Students from various universities in Cebu City marched against tuition and other school fee increases, threats to academic freedom and political repression on March 17. An estimated 300 students and youth joined the walk-out and march.

Students from University of San Carlos (USC), Cebu Normal University (CNU), University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR), Southwestern University (SWU) and University of the Philippines (UP)-Cebu participated in the action. Before gathering at Fuente Osmeña Circle, the students first conducted actions on the USC and CNU campuses.

At CNU, students denounced the university’s continued implementation of “online learning” first implemented during the pandemic. The students said the university’s current 75% online and 25% onsite mechanism has a negative effect on the quality of education and has its own difficulties. They also denounced the budget cuts to CNU and state universities and colleges in the country.

At the USC, groups condemned the rising fees at the university, the Office of Student Formation and Activities’ arbitrary imposition of rules, and threats to the youth’s right to organize and to free expression. Similar sentiments were expressed by students from other private universities who joined the protest.

Kabataan Party-list second nominee Jose Paolo Echavez joined the demonstration. “The attacks on our [sector] are intensifying. Our budget has been reduced, students are being deprived of space,” according to Echavez. The youth leader expressed that amid these challenges and repressions, unity is the youth’s weapon.

Echavez urged fellow Cebuano youth to continuously take action for the right to education and other democratic rights. He said it is also important for the youth to get involved in national issues such as holding Rodrigo Duterte accountable for crimes against humanity, ousting the corrupt vice president Sara Duterte and demanding accountability from the Marcos administration for the worsening social crisis.