I-Witness: What does it mean to be 'Iskolar ng Bayan'?

In recent months, there's been much public discussion about what students of state universities owe their country--and what their country owes them. For Winnie Monsod, those lucky enough to study in the premiere public university are duty-bound to remain in the Philippines after college and use their skills and talents for the betterment of the country. [Read: In last lecture, Winnie Monsod tells students to stay in PHL]. Meanwhile, recent weeks have been marked by a number of student protests versus cuts to the education budget. Students have accused the government of shirking its resonsibility to fully support education, which many consider their ticket to a better life. [Read: Students protesting vs budget cuts disrupt Aquino's visit to UP] Indeed, students of state universities must strike a balance between pursuing their aspirations and meeting the expectations of their families, communities, and even their country. In 2008, Howie Severino and his I-Witness team followed three teens from public schools during their first few weeks as freshmen at the University of the Philippines-Diliman. The son of a retired Leyte policeman, the daughter of a fishball vendor in Manila, and the son of a jeepney driver-- these freshies were the prototypical "iskolar ng bayan" in a campus increasingly populated by well-to-do graduates of exclusive high schools. For these young students, can education fulfill its promise of providing everyone, regardless of their background, with an equal shot at their dreams? "Iskolar ng Bayan" originally aired on I-Witness on June 19, 2008. Watch the full documentary here: "Iskolar ng Bayan" Part 1:
"Iskolar ng Bayan" Part 2:
"Iskolar ng Bayan" Part 3:
"Iskolar ng Bayan" Part 4: