The Democrat is the official and independent student publication of the University of Nueva Caceres (UNC) in Naga City, Camarines Sur, Philippines.1 With a history that closely follows the establishment of its parent institution in 1948, the publication has served as a critical platform for student journalism, a training ground for future media practitioners, and a vigilant watchdog for student interests and broader societal issues.1 In recent years,
The Democrat has gained national and international attention for its resilience in the face of significant challenges to press freedom, most notably an incident of harassment and intimidation by the Philippine military in September 2023.4 This event stands in stark contrast to the publication’s simultaneous recognition on the global stage, having earned a prestigious accreditation as a UNESCO-affiliated club in 2024, highlighting its dual role as both a target of political pressure and a celebrated example of youth-led civic engagement.5
History and Mandate
Founding and Institutional Context
The history of The Democrat is intrinsically linked to the founding of its parent institution. The University of Nueva Caceres was established on July 1, 1948, by Dr. Jaime Hernandez, a Bicolano visionary who sought to create an institution that would provide quality, affordable higher education to the Bicol Region.1 As the first university in Southern Luzon, UNC was founded with an explicit mission to contribute to the “social, political, economic and cultural upliftment of the region”.3
While the exact founding date of The Democrat is not specified in available records, its long history is evident from its volume numbering. Publications from 2017 were marked as Volume LXV, and issues from 2022 were labeled Volume LXIX, suggesting a founding year in the early 1950s, shortly after the university’s own establishment.2 This timeline places it among the older student publications in the region, with a legacy of chronicling the life of the university and its community for decades.
Mandate and Guiding Principles
The publication’s mandate is deeply influenced by the university’s motto, Non Scholæ Sed Vitæ, a Latin phrase meaning “Not of School, but of Life”.1 This principle emphasizes practical education and real-world application over purely academic pursuits. For a student publication, this translates into a journalistic mission focused on civic engagement, social relevance, and the practical exercise of democratic freedoms. The university’s foundational goal of contributing to the region’s political and social upliftment provides an institutional framework that encourages the kind of critical and engaged journalism practiced by
The Democrat.
A core component of its identity is its status as “The Independent Student-Publication”.2 This designation signifies a commitment to editorial freedom, asserting its autonomy from the university administration and other external entities in its journalistic decisions. This principle of independence is fundamental to its function as a campus watchdog and is a key factor in its handling of politically sensitive issues, including the 2023 incident involving the military.
Organizational Structure and Editorial Independence
The Democrat operates with a formal organizational structure comparable to that of professional news outlets, indicating a serious approach to journalism and media production. The editorial board, as documented in its 2022-2023 staff box, is composed of a hierarchy of student editors with distinct responsibilities.11 Key positions include:
- Editor-in-Chief
- Associate Editor
- Managing Editor
- Deputy Managing Editor
- Circulation Manager
- Senior Editor
- Head News Writer
- News Editor
- Sports Editor
- Creative Director
- Design Director
- Web Manager
- Technical Director
- Station Head
- Head Photojournalist
This comprehensive structure allows the publication to manage news gathering, editing, layout, digital media, and distribution effectively. The principle of editorial independence means that this student-led board is responsible for all content decisions, from story selection to the final published output, without requiring prior approval from university faculty or administrators. While the publication’s office is physically located on campus at the UNC Sports Palace, its operational and editorial functions remain autonomous.12
Advocacy and Notable Events
September 2023 Military Harassment and Red-Tagging Incident
In September 2023, The Democrat became the subject of national and international news after its staff members were subjected to a series of intimidating acts by the Philippine Army. The incident is a prominent example of the challenges facing journalists, including student journalists, in the Philippines, particularly the practice known as “red-tagging.”
The Plaza Rizal Confrontation (September 21, 2023)
The sequence of events began on September 21, 2023, during a public rally at Plaza Rizal in Naga City commemorating the 51st anniversary of Ferdinand E. Marcos’s declaration of Martial Law.4 Staff members of
The Democrat, including its Editor-in-Chief Aila Joy Esperida, were covering the event when they were approached by uniformed soldiers from the Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry (Spear) Division.4 The soldiers proceeded to take photographs of the student journalists without their consent. When challenged, the soldiers lectured the students on how activism could lead them to become members of the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.4 One of the soldiers, identified as Sergeant Creo, also encouraged the students to join the 9th Infantry Division instead of participating in such rallies.13
Unofficial Summons and Intimidation (September 22-23, 2023)
The harassment escalated in the days following the confrontation. On September 22 and 23, Editor-in-Chief Esperida and photojournalist John Harvey Cabal received separate summons from their respective local barangay officials for a meeting with unidentified Philippine Army officers scheduled for September 24.4 The publication’s staff analyzed the letters and noted that they lacked an official barangay seal and failed to state any reason for the meeting, raising concerns about the legality and intent of the summons.13 This incident was part of a broader pattern of pressure; the publication’s former Editor-in-Chief, Berlineth Nymia Montes, had been similarly pressured by armed forces in August 2023 with insinuations that she was affiliated with terrorist organizations.13
Response and Solidarity
Faced with what they perceived as a clear act of intimidation, the student editors, after consulting with their families and legal advisors, made the collective decision to reject the summons.4 They immediately undertook several preventive measures, including formally notifying university officials of the situation, seeking assistance from human rights lawyers, and reaching out to national and international press freedom organizations for support and documentation.4
Institutional and Organizational Reactions
