By Mark Vincent A. Durano

Far Eastern University (FEU) student-leaders wore red ribbons signifying unity in a rally calling upon FEU administration’s tuition fee increase along Nicanor Reyes Street in Manila earlier today, February 20.

“Actually it’s a representation, a symbolism ng pag-uunite ng lahat ng mga student-leaders dahil for the first time ever, lahat ng representative[s]… Nagsama-sama kami [student-leaders] para ipaglaban ‘yung karapatan ng estudyante (Actually it’s a representation, a symbolism of the unison of all student-leaders because for the first time ever, all representatives… We all united to fight for the rights of the students),” FEU Central Student Organization (FEUCSO) Presidential Chief-of-Staff Jay Jomar Geroza said in an interview with FEU Advocate.

The student-leaders including FEUCSO, institute student councils, and from FEU Makati wore the ribbons during the tuition fee consultation held prior to the demonstration.

“Ito ‘yung red ribbon namin… Lahat ng student-leader kaisa ng bawat estudyante para tutulan ang pagtaas ng matrikula (This, our red ribbon… All student leader is one with every student to resist the tuition fee hike),” Geroza added.

Along with student-activists, they demanded for quality education that they claimed to have not justified the tuition hike.

Since the last tuition and other fees increase last 2020, the protesters denounced the ‘lack of transparency’ between the officials and students.

Moreover, the rally resisted the current government’s Charter Change through People’s Initiative and its threat to students’ social security.

(Photo by Neil Tamayo/FEU Advocate)