League of Filipino Students - Metro Tacloban

ALERT: Innabuyog-Kalinga Regional Vice Chairperson Beatrice Belen was arrested by AFP-PNP forces earlier today in her residence in Uma, Kalinga for trumped-up charges of illegal possesion of fi****ms and explosives.

Belen is yet another activist detained under false charges fabricated by state forces. We reiterate that activism and fighting for people's rights is no crime. Drop the charges against Beatrice Belen NOW!

Ngayong araw ang ika-76 na anibersaryo ng Leyte Landing—ang pagbalik ng pwersa ng mga Amerikano sa Pilipinas upang labanan ang mga Hapon. Sa pamumuno ni Hen. Douglas MacArthur, dumaong ang hukbo ng mga Amerikano sa Leyte at kanyang tinupad ang kanyang pangakong “I shall return.” Ngunit, para saan nga ba ang pagbalik ni MacArthur at ng mga Amerikano? Ito ba ay upang ipagtanggol at palayain ang mga Pilipino?

Hindi.

Bumalik ang mga Amerikano upang paalisin ang pwersa ng mga Hapones sa Pilpinas at muling ibaon ang kanilang imperyalistang pangil sa bansa. Walang ibang layunin ang Estados Unidos sa pagbalik sa Pilipinas kundi para itatag muli ang kanilang presensya at implwensiya sa Asya. Hindi kalayaan ang dala ng mga Amerikano noong pagbalik nila sa bansa. Bagkus, pinalitan lamang nila ang pamumuno ng mga Hapones. Kaya naman hindi nararapat na tawaging bayani si MacArthur at ang hukbong Amerikano sa kanilang pagbalik sa bansa. Buhay ang paghihimagsik ng mga Pilipino kontra sa mga mananakop na Hapon sa pagtatag ng HUKBALAHAP. Hindi lamang tayo naghintay ng tagapagtanggol. Tayo ay lumaban.

Ang League of Filipino Students-Metro Tacloban ay naninindigan sa paniniwala nitong hindi dapat ipagdiwang ang Leyte Landing at bigyang puri ang mga Amerikano sa kanilang pagbalik sa Pilipinas. Walang ibang ginawa ang Estados Unidos kundi ang manghimasok sa kaganapan ng bansa at pahirapan ang masang Pilipino. Huwag nating kakalimutan ang VFA at EDCA na nagpapanatili ng presensya ng imperyalismong Amerikano sa bansa. Huwag nating kakalimutan ang pananamantala ng Estados Unidos sa mga manggagawang Pilipino at sa yaman ng bansa. Huwag nating kakalimutan na hindi natin kaibigan ang mga Amerikanong nais lamang sakupin ang Pilipinas. Sa halip na ating ipagdiwang ang Leyte Landing, ating patatagin at palakasin ang laban kontra imperyalismong US!

Sa kabila ng hindi pagiging rehistrado, ang bogus na Duterte Youth Partylist ay may representasyon na ngayon sa kongreso sa katauhan ni Ducielle Cardema.

Kinukundena nga League of Filipino Students-MTC itong iligal na pagkilos ng mga oportunistang politiko na nagbabalat-kayo bilang representante ng kabataan. Alam nating walang ibang irerepresenta ang Duterte Youth kundi ang interes ng diktador na si Duterte!

ALERT!

Narito ang iilan sa mga nakalap na impormasyon ng NUSP EV ukol sa naging kalagayan ng mga kabataan-estudyante at g**o sa sa .

1. UPV Tacloban College
- kaso ng red-tagging sa pangunguna ng isang propesor;
- verbal abuse--pagsasabi ng masamang salita sa estudyante na na-disconnect sa klase, at pagbabanta na bibigyan ng gradong singko(5) sa klase na iyon;
- mahigpit na pinagbawa ang synchronous classes, pero may ilang propesor pa rin ang nagre-require ng Zoom classes na may graded recitation.

2. Leyte Colleges
- Online and modular classes;
- hindi malinaw ang pag-assist sa mga irregular students;
- mga g**o na hindi pa rin mahagilap pagkatapos ng halos mag-iisang buwan na klase, kahit papalapit na ang examinations.

3. Leyte National High School
- Karamihan ay nag-modular;
- nagkaubusan ng learning packets dahil nagkaroon ng miscommunication ang mga magulang kung saang station kukunin ang mga ito--ang iba'y sa maling station kumuha.

