Cordillera students have taken to the streets in protest.
In a show of force, students from Baguio and Benguet campuses united in a centralized walkout, Tuesday afternoon. Starting from Benguet State University (BSU), the march was followed by students from Saint Louis University (Bakekang Campus), UP Baguio, the University of the Cordilleras, University of Baguio, and Saint Louis University (Main Campus), all gathering at Malcolm Square for a centralized program.
Gabriel Siscar, spokesperson for Kabataan Partylist Cordillera, said, “This is what we mean by taking a stand, by being critical! Sama-sama ang mga estudyante at guro na tumitindig para sa edukasyon, kabuhayan, at pananagutan (Students and teachers are together standing up for education, livelihood, and accountability),” adding that BSU students marked this day special as the administration, in a last-minute decision, allowed participation in the walkout.
Yesterday, BSU had bucked a planned student protest on various social issues, issuing a non-endorsement to caution its enrollees.
The walkout is set to highlight issues such as budget cuts in education, the Baguio Public Market privatization, the Jeepney Phaseout, mining in Mankayan, Benguet, and continued corruption in the country.
Organized by groups including Kabataan Partylist (KPL), Anakbayan, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), and the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), the protest is themed: “Walkout Para sa Edukasyon, Kabuhayan, at Pananagutan” (Walkout for Education, Livelihood, and Accountability).
Siscar added, “Umpisa pa lang yan sa sunod-sunod na protestang mangyayari ngayong araw! Takits mamayang 5 PM sa Malcolm Square, Baguio City (This is only the beginning of a series of protests happening today! See you later at 5 PM at Malcolm Square, Baguio City).”
KPL, in a statement, noted that November 17 is a commemoration of an incident eight decades ago when fascist Nazi forces stormed the University of Prague following student actions and mass protests condemning the killing of Jan Opletal and the impending German occupation of Czechoslovakia. In the aftermath, nine student leaders were executed, more than 1,200 students were sent to concentration camps, and all Czech universities were forced to shut down.
KPL highlighted that, on November 18, students of Baguio and Benguet will walk out against the massive corruption, impunity, and negligence of the Philippine government. “As billions are stolen from the people and public services continue to crumble, we refuse to stay silent. We draw inspiration from generations of students who challenged tyrants, exposed abuses, and defended the welfare of the many.”
Local issues come into play with the youth drumming up opposition to the impending “mallification” and privatization of the Baguio Public Market by SM Prime Holdings. In its proposed redevelopment plan, 65% of the total land area of the market (a three-storey mall and eight-storey parking space) will be managed by SM under a 50-year lease contract.
For the transport sector, the threat is the jeepney phaseout. In the city, 96% of individual franchises have already undergone franchise consolidation. However, the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) of Baguio City will reduce the operating units from 2,164 down to 1,544, affecting thousands of individuals and families reliant on the transport sector.
Meanwhile, in Mankayan, Benguet, small-scale miners and farmers have set up a barricade in their community to resist the mining claim of Crescent Mining and Development Corporation (CMDC), owned by the Australian firm Blackstone Minerals. The claim encompasses approximately 534 hectares of ancestral land belonging to Barangay Guinaoang and Barangay Bulalacao, placing local livelihoods and indigenous territories at significant risk.
KPL added, “These issues on livelihood should not be viewed in isolation from the rampant corruption happening in our country. All of them are the results of the rotten system which neglects its constituents, favors big companies for profit, and perpetuates patronage politics for the benefit of a few political families.” Maria Elena Catajan