CAMpaignsAGAINST CUTS ON EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE BUDGET
foreign and elite-dominated character of the Philippine society. There has been a consistent increase in the budget for military spending, debt servicing, dole-out programs and pork barrels of government officials but a long-standing decline in the budget for public colleges and universities, public hospitals and public housing. For the past years, the UP community successfully launched set of different protest actions (strikes, walk-outs, marches) condemning the cuts and government's pro-foreign and anti- people national budget gaining wide public support including students, faculty and administrators from other public universities, progressive legislators, people's organizations and even the international community. AGAINST TUITION HIKE & COMMERCIALIZATION IN UP
The rising cost of UP education (almost Php 30,000/semester/18 units; exclusive of board and lodging | almost a 475% increase from its 2006 level) is reflective of its changing nature as a public university accessible to the people into a university that caters only to those who can pay. Services such as dormitories and cafeteria are also being privatized causing an increase in the prices of these services. Aside from increasing tuition/other fees, while being pushed to generate its own income in the face of dwindling subsidy from the national government, UP also engages in income-generating projects and leasing of idled assets/lands. These commercialization projects are pursued even at the expense of the academic function and integrity of UP as a public higher education institution (private resorts, private hospitals, private shopping and dining centers, etc). AGAINST CAMPUS MILITARIZATION AND REPRESSION
Despite the existence of signed ratified agreements and laws prohibiting military presence in the different campuses of UP, there are military barracks (UP Mindanao), military personnel/activities (UP Visayas Miag-ao, Iloilo & Tacloban) and active military as administrator (UP Los Banos) in UP. Military elements inside the campuses actively campaigns against progressive organizations and leaders as well as conducts intelligence activities (surveillance, harassment, bribery, etc) thru the Student Intelligence Network. Aside from the military elements, the university administration also implements repressive policies designed to discourage unity among the students, prohibit freedom of expression, etc. |
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