The group made the call for a ‘tuition moratorium’ today, alongside campus protests in the University of Sto. Tomas and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. In the former, there is a proposed 6% across-the-board tuition increase; while in the latter, students are apprehensive that budget cuts to their University will lead to ‘commercialization’ schemes such as a proposed 2000% tuition hike last 2010 (which was eventually junked by the iconic ‘chair burning’ protests).

Despite the meteoric rise of the cost of a college education in the past decade, both private and public universities continue to hike their tuition and other fees: the University of the East’s Recto campus has a proposed increase of 3-5%, while the De La Salle University’s Main campus has a 3% hike. Many university administrations nationwide are currently holding ‘token’ consultations regarding possible increases in their schools.

Since 2001, the average nationwide tuition rate has more than doubled from P257.42 to P537 per unit, or from P19,307.16 to P38,829.60 per year for two 18-unit semesters. According to the Commission on Higher Education itself, more than 80% of all college students do not finish their studies, an amount currently equivalent to 2.1 million people.

“Why can’t Noynoy be as ‘obsessed’ with making education accessible as he is with the impeachment trial?” lamented Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson of Anakbayan.

“If he can decisively mobilize government officials to quickly impeach the Chief Justice, why can’t he do the same to put a moratorium on all tuition increases in effect?” he added.

Students from various campuses across Metro Manila will be holding protests this week to compel the Administration into taking action:

22 – ‘Indoor Rally’: University of Sto. Tomas; Walkout: Polytechnic University of the Philippines
23 – ‘Unity March’ across Diliman: University of the Philippines Diliman; Intramuros-wide March: Intramuros-area Schools
24 – March to Mendiola: University of the Philippines Manila, University of the East; March to CHED: Other schools
28 – Nationwide protest: Deadline of submitting tuition proposals to the CHED

This was the call of members of Anakbayan from Luisita, as well as several universities and communities in Metro Manila, in a rally today in front of the Supreme Court.

“We urge our Justices to frustrate Noynoy’s obvious attempt to subvert the Court, and to uphold the granting of social justice for the farmers of Hacienda Luisita” said Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson of Anakbayan.

The Supreme Court handed down a decision ordering the immediate redistribution of the Cojuangco-Aquino estate last December. In recent weeks, many have begun to criticize the ongoing impeachment trial as a way of reversing the decision through the replacement of certain Justices with more ‘pro-Aquino’ appointees.

“The SC need not fear Noynoy and his greedy clan for in this case, they have the Filipino people behind them” said the youth leader.

He also urged the SC to ‘strike down’ moves by the Aquino administration to bog down the redistribution of Luisita through ‘just compensation’, or having the Luisita farmers ‘compensate’ the Cojuangco-Aquinos with an estimated amount of P10 billion.

“The profit alone that the Cojuangco-Aquinos have derived from several generations of the farmers’ families should be more than enough compensation. Add to the fact that the land should have been given to the farmers since the 60s, under a contract with the government, leaves absolutely no justification for ‘just compensation’” said Crisostomo.

According to Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson of Anakbayan, youths are among the most affected by the prevalence of contractualization in the country today.

“With 43% of all unemployed Filipinos holding a college degree, fresh college graduates are forced to accept contractual jobs. Even worse is the plight of those who don’t even finish college or even high school” said Crisostomo.

‘Contractual’ workers can be removed at a moment’s notice, making them more ‘open’ to accepting low wages, lack of benefits, and hazardous working conditions.

One recent example is that of 153 janitors working in the Main Campus of Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Manila who were fired last February 17. When the said workers checked in for work on the morning of that day, they were informed by the contracting agency that 180 new workers were already hired to replace them.

Only through swift protests by the workers and their supporter students and teachers was the PUP Administration pressured into reinstating the 153.

Another example is that of employees in the BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) sector, or more commonly known as call center agents. Despite having relatively higher wages than workers in other sectors, BPO employees endure very long and unhealthy working hours, and stressful conditions such as extreme cold. As a result, many constantly quit jobs due to ‘burn-out’, or the combined physical and mental exhaustion from such working conditions.

“The Aquino administration’s refusal to prevent contractualization shows that for them, its ‘capitalists first, workers second’” said the youth leader.

