UP Political Society (2026)

10/08/2026

| Call for Donations and Volunteers

In light of , the UP Diliman University Student Council (UPD USC) is calling for donations for those affected in the Brgy. UP Campus area.

For UPD students, you may refer to your local college council for urgent needs, or access the sensing form for organized by the UPD USC: https://tinyurl.com/IskoOpsMaymayPHSensing

For urgent concerns and Volunteers, contact USC CSAW Councilor, Thirdy Tolentino:
📞 (0927) 285 9051
🔗 Thirdy Tolentino
🔗 https://tinyurl.com/IskoOpsVolunteersCoordGC

Transparency report for Donations may be accessed through this link:
🔗 https://tinyurl.com/MaymayIskoOpsDonations

📌 Emergency Hotlines:
• Brgy. UP Campus Hotline: 09957219867
• Quezon City: 122, 8988-4242 loc. 8038, 0947 885 9929, 0947 884 7498
• CMO Quick Response Team: 09777841234
• UP Diliman Police: 8928-3615

09/08/2026

𝗣𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗞𝗜𝗜𝗦𝗔 𝗦𝗔 𝗠𝗚𝗔 𝗞𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗧𝗨𝗕𝗢𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗢

Ngayong buwan ng Agosto, ipinagdiriwang natin ang kasaysayan, pakikibaka, at tinig ng mga katutubong Pilipino laban sa pasismo at burukrata-kapitalismo. Ipinagdiriwang natin ang kanilang pagkakakilanlan at kultura bilang bahagi ng kasaysayan ng sambayanang Pilipino. 𝗜𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗴𝘂𝘆𝗼𝗱 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗸𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗴-𝗮𝗮𝗿𝗶 𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝘀𝗮 𝗺𝗴𝗮 𝗹𝘂𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗻𝗼 𝗻𝗮 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗮𝗻, 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗸𝘁𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗻, 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶 𝗱𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗸 𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗱𝗼. Gayunpaman, sa kasalukuyang kalagayang sosyo-politikal, tila mas nakatuon ang makinarya ng pamahalaan at mga kaugnay na institusyon nito sa mga adhendang kontra-klima at pabor sa interes ng mga mas nakakalamang na korporasyon.

Sa mga kamakailang balita, isang lupang ninuno ng mga Aeta sa Subic, Zambales ang naiulat na ginamit bilang ilegal na tambakan ng basura sa kabila ng pagsuspinde ng mga operasyon nito. Ito ay hadlang nagpapakita ng pagkabigong koordinasyon sa pagitan ng mga LGU ukol ng proteksyon para sa lupang ninuno. Samantala, sa Olongapo, Zambales, nangangamba rin ang mga komunidad ng mga Aeta hindi lamang para sa kanilang mga lupang ninuno kundi pati na rin sa kanilang kabuhayan dahil bahagi ng kanilang mga bundok ay unti-unting binabago para sa mga proyekto ng renewable energy (solar panel) na nagsisilbing resoluyon ng DENR noong 2022 nang walang konsultasyon para sa iba't ibang stakeholder ng mga katutubong komunidad.

Ang kanilang lupa ay hindi nagsisilbing mga bakanteng espasyo, ito ay sagrado para sa mga katutubo ukol sa kanilang mahabang kasaysayan at ang kanilang mga ninuno. Sapagkat ito ang pinagmumulan ng kanilang kabuhayan at ang sandigan ng kanilang kultura at tradisyon. Ikinakampanya natin na ito’y nararapat na manatiling kanila. Malinaw na ang mga itinataguyod na “kaunlaran” ng estado ay pumapanig lamang sa interes ng iilan, kaya’t hindi dapat mapasakamay ang mga ito sa mga korporasyong alagad ng kapitalismo at imperyalismo.

