Home > APSC 1998

Philippines: a new approach to student and youth campaigns

Green Left Weekly - May 6, 1998

Gerry Arances, a student at the Technical University of the Philippines, is a member of the Filipino socialist youth organisation Kamalayan, and attended the Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference as a representative of his organisation. He spoke to SEAN HEALY.

Kamalayan, formed in 1994, represents something new in the Filipino student movement, which has always been one of the most radical and militant in the Asia Pacific region. Students were a central part of the opposition to the Marcos dictatorship. The mass student upsurge which began with the "First Quarter Storm" in 1970, and fear that it would spark a national insurrection, were the main reasons Marcos declared martial law in 1972.

The upsurge flowed into a growth of organisations such as the League of Filipino Students and the National Union of Students of the Philippines, led by the Maoist Communist Party of the Philippines.

But while these organisations grew to be major forces in student politics, they were never socialist. They described themselves as "national democrats", and their strategy for students was to support the armed struggle in the mountains.

Kamalayan is different. "Kamalayan's aim is to propagate socialism to the students, as well as to lead student struggles", Arances said. "After we formed, we knew what we wanted to do, but we had to grapple with how we presented that to students.

"We also changed our conception of tactics. Rather than the focus on the armed struggle, we saw the need for a variety of tactics and especially for mass mobilisations.

"We work on a lot of campaigns - issues which directly affect students (such as tertiary fee increases) - but we also bring campaigns from outside on to campus, including the national election campaign for Sanlakas, the federation of mass democratic organisations."

Kamalayan has 16 chapters on universities and colleges in Manila, and has branched out to other parts of the Philippines, including Mindanao. Kamalayan also controls a number of student councils, including at one of the largest universities, UP Diliman.

Kamalayan's success in student council elections shows the benefits of the new approach. "We argue that student councils should be the voice of the students and their democratic interests and not just put on concerts. We run explicitly political campaigns - that's why we win."

One example of Kamalayan's work is the campaign in favour of the Magna Carta of Students, a bill before congress which would expand students' democratic rights.

Many universities impose sharp restrictions on free speech and political activity. Arances' university, for example, has by-laws which seek to prevent political activity. The magna carta would legalise political activity, enforce the establishment of student councils and ensure student representation on governing boards.

When the Magna Carta of Students was opposed by the private school owners, Kamalayan organised actions to support the bill, including spot occupations, sit-ins and mass rallies. While opponents were able to delay the bill, the movement has forced Ramos to regard the Magna Carta of Students as a "priority".

This year, Kamalayan plans also to organise campaigns against tertiary fee increases, which ranged from 35% to 100% and provoked widespread student anger.

In the upcoming national elections, Kamalayan is also campaigning hard for the three candidates from Sanlakas. Election campaign activities include work on campuses, doorknocking neighbourhoods and working the crowds at shopping malls and on buses.

But Arances sees a major role for Kamalayan beyond organising student struggles. "We think Kamalayan can play a big role in building a revolutionary party in the Philippines. We can educate our members in socialist ideas and the need for such a party. But we can also link student struggles with workers' struggles and help raise consciousness in the broader community about the need for socialism."