MANILA, Philippines — If you are new to the world of the Filipino youth online, then the proper introduction is that young people can address pressing national issues either through lengthy essays or with a dose of internet humor.
Such is the case when the Department of National Defense chose to unilaterally abrogate its agreement with the University of the Philippines (UP) system, which disallows unauthorized military and police presence inside its campuses.
UP students believe that Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s premise for breaking the accord is flawed, because the possibility of stupid things and normal life happening within the campus are allegedly, exponentially bigger than communists recruiting students to join the New People’s Army (NPA).
UP student Dan Caldo claimed that there is a greater chance of falling asleep along UP Diliman’s corridors. Others say spotting a white lady ghost, seeing students making out near the Sunken Garden, or being asked to buy crinkles are more likely to happen rather than being approached by a communist recruiter.
“Alam niyo lorenzana mas malaki pa ang chance na makatulog ka sa corridor kaysa marecruit ng NPA,” Caldo said in his post.
(You know Lorenzana there is a greater chance of sleeping along the corridor rather than being recruited by the NPA.)
“Alam nyo lorenzana mas malaki ang chance na makakita ka ng white lady sa UP kesa maalok na sumapi sa NPA,” another student added.
(You know Lorenzana there is a greater chance of seeing a white lady inside UP rather than being asked to join NPA.)
Alam nyo lorenzana mas malaki ang chance na makakita ka ng white lady sa UP kesa maalok na sumapi sa NPA. pic.twitter.com/VeJeXKl5CZ
— hiraeth (@thestreet___) January 19, 2021
Another UP student noted that there would be a greater possibility that your shoes would be worn out of finding cigarette vendors in UP campuses than meeting people inviting you to join the NPA.
“Alam niyo Lorenzana, mas malaki pa ang chance na maupod ang paa mo kakahanap ng yosi sa loob ng UP kesa maalok na sumapi sa NPA,” the netizen said.
(You know Lorenzana, there is a greater chance to wear out your shoes finding a cigarette inside UP compared to being asked to join the NPA.)
The tweets are in response to Lorenzana’s move to scrap the agreement that disallows military and police presence inside the campus without prior announcement to protect the students and faculty members and activist groups and members from harassment.
In the letter from the DND chief dated Friday and addressed to UP president Danilo Concepcion, Lorenzana said that the move was based on recent events showing that allegedly, many UP students have been recruited into the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA).
The agreement was signed in 1989 by former UP president Jose Abueva and former president and then Defense secretary Fidel V. Ramos, and was a product of a previous accord protecting the campus from militarization.
He assured though that they neither have plans of setting up a station inside UP nor do they intend to disturb activist groups. However, he insisted that the move was meant to protect the university from the country’s enemies.
In response, government officials and other UP supporters called on Lorenzana to reconsider the decision.
READ: DND exits deal requiring prior notice for counterinsurgency operations in UP campuses
READ: #DefendUP trends after DND scraps agreement with UP
Earlier, Lorenzana tried to use the hit Korean series Crash Landing On You to ask whether UP is a demilitarized zone — a pun that backfired as netizens either poked fun of the Defense chief or gave angry reactions.
Wag na kayong sumubok maging 'hip' dahil syan sa references nyo. No one is buying it.
AFP is meant to safeguard us against foreign invaders, the likes of which are already in the WPS. What have you done about that?
This move is just a way to suppress future opposition leaders
— kiko rustia (@kikorustia) January 19, 2021
READ: Citing ‘Crash Landing on You’ crashes on Lorenzana defense of exit from pact with UP