what the hell happened to the students' freedom of expression?

"I'm going to find out kung naa ko student niapil ato [candle lighting ceremony] kay patay cla nako, ako mismo mag hatag sa ila ug Application for Transfer."
-Sir Matulin


I am a soon-to-be member of STAND (Student Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy). In this organization, we’re fighting for the students’ rights, especially for the right to education. And, these days, STAND was doing something to stop the administration’s plan of increasing the tuition.

Last month, I can’t remember what’s the exact date, someone texted me that there will be a candle lighting ceremony to be held outside the gates of USC-TC. Some members of the League of Filipino Students a.k.a. LFS (an organization connected to STAND) were also there.

It was a peaceful really. But because the primary reason of the tuition fee increase (TFI, as some students label it), according to the administration, is to increase the compensation of teachers, some of them gave a negative reaction to rally. That includes Sir Matulin (I don’t know his full name but he’s Russell Fernandez’ teacher in Spanish).

He said that he would surely give an Application for Transfer to those students who joined the rally. Eh? Is he that obsessed to get an increase in his salary? We do have the right, as students, to complain whenever there’s an increase in tuition fees, right? What the hell happened to the students’ freedom of expression?

I am not against or pro TFI. I am against what Sir Matulin have said. He shouldn’t do that. Can he? Will he even do that?

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