4. Doña Remedios Trinidad Romualdez Medical Foundation, Inc.
- Questionable na school fees. Ayon sa admin, ang unused funds ay ginagamit para pondohan ang learning management system;
- may specific na college na hirap sa internet connection ang mga estudyante;
- heavy workload sa ibang colleges;
- sa College of Medicine, nire-require ang mga estudyante na magkaroon ng dalawang gadgets para umano sabay na makapag-livestream, at nang maiwasan ang cheating;
- sa College of Nursing, pinapa-sign ng waiver ang mga estudyante na kung sakaling maka-COVID19 sila ay hindi liable and paaralan;
- student repression sa College of Physical Therapy-aktibong pagbawal sa mga estudyante na mag-post sa social media ng mga hinaing at di paborableng pangyayari sa paaralan; pagsaway o pagbawal sa mga estudyanteng magpanawagan o magpost ng mga bagay hinggil sa academic freeze; pag-encourage sa mga estudyante na mag-shift o tumigil sa pag-aaral kung hindi kaya ang subject.
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Ilan pa lamang ito sa ating mga naitala na pangyayari kaugnay ng pagbubukas ng klase sa buong bansa. Patuloy ang pakikiisa ng NUSP EV sa panawagan para sa ligtas, aksesable at de kaledad na edukasyon!

Sa mga kabataan-estudyante sa Eastern Visayas, maaring magpadala ng mensahe sa FB/Twitter/email para sa mga report at hinaing patungkol sa presenteng moda ng edukasyon.

ALERT!

Narito ang iilan sa mga nakalap na impormasyon ng NUSP EV ukol sa naging kalagayan ng mga kabataan-estudyante at g**o sa sa .

1. UPV Tacloban College
- kaso ng red-tagging sa pangunguna ng isang propesor;
- verbal abuse--pagsasabi ng masamang salita sa estudyante na na-disconnect sa klase, at pagbabanta na bibigyan ng gradong singko(5) sa klase na iyon;
- mahigpit na pinagbawal ang synchronous classes, pero may ilang propesor pa rin ang nagre-require ng Zoom classes na may graded recitation.

2. Leyte Colleges
- Online and modular classes;
- hindi malinaw ang pag-assist sa mga irregular students;
- mga g**o na hindi pa rin mahagilap pagkatapos ng halos mag-iisang buwan na klase, kahit papalapit na ang examinations.

3. Leyte National High School
- Karamihan ay nag-modular;
- nagkaubusan ng learning packets dahil nagkaroon ng miscommunication ang mga magulang kung saang station kukunin ang mga ito--ang iba'y sa maling station kumuha.

4. Doña Remedios Trinidad Romualdez Medical Foundation, Inc.
- Questionable na school fees. Ayon sa admin, ang unused funds ay ginagamit para pondohan ang learning management system;
- may specific na college na hirap sa internet connection ang mga estudyante;
- heavy workload sa ibang colleges;
- sa College of Medicine, nire-require ang mga estudyante na magkaroon ng dalawang gadgets para umano sabay na makapag-livestream, at nang maiwasan ang cheating;
- sa College of Nursing, pinapa-sign ng waiver ang mga estudyante na kung sakaling maka-COVID19 sila ay hindi liable and paaralan;
- student repression sa College of Physical Therapy-aktibong pagbawal sa mga estudyante na mag-post sa social media ng mga hinaing at di paborableng pangyayari sa paaralan; pagsaway o pagbawal sa mga estudyanteng magpanawagan o magpost ng mga bagay hinggil sa academic freeze; pag-encourage sa mga estudyante na mag-shift o tumigil sa pag-aaral kung hindi kaya ang subject.
---

Ilan pa lamang ito sa ating mga naitala na pangyayari kaugnay ng pagbubukas ng klase sa buong bansa. Patuloy ang pakikiisa ng NUSP EV sa panawagan para sa ligtas, aksesable at de kaledad na edukasyon!

Sa mga kabataan-estudyante sa Eastern Visayas, maaring magpadala ng mensahe sa FB/Twitter/email para sa mga report at hinaing patungkol sa presenteng moda ng edukasyon.

🚨TRIGGER WARNING: SUICIDE🚨

Isang incoming first year college na 19 taong gulang ang hinihinalang nagpakamatay sa Brgy. 2 Can-avid, Eastern Samar nang malamang hindi umano ito naisama sa official list of enrolled students.

Lunes nang magpaalam sa mga magulang ang binata na pupunta sa eskwelahan para asikasuhin ang enrollment nito, pero hindi na ito nakabalik at ini-report na 'Missing'. October 7 nang matagpuang walang buhay sa isang sementeryo ang binata.

