UP-Visayas vows to remain bastion of academic freedom, critical discourse
The University of the Philippines-Visayas (UPV) has reiterated that universities and other higher learning institutions should be a venue where people can freely express and exchange ideas.

The UPV’s Office of the Chancellor made the statement on May 18 as the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education is expected to begin discussions on bills seeking to institutionalize the accord between UP and the Department of National Defense (DND) by including it into the UP Charter.
“e would like to take this opportunity to once again emphasize that universities and other institutions of higher learning should be sites for the free and vigorous exchange of ideas,” according to the statement posted on UPV’s Facebook page.
“For this reason, this administration will do all it can to ensure that UPV’s campuses and relevant virtual spaces remain bastions of academic freedom and critical discourse,” it added.
The Chancellor’s Office of the UPV said the terminated UP-DND Accord has protected the autonomy of the university and the democratic rights of its constituents.
It added that the agreement has been an “effective mechanism for ensuring that both the University and law enforcement agencies are able to perform their respective mandates.”
The 1989 UP-DND Accord, which bars state forces from entering the premises of UP campuses from conducting operations without permission from the university administration, has been terminated earlier this year.
The abrogation of the agreement came after concerns of alleged student recruitment by rebel groups inside UP campuses nationwide.
“We therefore continue to oppose its unilateral abrogation and declare our support for legislative proposals that seek to enshrine in the UP Charter the key provisions of the Accord,” the statement read.