After the throwing and burning...
Days after the famous defiance-action made by the students of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines last March 19, waves of student protests, although minimal in number, swept over the office of the Commission on Higher Education in Diliman, Quezon City as well as the PUP main campus in Sta. Mesa Manila.
Like the First Quarter Storm of 1970, I notice that their actions are really showing a new wave of resurgence amongst the youth-student sector. Nearly violent as it is according to some spectators. But then, these protests, as what we expected, are quite too swift but then continuous as most student activists tried to break off the gates despite being locked, and even facing the guards, taunting and even retaliating after being beaten, while in PUP lies the significance of the burning of old, dilapidated chairs and tables while protesting against the proposed tuition fee hike like the March 19 event.
In Diliman, a sugar-coated "reply" from the commissioner tries to appease the students, as according to GMA news:
"After destroying an entrance gate and splattering paint all over the vicinity of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in Quezon City, a group of raucous rallying student finally got the answer they wanted from CHED chairman Emmanuel Angeles."
Well...
This article shows that out of having its gate destroyed and throwing paint in that said establishment, seems that the reactionary-leaning Angeles, facing angry students from the University of the Philippines and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, tried to save face simply by speaking off opposition towards the hike and even vowed to block moves to increase tuition in PUP by 17 folds or from P12 to P200 per unit. Well... lucky for him, but for the students? I don't think so if they believe in him despite saying to them that:
"I think it is unreasonable to increase by [almost] 2,000 percent..."
Well... in fact,
That kind of event, all despite the throwing of paint bombs, of pushing pulling till destroying the doors of CHED, of burning chairs in PUP, shows the release of emotions what every angry student activist made against every increase proposal or curtailment of rights which is against them. Somehow despite its nearly "putschist" way, it justifies that their action, although illegal in that way, has a justifiable cause to say, all despite the threats of expulsion, of imprisonment, or even forced disappearance and death coming against their ranks.
And like the said writeup I have made last March 20, I really expect that protests regarding the increase in tuition and other fees would come whether it is proposed or approved. "The protests will continue..." as what the final statement said in my work shows that every news in the television and radio, and every newspaper up to the latest blogsite and alternative progressive media like Bulatlat evenly includes the situation regarding the problem not just in PUP but also in other schools that experienced tuition hikes, of curtailment of student representation, freezing the allocation of budget for campus newspapers (like in PUP's Catalyst) and even harassment of students.
Perhaps again another wave of protest will come-even up to the election day!
Like the First Quarter Storm of 1970, I notice that their actions are really showing a new wave of resurgence amongst the youth-student sector. Nearly violent as it is according to some spectators. But then, these protests, as what we expected, are quite too swift but then continuous as most student activists tried to break off the gates despite being locked, and even facing the guards, taunting and even retaliating after being beaten, while in PUP lies the significance of the burning of old, dilapidated chairs and tables while protesting against the proposed tuition fee hike like the March 19 event.
In Diliman, a sugar-coated "reply" from the commissioner tries to appease the students, as according to GMA news:
"After destroying an entrance gate and splattering paint all over the vicinity of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in Quezon City, a group of raucous rallying student finally got the answer they wanted from CHED chairman Emmanuel Angeles."
Well...
This article shows that out of having its gate destroyed and throwing paint in that said establishment, seems that the reactionary-leaning Angeles, facing angry students from the University of the Philippines and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, tried to save face simply by speaking off opposition towards the hike and even vowed to block moves to increase tuition in PUP by 17 folds or from P12 to P200 per unit. Well... lucky for him, but for the students? I don't think so if they believe in him despite saying to them that:
"I think it is unreasonable to increase by [almost] 2,000 percent..."
Well... in fact,
That kind of event, all despite the throwing of paint bombs, of pushing pulling till destroying the doors of CHED, of burning chairs in PUP, shows the release of emotions what every angry student activist made against every increase proposal or curtailment of rights which is against them. Somehow despite its nearly "putschist" way, it justifies that their action, although illegal in that way, has a justifiable cause to say, all despite the threats of expulsion, of imprisonment, or even forced disappearance and death coming against their ranks.
And like the said writeup I have made last March 20, I really expect that protests regarding the increase in tuition and other fees would come whether it is proposed or approved. "The protests will continue..." as what the final statement said in my work shows that every news in the television and radio, and every newspaper up to the latest blogsite and alternative progressive media like Bulatlat evenly includes the situation regarding the problem not just in PUP but also in other schools that experienced tuition hikes, of curtailment of student representation, freezing the allocation of budget for campus newspapers (like in PUP's Catalyst) and even harassment of students.
Perhaps again another wave of protest will come-even up to the election day!
