DRAWING ON STRAWS: PERCEPTION OF SELECTED COLLEGIATE

STUDENT LEADERS FROM VARIOUS UNIVERSITIES REGARDING THE

STRAW BILL

A Research Proposal
Presented to the Faculty of
Social and Behavioral Sciences
School of Arts, Sciences and Education
Southwestern University PHINMA

In partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the
Degree of Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

By:
Hermosisima, Jeremy Adrian S.
Advincula, Kerria Ilex B.
Cabrillos, Alfonso L.
Uy, Niel Robert R.

Mr. Karl L. Archuleta

Adviser
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Rationale of the Study----------------------------------------------1

Review of Related Literature---------------------------------------5

The Problem

Statement of the Problem-----------------------------------------11

Significance of the Study------------------------------------------12

Research Methodology

Research Design---------------------------------------------------13

Research Environment---------------------------------------------13

Research Respondents---------------------------------------------13

Research Instruments---------------------------------------------14

Research Procedures----------------------------------------------14

Gathering of Data--------------------------------------------------15

Treatment of Data-------------------------------------------------15

Definition of Terms----------------------------------------------------16

References--------------------------------------------------------------18
 CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

INTRODUCTION

Rationale of The Study

Rights are legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement.

Rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people

or owed to people, according to some legal system, social convention, or

ethical theory. Rights dominate modern understandings of what actions are

permissible and which institutions are just. Rights structure the form of

governments, the content of laws, and the shape of morality as it is currently

perceived. To accept a set of rights is to approve a distribution of freedom and

authority, and so to endorse a certain view of what may, must, and must not

be done. (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2015)

Under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article II, Section 13, it states,

“The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall

promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social

well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and

encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.” It is the State’s

responsibility that holistic development should be nurtured among the youth.

Besides the technical skills provided by the academe, an educational

institution should also be a venue that will contribute to shaping and building

character and a deep sense of nationalism.

In lieu of this, a student’s right to organize and join student’s

organizations should not only be protected but also be promoted by the State

as defined and guaranteed by the Constitution of the Philippines and by

international statutes protecting academic freedom.

To ensure that the State cater its obligations apropos of what the 1987

Constitution’s Article II, Section 13 states, there should be a national law that

would bestow rights and welfare that would delegate the highest level of

practice the students of the state would enjoy.

The STRAW bill proposes to broaden the focus of education institutions

towards a more holistic formation of students. By providing a national

framework for students' rights and welfare, this measure seeks to create a

conducive atmosphere to maximize their learning and growth. (Aquino, 2016)

However, students’ rights are not explicitly embedded in educational

institution’s regulations and academe rules and policies. School

administrations, to their discretion, democratic rights and academic freedoms

often subject to their interpretation and implementation for compliance and

formalities sake; an account that causes the lack of awareness on information

pertaining student’s rights as it continues to frustrate students’ ability to make

choices, participate in student governance, policy-making, exercise rights to

academic freedom and expression, and the like.

Senate Bill No. 693 of the Seventeenth Congress of the Republic of the

Philippines, an act providing for a National Framework for Student’s Rights

and Welfare, introduced by Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” A. Aquino IV (2016),

aims to equalize the chance of the students to admission in school and to avail

of competent and quality education. It seeks to provide measures to ensure

that students are able to exercise their rights to organize, right to participate

in policy-making, right to academic freedom, and right to free expression and

information. These rights are presently enjoyed by universities like the

University of the Philippines and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines

as they made a Magna Carta exclusively for their students. This has been

revised and filed by different authors like Senator Loren Legarda, Senator

Jinggoy Estrada, and Senator JV Ejercito. The STRAW Bill (Senate Bill No.

693), filed by Senator Aquino. This gives us the conviction that bills filed in

the congress are not immediately passed despite them being imperative and

vital for nation-building.

“It is in the nature of lawmaking to have a long and meticulous process,

given that the legislature is also the deliberative branch of the government as

much consulting is necessary within and outside Congress, but this, is not a
sign of inefficiency but is instead done for the common good.” (L. Revilla,

personal communication, August 19,2012)

The lack of a national policy to promote and protect the rights and

welfare of the students has paved the way for multiple repressive academe

policies that have continuously marginalized the students in the whole

education system and in the context of academic freedom. From deregulated

fee increases to media censorship to lack of an independent Student

Government and as far as to campus militarization, no comprehensive policy

currently exists that can guard the students from further exploitation.

