1. WEAR WHITE vs. CORRUPTION – as a symbol of the youth's crusade for truth, accountability and hope.
2. ACCESSORIZE – with shirts, pins, bracelets, headgears, white armbands, etc. Be creative. Show your protest through your fashion sense.
3. DECORATE – your school, tambayan, class room with 'protest art.' Designs are available at
youthactnow.com. Or better yet, be resourceful and come up with your own Youth Action Day theme for your school.
Transform your schools into 'Truth and Accountability Zones'.
4. BE INTERACTIVE – set up a text hotline in your school, or put up freedom walls all around campus, or set up a 'punching bag or dart board vs. corruption'. Provide a medium for students to unleash their youthful energy and show their protest.
5. INVITE – to the Youth Action Day
Konsiyerto para sa Katotohanan! at the University of the Philippines Diliman on February 28, 6-9pm. Showcase, share and compare your Youth Action Day themes and protest art at the
February 29 rally in Ayala where different schools are expected to converge.
Youth Action Day in 10 key cities nationwide!
YOUTH ACT NOW! coordinators and member organizations from
Metro Manila, Baguio City, Albay, Naga City, Tacloban, Bacolod, Davao, Iloilo, Laguna, Cavite will participate.
For inquiries, contact:
Alvin Peters, YOUTH ACT NOW! Spokesperson, 09206209362
Terry Ridon, UP Student Regent, 09158513904
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YOUTH ACT NOW!
A Call to the Filipino Youth to Stand Up for Truth
As the nation faces intense moral and political crisis, the Filipino youth is called upon to take up its role as bearers of the future and stand up for truth and accountablity in government. The Filipino youth must act now.
We are youth, students and professionals from different organizations, schools, colleges, universities, workplaces and communities. We unite in collective aspiration to knock on the conscience of our leaders and to awaken hope in the spirit of the Filipino people to bring forth a movement for truth and social change.
We commend Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada, Jr. for divulging truths with regard to anomalies and corrupt acts in government. We admire the courage and determination he showed as he faced efforts of government forces to harass his person in order to stop him from testifying in Senate investigations.
We express our solidarity with various church groups, the business sector, people's organizations and concerned Filipino citizens who have similarly expressed confidence in Mr. Lozada's sincerity and credibility.
We believe that national leaders should be accountable to the people and that government officials should portray the highest standards of morality and integrity to be able to propel the nation towards genuine progress, justice and peace.
As young people moved with our conscience and aspirations for good governance and accountability for wrong deeds done, we condemn the following acts by government:
• The attempted cover-up and past and present whitewash of evidence implicating Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the First Gentleman and the First Family, along with Malacanang's minions, in numerous issues of bribery and corruption and other shady deals of government;
• The gross and systematic plunder of the country's coffers and resources for the benefit of a few influential government officials and cronies;
• The Arroyo administration's shameless disregard of the intensity and effects of such allegations and its continuous brushing off of still unresolved issues of bribery and corruption despite overwhelming public clamor for morality, transparency and accountability; and
• The blatant and unabashed misuse of the administration machinery, including the Department of Justice, the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other agencies of government, to conspire in the further deception of the people and betrayal of public trust.
The government has lost its moral ascendancy to govern due to the long list of scandals, electoral fraud and corruption issues that have mired its rule. The Arroyo administration has long ceased to perform as a role model government for the youth. It has caused the widespread disillusionment among young people and have been a disappointment to the youth's desire to instill reforms in government.
We call on the government of Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to stop efforts to cover-up the truth and be accountable for its immoral and corrupt acts. The government's desperate efforts to continuously cling to power have sown deep social discontent and division among the people.
We strongly believe in the sovereign right that rests on the people to change a morally bankrupt and corrupt regime with a conscientious leadership that can genuinely unite the nation and can bring forth meaningful social change.
YOUTH ACT NOW against a morally bankrupt government. YOUTH ACT NOW for truth, accountability and meaningful change.
YOUTH ACT NOW! (Youth for Accountability and Truth Now!
