"When book censors using dialogue with the university
to justify their impunity"
(Or: "thoughts after the recent dialogue between NTF-ELCAC
and the UP Visayas administration")
This note expresses concern as recent news about the University of the Philippines- Visayas (UPV) administration was hosting a dialogue with the regional branch of the National Task-Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) through NICA Regional Director Ana Liza Umpar at the university’s Miag-ao campus last October 29, 2021. This dialogue, made days after an earlier statement "not handing over books" to the NTF-ELCAC, justified the talks as an "opportunity to exchange ideas and promote freedom of expression."
Quite reasonable at first for UPV Chancellor Clement Camposano to justify such words, as he hosted the NTF-ELCAC "in the spirit of dialogue." However, knowing the nature of the group as known for its rabid anti-leftist sentiment, it is not surprising that they take the talks as an opportunity to defend their idol not just from the left but also from the opposition in general in the face of controversies surrounding him; if not asking the UP administration to retract from its initial statement.
And in speaking of universities "handing over their books" to the NTF-ELCAC, one university in Cordillera justified this as their "moral consciousness not to allow youth to be engrained with peace-detrimental ideologies", if not in Aklan that "academic freedom as always subject to control and supervision by the state." Ridiculous isn't it- especially that they claim to be uphelding academic freedom and democracy while condoning book censorship under the Duterte administration, which he compared to state forces repressing feelings and ideas that are not acceptable to those in power. But administrators in UP Visayas will say that they allow them "in the spirit of academic freedom" to come and make their stand even most would describe that dialogue as a retreat from its initial statement, no matter how it tries to maintain some critical stance over the matter.
Worse, to hear a statement from the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education J. Prospero de Vera III telling that "It would be best for the Chancellor of UP Diliman and their officials to be more prudent, circumspect, respectful, and discerning in issuing statement especially involving the exercise of academic freedom of other higher education institutions." Sorry for his thought but by telling UP Diliman officials "should respect how other higher education institutions run their campuses amid the decision to remove 'subversive' from their libraries" he seems to be condoning witch hunts and book burnings reminiscent of Nazi Germany to that of the former "Committee on Un-Filipino Activities" that targeted professionals especially in the academe. Will the Philippines' premier "national university" simply sit down and relax for this? After books, what's next? The persons who happened to be against Duterte and his camarilla within the academe? It did happen during the time of Prof. Ricardo Pascual in the mid-50s, and this may also happen in the present.
So much for claiming to be they're defending democracy from the scourge of subversion, when in fact these orderists produced subversives in various forms. If not for the pandemic hard protests would happen anytime in the streets of Metro Manila all because of an incompetent boss-chief who tolerated corruption and impunity while claiming about "order" and "integrity". Of course, that boss and his apologists will use the subversion or rebellion card to justify their actions, including that of confiscating "subversive books" and claiming "they're saving children from the clutches of subversion and rebellion" despite horrid realities forced the poor and the young to fight and take arms in various forms.
And wouldn't be surprised that just "to clarify it all", that the vague term 'State Colleges and Universities' may end be replaced by a much clearer term: "Government-Owned and Controlled Higher Education Institutions" straight from the orderist's mouth, making it frank that those who studied in government-paid schools should be at the service of those who run the state's affairs, with academic freedom as any other constitutional right be controlled and regulated by authorities even it appears to be repressive.