Some students from the UP College of Mass Communication (CMC) expressed their opposition to the college’s granting of service loyalty to Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Roehl Jamon over his authorization of a road clearing operation in Area 2 on Tuesday.
CMC in its 2024 Parangal ng Kolehiyo on Monday gave Jamon a service loyalty award for his 25 years of teaching at the UP Film Institute (UPFI). Service loyalty awards are given to CMC faculty and staff who have worked for five, 10, and 25 years.
However, Jamon was not able to accept the award himself because he had meetings set before the Parangal ng Kolehiyo such as the University Council and the UPD Linggo ng Parangal Opening activity meeting.
“I'm happy about the award as this reminds me why I decided to become part of the CMC faculty 25 years ago: It is simply because I wanted to teach students to become better (responsible, ethical, conscientious, and conflict-sensitive) media practitioners,” Jamon told the Collegian in an email interview.
His award, however, did not sit well with some members of the CMC community.
CMC Freshies, Shiftees, and Transferees (FSTs) representative to the University Freshie Council (UFC) Guia Marie Mistades slammed Jamon over his service loyalty award and called him a “coward” for denying his involvement with the road-clearing operation.
“Dapat magkaroon ng insights, mga saloobin mula sa mga estudyante sa mga paparangalan para malaman [talaga kung] deserve ba nila ‘yon and mapatunayan talaga kung may mas karapat-dapat pa do’n sa award na ‘yon,” said Mistades.
CMC organization UP Broadcasters’ Guild in their official statement also condemned the “sudden and inhumane” Area 2 clearing operation, saying that the activity trampled workers’ and maninindas’ livelihood.
Another CMC organization, UP Communication Research Society, in its statement underscored the threats of the Area 2 clearing operation to “livelihoods for stallholders and accessible services for students, faculty, and, residents, and many others,” and demanded the UP administration to prioritize its community first and stop the increasing campus commercialization.
Even UPFI on Saturday condemned the clearing operations adding that the institute is standing "in solidarity with all residents of UPD including those with different challenges." UPFI, however, did not explicitly name their faculty member, Jamon, as involved in the operations.
These oppositions from the college community came after a member of Quezon City’s Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) road-clearing operation team claimed that Jamon authorized the confiscation of vendors’ stalls, signages, plants, chairs, and other structures along Area 2 sidewalks.
Jamon, however, said in an email to the Collegian on Tuesday that his office has “no knowledge” about the clearing operation.
But based on the QC government’s initial investigation, the operation was done upon the request of Jamon, “who coursed the appeal through the Barangay UP Campus’ Punong Barangay, Kapitan Lawrence V. Mappala.”
Meanwhile, the Office of Community Relations (OCR) which is under Jamon’s office, disputed the QC government’s claim and said they are currently verifying its basis.
Since taking office as vice chancellor for community affairs, Jamon has been flagged multiple times. On his first day in 2023, Jamon ordered the removal of the security guards’ kampuhan behind the Quezon Hall without prior notice.
In November 2023, it was also the vice chancellor who ordered the closure of the university’s animal-related activities center. On January 12, Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Guardia ng UP Diliman (SNG UPD) staged a protest in front of Star Special Corporate Security Management Incorporated’s (SSCSMI) office and demanded Jamon heed their calls over nine-time delayed salary. ●
