BAGUIO CITY — Hundreds of students and members of student organizations at the University of the Philippines-Baguio (UPB) walked out of their classrooms Wednesday to protest government corruption and budget cuts to education.
The students joined a nationwide protest against what they described as systemic corruption in government infrastructure projects. They specifically highlighted budget shortfalls for the education sector.
Wendell Ortega, chairperson of the Alliance of Concerned Students at UPB, lamented that while the education sector is underfunded, politicians are “pocketing huge amounts of money from projects.”
He also questioned how many more students could be educated and how many more university buildings could be built if money was not being stolen.
In a manifesto, 50 student organizations at UPB condemned corruption, noting that the UP System is facing a P21 billion budget deficit for 2026.
This, they said, would lead to inadequate student services, unfinished infrastructure, and unfunded student development programs.
The students vowed to continue their protests, with a larger mobilization planned for 21 September, the anniversary of the declaration of martial law. The ongoing protest is dubbed “Bahain ng Protesta ang Korap na Sistema.”
UPB chancellor Joel M. Addawe endorsed the students’ walkout in response to a request from the UP Baguio University Student Council.