UP Rural High School slams red-tagging over martial law event

MANILA, Philippines — The University of the Philippines Rural High School (UPRHS) has strongly condemned the red-tagging of the institution and its constituents over its commemoration of the 54th anniversary of martial law last month.

In a statement released Thursday, UPRHS said a social media post published by the Facebook account identified as “Emjay Chico” and shared by “Lorraine Baddie” (Lorraine Badoy) alleged that high school students were used in a political activity on school premises.

The photos in the post were first published by The Ruralite, the school’s official student publication, to show how UPRHS marked the UP Day of Remembrance, an institutionalized university activity commemorating the declaration of martial law.

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The observance “reflects on one of the darkest periods in Philippine history” and is “anchored on historical record, scholarship, and the university’s continuing commitment to learning from the past,” UPRHS said.

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“The UPRHS program for UP Day of Remembrance was student-initiated and student-led, properly communicated to parents, and conducted with the necessary permits and institutional approval,” it added.

UPRHS disputed the allegations against the institution, saying participation in the activity “was completely voluntary.”

“We believe in developing learners who can think critically and engage with the complex problems confronting Philippine society and affecting their basic rights to education, a decent life, and human dignity,” it said.

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UPRHS said it was “deeply concerning that a legitimate educational activity and those who participated in it have been subjected to red-tagging.”

The school said it categorically rejected the use of red-tagging as a means of “intimidating, silencing, or casting suspicion upon our students, faculty, and staff.”

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“Contrary to insinuations of exploitation in the said posts, we are committed to keeping learning safe — not by shielding the youth from difficult questions and harsh realities, but by creating a learning environment where their right to inquire, speak, and express themselves responsibly is protected,” it said.

UPRHS, located in Bay, Laguna, was intended for vocational education in 1927 through Philippine Legislative Act 3377. It later improved its program through linkages with UP Los Baños and evolved into a state university high school with a science-oriented and college preparatory curriculum.

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“We stand with the UP community in defending academic freedom and fostering discourse that is open, informed, and grounded in evidence,” UPRHS said. /dm