Students, as the biggest stakeholder in the education sector, are entitled to

co-determine the processes, goals, and life in the campus. (Akbayan Youth,

2011)

These situations instigated the curiosities of the researchers. They would

like to find out how the students perceive the bill as to necessity and

relevance, which if passed, utilize such law to their advantage as individuals

of their chosen academic institution; provided that the bill is indispensable to

the welfare of students, which the state is subject to implement as an

embedded constitutional obligation. The researchers would also like to

comprehend the current status as to how the bill is understood by students in

universities within the city, once implemented. Curiosities in this matter have

challenged them to conduct this study on “Drawing on Straws” among selected

collegiate student leaders to determine how the bill is recognized and

understood.
Review of Related Literature

Education plays a vital role in shaping every nation, it provides young

citizens knowledge, skills and attitudes to be able to participate and contribute

meaningfully to the growth of society (Aquino, 2016).

As Yılmaz (1996) per see the concept of “right” it means ‘legally

protected benefit, justice; authority given to the individual; freedom of

behavior, authority of acquire and propounding ownership; the privilege

provided with law.

Also, Yilmaz (1996) and Ovacik (2003) conceptualize the word ‘freedom’

as the act of an individual without being under any pressure, without harm to

others, within the limits of the law.

Human rights are the rights that inherent to all human beings, whatever

our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, color,

religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our

human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated,

interdependent and indivisible. The right to receive education is a universal

entitlement to education, recognized in the International Covenant on

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as a human right (Kaboğlu, 1999 &

Tezcan, Erdem & Bayrakdar, 2002).

 The concept of ‘freedom of claiming right’ is generally inferred as

prerequisite, and procedural safeguards of the rights recognized by positive

law (Kaboğlu, 1999). Freedom is a right that individuals are born with and this

right is indispensable and inalienable.

As Leonard (1997: 91) briefly analyze universities as the supreme

organizational expression of rationality in our society as this is expressed in

the pursuit of knowledge and the education of the professional class.

The corporatist-managerialist model of university management (Morris

2005: 387) has largely replaced the traditional collegial model of collaborative

decision making which supported groups and individuals coming together

through a form of direct participatory democracy to make decisions in the

interests of the ‘greater good of all’ rather than the interests of the sum of

individuals. No one is naïve enough to believe that this is what actually

happened, at least not all of the time. Universities have always been

vulnerable to nepotism, favoritism and self-interest (Small 2013).

Relative to leadership, a potential is usually regarded as a possibility

and individual’s readiness for effective leadership behavior. A thesis by M.V.

Kirsanov (2003) presents leadership potential as a social and psychological

characteristic of a person, which reflects both a situation-conditioned and

independent of a situation individual’s ability to successfully implement

leadership.

Also, a thesis by I.V. Drygina (2004) presents leadership potential as a

qualitative characteristic of a person, reflecting an aggregate of his inner

needs, possibilities, values and resources promoting achievement of such a

level of integration of expertise, responsibility, activity and communicative

skill, which shall give a leading influence upon members of the group within

collective search of solutions to problems from different spheres of living.

Education space of a university gives students the opportunity to practice

pedagogical activity. It simulates different situations in order for students to

utilize social roles and patterns of demeanor, to get social and personal

experience in a field of organizational activities. This promotes development

of leadership potential. The path of how the holistic development is chosen,

along with the freedom of doing so, creates good environment of ethic

interaction and effective cooperation between the space’s subjects, which

provides pragmatic enhancement of a student’s future endeavors.

There is some indirect empirical evidence that participation in social

organizations can be helpful to international college students. Toyokawa and

Toyokawa (2002) found that international Japanese college students’

participation in extracurricular activities was positively associated with their

general life satisfaction. Other studies that used college samples have shown

that engagement in student organizations was related to positive outcomes.

Abrahamowicz (1988) showed that participation in student organizations was

associated with greater college satisfaction and more positive relationships

with faculty, administrators, and students. Tiamiyu, Warner, and Guthrie

(2005) demonstrated that college students’ involvement in religious

organizations was positively related to perceived religious support, which was

in turn positively related to perceived friend and family support.

