If Symptoms Persist
By the Editorial Board
Lies in the nation’s premier Health Sciences Center, where future leaders in health and medicine are nurtured, a baffling and disturbing paradox. Despite being the bastion of medical excellence, the university is plagued by a chronic condition — a deadened political situation that has endured for far too long. This ailment manifests itself in the form of persistently low student representation, akin to symptoms hinting at a deeper systemic malaise. As UP Manila constituents strive to fight and heal society’s illnesses, they find themselves grappling with an irony that cannot be ignored: the struggle to address the fundamental issues at home undermines the efforts to mend the country’s afflictions.
In recent years, the UP Manila University Student Council (USC) has encountered setbacks in attaining genuine student representation. Historical accounts from previous university elections at UP Manila depict a decline in voter turnout, a fading prominence of the university’s dominant parties, and a growing trend of conscious abstention among the electorate. The diminishing roster of elected members, alongside the escalating demands of council responsibilities, tarnishes the image of student leadership in lobbying for mass campaigns.
While numerous factors contribute to the waxing and waning of campus politics, the recent resignation of former USC Vice Chairperson Gunther Brandon Deichmann and temporary leave of absence of USC Chairperson John Venedict Cabrera left only two members of the council to represent the rights and interests of its thousands of student stakeholders. The absence of elected council members further thins the incumbent councilors as they fulfill their duties beyond their scope, leading to impaired function of the council.
One remedy to this years-long malaise has been suggested — the ongoing proposed University Electoral Code amendments to remove abstention vote and the 50%+1 threshold. Such a measure targets abstention as one of the factors behind unfilled council seats.
However, treating the symptoms is not the same as curing the disease. The chronic disease — UP Manila’s deadened political situation — requires a comprehensive approach that resolves its root causes. How can students adequately participate in campus politics given a lack of spaces for them to organize, heavy academic workload coupled with the Return Service Agreement (RSA) for the white colleges, and misplaced government priorities that push for Cha-cha and mandatory ROTC instead of a nationalist, scientific, mass-oriented education? These factors, combined with a student population recovering from the pandemic and online classes, have constrained the resources available for the students to fulfill their potential not only as leaders of the university but also to rally along with the masses.
Symptoms can be treated again and again, but if the underlying causes remain, students bound themselves to a cycle that becomes harder to break free from as time passes. If the issue of student representation remains unresolved, then the university is deprived of critical discussions that further cultivate UP Manila as a bastion of academic freedom.
Beyond palliative measures, there is a need to strengthen and unify campaigns in the university that champion students’ rights and fight against repressive academic policies. Given that these calls and policies affect all sectors, every single member of the movement becomes crucial. Campaigns such as We Demand Space, Stop and Review RSA, No to Cha-cha, and No to Mandatory ROTC should extend outside of the councils.
Seeing how student organizations have gradually come back to life with the return of face-to-face classes, one cannot deny that the student spirit is still there. Perhaps UP Manila’s political situation is not so “dead” but more like a small fire, weakened by years of a pandemic and anti-student policies. Empowering students, from council volunteer corps to organizations, and actively reaching out to them can spark the flame within each student of the university.
Whether it is by holding educational discussions, conducting room-to-room campaigns, or integrating student demands into events and posts, much more can be done to target the root causes of this malaise.
Resolving the stagnant political climate on campus and improving student representation requires a multifaceted approach. This entails doing a thorough investigation of historical background to determine underlying causes, encouraging open dialogue and inclusive decision-making processes among the campus’ stakeholders, and seeking input from experts in relevant fields. By collaborating on viable solutions informed by these, the Health Sciences Center thrusts itself towards becoming a progressive institution that empowers the students and the people to take up spaces, mobilize, and eventually revolt.
