UP students protest corruption, demand education funding

Thousands of University of the Philippines (UP) students participated in a 'Black Friday' protest and walkout on September 12, denouncing corruption and advocating for increased education funding.

The protest specifically targeted anomalies within the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) concerning flood control and other infrastructure projects.

Students lamented alleged yearly budget cuts to the university, suggesting funds for education are being lost to corruption in infrastructure.

Protesters hurled eggs at tarpaulin images of Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva, and threw mud at images of former DPWH secretary Manuel Bonoan and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

President Marcos Jr. has formed an independent commission to investigate the flood control anomalies, and both the House of Representatives and the Senate are also investigating these projects.

At UP Manila, students highlighted a stalled renovation project under the Discaya family's St. Timothy Construction Corp. and blamed budget mismanagement under the Marcos administration for poor learning conditions.

UP president Angelo Jimenez stated the university supports the students' crusade for transparency and accountability amid the corruption allegations, emphasizing they 'cannot stay neutral'.