As the selection of the 11th dean of the University of the Philippines College of Media and Communication (UP CMC) draws near, the Union of Journalists of the Philippines – UP (UJP-UP) resolutely stands with the Maskom Agenda to safeguard academic freedom, uphold democratic rights, provide quality and accessible student services, oppose the commercialization of education, forward a nationalist, scientific, and mass-oriented education, and defend press freedom.

We recognize the gravity of these demands, as these are the concrete struggles of our Alagad ng Midya and the Filipino people. In a time when threats and attacks against student publications remain rampant; the UP administration’s policies are geared toward toward superficial developments and tone-deaf projects; and the country is ran by dictators who blatantly deceive the masses — the deanship of UP CMC calls upon political exercise of leading the college by championing the truth of the Filipino masses.

The next dean of UP CMC must have the skills and character to perform beyond the clerical responsibilities of an administrator. She stands at the forefront of defending the rights of her constituency and the people to whom our scholarship is offered. Above all, she recognizes the importance of resolving issues at the grassroots level.

In the spirit of advocacy journalism, UJP-UP proudly expresses our support for the CMC deanship of journalism professor and press freedom advocate Dr. Ma. Diosa Labiste. The Union believes the vision of Dr. Labiste aligns with our principles and objectives to fight for a free and liberating media for the people.

For many years, Dr. Labiste has proven her commitment to the university tenets of excellence, honor, and service during her lengthy tenure in the UP Journalism Department, as well as in her academic excursions abroad.

During the mid-to-late 2010s, when the college administration deliberately attempted to silence its constituents through anti-student policies, the Union witnessed how Dr. Labiste supported student-led initiatives in forwarding campaigns against repression.

Her unyielding activist vigor inspires both aspiring and practicing media practitioners in resisting state-sponsored attacks on the press and marginalized sectors. Her pro-people, pro-press freedom, and pro-community stance is exemplified in her clear and comprehensive plans that address the needs of the CMC community and even media practitioners across the country.

The deanship of the college cannot be taken for granted. It is a position that will dictate how the institution will steer the media communication scholarship to navigate and offer social criticism on the worsening climate of oppression, impunity, and violence in the Philippines in the next three years. Maskom deserves a dean who embodies and actualizes the “midyang malaya at mapagpalaya” spirit.

The Union publicly expressed our support for Dr. Labiste’s nomination back in 2019, and we shall do so again as her vision and leadership align with the urgent needs of the community, both then and now. We call on the UP Board of Regents to select a leader who embodies these principles and has the trust of the CMC community to advance them without fear or compromise.

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Access Dr. Labiste’s CV and plans of action here: bit.ly/CMCDean2025Labiste

Access Maskom Agenda 2025 here: tinyurl.com/MaskomAgenda2025

Attend the public forum on Tuesday, March 11, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the UP CMC Auditorium. See more details here: bit.ly/CMCDean2025PublicForum