Ang NUSP EV ay lubos na nakikiramay sa pamilya at nagpapapahayag ng pagka-alarma sa sunod-sunod na kaso ng mga kabataan-estudyanteng humahantong sa ganitong desisyon dahil sa problema sa pag-aaral.

Walang ibang pwedeng pagbalingan ng sisi kundi ang kapabayaan ng gobyerno sa pagtugon sa pangangailangan ng mga g**o't estudyante.

Ngayong kumakaharap sa krisis pangkalusugan ang bansa na mas nagpapahirap sa sitwasyon ng mga nasa sektor ng edukayon, patuloy ang panawagan ng NUSP EV na ibaling ng gobyerno ang prayoridad sa pag-una sa interes ng mamamayan at ang pagtugon sa panawagang sa buong bansa.

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Report from Bombo Radyo Tacloban

ALERT: A senior high school Anakbayan Sinirangan Bisayas member was harassed by a suspected state agent who introduced himself as Marc Tan.

The student was threatened with detention upon refusal to cooperate in identifying other progressives in Eastern Visayas affiliated with NDMOs.

JOIN THE SOCIAL MEDIA RALLY TONIGHT! FREE FRENCHIEMAE CUMPIO!

The College Editors Guild of the Philippines demands and calls for the immediate release of Frenchiemae Cumpio who has been illegally detained since February 7.

Cumpio is the executive director of independent news outfit Eastern Vista, anchor of the radio program Lingganay han Kamatuoran, and former Editor-in-Chief of UP Vista, the official student publication of UP Tacloban. She was also a former coordinator of CEGP in Eastern Visayas.

The democratic role of the press and the growing mass movement have been trivialized and insulted by the barbaric acts of the current regime.

We call on all campus journalists, media practitioners, and press freedom advocates to condemn all attacks against the defenders of truth, freedom, and justice!

Sign the petition to release Cumpio here: https://www.change.org/p/duterte-administration-free-community-journalist-frenchie-mae-cumpio

To amplify our call for the immediate release of Cumpio, use these photos as your Facebook/Instagram story: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-vUOr_aF_Z7jCakpUnWehiTYeDeyXd2M?usp=sharing

JOIN THE SOCIAL MEDIA RALLY TONIGHT! FREE FRENCHIEMAE CUMPIO!

The College Editors Guild of the Philippines demands and calls for the immediate release of Frenchiemae Cumpio who has been illegally detained since February 7.

Cumpio is the executive director of independent news outfit Eastern Vista, anchor of the radio program Lingganay han Kamatuoran, and former Editor-in-Chief of UP Vista, the official student publication of UP Tacloban. She was also a former coordinator of CEGP in Eastern Visayas.

The democratic role of the press and the growing mass movement have been trivialized and insulted by the barbaric acts of the current regime.

We call on all campus journalists, media practitioners, and press freedom advocates to condemn all attacks against the defenders of truth, freedom, and justice!

Sign the petition to release Cumpio here: https://www.change.org/p/duterte-administration-free-community-journalist-frenchie-mae-cumpio

“Tama na po! May test pa ako bukas!”

These were the last words uttered by 17-year-old Kian delos Santos, who wanted to become a law enforcer – a policeman. Yet three years ago today, he was instead gunned to death by the same people who are in the profession he dreamed of being a part of. Three policemen claimed that Kian was a drug courier, he was resisting an arrest, and that they shot the boy in self-defense. But witnesses and footage from a nearby CCTV showed otherwise: Kian was helpless, on his knees, hands covering his head, and begging for his life. That night, Kian’s life was reduced to mere statistics, as he became another victim of Duterte’s brutal and barbaric war on drugs.

Duterte has tried to establish a father-like figure for the country: a disciplinarian type who promised to rid the streets of drugs and to clean up the crimes that follow it. But on August 16, 2017, the foot-soldiers in his drug war have killed an innocent teenager, with thousands more deaths of youths and minors who have been accused of being drug users and peddlers following suit. Furthermore, it has become a trend among the armed forces under the Duterte administration to kill unresisting individuals and then plant evidence to support their fabricated claims and their used-up narrative of “nanlaban” to justify their vicious and ruthless murders.

The policemen who killed Kian have since been convicted of murder, but we continue to cry for justice for all those who have died defenseless under this gruesome drug war this dictatorial regime has instigated. Together, we collectively echo Kian’s cries of “tama na po!” because for as long as a despot remains in power, none of us are safe as fascist atrocities still continue.

Today, we .

HUSTISYA PARA KAY RANDALL ECHANIS!

Lubusang kinukundena ng LFS-Metro Tacloban ang karumaldumal na pagpaslang sa peasant leader at NDFP peace consultant na si Randall "Ka Randy" Echanis.

