Students denounce red-tagging in ‘security awareness’ seminar

The incident at DHVSU reflects a wider, long-standing pattern of repression against progressive youth organizations.

By Shan Kenshin Ecaldre
Bulatlat.com

CABUYAO, Laguna — A National Service Training Program (NSTP) seminar on “security awareness” at Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU) drew strong criticism from students. They said that the activity was not about safety as it was more about silencing the youth.

Students reported that the September 6 seminar featured audio-visual materials claiming that progressive groups like Kabataan Partylist, Gabriela, Anakbayan, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), and the League of Filipino Students (LFS) were engaged in subversion and terrorism. Speakers also discouraged youth participation in social issues, urging them to “focus on their studies” instead.

For many attendees, this was an attempt to suppress dissent.

“In my view, based on the discussion I heard on security awareness, it’s clear that this is not about student safety, but rather a way to silence us, especially on the issues we face in education,” said Mark Espinosa a first year student, Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in an interview with Bulatlat.

Some students admitted they were afraid of the red-tagging, but others openly challenged the speakers during the open forum.  “Because of the red-tagging that labels progressive organizations as so-called terrorists, some became afraid to join. But there were still those who stood up during the Q&A,” Espinosa said.

Campus pub

In a statement, The Industrialist, DHVSU’s student publication, confirmed that it received “multiple reports and complaints” from students who attended the September 6 seminar at the Dr. Ernesto T. Nicdao Sports Center.

According to these accounts, the seminar carried the message that students should refrain from participating in social issues. One speaker was even quoted by The Industrialist as saying, “You’re just students. Flood control projects are not your concern. Prioritize your studies over such issues,” 

Such remarks, the publication said, dismiss the role of students in nation-building and weaken the foundations of democracy.  “Security awareness and social consciousness are not opposing values—they must go hand in hand to produce citizens who are both vigilant and engaged,” The Industrialist said.

Fighting back

The backlash, Anakbayan DHVSU denounced the red-tagging during the NSTP orientation, calling it another round of “black propaganda” to condition students into silence.

“Many students voluntarily expressed their opposition once the microphone was opened for opinions,” Anakbayan DHVSU said in a statement. “We, the youth of DHVSU/Pampanga State University, will never allow ourselves to be silenced or subdued by such rotten tactics. Voicing the concerns of students is not terrorism,” Anakbayan DHVSU wrote. 

The group demanded that the University Student Council stand its ground against what they described as “shameless acts” of the administration.

Continuous red-tagging

The incident at DHVSU reflects a wider, long-standing pattern of repression against progressive youth organizations.

During Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s Martial Law, campus organizations were among the first targets of surveillance, raids, and arrests. Student leaders who opposed tuition hikes and human rights abuses were detained, tortured, or disappeared.

In 2019, the Armed Forces of the Philippines publicly accused several universities, including the University of the Philippines and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, of being “breeding grounds” for communist recruitment. The claim was widely condemned as baseless and a direct assault on academic freedom.

Under the Duterte administration, red-tagging intensified through the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). Progressive youth groups like Anakbayan, Gabriela Youth, and Kabataan Partylist were vilified while campus journalists were harassed and surveilled. Even under the Marcos Jr. administration, students in Southern Tagalog and Bicol continue to be publicly accused of involvement with the armed struggle.

Refusing to be silenced

Students vowed to stand firm against repression, stressing that the youth play a crucial role in shaping the country’s future.  “The youth have an important role in shaping the future of our society. We have the right to be informed and to take part in what’s happening in our country,” Espinosa said, 

He stressed that as Iskolars ng Bayan, students must take the lead in raising awareness and unity. (RTS, DAA)

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