N.B. – This is a media advisory and press release regarding a press conference to be held today (Wednesday), 11:30 a.m. at the Palma Hall steps, UP Diliman, Quezon City. The Justice for Kristel Alliance will symbolically “give up” UP IDs for a greater cause. It may be recalled that a UP Manila student committed suicide last March 15 after being forced to go on leave (during which time she had to surrender her UP ID).
Who:
Office of the Student Regent
All-UP Workers Union
All-UP Academic Employees Union
Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (STAND UP)
Congress of Teachers and Educators for Nationalism and Democracy (CONTEND)
UP Multi-Sectoral Alliance (MSA)
What:
Press Conference on the recent suicide of UP Manila student Kristel Tejada and the accountability the Aquino and UP administrations. Justice for Kristel Alliance will symbolically “give up” UP IDs for a greater cause.
When:
March 20 (Wednesday); 11:30 AM
Where:
Palma Hall Steps
University of the Philippines, Diliman
Quezon City
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY includes the symbolic “giving up” of UP IDs. Media coverage is requested.
PRESS RELEASE
March 19, 2013
Aquino, UP admin gave “debt sentence” to Kristel – UP alliance
The Justice for Kristel Alliance hit the University of the Philippines (UP) administration and Malacañang for serving the “debt sentence” to UP Manila freshman Kristel Tejada, ultimately resulting in her death.
The alliance highlighted the persistence of high tuition rates and commercialization schemes in the university as signs of government abandonment on higher education.
“Instead of resorting to victim-blaming, the UP administration must take steps to ensure that we do not deprive qualified students of quality education,” Prof. Ramon Guillermo of the Congress of Teachers/Educators for Nationalism and Democracy (CONTEND) said. “Scrapping the tuition-increase smokescreen euphemistically called the Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP) and making UP education accessible for everyone would prevent more Kristels from being victimized by the system.”
UP Student Regent Cleve Arguelles blamed the long-standing policy of the Philippine government on higher education as the ultimate source of the “debt sentence.”
“The Aquino administration’s plan of pushing state universities and colleges (SUCs) to self-sufficiency and encouraging them to burden the students with rising matriculation fees is a gross violation of our basic right to education,” Arguelles said. “Malacañang should be held accountable for its inutile stance on the rising cost of education, low wages and poverty, as well as its apparent servitude to capitalist-educators who are now flying like vultures on the cadavers of our supposed state-funded universities and colleges.”
The Justice for Kristel Alliance called for the immediate repeal of the “No Late Payment” policy. The alliance vows to campaign for full state subsidy as an answer to the STFAP and rampant commercialization in the education system. The alliance will hold numerous activities culminating to a vigil on Friday to prepare for sending Kristel to her final resting place on Saturday (March 23).
Contact:
Student Regent Cleve Arguelles (0927) 733-4302
UP CMC Dean Roland Tolentino (0917) 905-5420
UP Journalism Asst. Prof. Danilo Arao (0908) 866-2726