Students to strike nationwide against cut of SUCs budget

A notice of strike was “served” by militant youth and students groups disclosing that a nationwide protest action is brewing in major universities and colleges across the country in protest of budget cut among State Universities and Colleges.

“Taking off from the massive protests and walkouts in recent months, youth and students led by the League of Filipino Students (LFS), Anakbayan, Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP), National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) and the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) announced yesterday that the nationwide strike that is brewing in major universities and colleges throughout the nation to protest the SUC budget cut,” a statement from League of Filipino Students (LFS) read.

“Youth and students took to the streets to show their wrath on the Aquino regime for slashing the State Universities and Colleges (SUC) budget by P1.1 billion,” LFS added.

The LFS also said instead of addressing the issue of shortages in higher education in public sector, the Aquino regime’s response furthered the rage of the students.

Einstein Recedes, NUSP president, chided the government for saying that cutting the SUC budget is okay because the schools are able to generate funds by functioning like corporations.”

Recedes said this is the brand of education the youth are struggling to change.

He said it is apparent that Aquino backs up this kind of education that favors the few who can afford.

“This is the reason why we will go on strike. Education is a right, and an administration that disregards and discredits this fact will feel the weight of the students’ anger at its doorsteps.” Recedes said.

“We are going on strike because this administration is spending the people’s money to please its political allies, going as far as taking money from social services funding like education. The 4B gravy to Akbayan and 2.2B lard to the “murderer” Arroyo, all of these are meant to consolidate the political hold of this regime that is crumbling fast in its few months in power. We say, cut these! We say, rechannel!” Anakbayan spokesperson Charisse Banez said.

Terry Ridon, LFS chair, for his part, said the Aquino’s budget cut to SUCs is in line with the imperialist framework of state abandonment of social services.

“Aquino is proving himself to be the newest and most loyal imperialist puppet. The cuts in education sector and other social services are part of the push to expand the role of the private sector or as part of the neoliberal framework that dominates the world economy. Across the globe, students have been occupying schools and have been going on strike against this imperialist scheme.” Ridon said.

He said that the Aquino government’s type of education is pushed by “conditionalities” surrounding our agreements with imperialist-backed financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB).

“Mr. President, this is our notice of strike. In the few months that you have been in your seat, you have turned away from our resounding call to stop the SUC budget cut and instead you have hobnobbed with corporate bigwigs and your imperialist master, the US, in search of their precious approval. Now you will feel our rage,” he added. -Jason Faustino, Daily Tribune