“Through contractualization, the government is giving capitalists a ‘legal way’ to commit the most anti-worker of actions: violation of minimum wages, violation of workplace safety standards, and violation of the right to form unions” he concluded.

This was how Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson of the youth group Anakbayan, described the Aquino administration’s announcement of a P1,200 ‘reload’ of the Pantawid Pasada program.

The announcement was made in anticipation of P1.00-P0.45 per liter oil price hike this week, the 7th in 8th week this year.

“‘Pantawid Pasada’ barely scratches the tip of the iceberg. There are so many ways that oil price hikes affect the public, none of which ‘Pantawid Pasada’ addresses” said Crisostomo.

The youth leader enumerated several ways in which oil price hikes impact the majority of Filipinos:

- Less income for farmers using mechanical equipment and petroleum-based fertilizer (majority of commercially-available fertilizer is petroleum-based)

- Less income for fisherfolk using motorized bancas

- Higher price of palay, vegetables, fish, and other seafood

- Less income for carinderia owners, and higher cost of cooking food with LPG stoves

- Higher cost of electricity (many Philippine power plants still use diesel engines)

- Higher business expenses for small and medium enterprises (primarily electricity and transportation of goods)

- Higher cost of goods in general

But even in regards to the livelihood of jeepney drivers and proposals again increase the minimum fare by P1.00, Crisostomo said Pantawid Pasada is a ‘cosmetic’ measure.

“According to many drivers themselves, they are losing around P210 in a day in income with every peso hike of pump prices. The ‘reload’ is less than six days’ lost income for them. If the government really wanted to help them, they would crack down on the overpricing done by the oil companies” he added.

Nigerian-style protests

Anakbayan is backing calls for ‘Nigerian-style’ protests in the Philippines as a means of forcing the government to take action on the overpricing of oil companies.

The African nation was rocked last month by a general strike and street rallies with hundreds of thousands of participants, after its government removed subsidies on petroleum products. The protests forced the government to reinstate the subsidies, effecting a 35% rollback (equivalent to around P12.00).

“We urge young workers, students, and professionals to lead the way towards our own ‘Nigerian’ protest. Let’s walkout from our schools, factories, and offices at the same time the public transport decides to hold a strike” said Crisostomo.

Hina was attacked in broad daylight last February 1, inside the Office of the University Student Council (USC) in Vinzons Hall, UP Diliman, a known meeting place of student leaders and activists. She was waiting to attend an important organizational meeting when she was attacked. The perpetrator was later caught with Hina’s bag, hers and her companion’s laptop and several cellphones, which contained important information regarding her activities, which could might as well be the assailant’s target.

Hina was stabbed in the head several times by an ice pick which pierced through her temples. She was found lying unconscious in a pool of blood about an hour later. She was immediately rushed to the hospital where she have been critical and in a coma for several days. Doctors have said the possibility of brain damage and effect on her basic sensory skills was high.

Hina is a known student leader and organizer. She is a former Secretary General of the Center for Nationalist Studies (CNS) and a key organizer of Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (STAND UP). She was a key player in the nationwide fight against budget cuts in UP and social services. She is committed to organizing students and youth in campuses and urban poor communities in struggles for basic rights and social change.

A day after the attempted murder of Lordei, news broke out that former student leader and known cultural activist Ekis Gimenez of Sining na Naglilingkod sa Bayan (Sinagbayan) was also attacked by unidentified assailants on his way home. He suffered a skull fracture and had to undergo surgery on his head.

This also happened weeks after several UP students were harassed by military elements in Porac, Pampanga and Calatagan, Batangas. These events simply cannot be dismissed as coincidental.

It is all too easy for the military to hire criminals to murder or maim activists and progressives. In fact, this tactic has been employed many times during the Marcos dictatorship and the ‘Low Intensity Conflict’ of former president Cory Aquino. Corrupt politicians are also known to do this against their political opponents, journalists, and ordinary critics.

One such example is that of the late Bishop Alberto Ramento of the Aglipayan Church, a human rights advocate and staunch supporter of the Hacienda Luisita strike. He was stabbed several-dozen times while he was sleeping in his Tarlac residence in October 2006. Despite claims by the police that it was part of a robbery by ‘gang members’, no valuables were taken from the bishop’s home.

