NUSP at 50

The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) is the oldest and biggest alliance of student councils in the country. Founded in 1957 by the then president of the FEU Student Government, Former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, NUSP has become the veritable training ground for the country's religious, political, business, and media leaders, academicians, lawyers, activists.... It banners such luminaries as Senators Raul Roco, John Osmeña, Rene Saguisag, Joey Lina, and Francis Pangilinan; solons Carlos Padilla Jr., and Lorenzo Tañada III; secretaries Ricardo Puno Jr., Renato Puno, Hernani Braganza, and Michael Defensor; CB Governors Jose Cuisia and Gabriel Singson; Julio Macaranas Jr., Miguel Sanidad, Ma. Theresa Endencia, Hermila Milaflor, Fernando Lagua, Raul Paredes, Pedro Guidote, Salvador Britanico, Evergisto Macatulad, Augusto Quimpo, Oscar Contreras, Vicente Valdellon Jr., Macapanton Abbas Jr., Ramon Sto. Domingo, Mervyn Encanto; Sonia Malasarte-Roco, Sonia Ronda, Violy Calvo, Annabelle Abaya, Loida and Mely Nicolas, Tina Monzon-Palma; Brigido Simon, Fr. Sonny Ramirez, Joe-San Bisquera, Raul and Jose Concepcion; Willie Nepomuceno, Portia Ilagan; Edgar Jopson, Lean Alejandro, Chito Gascon, Manny de Guzman, David Celdran, Dennis Cunanan, Lia Andanar, Sahlee Cariño, Ma. Judea 'Maki' Pulido.... The long list goes on.

I myself had the privilege of tasting the NUSP experience. Coming from the PUP Central Student Council in 1991, I was asked by Gina Salao, Nilo Tamoria and Hilda Felipe to join Dennis Cunanan's Board as Spokesperson. It would be my first national sectoral work so I settled as one of its five Directors. The NUSP Constitution revised at the 1991 Students' Congress at Hiyas ng Bulacan did not define the specific functions of the Directors. Of the five, only I and Tess Abar of UE-Kalookan were left, along with Ariel Tanangonan (EVP), Sahlee Cariño (SecGen), Gay de Guzman(VP-Intl), and staff Vida Alop (St. Scho), Arvin Dadulo (San Beda), Andrew Ociones (UP), and other nameless volunteers. Sahlee replaced Dennis in the Baguio Congress of 1992, and we were joined by Andre Ballesteros (UP-Dil), Essel Peñones and Carlos Garcia (UST), Cherry Thelmo (DLSU), Paul Banal (MLQU), Sandy Tuzon (PUP). The other elected officers just vanished without a clue.

Financial constraints posed a great threat to our organizational work and existence. From Singson Building in Binondo, the national office moved to the Student Regent Office in UP-Diliman, to the CEAP Building in Intramuros, to the CEGP office on Pepin Street in Sampaloc. Some of NUSP's treasured documents and memorabilia were either damaged or lost along our seemingly nomadic existence. However, the brand of militancy in which the NUSP has chosen to tred has become more vibrant and defined long after I left NUSP (physically) in 1994.

I could have graduated from college the year following my election to the NUSP. However, back then I thought the lessons learned in the student movement were more affective and effective. After a long hiatus, I retreated to the University of Saint Anthony in Bicol. But I never really departed from my involvement. Exasperated of the unwittingly repressive atmosphere in the university, I edited the school paper, headed the CEGP in Camarines Sur, mounted cultural presentations thru Kaboronyogan, helped resuscitate NUSP in the province. To this day, most schools in the region either do not have established student councils or have student councils that are formed only for and during accreditations.

NUSP formally turned Fifty last December 2007. The Grand Alumni Homecoming was initially set for December 1st. But as big events come in big preparations, NUSP at 50 happens in August 2008. It would be an extraordinary experience to meet everyone in this marvelous occasion. For once, it would be great to forget about political or ideological differences and just make a toast to Dear NUSP.

Long live NUSP!