UC shows support for USJR through pins

UNIVERSITY of Cebu (UC) students wore button pins and stickers yesterday to show they support a school that has a student involved in a video scandal.

This, as the Provincial Board requested the Department of Education (DepEd) Cebu Province and the Commission on Education (Ched) 7 to issue guidelines on the proper use of the Internet to all students and pupils.

The PB also requested the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate and file appropriate charges against the culprits who uploaded the sex video involving a 24-year-old student of the University of San Jose-Recolletos (USJR).

The PB approved the two resolutions authored by PB Members Jose Ribomapil Holganza Jr. and Arleigh Sitoy during yesterday’s session.

Holganza pointed out that under the principle of “Parens Patriae” the DepEd and Ched should come up guidelines for proper use of the Internet so students will be guided in using this information and communication technology.

He cited Republic Act 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, and RA 9995, or the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009, which protect the “interests and rights of individuals against intrusion into their privacy as well as other forms of exploitation, misuse or abuse.”

Sitoy, in his resolution, said the spread of a sex video scandal may pose risks to students.

“They might not be allowed to graduate because of university standard against morality,” Sitoy said.

The PB hopes the NBI would go after the people who uploaded the sex video on the Internet.

The sex video shows the USJ-R student having with his boyfriend, now her ex, while wearing her uniform.

The girl during a press conference said her ex-boyfriend’s cell phone got lost. She said the video was taken two years ago.

UC student affairs office director Joseph Subong told Sun.Star Cebu that 2,000 pieces of “UC #Respects USJR” button pins and 3,000 stickers that say “I #Respect USJR” were printed for the students.

The pins were worn by UC students yesterday, the same day USJ-R students were required to wear their uniforms again.

The move was a way for students, faculty and staff to show their support for the embattled University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) students.

Subong said the move was in response to the message of Chancellor Candice Gotianuy dated feb. 7, 2013.

The message called on UC students to “respect the uniform of USJ-R. No bullying, no heckling, no snide remarks online or on the streets.”

“A uniform is a way of saying who you are. Right now, the UCnian is called upon to give his peers their dignity. I urge you not to make a person feel small when you have the power to give him his dignity. That is priceless,” said Gotianuy in the statement.

In an interview, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma also supported the decision of USJ-R officials to allow the student involved in the video to graduate.

Palma said the decision showed the officials’ compassion and understanding.

“Nobody will endorse the wrong action done. They (officials) would know the situation better. I support what they have done,” said Palma.

Subong said the bullying of USJ-R students may have been too much that it forced the school administration two weeks ago to direct their students to stop wearing their uniforms.

“I was told that when a USJ-R student rides a jeepney, the other passengers would clap their hands,” he said.

“We should show respect, ayaw apil og bugal-bugal,” he said.

There is a help desk set up in the Elizabeth Mall that would accommodate complaints of students, said Subong.

In separate interviews, UC Education students Cristal Getaruelas and Jackie Lou Aberca
think that their school’s action was appropriate and that they will abide by the anti-bullying project.

“We are against bullying,” said Aberca.

UC Criminology students Mary-Ann Lastimosa and Liezel Lacataria said they can take photos of those who bully USJ-R students and use these as evidence of bullying incidents.

“Bullying, whether online or real time, should not be tolerated. The UC community has committed itself to help USJ-R by condemning all acts of bullying towards the school and its students,” said UC Law student Christian Borg dela Serna.

Vianney Cadungog II, a UC working student, said he is supporting his school’s anti-bullying campaign because his friend, a USJ-R student, experienced being bullied.

He said his female friends would hold back tears when bullied inside jeepneys.

Connie Leanto, a USJ-R Bachelor of Science Business Administration student, welcomes the support from the UC students.

She was also glad that her school supported their schoolmate who was involved in the video scandal.

“We were told that she has changed in a lot of ways in the two years since the video was taken and we are glad she was allowed to graduate after she complies with all the requirements,” she said.