat na atake sa mga mamamayan ay nangangailangan ng mas matitinding pagtugon mula sa hanay nating mga kabataan at estudyante. Lumabas sa mga usapin ng ating sektor at iangat ang bawat usapin bilang usapin ng nabubulok na sistemang pang-ekonomiya, pampulitika, at kaayusang panlipunan. Buong buong nakabilad na sa atin ang kontra-mamamayan at tuta ng dayuhan at iilan na katangian ng rehimeng Aquino. Lansagin ang kanyang atake sa karapatan at kagalingan ng mamamayan. Ihapag at isakatuparan ng tunay na makabayan at demokratikong adyenda sa pagpapalaya ng mamamayan mula sa mga tanikala ng pangaapi, pagsasamantala, at kawalang-katarungan. Kahanay ng malawak na bilang ng mamamayang nagdarahop, pandayin natin ang isang mas maalwan at mas makatarungang bukas.