Student activism from the campus view

Title

Creator

Cadigal, Florentino I., Jr.

Language

English

Year

1971

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

STUDENT ACTIVISM FROM THE CAMPUS VIEW By SK FLORENTINO I. CADIGAL, JR. HEAVILY ARMED govern ment troopers in full battle re galia pursuing students as they scampered for safety; a taxi cab bursting into flames in the middle of the street; heaps of rocks, wood, dirt and desks blocking traffic flow; scores of students walking out of their classrooms and invading exclu sive girls’ schools; mini-skirted college students stopping mo torists for sympathy money; huge red and black flags and streamers fluttering in the heat of the sun as student marchers snaked through the streets— these were some of the dizzying phenomena during the past weeks that left everyone ask ing “What is happening?” Those of us who have spent many a good part of our lives in teaching the youth have probably asked, at least in the back of our minds, "Where did we go wrong?" Some of us have even gone as far as con demning the youth for having mud dled up the situation. It would be good to look back and see how stu dent activism metamorphosed in the last few years. Awareness of Rights It all started when students, aroused into an awareness of their rights and power, began to talk school administrators into giving them more say in school affairs, such as better school facilities, cur riculum formation, and faculty se lection. They wanted to have more freedom in the publication of their school paper, and study the things that interested them. In time in crease in tuition fees became the target of their protest.' Many pointed out, however, that student interests were merely con fined to their local needs and did not reach out to the country at large. Upon the proddings of their teach ers, there began a series of "teachins.” Then what began as a fist-sized snowball swelled into an avalanche. Protest marches. Pickets. Rallies before Congress, Malacanang, fac tories, government offices. All these were relatively peace ful. In fact, they were uneventful. And the students felt that nothing concrete was happening. It seemed to them that all their protestations had fallen on deaf ears. Then the historic January 25 came. What had started as a plea for non-partisan constitutional convention resulted in violence and death. Things were ne ver the same after that. For stu dents now began to talk in terms of revolution. As students, organized themselves, numerous nanies emerg ed: KM, SKIT. SDK, MDP, MAKIBAKA, NUSP, etc. As students vied for prominence, classifications were labelled at them as radicals and mo derates, as lefts and rights. Mean while brute force wes the answer of the government, -but eve*ry spilt blood encouraged more protest marches and boycotts. Every burst of gun fire was echoed by a pill box explosion. Sympathetic Understanding As a teacher committed to edu cate, to bring out the best of the Page 8 May-June, 1971 youth's faculties and capabilities, I write down my sentiments here re garding student activism. My con tact and exposure to student ideas have made me come to this conclu sion. What is needed very badly to day is a sympathetic understanding for the students. Due to the tremen dous advance of science and techno logy, particularly mass conmmunication, students are more knowledge able today. They are aware of the many undesirable elements of the Filipino society. The call for the Filipinization of education, of the economy, of trade and commerce, of political life, of practically every thing under Philippine sun, is a clear indication of this. In fact, many of them have already cast doubts as to the efficacy of demo cracy and have made vehement avo wals for the embrace of commun ism to the shock of their elders. We who are part of the school have encountered dilemmas. The Ateneo University, for instance, has come out, through Fr. Francisco Araneta, with the statement that the university, as its name signi fies. would be remiss in its duty if it did not make its educational ef forts relevant to the needs of the times. And to translate its desires into action it has opened its Padre Faura gates to striking jeepney dri vers and demonstrating students alike. But the school has to go on performing its task: to teach. Could it allow its studentry to walk out of class and join protest marches? What would the parents say if they found out that their children were out in the streets instead of within the confines of the school? Students’ Rationale In the high school department of the Ateneo. for instance, students are allowed to join demonstrations provided they had previous parental written permission. But since no parent would consent to his son’s risking life and limb, and to go without Buch written permission would mean truancy and punishment, it would seem that this is tanta mount to repression of student ac tivism on the part of the school. But if the phrcnts themselves were un willing to allow the school the use of their right and duty to educate their children, there would be noth ing that the school oould do. Con vincing their parents about the im portance of joining such demons trations would then rest on the shoulders of the students. On the other hand, if students walked out We who are part of the school should lend a listening ear to the students. We have only to point out that all of us Filipinos have one and the same goal — the common good. of their classes, one is not warrant ed to condemn them outright. For consider their rationale: our coun try is in a sorry mess and it is not getting any better. Study efforts will come to naught unless drastic changes are effected now. In school they are taught about such things as principles and virtues and the need for hard work; but such things are meaningless in the world they will live in. They know that the students in Indonesia had to stop a whole year of schooling just to save their country from communism. And they cannot do less. Again it would not be wise to dismiss the students as communists, or communist-inspired, or Maoists, or rabble rousers. It would not be wise to display frightening arsenals and armies; nor to stage counter demonstrations and marches of al legiances. What is sorely needed is understanding. Common Good In. short, we have to lend a lis tening ear. We have only to point out that all of us have one and the same goal: the common good. Ra dicals want food and justice for the downtrodden. Maoists want disci pline for the recalcitrants and op portunists. The government agen cies have to protect property and keep order. Parents have the duty to rear and educate their children. In other words, everyone is pos sessed of the same good intentions. There is no solut’on. therefore, ex cept to have an open mind, to have a deeper understanding of the stu dents’ aspirations. For if people todav discern- some semblance, though feeble, of gov ernment reforms, if bills of nation al interest get passed by a wellattended congress, if a few grafter.-, tax-evaders and oligarchs get the axe of the law, if efforts are exert ed for clean elections, we have only the students to thank. On the other hand, if, as many people would want to happen, the voices of the youth were silenced and stifled, one can only wonder what would become of our country. Had student dissent and enthusiasm been looked upon with understanding by our elders, one wonders whether the names Sta Brigida, Catabay, Roldan. Alcan tara and Sontillano would have as much ring as Recto, Vinzons, Lau rel, Soliven and Marcos in the few years to come. • May-June, 1971 Page 9

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