As Dovidio and colleagues (2004) have provided a framework through

which diversity related activities, such as those that often occur as part of

student organization participation, reduce racial bias. They posit that

engagement with diversity activities operates through exposing students to

content-related knowledge and/or intergroup contact approaches. The

purpose of exposing students to content-related knowledge is to increase

understanding and empathy towards others or to one’s own role and

responsibilities in creating social change, whereas the purpose of intergroup

contact is to provide students with structured interactions between majority-

and minority-group members.

 American students, organization participation predicts increased cross-

cultural engagement, exposing the university to Black culture on campus,

leadership development, and advocacy for (and giving back to) their own

racial/ethnic communities and other oppressed people both on and off campus

(Harper and Quaye, 2007)

The size and consistency of these positive effects are also noteworthy.

In a meta-analysis of college diversity experiences and civic engagement,

Bowman (2011) found that the average effect sizes for co-curricular diversity

activities, diversity coursework, and intergroup dialogue were virtually

identical.

In response to the incident, the Canadian Association of University

Teachers’ Executive Director chastised Western, stating that its ‘action is an

unacceptable violation of freedom of expression, something that should be an

ultimate value in any university (CAUT, 2013).

Indeed, campuses should be places that not only allow, but encourage

and protect a diversity of voices and opinions, including those that challenge

the status quo. These are the cornerstones of our democratic process. But

more importantly, they are fundamental to our teaching and research mission.

It’s our role to provide a venue for people to express their views’ (Sher, 2010).
 THE PROBLEM

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to describe and draw out life concerns of a Student

regarding the STRAW Bill. Specifically, it answers the following questions:

1. What do you know about the STRAW Bill (Senate Bill No. 693, 17th

Congress)?

2. How do you perceive the STRAW Bill as to relevance and necessity?

3. How would you feel about the Bill being passed in the Congress and it

be implemented?
Significance of The Study

The significance of this study is to identify the outcomes associated

with the participation of activism. The results of this study will contribute to

the body of knowledge on the role of activism in the lives of Filipinos.

Additionally, these results will assist:

The Government and Government officials, for them to serve

better and understand these student’s perspectives. Understanding the

learning outcomes associated with the students can also help them

regarding policy and program implications.

The Society, this would help them to have a better understanding on

how to create opportunities for these students in order to voice their political

and social concerns.

The Youth, for them to gain awareness on the form of STRAW Bill

that this country has, for them to be socially aware and proactive. To let

themselves be involved in Public and Civil affairs for future preferences.

The Future Researcher, who would aspire to appreciate this concern

in a wider perspective, to have an existing study that could serve as a

foundation in seeking for a relative study associated with the Students’

Right.
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This study will utilize descriptive design employing qualitative approach,

using exposition, allowing the interviewer and the interviewee to discuss

concepts, ideas, and experiences that involves administrative, political and

social concern within the University; and so, expository qualitative is a type

of writing that is used to explained, describe, or to give information. The text

is organized around a topic with various number of methods addressing

analysis to come up with answers helpful for the study, developed according

to a pattern or combination of patterns. Themes were then extracted in the

analysis.

Research Environment

The research study will be conducted in the selected universities within

Cebu City area for key informants. The researcher will also go to library and

research from the internet for student researches for data in relation to

theory.

Research Respondents

The researcher will select the key informants through snowball

sampling. The key informants are current collegiate student leaders; above
18 years of age, and has attended seminars, symposia, and lectures related

to STRAW Bill.

Research Instruments

In conducting this qualitative study, the Researchers will utilize

Instruments such as Researcher made guide questions that would allow us to

conduct a semi-structured interview giving the interviewer and interviewee a

chance discuss further, for it does not limit the respondents to discuss and

raise issues related to the research topic. It uses open-ended questions to

encourage respondents to think, express, and provide information based in

their own words. With this, we can obtain meaningful information from the

respondent for it is transparent that allows them to answer questions that are

related to the study and to provide detailed accounts to their own experiences.

We will also utilize voice recorder and video recorder if permitted by the

respondents.

Research Procedure

The researchers will conduct an in-person interview in which

questionnaires are presented to the respondents by an interviewer.

Researchers will give a transmittal letter to the respondents prior to the actual

interview.
Data Gathering

The researchers will give the key informants a transmittal letter before

conducting interviews. The researchers will conduct interviews within the area

of Cebu City for key informants who involve themselves in campaigns and

those who are appointed or elected Collegiate Student Leaders in the Tertiary

Level from selected universities within the city’s vicinity. The researchers will

also go to libraries and will conduct research through utilizing resources

extracted from books and journals in relation to views and documentaries

analyzing the Students’ Rights and Welfare advocacy.

