Students, teachers hold mass protest in Mendiola vs budget cuts

MANILA, Philippines—About a thousand students from different universities in Metro Manila marched to Don Chino Roces Bridge (formerly Mendiola Bridge) Friday to protest the looming budget cuts in education.

Professor Mykel Andrada, president of the All-UP Academic Employees Union, called on President Benigno Aquino III to “listen to the people, because the people have long been telling him to increase the budget for social services.”

Andrada said the government apparently has other priorities, like debt servicing and military expenditures, instead of education.

“We’re also fighting for higher state subsidy for hospitals, health service and other basic social services,” he said.

Students from the Philippine Normal University, Rizal Tech University, University of the Philippines Manila and Diliman, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, as well as other private schools and high schools took part in the protest. Earlier, they walked out of their classes.

Activist groups Anakbayan, League of Filipino Students, Stand UP, Gabriela, Kabataan Party List, Bayan Muna, and Association of Concerned Teachers also joined the protest.

A student from Dela Salle Manila, Hxlarisse Idala, said in a message to lawmakers, “If we, the students are considered as the future of the nation, and education is the way towards a better future, why is the budget for education being reduced?”

Students from various universities gather at Mendiola Bridge to protest the impending budget cuts in education. MATIKAS SANTOS/INQUIRER.net

Andrada said that “there is no change under the Aquino Administration because things were the same under Former Presidents Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo and Joseph Ejercito Estrada.”

He wanted to bring yellow chalk and “pulverize it to symbolize President Aquino’s lack of priority for education” but he did not manage to bring any.

Police Superintendent Jimmy Tiu estimated the number of protester to be around 1,000. He said that the protest was generally peaceful. He refused to divulge the number of policemen deployed.

The protest ended at around 7 p.m. following a torch-lighting ceremony.