My routine started as any other of my on-site classes. The guards inspected my bag at Gate 4, and the comforting noise of campus life—a sound I had almost forgotten after days of being stuck in front of a screen—greeted me. The return of our voices in Thy Happy Halls is our shared joy. But we will realize, beyond the pens and binders, that we are not the only ones desiring this return.

Taking the stairs on the right by the gate, I walked into the ‘Tams Cravings’ canteen. As I bought my usual ‘Special Longga’ from ‘Tapaeng’s,’ I asked how the recent hybrid learning setup affected their sales for this sweet, deep-fried meal.

“Malaki ‘yung pagbabago, eh. ‘Yung kita namin hindi kumukumpara sa Monday to Wednesday,” Elaine, who handed me my meal, responded with a hint of disappointment. Her thoughts then drifted to what she missed before a daily routine became a seldom-occurrence: “‘Yung dami ng tao. ‘Yung parang lahat puno.”

After thanking Elaine and finishing my hearty dish, I craved a sweet Yakult drink. Luckily, the stall I needed was just in the ABB Canteen, past the bustling Pavilion and right by the echoes of high school clamor.

“Mahina. Hindi na tulad ng dati na regular talaga, laging may pasok,” Mika of ‘Yang Kitty’ admitted about her livelihood. As I drank the Yakult lemonade blend, she continued to reflect on how she missed the queuing students in front of her stall.

Once our conversation ended, my search for a bin led to the court filled with the high-pitched popping of pickleballs. Walking past the parked buses, however, the savory, meat-filled aroma of bread soon took over, leading me instead to ‘Suerte's Empanada’ in ‘Tayuman.’

The seller, Mae, was wary but ultimately admitted to the immense decrease in her sales.

“Humina ‘yung benta tuwing Huwebes hanggang Sabado. Bumaba talaga, almost kalahati ng sales namin,” she replied with a disheartened tone. “Ngayon kasi marami kaming natitira.”

On the other side of the canteen, Jendy from ‘Shawarma Shack’ shared the same sentiment. She expressed that even though they are authorized to sell during asynchronous classes, their ability to reach their quota remains hindered, significantly affecting their income.

All their answers ring as loud as testimonies.

Their experiences shared a single conflict: the abrupt change in our curriculum. When a shift in learning modality blurs the line between opportunity and access, paralleling the instability of the canteen staff’s livelihood, it does not fall under a matter of mishap and misjudgment but a conflict of integrity and policy.

I have come to realize that behind every serving counter are voices who also long to be heard. The canteen staff, despite not being able to raise their fists or kitchenware in protest, feels the full repercussions of the unjust decision we are fighting against. So when we raise our signs for quality education, let us raise their rights for economic stability with us.

- Russell Ognes

(Photo by Cathlyn Audrey Adaro/FEU Advocate)