Nagkahiusang Kusog sa Estudyante

Nagkahiusang Kusog sa mga Estudyante or NKE is a political party and, at the same time, a mass organization based in the University of the Philippines Visayas - Cebu College (UPVCC) in Lahug, Cebu City. Throughout its existence, NKE has continually taken on two main duties.

As a political party, NKE fights to take the leadership among the students. Guided by its principles, it collectively engages in the local political and electoral arena, and endeavors to maintain its leadership in the Student Council (SC), being the highest legitimate body representative of the students' interests.

Secondly, NKE arouses, organizes and mobilizes the broadest number of students so as to keep them informed on the pressing local and national issues that concern their rights and welfare, and to give them a way to forge unity and to act on these matters. As an organization, NKE supports the students in the exercise of their democratic rights and lead them to liberation from campus repression.

History

Before the founding of NKE in 1987, only one political party existed in U.P. College Cebu, then known as the Concerned Students Coalition (CSC).^[1] The Student Council then was characterized as being dominated by the "party-going" elite elected primarily due to popularity and not for their principles and leadership credentials. With that, the Student Council became ineffective in responding to the students' issues and, at the same time, failed to lead the students in their struggle. Fired by the desire for change in Student Council governance and the recent triumph of the First People Power (also known as 1986 EDSA Revolution), student organizations in UPVCC led by the Political Science Society,^[2] Kamputhaw Boys,^[3] Fine Arts Students Organization,^[4] League of Filipino Students and the members of the Latagaw Brotherhood fraternity and the Alpha Phi Omega[1] fraternity founded NKE in 1987.

Originally a political party and an alliance of student organizations, NKE participated in the 1987 Student Council elections and attained a 13-1 landslide victory, headed by Clarence Trocio^[5] as chairman. Since then, NKE has garnered majority seats in the Student Council except for the year 2003 when the elections took a transition from the usual July schedule to February.

The popular slogan during the elections then was "NKE: An idea whose time has come."

To further uphold and protect the interests of the students, the NKE party-alliance recognized itself as a mass organization to effectively lead in the students' struggle for academic freedom and democratic rights.

Vision

NKE believes in the nationalist and democratic principles. Furthermore, as Iskolars Ng Bayan, NKE believes that UP students have the inherent responsibility toward the UP community and the society to which they are a part of and that the struggle of the students is not isolated from the struggle of the basic masses of our people.

NKE is likewise firm in its objectives to develop critical-minded individuals and enhance their nationalist values, promote and defend students' democratic rights and welfare, and defend and actively promote academic freedom.

Thus, NKE adheres to its strong advocacy and active role in the realization of a nationalist, scientific and mass-oriented education. This is a platform of academic and social transformation that addresses the colonial, commercialized and fascist education system.^[6]

References

1. ^ Now defunct, after losing in the elections.^[when?]
2. ^ Official organization of Political Science students
3. ^ A group of male students residing in Kamputhaw, then headed by Supremo Clint Fabiosa, which was officially recognized by the U.P. SDS.
4. ^ Official organization of Fine Arts students
5. ^ Now in the U.S. practicing his legal profession.
6. ^ www.geocities.com/upnke