Contrary to statements made by the UPLB student council and the Youth for Truth and Accountability Now, Chancellor Luis Rey I. Velasco has not blocked a visit by NBN whistleblower Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada to the University. News of the alleged ban appeared in Journal Online on March 17.

According to the Chancellor, Mr. Lozada is very much welcome to the campus and free to speak before the constituents. He said that the perceived ban may have sprung from a proposal he made for the student council and UPLB to organize the forum* in which Mr. Lozada and other guests representing various “sides” of the NBN-ZTE issue are the main speakers. Chancellor Velasco proposed this to the student council in order to allow everyone to be informed, and to analyze and discern the truth for themselves. “Knowing Mr. Lozada on a personal level, I am sure that he would have welcomed the opportunity to a healthy discussion on the issue,” he added.

However, the student council did not consider Chancellor Velasco's proposal and decided to hold the activity with Mr. Lozada as the sole speaker. It also announced that the forum will be held at the DL Umali Hall even before it applied and asked permission for the use of the venue.

Chancellor Velasco also reminded the students of a University policy imposing a moratorium on the conduct of student-organized activities during the integration period or the period before the examinations. Based on the UPLB Calendar of Activities that was approved by the Board of Regents at the start of the school year, the moratorium on student activities was supposed to have taken effect on March 4, 2008.

*Note: The forum referred to is not the one conducted on March 18, 2008, but one that will be held on a schedule that will be in accordance to rules and regulations on student activities.

Emmanuel R.G. Abraham
Assistant to the Chancellor