How could I forget where it all began?
When I first joined the school paper, I only wanted to write poems and have them published in the literary section. It would be better if there was a dedicated section for culture or a separate folio. It felt like that was the only place where I could truly express my creative juices.
Meanwhile, my love for writing news stories and analyses didn’t come easily. To be honest, I didn’t enjoy writing news that much at first. It felt like you were just writing from hard facts, where the key chunks of the story—those W-H elements—were already there.
Then it reached a point where I began questioning the annual tuition hikes. I remembered some school officials saying, “the increase isn’t that much, it’s still affordable. That’s even our school’s tagline: affordable and accessible higher education.”
But those increases weren’t just spare change. During consultations on tuition hikes, the school administration would present a comparative analysis to justify the proposed increases—tuition per unit, miscellaneous fees, and even additional charges that were barely explained to the students. Worse, the student council, meant to represent the student body, was often sidelined and invited to yet another separate discussion with the school administration while the room itself was supposed to be the space for these critical conversations. It felt like the consultations were merely for show, for formality, with the decisions already set in stone.
Right now, I stumbled upon stories about recent activities at my former school, the National Teachers College (NTC). Today is their student elections and just the other day was the miting de avance (MDA) for the candidates to emphasize their platforms and debate on key issues.
These are typical issues that were part of our beat system at Fiat Lux. Beyond the institutional beat, this is about the student movement and representation, especially since what’s at stake here will shape the future of the student body in the years to come.
Why funding is important in school paper, student organizations?
The presidential debate question during the MDA cented on whether student organizations have the right to sell merchandise and receive funds from the school.
Two students are vying for the presidential position: one representing the DASIG party and the other an independent candidate. Each has their respective stance, or not, with one advocating for the abolition of the “no collection policy,” while the other chose to abstain.
Since the NTC was acquired by Ayala in 2018, the reiteration of the “no collection policy” has been observed.
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has been vocal in reminding schools about this policy, in accordance with the Universal Access of Quality Tertiary Education Act. However, this policy applies only to local and state universities and colleges (LUCs and SUCs), given that NTC is a private higher education institution (PHEI).
CHED has the authority to regulate PHEIs regarding policies. However, while CHED provides the framework, specific implementation may vary among PHEIs. Some institutions may adopt additional measures or clarify their own policies in line with CHED’s guidance.
In 2020, CHED issued guidelines regarding the no collection policy, particularly during exceptional circumstances like the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, since that year, the enrollment scheme has also changed. Many alumni would remember how they were barred from entering classes without the NTC student government (NTC-SG) and Fiat Lux stamps on their registration forms, as they needed to go through this process during enrollment.
During enrollment, the NTC-SG collects P20, while Fiat Lux collects P35 for its operational expenses. The NTC-SG and Fiat Lux are recognized as solely independent and student-run organizations within NTC.
The collection issue for these two organizations was interrupted during the pandemic. As classes slowly returned to normal, these organizations still faced a lack of funds.
Specifically, Fiat Lux has been trying to maximize digital platforms like Facebook to release timely reports and issues, yet they have not published a physical copy of their newspaper since 2019. That was the last issue I worked on with Fiat Lux when we also attempted to produce a broadsheet, unlike the earlier volumes which used a tabloid format.
On the other hand, transparency regarding student funding remains a significant issue. Questions arise about where the allocated funds for the activities of student organizations at NTC come from, particularly in light of the current tuition fees collected by the school administration from all students.
A month before the lockdown was declared across the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NTC was poised to raise tuition. I still remember how we used to search for empty room just to convene the student body. In February 2020, together with the NTC-SG, we sought to gather student leaders from various organizations to discuss the anticipated tuition increase at NTC.
During the discussion, questionable and deemed bogus fees were identified, such as the test paper fee, student activities and development fees, library and medical fees, among others.
While students express gratitude and acknowledge the importance of library and medical fees, there are challenges in improving facility services, especially the clinic’s operations. According to consultations regarding the tuition increase, funding was supposedly needed for the development of these facilities. However, one argument expounded on the NTC student handbook stating that students can avail themselves of tooth extraction services, in addition to necessary wellness and self-care. There was no data or capability on NTC’s part regarding dental services back then. But why was this included in the student handbook, ambitiously no less?
Regarding student activities and development fees, the student activities fund is specifically allocated for the programs launched by each student organization. This fund addresses questions about where allocated funds come from—not from the school but from the students themselves, as part of what they pay in tuition.
This means that there are funds meant for students, sourced from the students themselves. However, this is entangled in bureaucratic processes.
In each student reorganization, there is genuine excitement driven by encouraging students to participate and engage with organizations. Unknown to many, challenges for student organizations extend beyond merely expanding genuine student representation, especially in crafting the general plan of activities (GPOA).
The GPOA discusses all plans and activities that the organization will launch throughout the year. It also outlines the funding needs, how it will be sourced, and how expenditures will be managed to realize planned activities.
The commitment and challenge for the NTC-SG and other organizations is the push for transparency reports regarding student activities fees and other charges under the miscellaneous section of the overall tuition.
It is often noted that GPOAs must still be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs for approval. However, NTC-SG must stand firm as the representative of the entire student body, thoroughly scrutinizing and planning the allocation of funds sourced from their own pockets.
Funding is the lifeblood of any organization; school papers, student organizations, and the student council are no exception. In today’s rapidly evolving landscape of education, genuine student representation cannot be overstated, as student organizations serve not just as platforms for creativity and expression but also as vital spaces for advocacy, dialogue, and community engagement.
Why campus press freedom bill is necessary and urgent to enact?
Equally important is the need for genuine press freedom bill. In recent years, the independence of school papers or campus publications has come under threat from various sources but not limited to administrative censorship and a lack of legal protections.
Kabataan Partylist alongside College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) have since pushed for the enactment of House Bill 319 or the Campus Press Freedom (CPF) Bill which aimed to replace the outdated Campus Journalism Act of 1991 as it is deemed ineffective in protecting campus press rights.
CPF would provide a legal framework that affirms the autonomy of campus journalists, allowing them to report on issues affecting their communities and expand the fundamentality of genuine editorial freedom of campus publications, and protect campus journalists from any threats, violence, repression, and denial of funding without fear of retribution. This is especially crucial following the rampant attacks, widespreading of misinformation and disinformation spreading rapidly under the Marcos Jr. administration. Therefore, the need for reliable, independent reporting is more vital than ever.
In the State of the Campus Press Address held this year, CEGP recorded a total of 206 campus press freedom violations (CPFV) throughout 2023 to 2024. This includes 58 cases of censorship, 35 administrative interventions, and 37 withholding or looting of funds.
Moreover, meddling of the adviser, harassment and killings of student journalists, red-tagging, state surveillance, non-mandatory collection of campus publication funds, expulsion or suspension, and libel are also among the issues confronted by campus journalists.
Hence, CEGP emphasized ‘The National Campus Press Agenda’ to address the need for the protection of the press and academic freedom through editorial independence and fiscal autonomy assertion, investigations and sanctions on numerous CPFVs, and retaining the publication fee under the free tuition law.
Enacting CPF sends a clear message about the value of press freedom and the importance of fostering a culture of open dialogue within educational institutions. It advances student militancy and independence through participation and representation, especially in holding their administrations accountable and encourage transparency in decision-making processes that affect their lives.
