Resolution against ROTC

RESOLUTION NUMBER 1 SERIES OF 2006-2007

A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE PROPOSALS TO MAKE THE RESERVED OFFICER TRAINING CORPS OR ROTC MANDATORY AMONG ALL STUDENTS

Whereas, the ROTC, instead of teaching and upholding discipline, runs counter to the student’s right to freedom of speech by spreading a culture of silence as encapsulated in the military dictum that states “what you see, what you hear, when you go, leave it here;”

Whereas, the ROTC, in direct contradiction to our constitutional right to organize, carries a big role in the military’s setting up of the Student Intelligence Network (SIN) which conducts surveillance and other intelligence operations against progressive student organizations, publications, and councils;

Whereas, the ROTC course, at a time of extreme economic hardship and crisis, burdens the students with added fees, not only for matriculation but also for a complete set of uniform, including combat boots, beret/cap, patches, etc, handouts and manuals - the lack of which is a ground for demerit against the student concerned;

Whereas, the ROTC program with mandatory courses in Military Training Service (MTS) is physically demanding for the UP students who will also have to carry the burden of a tightened four-day class week;

Whereas, the ROTC, contrary to its stated aim of promoting patriotism, runs counter to the foundations of nationalism in the university, namely critical thought and academic freedom by maintaining a culture of harassment and repression as expressed in the military motto that says “obey first before you complain;”

Whereas, the ROTC has resulted in the deaths of our fellow youth, who are supposedly the hope of the nation, namely Samuel Rodico of Luna College – Pangansinan in 2002, Mark Welson Chua of the University of Sto. Tomas in 2001, Arthur Salero of Saint Louis University in 1999, Seth Lopez of De La Salle University in 1996, and many more;

Whereas, the ROTC promotes discrimination, harassment and various forms of physical, verbal and sexual abuse especially against women and the third sex;

Whereas, in practice, the program has become obsolete and at the heart of corruption and incompetence;

Whereas, the intentions provided by the proponents of the mandatory ROTC revival, namely the infusion of discipline, patriotism and preparation for national defense was never attained by the program in the first place as it was tainted by the above-stated grounds;

Therefore be it resolved as it is hereby resolved that the UPVCC Student Council initiate moves that will oppose the proposals to make the ROTC mandatory among all students.

Resolved further, that the fight for greater state subsidy for UP and education be intensified as it is only through such that the strengthening and enhancement of the National Service Training Program (NSTP) can come about.

Resolved finally, that the ROTC be totally abolished to pave the way for a National Service Program that will truly become the expression of nationalism, discipline and social responsibility through activities such as rescue and relief operations, human rights advocacy and fact-finding missions, community immersion, literacy programs, and environmental protection and awareness, etc.

Adopted this 27^th of March, 2006.

Heno Rey Chin
Year Representative
Proponent

Ralph Sanchez
2nd Year Representative
Co-Proponent

Memo # 03: Lay the Ground for Achieving Greater Victories this Year

To: All Councilors, UPVCC-SC
From: The Chairperson
Re: General Assembly

Lay the Ground for Achieving Greater Victories this Year

The Student Council and the whole studentry of our college are in a position to achieve breakthroughs in 2006 on the basis of the significant advances achieved in 2005 and previous years.

The past year was marked by victories in our struggle against the commercialization of UP where we were and still are made to suffer from skyrocketing sums and various austerity measures due to the government’s continuing neglect of the education sector.

We expect to score major advances in the various fields of service to the students and the people. Let us consciously plan and rapidly take steps to lay the ground for achieving greater victories this year.

The Order of Business for the next meeting is as follows:
1. Approval of Agenda
2. Approval of the Minutes from the Previous Meeting
3. Business Arising from the Previous Meeting
4. Communications
5. Announcements
6. Committee Assignments
7. Setting Summer Schedules
8. Resolution on the Proposed Revival of the ROTC
9. Other Matters

We will have our third and last General Assembly for the academic year 2005-2006 this March 27, 2006 (Monday), 6:00PM at the Student Council Office.

In the service of the students and the people,

Karlo Mikhail Mongaya
Chairperson

Memo# 02

To: All Councilors, UPVCC-SC
From: The Chairperson
Re: General Assembly

Warm Greetings!

The University of the Philippines has never been spared from the problems besetting greater society. If in the national scene we see concerted moves by Arroyo’s regime to crackdown on media and its perceived critics and opponents, locally we see moves for the revival of compulsory ROTC (Reserved Officer Training Corps) as directed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Department of National Defense (DND).

This of course is nothing new. Suppression has always been the State’s standard response to the undying calls for fundamental social change. It is the desperation of the current administration in a bid to stay in power that led to the current situation of unbridled abuse of the people’s basic rights and civil liberties. This is despite questions to its legitimacy and capacity to effectively represent the real interests of the broad masses.

Let us therefore provide the necessary precautions against the return of a program that epitomizes not only the repressive character of education but its commercialized and mercenary tradition as well. Let us initiate the broadest principled unity to defy intensifying political repression!

The Order of Business for the next meeting is as follows:
1. Approval of Agenda
2. Approval of the Minutes from the Previous Meeting
3. Business Arising from the Previous Meeting
4. Communications
5. Announcements
6. Appointment of Secretariat
7. House Rules
8. On the Revival of Mandatory ROTC (Reserved Officer Training Program)
9. Other Matters

We will have our second General Assembly, 6:00 PM this March 14, 2006 (Tuesday) at the Student Council Office. Please come on time.

In the advancement of genuine freedom and democracy,

Karlo Mikhail Mongaya
Chairperson

Memo # 01

To: All Incoming Councilors, UPVCC-SC

From: The Chairperson
Re: First General Assembly

Warm Greetings!

The sword of Damocles hanging over our heads was not at all removed with the lifting of Presidential Proclamation 1017. The crackdown on Gloria’s opponents and the assault on the freedom of expression and right to assemble did not at all end with the removal of the dictatorial measure.

In the context of the Arroyo administration’s systematic abandonment of the education sector and the unprecedented attacks on civil liberties to stifle all opposition to the regime’s anti-people policies, there is a need to wield the sharpest line in advancing the student’s democratic rights and interests.

Let us stand firm in another dark period of unbridled political repression and wield the weapons of critical thought and collective action. Twenty years after the ouster of Marcos, the challenge is upon us to relive, and not only remember the lessons of EDSA.

To this end, we will hold our First General Assembly, 6:30 PM this March 7, 2006 (Tuesday) at the Student Council Office. The meeting, a day before the official commencement of our term, is intended to tackle our initial plans for the next few weeks.

While the incoming UPV-USC councilors will have to wait till June for their terms to start, they are still invited to observe the College-SC General Assembly with the incumbent UPV-USC councilors.

The Order of Business is as follows:
1. Call to Order
2. Approval of Agenda
3. Communications
4. Announcements
5. Brief Intro. & Presentation of Expectations
6. Setting of Schedules of GAs for the Next Semester
7. On the Mov't. of Concerned Citizens for Civil Liberties
8. Setting of Schedule for Next GA
9. Other Matters

In the service of the students and the people,

Karlo Mikhail Mongaya
Chairperson