MANILA, Philippines – Students across the Philippines refused to buckle under the decision of their schools to not suspend classes in light of the 39th anniversary of the People Power Revolution, as they walked out of their classrooms on Tuesday, February 25.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has downplayed the commemoration throughout his term. For the second year now, the Marcos administration has downgraded it as a special working holiday by removing the commemoration from the list of special non-working holidays.
The move has forced several schools and universities to continue classes during the commemoration, sparking an outcry across the country.
Others, meanwhile, have opted to suspend classes despite the government’s decision, declaring the commemoration as a holiday or holding an alternative learning day instead. Several student communities across the country have been coordinating with their school or university administrations to do the same.
Refusing to accept their schools’ decision to not suspend classes, students across the Philippines led walkouts to commemorate the 1986 uprising that toppled late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, namesake and father of the current president.
Here are some of academic walkouts seen throughout the country:
Luzon
Bulacan
Bulacan State University staged a walkout protest with students across its university grounds on Tuesday, according to a report by The Pacesetter.
Cavite
Students of Cavite State University wear black during their academic walkout and protest held in front of their Administration Building and University Plaza on Tuesday, February 25, to commemorate the 39th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution.
Despite calls for reconsideration from the student body, classes were continued on Tuesday, leading to students to stage a walkout.
Naga City
Students from Ateneo de Naga University walked out in protest earlier Tuesday marching from the campus to Plaza Quince Martires in Naga City.
The protest, part of the launch of “KTAP: Kabataan, Tayo Ang Pag-asa,” a youth-led alliance focused on history, democracy, and activism, called for truth, accountability, and the preservation of history.
Metro Manila
Manila
Clad in black, students from Polytechnic University of the Philippines staged a walkout on Tuesday after the university administration refused to suspend classes for the 39th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution. Wearing black shirts and holding placards, the student called for accountability in governance and an end to corruption. The PUP students marched from their classrooms to the main gate of their university.
Quezon City
Students from the Ateneo de Manila University walked out from their classrooms to mark the commemoration of the EDSA People Power on Tuesday.
During the walkout a community mural activity was held, along with communal conversations where people got to know the atrocities of Martial Law and understand the significance of student involvement in society.
The university has arranged numerous commemorative activities and events to honor the non-violent revolution in 1986. Unlike other universities, the Ateneo did not suspend classes on this day. However, it made an exemption for onsite classes held from 12 to 2 pm, so the community can join the university mass they organized to mark the commemoration.
Visayas
Iloilo City
Students from West Visayas State University in Iloilo City joined the youth-led march in commemoration of the 39th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution.
The protest included students from the College of Nursing, College of Medicine, College of Business and Management, College of Communication, College of Education, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Dentistry, and others, as reported by the university-based publication Forum-Dimensions.
Tacloban
University of the Philippines (UP) Tacloban students and organizations led a walkout on Tuesday, as seen in a report by UP Vista Online.
The UP Tacloban Student Council described the government’s decision to make the commemoration a special working holiday as not just a “simple administrative move but as a blatant attempt to diminish the relevance of an important chapter in our democracy’s history.”
In the protest, they also called for the release of community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, Marielle Domequil, Alexander Abinguna, and the rest of the Tacloban 5, as well as to stop harassing student activists through red-tagging.
– with reports from Bonz Magsambol, Angela Ballerda, Kyla Simbahon, MJ Catequista, Samantha Bagayas/Rappler.com