The members of the militant group League of Filipino Students (LFS) assembles with a lightning rally in front of United States Embassy in commemoration with its 32nd foundation anniversary, September 11, 2009, Manila.
LFS' main reason for protest is the continuous US intervention in the Philippines.
According to Terry Ridon, LFS' Secretary General, the presence of US troops in the Philippines undermines the supposed sovereignty and independence of the country, even more so if the presence is permanent.
“The continued implementation of the Visiting Forces of Agreement (VFA) and other unequal
treaties with the US has taken away the victories of decade’s worth of Filipino struggle against US intervention such as the dismantling of US Bases in 1991.”, Ridon empahasized.
Ridon also said that after a decade since it was ratified, they ask what the people has gotten out of the VFA. The supposed aid that is being given by the US troops in Mindanao serves nothing but a smokescreen to their intervention in the country. He said it is nothing if it costs the countrie's freedom.
“The people’s battle cry in the anti-bases struggle was down with the US Imperialism and that remains appropriate, if not even more so today.”
In the conference about International League of Peoples’ Struggle last December 9-10, 2006 in Cebu, remember that Professor Jose Maria Sison, Chairperson of International Coordinating Committee, was invited as keynote speaker and discussed about the scope of the military agreements in the country.
"The military agreements and arrangements between the US and the Philippines include the Military Assistance Agreement, the Mutual Defense Agreement, the Visiting Forces Agreement and the Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement. The Philippine reactionary government immediately declared full support for the US “war on terror” shortly after 9/11, offering Philippine troops, medical personnel, contract workers, and opening its airspace and the use of Philippine territory and facilities as refueling stations, storage, prepositioning and staging areas for US troops.", Sison said.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
COC Uniform Still A Long Discussion
Due to the difficulties facing regarding the uniform, the
COC uniform was legalized last year until the Administration Office of PUP found out that the business permit of the tailors is already expired thus, were banned to continue the service for manufacturing and distributing the uniform. Because of this, many students who haven't receive their orders of their sizes had a hard time communicating with the tailor in claiming it or having their payment back. Up to this point, some of the students are waiting for it.
Mallari admits that the Student Council didn't see the fault and also lacked in the background checking of the contracted tailor, causing the whole plan to be unpursued.
Amidst all the interruptions, Professor Clarita Ramos and a student from BBRC3-1D believe that wearing uniform in COC will make students look neat and very order. They hope that the strict implementation of the uniform will be pushed sooner.
Members of SAMASA Alliance on the other hand disagree with the uniform. According to them, the college has been running for so many years without dresscode yet the students maintain its competitiveness. They can't see the relevance of wearing uniform to the performance of the students. Aside from that, the price is also another one long discussion.
With all these feedbacks from the concerned students and teachers, the council stands firm in pushing the plan. Mallari said that they are still working on the idea about raising a separate fund (not from the organization's fund) allocated only for the refunds of the students. As soon as the council resolve it, Mallari assures that the implementation for the uniform will atlast take effect.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
