OUR STANDS
Alyansang Tapat sa Lasallista takes pride in proactiveness in all national affairs and taking a stand when we have to. We not only fight for the students of DLSU, but for the people of the entire nation. We believe that the youth have strong voices and it needs to be heard by our nation so that true social change may start to happen.
Today, the civic liberties that our predecessors fought so valiantly for are being undermined by an increasingly authoritarian dictatorship, as activists and progressives are being hounded, incarcerated, or assassinated, similar to the efforts of revolutionaries centuries before. The current regime is threatening free speech and press. Worse, those suspected of being ‘terrorist rebels' risk being targeted by state troops for investigation, arrest, or summary murder; and to this day, the current administration continues to foment a wave of attacks that emboldens a culture of violence.
Tapat strongly advocates for proactive efforts to safeguard the country's territorial integrity and national sovereignty through a clear and assertive foreign policy by the current administration in response to China's continuing invasions into our national land. Even in the midst of this deepening pandemic, we must not use COVID-19 vaccines as a weapon in our fight to reclaim our rightful territory, and Tapat cannot emphasize enough the significance of a stronger national will to safeguard our sovereignty.
Tapat opposes the spike of attacks on the Asian population, and as global COVID-19 cases across borders stop to dissipate, hate crimes have been on the rise, spurred by racism and xenophobia that shifts the blame for the ongoing health problem to Asians. With that in mind, the organization calls for an end to the sustained discriminatory attacks, as well as for relevant forces and agencies to conduct thorough investigations in order to prosecute the suspect for the crime that proved fatal for the victims and hold future violators accountable for their transgressions at all times.
Alyansang Tapat sa Lasallista joins other sectors of our society in commemorating the 35th EDSA People Power Anniversary, which marked the end of Ferdinand Marcos' two-decade-long dictatorship and the restoration of constitutional democracy in the Philippines. During nearly a decade under Martial Law, Filipinos lived in constant fear as the administration created a "climate of terror" riddled with violence, corruption, and impunity through anti-people policies that purposefully ignored the Filipino people's civil liberties and basic human rights.
In a time where Filipinos are left to fend for themselves, helplessness is branded as inspiring resilience. Tapat encourages everyone to donate what they can and support relief initiatives for areas affected by the recent typhoons. Aside from our continuous collective efforts, we must also strongly demand accountability towards our government’s criminal negligence in answering the urgent needs of the people. Our resilience as a nation should be a virtue used towards progressive nation-building, not as an excuse for the current administration’s incompetence.
The organization calls for the upholding of the 1989 UP-DND accord in the defense of academic freedom and democratic spaces against further encroachment by an increasingly totalitarian state, and we also call for the Lasallian community to be in solidarity with students of state universities and colleges towards defending academic freedom and upholding students rights and welfare.
Alyansang Tapat sa Lasallista is one with the Filipino people in demanding accountability and justice for the cold-blooded murder of Sonya and Frank Gregorio, and we call for an urgent review of police track records, integrity, and discipline before being cleared for active service and firearm use, and require officers to surrender their firearms when off-duty. We hold the Chief PNP, DILG Secretary, and the Chief Executive accountable for their actions and statements which only defended and precipitated this worsening atmosphere of violence. Tapat calls for ending the state impunity that enables the PNP to commit violent extrajudicial killings and human rights violations.
Tapat strongly condemns the abrupt apprehension and unwarranted capture of 19 Lumad students and arrest of 7 people, including a teacher, in the University of San Carlos, Talamban, Cebu. A clear manifestation of the distorted narrative that these armed men purportedly implicate, citing the protection and upholding of both the rights and welfare of these national minorities when educational institutions should be zones of peace, free from any intimidation, harassment, and violence.
Towards an inclusive society, Tapat is ready to further spread awareness among the Lasallian community by hosting educational conversations and encouraging members of the LGBTQ+ community to speak about their experiences in order to commit to creating a just and free society. Furthermore, if the ADB remains stalled in the legislature, Tapat is prepared to launch its own petition or join those launched by other youth organizations.
Alyansang Tapat sa Lasallista condemns the increase in several devious occurrences that have harmed the Philippines' overall state of democracy. As progressive citizens of our society, we must be persistent in defending people who are being targeted by forces that exploit legal loopholes and constitutional gymnastics to achieve their self-serving goals. Hence, we must seek to reverse its evils and prevent another piece of tyrannical legislation from slipping past through.