Ang mga pangako ni Marcos Jr. sa kanyang SONA, ng BCDA, Estados Unidos at Israel para sa proyektong Pax Silica ay isa sa mga bunga ng makakolonyal at malapyudal na proyekto. Mula sa 1,618 ektaryang masasakupang lupa sa New Clark City, Tarlac hanggang sa mahigit 130 milyong litrong tubig at 3 gigawatts na pangangailangan kada araw ng proyektong ito, isang malinaw na pahiwatig ng pananamantala sa mga yamang dapat sana ay para sa ating mga katutubo kapatid. Sa kabila ng inaasahang 190,000 hanggang 500,000 "de-kalidad na oportunidad sa trabaho" at kitang aabot sa 180 bilyon, nananatili itong malabo at puno ng mga katanungan.

𝗜𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗸𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗮 𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗣 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗴-𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗸 𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗼𝘀 𝗝𝗿. 𝘀𝗮 𝗸𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻 𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗴𝗮 𝗔𝗲𝘁𝗮, 𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗴𝗮 𝗸𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗼𝘆 𝗻𝗮 𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗼 𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗱𝗼. Higit na dapat panagutin si B**g B**g Marcos at ang kanyang mga kaalyado ukol sa Pax Silica sa pamamagitan ng pagsasagawa ng nararapat na imbestigasyon. Hinihimok rin na si Sara Duterte ay dapat harapin ang kanyang paglilitis. Tinatawagan rin ang National Commission on Indigenous People na maging totoo sa kanilang mandato na pangalagaan ang interes ng mga katutubo, at hindi ng mga dayuhan.

Hindi natatapos sa Agosto ang pagtataguyod natin ng mga kampanyang ito, patuloy ang pagtindig natin kasama ang mga katutubo hanggang makamit ang lipunang mapagpalaya at tunay na tumutugon sa pangangailangan ng katutubong Pilipino.

Aglibot, J. R. (2026, May 11). Olongapo Aeta folk also caught between survival, solar shift. Inquirer.net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2226335/olongapo-aeta-folk-also-caught-between-survival-solar-shift

GMA News. (2026, July 15). DENR halts dumpsite operations in Aeta ancestral land in Zambales. GMA News Online. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/994978/denr-halts-dumpsite-operations-in-aeta-ancestral-land-in-zambales/story/

Mendoza, T., PhD. (2026, July 31). Pax Silica brings promise – but at what cost? INQUIRER.net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2274123/pax-silica-brings-promise-but-at-what-cost

Orcio, F. (2026, July 26). Scientists, farm workers dispute BCDA’s Pax Silica promises | ABS-CBN News. ABS-CBN. https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/7/26/scientists-farm-workers-dispute-bcda-s-pax-silica-promises-1625

Sulat nina Iori Rogado at Nathan Dela Cruz
Disenyo ni Khyra Samoranos

31/07/2026

Nitong ika-27 ng Hulyo, inihandog ni Pangulong B**gbong Marcos ang kanyang ikalimang State of the Nation Address (SONA) sa harap ng sambayanang Pilipino. Habang kaniyang siniyasat ang mga tema ng kalusugang pampubliko, edukasyon, paggawa, ekonomiya, enerhiya, imprastruktura, kagalingang panlipunan, agrikultura, katutubong Pilipino at kalikasan, DRMM at mga proyekto ng flood control, kriminalidad, korapsyon, at ugnayang panlabas, malinaw na ayaw kilalanin ng estado ang totoong state of the nation. Mula sa dikotomiya ng SONA ng bayan at SONA sa Batasang Pambansa, isa ang lumilitaw na tanong: sino ba talaga ang pinaglilingkuran ng administrasyong Marcos Jr. matapos ang limang taon nito sa posisyon?

Inaanyayahan ng anSONAbe ang matalas na pagsiyasat ng mga pangunahing plano at proyekto ng administrasyon sa pamamagitan ng pagtukoy ng mga pagkakapare-pareho at pagkakaiba sa mga nakalipas na SONA sa bansa. Layunin nitong taluntunin at linawin ang direksyon ng mga polisiya sa bansa.

