CLEVE KEVIN ROBERT VILLANUEVA ARGUELLES Bachelor of Arts in Political Science | University of the Philippines Manila 3472-C S. Delos Santos St. Rizal Ave. Ext. Obrero, Manila clevekevinrobertarguelles@gmail.com | +639277334302 EDUCATION The University of the Philippines Manila Bachelor of Arts in Political Science 2008-Present Consistent College Scholar & University Scholar (Second Semester AY 08-09; First Semester AY 09-10; Second Semester AY 09-10; First Semester AY 10-11; Second Semester AY 10-11; First Semester AY 11-12) Scholar, Office of Senator Antonio Trillanes III & the Diwa ng Magdalo Foundation, AY 11-12 Scholar, Office of Senator Loren Legarda, AY 11-12 Scholar, Office of Manila City Mayor Alfredo Lim, AY 11-12 The Manila Science High School Secondary Education (Special Science Curriculum) 2004-2008 Third Meritorious Awardee, 2008 National Finalist, Intel International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF), 2008 3rd Place, Ateneo de Manila University Philippine Association of Chemistry Student’s PACSiklaban: Science Research Fair, 2008 3rd Place, FEATTI University’s FEATTI’s Science and Technology Expo & Research Fair, 2008 Finalist, University of the Philippines Diliman College of Science Research Fair, 2008 Finalist, Sibol Science Research Fair, 2008 Special Education School – Obrero Elementary School Primary Education (Accelerated Program/Grade III to Grade IV) Salutatorian, Special Education School, 2004 Salutatorian, Obrero Elementary School, 2004 Consistent Top 10 placer and Honor student First Honorable Mention, Journalism Class, 2004 LEADERSHIP (College) AY 2011-2012 National Chairperson Katipunan ng Sangguniang Magaaral sa UP; Dec ‘11-Present Sole Student Member UPM Chancellor Search Committee; July-Nov ‘11 Vice Chairperson UP Manila University Student Council; Mar ‘11-‘12 Vice Chairperson for Luzon KASAMA sa UP; Mar-Dec ‘11 Convener UP Manila League of College Student Councils; Mar ‘11-‘12 Chairperson UPM USC Committee on Organizations, Fraternities and Sororities; Apr ‘11-‘12 Co-Convener #Impeachment Monitor; Jan ‘12Present Convener KILOS NA! UP Manila; Jun ‘11Present AY 2010-2011 Vice Chairperson UPM College of Arts and Sciences Student Council (CASSC); Mar ‘10‘11 Chairperson UPM CASSC Committee on Organizations and Community Welfare (OCW); Mar ‘10-‘11 Executive Council Secretary UPM CASSC; Jul ‘10-Mar ‘11 Public Information Officer UPM LCSC; Jun ‘10-‘11 Founder and Convener UPM College of Arts and Sciences Council of Student Organizations (CSO); Jun ‘10-‘11 Student Representative UPM CAS Library Committee; Mar ‘10-‘11 Founder, Convener and Honorary President UPM CASSC Oblation Corps; Jun ‘10-‘11 Board Member Sentro ng Wikang Filipino (Kilusang Kabataang Kaagapay); Jun ‘10Present Convener CAS Tambayan Council; Mar ‘10‘11 AY 2009-2010 Co-Chairperson UPM Freshman Block Coordination Program (FBCP); Jun ‘09-‘10 Vice President & Spokesperson Anakbayan UP Manila; June ‘09-‘10 WORK EXPERIENCE Student Assistant Department of Social Sciences, CAS, UP Manila; Mar-Jun ‘09 Casual I City Personnel’s Office, Manila City Hall; Mar-Jun ‘10 Research Assistant Research & Extension for Development Office, CSWCD, UP DIliman; Mar-Jun ‘11 English Tutor Rarejob Philippines Inc., Quezon City; Jun-Aug ‘11 Freelance Writer/Researcher/Web Developer Odesk, California, USA; Aug ‘11Present REFERENCE Dr. Josefina Tayag Former Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, UP Manila jgtayag@yahoo.com Dr. Judy Taguiwalo Former Faculty Regent, UP Diliman jmtaguiwalo@gmail.com Atty. James Mark Terry Ridon Former Student Regent, UP Manila teridon18@gmail.com CARRY ON AND INTENSIFY THE FIGHT! General Program of Action/Vision Cleve Arguelles, SR Nominee Our generation has witnessed how this society has continued to degenerate- perpetuating existing unequal social relations and intensifying marginalization of the majority of our people. Day after day, this society continues to hear and write stories of suffering and oppression. In the countryside, our generation is witnessing how backward our agricultural sector is because of the strengthened monopoly of lands in the hands of the landlords. Instead of food and other domestic needs for self-sufficiency, landlords dictate us to produce raw materials for profit-rich exports, only to be sold to us at a ridiculously higher price. Just outside our homes and within our circles, we are witnessing how the present set-up encourages more business process outsourcing (BPOs) and similar industries, instead of creating key national industries capable of providing sustained jobs and pushing development in our dying economy. The rising number of unemployed and underemployed people in our country shall be trained for call centers if we are to follow the ‘strategic’ plan of the present government. In the cities and other labor centers, we continuously witness how