UP Students Walk Out Over Budget Cuts, Proposed Development Project

Thousands of students from the University of the Philippines (UP), the country's premier state university system, have staged large-scale protests and walkouts against proposed significant cuts in education funding and the planned 'Pax Silica' development project in Tarlac. At the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), approximately 6,000 students, faculty, and officials participated in a walkout on Friday to protest issues including education budget cuts and the proposed Pax Silica initiative. The UPLB Student Council reported that thousands joined despite heavy rainfall. The student body reiterated its call for accountability for billions of pesos in public funds allegedly stolen for ghost flood control projects. The council stated, "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." Meanwhile, students from the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) also held a demonstration, raising similar concerns, with around 3,000 students participating. The UPD student body cited reports of farmers and Indigenous Peoples in Tarlac being displaced to clear land for the proposed Pax Silica project. They declared, "This development is a lie because we all know that this project is solely for the greedy interests of those at the top." Furthermore, the UPD Student Council highlighted a potential P2.95 billion reduction in funding for the UP System under the proposed 2027 national budget. Both UPLB and UPD are set to hold further protests on September 21, marking the 54th anniversary of the declaration of martial law under former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Source: GMA News Philippines