LEADERS of activist youth groups urged Thomasians to break the “culture of apathy” during student walkout protests on Friday.
Marc Edison Agustin, vice president of Anakbayan-UST, said Thomasians should not contain themselves inside their classrooms, and instead take their grievances against the government to the streets.
“Let’s kill the culture of apathy. Kailangan nating makiisa bilang mga Tomasino. [H]indi lang tayo nakakulong sa apat na sulok ng ating silid-aralan, pero tayo mismo pinaparinig natin sa taong bayan ang pagkabulok ng estado [ng lipunan],” Agustin said in an interview with the Varsitarian.
Gian Conel, UST Central Student Council’s director for campaigns and advocacies, said the walkout was a symbol of the Thomasians’ fight against the anti-poor policies of the President Rodrigo Duterte and his tirades against the members of the media.
“Dapat natin marealize na mayroon ding laban ng lipunan sa labas ng four corners ng ating University at ang rally na ito ang nagiging pakikiisa natin,” Conel said.
Bash Batara, member of Anakbayan-UST, said the UST core values of compassion, commitment and competence should also be practiced in the way Thomasians respond to social issues.
“Bilang mga Tomasino na competent, committed at saka compassionate, kailangan ipakita natin itong three C’s in a way na napapaglingkuran natin ang sambayanan. ‘Yung three C’s hindi siya limited sa loob lang University natin,” Batara said.
League of Filipino Students head Bluei Fausto said Thomasians needed to reach out to the masses and be involved in social issues.
“Kailangan nating isipin na parte [tayo] ng mamamayang Pilipino, parte [tayo] ng masa kaya tayo nakikilahok dito sa walkout na ito,” Fausto said.
University of the Philippines (UP)-Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan endorsed the walkout campaign on Feb. 23, excusing UP students from classes on Feb. 24 and 25.
“We need to encourage our students to participate in the activities as part of their education,” Tan said in a statement.
Students from UST, De La Salle University, UP-Diliman, UP-Manila, University of the East, National University, Far Eastern University, Philippine Normal University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila joined the walkout and met at Morayta Street to protest extrajudicial killings, state fascism and the curtailment of press freedom.
