Metro Manila student leaders: ‘No-el, no way!’

Metro Manila student leaders launched “Youth SONA: Take Back Demoracy” on Monday, July 16, 2018. From left: Regie Dalisay from EARIST, Kisha Beringuela from UP Diliman, Akbayan spokesperson Gio Tiongson, Hyacinth Bendaña from ADMU, and Christine Alvarez from PUP. (Contributed photo)

Student leaders from universities in Metro Manila on Monday rejected “no-elections,” or the postponement of the 2019 midterm elections proposed by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

“Malinaw ang tindig ng mga kabataan: No-el, no way. Hindi papayag ang mga kabataan na i-postpone ang eleksyon para sa huwad na charter change ni President [Rodrigo] Duterte,” Akbayan spokesperson and former National Youth Commission chair Gio Tingson said in a press conference.

[The stand of the youth clear: No-el, no way. The youth won’t allow elections to be postponed for the false charter change of President Duterte.]

The student leaders come from the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (Earist), Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU), and Miriam College.

They will stage a “Youth SONA: Take Back Demoracy” protest on July 2018, before the President’s third State of the Nation Address.

In that protest, which will be stated on Nagtahan Road in Manila, youth leaders will give Duterte a “failing grade” on human rights and defending the country’s democracy.

“Nagkaisa ang mga lider estudyante na bigyan ng failing grade si President Duterte pagdating sa human rights, sa pag-uphold ng democracy at pag-empower ng mga kababaihan, mga miyembro ng LGBTQ community at iba pang mga marginalized sektor ng lipunan,” Kisha Beringuela, vice chairperson of University Student Council of UP Diliman.

“Our fight for democracy is our fight for the future. This is our biggest test yet. Everything we have learned in class about democracy and how active citizens took down dictatorships in the past will be practiced in real life,” Hyacinth Bendana, president of ADMU Sanggunian added. /atm