contractualization has become a legal practice; how we quickly trade rights and welfare of workers in exchange of foreign investments; and how wages have become a joke, turning our workers into slaves. We cannot accept why the government has always been the protector of this modern slave system. This is the same government that massacred its people after refusing to let go of their livelihood and homes, the same government that made sure oil companies are earning more than triple their profit, and that the poverty and hunger rates are just numbers that can be easily manipulated to save face. We share with the majority of the people our deep longing for genuine change. Not isolated from the worsening conditions of our country, our generation has witnessed the decay of the education sector: losing its accessibility, relevance, and responsiveness. We have seen how governments in the past and in the present have fully abandoned its duty to safeguard and ensure the people’s right to education, and how it has successfully transformed our schools into mere training factories for cheap, semiskilled workers who are meant to satisfy the need of foreign markets instead of a place to develop and foster professionals capable of pushing this nation to growth and development. We witnessed how policies intensified the commercialization of education, turning it into a mere commodity in a market available only to those who can afford it. More often than not, we do not realize we fully submit ourselves to be willing victims of this system. And yes, within our gates, our generation of iskolars ng bayan has witnessed the retrogression of our beloved university- weakened democratic access, eroded public character, and a compromised nature of public service. We are victims of the continuing increase of the cost of education in UP, the compromised campus security, and threats, harassments, and other violations to our fellow students. Cuts in the government subsidy have been a perennial problem of the university, worsening its already pitiful state. The lack of subsidy from the national government and its continuous decrease has transformed our university into an income-generating machine, giving way to a private resort in UP Visayas, a private hospital within a public hospital in UP Manila, for-profit cable cars in UP Los Banos, a research center-turned call centers district in UP Diliman, and cellular sites in UP Cebu. These are all compromising our public nature and different functions especially academic. The nature of our university as a publicly accessible institution of learning has become a fallacy, being one of the most expensive universities in the Visayas and Mindanao, and having a third of our entrance exam qualifiers refused to enter because of the high cost. And yes, we can always cite the long list of applicants for loans and STFAP. Add to this the fact that the moment we call the attention of the government, we receive militarization (UP Mindanao), harassments, forced disappearances, and extrajudicial killing as a response. Our generation no longer feels safe; be it economic, physical or political inside and outside the campus. But despite all of these, our generation has witnessed how we, the youth, can be an inspiration, a source of hope and image of courage to speak when something is wrong, to fight when we need to defend our rights and welfare and to work for genuine change we all want. We witnessed the growing number of young people speaking up, leaving their schools and going to the streets: be it in our country or abroad, demanding security of our future. But it was not just us young people; we have long recognized the need to unite with other sectors and collectively find solutions for our common problems. Together with this generation, the Office of the Student Regent now carries the unfinished tasks of the previous generations. We are never afraid to raise our fists, shout in the streets and voice our demands whenever we need and we have to, whenever we are pushed to. We are always ready to transcend individual differences and step out of our comfort zones to unite and struggle for genuine social change, and we will always be firm in our call: that we refuse to inherit this old, rotten, unfair, and inhumane system. In this context, the Student Regent must recognize that his/her scope of work transcends the boundaries of the university, fully understanding that our concerns in UP are a result of a bigger societal problem. We must work on this framework to fully maximize his unique position as a member of the Board of Regents crafting policies for the national university and as a leader of the student movement united with the people’s movement in our deep desire for genuine social change. And together with this generation, it is the great historical and institutional task of the Office of the Student Regent