21/09/2026
๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ง ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐จ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ง๐จ๐๐๐ก๐ง ๐๐ข๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ โ ๐จ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ข๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ฆ
On September 17, 2026, the University of Eastern Philippines Main Campus held the ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ธ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐, an activity organized to welcome UEPians back to campus and provide student organizations with an opportunity to present their presence and initiatives.
Among the participating organizations was ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ โ ๐จ๐๐ฃโ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฝ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, which displayed a banner expressing its opposition to ๐๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ก๐ผ. ๐ต๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฐ.
The ๐จ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐น ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฟ๐บ๐น๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐จ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ to freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and peaceful assembly.
These rights are ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐น๐ฒ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ.
They are protected under the ๐ญ๐ต๐ด๐ณ ๐ฃ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, particularly Article III, Section 4, which guarantees freedom of speech, expression, and the press, as well as the right to peaceably assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.
More specifically, ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ฐ๐ ๐ก๐ผ. ๐ณ๐ฌ๐ณ๐ต, ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐บ ๐๐ฐ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ญ๐ต๐ต๐ญ, declares it to be the policy of the State to uphold and protect freedom of the press, including at the campus level.
The law recognizes student publications as platforms for the student body and provides that, once established, their editorial boards shall freely determine their editorial policies.
Accordingly, when students and a recognized student publication ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ณ๐๐น๐น๐ ๐ฒ๐
๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป on an issue that directly concerns the future of their university, their expression should not be treated as an offense merely because it is critical of a proposed institutional change.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐' ๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ.
We recognize the Universityโs authority to maintain order and implement reasonable regulations. However, administrative authority must always be exercised ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐น๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐.
Institutional authority must not be used to silence criticism, particularly on an issue of significant public and student concern.
The events that followed the removal of the Balik Kampus materials raise ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐.
Students invested ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ, ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐, ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ into the activity.
Student leaders stood together when The Pillarโs banner was taken. Although the banner was eventually returned, the Balik Kampus activity itself was nevertheless dismantled.
The USC recognizes the frustration and disappointment of the students whose work was affected.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ.
We are likewise deeply concerned by reports regarding the manner in which the activity was dismantled, including the ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐๐๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ while students were instructed to expedite the clearing of the area.
When administrative action is taken against a students' activity, students deserve ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ป๐, ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ถ๐๐.
๐ช๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ฃ๐ข๐ก ๐ง๐๐ ๐จ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ง๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐ง๐ข:
๐ญ. ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ง ๐๐ซ๐ฃ๐๐๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก regarding the circumstances and basis for the termination of the Balik Kampus activity;
๐ฎ. ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ for the removal and taking of The Pillarโs banner;
๐ฏ. ๐จ๐ฃ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ง ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ข๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ข๐ of UEP students;
๐ฐ. ๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ง๐จ๐๐๐ก๐ง ๐๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐ง๐จ๐๐๐ก๐ง ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ through genuine and meaningful dialogue on matters affecting students and the University; and
๐ฑ. ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ก๐ง๐๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ฌ for actions that may have infringed upon the rights and welfare of students.
The USC also emphasizes that ๐๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ก๐ผ. ๐ต๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐น๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐น. Students have every right to discuss, question, criticize, support, or oppose legislation that concerns their university and their future.
๐ง๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐.
A university should be one of the places where democracy is ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ, ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฑ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ.
We do not need ๐๐ถ๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ด๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ.
We do not need ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ด๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ.
We do not need religious language to substitute for ๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐ผ๐ด๐๐ฒ.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐.
The students are not asking to be above the administration.
๐ช๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง.
The University Student Council stands with the students in defending their right to ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐, ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐๐ญ๐, ๐ค๐จ๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ข๐ก, ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐ญ๐, ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ง๐ in matters concerning their university.
๐ ๐จ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐๐๐จ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐ง๐จ๐๐๐ก๐ง๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ ๐ช๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐ก ๐ง๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ง.
๐ช๐ ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐.
๐ช๐ ๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ก๐.
๐ช๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ก๐ง๐๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ฌ.
