Students march on National Students Day, demand higher education budget

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By Juliane Judilla

Consecutive bomb threats across Iloilo City and province did not stop students from taking to the streets in a “Walkathon Against Corruption” to mark National Students Day on Monday, Nov. 17.

Led by Pamatan-on Kontra Korapsyon, a broad alliance of student leaders, organizations and campus publications, two groups marched from West Visayas State University and the University of the Philippines Visayas Iloilo City Campus and converged at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol.

The groups called for a higher education budget amid demands for accountability over recent corruption controversies involving government agencies and officials.

Students from various universities raised issues affecting their campuses and communities.

Matthew Gonzaga, vice chairperson of the WVSU Federated Student Council and coordinator of the National Union of Students of the Philippines–Panay, pointed to the struggles of students in state universities and colleges.

“Students in other state universities endure flooded and makeshift classrooms, a clear manifestation of the state’s neglect of the education sector,” Gonzaga said.

Aljo Benedicto of the UPV University Student Council echoed the same concerns, citing insufficient facilities and services in both the UPV Miagao and Iloilo City campuses, which he said affect students, faculty, staff and even tricycle drivers operating within the campus.

Verna Villorente of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines Panay chapter condemned the effects of limited education funding on student publications.

“When we recently visited campus publications, we saw that there was no adequate space: no office, no budget, and no choice but to [for student journalists] spend with their own money for the publications’ expenses. This can be traced back to the lack of funding for education,” Villorente said.

Villorente also cited the recent censorship of an Iloilo City–based student publication after a social media post featuring accounts of displaced vendors at the newly opened Iloilo Terminal Market was allegedly deleted due to pressure from the city government.

“[The publication] was pressured to delete this post because they said it wasn’t right to question the city’s administration,” she said.

“This is not an isolated case. Many student journalists and publications are being oppressed and forcibly silenced,” she added.

Kahublagan Kontra Korapsyon convenor and former Kabataan Party-list representative Raoul Manuel raised concerns over recent bomb threats targeting schools and universities and called for a formal investigation, saying campuses should remain safe spaces for students.

Manuel added that as long as the state neglects its responsibility to the education sector by misallocating funds lost to corruption, the youth will continue to reclaim the streets through protest.

The program ended with a community dance and the announcement of youth participation in the upcoming Trillion Peso March on Nov. 30 as part of the nationwide anti-corruption campaign.