The Undersigned,
National Union Of Students of the Philippines (with 650 member councils nationwide) College Editors Guild of the Philippines (with 750 member publications nationwide)Kabataan Party University of the Philippines (UP) University Student Council UP Office of the Student Regent, Student Regent Teri RidonUP Manila University Student CouncilUP Manila College of Arts and Science Student Council Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (STAND-UP)University of Santo Tomas ACT-NOWUST Tiger PACT Ateneo de Manila University Tanggulan NetworkPolytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Office of the Student Regent, Student Regent Sophia Prado PUP Sentral na Konseho ng Mag-aaralSamahan ng mga Mag-aaral para sa Sambayanan (SAMASA)-PUPKKKP (Kalipunan ng Kristiyanong Kabataan sa Pilipinas) Student Christian Movement of the PhilippinesChristian Youth FellowshipSamahan ng Kabataang Episcopal sa Pilipinas Adamson University University Student GovernmentPhilippine Christian University Supreme Student GovernmentSAMASA-Far Eastern University Kabataang PinoyLeague of Filipino StudentsANAKBAYANKabataang Artista para sa Tunay na Kalayaan (KARATULA) UP The Philippine CollegianUP Manila CollegianPUP The CatalystADMU Matanglawin Arellano HeraldMLQU The QuezonianPUP Mass Communications The Communicator
Velez College SSC
University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos SSG
Bicol University University Student Council
St. Louis University SSG, Kasama
University of the Cordilleras SSC
Central Mindanao Colleges SSC
Bukidnon State University SSC
Kalinga Apayao State College SSC
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Youth group to Arroyo brothers: So young yet so corruptYouth group Anakbayan criticized brothers Mikey and Dato Arroyo for their 'Mafia-like operations and maneuverings' at the House of Representatives.
The Arroyo brothers are said to be the ones who clandestinely brokered last night's 'showdown' at the House of Representatives, resulting in Speaker Jose de Venecia's (JDV's) ouster.
Anakbayan chairperson Eleanor de Guzman condemned reports of massive bribery, amounting from P500,000 to P1 million allegedly per solon who agreed to vote against JDV.
Solons who attended last weekend's 'final meeting' at the brothers' home in La Vista were also reportedly seen with suspicious 'brown paper bags'.
"They can deny all they want but no one would believe that they did not have anything to do with last night's brouhaha. One need only see one of Mikey's sleazy B-movies to see what an ugly character he has," said de Guzman.
Talks of moves to oust JDV first sprung from Mikey's resignation from the Lakas-CMD party last week.
(Mikey Arroyo whispers to new Speaker Prospero Nograles during last Monday's 'showdown' session)
"The Brothers Arroyo, like their parents, are fickle-minded and cannot be trusted. All their moves would only be for their political survival. Their cohorts in KAMPI should be warned. So young yet so corrupt, kanino pa ba sila magmamana?" said de Guzman.
More than an inter-family rift
Furthermore, de Guzman stressed that the Arroyo clan's 'act of vendetta' against JDV was more than a matter of JDV's son Joey having hurt FG Mike in light of his ZTE expose.
"This political development should not be downplayed as a mere inter-family rift, or even a split between trapos."
De Guzman added, "More than anything else, last night further exposed Arroyo's desperation to stay in power despite the unresolved cases of bribery and corruption that both de Venecias appear geared to pursue."
"We challenge JDV to consummate his act of repentance, to expose all and side with the people," said de Guzman. ###
(photo courtesy of gmanews.tv)
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January 31, 2008
NEWS FLASH!*
Police violently disperse student protest vs. Palace-led educ summit
(photo courtesy of EPA. more photos here. view news footages here and here.)
Six students were illegally arrested while 23 others were injured after police forces brutally dispersed today's protest against what they called the 'anti-student education summit.'
Joanna Rose Adenit and Emman Montado of the Philippine Normal University, Crimson Laglera of Anakbayan-Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Alvin Cerrano of the League of Filipino Students-PUP, Vic del Rosario from Caloocan and Arlo Cervantes of UP Diliman were among those arrested. A certain Ophie of Caloocan is still missing.
As of press time, they are said to have been brought to the Ospital ng Maynila. Meanwhile, their companions are holding an indignation rally in front of the Western Police District Main Headquartes to demand their immediate release.
Twenty-three students from UP, PUP, UE, Adamson, PNU and Lyceum also suffered injuries from the police's attacks.
Alliance of Concerned Teachers President Antonio Tinio acquired cuts and bruises on his arms while attempting to negotiate with WPD Chief Rosales.
Youth groups National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), ANAKBAYAN, League of Filipino Students and Kabataang Pinoy, along with teachers from ACT, staged a protest rally against the Malacanang-sponsored education summit which opened this morning at the Manila Hotel.
The students commenced with the protest just as Pres. Gloria Arroyo entered the hotel to deliver her keynote address.
The rallyists were immediately dispersed as they marched towards Manila Hotel without the benefit of negotiations.
From Roxas Avenue, they were chased towards Luneta Park, a Freedom Park, where they were able to hold a short program. They were about to end the program when police troops arrived at the scene and attacked them again.
