THE MAKABAYAN bloc has filed a bill that seeks to penalize academic institutions for imposing arbitrary suspensions, expulsions and scholarship revocations on students who join peaceful protests or voice political opposition.
Introduced by Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co, Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Elago and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, House Bill No. 11678, or the Academic Freedom Bill of 2026, seeks to institutionalize safeguards against intimidation and restrictions imposed on students of all levels under school policies.
The proposed bill also aims to protect academic, research and teaching staff.
Under Section 10 of the proposed law, regulations such as imposing sanctions, threats, militarization, surveillance and restricting movements that deter “expressive activity” are considered prohibited acts and violations.
Any public official or private entity found guilty of violating the aforementioned acts will face imprisonment from six months to six years and will be fined P100,000 to P500,000, according to the bill’s Section 11. It also added that guilty public officials will suffer perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
The Makabayan Bloc also called for the institutionalization of an ombudsperson in education agencies to probe and assess complaints related to academic freedom.
Alongside the bill, House resolutions 1512, 1540 and 1541 were also filed by the same lawmakers, which seek to investigate alleged academic rights violations in educational institutions.
House Resolution 1512, filed on Oct. 6, seeks an investigation into alleged restrictions on student activism and freedom of expression.
Meanwhile, House resolution No.1540 condemns the alleged illegal profiling and surveillance of Philippine National Police members of public school teachers during a seminar in Camarines Sur. House resolution No. 1541 calls for accountability from the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict and other officials who allegedly harassed and red-tagged students and academic staff from the University of the Philippines during the commemoration of Martial Law.
The House resolutions and the bill came after UST’s suspension of four Thomasian activists on Oct. 8 for a protest against the Philippine Air Force’s on-campus exhibit in April.
The sanctions were imposed on Philosophy senior Raven Kristine Racelis, Behavioral Science junior Ralph Christian Manuel, Central Student Council’s (CSC) public relations officer (PRO) and Architecture senior Mecaella Sean Carl Capalar and Biochemistry freshman Dex Anderson Frogoso.
The student activists received varying suspension periods: 10 days for Racelis, eight days for Manuel, five days for Capalar and four days for Frogoso. They were also refused a release of good moral certificates.
Capalar was also ordered to be removed from her post as CSC PRO.
READ: Suspended Thomasian activists to appeal UST sanctions over Air Force exhibit protest
The Office for Student Affairs (OSA) told The Flame that students may appeal processes subject to University rules.
The revised 2026 student handbook states that students are allowed to appeal decisions from OSA within 10 days of receiving the ruling.
OSA Director Jaezamie Ong said that the office respects the confidentiality of student proceedings and remains available to guide them. F
