Sunday, June 19, 2011

RIZAL @ 150


Tanggapin mo, Iskolar para sa Bayan, ang hamon ni Rizal para sa pagbabago.

Isang pag-alala sa isang dakilang Pilipino sa kanyang ika-150 kaarawan.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Flashback: Student Code

2009: The 2009 Draft Code of Student Conduct was released. Given ambiguous provisions that curtail the basic rights of the students, ALYANSA launched the BREAK THE CODE Campaign. Recognizing every institution’s absolute right to establish rules and regulations governing university-student relations and recognizing the imminent need for changes in the existing rules governing student affairs, the BREAK the CODE Campaign sought to engage the administration to review and revise the 2009 Student Code of Conduct. Along with multiple organizations in the University also pushing for its revision, ALYANSA submitted a 10-page position paper that sufficiently explains contentious points while providing clear and sensible alternatives to the proposal: With the aim of protecting every student’s rights and welfare, ALYANSA called for the removal of the following provisions that are contradictory with our constitutionally guaranteed rights to free association and due process:

- Art. IV, No. 32 | Sec. 3.1, Art. VI: 0.5% Membership Requirement for Organizations
- Sec. 1.3.1.d, Art VI: The No-Freshmen Recruitment Rule
- Sec. 3.1.d.4, Art. VI: Academic Activity Requirement for Organizations
- Sec. 1.2.1, Art VII, Sec. 2.6, Art. VII, Sec. 3.6.5, Art. VII: Rule on Summons
- Sec. 3.6.7, Art. VII, Sec. 4.5.3, Art. VII, Sec. 4.6.3.3, Art. VII: Counsel for Respondent not permitted to argue before SDC/CDC
- Sec. 2.3.a, Art VI: Misconduct
- Sec. 1.3.1.a, Art VI: Harm to Persons
- Sec. 1.4.c, Art. VI: Inappropriate Behavior

The formation also called for the inclusion of the Bill of Students’ Rights that gives explicit and specific mention to particular liberties, benefits, and entitlements that the UP Administration must respect, protect, and guarantee. Concrete mechanisms for consultation on policies that ultimately affect the students were also strongly demanded to ensure that the crafting of policies are genuinely representative and responsive to the needs of the stakeholders.

2010: With the call: “Break the Code of Student Conduct! Oppose repressive and reasonable restrictions! Push for progressive and pro-student provisions!”, the 2009 campaign bore positive results. Majority of the provisions reviewed and suggestions forwarded by the formation along with organizations who boldly took a stand on the issue were taken into consideration on the 2010 Draft Student Code of Conduct. However, rooms for improvements on the 2010 Draft were still possible- and thus forwarded:

- The formation maintains its position that a tambayan is not merely a privilege but a right, in pursuit of the University's goal towards a holistic humanitarian education, as well as a manifestation of our right to join organizations for purposes not contrary to law
- Instead of the disciplinary body inviting “students as resource persons in the conduct of proceedings”, the accused should be the one to have the power to request for the presence of such.
- The requirements for organizational recognition are still not clearly manifested.
- The formation maintains its stand on the inclusion of the Bill of Students’ rights in the Code of Conduct.

Iskolars para sa Bayan, our call for a progressive Student Code of Conduct has not yet come to an end. We are faced with the challenge to be involved in the making of the Student Code of Conduct, and this we should not take lightly. We have definitely broken the code, but what comes next? We craft it. We strengthen it. We uphold it.

Iskolar Para Sa Bayan, kasama ka sa pagpapatibay at pagtatanggol ng ating mga karapatan.
Kasama ka sa ALYANSA.



June 14, 2011

STFAP Under Protest!

We thought we were faced with a new endeavour, a new evil that spreads fear among our ranks. But, once again, we were wronged and were made fools as we believe the news that some groups claim to be true.

FACT: Last April 8, the UP Administration issued a memorandum declaring that they will use a "revised Socialized Tuition Fee Bracket B Certification for distribution to incoming freshmen students during the Registration Period for the First Semester AY 2011-2012". The additional requirements are: (1) Income Tax Return (ITR) for the last year or, a copy of the employment contract if parent(s) is/are Overseas Filipino Worker(s); and (2) Vicinity map of the family residence. The certification is also required to be notarized.

LIE: The default bracket for incoming freshman students during the Registration Period AY 2011-2012 is Bracket A (or P1,500/unit).

FACT: According to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA, UP System) and the Office of Scholarships and Student Services (OSSS, UP Diliman), the default bracket for STFAP remains at Bracket B (or P1,000/unit).

We condemn the groups within the University who are spreading fear among the students, in general, and the freshmen, in particular. We encourage our fellow and incoming Iskolars Para Sa Bayan to keep themselves informed and to not let themselves be a victim of misinformation.

But this does not keep us from pushing for a just, progressive, and socialized tuition policy. We condemn the already flawed Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program, and the manner by which this memorandum was issued. Again, the primary stakeholders of the University weren't consulted given the additional requirements to avail the base tuition, a clear violation of Students' Rights and Welfare.

As we have said since 2008, we have waited long enough for the UP Administration to rectify its severe errors. This period has long expired. Let us not stand idly as another year goes by when more and more deserving students are deprived of access to UP education.

Let us show everyone, especially the UP Administration, that our payment of tuition is not an expression of our conformity to their erroneous policies. Let us show that we have PAID UNDER PROTEST against policies that prejudice us and our fellow Iskolars Para Sa Bayan.


PUSH FOR A JUST, PROGRESSIVE, AND SOCIALIZED TUITION POLICY!


June 14, 2011

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Araw ng Kalayaan 2011


Mga Iskolar Para Sa Bayan, tuloy ang laban para sa panlipunang katwiran at kaunlaran ngayong Araw ng Kalayaan!

Ang Iskolar ng Bayan ay Iskolar Para Sa Bayan!

Monday, June 6, 2011

ALYANSA for better budget for UP, higher budget for SUCs


"Nawa'y marinig natin mula sa Kongresong ito ngayong darating na SONA na ginawang priority bill na ang awtomatikong paglalaan ng 6% ng GNP para sa edukasyon taon-taon. Kasama ninyo ang UP ALYANSA at ang mga Iskolar para sa Bayan sa adhikaing ito."

- Solidarity message ni Aides Baccay, UP ALYANSA Vice Chairperson for Education, Research, and Training, sa ginanap na mobilisasyon ng Youth Against Debt Coalition sa labas ng House of Representatives kaninang umaga.


Photo credit: Freedom from Debt Coalition (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a​.215546715143430.57988.126626354035467)

interAKSYON.com: "Youth group to lawmakers: Re-channel debt service to education budget" (http://www.interaksyon.com/article/4987/​youth-group-to-lawmakers-re-channel-debt​-service-to-education-budget)
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