Treatment of Data

In collecting the data, researchers will interpret and analyze the use of

thematic analysis. Thematic Content Analysis is one of the most common

forms of analysis in qualitative research and is a method of identifying,

analyzing and reporting patterns within the data gathered.

 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Definitions below would elaborate some important terminologies on this

research study. Significance of this chapter would synchronize common

understanding among researchers of this study and the common public.

Advocacy - public support for or recommendation of a particular cause

or policy.

Education - the knowledge and development resulting from

an educational process

Freedom - the quality or state of being free with the absence of

necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action.

Respondent - a person who replies to something, especially one

supplying information for a survey or questionnaire or responding to an

advertisement.

Rights - are legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement;

that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of
people or owed to people, according to some legal system, social convention,

or ethical theory.

Society - the aggregate of people living together in a more or less

ordered community.

STRAW Bill - is a document which guarantees the political and civil

liberties of the Filipino students.

Student - is a learner, and someone who attends an educational institution.

References:

Definition of Rights. (2015, December 19). Retrieved February 2, 2017, from

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rights/

Students’ Rights and Welfare. (2011, August 14). Retrieved March 02, 2017,
from https://akbayanyouth.wordpress.com/campaigns-and-
and-activities/straw/

Aquino, B. (2016), An Act Providing National Framework for Student Rights

and Welfare, S. 693, 17th Congress.
Yılmaz, E. (1996). Hukuk Terimleri Sözlüğü (5th Ed). Ankara: Yetkin.
Ovacık, M. (2003). Türkçe-İngilizce Hukuk Sözlüğü (5th ed.). Ankara: Banka
ve Ticaret Hukuku Araştırma Enstitüsü Yayınları.
Kaboğlu, İ. Ö. (1999). Özgürlükler Hukuku: İnsan Haklarının Hukuksal Yapısı
(5th ed.). İstanbul: Afa.
Tezcan D., Erdem M. R. & Sancakdar O. (2002). Türkiye’nin İnsan Hakları
Sorunu. Ankara: Seçkin.
Leonard, P. 1997 Postmodern Welfare: Reconstructing an Emancipatory
Project, Sage Publications, London.
Morris, L. 2005 Performance Appraisals in Australian Universities: Imposing
a Managerialist Framework into Collegial Cultures,
http://airaanz.econ.usyd.edu. au/papers/Morris.pdf (accessed
25/06/14).
Small, S. 2013 ‘University of Queensland nepotism row - CMC tables report
to parliament recommends legislative action’, The World Today,
http://www.abc. net.au/news/2013-09-13/cmc-tables-report-over
uqnepotism-row/4956018 (accessed 25/06/14).
Kirsanov, M. V. (2003). Leadership Potential of Crisis Managers. PhD. Thesis,
Unpublished. Moscow: MV Lomonosov Moscow State University.
Drygina, I. V. (2004). Activation of Leadership Potential in a Student within
Education Process at the University: PhD Thesis. Krasnoyarsk: Siberian
State Technological University.
Toyokawa, T., & Toyokawa, N. (2002). Extracurricular activities and the
adjustment of Asian international students: A study of Japanese
students. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 26, 363
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Abrahamowicz, D. (1988). College involvement, perceptions, and satisfaction:
A study of membership in student organizations. Journal of College
Student Development, 29, 233–238
Tiamiyu, M. F., Warner, M. J., & Guthrie, M. L. (2005). College students’
involvement in religious organizations and sources of social support. IFE
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Hodson, G. (2004). From intervention to outcome: Processes in the
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male student leaders. Journal of College Student Development, 48,
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GUIDE QUESTIONS

1.What do you think of the STRAW Bill?

2. Should the STRAW Bill be passed? Why? Why not?

3. As a Student leader, what are the usual problems that you encounter?

4. What is the status of Students’ rights in your University?

5. How does the Students express his/her opinions and belief in your

University?

6. What is your perception about the Students’ Rights?

7. As a Student leader, how did you protect your co-students in time of

oppression?

8. As a Student, how can you influence your co-students in fighting these

Rights?

9. What do you think is the most important right of a Student?

10. Does the university give you freedom in joining organizations?