08/02/2025
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The Ateneo de Naga University - Liderato kan Nueva Atenista with the Camarines Sur Polytechnic College-Supreme Student Council, the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines, student governments, publications and other youth organizations in Bicol stands in defense of campus press freedom and the right to conduct and publish election-related surveys.
๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐-๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ (๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐). The Declaration of Policy under Section 2 of the said law guarantees the upholding and protection of the freedom of the press at the campus level. Moreover, Section 4 further states that the editorial policies are within the discretion of the editorial board and publication staff. ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ฑ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐.
The recent events at CSPC, where preference poll results were taken down following pressure from both political and administrative entities, raise serious concerns about the state of campus press freedom in our region. Such actions potentially violate not only RA 7079 but also the constitutional guarantees of press freedom enshrined in Article III, Section 4 of our Constitution.
We emphasize the following points:
1. Student publications have the legal right to conduct and publish surveys as part of their journalistic functions, provided these are done with proper methodology.
2. The intimidation or coercion of student journalists, whether direct or indirect, is contrary to both the letter and spirit of the Campus Journalism Act.
3. Academic institutions have a responsibility to protect, not suppress, independent campus journalism, as it plays a vital role in fostering critical thinking and civic engagement among students.
๐๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ข๐๐จ๐ฅ. We remind all stakeholders that statistical validity is not determined by total population size alone, but by proper sampling methodology โ which The SPARK appears to have followed.
We call on:
โข The CSPC administration to reaffirm its commitment to protecting campus press freedom.
โข Local political figures to respect the independence of student publications.
โข Congress to expedite the passage of House Bill No. 1155 or the Campus Press Freedom Bill, which would strengthen protections for campus journalists
โข Fellow student governments and organizations to stand united in defending campus journalism.
โข The Commission on Higher Education to issue guidelines protecting student publications from political interference.
We remain committed to defending the rights of student journalists to report on matters of public interest without fear or favor. The ability to conduct and publish election-related surveys is not just a journalistic right but a vital contribution to democratic discourse within our academic communities.
Together, we call all student governments, publications, and youth organizations to stand with us.
โข Student Council Alliance of the Philippines
โข Naguenyou
โข Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges, Supreme Student Council
โข Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges, College of Engineering and Architecture - College Student Council
โข Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges, College of Computer Studies - College Student Council
โข Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges, College of Health Sciences - College Student Council
โข Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges- College of Technological and Developmental Education - College Student Council
โข Buklod Atenista
โข ThePillars Publication
โข UNC Student Government
โข USI Central Student Government
โข The Heritage
โข Kurit Bulawan
โข ARTV Network
โข ADNU Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers
โข Kaya Natin! Youth-Sipocot
โข Ateneo Society of Entrepreneurs
โข Ateneo College of Science, Engineering and Architecture- Student Council
โข Akbayan Youth Sorsogon
โข Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants- ADNU
โข Ateneo Philosophical Society
โข ADNU Biology Majors
โข Bicol University Jesse M. Robredo Institute of Governance and Development - College Student Council
โข Ateneo Animal Management & Nurturing Network
โข Rotract Club of Ateneo de Naga University
โข Remontados Debate Society
โข ADNU Economics Society
โข ADNU Electronics Engineering Society
โข BU CSSP College Student Council
โข Ateneo Nursing Students Association
โข Ateneo College of Humanities and Social Sciences
โข Ateneo Banking and Finance Association
โข Legal Management Institute of Ateneo de Naga Students
โข Samahang Tagapagtaguyod ng Edukasyong Pilipino