to ignite this generation’s deep desire and longing for change and lead them toward victory. For today and for the days to come, and until the days of victory, we pledge to carry on and intensify the fight! Tuloy ang laban! Strengthen & Innovate the Institution The Office of the Student Regent is a testament to our continuing and tireless struggle for genuine, autonomous, and democratic student representation. We must protect and advance these products of our struggle. -Formalize designation of OSR satellite teams in all units, composed of a policy liaison, communications liaison and council liaison at the same time harnessing the synergy & partnership with student councils in each unit, as well as streamlining the different processes ensuring an effective relationship between OSR and far units; -Convene, train, and mobilize a large network of volunteers to implement programs, carry out activities, and provide different services from the OSR; -Conduct independent study (FGDs, fora, etc) regarding the CRSRS to assess its flexibility, applicability, and responsiveness; -Heighten awareness on the history and role of the OSR thru different forms such as a written primer, audiovisual presentation, and alternative media campaign; -Serve as a campaign-centered, policy-led, activity-based, and service oriented institution of and for the students; -Develop a system of transparency especially on the financial status of the office as well as the different policy initiatives of the OSR; Transform the OSR as a Stronger Advocate of Student Representation Transform the Office of the Student Regent as a stronger advocate of student representation in all areas possible, especially in the Board of Regents, in asserting the interests, rights, and welfare of the students together with other stakeholders. -Provide regular reports and updates as well as conduct intensive consultations through open, innovative, and efficient channels of communication to and from the students (especially student councils and organizations) on matters by the Board; -Propose, review, or amend policies that affects the students such as academic rules, tuition and other fees, rules on student activities, campus security, site permanency, and even representation in different levels of decision-making bodies; -Build and maximize unities with the university’s administrators as well as external stakeholders, such as the government and people’s organizations to advance causes of the student sector; -Regularly forward and uphold student’s demands from different units and maximize avenues for policy formulation involving the maximum number of students; Progress & Intensify Student Involvement and Action Innovate ways to create more spaces of involvement and participation for constituents and ensure a relevant and responsive Office of the Student Regent. -Emphasize role of students’ congresses, conventions (island-wide or system-wide) or even the General Assembly of Student Councils as an advisory body of the SR, as well as its role as an important avenue for intensive consultation on pressing concerns of different student sectors or different UP units and review of the program and actions of the SR; - Tap existing alliances and other formations for an effective and maximum reach of the OSR to its constituents alongside regular visits to different units (especially regional units), enhancing relationship between the OSR and the student constituents, and raising support for different local and university student issues; -Create avenues of participation for the students to exercise their responsibility, especially in new social media and alternative media, without losing sight of how essential mass mobilizations are; -Provide institutional support to all units especially those needing student tambayans, dormitories, libraries, etc and target concrete plans for procurement, construction, etc for these needs; STP! Live Out Our Mandate to Serve the People Carry out the historical role and institutional mandate of the Office of the Student Regent to involve students in different national concerns, prepare them for national campaigns leadership, and unite with the marginalized sectors of the society for genuine and common solutions on our common problems. -Develop the OSR as a center for people’s issues, advocacies, and campaigns addressing local/regional/sectoral issues for national impact; -Highlight multi-sectoral unities for bigger victories and maximum reach in the UP community; -Prepare students in their role as agents of social change and advocates of people’s issues through trainings, discussions, education, etc designed to heighten awareness and involvement of students and student formations in different national concerns; -Pioneer activities, services that will empower marginalized sectors to struggle for their rights and welfare alongside the students