Balikan ang aming mga nakaraang anSONAbe review kay Pangulong Marcos Jr. dito:
SONA 2025: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1cBtV3wRM5/
SONA 2024: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HvxraVuPQ/
SONA 2022: https://www.facebook.com/share/1HSYC5coHL/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Mahahanap dito ang ilan sa mga pangunahing sanggunian:
BUONG TEKSTO NG SONA 2026: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2026/07/27/2545109/full-text-marcos-2026-state-nation-address
BUONG TEKSTO NG SONA 2025: https://stateofthenation.gov.ph/sona/2025/
BUONG TEKSTO NG SONA 2024: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1963936/transcript-3rd-sona-of-president-ferdinand-marcos-jr/amp
BUONG TEKSTO NG SONA 2023: https://www.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/07/24/23/full-text-president-ferdinand-marcos-jrs-2023-sona
BUONG TEKSTO NG SONA 2022: https://pco.gov.ph/presidential-speech/state-of-the-nation-address-of-his-excellency-ferdinand-r-marcos-jr-president-of-the-philippines-to-the-congress-of-the-philippines/

Sulat ni LB, MG, AL, KL, LS, AS, at GV
Pub ni EM at PU
Litrato ni EM at PU

13/07/2026

UP Political Society proudly presents and congratulates its Class of 2026,
Always in Leadership, Service, Excellence, and Politics! 🎉

The road here may have been treacherous and stormy, but all of your trials have finally bloomed in full. May you remain steadfast in your future endeavors, eager to pursue your dreams, and passionate in serving our nation.

No matter how far you may go, remember that the organization will always be here to welcome you home.

Padayon, mga Iskolar ng Bayan! 🌻

29/06/2026

Na-miss mo ba ang suntukan sa Batch Dolce Vita?! 🤯

Pwes, huwag ma-FOMO! 😓 Tingnan muli ang mga naganap noong suntukan, este 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗣 𝗣𝗢𝗟𝗦𝗖𝗶 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 noong Mayo 30, 2026!

Muli, maraming salamat sa lahat ng dumalo sa ating pagbabalik-tanaw sa mga araw na ba is gets 😜 pa tayo. Tunay nga na 𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗦 na ang 𝗕𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗦!

27/06/2026

Continuing Act of Resistance: The UP Political Society’s Statement on Pride Month

To celebrate Pride is to take a stand against injustice. We reject a society that continues to deny Filipinos the right to live openly, safely, and with dignity simply because of who they are or whom they love. Pride is not merely a celebration draped in rainbow flags—it is, first and foremost, a movement born from resistance against violence, discrimination, and systemic inequality.

The first Pride March in the Philippines, held on June 26, 1994, was the first in Asia. Commemorating the Stonewall Uprising, it affirmed what Pride continues to stand for today: visibility is political. More than three decades later, that struggle remains unfinished. Despite growing public acceptance, LGBTQIA+ Filipinos continue to be vulnerable to discrimination in schools, workplaces, healthcare institutions, housing, and public spaces. The Philippines also remains without comprehensive nationwide legislation that explicitly protects individuals from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. While some local governments have enacted anti-discrimination ordinances, rights should never depend on one's ZIP code. Human dignity should not be determined by geography.

We reaffirm that Pride is not divorced from politics. It loses its meaning when it allows celebration to obscure the realities of those who still face violence, harassment, family rejection, homelessness, workplace discrimination, and barriers to healthcare. The rainbow flag is not only a symbol of diversity—it is a symbol of resistance against structures that continue to marginalize people because they do not conform to rigid expectations of gender and sexuality.

To say that we stand with Pride is not merely to express support. It is to act: to challenge discrimination, hold institutions accountable, and demand laws and policies that uphold equality, dignity, and every person’s right to live openly and safelyly. Such has long defined the the Philippine LGBTQIA+ movement.From campaigns for the SOGIE Equality Bill to community-led support networks, legal assistance, and safe spaces, decades of organizing have demonstrated that progress is never simply granted—it is won through sustained advocacy and collective action.