Kagabi, Agosto 10, brutal na pinagsasaksak ang walang armas at nagpapagamot na 72-anyos sa kanyang tahanan. Si Ka Randy ay ang pinakabagong aktibista at tagapagdaguyod ng kapayapaan na nasawi sa ilalim ng rehimeng Duterte. Ngayong naipasa na ang Terror Law, unti-unti na itong ginagamit upang gawing lehitimo ang pamamasismo at supilin ang aktibismo sa bansa.

Ngayon, mas kailangan pa nating palakasin ang panawagan upang patalsikin at dalhin sa hukuman ang diktador na si Duterte at ang kanyang mga alagad. !

OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF UP IDEOPRAXIST ON NTC'S CEASE AND DESIST ORDER AGAINST ABS-CBN

Just yesterday, a cease-and-desist order was issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to the ABS-CBN media network, overruling the Congress as the authorized institution to decide over the network’s franchises.

UP Ideopraxist composed of Communication Arts students of UP Tacloban vehemently denounce the repressive action taken by the National Telecommunications Commission. We believe that the closure of the network is disguised as violation of legal provisions when in reality, it is a blatant manifestation of the worsening state of democratic freedom in the country, especially for the press.

Since time immemorial, the press has been acting as checks and balances to the government. We believe that this sudden shut down is a direct assault to silence the press in seeking accountability. The voice of the opposition is becoming louder and the government will not take any of it.

To shut down one of the biggest broadcasting networks in the country is to instill fear to those who dare challenge the system. It is but a fact that the politically motivated shutdown of ABS-CBN shows how serious the administration is in suppressing press freedom.

With the network’s closure, around 11,000 workers lost their job as the country already faces massive unemployment amid this Covid-19 pandemic. This is disheartening, not only to regular employees and project employees, but also to their families, who rely on the network to sustain their ways of living. This opposes the state’s reaffirmation on the “commitment to uphold the dignity of labor”.

Moreover, ABS-CBN is vital in providing the people with crucial and timely information as the nation deals with the pandemic. Its undoing would likely result to a propagation of disinformed and misinformed citizens, vulnerable to pandemic scare and fake information. As Communication Arts students, it is our duty to shield the public from manipulative narratives that further oppresses the marginalized, and media networks like ABS-CBN cultivate that same responsibilities.

As future practitioners in the media industry, we, the Communication Arts students, believe in upholding our obligations to society: to provide information that are truthful, accurate, fair, objective and relevant; and call out repressive measures that hinder us from achieving our optimum goal. Our current government wants a compliant media and fears a free press because it can expose official wrongdoing. For 73 years, ABS-CBN has provided a forum for ideas and a free circulation of factual information. Now is the time to stand with them for our freedom of information also entails our freedom to criticize.

With the commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day, we strongly demand for the immediate release of journalist Frenchiemae Cumpio, former Editor-in-Chief of UP Tacloban's UP Vista and current Executive Director of alternative media outfit Eastern Vista, along with four other rights activists who are detained under trumped-up cases and false accusations.

Three months has almost passed since the illegal arrest of community journalist Frenchiemae, along with Maye Domequil, Mira Legion, Marissa Cabaljao, and Chakoy Abinguna, collectively known as the .

Before the break of dawn last February 7, the Tacloban 5 was illegally arrested in the joint operation of the CIDG-PNP-AFP under trumped-up charges of illegal possession of fi****ms and explosives.

Mira and Marissa were temporarily released on bail. Frenchie, Maye, and Chakoy remain behind bars.

Under the Duterte administration, press freedom and human rights are being trampled on as cases of killings, illegal arrests and detention, red-tagging, and harassment are rising especially with the implementation of the "Martial Law-type" quarantine and lockdown.

It is in these times of extreme oppression that the people naturally turn against the fascist regime, channeling the rage into collective action as we fight for human rights and social justice.

HINDI KAILANMAN NAGING KRIMEN ANG MAGING PERYODISTA NG MASA.

FREE FRENCHIE CUMPIO!
FREE TACLOBAN 5!
FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS!

MAY 3 is WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY. But our colleagues in the alternative media remain in jail. Eastern Vista journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio has been detained since February. Two campus journalists, Anton Narciso of College Editors Guild of the Philippines and Jim Bagano of Philippine Collegian were among the 18 relief volunteers arrested in Quezon City on May 1.

Our colleagues in Panay have been released on bail today, but we persist in our call: Drop all charges against them and all independent journalists.

On May 3, join us in asserting: Journalism is not a crime!