By Randy Espares Jr. 

Far Eastern University (FEU) students trooped along Nicanor Reyes Street to ‘battle for the right’ in a walkout protest against some of the University’s policies and government corruption in the country this morning, September 29. 

Over 1,000 Tamaraws are estimated to have attended the event, mostly wearing FEU yellow shirts, making up a sea of gold.

Their calls included the abolishment of the hybrid learning setup, alleged unforeseen tuition fee spike, corruption in the Marcos-Duterte administration, and justice for the police brutality victims during the September 21 protests in Mendiola. 

FEU Central Student Council Organization stood at the frontline together with national democratic mass organizations such as Kabataan Partylist, Anakbayan, and League of Filipino Students. 

During the program, various University-wide organizations aired their concerns, including the University’s official publication, FEU Advocate, which condemned attacks on the press in the country and those caught in the war genocide in Gaza. 

“When journalists are beaten, red-tagged, or silenced, it is not just an attack on them as individuals. It is an attack on everyone’s right to know and on our freedom to speak without fear,” FEU Advocate Associate Editor Beatrice Diane Bartolome said. 

The campus’ premiere gender-alliance group FEU Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA) was also present at the protest, standing up for issues on gender and expression. 

“Kailangan natin ng aktibong hakbang, mga polisiya na tiyak na kumikilala at nagpoprotekta sa lahat ng kasarian, mga ligtas na espasyo na tunay na nagbubukas ng pagtanggap, at pamunuan na hindi nagpapalaya sa kahit sinong Tamaraw,” FEU SAGA Secretary Celestino Don Peralta IV emphasized. 

FEU Film Society was present as well with President Angelo Copon and Vice President Gela Regala speaking on issues of media censorship after the Mendiola-Recto protests. 

“Members of my organization were there… at the Mendiola rallies. They were teargassed. They were harassed. They were there, but the media and our leaders say otherwise,” he described. 

Furthermore, the vice president challenged mainstream media to uphold truth in reporting. 

“Hinihimok namin ang mga propesyonal sa larangan ng midya—maging matapang sa paglathala ng balita. Tumindig sa ngalan ng taumbayan (We urge professionals in the field of media to be courageous in publishing the news. Stand up in the name of the people),” Regala added. 

Other student-led organizations include the Institute of Arts and Sciences Student Council (SC) and Institute of Education SC. 

Students across the country ‘walk the talk’ 

Neighboring school University of Santo Tomas (UST) also held their walkout protest this afternoon. 

In a released statement of UST’s University Student Organizations, it emphasized the importance of joining the protest. 

“By walking out and rising in protest, we affirm that Thomasians will not be indifferent in the face of wrongdoing. This act of conscience is also an act of refusal,” it read. 

Earlier this September, various students from University of the Philippines (UP) campuses also walked out such as UP Diliman, UP Los Baños, and UP Baguio among others, amassing over 10,000 students across the Philippines. 

Ateneo De Manila University and Ateneo de Davao University students walked out as well last September 19 and 23, respectively. 

A walkout happens when a group of people leave their duties amid work as a form of protest or demonstration. 

(Photo by Ma. Louela Luna/FEU Advocate)