National Union of Students of the Philippines

We, the League of College Student Councils of the University of the Philippines Manila, strongly oppose the proposed 1.39 billion-peso budget cut to the University of the Philippines.

Traditionally, the government recognizing UP’s role as a state university and as a national university has been giving subsidies in the form of budget appropriations. However, in the past administration of GloriaMacapagal- Arroyo characterized by anti-student and anti-people policies, especially on plans to commercialize tertiary education, has abandon its role in ensuring that the University of the Philippines will remain its public character as the University of the People that is accessible to all. But it seems that the present administration of Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III supposedly different from the Arroyo administration, supports the commercialization of education as he submitted a proposed 1.39 billion-peso budget cut for UP to the Department of Budget and Management.

According to the released budget statement of President Noynoy Aquino, the gradual decrease in the budgets of State Universities and Colleges which includes UP is anchored on the ability of these tertiary educational institutions to be self-sustaining and financially independent. This plan of the Aquino government which is supposedly aimed at materializing his ‘daang matuwid’ principle, is an explicit statement of the state’s plan to weaken its mandate to guarantee the constitutional right of its citizens to education. How then is he different from the past administration? How will he lead us to the right path if less and less priority is given to the education sector?

Not only in UP but also more than half of the SUCs nation-wide will face an increase in budget cut. UP will face its highest budget cut in history together with other SUCs such as the Philippine Normal University and the Bicol State University. This highlights the systematic and continued pattern of state abandonment in ensuring subsidies to state universities and colleges.

Instead of putting the public funds to much important sectors such as education, President Noynoy Aquino’s proposed budget reflects imprudent investment on other sectors. It posed a fifty percent increase in debt servicing, the highest budget allocated by the government to pay its foreign and external debts in history. Adding to the disappointment of the people, the proposed budget includes a 6.6 billion-peso increase in budget of the Philippine National Police, an increase from the 2010- 96.2 billion-peso budget of the Department of National Defense to the 2011- 104.7 billion pesos and an insulting 128.5%  increase in the pork barrel. This shows how the P-Noy government misallocates its scarce budget even detrimental to the Filipino people. Prioritizing military spending and debt servicing over social services such as education and health services (decrease in the budget too) exposes the true nature of the anti-student and anti-people plans of the P-Noy government.

Now that we are left with little subsidy from the government, the University would have to find its own resources to finance its operations. UP will continue to resort to selling its idle lands, engaging in private partnerships and increasing tuition, laboratory and other fees that strongly diminish its character as a University of the People. The state’s responsibility to finance the education of its people will be passed on as burdens of the students and their parents. This will erode the goal of our beloved UP of providing democratized access to all and its value of serving the people. Now more than ever, we are confronted by the continuing commercialization not only of UP education but of the education sector as a whole.

Face with these challenges, the University of the Philippines, recognizing its important role in the Philippine society cannot afford to be deaf and silent. The UP Manila League of College Student Councils is firm on its stand in opposing the planned budget cut to UP, to other SUCs and to the entire education sector. We are also one in denouncing the proposed budget cut in the health sector especially that we are students of the Health Sciences Center of the country.

We call on our fellow Iskolars ng Bayan to unite and act together with the Filipino people in opposing state abandonment to its mandate in serving the people especially its role in promoting and protecting the people’s right to education. It is high time that we recognize that collective action of the UP students, faculty and other sectors inside the University is what we truly need. It is our time to prove that we are worthy of our name as not just as scholars but as scholars of the people.

The UP Manila League of College Student Councils composed of all the college student councils in UP Manila is firm in its stand in denouncing the anti-student and anti-people plan of the P-Noy government to reduce budget not just of UP but of the education sector as a whole.

BUDGET NG UP, DAGDAGAN! HUWAG BAWASAN!

EDUCATION IS A RIGHT!

FIGHT FOR HIGHER STATE SUBSIDY!

JOIN THE STRIKE ON NOVEMBER 25-26!