I attended the 28th National Congress of KASAMA sa UP (Katipunan ng mga Sangguniang Mag-aaral sa UP) last October 27 to 27 at UP Mindanao in Mintal, Davao City. I was there primarily as Deputy Secretary General, partly as member of the UP Diliman University Student Council.

KASAMA sa UP is the broadest alliance of student councils in the University of the Philippines System, with almost thirty member student councils from all the UP units and campuses in the country, from Baguio to Mindanao.

KASAMA sa UP congresses always serve as venues for all the student councils to link arms and consolidate the various campaigns for students’ democratic rights and stands on various national issues. It’s a great opportunity to reinforce the idea the campus problems we face in Diliman are similar to problems faced by students in UP Miag-ao in Iloilo or in UP Cebu College and are thus best addressed collectively. And of course, KASAMA sa UP functions are always a really great way to acquaint with fellow student councils from all over the country.

This year, we are at crucial juncture. With a new UP Charter that requires a Student Regent selection process that is ratified by the entire UP System student population through a referendum, we are at the risk of losing the sole student representation in the Board of Regents (BOR), the highest policy-making body in the University, if we don’t get our act together. With almost 50,000 UP students throughout the country, the task ahead of us is gargantuan. Gayunpaman, walang puwang para isiping mabibigo ang referendum. The next few months is going to be hectic.