A DAY before Congress tackles bills seeking to amend the University of the Philippines charter, student groups called for the immediate reinstatement and institutionalization of the university’s accord with the Department of National Defense that barred the entry of soldiers and policemen in UP campuses.

UP Student Regent Renee Louise Co urged members of the academic community to stand together to ensure that schools are “secured spaces.”

“Pinapanawagan natin ng buong sangka-estudyantehan, faculty, buong academic community. Let’s stand together para ma-ensure na ang spaces natin ay secure, magamit natin ito para pagsilbihan ang sambayanan,” Co said.

Today, May 17, the Committee on Higher and Technical Education will discuss various bills seeking to amend the UP Charter to include guidelines on military and police operations inside campuses.

In January, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana terminated the DND-UP accord citing the recruitment activities of the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People’s Army inside UP campuses as the reason.

Several groups denounced the abrogation of the agreement. They pointed out that the DND’s characterization of UP as a ‘haven for terrorists’ “ignores a much larger aspect of UP that has consistently strived for peace, justice, and development in our society.”

The groups said that military institutions and school officials should keep in mind that UP is an ‘intellectual meritocracy’.

They stressed that upholding the accord will boost academic freedom.

“Without academic freedom UP would be unable to fulfill its mission and will be incapable of upholding values of academic excellence and honor,” the groups said.