Press Statement
June 5, 2009
YOUTH LAUNCHES ALLIANCE AGAINST CRISIS AND COMMERCIALIZATION
Davao City – Different youth organizations formally launched today an
alliance against the current global financial crisis and
commercialization of education with their campaign banner.
The alliance is named LEKSYON which stands for Lihok Kabataan Batok
Krisis ug Komersyalisasyon, a growing broad movement of the youth from
communities, schools and universities and young professionals in Davao
City and in Southern Mindanao formed for the mobilization of the
sector in actively facing the various crises of the society and
standing up against policies and authorities that continue to neglect
the youth’s rights and welfare.
The alliance is formed by organizations such as College Editors Guild
of the Philippines (CEGP), National Union of Students of the
Philippines (NUSP), AnakBayan, Student Christian Movement of the
Philippines (SCMP), Kahugpungan sa Kabatan-onang KAbus sa Dabaw
(KABAKA), and League of Filipino Students (LFS).
The alliance also launched its campaign banner which is Pakigbisugan
ang TSEK where TSEK stands for Trabaho, Serbisyo-Sosyal, Edukasyon ug
Katungod. The campaign aims to address the primary demand of the
Filipino youth, students and out-of –school youth, amidst the
worsening economic crisis.
The group also presented the bad situation of the youth towards
education.
¨The global financial crisis at hand even worsens the commercialized
Filipino education. Despite the declaration of some academic
institutions of No Tuition Fee Increase this year, still, majority of
our youth can´ t go to school because education remains to be
expensive. It is manifested in the redundant miscellaneous fees,¨
Myrna Imperial, chairperson of LEKSYON.
¨There are many drop-outs due to economic restraints. Even though
basic education is free, poor families will not be able to sustain
other fees in schools which would actually amount to around 15,000Php
to 20,000Php per student.,” Vicente Penas, chairperson of KABAKA, an
out-of-school-youth organization.
Harry P. Mercurio, member of the CEGP, said that the government should
do something about this situation since education is very important
more than any other matters the government is eyeing now just like the
desperate move in pushing for Charter Change.
The group expressed that they have come to unite in defying the crisis
and will never stop to conduct activities in showcasing their call for
an affordable and quality education.
¨It is only via the united movement of the youth and other
marginalized sectors we can highly express our determined objective to
push for our basic and democratic rights.¨ added Imperial.
The group encouraged other youths to join the alliance so as to
strengthen the campaign for genuine TRABAHO, SERBISYO-SOSYAL,
EDUKASYON ug KATUNGOD.
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