UP Diliman chancellor hopes to revive discussions about installing CCTV cameras on its QC campus
Newly appointed University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II on Wednesday, July 5 expressed hope that the discussion of installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras on its Quezon City campus would be reopened following the sexual assault of one of its students over the weekend.
(Image courtesy of the University of the Philippines)
"We (UP heads) assess our situation regularly. But now, I think the right approach will be to focus on hotspots and to revive the discussions about the CCTVs in campus,” Vistan said in an interview on ANC. He said the plan is to address the security concern within the university after the sexual assault incident on July 1. Vistan also hopes to be "forgiven" by various sectors that oppose the use of CCTVs due to a "Big Brother mentality," in which they believe the government has complete control over people by monitoring what they do. Meanwhile, the UP chancellor said that security cameras are already installed in some buildings and that he hopes to resurrect the discussion about installing them at least in "hotspots" within the university. "There has been previous opposition on widening the scope of CCTV placing them on streets," he noted. Read: [https://mb.com.ph/1970/1/1/up-diliman-working-with-law-enforcers-on-campus-sexual-assault-incident](https://mb.com.ph/1970/1/1/up-diliman-working-with-law-enforcers-on-campus-sexual-assault-incident)
Vistan still wanted to make the campus an "open university" despite the sexual assault incident. He assured, however, that the UP administration remains “conscious of the security concerns” because of the incident. (Sonny Daanoy) Read: [https://mb.com.ph/2023/7/3/ched-releases-statement-on-sexual-assault-incident-inside-up-diliman-campus](https://mb.com.ph/2023/7/3/ched-releases-statement-on-sexual-assault-incident-inside-up-diliman-campus)
(Image courtesy of the University of the Philippines)
"We (UP heads) assess our situation regularly. But now, I think the right approach will be to focus on hotspots and to revive the discussions about the CCTVs in campus,” Vistan said in an interview on ANC. He said the plan is to address the security concern within the university after the sexual assault incident on July 1. Vistan also hopes to be "forgiven" by various sectors that oppose the use of CCTVs due to a "Big Brother mentality," in which they believe the government has complete control over people by monitoring what they do. Meanwhile, the UP chancellor said that security cameras are already installed in some buildings and that he hopes to resurrect the discussion about installing them at least in "hotspots" within the university. "There has been previous opposition on widening the scope of CCTV placing them on streets," he noted. Read: [https://mb.com.ph/1970/1/1/up-diliman-working-with-law-enforcers-on-campus-sexual-assault-incident](https://mb.com.ph/1970/1/1/up-diliman-working-with-law-enforcers-on-campus-sexual-assault-incident)
No curfew
"Although there are curfews imposed in the dormitories," Vistan said they are not considering imposing a curfew within the university because there are communities and “non-student populations living inside the campus.” He also pointed out that the curfew might affect the mobility of the non-student population. "Even if we think about curfew, it will be difficult to monitor. You're essentially also limiting the mobility, the movement of non-student population on campus," Vistan said.UP remains an ‘open university’
Vistan still wanted to make the campus an "open university" despite the sexual assault incident. He assured, however, that the UP administration remains “conscious of the security concerns” because of the incident. (Sonny Daanoy) Read: [https://mb.com.ph/2023/7/3/ched-releases-statement-on-sexual-assault-incident-inside-up-diliman-campus](https://mb.com.ph/2023/7/3/ched-releases-statement-on-sexual-assault-incident-inside-up-diliman-campus)