UP Politikons

Forty years after EDSA, the conversation continues and it must never fall silent.

Our heartfelt thanks to Asst. Prof. Larah Del Mundo for sharing her scholarship and powerful reflections on the Marcos regime, historical memory, and the fragile state of our democracy today.

Thank you as well to all participants who joined us, listened critically, and engaged in meaningful discussion. Your presence proves that the spirit of People Power lives on in spaces of learning and dialogue. 🥰

EDSA was not only the end of a dictatorship -- it was the beginning of a democracy we must protect every day. May we continue to remember, question, and act. 🤝

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 | 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧

Forty years ago, Filipinos stood together along EDSA and proved that power does not belong to a dictator but to the people.

The 1986 People Power Revolution was not merely the end of the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. It was the collapse of a regime built on repression, corruption, manufactured myths, and the systemic silencing of dissent. It was the moment when citizens reclaimed our institutions that had been hollowed out and weaponized against them.

But EDSA was never meant to be a finished story.

Yes, a dictator was removed. Yet the networks that enabled him and authoritarian rule – political dynasties, entrenched patronage systems, beneficiaries of plunder, and architects of the distortion of truth – did not and have not vanished. Many who prospered from ill-gotten wealth and suppressed truths remain embedded within local and national structures of power. The machinery of deception did not disappear; it adapted.

This is why EDSA must be understood not only as a historic victory, but as the beginning of a democratic responsibility.

Democracy is not self-sustaining. It demands vigilance. It requires citizens who remember, who question, and who refuse to allow history to be rewritten for convenience. It calls for the daily defense of institutions, the insistence on accountability, and the protection of spaces where truth can survive political pressure.

Most importantly, the People Power was never about just occupying a highway. It was about reclaiming agency and affirming that sovereignty rests in the people. Not in propaganda, not in fear, and most certainly not in the illusion of the inevitability.

Forty years later, the meaning of EDSA lives relative in ways of how we choose to participate. In how we confront disinformation, in challenging corruption, and ultimately in how we advocate in defending the rights of our fellow Filipinos.

To commemorate EDSA is not to romanticize the past. It is to accept that we still owe an obligation to contribute whatever means we have to its ongoing work and significance until this day and onwards.

Ultimately, the revolution might have began in 1986 but the responsibility continues.

Paigtingin ang kapangyarihan ng mga mamamayan!
Never Again. Never Forget!

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗗𝗦𝗔 𝟰𝟬 ✨

The UP Politikons is honored to introduce our esteemed guest speaker for the upcoming symposium.

𝗟𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗵 𝗩𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗕. 𝗗𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗼 is an Assistant Professor in the Department of History at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Prior to joining the faculty, she served as a University Research Associate at the Third World Studies Center. She holds a BA in Social Sciences (History-Political Science) from UP Baguio and an MA in History from UP Diliman.

Join us as we analyze history and the current challenges of disinformation under the theme “Alaala, Aksyon, at Pananagutan: Pagpapatuloy ng Diwa ng People Power sa Panahon ng Disinpormasyon at Krisis ng Pamamahala”

📍 February 25, 2026 | 1:00–3:00 PM
📌 Multi-Purpose Building, UP Tacloban College | via Google Meet

Sign the QR Code or access the link to Register⬇️
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𝗘𝗗𝗦𝗔 𝟰𝟬: 𝗕𝘂𝗵𝗮𝘆 𝗽𝗮 𝗯𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗞𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻?

Forty years after the historic uprising along EDSA, we ask this question: is the power of the Filipino people still alive? Or has it been buried beneath lies, noise, and apathy?

Under the theme “Alaala, Aksyon, at Pananagutan: Pagpapatuloy ng Diwa ng People Power sa Panahon ng Disinpormasyon at Krisis ng Pamamahala,” this symposium challenges us to go beyond nostalgia.

Hindi sapat ang pag-alala.
Hindi sapat ang paggunita.

Sa gitna ng krisis ng katotohanan at pananagutan, kailangan nating gawing aksyon ang alaala at pananagutan ang kamalayan.

📍 February 25, 2026 | 1:00–3:00 PM
📌 Multi-Purpose Building, UP Tacloban College | via Google Meet

Register Now⬇️
https://forms.gle/T3drHTqRkREX11EJA
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Let this not be just another commemoration.
Let this be a continuation.

