'Black Friday' protests: We cannot stay neutral

Protests erupted across Metro Manila yesterday as students and activists mounted an outcry against large-scale corruption in government flood control projects.

- By GHIO ONG

Clad in black, students walked out of their classes at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City and in Manila.

At UP Manila, the "Black Friday" protest took place outside Rizal Hall, where a renovation project has been stalled since 2019 under the Discaya family's St. Timothy Construction Corp.

Student leaders and faculty denounced the shortage of classrooms and faculty spaces, saying it has led to overcrowded rooms and poor learning conditions, and blaming the problems on the unfinished projects and alleged budget mismanagement under the Marcos administration.

The protests also called attention to issues such as low wages, poor health services and insufficient access to education and other social services.

UP president Angelo Jimenez said the university supports the students' crusade for transparency and accountability amid the corruption allegations.

"The university views with the gravest concern the revelation of deep-seated and massive corruption plaguing the flood control projects in our country. We cannot stay neutral," Jimenez said.

He encouraged citizens to express their outrage through constitutionally guaranteed rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.

"Beyond raging against corruption, we must also harness our education and training to provide solutions to the real problems of our people. As the University of the People, it is our overarching moral responsibility," he said.