The rallyists criticized the non-inclusion of student and teacher representatives in the summit. They also protested against the government's general thrust of commercialization and privatization of education resulting in yearly budget cuts and a deregulated tuition policy.
"All we wanted was to voice out our issues and demands as primary stakeholders in the education sector. It was not at all our intention to disrupt the summit. All we wanted was to air our grievances because the government appears to have deliberately ignored our interests. Hindi na nga kami pinakinggan sinaktan pa kami," said NUSP President Alvin Peters.
"We are determined to file legal charges against our police attackers," said Peters.
The youth groups, however, remained unperturbed as they vowed to stage a bigger protest tomorrow, the last day of the summit. Students from Southern Tagalog are expected to join the protest.
They also said that they are preparing to come up with a critique of the recommendations of the education summit over the weekend. ###
*the students were released yesterday after more than 24 hours of detention. we will be filing charges of assault and violation of BP 880 against the perpetrators and their police commanders by next week. will update.
we were also able to hold another protest the next day at the same venue. this time, the police negotiated with us and allowed us to hold a short program. seems the police acquired more bruises from the flak and condemnation they received due to the violent dispersal and illegal arrests.
below was Anakbayan's statement presenting the reasons for the student protest:
Education not for sale
Youth group slams 'anti-student education summit'
Palace-led conference to worsen rising cost of education
Anakbayan along with other youth and student groups held a rally in front of the Manila Hotel as the Malacanang-led education summit opens today.
The youth groups summarized in three points the reason for their protest:
• The non-inclusion of the student sector in the summit.
• The blatant prioritization of interests of private sector groups, especially capitalist-educators, in the agenda and selected topics of discussion.
• The composition of the so-called Presidential Task Force on Education.
"Firstly, it is most hypocritical and in fact anti-youth and anti-student to hold an education summit without taking into consideration that youth and students are the primary stakeholders in the education sector. This sole point proves how the Arroyo administration deliberately overlooks and neglects youth and students' demands and interests," said Anakbayan chairperson Eleanor de Guzman.
De Guzman added, "The Arroyo administration is also unapologetic and continues to promote without remorse the privatization and commercialization of education in favor of big businesses, at the expense of students."
De Guzman said that the basic and most pertinent dilemma of the sector at present is the rising cost of education brought about by privatization and commercialization schemes.
"It is common knowledge that education has become more and more inaccessible to our youth because of yearly budget cuts and the general scheme of tuition deregulation wherein capitalist-educators are given free reign to increase tuition and other miscellaneous fees without any sanctions from government education agencies."
Lastly, de Guzman questioned the composition of the Presidential Task Force on Education, namely, CHED Head Romulo Neri as acting chair, DepEd Chair Jesli Lapus, the TESDA Chair, the Presidential Assistant for Education and five representatives from the private sector appointed by the President.
"These are all people close to the president and in tune with the government's anti-student policies. CHED chair Neri, for one, aside from his qualifications for the CHED chairmanship being questioned, has failed to address tuition regulation issues, consequently allowing for the average 10 percent tuition increase in almost 100 schools for this academic year without consultation with students. Deped head Lapus, meanwhile, continues to champion the anomalous and controversial CyberEducation Project over the basic woes of classroom and textbook shortages."
"We do not have to wait for Pres. Arroyo's keynote address to conclude that this government's main thrust is to transform education as a commodity. It is geared not for nation-building or academic development but for the production of cheap labor through voc-tech courses and other outsourcing institutions that benefit not youth and students but big business and foreign interests. Thus the primary roles of the TESDA and the private sector in the summit."
"Education is not for sale. We declare the education summit a failure because it falls short of addressing the issues that have plagued the education sector for so long." ###
other related reports:
http://www.tribune.net.ph/metro/20080201met1.html
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20080131-115958/UPDATE-2-6-militants-nabbed-others-hurt-in-protesthttp://bulatlat.com/2008/01/6-students-nabbed-teacher-hurt-rally-dispersal
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080201-116090/Education-summit-aims-to-fix-mess-in-RP-schools
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20080201-116217/6-arrested-activists-released-after-Manila-mayor-interveneshttp://www.tempo.com.ph/news.php?aid=36430
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/78974/Detained-students-released-to-press-counter-charges-vs-cops
http://philstar.com/index.php?Metro&p=49&type=2&sec=26&aid=20080201119
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/feb/02/yehey/metro/20080202met7.html
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1. WEAR WHITE vs. CORRUPTION – as a symbol of the youth's crusade for truth, accountability and hope.
