The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) is a nation-wide alliance of student councils/governments/unions committed to the advancement of the students’ democratic rights and welfare. Since its establishment in 1957, the NUSP has been consistently at the forefront of the students’ struggle for their rights and welfare and in solidarity with the Filipino people’s struggle for genuine
freedom and democracy. As such, the NUSP has earned the recognition of being the legitimate student center here and abroad. The National Union is a patriotic, democratic, progressive alliance of student leaders that upholds and defends the rights and welfare of the Filipino students. It seeks to unite all students in the country through their mandated representative student councils, governments and unions in the struggle for the fundamental right to education and lead them in their struggle for a nationalist, scientific and mass oriented system of education, to fight for an education for genuine national development and free from any imperialist control. The NUSP links arms with the other oppressed sectors of our society by actively participating in the people’s efforts to attain genuine freedom and democracy. It strives to learn and serve the basic sectors in society through its Edgar Jopson (EdJop) Education and Training Center for Students by providing venues for immersion and exposure to the basic sectors. History and Struggle of the NUSP
The 1st NUS Conference held on Dec26-31, 1957 at Pines Hotel, Baguio City
NUSP was first established in 1957 as a breakaway group from the Student Council Association of the Philippines (SCAP). SCAP is a student council alliance formed under strict supervision of the government that served as a mouthpiece in propagating its programs and policies for the youth and the students. NUSP was formed due to the clamor of the student councils to actively participate in student issues and be independent of and free from any interests aside from that of the students. Since then, the NUSP was plunged into series of campaigns, local and national in scope, that helped shape the National Union into the progressive alliance we have today. Under the fascist rule of the Marcos regime, the National Union was banned along with other anti-Marcos organizations. But this did not weaken the resolve of the democratic and progressive mass movement to contend against the dictatorship. Even under the fangs of Martial rule in the late 70’s up to the early 80’s, the dictatorship was forced to give in to some of the demands due to the widespread, vigorous and determined struggle of the students and the people. Student councils, publications and other institutions were re-established, thanks to the determined and unwavering strength of the student masses with the vital support of the various sectors. Systematic censorship and repression of student councils, organization and publications however continued.
4th National Student Conference with the theme Student Problems in the Philippine Democracy
As a result, student councils and organization revived the NUSP in 1984. The NUSP’s revival came in the midst of the advancement and development of the struggle of the Filipino people against the US-backed Marcos dictatorship. The NUSP became an active participant in the people’s struggle against the US-Marcos dictatorship even at the onset of its reestablishment. Since 1984, the National Union was successfully re-established in various cities, provinces and regions. This was unprecedented in the entire history of the NUSP since its founding in 1957. There have been many attempts from the government and school administrations to establish alliances and organizations in the hope of weakening the NUSP as an organization but to no avail. They have even tried direct and indirect forms of suppressing the Union but they have clearly lost. At present, the Union has 650 member student councils/ governments all over the country supported by provincial and municipal formations. The Union continues to advance the democratic rights of the students through various means from being resource speaker in Congressional and Senate Hearings, launching voters’ education and anti-fraud campaigns during elections to organizing protest rallies in the streets. From establishing the student alliance in 1957, the NUSP has gone through decades of glorious and unparalled experiences that has fostered it into a patriotic and democratic alliance of students. It has gained the recognition of being the legitimate student center that upholds not only the interests of the students but also of the entire Filipino people. It is continuously reaping the support, respect and recognition of the student councils for its continued struggle for student rights and welfare.
- See more at: http://nusp.org/about-nusp/ .DPyB9WWb.dpuf
