Progressive groups, solon decry UST admin's photo takedown order
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 02/20/24; 9:35 a.m.) — Progressive groups and a lawmaker denounced the University of Santo Tomas (UST) administration for the recent removal of a photo posted by a campus media organization, citing a violation of the right to freedom of expression.
On February 16, UST's Office of Student Affairs (OSA) issued a directive to remove a photo posted by the campus media entity TomasinoWeb. The image depicted students in red uniforms in front of a specific convenience store.
In a statement by TomasinoWeb, it said that the university administration instructed the organization to take down the photo as it allegedly caused “public ridicule” to students and the university due to a supposed “association of the Type B uniform with convenience store employee’s uniform.”
READ: The official statement of TomasinoWeb regarding the Photograph of CICS students wearing their Type B uniform. pic.twitter.com/TjCxR0R7bx
— TomasinoWeb (@TomasinoWeb) February 16, 2024
TomasinoWeb explained that the photo was taken without ill-intent.
“TomasinoWeb never intended to cause any harm to anyone. While we believe being a convenience store worker is honest work, we acknowledge that the photograph still caused a stir online and for that, we sincerely apologize,” the campus media organization said in a statement on Friday.
Rep. Raoul Manuel (Kabataan Partylist) on Friday condemned the move of the UST administration.
I am reposting this photo that UST OSA made controversial, leading to censorship of student pub TomasinoWeb, resignation of its faculty adviser, and pause in its socmed ops. This is in solidarity with everyone in the UST community who stand vs campus repression.
— Raoul Manuel #Kabataan (@iamRaoulManuel) February 19, 2024
(c) @lianbuan pic.twitter.com/qgGIgHtIvu
“Sumusobra na itong OSA ng UST. From censorship to repression of student orgs and activities. Parang nasa dark ages itong mga nasa OSA,” Manuel said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
(The UST Office for Student Affairs [OSA] is going too far. From censorship to repression of student organizations and activities. It's like those in OSA are in the dark ages.)
“We're watching. And we stand with UST students in their long battle for democratic rights,” he added.
For her part, Anakbayan National Chairperson Jeann Miranda emphasized the importance of students standing together against censorship affecting student publications.
“Press freedom is being stepped on, this is not the time to be quiet. This is the time to stand together,” Miranda said in a post on X.
In a separate statement, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines National said that the OSA had “crossed the line” as their action “attacks freedom of expression for self-preservation and compromises campus press freedom for inappropriate resolution of student issues.”
“These spate of actions are not just forms of censorship, but rather an attack on the campus publication's integrity and an affront to discourse over campus matters. This also insults students' capacity to express disappointment and clamor answers for to lingering institutional concerns,” the CEGP said in a statement.
“Moreso, the publications has no obligation to apologize for its reportage and the public's interpretation of its subject,” it added.
On Monday, TomasinoWeb said that it halted its operations after its adviser’s resignation, citing rules from the OSA that an organization cannot operate without an adviser.
ADVISORY: In view of the resignation of our organization adviser, and following the protocol of the Office for Student Affairs, our publication on ALL social media platforms will be on hold until further notice. pic.twitter.com/XNDeDBUKPt
— TomasinoWeb (@TomasinoWeb) February 19, 2024
In an interview, TomasinoWeb's adviser Leo Laparan, a journalism professor at UST and a desk editor of The Philippine STAR, described the incident as an "insult" to him as a practicing journalist and a form of censorship.
He also noted that the OSA issued warnings to him, the organization president and the photographer responsible for the photo. They were cautioned about potential sanctions if the photo was not promptly removed.
“Over a light-hearted photo? Masasanctionan kami? Parang hindi naman ata tama ‘yon,” Laparan told reporters in an interview.
(Over a light-hearted photo? We'll be sanctioned? That doesn't seem right.)
“Natapakan 'yung pagka-journalist ko sa nangyari. That is a clear illustration of censorship, to mitigate the possible consequences na pwede kami masanctionan. Sad to say, 'yung reality napatiklop kami. Hindi ko matanggap ‘yon,” he added.
(My role as a journalist was trampled on by what happened. That is a clear illustration of censorship, to mitigate the possible consequences that we could be sanctioned. Sad to say, in reality, we had to back down. I can't accept that.)
This is not the first time UST received flak from its students and progressive groups due to issues concerning expression.
In 2021, UST Senior High School refused readmission to a student due to their affiliation with the group Anakbayan.
Campus Press Freedom Act
Laparan said that the administration's recurrent suppression of TomasinoWeb is also influenced by technicalities related to its status.
“I believe that a media organization should operate independently, devoid of external forces, otherwise, hindi mafufulfill ng media organization ang purpose niya, 'yung tungkulin niya makapag inform ng public ng tama,” Laparan said in an interview with reporters.
(I believe that a media organization should operate independently, free from external forces. Otherwise, the organization will not be able to fulfill its purpose, its duty to provide the public with accurate information.)
Campus Journalism Act of 1991 mandates the freedom of the press at a “campus level” which covers school publications.
However, according to TomasinoWeb president JC Zamora, the media entity is only considered a "student organization" and not a "student publication," which means they are not covered by the said law.
Operations halted
During an interview, Miguel Sumalinog, executive editor of TomasinoWeb, voiced concern over the potential impact of the organization's halted operations.
He said that missing coverage of the newly-started UAAP Volleyball and the upcoming university elections would be a significant setback.
“It’s a big blow to us. Masakit 'yung hindi mo magawa 'yung gusto naming gawin na minamahal namin,” Sumalinog said in an interview with reporters.
(It's a big blow to us. It hurts not being able to do what we love and what we are passionate about.)
He also noted that the local university election body established a partnership with TomasinoWeb for the upcoming university elections, a collaboration UST students deem as a "crucial" and "important" event for this academic year.
Sumalinog and other TomasinoWeb editors said that this is not the first time “content-policing” happened.
“This isn’t the first time na sinubukang gipitin ng admin ang TomasinoWeb. Over the years, the org was forced to take down numerous posts that the admin didn’t like,” former TomasinoWeb executive editor Justine Garcia said in a Facebook post.
(This isn't the first time that the administration has tried to suppress TomasinoWeb. Over the years, the organization has been forced to take down numerous posts that the administration didn't like.)
“We were sometimes even barred from covering for violating certain 'rules.' Ilang taon na ‘tong problema, at habang tumatagal, mas lumalala pa,” she added.
(We were sometimes even barred from covering for violating certain ‘rules.’ This problem has been going on for years, and as time goes by, it's getting worse.)
In comparison to other issues, Sumalinog said that this has been the "biggest" challenge the organization has faced.
“Itong issue na ‘to isa sa pinakamalaki in recent years. 'Yung level ng issue na ‘to ngayon lang siya nag-reach sa ganito kalaking issue,” Sumalinog said.
TomasinoWeb currently has 61,800 followers and 99,000 followers on Facebook. Aside from happenings and issues inside UST, they also report about events and issues on a national scale.
In an email to Philstar.com on Tuesday morning, the UST Public Affairs said that it is already working to resolve the issue.
"With regard to the concerns regarding the student organization TomasinoWeb, collaborative efforts are being undertaken to resolve the matter," it said.
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