It’s not true that University of the Philippines student activists receive allowances from the national university, contrary to a Facebook post.
The Oct. 20 post to the public FB group DUTERTE PARA SA BAYAN! read:
Petition for Cancellation of Allowances to all UP activist scholar Students
According to the UP Office of Scholarships and Student Services (OSSS), students who apply to and qualify for OSSS programs can receive financial assistance in the form of tuition and school fee subsidies, living allowances and loans.
Allowances can be obtained through scholarships, student assistantships and the Adopt-a-Student program.
Not all UP students qualify for financial assistance due to differing applicant qualifications and program requirements.
Oblation scholars, or the top 50 freshman qualifiers based on the UP College Admission Test and University Predicted Grades, also receive book, transportation and monthly incentive allowances.
Under the 2017 Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, students of state colleges and universities are also eligible for free tuition, including UP students. Nonholders of a bachelor’s degree satisfying admission and retention policies and finishing their degree within the prescribed period of their program plus one year may avail of free higher education in UP.
Neither the republic act nor the OSSS deems activism as a basis for receiving financial assistance or qualifying for free tuition.
The claim came on the heels of an Oct. 16 UP Visayas student group performance of a cheer routine critical of the Duterte administration. It tackled issues such as the West Philippine Sea dispute, Rice Tariffication Law and included a line, “Let’s kill this president. Charot! (Let’s kill this president. Just kidding!)” which drew flak from the public.
An Oct. 18 clip of the Skimmers’ performance went viral on various social media platforms and triggered online threats, harassment and doxing against its members, governor and advisor.
As of writing, the post has received 898 comments and over 3,200 shares. The public FB group has over 38,500 members. (JRC, EEM)
References
kbomolina. (2019, October 18). WATCH TILL THE END. [crying emoji] [crying emoji] [crying emoji] [Tweet]. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/kbomolina/status/1185169087556550658?s=19
Official Gazette. (2017, August 3.) Republic Act No. 10931. Retrieved from https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2017/08/03/republic-act-no-10931/
Rappler.com. (2019, October 20). #HandsOffSkimmers: UP community slams attacks vs students, faculty behind viral cheer routine. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/move-ph/242973-up-community-slams-attacks-students-faculty-behind-viral-cheer-routine
Ruperto Quitag. (2019, October 18). Skimmers Cheering 2019 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rX8ukwU2lg&t=731s
University of the Philippines. (2018, August 14). [INFOGRAPHIC] Student eligibility for free higher education. Retrieved from https://www.up.edu.ph/index.php/infographic-student-eligibility-for-free-higher-education/
University of the Philippines. (2018, December 13). UP welcomes incoming Oblation scholars. Retrieved from https://www.up.edu.ph/index.php/up-welcomes-incoming-oblation-scholars/
University of the Philippines Office of Scholarships and Student Services. (n.d.). Adopt a Student Program. Retrieved from http://osss.up.edu.ph/content/adopt/
University of the Philippines Office of Scholarships and Student Services. (n.d.). Obtaining Financial Assistance. Retrieved from http://osss.up.edu.ph/content/fa/
University of the Philippines Office of Scholarships and Student Services. (n.d.). Scholarships. Retrieved from http://osss.up.edu.ph/content/scholarships/