The attacks and harassment being done against UP students, who are known for their fierce criticism of the Aquino administration and its budget cuts against social services, can be viewed as part of an overall ‘psy-ops’ campaign by the AFP. ‘Psy-ops’ are meant to ‘paralyze’ activists and progressives from undertaking their work through a variety of means: terrorizing, maligning, demonizing and criminalizing them.

These activities fit the array of programs and activities described in the Aquino government’s Oplan Bayanihan. The new military plan focuses on psy-ops and propaganda: “people-centered” approach, “civic-military” and “non-combat” operations. The attacks against Hina, Gimenez, the ‘Porac 3′, and other cases in different regions carry these marks.

Notably, fake statements have also been consistently released to media, purportedly from Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and Prof. Jose Ma. Sison to sow intrigue and malicious rumors about the progressive movement. In the case of the former, KMU purportedly said that it believed in justice and thus supports the current administration. In the case of the latter, it was claimed that Sison would be a part of the Aquino cabinet, despite repeated denials. Both are apparently being made to confuse the public and in one way or the other marginalize the progressive movement.

We urge the UP community to hold an independent, impartial and speedy investigation regarding the incident. We call on students and youth, human rights advocates, and the Filipino people in general, to be critical and vigilant and to intensify the call for justice for Lordei Hina. We must mobilize thousands upon thousands of youth and students to call for an end to state violence and repression, and strengthen further the struggle for genuine social change.

“Mabaho, maingay, pero ultimately, walang silbi. Parang si Noynoy at yung mga pinagsasabi nya tungkol sa impeachment” said Vencer Crisostomo, the group’s national chairperson.

According to him, many youths are disgusted with the Aquino administration’s contrasting attitudes towards the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, and the pressing issues of tuition and other fee increases and oil price hikes.

Anakbayan is calling for a moratorium on tuition increases, effective the next semester, citing the skyrocketing cost of education as well as other basic commodities. Three of the biggest universities in the country will hike their tuition rates for the next school year, and many others are expected to follow suit: University of Sto. Tomas, 6%; University of the East, 3-5%; De La Salle University, 3%;

The youth group is also calling for decisive government action to end the non-stop oil price hikes which impact students through: a possible fare hike for jeeps and taxis, higher electricity rates especially for boarding house residents, more expensive food in carinderias, and an increase in the prices of food and other basic goods in general.

“Noynoy is making a lot of noise about the impeachment of Corona being ‘central’ to his government’s policies and programs. But we don’t see Corona and the Supreme Court being roadblocks to our demands for the freezing of tuition fees and the rollback of oil prices. It is actually Aquino, with his preferential treatment for corporations and big capitalists, like private school-owners, who serve as the biggest impediment to our demands” said Crisostomo.

In response to Aquino’s speech in which he ‘exhorted’ youths to ‘take a stand’ regarding the impeachment issue: “The Filipino youth is critical: we will not allow ourselves to become ‘cheerleaders’ of Noynoy’s impeachment drive like his cronies at Akbayan. Not when it is being used to cover-up his inaction on urgent gut issues”.

Instead, Anakbayan and other youth groups will be holding a series of campus protests from February 22 to 24 against tuition and other fee increases, and the rising cost of living in the country.

The group cited a study by the scientists’ organization AGHAM which showed that the cost of sending a single text message is one-hundreth of a centavo (P0.00001). This means that for every regular, or non-’unlitext’ SMS sent, Globe makes a profit of 9,990,900%. Last year, Globe recorded revenues of P67.8 billion, and P62 billion in 2010.

“The profits Globe makes are ridiculous. The only thing more ridicuous than it is the company’s refusal to accept even minor reductions to its earnings” said Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson of Anakbayan.

He added that the telco cannot claim ‘upgrading of its network and equipment’ as justification for ending ‘unlitext’ plans, considering Globe has admitted P129.8 billion in earnings in the last two years alone.

The youth leader called on the National Telecommunications Commission to ‘step in’ and ‘moderate the greed’ of the telco.

