Wednesday, April 21, 2010

UP Min students, faculty rally against Roman

UP Min students, faculty rally against Roman*



Kabataan Party-list yesterday said students and faculty members of the University of the Philippines Mindanao (UPMin) met the arrival of UP President Emerlinda Roman and other Board of Regent officials with a lightning protest during the 13th commencement exercise.

"Graduates waved black ribbons in clenched fists as students and members of the Student Council flashed streamers against the tyranny of the UP President and Chancellor Gilda Rivero while singing the 'UP naming mahal,'" Kabataan coordinator Karlos Manlupig said in a statement.

Manlupig said Roman "ran in her attempt to evade the protesters. She was chased by angry students who eventually blocked her car."

Manlupig also quoted Student Council chair Rosel Susan Serrano as saying the intention of the lightning rally was "not to disrupt the graduation exercise but to condemn the 'Roman Empire' particularly on the issue of unseating Student Regent Charisse Bernadine Banez in the Board of Regents last January 2010 and to reaffirm the struggle in upholding the democratic rights and welfare of every student in the fight for free and quality UP education."

The protesters also condemned the 200-300 percent tuition fee increase initiated by Roman in 2006.

Manlupig said students and the Kabataan Party-list will intensify their struggle "to attain higher budget allocation for education."

The group also challenged the graduates, students, and faculty members to "uphold the patriotic tradition of the university."


Url: http://www.dailymirror.ph/Apr-2010/Apr2210/front3.html