UP ALYANSA

UP Alyansa ng mga Mag-aaral para sa Panlipunang Katwiran at Kaunlaran (ALYANSA)[1], a dynamic leadership and service formation, enjoins UP students in its partnership for progressive change. ALYANSA traces its roots from the numerous efforts of its member organizations in pushing for concrete, innovative, and realistic activities, campaigns, and services for progressive change that are representative of the rights and welfare of UP students in particular and the Filipino people in general.

Since 2000, to further the cause of progressive change in the University of the Philippines and Philippine society, ALYANSA joins numerous student alliances, councils, and organizations in various campaigns and movements such as the Progressive UP Charter campaign; Better Budget for UP, Higher Budget for Education campaign; Socialized Tuition campaign; Relevant General Education Program campaign; Relevant National Service Training Program campaign; UP Pahinungod campaign; Democratize the Student Regent Selection Process campaign; Progressive Magna Carta of Students and Students’ Rights and Welfare Bill campaign; Electoral Reform and Voters’ Education campaign; Anti-Corruption and Anti-Trapo movement; and Solidarity for Peace movement. Consistent with ALYANSA’s persistent campaign against campus and fraternity-related violence, the formation co-organized with the UP Law Student Government (LSG) and other student formations the Student-Led Anti-Hazing WAtch (SAWA). The formation is also part of the Pahinungod para sa Sumilao, a university-wide campaign in solidarity with the Sumilao farmers of Bukidnon. ALYANSA also spearheads numerous projects and programs that are geared toward academic excellence, leadership and service orientation, and social commitment and responsibility such as the formation’s comprehensive and sustainable Leadership and Service Training Program (LSTP) and Volunteer Service Program (VSP).

Recognizing the continuing relevance of the University Student Council (USC) and College Student Councils (CSC) as venues for progressive change, ALYANSA also participates in the annual USC and CSC elections. ALYANSA has produced two University Student Council (USC) Chairpersons; three USC Vice Chairpersons; and thirty-three USC Councilors. The formation has also produced numerous USC College Representatives and College Student Council Officers.

Principles

• Progressive Multi-Perspective Activism

We make it a point to be open to all ideas for progressive change, be those views contrary to ours. PROGRESSIVE, we aim to be the locus of insight, foresight and relevance as we follow a contextual and progressive “political lane” in our advocacy for the rights and welfare of the marginalized, oppressed and powerless. MULTI-PERSPECTIVE, we recognize and respect different progressive perspectives or points of views through which social issues can be understood. ACTIVISM, we offer a different form of activism – one that is reflective of the diversity of the university and society; one that is responsive to our interests and needs; one that is concrete, innovative and realistic. We call for change and move to action, but we do not promise; we encourage student participation but we do not oblige; we offer principles, but we do not impose prehistoric dogmas and ideologies.

• Academic Excellence

We believe that academic excellence should be reflective of our leadership and service orientation and social commitment and responsibility. ALYANSA believes that academic excellence is only attainable through accessible, quality and relevant education and the intellectual competence of the students. Moreover, academic excellence should be reflective of the leadership and service orientation and social commitment and responsibility of the university to the nation.

• Student Empowerment

We regard the primacy of democratic consultation and popular participation. ALYANSA advocates for genuine student participation and representation as the basic foundation in addressing student rights and welfare. Thus, institutions that seek to promote the rights and welfare of the students must regard the primacy of democratic consultation and popular participation.

• Social Justice and Social Progress

We affirm UP’s role to carry on our people’s struggle against injustices as a prerequisite for social progress. ALYANSA views social justice as a paramount consideration and a prerequisite for social progress. Geographic, cultural, economic, political and social development can only be achieved through the promotion and the protection of democratic rights and welfare. As iskolars ng bayan or scholars by virtue of our nation’s sweat and blood, we are duty-bound to continue our university’s legacy as the advocate of the rights and welfare of the marginalized, oppressed and powerless. We are tasked to be iskolars para sa bayan. We believe that it is the quest of each and every UP student to learn for and from the people; and struggle for and with the people for social justice and social progress.

ALYANSA sa USC

ALYANSA members in the USC for Academic Year 2009-2010 are the following:

• USC Councilor Mario Cerilles (BA Psychology, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy)
• USC Councilor Luis Geronimo (JD, College of Law)
• USC Councilor Missy Gonzales (JD, College of Law / BA Political Science, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy)
• USC Councilor Katz Manzano (JD, College of Law / BA Economic, School of Economics)
• CBA Representative Bam Santos (BS Business Administration, College of Business Administration)
• Eng'g Representative Aubrey Eslita (BS Materials Engineering, College of Engineering)
• Music Representative Kris Dionisio (Diploma in Creative and Performing Music Arts, Major in Music Education, College of Music)
• CSSP Representative Tin Borja (BA Political Science, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy)
• Econ Representative Justin Muyot (BS Business Economics, School of Economics)

This year, ALYANSA members in the USC were elected to head the following committees:

• Secretariat (USC Councilor Missy Gonzales)
• Finance Committee (USC Councilor Katz Manzano)
• Ways and Means Committee (USC Councilor Mario Cerilles)
• Committee on Policy Reforms, Constitutional Amendments, and Revision of Codes and Rules (USC Councilor Luis Geronimo)
• Sports, Fitness, and Health Committee (CBA Representative Bam Santos)
• Academic Concerns Committee (CSSP Representative Tin Borja)

Executive Committee

This AY 2009-2010, ALYANSA is led by the following:

• Chairperson Viktor Fontanilla (Juris Doctor, College of Law / BA Political Science, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy)
• Vice Chairperson for Membership Toff Lamug (Juris Doctor, College of Law / BA Sociology, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy)
• Vice Chairperson for Students’ Rights and Welfare Bevs Lumbera (BS Economics, School of Economics
• Vice Chairperson for Education, Research, and Training Simoun Salinas (Juris Doctor, College of Law)
• Vice Chairperson for Publicity and Publications Lloyd Fontilla (BS Architecture, College of Architecture)
• Vice Chairperson for Finance and Logistics Mimi Lucas (BS Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering)
• Secretary General Benjo Delarmente (MA Economics, School of Economics)

ALYANSA's Faculty Adviser is Prof. Jely Galang of the Department of History, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy.

Member Organizations

• ALYANSA Circle of Individuals (2000)
• AKBAYAN! Youth UP Diliman (1998)
• Alliance for Responsive Involvement and Student Empowerment - ARISE ENG’G (1996)
• BLUEPRINT ARKI (2007)
• BUKLOD CSSP (1992)
  • Buklod CSSP Sirkulo ng mga Kasaping Indibidwal (1992)
  • UP Bukluran sa Sikolohiyang Pilipino - UP BUKLOD-ISIP (1981)
  • UP Kalipunan para sa Agham Panlipunan at Pilosopiyang Pilipino - UP KAPPP (2000)
  • UP Lipunang Pangkasaysayan - UP LIKAS (1971/1973/1988)
• Forging Leadership and Excellence in CHK - FLEx CHK (2007)
• Strength in AIT - StrAIT (2003)
• UP Economics Towards Consciousness - UP ETC (1979)
• UP Library and Information Science Students’ Association - UP LISSA (1962)
• UP Sirkulo ng mga Kabataang Artista - UP SIKAT (2003)
• UP Tau Rho Xi Fraternity (1962)

ALYANSA Online

You may visit http://upalyansa.multiply.com/ to know more about ALYANSA.