Bacolod City farmers demand land reform. The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP)-Negros and National Federation of Sugar Workers Negros (NFSW) led a two-day farmers’ activity in Bacolod City on January 23-24 to demand for their right to land.

On January 23, they held a picket-dialog before the Provincial Agrarian Reform Office 1 in the city regarding the 37 haciendas in Negros Island. They marched the next day to the city center to commemorate the 37th anniversary of the Mendiola Massacre and denounce the charter change pushed by the Marcos regime.

125 years of the Filipino-American war, commemorated. At a protest in front of the US embassy, national-democratic groups marked the 125th anniversary of the start of the Philippine-American war that killed hundreds of thousands of Filipinos. The groups stressed the continued US occupation of the country, in the form of its permanent military presence in the Philippines. It also condemned the US for its imperialist wars, and its financing of Israeli genocide in Palestine.

First-day Rage in UP, held. Students of the University of the Philippines (UP) welcomed the first day of class with protests in their various campuses in the country. Their protests highlighted issues related to academic freedom, suppression of youth, resistance to charter change and other social issues. Students launched the action in UP-Cebu on January 23; in UP-Manila, UP-Visayas and UP-Tacloban on January 29; in UP-Los Banos February 5; and in UP-Diliman February 6.

Tuition hike in DLSU opposed. More than 100 students of De La Salle University (DLSU)-Manila protested inside its campus in Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila on January 31 to express their opposition to the looming tuition increase next school year. Students also marched in the DLSU-Laguna campus that day. Both actions were led by their respective student councils. They are calling for a “tuition freeze” amid the threat of 9.21% tuition fee increase.

Roll back oil prices. Jeepney drivers and operators launched a protest in front of the Shell Gasoline Station in Caretta, Cebu City on January 30 to condemn the new increase in oil prices. Oil prices have increased one after the other in the past weeks.

The Philippines is ours, China out! Fisherfolk and progressive groups protested before the Chinese Consulate in Makati City on February 6 to denounce China’s continuing encroachment in the West Philippine Sea. The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) spearheaded the action.