UP students stage walkout over 2027 budget cuts, Pax Silica

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Around 6,000 students, teachers, and officials from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) joined a walkout on Friday to protest issues including education budget cuts and the proposed Pax Silica initiative.

In a video posted online by UPLB Perspective, students from various UPLB departments were seen joining the protest and chanting calls for accountability over corruption and the defense of people’s rights.

In a statement, the UPLB Student Council said the walkout drew thousands of participants despite heavy rainfall.

The student body reiterated its call to hold accountable those behind billions of pesos in anomalous flood control projects.

“Kung matatandaan natin, noong nakaraang taon ay 7,000 na indibidwal ang nakiisa sa walkout na ginanap hinggil sa bilyon-bilyong pisong halagang pondo na ninakaw mula sa mga mamamayan para sa mga ghost flood control projects,” the UPLB Student Council said.

(If we recall, 7,000 individuals participated in last year’s walkout over the billions of pesos in public funds stolen from the people for ghost flood control projects.)

“Ngunit magpahanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin nakukulong ang lahat ng mga sangkot, at patuloy pa rin na nagpapakasasa sa pera ng mamamayang ninakawan nila ang mga korakot habang ang sambayanang Pilipino ay patuloy pa rin na lumulusong sa baha, nawawalan ng tahanan, naaantala ang kabuhayan, at nasasawi ang mga buhay,” it added.

(Yet up to now, not all those involved have been jailed, and corrupt officials continue to feast on the people’s stolen money while Filipinos continue to wade through floods, lose their homes, suffer disruptions to their livelihoods, and lose their lives.)

Students from the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) likewise staged a demonstration, raising similar concerns.

The UPD Student Council said around 3,000 students joined the walkout.

In a statement, the UPD student body cited reports of farmers and Indigenous Peoples in Tarlac being displaced to clear land for the proposed Pax Silica project.

“Huwad ang development na ito dahil alam nating lahat na ang proyektong ito ay para lamang sa gahamang interes ng mga nasa tuktok,” it said.

(This development is a lie because we all know that this project is solely for the greedy interests of those at the top.)

The UPD Student Council also cited a potential P2.95 billion reduction in funding for the UP System under the proposed 2027 national budget.

UPLB and UPD are set to hold protests on September 21, marking the 54th anniversary of the declaration of martial law under former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. —VBL, GMA News