These ongoing struggles are reflected in the lived realities of many LGBTQIA+ Filipinos. The case of Jennifer Laude remains a stark reminder that discrimination against LGBTQIA+ Filipinos carries real and often devastating consequences. Her story, alongside countless incidents of bullying, family rejection, workplace discrimination, and public harassment,underscores why Pride remains a continuing demand for justice rather than a completed victory.

Pride, then, is more than an affirmation of identity. It is a rejection of the idea that anyone must conform to narrow expectations of gender or sexuality to deserve dignity, protection, and belonging.

As thousands take to the streets for today’s LoveLaban Pride March, we are reminded that Pride is more than an annual celebration—it is a collective declaration that LGBTQIA+ lives, rights, and freedoms are non-negotiable. Every march, every voice, and every act of solidarity resists exclusion and affirms a fundamental democratic truth: no society can claim to be truly free while any community remains denied equal rights and protection under the law.

The UP Political Society refuses to accept a Philippines where anyone must choose between authenticity and safety. We refuse the notion that discrimination should be treated as normal or inevitable. We stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community in demanding a society where diversity is embraced, rights are protected, and no one is excluded for simply being who they are.

Pride is not simply about being seen—it is about transforming the conditions that make visibility dangerous in the first place. Until every LGBTQIA+ Filipino can live openly without fear and with genuine equality, dignity, and freedom, Pride will remain not only a celebration of resilience, but a continuing act of resistance.

Photo and pub by Erin Mauricio

17/06/2026

| KONSENSYA NG BAYAN, MAKIISA SA LABAN NG MGA MAGSASAKA SA NUEVA VIZCAYA!

TUTULAN ANG KONTRA-MAMAMAYANG ADYENDA NG PASISTANG ESTADO!

Nitong ika-13 ng Hunyo, ang ating kapwa Iskolar ng Bayan at USC Councilor-elect na si Angel Lopez ay nakaranas ng panghaharas at sapilitang interogasyon ng militar habang nagsasagawa ng community immersion sa Nueva Vizcaya. Kasama ang ilang boluntaryo, kinuhanan siya ng mga retrato at pinrofile ng mga awtoridad. Sa naturang interogasyon ay nakaranas siya ng panre-red-tag at pinaratangan siya ng mga gawa-gawang akusasyon. Higit pa rito ay walang pakundangang ginamit ang kanyang pamilya upang siya ay sapilitang “sumuko”.

Isa lamang ito sa maraming kaso ng paniniktik at panunupil na nararanasan ng mga kabataang pinipiling isabuhay ang husay at dangal sa diwa ng pag-oorganisa, pag-aaral, at paglubog sa hanay ng masang inaapi. Malinaw itong manipestasyon ng pasistang adyenda ng estado na naglalayong hadlangan ang lumalawak na pakikiisa ng mga mag-aaral sa pakikibaka ng mamamayan.

Sa kasalukuyan, kinahaharap ng Nueva Vizcaya ang lumalalang paglabag sa karapatan ng mga mamamayan at mga banta sa kalikasan dulot ng malawakang operasyon ng pagmimina. Mula noong Pebrero ngayong taon, marahas na binuwag ng mga kapulisan ang mga barikadang itinayo ng mga residente ng Dupax del Norte bilang pagtutol sa pagpasok at pagmimina ng Woggle Corporation, isang British-owned mining company, sa kanilang mga kabundukan. Kasabay nito, sunod-sunod ding naiulat ang mga insidente ng panghaharas sa mga mamamayan, kabilang ang pag-aresto sa anim na senior citizens na matagal nang naninirahan at nagsasaka sa kanilang mga lupain. Lumilitaw din ang panibagong banta ng paglawak ng operasyon ng iba pang mapaminsalang mining companies sa mga karatig-bayan, na nagdudulot ng pangamba sa patuloy na pagkasira ng kalikasan at paglabag sa karapatan ng mga lokal na komunidad.

