MANILA, Philippines -- Thousands of youth-led activists were prevented by police from reaching the foot of Manila’s historic Don Chino Roces (formerly Mendiola) Bridge on the approaches to Malacañang to protest the incessant escalation of fuel prices.

The Manila Police District had earlier deployed some 500 Manila policemen backed by fire trucks along Claro M. Recto Avenue and Roces bridge in anticipation of the rallyists.

The protesters were also blocked on Morayta Street by police armed with shields and batons.

Foiled, the activists headed to the Mehan Garden where they held a rally.

The young activists, many of whom had walked out of their classes, conducted “alternative street classes to educate the youth and to strengthen the youth movement in the country,” said Vencer Crisostomo, national president of the League of Filipino Students (LFS).

“This is to create a new wave of revolutionary consciousness. Our aim is to conduct social analysis and political education to make known to the youth how corrupt and rotten our system is,” Crisostomo added.

The activists had earlier converged at the Plaza Miranda in the Quiapo district to protest unabated oil price increases.

Friday’s protest, themed "Kabataan at Bayan, Mag-aklas [Youth and people, rise up]," drew more than 5,000 students and out-of-school youth, Crisostomo said.

Crisostomo said the protest focused on “deepening political education among the youth to bring a bigger, stronger, more powerful youth movement that will confront the current ills of society.”

The protesters had three demands: the scrapping of the value added tax (VAT) on oil; the repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law; and a legislated P125 across-the-board wage increase.

The protesters used a truck turned into a makeshift stage where they presented street plays and musical performances, with the University of the Philippines (UP) Repertory performing a satire on how ordinary Filipinos resort to shortcuts to increase their incomes, including gambling and prostitution.

Earlier in the day, students nationwide stepped out of their classrooms to protest the rising prices of commodities.

In Metro Manila, students walked out of classes at the University of the Philippines, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas, Adamson University, Far Eastern University, De La Salle University, and Ateneo de Manila University, among others.

Students at universities in Baguio City, Cebu City, Davao City, and the Negros provinces also joined the protest.

Crisostomo said the protest was meant to show government that the youth movement in the country is strong and for the youth to see “the truth that there are a few in government who are exploiting us.”

He said the ultimate solution to the problem of unabated oil price increases is to “revolt at palawigin ang [and to strengthen the] youth movement.”

Bayan Muna (People First) Representative Satur Ocampo, a veteran of 1970’s First Quarter Storm period of unrest, shared his experiences with the current crop of activists.

“The problems being raised 30, 40 years ago are the same,” he said.

Ocampo added that the repetitive problems are caused by “problematic state policies.”

Although youth groups were able to obtain “small victories, these were later reversed by the government.”

He urged the youth to expand their education and make sure they practice what they learned in school.

“Dapat maiugnay nila ang kanilang pinag-aralan sa university sa lessons ng bayan [They should be able to relate what they learned in university to the lessons of the nation],” he said.