Hundreds of students at private and public universities launched protests in August in time with the opening of classes. The protests highlighted the various people’s issues and demands of the youth and students from the Marcos regime.

Student councils and national-democratic youth organizations led the actions.

In state universities and colleges (SUCs), they lambasted the Marcos regime for slashing funds for SUCs in its 2025 budget proposal. Marcos is set to reduce the budget of SUCs by ₱14.48 billion, 11.29% lower compared to its current budget year. In the proposal, ₱113.75 billion will be allocated to SUCs next year, down from ₱128.23 billion this year.

They also denounced the increasing commercialization of their schools as a result of lack of budget and government support. They reported cases where universities are compelled to build commercial establishments on campuses, and lease public land for business and similar measures.

Students launched protests at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman (August 20), UP Baguio (August 20), UP Manila (August 19), UP Los Baños (August 22), UP Cebu (August 12), UP Visayas Miag- ao (August 12), UP Tacloban (August 27), and UP Mindanao (August 19). Groups also protested at the University of the City of Manila (August 19), Technological University of the Philippines-Manila (August 27) and Bulacan State University (August 12).

In private universities, councils and groups aired their opposition to tuition and other fees increases. Protests were reported at the University of Sto. Tomas (August 9), Ateneo de Manila University (August 9), Far Eastern University (August 12), and Saint Louis University (August 12).

In these actions, the student-youths emphasized the importance of promoting academic freedom. They stated their stand against any threat of repression by the Marcos regime and the armed forces.

They condemned the military and the police for their intrusion and intervention in the universities which they said is a threat to their security. They also opposed the proposed Mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) which they said is part of campus militarization.

They denounced other forms of suppression of students’ democratic rights, including policies enforced by repressive university “handbooks.”

Apart from the student issues, they also highlighted the call to end the Zionist Israel’s genocide in Palestine, defense of the Philippines national sovereignty and charging the Marcos regime with heaping human rights violations and crimes against the Filipino people.

Protests will be launched in other universities that will just start classes this September, such as the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.