Bilang mga Konsensya ng Bayan at mag-aaral ng agham panlipunan at pilosopiya, batid natin ang kahalagahan ng paglulunsad ng mga fieldwork at community immersion upang pag-aralan at ilantad ang tunay na kalagayan ng lipunan. Pinili ni Angel na lumahok sa community immersion sa Nueva Vizcaya para gamitin ang kanyang husay upang mapaglingkuran at maprotektahan ang masang inaagawan ng lupa at kabuhayan. Sa halip na tugunan ang mga lehitimong panawagan ng komunidad, pinili ng estado na sagutin ang kanilang mga hinaing sa pamamagitan ng militarisasyon, paniniktik, at sistematikong panunupil. Ang ganitong tugon ay hindi lamang banta sa mga residente ng Nueva Vizcaya kundi maging sa mga estudyante, mananaliksik, at mga organisador na nakikiisa sa kanilang pakikibaka.

Mariing kinukondena ng CSSP Student Council at ng mga organisasyon sa Kolehiyo ang walang habas na panghaharas, paniniktik, at pananakot na isinagawa ng militar laban kay Angel, sa mga mamamayan ng Nueva Vizcaya, at sa lahat ng mga lider-estudyanteng nakikiisa sa mga pakikibaka nila. Kaisa tayo ng mga komunidad ng Nueva Vizcaya sa kanilang makatarungang laban para sa lupa, kabuhayan, karapatan, at kalikasan, at mariin nating tinututulan ang anumang pagtatangkang patahimikin ang kanilang paglaban.

Dalawang buwan mula nang hindi makatarungang pinaslang ang mga kapwa natin Iskolar ng Bayan sa Negros 19, patuloy pa rin ang pamamasista ng estado sa mga kabataan at mamamayang lumalaban sa mapanupil na sistema. Higit lalong kinakailangan ang tatag at tapang ng mga Iskolar ng Bayan na lumabas mula sa apat na sulok ng silid-aralan para makipamuhay sa masang-api.

HANDS OFF ANGEL LOPEZ!
HANDS OFF FIELDWORKERS!
DEFEND NUEVA VIZCAYA!
MILITAR SA KANAYUNAN, PALAYASIN!

Signatories:
UP PUGAD Sayk
BUKLOD CSSP
UP LIKAS
UP Political Society
UP Psychedelics Core Group
SparkLINGG
UP AnthroSoc
UP Buklod-Isip
Apeiron
AngKas
Kabataang Pilosopo Tasyo
SALiGAN sa CSSP
UP GeogSoc
League of Filipino Students-CSSP
Polis Core Group
UP SaLin
UP Praxis
Junior Philippine Geographical Society

12/06/2026

𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄:
𝐔𝐏 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲’𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟏𝟐𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲

One hundred and twenty-eight years after the declaration of Philippine independence, we continue to celebrate a freedom whose promises remain unevenly fulfilled. The symbols of sovereignty endure—the flag still flies, the anthem is still sung, and the institutions of democracy remain intact. Yet beneath these markers of nationhood lies a more uncomfortable reality: a society burdened by deep inequality, weakened public institutions, and a political system that too often rewards power rather than accountability. If independence is measured not by the transfer of authority from foreign rulers to local elites, but by the extent to which citizens can meaningfully shape the conditions of their lives, then 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲.

Viewed through this lens, the state of Philippine democracy presents a troubling contradiction.𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝘄𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻. Our public institutions have become mired in deep-seated governance and integrity issues that alienate and divide the very citizens they have sworn to serve.𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝘂𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹. These incidents are not isolated controversies but symptoms of a deeper crisis of governance and accountability. Under the weight of an inefficient, self-serving, and unaccountable public government, true freedom can never be attained. This systemic erosion of trust fractures our national unity and narrows the space for collective action, conditioning citizens toward conformity rather than active demands for accountability.

Within the education sector, we are also navigating a severe educational crisis as the youth’s mastery of foundational competencies sharply declines, leaving the student body with minimal grasp of our collective narrative. However, instead of meeting this systemic weakness through rigorous and sustained academic stengthening, current policy directions such as those proposed by the Commission on Higher Education appear to move toward reducing the depth of general education. The reduction of General Education units from 36 to 18 risks narrowing the spaces where students engage critically with history, society, and power. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱, 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵’𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆.

