FACING YOUR FEARS

PUP in the time of Handbook Revision

EDITORIAL

September 2, 2019

Fear, anger and disappointment--- that’s how the PUPians felt when the Board of Regents decided to abruptly revised the PUP Student Handbook without even announcing it after several meetings without the student leaders. According to the PUP College of Communication Student Council (PUP COC SC), it all started when news of the student handbook revision spread. All this time, they had been revising it without a student representative. Moreover, they already implemented it in some branches and campuses of the university without getting finalized.

PUP COC SC started the clamor against the revision of the PUP Student Handbook by conducting a mob first in their college and raising awareness to other colleges also. The Communicator PUP Publications is the first to release news on their Facebook page as soon as the communication students started their protests and the whole month of August has been a protest month for the whole community.

The revision focuses on these three (3) heavily opposed sections in the 2019 PUP Student Handbook—mandatory random drug testing, new dress code, and higher general weighted average (GWA) for Latin honors.

First, Title 4 Section 6 of the 2013 edition of the PUP student handbook. It states that: "Every PUP student must dress up according to his/her individual taste but he/she is required to adhere to the conventions of decency and proper grooming."

Second, part of Rule IV Section 8 of the CHED Memorandum No. 18 stated that “Pursuant to Section 36 (c) of RA 9165, all HEIs are mandated to implement a mandatory random drug testing of their students, consistent with these implementing guidelines and other relevant rules and regulations, after observance of consultation and other similar requirements. . . .”

Lastly, the finalized version of the university’s 2019 student handbook that is approved by the Board of Regents states that from the 2013 PUP Student Handbook:

Summa Cum Laude – 1.0000 to 1.2000
Magna Cum Laude – 1.2001 to 1.4500
Cum Laude – 1.4501 to 1.7500

Proposed PUP Student Handbook (2019 revised edition):

Summa Cum Laude – 1.0000 to 1.1500
Magna Cum Laude – 1.1501 to 1.3500
Cum Laude – 1.3501 to 1.6000

Page 35 of the 2013 PUP Student Handbook. Screen grab

Page 21 of the Proposed PUP Student Handbook (2019 revised edition). Screen grab

After reading the endless conversations of PUPians and non-PUPians who were discussing their thoughts and opinions about the PUP Student Handbook Revision, realization came to us that only those who are aware and woke students realize what is really happening inside the campus. Bystanders and spectators outside PUP are barking at the wrong tree. They love to spat mindless things without even knowing the real deal inside the campus.

If you are a student inside PUP or UP and you don’t even care about every single thing that’s happening inside, why were you exactly in a progressive and nest of activists’ school? We’re not in any way convincing you to be activists and rally here and everywhere but how come you’re enrolled in PUP bringing you apathy and thinking only for yourself?

Seeing from the perspective of the student leaders and activists, there’s nothing wrong with fighting for what you know is right as long as you have the proper evidences to show the world the student repression that PUP is facing right now. We have student leaders but they weren’t even present when the meetings of the handbook is on going. They were only notified when it is about to be revised, without the Board of Regents hearing their comments and suggestions.

If it weren’t for their mobs and snake rallies being heard by their fellow PUPians, the administration might push the revision even with its flawed ideas. Moreover, a sample size of 1,000 students from the PUP main campus will were said to have undergone the mandatory random drug testing, as clarified by De Guzman. It started in the COC and College of Engineering (CEA) where they got the first and second batch of participants for the random drug testing that instilled fear and anger towards the administration.

PUP Student Handbook is not yet finalized and yet they implemented already its proposed revised version plus the addition of policemen away from campus gave so much fear and resentment that resulted to protests and rallies everyday. With that, iskos and iskas didn’t feel so much safe and most of them are thinking that Oplan Tokhang is being brought to schools by former PNP Chief and now Senator Ronaldo ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa because he is in Durterte’s side making us feel that he can do anything because he has the power bestowed by the citizens to him. Funny!

Photo credits to The Catalyst's Facebook page

Former editor-in-chief of The Catalyst, PUP president Emanuel De Guzman said that under the Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, only one student publication was given a funding. “Ang babayaran lang ng CHED ‘yung Catalyst, which is the official student publication of the university. ‘Yung mga college [publications] hindi babayaran. Saan kukuha ng pondo?”. He denied allegations that his administration has been planning to repress student publications. The 2019 Student Handbook is now up to the approval of the PUP Board of Regents. De Guzman said they plan to implement the new handbook by September 2019.

Another thing is the issue of student publications who allegedly closed because it is what the administration wants: to centralized the information only from The Catalyst and to stop other college publication operations only because they have no source of fund. But they can’t be stopped that easily. They won’t just sit around and do nothing while seeing injustice and unfairness around their dear Alma Mater.

PUP’s Pylon is said to embody truth, wisdom and excellence and PUP Administration is its complete opposite. As students are filled with the true mission and vision from PUP, we won’t sit and stare idly with all they are doing. Rest assured that we will have a countermeasure for every act that they’ll implement.

It’s a student’s choice whether he or she will join a political group or organization. Deeply persuaded or not, it’s his decision. Not the school’s and not the political group or organization unless they’re doing some transaction under the table.

Iskos fight for their rights doesn’t stop here and we won’t be silent. We’ll continue to let everyone join the clamor and make every student realize that it’s okay to be peaceful if and only if the community is peaceful. We are here to comfort the disturb and disturb the comfortable people on their seats.