UPAlumni.net

Dr. Sergio S. Cao
Chancellor
University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City

Dear Chancellor Cao,

Good day.

This petition is before you in behalf of the residents of the Narra Residence Hall.

Vice Chancellor Elizabeth Enriquez summoned representatives of the Narra House Council last Friday, 11 May, to inform them of the impending closure of the dormitory. In the meeting, which was also attended by Ms Abdulwahid, chairperson of the University Student Council, the representatives were informed of the administration’s assessment of the condition of the dormitory. The representatives were presented with expert findings showing that the dormitory is in a dilapidated state and poses danger to its inhabitants. On the basis of such findings, the university administrators decided to close the dormitory effective this June.

The Narra House Council then, through its chairperson, Conrad Lacsina, vice chairperson for externals, Mohammad Maguad, and other concerned residents, invited the vice chancellor to a special General Assembly of the residents of the dormitory. The assembly was held last Wednesday, 16 May in Narra and was also attended by Student Regent Terry Ridon and the USC chairperson.

At the assembly, the vice chancellor cited the same expert assessments presented earlier to the house council’s representatives finding the dormitory unfit for habitation and reiterated to the residents the need to vacate the dormitory.

The residents who are the most affected by the administration’s decision to close the dormitory,
therefore, bring to you this petition.

That the dormitory is in a dilapidated state is nothing new. More than anyone else, we residents are in a better position, not only to observe but also to experience for ourselves the sorry state of the dormitory. And yet we chose to continuously live in it. The dormitory has been fully occupied each semester; a lot of students desiring to be admitted in the dormitory had to be turned down for lack of vacant slots.

For various reasons, residents decided to live in Narra and a lot more applicants attempt to be admitted in. For these reasons, we petition you to reconsider the decision to close the dormitory effective this June.

First, the essential due process is lacking in our eviction (for lack of a better word) out of Narra. We are going to be displaced without the requisite proper and prompt notice. Sufficient time may have sufficed as proper and prompt notice. Those among us who are still in the provinces are in the worse situation. Clueless, they will be back in UP effectively homeless.

Second, the eviction order was a big shock to the purse of a Narra resident. Most of Narra residents chose to stay in Narra because of the very affordable lodging rate. The rates of lodging in Yakal and Molave are, more than twice that of Narra. But that is assuming that all of us current Narra residents would be accommodated in Molave or Yakal, the only remaining dormitories where we are eligible to apply for admission now with the closure of Narra. Since the two dormitories can only admit a certain number of residents and we have very good reason to expect that number to be small, a lot of us would have to transfer to bedspaces and boarding houses within and around the campus.

The average monthly rate a bedspacer pays is P 1,500.00. That far exceeds the P 175.00 monthly lodging rate of Narra and is far beyond the financial capacity of most of us. Quite understandably, our parents would be the most shocked and incredulous of the big increase in our lodging expense. Were we informed much earlier, our parents could have been spared of this
big surprise and could have allocated the household budget in such a way that allots sufficient portion for our drastically increased lodging. Prompt notice also has the added benefit of giving us sufficient time to save or look for money in various ways. What will happen as a consequence of our eviction from Narra is that by June, we are compelled to cough up not only an average of P7,000.00 tuition money but also, at least, P4, 500 for lodging money. Landlords require a month of deposit and a month of advanced payment and those generous and merciful landlords are
rare. Most require more.

Third, our measly allowance goes a long way because of the low cost of living in Narra. We pay cheaply for our food, no small thanks to the carinderias at the back of the dormitory, across the Katipunan Road. We are also able to save what we would have spent on fares if we live in boarding houses. The dormitory is just a walking distance from our colleges including, but not limited to, the Arts and Letters, the Palma halls, the Home Economics, Business Administration,
Economics, Engineering, Science, and the Mathematics building.

Some residents are also wont to argue that if impending danger is the compelling reason for hauling us out of the dormitory, risks of danger also await us in the streets if we live outside the campus.

Other concerns and suggestions, ranging from undertaking the repair of the dormitory by wing (wings are the divisions in our dormitory) to converting another dormitory (an all-women’s dormitory, perhaps) into an all-male dormitory were already addressed to the vice chancellor at the general assembly.

It is true that the Narra dormitory is in a dilapidated state. But it is equally true that, based
on the objective experience and observation of its residents, the dormitory is still habitable. We were okay until they told us we are not.

The residents do not dispute the assessment of the administration that Narra is a dangerous place to live in and may be harmful for our health (there is mention of asbestos in the findings). But it seems to us that between the harm of our being continually sheltered in Narra and the harm of being homeless, the former affords us a better position. Everyday, if not every moment, we risk our lives within the confines of the dormitory. While that is alarming, a lot of us have no
other choice.

It is for these reasons that we urge you to reverse the decision to close the dormitory this June. We also urge the university administrators to undertake the repair of the dormitory by wing as stated above and if that is not feasible, suspend the closure of Narra for, at least, a semester.

We appreciate the good faith of the university administration for being mindful of our welfare and
safety. We do not contend that dormitory accommodation is a right; it is a privilege. We merely ask to be allowed to avail of this privilege either in Narra or in any other dormitory and be given ample time to make arrangements and preparations for our transfer.

We keep our faith in the administrators of the university. We always believe that every policy crafted and decision made redounds to the benefit of its students in particular, and the Filipino youth in general.

We, therefore, remain

Respectfully yours,

Conrad Smith C. Lacsina
Chairperson
Narra House Council

And the undersigned Narra Residence Hall Residents: