A YouTube video entitled “The Adventures of Isko Palaban” was posted in the internet. It shows the problems being faced by the Tandem and the students of the University of Northern Philippines (UNP) from the increase in tuition and other fees to the closure of the student publication.

BY JOAN GARCIA
Contributed to Bulatlat
Vol. VIII, No. 13, May 4-10, 2008

VIGAN CITY (407 kms. north of Manila) – As part of the campaign to reopen the Tandem publication, which was closed by the university administration, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP)-Ilocos and the Tanggulan Youth Network launched the Isko Palaban video in YouTube.

The YouTube video titled “The Adventures of Isko Palaban” shows the problems being faced by the Tandem and the students of the University of Northern Philippines (UNP) from the increase in tuition and other fees to the closure of the student publication.

The Tandem is the official student publication of the UNP and is currently closed due to its stand against the tuition increase last school year 2007-2008. Its staff members also experienced harassment such as prohibition from entering the university and trumped-up charges filed against them.

Recently, the supposed coordinator of the Tandem, Mr. Nolito Ragunjan, filed a criminal case against Ma. Criselda Diocena, the Editor-in-Chief. Diocena is being charged with theft because they took their things from the Tandem office when it was opened last January 11, 2008.

According to Diocena, the Tandem office was opened with permit from Dr. Lauro Tacbas, the University President for them to obtain the official receipts needed for the auditing of their finances. While getting the receipts, Diocena together with Student Regent Warren Rafal and other staff members, also took their personal items that was left inside the office when it was barred.

Originally, the case against Diocena was robbery with Rafal as a co-defendant. However, due to pressure, Rafal agreed to become a witness for Ragunjan and thus he was removed as a defendant.

“We have nothing against Rafal because we understand that the UNP administration pressured him and his family to submit to the University’s wishes. It was evident during the dialogue between us (the students) and the administration last April 9; Rafal kept his head bowed through out the discussion,” Diocena said.

The dialogue was supposed to settle the issue of harassment of Diocena, Rafal and Jeric Pelayo. Pelayo is charged with grand slander by Dean Joel Beleno supposedly because of Pelayo’s accusation of corruption during the campaign for the Student Council. Pelayo denies the allegation.

The YouTube video is the first of a series of videos that the CEGP-Ilocos and Tanggulan are planning to do. The video was made by the 2pm Collective. The 2pm Collective is an arts and graphics youth group that aims to maximize the talents of its members for the 2nd Propaganda Movement, or 2pm for short.

Isko Palaban, the main character of the video is taken from the Tandem’s character for its lampoon articles.

“We want to maximize the internet as a venue for our campaign. We believe that the YouTube video and the Defend Tandem blog can reach not just the students of UNP but other people as well,” Diocena said.

The video can be watched by searching for the key words ‘isko palaban’ or checking the defendtandem.multiply.com. Contributed to (Bulatlat.com)

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