The Tandem, the official student publication of the University of Northern Philippines (UNP) has been struggling ever since the UNP administration barred its writers from entering the university premises at the start of the school year 2007-2008. The writers were then barred due to their stand against the tuition fee increase of the UNP. Since then, the Tandem had to face the harassments and threats that they have received from the administration.

BY ZOFIA LEAL
Bulatlat
Vol. VIII, No. 6, March 9-15, 2008

The Tandem, the official student publication of the University of Northern Philippines (UNP) has been struggling ever since the UNP administration barred its writers from entering the university premises at the start of the school year 2007-2008. The writers were then barred due to their stand against the tuition fee increase of the UNP.

Since then, the Tandem had to face the harassments and threats that they have received from the administration. These include the sudden appointment of a publication adviser who is known as a former military man criticizing the paper for publishing articles on national issues, the black propaganda accusing its staff of being scholars of the National Democratic Front (NDF) who were allegedly sent to wreak havoc on the university, suspension of the collection of the publication fee, and the closure of the publication office.

The latest of the attacks against The Tandem was the creation of a new student publication called The Blazers. In the letter of Student Affairs Dean Gilbert Arce to University President Dr. Lauro Tacbas in October 2007, the former suggests that due to the controversies concerning The Tandem, a new publication named The Blazers be installed in its place. The Blazers, according to Dean Arce was the name of the official student publication of UNP before it was named The Tandem.

By Nov.14, 2007, a referendum was held by the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) asking whether the students still want The Tandem as their publication. However, The Tandem questioned said referendum. According to Criselda Diocena, the Editor-in-Chief of Tandem, “We were never given the chance to speak our side. We were caught off-guard (upon being informed) that suddenly, a referendum would be held.”

The ballot form itself is questionable. Aside from asking students about the continuation of The Tandem, it included a brief explanation about the issue from the point of view of the administration. It read:

“Tandem, the publication of the students for the past years has not been complying with the requirements of the university for student publications. Among the requirements of the university that Tandem resisted to comply (sic) are: 1. non-submission of action plan, 2. non-submission of financial statements, 3. non-submission of accomplishment reports, 4. exclusion of the administration in the screening process. Lately, it was found out that the funds of Tandem were deposited in the name of its alleged Editor-in-Chief, Criselda Diocena and another alleged Tandem editor. It was also found out that Ms. Diocena failed in one of her subjects, but concealed this with their refusal to include the administration in the screening process. Consequently, the administration decided to suspend the collection of Tandem Fee.” The questions posted were “Do you want the Tandem to continue its operations?” and “If yes, are you willing to pay P40?”

“It was a clear manipulation of the OSA headed by Dean Arce,” Diocena said. “That was the first and I guess the last time that I would see a ballot with an explanation included.”

The allegations, according to Diocena are all baseless.

“We have the documents to prove that we did submit our action plan and accomplishment report,” she said. “With regard to the Financial Statement we had a difficult time looking for someone who would audit us.”

The practice of the Tandem was to have their financial statement audited by the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants (JPIA) of the UNP. However, when Diocena approached the JPIA they said that they would first ask the OSA on whether to accept it or not. Diocena then relayed how the Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) they asked to audit for them would soon back out upon hearing about their conflict with the UNP administration. It would take them some time to find an accountant in Baguio City who would audit for them.

With regard to the bank deposit made in their name, Diocena said, “It is clear with the bank manager and to us that although our name is listed at the bank account holder, the account is with UNP Tandem Vigan. By the way, I also do not have a failing grade. Our documents are complete. We now have our audited Financial Statement. We also have proof that we did submit letters and operational plans to the administration to inform them about our activities.”

Last Feb. 24, The Tandem received news that the creation of The Blazers was included in the agenda of the Board of Regents (BoR) meeting with a drafted Editorial Policy and a list of Editorial Board members already prepared. Immediately, The Tandem spoke with Student Regent Warren Rafal regarding the implications of the creation of The Blazers and on how it would further curtail press freedom.

While Rafal was defending The Tandem to the BoR last Feb. 26 at the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) office where the meeting took place, the students of the UNP in Vigan were also exclaiming that The Tandem is still their student publication.

After the BoR meeting, the creation of The Blazers was temporarily postponed until further consultation with the students.

“We are grateful to Warren Rafal for making our voices heard in the BOR meeting even though we were not there. We are also thankful to the students for continuously supporting us even though they themselves are experiencing harassments from the administration,” Diocena said.

“We know that is already the end of the school year but our struggle for campus press freedom and our democratic rights is still not over. We will not stop until we have opened the publication door once more. The students know that their voice and the Tandem’s voice are one and we will not bow down to the administration. We will continue to struggle with the students,” asserted Diocena. (Bulatlat.com)

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