Over 300 students, teachers, and vendors greeted the opening of the Diliman Mall or DiliMall within the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman campus on November 18 with a protest. The groups clashed with security guards to get close to the mall and express to the university administration and its private business cohorts their strong opposition to what they call campus commercialization.

Owned by the Gokongwei family’s Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. (RRHI), Robinsons Easymart was opened that day. The entire DiliMall will be operated by CBMS Retail Business Development Consultancy. It is set to house PowerMac, UCC, Robinsons, and other well-known large businesses.

Democratic sectors within UP-Diliman have long insisted that services within the campus should remain affordable rather than becoming increasingly commercialized. The protest condemned the UP administration for prioritizing the construction of DiliMall over the promised spaces for the community including the burned Faculty Center and others.

UP President Angelo Jimenez faced the protesters before the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of Robinsons Easymart. The groups stated that Jimenez’s appearance was merely for show, as they had requested multiple meetings and sent unanswered letters to his office. The president even reprimandingly yelled at the protesters.

The protest compelled the UP administration to schedule a dialogue and make some concessions to the UP community. This includes a dialogue with the UP Diliman University Student Council, UP Shopping Center vendors, DiliMall concessionaires, and other community representatives on November 27.

The UP administration promised that no businesses would open in the mall until the dialogue is completed. They also banned the demolition of the temporary stalls of former UP Shopping Center vendors located at the Old Tennis Court of the campus. Meanwhile, a separate dialogue will be held to address the issue of campus space and affordable services.

Organizations under the UP Not for Sale Network and UP Multi-Sectoral Alliance participated in and supported the protest.