Malay College Students Seek Relief from Abuse

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Students at the four-year-old Malay College in Balusbos, Malay, Aklan, have voiced frustration over what they claim is the neglect of local authorities regarding alleged abuse and mistreatment by the college’s acting president, Jimmy B. Maming.

In an open letter posted on Facebook on November 4, students called for the attention of Malay Mayor Floribar Bautista, who is also the chairman of the college’s Board of Trustees. The letter described their experiences under Maming as “challenging, demeaning, unjust, and emotionally exhausting.”

The post has attracted over 300 reactions, 5,500 shares, and 79 comments as of this writing.

According to the students, their previous efforts to engage with Bautista through formal letters and meetings have been largely ignored.

On August 8, the students submitted a letter to the mayor’s office detailing their academic and emotional struggles under Maming’s leadership. Additional letters were sent on September 5 and October 9.

Although a Sangguniang Bayan inquiry was held on September 18 to address their concerns, students said their issues were dismissed.

Maming was invited to the inquiry but did not attend.

“You [Floribar] attended, but you made us feel that your heart is closed and that you are not open to listening to and sympathizing with our pain and suffering,” the students said.

The August 8 letter, obtained by Daily Guardian, highlighted specific issues related to Maming’s management of research subjects and practicum deployment.

Students reported that Maming announced an abrupt research submission deadline and imposed penalties for late submissions without prior notice.

They also claimed they were told to secure a grade completion form to proceed with their practicum. This, they said, forced them to accept a grade of 3.0 (75%) to meet practicum requirements.

“In our effort to secure our deployment, we were compelled to visit the Office of the College President, where we were forced to accept a grade of 3.0. This grade was given under the condition that we needed it to obtain a signed Application for Practicum, which was essential for our deployment,” they said.

“The grade was issued, and we were required to sign a disclaimer […] which explicitly stated that our grade was already set at 3.0. We were left with no choice but to sign this form, despite it being against our will, as it was the only way to receive our grade and proceed with deployment,” they added.

The students also reported experiencing “bullying, defamation, and demeaning behavior” from Maming while processing their research and deployment requirements.

According to the letter, several students from the pioneering batch have dropped out due to the college’s environment, reducing their number from 344 to 150.

Since its opening in April 2021, Malay College has offered Bachelor of Science (BS) programs in Hospitality Management, Tourism Management, and Entrepreneurship.

The students urged Bautista to take immediate action to address their concerns and remove Maming from his position.

“We believe that, as an academic institution, the school should be a safe space for students to learn. Emotional exhaustion, defaming statements, and traumatic experiences that adversely affect students’ mental health and personal development are unequivocally unacceptable,” they emphasized.