“In an age where the cellphone and SMS have become indispensable in the lives of ordinary Filipinos, Globe’s ‘Unli-Greed’ will impact the wallets of millions of Filipinos. On top of price hikes in petroleum products, and electricity and water services, this is a burden many of us can ill-afford” said Crisostomo.

“This plan will surely be opposed by students, parents, and administrators just like they are opposing the revival of ROTC” said Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson of Anakbayan.

He said “The PNP has no credibility to propose such a move. The public is well aware of the PNP’s notoriety in violating human rights and of its mercenary tradition in defense of the rotten ruling system and status quo. We cannot imagine the youth and students being taught the PNP’s ways of torture, salvaging, violence, repression, and corruption. The proposal is deplorable and definitely unacceptable.

According to the youth leader. the move is also aimed at intensifying campus repression and the curtailment of rights of youths and students in campuses. He added that it is part of the overall plan to suppress peoples’ rights under the military’s Oplan Bayanihan.

“We urge the students, parents, and educators to wage actions to oppose this move” said Crisostomo.

The group slammed the extension as proof that the administration of President Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III is coddling war criminals and plunderers.

“Petty thieves who steal a few pesos are quickly sent to an ordinary jail. But steal billions of pesos and kill hundreds of people and you get special treatment” said Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson of Anakbayan.

The youth group is calling for the jailing of the former president for her involvement in several multi-million peso corruption scandals, as well as the 1,100+ cases of extra-judicial killings and 200+ cases of enforced disappearances committed by military personnel during her rule.

Crisostomo pointed that aside from Arroyo receiving special treatment, one of her ‘favorite’ military generals, retired Gen. Jovito Palparan, has remained scott-free despite being charged with the abduction of two students from the University of the Philippines.

“Together, these two (Arroyo, Palparan) have conspired to create the darkest era in regards to human rights since the Marcos dictatorship. Yet one is being treated like a ‘guest of honor’ at the VMMC, while another is being ‘kept safe’ by the military. Aquino hasn’t even publicly condemned the human rights violations committed by the two” said he youth leader.

He concluded that Noynoy is not serious about ‘punishing’ Arroyo, raising serious doubts about the ongoing impeachment trial against Chief Justice Renato Corona.

“For Aquino to claim that his ‘vendetta’ against Corona is a part of the ‘crusade’ against Arroyo is a huge joke. The impeachment is not about going after Gloria. They could have done many things to punish her even with the current situation, removing any special treatment for her being one of them” said Crisostomo.

He added “It is about controlling the Supreme Court, and it is about popularity ratings. It is about distracting the public about their worsening condition. It is about creating a Supreme Court which will keep Hacienda Luisita in Cojuangco-Aquino hands” .

This was the reaction of Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson of the youth group Anakbayan, to President Benigno Aquino III’s speech today in which the latter called on the public to ‘take a stand’ regarding the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

According to the youth leader, many youths are now seriously questioning the sincerity of the Aquino administration in ‘punishing’ former president Gloria Arroyo, the very reason the government claims is behind its efforts to remove Corona, an Arroyo appointee.

“Every afternoon, many of us are biting our fingernails in frustration as we watch a clearly ill-prepared prosecution team go into a ‘fishing expedition’ for evidence” he added.

In addition, Crisostomo expressed grave doubts regarding the true motives behind the impeachment.

“If it’s all about bringing Gloria to justice, why is she being given special treatment with her hospital arrest? Why did it take more than 500 days to file an arrest warrant against her? Why did they downgrade the charges of plunder against her into mere graft? And why are other and even worse criminals in office and uniform still roaming free?” he said.

The youth leader pointed out the case of retired general Jovito Palparan, notorious for his involvement in hundreds of extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances, and was publicly applauded by Arroyo during one of her SONAs (State of the Nation Address). Despite a standing warrant of arrest for Palparan since December, he has remained in defiant and in hiding, something that human rights groups have attributed to ‘protection’ provided by active and retired military personnel.

“It seems bringing justice to the Filipino people is the last thing on Noynoy’s mind” said Crisostomo.

He concluded “Noynoy and his cohorts have defiled the peoples’ call for bringing Gloria Arroyo to justice by turning this into a media mileage event and a PR stunt to arrest the administration’s sagging approval ratings”.