Remember. Resist. Reclaim.

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 | 𝐔𝐏 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐤𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫

This is not merely a question of "disrespect." It is a polarizing narrative of a ‘disrespected mayor’ vs. a ‘disrespectful citizen’. By framing himself as a victim, the Mayor attempts to portray a private expression of frustration as a meaningful harm to his person or office. Transforming a private message into a public spectacle through an official platform is an unacceptable use of power that violates a citizen’s right to privacy and grievance. Under the Republic Act No. 6713, also known as the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, public officials are mandated to strictly act within a sense of “justness and sincerity” and to “remain true to the people” at all times. Using the very weight of a public office to target a private citizen contradicts the very “professionalism” and “responsiveness to the public” required by the law.

Beyond the legality and ethics of what happened, this narrative is fundamentally dishonest because the two parties are not on the same plane. On one side is a member of a political dynasty holding the highest office in the city; on the other is a student simply going through the motions of a difficult daily life here in the city.

The narrative of "hurt feelings" is a luxury that the people of Tacloban cannot afford. While the city leadership fixates on tone, we are forced to navigate the everyday consequences of bad governance. Floods have become a normalized part of our existence; whether it is a typhoon or just a passing shear line, major roads across the city consistently go underwater. They are often labeled as "passable," but wade through them for one day and you realize there is nothing dignified about this way of living. This is compounded by a broken transport system where commuting is a struggle of being drenched and squeezed.. Because we lack an integrated system, students and workers are forced into "cutting trips"—shuffling between jeeps, multicabs, and motorcycles—which multiplies both the cost and the exhaustion of simply trying to get to school. Our suffering does not even end when the rain stops; we often return to homes or boarding houses that are themselves flooded. It is truly expensive to be poor, especially in this city where we are forced to treat basic survival as a daily routine.

It is easy to treat the rain as a mere 'inconvenience' when you don’t live in a flood plain. It is easy to ignore the cries of the public when you are insulated by high-ground-clearance vehicles and sound-dampened interiors that tune out the reality of the streets. For the everyday citizen, the rain is not a 'disrespectful' social media message—it is a struggle for survival and dignity.

We refuse to let this issue be reduced to a debate on manners. The 'good' in good governance isn't about the tone or the words we choose; it’s about whether our leadership has the heart to actually see our situation. The real disrespect isn't a student speaking their mind; it is a city that remains stagnant while its people are underwater.

As a public servant entrusted with authority and influence, the mayor has an ethical duty to protect, rather than endanger, the dignity and welfare of private citizens and by weaponizing social media against a student represents not only unethical behavior but an abuse of public office and a failure of responsible leadership.
We call on the Mayor to stop playing the victim and finally address the climate injustice and transport crisis that define the daily lives of Taclobanons.

We are not interested in a private audience or a closed-door meeting. If the Mayor is actually serious about a dialogue, then let it be a genuine public deliberation. Please, let us stop with this performative governance; we have had enough of the empty rhetoric.

If the Mayor is true to his claim of wanting a conversation, then he needs to stop the one-sided moralizing and playing victim. What this city needs from our Mayor is for him to talk with and to us, not someone who talks down to us. We do not need a lecture, what we need is a city that works.

The bottom line is that if the governance in this city were responsive, people would not feel the need to slide in the Mayor’s DMs just to get centavo’s worth of attention to their plight. Our lines are open for a real, public conversation and deliberation. We are ready anytime.

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 | 𝐀𝐧𝐢𝐦 𝐧𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐲𝐚. 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞.

Ngayong araw, muli nating ginugunita ang iligal at marahas na pag-aresto kina Frenchie Mae Cumpio, Marielle Domequil at Alexander Philip Abinguna na kilala bilang Tacloban 5 – kasama sina Mira Legion at Marissa Cabaljao. Anim na taon na ang lumipas ngunit nasaan na na ba ang hustisya para sa mga taong pumili manindigan?

