27/02/2026
HANDS OFF MSU MAIN SSG!
The Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP) expresses its firm solidarity with our member organization, the Mindanao State University Main - Supreme Student Government (MSU Main SSG), following the harassment and intimidation that arose after their EDSA 40 commemoration posting.
The posting marked the 40th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution and situated that historical moment within present political realities. That act, in itself, falls squarely within the mandate of an elected student government. Commemorating a defining democratic event and engaging in political reflection are legitimate functions of student representation, particularly within a university setting where critical inquiry is expected.
The scale and nature of the backlash are deeply concerning. Coordinated attacks, red-tagging, internal pressure, and an atmosphere that discourages open political discussion go beyond ordinary disagreement. Democratic discourse allows critique and counter-argument; it does not justify harassment or intimidation aimed at silencing elected student leaders.
EDSA 40 is not merely ceremonial. It invites reflection on how democratic institutions function today, how power is exercised, and how accountability is maintained. When a student government references contemporary political actors or alliances in the context of that reflection, it is engaging in political analysis, not partisan campaigning. To demand that such analysis be stripped of present-day relevance reduces commemoration to symbolism without substance.
Calls for enforced โneutralityโ misunderstand the role of student councils. Student governments are elected to represent the political and civic consciousness of their constituents. Neutrality cannot be imposed as a condition for legitimacy, especially when national developments directly affect students and public institutions.
SCAP calls on the MSU administration to ensure the safety and protection of its student leaders and to uphold academic freedom and campus autonomy without qualification. Universities must remain spaces where historical memory and political analysis can be expressed responsibly without fear.
As a member organization of this alliance, MSU Main SSG does not stand alone. We affirm that they are in the right side of history, affirm their right to commemorate, to analyze, and to lead without intimidation.
Hands off MSU Main SSG.
๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ ๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐!
The Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP) expresses its firm solidarity with our member organization, the Mindanao State University Main - Supreme Student Government (MSU Main SSG), following the harassment and intimidation that arose after their EDSA 40 commemoration posting.
The posting marked the 40th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution and situated that historical moment within present political realities. That act, in itself, falls squarely within the mandate of an elected student government. Commemorating a defining democratic event and engaging in political reflection are legitimate functions of student representation, particularly within a university setting where critical inquiry is expected.
The scale and nature of the backlash are deeply concerning. Coordinated attacks, red-tagging, internal pressure, and an atmosphere that discourages open political discussion go beyond ordinary disagreement. Democratic discourse allows critique and counter-argument; it does not justify harassment or intimidation aimed at silencing elected student leaders.
EDSA 40 is not merely ceremonial. It invites reflection on how democratic institutions function today, how power is exercised, and how accountability is maintained. When a student government references contemporary political actors or alliances in the context of that reflection, it is engaging in political analysis, not partisan campaigning. To demand that such analysis be stripped of present-day relevance reduces commemoration to symbolism without substance.
Calls for enforced โneutralityโ misunderstand the role of student councils. Student governments are elected to represent the political and civic consciousness of their constituents. Neutrality cannot be imposed as a condition for legitimacy, especially when national developments directly affect students and public institutions.
SCAP calls on the MSU administration to ensure the safety and protection of its student leaders and to uphold academic freedom and campus autonomy without qualification. Universities must remain spaces where historical memory and political analysis can be expressed responsibly without fear.
As a member organization of this alliance, MSU Main SSG does not stand alone. We affirm that they are in the right side of history, affirm their right to commemorate, to analyze, and to lead without intimidation.
Hands off MSU Main SSG!
Stand with MSU Main SSG!
