Student alliance defies DILG's Año warning vs. student camp

Longest-running and sole tertiary student publications alliance in the Philippines on Saturday defied Interior Secretary Eduardo Año's warning against and "intimidation" of youths joining activities for the National Students' Day on Sunday, November 17, 2019.

In a statement sent to media on Saturday, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) slammed Año's warning that the youth should "think twice and be more discerning" before joining activities for National Students’ Day that are not sanctioned by the National Youth Commission (NYC).

"National Students' Day 2019 pushes through even with your intimidation. The youth should instead be wary about you because you support anti-subversion law and amendments to the Human Security Act," the CEGP statement said.

Under the National Students’ Day Act, the NYC is tasked to lead the annual program of activities for the National Students Day with the support of the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

On the other hand, the NYC is an agency under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) now headed by Año, a retired Military general referred by some as "Rebel Hunter."

In open defiance to Año's warning, the CEGP also said, "while the youth are exerting extra efforts to contribute to nation-building especially in these hard and trying times, the government and the likes of Año are crippling and underestimating the role of the youth."

It added that Año is "overzealous in using the pretext of communist recruitment to hound the participation of other youth groups aside from the National Youth Commission in line with the celebration of the National Students’ Day."

Moreover, the CEGP said that the student camp ahead of the Student Day, aims to  discuss pertinent national issues and proposed legislation concerning the welfare of the youth and various sectors of the society.

Also, it said that the student camp, joined by local and national student unions, is in keeping with the Section 3 of Republic Act No. 11369, which states that the celebration is “in accord with the observance of International Students’ Day, and in recognition of the invaluable contribution of student activism to Philippine democracy." —LBG, GMA News