Noong Enero 22, sa halip na maging simbolo ng katarungan ang korte, naging paalala ito kung paano ang batas ay maaaring gamitin laban sa mga mamamahayag at tagapagtanggol ng karapatang pantao. Hinatulan sina Frenchie at Marielle hindi bilang mga indibidwal na akusado, kundi bilang mga boses na matagal nang sinusubukang patahimikin. Kaya mariin naming kinokondena ang hatol na ito – isang desisyong lalong naglalantad sa patuloy na kriminalisasyon sa pamamahayag at sa mga kritikal na tinig sa lipunan.

Ang kaso nina Maye at Frenchie ay hindi hiwalay na pangyayari. Bahagi ito ng mas malawak na klima ng red-tagging, pagtatanim ng ebidensya, at paggamit sa batas bilang sandata upang supilin ang dissent at takutin ang mga naglilingkod sa mamamayan. Habang ang mga tunay na suliranin ng lipunan ay nananatiling hindi nalulutas, ang mga nagbubunyag ng katotohanan ang siyang kinakasuhan at ikinukulong.

Ngayong araw, muling naninindigan ang UP Politikons kasama ang publiko: ipaglaban ang pagpapawalang-sala kina Maye at Frenchie, panagutin ang mga nag-abuso sa kapangyarihan, at ipakita na ang demokrasya ay hindi lamang salita, ito ay kolektibong paninindigan. Hindi kami mananahimik sa harap ng gawa-gawang kaso at sistematikong panunupil.

𝗜𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗮𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗮 𝗯𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗮𝗴𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗮 𝗵𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘆𝗮? 𝗜𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗹 𝗽𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗸𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘄𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗮𝗴𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗮?

Huwag tayong manahimik. Patuloy tayong manindigan hanggang ang bawat pintig ng paglaban ay manatiling matatag, hanggang ang hustisya ay hindi na pangarap kundi realidad.

Free Tacloban 5!

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 | 𝐔𝐏 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐤𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 “𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐞” 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐥’𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞

State fascism persists, masked by the language of law and order.

UP Politikons stands firmly with the masses in condemning the unjust verdict in the promulgation case of Frenchie Mae Cumpio and Marielle “Maye” Domequil. While the court acquitted them of the fabricated charge of illegal possession of fi****ms, the guilty verdict handed down by the Tacloban Regional Trial Court under Judge Georgina Perez exposes a truth we knew since then: the State continues to weaponize the justice system to criminalize dissent and persecute those who dare to speak for the people.

This case exposes a system that does not only fail to deliver justice but delays and distorts it to silent the truth. When journalists and activists are treated as criminals for exposing injustice, the courts cease to be instruments of justice and instead become tools of repression. The conviction of Frenchie and Maye is a direct assault on press freedom, freedom of expression, and the people’s right to the truth.

Two women who courageously challenged a rotten and exploitative system – who stood their ground in defense of human rights and social justice – are now sentenced to prison. Meanwhile, the true architects of violence, corruption, and plunder remain untouched, comfortably shielded by power, privilege, and stolen wealth. This is the clearest indictment of a system that punishes the people who stand for what is right while protecting oppressors.

𝗔 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹.

Until genuine justice is served, we refuse to be silent. We will continue to speak and to resist because the fight for truth and freedom does not end with repression.

𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗼𝘆 𝗻𝗮 𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗵𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗸, 𝗻𝗮𝗴𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗼𝘁, 𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝘂𝗺𝘂𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗴 𝘀𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗴𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗵𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻.

𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗗𝗘𝗙𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦!
𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗘 𝗖𝗨𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘 𝗗𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗟
𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗔𝗖𝗟𝗢𝗕𝗔𝗡 𝟱!

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 | 𝐔𝐏 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐤𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 “𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐞” 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐥

On February 7, 2020, Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) forcibly raided the rented room of human rights defenders Frenchie Mae Cumpio and Marielle “Maye” Domequil, subsequently arresting both under the pretense of illegal fi****ms, ammunition, and explosives possession alongside a flag allegedly linked to the CPP-NPA-NDF. Collectively, they have since been dubbed: 𝐓𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞 along with Alexander “Chakoy” Abinguna, Mira Legion, and Marissa Cabaljao, albeit the latter two being on bail.

Before their arrest, Frenchie and Maye were visible, principled civic leaders. Marielle Domequil worked with the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, served as Vice Chairperson of the UP Tacloban Student Council, and advanced LGBTQ+ rights through Gabriela Youth. Frenchie Mae Cumpio on the one hand, was the Executive Director of Eastern Vista an independent media outlet, and former Editor-in-Chief of UP Vista, the official student publication of the UP Tacloban College.

