As of the first quarter of the year alone, there have been multiple reported attacks against student publications, notable cases of which being from Today’s Carolinian, The Spark, Tanglaw Publications, and TomasinoWeb. Representatives of these publications gathered together to testify of the repression they have faced and their fight for press freedom.
Deni Molato, Managing Editor for Development at Today’s Carolinian (TC), recounted their publication’s removal from its physical office on 15 January. She also discussed the school’s refusal to fund its operations and recognize them as an official publication, which happened after their extensive coverage of an issue regarding the school’s increase in tuition and fees in 2019.
Fernan Matthew Enimedes of The SPARK followed, narrating how their publication of mock election survey results for Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges on 7 February resulted in Lray Villafuerte’s questioning the said poll’s credibility and harassing one of the publication’s senior editors. “Kasabay ng pag-atake sa The SPARK ay siya ring paglabas ng pahayag ng administrasyon ng aming pamantasan ng pagsuporta sa kalayaang mamahayag, subalit walang direktang pagkondena sa paninira hindi lamang sa pahayagan, kundi pati sa isa sa mga mag-aaral nito,” Enimedes added.
Thor Florentino of Tanglaw Publications said they were also forced to cease operations last October due to a school administration intervention, based on alleged baseless reasons. Numerous published works were also taken down and deleted by their publication adviser who claims that the campus director disallowed such content to be released.
Furthermore, TomasinoWeb has also experienced strict censorship and limitations regarding its content as of late, with the Office of Student Affairs implementing tighter protocols regarding the publication’s off-campus coverage, according to Patricia Lumenario, its managing editor.
To further vouch for campus press freedom and validate these attested violations, Atty. Renee Co of Kabataan Partylist affirms that the country lacks sufficient existing laws to protect campus journalists and emphasizes the need to pass the campus press freedom bill.
Lastly, Brell Lacerna, National Spokesperson of the alliance, shares that school administrators should recognize the concerns of their respective campus publications respect their right to education, and serve the masses. He also takes it as an opportunity to invite everyone to take part in the commemoration of the People Power Revolution and practice one’s right to vote rightfully for the upcoming midterm elections.
With these, the Guild remains resolute in their stand to end all forms of repression and assert one’s right to freedom of information and expression.
As of this writing, 90 campus publications from all over the Philippines have signed the unity statement, calling for accountability from perpetrators and the end of campus press freedom violations.