REPORT (JANUARY 2015)

Submitted to the 1305th Board of Regents Meeting

29 January 2015

39th General Assembly of Student Councils

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 21(a) of Republic Act 9500, otherwise known as the UP
Charter of 2008, the Office of the Student Regent convened the 39th General Assembly of Student
Councils (GASC) last 9 to 11 January 2015, at the University of the Philippines Cebu, Lahug, Cebu
City. The GASC has consistently served as a venue in which student leaders across the University
System discuss pressing issues and concerns concerning the students and the Filipino nation, at
large, forging unities through campaigns and initiatives for the general welfare of our society.
The Office of the Student Regent are happy to inform you of the 39th General Assembly of Student
Councils (GASC)s success. Delegates and volunteers alike from all UP units have successfully
forged unities particularly on different issues concerning the entire UP community, shared best
practices among the councils and upheld the current Codified Rules for the Student Regent
Selection (CRSRS). This document will be used in the selection of my successor the 33rd student
regent. Attached is the latest copy of the CRSRS for the information of the honorable members of
this Board.
Among the pertinent issues and concerns discussed were the exorbitant, unjust, and redundant
fees, upholding the democratic rights of students, dormitory issues, and the fulfilment of the UP
Agenda and List of General Demands (UP ALGD), among others. The OSR hopes to discuss the
matters raised during the GASC to President Pascual after the Office is finished in collating the said
concerns.
Likewise, the GASC also agreed upon upholding several resolutions. The OSR shall furnish copies
once the proponents have finished incorporating the comments of the assembly to their respective
resolutions. For the meantime the title of them were as follows:
GASC Resolution No. 2015-001 Resolution to Review Other School Fees,
introduced by the UP Visayas College of Arts and Sciences Student Council
GASC Resolution No. 2015-002 A Resolution to Call for the Abolishment of the
CHED Memorandum Order No. 20 Series 2013, introduced by the UP Diliman
College of Arts and Letters Student Council
GASC Resolution No. 2015-003 Resolution Calling to Stop the Privatization and
Junking of Service Fees in Public Hospitals, introduce by the UP Manila University
Student Council
GASC Resolution No. 2015-004 Resolution to Campaign for the Abolishment of
the Pork Barrel System and the Eradication of Corruption, introduced by the UP
Cebu Student Council
GASC Resolution No. 2015-005 Resolution to End Militarization in All Academic
Institutions, introduced by the UP Mindanao University and College of Humanities
and Social Sciences Student Councils, and the UPM School of Health Sciences
Extension Campus in South Cotabato Student Council

GASC Resolution No. 2015-006 Resolution Calling for the General Assembly of
Student Councils to Join the Rise for Education Alliance, introduced by the UP Cebu
Student Council

In behalf of all university and college student councils, the OSR expresses its deepest gratitude on
the invaluable support by the UP Administration to the convention of the GASC. Likewise, the Office
extends its sincere thanks to the whole UP Cebu administration, the UP Cebu Student Council and
the community for their hospitality and generous assistance.
On Registration Problems
Several issues regarding the registration of students have been raised before the Offices attention.
In UPLB, first year students from the College of Economics and Management have problems
regarding the misappropriation of slots for the Economics 11 (Econ 11) course. Econ 11 is a
prerequisite of the succeeding subjects that is why they feel agitated that slots have been given to
others. Upon consulting with Prof. Rodger Valientes, Chairperson of the Department of Economics,
he said that they cannot add another section for the said course due to the heavy load of the
faculty, but said that they would accommodate students from the College as much as they can. In
addition, he said that he already wrote to the Office of the University Registrar regarding the
problem.
This problem is not isolated to Econ 11 alone, according to Prof. Valientes, they are experiencing
the same problem with their Economics 101 and 102 (Econ 101 & 102) courses as BS Economics
students were being deprived of slots. This is not an isolated case to courses being offered by the
Department of Economics. There have been reports that the same is happening in other bottleneck
courses in UPLB in which courses are being given to other students outside of their schedule of
curriculum. The OSR hopes to solicit the help of the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
to solve this issue as it plays a role in students being delayed from graduating on-time.
During SR Macuhas visit in UPLB this 26 January 2015, members of the University Student
Councils raised some concerns on reports in which Chancellor Fernando Sanchez Jr. have been
disapproving appeals on readmission and promissory notes. During the SRs courtesy call with the
latter the next day, Chancellor Sanchez reassured that he is approving cases which are meritorious.
The OSR thanks the UPLB Chancellor for his response and for accommodating the inquiries by the
Student Regent despite the short notice.
On the other hand, students from UP Manila have reported to having difficulties in their registration
process due to the glitches in the newly implemented Student Assistance Information System
(SAIS). According to the University and College of Arts and Sciences Student Councils, problems
being encountered were as follows:
Student loans (SLB) are still being reflected on the SAIS Accounts as considered by
the system as past due finances despite being already settled.
Since the breakdown of fees link is not working, the students are having a difficulty
to determine the amount that they needed to pay.
Enlistment was reset as the SAIS team forgot to close the enlistment process, this
led to students assuming that their slots were already guaranteed despite
otherwise.
Some students paid their tuition even with the past due amount that they did not
owe.
The ST Bracket reflected by SAIS was the No Discount Bracket for all accounts.
With the OSR having information that the system was being applied to other units despite the
problems is troublesome. The Office is also asking the system administration to reconsider the
application of the SAIS as the previous system, CRS, is reportedly working fine thus there is no
need to apply the new system in which is very costly to implement.

Militarization and Harassment against Student Leaders

As stated above, UP Mindanao Student Councils reported of the militarization in UP Mindanao. This
led students, faculty and staff alike to have fears about their security given the nature of the
University as a bastion of liberal and progressive ideas. According to them, before UP Mindanao
was even erected, the military installation in the area already existed, prompting the Administration
for the military to finish their contract before they would be evicted. However, the said contract was
already expired but up to now, the installation still remains in the vicinity of the area. This was
worsened by the recently concluded probe by state forces on the death of former UPMin USC
Chairperson, Rendell Ryan Cagula, a suspected member of the New Peoples Army during an
encounter with in Saranggani Province. Elements from the CIDG went to UP Mindanao to ask
information about Cagula and his affiliations, renewing the fears of student leaders in UP
Mindanao.
In addition, the UP Visayas College of Arts and Sciences Student Council informed the OSR of the
harassment by military agents to one of its councilors, Jude Mangilog. According to Mangilog, his
family was approached by alleged members of the military identifying him as one of the main
destabilizers in UP Visayas, and threatened his family to convince him to stop his criticisms against
the Aquino Administration.
This is a clear cut violation of the LFS-DND Accord, and the Ramos-Abueva Agreement, which
prohibits state forces to enter the premises of the University of the Philippines, and of the
International Humanitarian Law which prohibits the military, para-military groups of the state and
police to have installations near civilian institutions. In addition, this violates the fundamental
rights of our students, and other constituents as they continue to fear for their safety due to the
said cases. This is not the first time that this happened to our constituents, way back in 2009,
several student leaders from the University of the Philippines Los Baos were identified as
terrorists and members of the NPA. Among those identified was former Student Regent Charisse
Bernadine Baez, and former USC Chairs of UPLB. The OSR calls upon the UP Administration for
support in the campaign against the militarization not only in UP premises but also of other
academic institutions. In addition, the Office respectfully asks that the Administration to condemn
such acts of harassment against student leaders of UP.
For the students and the people,

NEILL JOHN G. MACUHA

Student Regent