Raul Socrates Banzuela, national coordinator of the Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka, wondered aloud as he, along with several Ateneans and members of civic groups, gathered near Gate 2.5 to protest on issues plaguing the government. Banzuela was referring to the recent appointment of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile as Senate President.
On December 2, the Busina network held a noise barrage titled “Busina laban sa Cha-cha, busina para sa demokrasya.”
The event followed a prayer vigil and candle-lighting inside the University, where primers on several current issues—the Reproductive Health Bill, Charter Change (Cha-cha), the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, and the 2010 elections—were made available to students.
The Sanggunian, coordinating with various groups inside and outside the University, organized the events.
Shouting for change
“I think such an avenue…[are] good initial steps towards raising awareness, and increasing vigilance among us,” said Ruby Rosselle Tugade (III AB-MA PoS), who joined the noise barrage.
Hansley Juliano (II AB PoS) finds the idea of the noise barrage as “very decisive.” “Very decisive naman ‘yung mga tao na magsabi na ang regimen na ito ay illegitimate, na nararapat-dapat patalsikin (People are very decisive in the sense that they say this regimen is illegitimate and deserves to be ousted),” said Juliano.
“They [the students] are shouting here, [and] they are showing their awareness, especially showing what it means to be an Atenean,” he added.
Participant Cherryl Si (III AB DS) said that though a noise barrage is often overlooked by government officials, it is still important to make the students’ stands known.
“Hopefully through this, other people would try to know more about the issue and be involved with what is happening to our country,” said Si.
Cha-cha should not be done now, especially with the President’s high chances of retaining her position, added Si.
“I am against what the administration is doing in the sense that it is using the very democratic institutions of this country to protect its own interest,” said Tugade.
Prayer vigil
Ateneo Student Catholic Action President Kevin Paul Ferraris (IV BS HSc), one of the prayer vigil’s organizers, said that its primary goal was social awareness, but added that the goal does not stop there.
“From that social awareness, the students might be moved in order to have a reflection on what is really happening in the country…Hopefully in the not so distant future certain mobilizations and participations can happen from this effort,” Ferraris added.
Participant Kirstin Leigh Lopez (III AB IS) said awareness was something that the Ateneo community, especially the students, need.
“Kung napansin mo medyo konti lang kahit na nasa Zen garden, ‘yung mga tao dumadaan lang sa harap natin… sana ma-motivate natin sila para sumali, makialam at makibahagi sa ganitong klase ng laban (If you noticed, few people joined even though it was in the Zen garden, people just pass in front of us…I hope we can motivate them to join, care, and share on this kind of fight),” Lopez said.
Ivygail Ong (IV AB DS) said the prayer vigil could have been better. “It would have been better if promotions… [had] started even before, if it would have been disseminated earlier. Maganda ‘yung event (The event was good) but it could have been bigger,” she said.