Faced with these compounding crises, the defense of our nationhood cannot be confined to annual commemorations or patriotic ritual, as independence is not safeguarded by remembrance alone. Rather, it is secured through institutions that uphold the rule of law, public officials who remain accountable to the people, and citizens unwilling to surrender democratic principles for political convenience. 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲, 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗣 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆. We demand that public officials honor not only the letter of their mandates but the democratic principles from which those mandates derive their legitimacy. Governance cannot continue to be reduced to factional loyalty; hence, we likewise challenge students and young Filipinos to resist the erosion of critical thought and civic responsibility. At a time when misinformation flourishes and public discourse is increasingly reduced to spectacle—classrooms and digital spaces must become sites of rigorous inquiry where citizens are taught not to be passive spectators.

Independence is not lost only when a nation falls under foreign rule—it is also diminished whenever institutions abandon their constitutional duties, whenever public office is wielded without accountability, and whenever citizens are discouraged from demanding better from those who govern in their name. The struggle for freedom, therefore, did not end in 1898. It endures whenever Filipinos continue to defend democratic values against those who would hollow them out from within. 𝗨𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆, 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱.

Pub by Erin Mauricio
Photos by Erin Mauricio, the Daily Tribune

Sources:
Shots fired in Philippine Senate, where authorities have tried to detain a senator on international charges. (2026, May 13). Cbsnews.com. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/philippine-senate-shots-fired-authorities-arrest-wanted-senator/
‌EDCOM 2. (2026, January 16). Student proficiency rates plunge from 30% in Grade 3 to 0.47% in Grade 12. EDCOM 2. https://edcom2.gov.ph/student-proficiency-rates-plunge-from-30-in-grade-3-to-0-47-in-grade-12/
Mantaring, J. R. (2026, May 12). FAST FACTS: CHED’s proposed reframed general education curriculum. RAPPLER.
https://www.rappler.com/philippines/things-to-know-ched-proposed-reframed-general-education-curriculum-may-2026/

25/05/2026

Ika nga ni Kim Chiu: 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗢, 𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗣 (𝗣𝗢𝗟𝗦𝗖𝗜𝗜𝗜𝗜𝗜𝗜𝗜𝗜𝗜...) 🗣️📣❕

Ready to be a 𝘉𝘈𝘎𝘌𝘛𝘚 once again⁉️ Pwes, samahan mo ang 𝘽𝘼𝙏𝘾𝙃 𝘿𝙊𝙇𝘾𝙀 𝙑𝙄𝙏𝘼 sa kanilang 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗦: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗣 𝗣𝗢𝗟𝗦𝗖𝗶 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀' 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁‼️

When I say "𝗕𝗮" 🐑, you say "𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘀"! 💁‍♀️

𝗕𝗮 🐑, 𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘀! 💁‍♀️ 𝗕𝗮 🐑, 𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘀! 💁‍♀️

Kaya halina't sumali sa aming 𝙂𝙍𝘼𝙉𝘿. 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙉𝙎. 𝙉𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏 ❕️🌃✨

Tayo ay 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐨! 🤸‍♀️
Tayo ay 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐩𝐞-𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦! 🕺
Tayo ay kakain na para bang... 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲!? 🌲🎁

It's 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 all over again, and we need 𝗬𝗢𝗨 🫵 (𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘴 😜) to come and celebrate this ✨𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠✨ night together!

Kaya tara na! Ano pa ba hinihintay natin?

𝘽𝘼𝙂𝙀𝙏𝙎, 𝙂𝙀𝙏𝙎 𝘽𝘼⁉️ .. 𝘽𝘼 𝙄𝙎 𝙂𝙀𝙏𝙎‼️

𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲: TBA
𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲 & 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: May 29, 2026 (Friday) at 6:00P.M. - 8:00P.M.
𝗗𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗱𝗲: Any high-school-esque outfit

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Pub by Walt Baccay, Hannah Bacala, and Bernice Mangubat
Caption by Amir Manrique

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