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The National Union of Students of the Philippines is an alliance of student councils in the Philippines established in 1957. Advocating for democratic rights of students, it boasts about 600 member councils and is part of
International Union of Students The International Union of Students (IUS) was a worldwide nonpartisan association of university student organizations. The IUS was the umbrella organization for 155 such students' organizations across 112 countries and territories representing a ...
(IUS) and the Asia Pacific Youth and Students Association (ASA). It is also a member and a founding organization of
Kabataan Partylist Kabataan, also known as the Kabataan Partylist (KPL, ) and formerly known as Ang Nagkakaisang Kabataan Para sa Sambayanan (ANAK ng BAYAN, ), is a partylist in the Philippines affiliated with the leftist political coalition Makabayan. It is cur ...
.


History


Early years

The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) was established in 1957, seceding from Student Council's Association of the Philippines. The group seceded partly because leaders of the former group promised votes for politicians, which affected and silenced students' opinions. Artemio Panganiban became one of the co-founders of NUSP and served as its president from 1958 to 1959.


Marcos dictatorship

The union has been very active as part of the student movement in the Philippines.
Edgar Jopson Edgardo Gil Mirasol Jopson, more popularly known as Edgar Jopson or Edjop (September 1, 1948 – September 21, 1982), was a labor rights activist and active member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) during the reign of former Preside ...
was elected NUSP president during the 13th annual conference in 1969. After the conference, they led a major mobilization rally in front of the Congress, while then-president
Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
was delivering his State of the Nation Address (SONA). During the joint mobilization of moderates and radicals, about 5 p.m., students threw a coffin, a stuffed alligator, and stones at Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos as they left the Congress Building. They also burned an effigy of Marcos. Under Jopson's two-term tenure, the union participated in socio-political issues, especially as part of the
First Quarter Storm The First Quarter Storm ( fil, Sigwa ng Unang Sangkapat), often shortened into the acronym FQS, was a period of civil unrest in the Philippines which took place during the "first quarter of the year 1970". It included a series of demonstrations, ...
and the Second Propaganda Movement. They were concerned with Marcos's Constitutional Convention from 1971 to 1973. NUSP was a moderate group during this time, challenging Marcos not to have another term beyond the two-term limit that was set by the 1935 Philippine Constitution,Talitha Espiritu Passionate Revolutions: The Media and the Rise and Fall of the Marcos Regime Athens, OH: Ohio University Press, 2017. as compared to
Kabataang Makabayan Kabataang Makabayan ("Patriotic Youth"), also known by the acronym KM, is an underground communist youth organization in the Philippines which was active from 1964 to 1975. It was banned by the Philippine government in 1972 when then-Presiden ...
, a more radical youth group that pursued systemic structural changes.


Post-EDSA

NUSP was also part of the Second People Power Uprising. During the early administration of President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...
, a youth initiative called Youth Movement for Justice and Meaningful Change, composed of Anakbayan,
League of Filipino Students The League of Filipino Students ( fil, Kapisanan ng mga Pilipinong Mag-Aaral}, abbreviated as LFS) is a student-led national democratic mass organization and movement organized during the martial law era in the Philippines on September 11, 1977. ...
, Student Christian Movement of the Philippines, College Editors' Guild of the Philippines, and NUSP met at the office of Anakbayan in Padre Noval, Sampaloc,
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
, to discuss plans to advance the interests of the Filipino youth. Talks were made due to the disillusionment brought by the new administration. Eventually, these talks culminated in the formation of Anak ng Bayan Youth Party (Kabataan Partylist) on June 19, 2001, coinciding with the birthday of
José Rizal José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (, ; June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) was a Filipino nationalist, writer and polymath active at the end of the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. He is considered the national he ...
. Amid the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among students in the Philippines, the union has been advocating for safe resumption of face-to-face classes, for they said that online distance learning has been detrimental to the welfare of the students. The current president of NUSP is Jandeil Roperos, who was also the third nominee of Kabataan Partylist for the 2022 national elections. Kabataan Partylist's first nominee was Raoul Manuel, a former president of the NUSP.


Notable alumni

* Artemio Panganiban *
Edgar Jopson Edgardo Gil Mirasol Jopson, more popularly known as Edgar Jopson or Edjop (September 1, 1948 – September 21, 1982), was a labor rights activist and active member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) during the reign of former Preside ...
* John Osmeña *
Raul Roco Raul Sagarbarria Roco (October 26, 1941 – August 5, 2005) was a political figure in the Philippines. He was the standard-bearer of ''Aksyon Demokratiko'', which he founded in 1997 as a vehicle for his presidential bids in 1998 and 2004. He was a ...
* Rene Saguisag * Sonia Malasarte * Ricardo Puno Jr. * Ronaldo Puno * Salvador Britanico * Violy Calvo * Loida Nicolas * Nely Nicolas * Macapanton Abbas * Carlos Padilla * Miriam Defensor * Tina Monzon * Jose Lina *
Francis Pangilinan Francis Pancratius "Kiko" Nepomuceno Pangilinan (; born August 24, 1963) is a Filipino lawyer, politician, and farm owner who served as a Senator from 2001 to 2013 and from 2016 to 2022. He was the Senate Majority Leader from 2004 to 2008. A ...
* Lean Alejandro *
Chito Gascon Jose Luis Martin Cosgayon Gascon (; 26 May 1964 – 9 October 2021), also known as Chito Gascon (), was a Filipino lawyer, civil organizer, and human-rights activist. In 2015, he was appointed by then President Benigno S. Aquino III as the Chai ...
* Lorenzo Tañada III * Hernani Braganza *
Mike Defensor Michael Tan Defensor (, born June 30, 1969) is a Filipino politician who most recently served as the Party-list Representative for Anakalusugan from 2019 to 2022. He is also the CEO of Pax Libera Mining, Inc. Defensor began his political car ...
* Sarah Elago *
Raoul Manuel Raoul Danniel Abellar Manuel (born August 30, 1994) is a Filipino youth activist and politician who is the representative for Kabataan Party-list. He is currently the National President of Kabataan Partylist, previously serving as the presid ...


References

{{Reflist Activism in the Philippines Student organizations in the Philippines Youth organizations based in the Philippines Students' unions in the Philippines