The incident drew swift condemnation and statements of support from various student, national, and international bodies. The UNC University Student Government issued a carefully worded statement acknowledging the state’s goal of suppressing insurgency but appealed directly to the Army to avoid actions that “intimidate and abridge the rights of the citizenry”.4
Press freedom advocacy groups responded more forcefully. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) condemned the military’s actions, stating, “That the military can essentially summon a journalist is troubling enough. That it would do that to student journalists is even more so”.13 The NUJP advised journalists who receive such “invitations” to decline them and to remember their right to legal counsel. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) echoed this condemnation, calling the harassment a “clear overreach of power” and urging Filipino authorities to conduct an immediate investigation to ensure the student journalists could work without fear of reprisal.13
| Individual/Group | Affiliation | Role/Action in the Incident | Source(s) |
| Aila Joy Esperida | Editor-in-Chief, The Democrat | Harassed at rally; received unofficial summons; rejected summons and sought help. | 4 |
| John Harvey Cabal | Photojournalist, The Democrat | Harassed at rally; received unofficial summons. | 4 |
| Berlineth Nymia Montes | Former Editor-in-Chief, The Democrat | Subjected to prior pressure and red-tagging by armed forces. | 13 |
| Sergeant Creo | Philippine Army, 9th Infantry Division | Identified as the soldier who questioned students and took information. | 13 |
| Philippine Army, 9th Infantry Division | State Military Force | Photographed students without consent; lectured on activism/NPA links; initiated summons via barangays. | 4 |
| UNC University Student Government | University Student Body | Issued a statement appealing for the military to respect student rights. | 4 |
| National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) | National Press Freedom NGO | Condemned the military’s actions; offered support and legal advice. | 4 |
| International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) | Global Press Freedom NGO | Issued a statement condemning the harassment and calling for an investigation. | 13 |
Context: Red-Tagging in the Philippines
The actions against The Democrat staff are a textbook example of “red-tagging,” a practice in the Philippines where state actors label individuals or groups critical of the government—including journalists, activists, and human rights defenders—as communists, terrorists, or sympathizers of armed insurgent groups.16 This tactic is widely condemned by human rights organizations as a dangerous form of harassment that aims to silence dissent and often serves as a prelude to more severe human rights violations, such as illegal surveillance, arrest, and extrajudicial violence.4 The military’s attempt to link the students’ journalistic coverage of a political rally to membership in the NPA fits this pattern of delegitimizing and endangering critics under the guise of national security.15
National Affiliations and Recognition
Despite facing domestic pressures, The Democrat is an active and recognized member of the national and international community, affiliations that provide it with both a support network and a platform for its advocacy.
College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP)
The Democrat is a member of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), the oldest and largest alliance of tertiary student publications in the Asia-Pacific region.4 Founded on July 25, 1931, the CEGP has a long history of progressive journalism and activism, playing a significant role in the student movement of the 1960s and resisting media suppression during the Martial Law era.19 Membership in the CEGP places
The Democrat within a national network of student publications that share a “patriotic and democratic orientation” and a commitment to press freedom.20 This affiliation provides an ideological foundation for its critical journalism and offers a crucial network of solidarity and practical support when facing external threats, as demonstrated by the swift national response to the 2023 harassment incident.
2024 UNESCO Club Accreditation
In 2024, The Democrat achieved a significant milestone by becoming one of only four organizations from the University of Nueva Caceres to be officially recognized as an accredited club for UNESCO in the Philippines.21 This prestigious honor was granted by the National Coordinating Body of Clubs for UNESCO in the Philippines (NCBUCP) after a highly competitive and rigorous four-level accreditation process.5 The process involved a documentary screening (Level 1), a panel interview (Level 2), a mentoring session (Level 3), and a final interview with the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines (Level 4).5 Out of 451 applicants nationwide,
The Democrat was among the 104 organizations that successfully completed the process.5
UNESCO Clubs are grassroots organizations that work to promote the ideals of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, including fostering peace, supporting human rights, facilitating international cooperation, and contributing to the training of its members in civics and democracy.22 The accreditation formally aligns the work of
The Democrat with these global principles. This international recognition serves as a powerful counter-narrative to the domestic red-tagging attempts by the military. While a state actor sought to frame the publication’s activities as subversive, a globally respected body associated with the United Nations formally validated its work as a positive contribution to society, providing it with a significant shield of international legitimacy.
The publication was set to receive its certificate of accreditation at the International Assembly of Youth for UNESCO 2024, held from November 29 to December 1, 2024, in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.5
Digital Presence and Publications
In line with modern media practices, The Democrat maintains a robust digital presence to reach its audience. Its primary digital archive is hosted on the publishing platform Issuu, which contains a repository of its issues dating back to at least 2015.2 The publication is also active on major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, which it uses for real-time news dissemination and engagement with the UNC community.2
In addition to its regular news publications, The Democrat also produces a literary folio titled Alimantak.2 This ancillary publication serves as a platform for creative writing and artistic expression from the student body. Its commitment to free expression is underscored by a disclaimer in its ninth volume, which states that the creative works within do not necessarily reflect the publication’s overall values, thereby protecting the artistic autonomy of its contributors.12
See Also
College Editors Guild of the Philippines
National Union of Journalists of the Philippines
Press Freedom in the Philippines
Red-tagging in the Philippines
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