What's in a name change? Mapuans seek investigation

Posted 00:17am (Mla time) Mar 04, 2005
By Tina Santos
Inquirer News Service



Editor's Note: Published on page A1 of the March 4, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

ALARMED over the impending change in name of Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT) to Malayan Colleges, the National Alliance of Mapua Alumni (Nama) is seeking a formal congressional probe on the real motive for dropping the name of an 80-year-old educational institution with a solid reputation for its architecture and engineering programs.

Montalban Mayor Pedro "Ping" S. Cuerpo, Nama spokesperson, also called on all concerned to unite and fight for the retention of the name of their alma mater.

Cuerpo said Nama strongly believed the Yuchengco Group of Companies, which bought the school from the Mapua family in 1999, may want to change the Mapua name to escape tax liabilities.

One of the country's premier conglomerates, the Yuchengco group also owns nonlife Malayan Insurance, Grepalife, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. and business interests in automotives, travel, tourism, construction, engineering and technology.

"We believe that the Lower House as well as the Senate should initiate a probe against Malayan Colleges not only to help us in our cause to preserve the name of a reputable Philippine educational institution but to save the country from losing billions of tax revenues," Cuerpo said.

As of yesterday afternoon, black remained the campus color as the students calling themselves United Mapuans continued to come to school in black shirts.

The protesters said that changing their school's name would be tantamount to disregarding the legacy of the school's founder, Tomas Mapua.

4 students suspended

The fight, which began on Feb. 14, turned ugly yesterday after four students were suspended for allegedly violating school rules and regulations in their protest against the change of name.

The students were suspended despite earlier pronouncements by Mapua president Reynaldo Vea that nobody would be penalized for the mass action because the school respected freedom of expression and also wanted to know the students' sentiments.

In his two-page letter issued on Wednesday, Antonio L. Mateo Jr., vice president for student affairs and prefect for students, cited specific grounds for the suspension of the four students.

Mateo said the four students are barred from entering the institute's premises in accordance with Section 77 of the Manual of Regulations for Private Schools as issued through DepEd Order No. 92.

Citing the investigation conducted by the committee on decorum, Mateo stressed that the four directly participated in various activities which disrupted the normal operations of the school.

'Shallow'

However, one of those suspended claimed that the grounds cited by the school for the suspension "were shallow and baseless."

Mateo particularly pointed to the incidents that happened on Feb. 26 and 28 where the four students were allegedly at the forefront of the group that had gathered in front of the entrance gate of Mapua's campus in Intramuros, Manila, forming a human chain, thus preventing students from attending their classes.

The four also encouraged and participated in a noise barrage in front of the school along with vehicles that were honking their horns and sounding their alarms, Mateo said, adding that the offending students also gave out flyers, pamphlets and other written statements espousing their cause.

'Threatening'

Mateo added that the four were likewise apprehended on the campus with a copy of an official memo from his office, which they reportedly had removed from the posting area.

"Your acts directly contributed in creating a threatening and coercive atmosphere," Mateo said in his letter.

The suspended students were given 72 hours to submit their formal written explanations on why they should not be charged for the offenses.

They were also ordered to appear before the committee on decorum and investigation on Tuesday.

No consultation

Meynard Austria, a member of the core group fighting for the retention of the school's name, lamented that school officials did not consult them about the change of name.

"Our point is simple. The term Mapuans is important to us. Our parents enrolled us here to graduate as Mapuans, not as Malayans," Austria said.

He clarified that he and his fellow protesters were not against the administration and were in fact appreciative of the various technological advancements that the school had implemented.

"We do not even complain every time they increase our tuition fees. All we want is just for them to retain Mapua's name as is," Austria said.

The Inquirer tried to reach Vea for comment but a member of his staff said he was in a meeting.

University status

But in an earlier interview, Vea said the name change was a step toward the school's expansion to a university. He said the school had started offering courses other than engineering and architecture since 2000 after the takeover by the Yuchengco group. The offering of additional courses was one of the requirements for attaining university status.

Mapua's new courses are nursing, psychology, biotechnology and business administration.

Mapua at present offers 28 courses and six graduate programs.

"If the school continued to be called Mapua, we feel there might be a certain dilution also because the Mapua name is closely associated with technology, engineering," Vea told the Inquirer.

Vea also said the board had yet to set the date for the official change of the school's name.

He told students that the name Mapua could still be used for the College of Engineering and Architecture of the Malayan University since a university could name its colleges.

Vea added the name change was never meant to relegate Mapua to the background.

"Our intention is in fact to make it better known and that is why we are going for university status," he said.

Taipans buying up schools

Cuerpo explained that schools and universities paid very minimal tax to the government compared to other businesses and this could be the real reason top corporations like YGC and other Filipino "taipans" were re-focusing their business thrust to campuses.

Cuerpo said the pattern was in place. "Business tycoons had already invested in educational institutions. The Lucio Tan group bought the University of the East in the '90s, Henry Sy perhaps owns the majority stake at the Asia Pacific College, and so on. YGC now has Mapua at its mercy."

Legacy

Cuerpo also called on all Filipinos to fight for the preservation of educational institutions -- Mapua included.

He said, "Educational institutions must not be for sale. Legacies are not made overnight."