Cebu City, Philippines – The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP)-Cebu said it vehemently condemns the statement of National Youth Commission (NYC) chairman Ronald Gian Carlo Cardema, asking President Rodrigo Duterte to revoke the scholarships of anti-government students.
Dyan Gumanao, the coordinator of NUSP-Cebu, said in a text message to Cebu Daily News Digital on Wednesday, February 20, 2019, that this is a clear and outright repression and violation of the students’ grievances and dissent on the anti-student and anti-poor policies of the government.
“The recommendation of Cardema is an attack and a tyrant-like way of silencing our fellow youth and students” said Gumanao.
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In addition to their response to the statement of Cardema, the NUSP also call for his immediate resignation, saying that the likes of Cardema is a shame and so unbecoming of a commissioner whose mandate should ensure the development of the youth.
“Cardema should also know that we don’t owe our college education to the Duterte administration or to any president in the office. We owe our education and our label as iskolar ng bayan to the people” said Gumanao.
On Tuesday, February 19, 2019, Cardema issued a statement asking President Duterte to issue an Executive Order withdrawing the government scholarship grants of “all anti-government scholars.” /bmjo