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KASAMA SA UP
Katipunan ng mga Sangguniang Mag-aaral sa UP
c/o Office of the Student Regent, Vinzons Hall Basement, UP Diliman 981-8500 loc. 4511 or 4512, kasamasaupnec1011@gmail.com October 12, 2011

Dear fellow student leaders, Warm nationalist greetings! The Katipunan ng mga Sangguniang Mag-aaral sa UP (KASAMA sa UP) will turn thirty years old this October. We would like to share this momentous occasion with all student councils, across the UP system, as we distill decades of experience in struggle. KASAMA sa UP was born precisely as the university flourished in different parts of the Philippines. When the UP Charter was amended by PD No. 58 and regional UP units were created, the central UP Student Council based in UP Diliman ceased to represent all the constituents. Seeing the need to consolidate the ranks of all students in the UP System, the UP Diliman University Student Council initiated a national convention of all university and college student councils in UP on October 17-22, 1981. During the convention, KASAMA sa UP, a national alliance of student councils, was loosely organized to spearhead the system-wide campaign to reinstate a student regent in the BOR. Student leaders emphasized the need for students to be directly involved in policy formulation in our University since the largest stakeholders of the University are the students. It pushed for the reestablishment of the Office of the Student Regent, and of student councils and publications in every academic unit in the UP System. More so, KASAMA sa UP espoused the post-Martial ethos of critical thinking and social awareness. It strongly exhorted student formations to not simply follow and represent, but to lead and defend the students. Further, it challenged the studentry to unite with other sectors of the citizenry for the advancement of a just, democratic and independent Philippine society. KASAMA sa UP maintains that all student councils, in order for them to be genuine, must be responsive to the true needs of the studentry and the people; and to this end, should be representative, autonomous and democratic. When KASAMA sa UP was formally launched on November 14, 1982, it also carried issues concerning students and other concerns which are local and national in scope. Until today, it serves as the campaign and coordination network of student councils in the UP System especially on issues concerning students and other concerns which are local and national in scope. It closely coordinates with the Office of the Student Regent.

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We would be delighted to share more of KASAMA sa UP, its colorful history and its activities, such as the annual Students Congress. Please tell us whenever it would be convenient to drop by your student council office, or to meet at a designated place. The Student Regent, members and officers of KASAMA sa UP will make time to meet your desired arrangement. Please expect a follow-up message from the National Executive Council officers, whose numbers appear below.

In the service of the students,

ANGELI LOUISE T. CANDO National Chairperson, KASAMA sa UP 09064706039

CONTACT PERSONS Jamie Fiel Madrilejos (Los Banos) Executive Vice Chairperson, KASAMA sa UP 09164384773 Cleve Kevin Robert Arguelles (Manila) Vice Chairperson for Luzon, KASAMA sa UP 09067323693 Liezyl Anne Gomez (Visayas) Vice Chairperson for Visayas, KASAMA sa UP 09064773585 Krista Iris Melgarejo (Mindanao) Vice Chairperson for Mindanao, KASAMA sa UP 09266453953 Fortunato Galang Jr. (Baguio) Secretary General, KASAMA sa UP 09267540406 Montana Amir Dominguez (Diliman) Deputy Secretary General, KASAMA sa UP 09278217009