by Cecile Rose Quindara
Students from different universities in Baguio City united for an action protest, “SIGWA: Kabataan Para sa Edukasyon Laban sa Pasismo,” in Malcolm Square yesterday, February 28.
The protest, with the hashtag “SIGWAlkout” started with a snake rally from different universities such as the University of the Philippines Baguio and Saint Louis University then both schools merged at the Post Office Loop to resume the rally along Session Road.
Student activists proceeded the protest action in Malcolm Square and discussed the current education system in the Philippines, the fascist regime, budget cuts and the tyranny students face.
According to Louis Montenegro from the National Union of Students in the Philippines, the issues stated made the lives of the students and the mass difficult.
“May karapatan po tayong magsalita lalo ngayon na napakatindi ng atake ng estado,” she said.
(We have the right to speak especially now that the attacks of the state are very intense.)
Students rally along Session Road to call for free education for all, academic freedom and to condemn the fascist attacks on students perpetrated by the state.
The protest served as an avenue for student activists to take their protest on the streets and call out the government regarding different issues such as tuition and other fee increase (TOFI), budget cuts, mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), media repression, and red-tagging.
The action protest ended with a symbolic performance through singing of “‘Di Niyo ba Naririnig?”.
by Cecile Rose Quindara
Edited by Catherine De Leon
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