For years prior to their arrest, both endured harassment, surveillance, and death threats – clear warning signs of a state apparatus hostile to dissent.

Such acts set a dangerous precedent as normalizing state surveillance and violence against activists has not only voided due process but is also a stark disregard for human rights. This means that no activist, journalist, student, or ordinary citizen is safe when dissent is treated as a crime. When dissent is criminalized, freedom of speech becomes conditional, press freedom becomes a target, and civic participation becomes a risk. Between July 2016 and June 2021, at least 414 activists and community organizers were killed, and 497 more survived attempted assassinations – orchestrated by the state.

As of January 21, 2026, it has been 2,177 days since the illegal arrest of Frenchie Mae Cumpio and Marielle Domequil. Nearly six years stolen from their families, their communities, and the causes they served. Their promulgation dates are set for their two remaining charges: January 22nd for alleged illegal possession of fi****ms and explosives, and February 9 for so-called financial terrorism.

But we assert this without hesitation:
𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐒 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐄𝐃.

UP Politikons will not remain silent as activists, journalists, and students are hunted under the guise of law. We refuse to accept repression as normal. We demand an end to political persecution.

𝐀𝐂𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐓 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐄 𝐂𝐔𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐋!
𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐎𝐅𝐅 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒!
𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐁𝐀𝐍 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄!

Pagbati para sa mga bagong abogado't abogada ng bayan! 🌻⚖️

UP Politikons proudly congratulates its alumni who have passed the 2025 BAR Examination.

Atty. Wence Harry B. Canales
Atty. Tristila Marie N. Sagum
Atty. Harvey Martin L. Alvarado
Atty. Mary Lyn L. Bobiles
Atty. Margaret P. Ablen
Atty. Maricon R. Jesusco
Atty. Kristine Nel. P. Padayao
️Atty. Jhemmari Joi D. Demillo
Atty. Dane Vi T. Recamadas-Saldeña
️Atty. Maria Eve C. Bongoyan-Bescoro
Atty. Thalea Roselle Q. Gadin

Servitus.Ductus.Vigilantia.

UP Politikons wishes that you unwaveringly serve the people with both excellence with the rule of law and vigilance for their innate rights as you go forth in your journey in the legal profession.

Pagpupugay!

In a time when disasters strike with increasing force and frequency, preparedness is no longer just an option—it is a responsibility we share as communities and families. With this in mind, the Pol Sci 157 class of Prof. Ladylyn Mangada conducted "𝗔 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗥𝗥 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 (𝗠𝗮𝗗𝗶𝗥𝗥)" on November 7 and 14, 2025, in Brgy. San Joaquin, Palo, Leyte, and Brgy. Bairan, San Miguel, Leyte.

Through open dialogue with mothers and community members, the class explored the realities of Disaster Risk Reduction in the Philippines—how we can protect our loved ones, what essentials to prepare, and why staying informed matters in a country constantly challenged by typhoons and natural hazards. They also emphasized the importance of being proactive participants in their barangays’ DRR plans, reminding everyone that stronger preparedness begins with active community engagement.

Guided by Prof. Mangada, the class also shared relief packages, emergency kits, and other essential items to help strengthen household readiness.

𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬!

In observance of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW), the Division of Social Sciences (DSS)—through its Social Science 5 classes and in partnership with the Gender Development Program (GDP) and the Office of Anti-Sexual Harassment (OASH)—proudly presents Speak Up 2, a student-led video advocacy competition.

Witness powerful and thought-provoking short films that shed light on urgent gender issues such as domestic violence, child marriage, r**e culture, victim blaming, human trafficking, and LGBTQIA+ bullying. This initiative empowers students to craft creative, compelling messages that call for awareness, action, and change.

Aligned with the Philippine Commission on Women’s 2022–2027 campaign theme, “UNiTEd for a VAW-Free Philippines,” Speak Up 2 champions the importance of collective voices and coordinated efforts in ending gender-based violence.

Join us and support the advocacy. Your presence matters. Your voice matters. Let’s speak up--together.