BAGUIO CITY — Students and teachers from Baguio and the neighboring towns of Benguet marched with other organizations during the nationwide protest on November 30 against corruption in the city, urging the government to address issues plaguing the education sector.
The protest, organized by Baguio-Benguet Laban sa Korapsyon, began with a march from the Baguio Convention and Cultural Center to Burnham Park, where participants held a program. Police estimated that about 1,200 people joined the event at its peak during the march, then dropped to around 350 as the program continued, ending at noon.
Gabriel Siscar, one of the event’s convenors and Kabataan Partylist Cordillera regional coordinator, said that the resigned Ako Bicol Partylist lawmaker Zaldy Co, or former House Speaker Martin Rumualdez, are not the only individuals responsible for the corruption in flood control structures.
He stressed that accountability should include all those involved—starting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is responsible for approving the budget and releasing unprogrammed appropriations. Vice President Sara Duterte, he stated, is equally liable for her questionable use of confidential funds and other controversies in the Department of Education during her term as secretary.
“‘Yan ang hinahamon natin sa lahat ng mga kabataan, sa iba’t-ibang mga sectors natin sa ating bansa, na hindi ibibigay ang hustisya on a silver platter. We have to collectively move forward,” Siscar said. “Kasi di naman sila takot sa mamamayang tahimik lang, takot sila sa mamamayang lamalaban.”
(That is the challenge we are raising to all youth and to the different sectors of our country: justice will not be given on a silver platter. We have to move forward collectively. Because they are not afraid of a silent people, they are afraid of a people who fight back.)
FIGHTING FOR THE FUTURE. Students from different schools and universities in Metro Baguio joined Sunday’s protest, urging authorities for accountability for the billions lost to corruption, which they say could have been allocated to education. (Sherwin De Vera)
Among those who attended the protest were teachers and professors from various schools and universities in the city. Their demand: increase the education budget to ensure better pay and working conditions for teachers and staff, and to create a better learning environment for students.
In his speech, Willy Alangui, from the All U.P. Academic Employees Union Baguio Chapter, expressed sympathy for students and teachers who are unable to safely cross rivers due to substandard bridges damaged by recent typhoons.
He mentioned that teachers in Southern Leyte swam through floodwaters after their concrete bridge collapsed during Typhoon Tino, and that students from a remote village in Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya, had to cross broken ropes and cables, remnants of a destroyed footbridge, to reach school.
“All of this is connected to our education budget, which for 2026 has been further reduced by nearly 7 billion for SUCs. Not only have they cut the budget, but they are also misappropriating it,” Alangui said, adding that for UP Baguio, the most urgent issue is the pending constructions on the campus that need additional budget.
TEACHING WOES. Prof. Willy Alangui of the All U.P. Academic Employees Union Baguio Chapter speaks about the challenges faced by campus staff, noting that many employees remain contractual due to the lack of plantilla positions. (Sherwin De Vera)
In 2023, a Commission on Audit report flagged UP Baguio for misusing funds and failing to enforce contracts, including unspent GAA balances of ₱100.4 million, which contributed to infrastructure delays such as the Bulwagang Juan Luna and Campus-wide Interconnectivity projects.
The UP system is facing a budget crisis, with the largest cut in nearly a decade under the 2025 General Appropriations Act, totaling ₱2.08 billion. For 2026, the Department of Budget and Management’s proposed allocations indicate another ₱21 billion reduction from the initially proposed budget of ₱46.85 billion.
Meanwhile, the projected total of budget cuts in state universities and colleges for the new year will amount to P6.8 billion, based on the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
In Cordillera, multiple SUCs face budget cuts, including the Mountain Province State University, Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology, Apayao State College, and Kalinga State University, totaling P961.653 million, P336.218 million, P86.728 million, and P85.004 million, respectively. #nordis.net
