THOUSANDS of students from the University of Santo Tomas walked out of their classrooms to make a bold stand against corruption and injustice on Monday, Sept. 29.
Organized by the UST Central Student Council (CSC), the Sept. 29 walkout responded to widespread corruption in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and cases involving government officials, mirroring the Sept. 12 “Black Friday Protest” at the University of the Philippines.
“Isa itong pakikisama [ng] buong Thomasian community – realizing the corruption na nangyayari dito sa ating bansa,” said Samuel Llorin of the Faculty of Theology. “Lumalaban tayo against corruption. Because of this injustice na nangyayari sa bansa natin, ang daming naaapektuhan, nawawalan ng oportunidad, at nagsi-stay sa poverty.”
Revelations of anomalous government flood-control projects sparked outrage and congressional investigations.
On Sept. 21, thousands of Filipinos gathered at Rizal Park for the “Baha sa Luneta” protest and marched to the Mendiola Peace Arch, which coincided with the 53rd anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law.
Sophomore communication arts student Jethro Firmanes said he joined the rally to condemn the billions lost to graft.
“Ang mga flood-control projects ay limpak-limpak na at bilyon na ang ninakaw nila. Ito na ang panahon upang ipaglaban natin kung ano ang dapat. Hindi na dapat tayo nagpapaapi sa mga korapsyon na nagaganap ngayon,” Firmanes said.
On Sept. 18, Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon said in a Senate Blue Ribbon probe that trillions could have been lost to anomalies in flood control projects.
The money lost came at the expense of crumbling public services such as education and health care.
“Nakita namin firsthand ‘yong situation, health care system ngayon dito sa Pilipinas and ‘yong bilyon-bilyong pondo na sana inilaan sa pangkalusugan ay ibinulsa na ng mga corrupt na officials,” said sophomore applied physics student Marky Mendoza.
The Philippine Statistics Authority reported a P1.56-trillion health budget in 2024, but the health group P4H Network said 42.7% of health costs were still borne by households, straining thousands of families.
“The construction of roads, classrooms are also an issue. Multiple classrooms are not being built and education are not being delivered to the students,” said Sebastian Miguel Salvador of the College of Education.
A Presidential Communications Office report said the education sector received P1.05 trillion in 2024, but irregularities have since surfaced, including unfinished and unusable classrooms, delayed construction, and ghost projects.
RELATED: Discayas tag legislators in flood control scam
Information technology sophomore Sophia Abuna said her presence at the rally reflected her values as a Thomasian and a Filipino.
“[Bilang] isang Pilipino na talagang nakakaranas ng iba’t ibang klase ng korupsyon, siyempre, nakakagalit lahat,” Abuna said.
Tradition of resistance
Kyle Labay, a senior nursing student, shared that in his four-year stay in UST, it was the first time he had seen different academic units come together to fight for a common goal: to abolish corruption, to be heard by the higher-ups, and to encourage awareness.
“Since four years na ako sa UST, I think this is the first time na nakita kong nag-bond [ang] different departments and colleges to fight for one goal, which is to abolish corruption, to be heard by [the] higher ups, and to see everyone as aware and using their voice for good,” he said.
In 1972, Thomasians staged protests in UST against the Marcos regime and University actions such as the dismissal of a faculty member.
In 1986, they held a prayer vigil while manning barricades on campus, while others marched to Camps Crame and Aguinaldo to oust former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
During the presidency of Joseph Estrada, Thomasians joined rallies against charter change in 1999 and amid an impeachment trial that led to his eventual ouster in 2001.
Students walked out of classes in 2002 to press for the abolition of mandatory ROTC, following the death of a UST cadet, mechanical engineering student Mark Welson Chua, who had exposed corruption.
Carrying on this tradition, frustrations once again echoed as Thomasians protested against corruption.
Among the youngest protesters was UST Education High School student Ekim Dela Cruz, who stressed why youth participation matters.
“Kahit kami [ay] 13, 14, 12 years old, nandito po kami lumalaban kasi gusto po namin katotohanan. Para po sa kinabukasan namin ‘to,” Dela Cruz said.
“Ang simbahan nga po mismo, galit po sa mga magnanakaw, kami pa po bang mga kabataan na pag-asa nga po ng bayan,” Dela Cruz added.
Echoing the Thomasian tradition of resistance, students urged both the government and their own community not to be complicit in corruption and abuse.
“Oras na para mag-ingay, oras na para marinig. Ito na ang panahon upang ipaglaban natin kung ano ang dapat,” Firmanes said.
‘Competence, commitment, corruption’
Students also expressed anger at UST system alumni implicated in the flood control anomalies.
“Mali ata ang tatlong Thomasian core values nila,” said Faculty of Civil Law student Elizabeth Alejandro.
“Competence, commitment, at corruption ang pinapalagananap nila. Hindi tayo sang-ayon dito, [kaya] dapat singilin sila, dapat panagutin sila.”
Abuna also distanced herself from the three implicated alumni.
“Hindi nila nire-representa lahat ng Tomasino sa UST. Naniniwala ako na maraming Tomasino na galit ring makita na binibitbit nila ‘yong pangalan ng UST, pero ‘yon pala ‘yong ginagawa nila,” she told the Varsitarian.
The three graduates are Sen. Joel Villanueva, who finished commerce in 1996; former House appropriations chair Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, a 1998 MBA graduate of UST Legazpi; and Henry Alcantara, a 1994 engineering graduate.
Villanueva was tagged by a former DPWH engineer in anomalous projects in Bulacan, allegedly receiving kickbacks from flood control funds.
Co was linked to budget insertions and billions in alleged kickbacks and contracts.
Alcantara, meanwhile, was dismissed from DPWH after admitting he had signed off on ghost projects worth tens of millions.
READ: LIST: Thomasians involved in flood control projects | The Varsitarian
Students’ message to the government was clear: demand accountability and transparency.
Llorin described his participation as “theology in the margins,” stressing that his vocation must not ignore injustice.
“As future priests, hindi kami dapat blind sa nangyayari sa sosyedad. We do theology not only in the classrooms but also in the community,” he said.
The rally began with participants marching from their colleges before converging at the Plaza Mayor, drawing an estimated 1,500 students and faculty. With reports from Luis Angelo N. Palma and Ralent M. Penilla
