BEDANS TOOK A decisive stand last October 17, holding a walkout protest at the Centennial Garden to demand accountability from public officials amid issues of systemic corruption in the government.
The protest is part of the National Walkout Day and Youth Day of Action Kontra Korapsyon, with other universities and institutions across Metro Manila staging similar demonstrations.
Fueled by a wave of anonymous flyers circulating across the campus since October 14, the demonstration encouraged students to participate in the movement against corruption, highlighting concerns about the administration’s “timid” response to public outrage regarding the issue despite the issuance of statements by other institutions such as the University of Santo Tomas and Adamson University.
Participated by Bedans still clad in their uniforms, the brief mobilization was led by student-leaders from the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) who urged the University to fully embrace the Benedictine values of ora et labora (prayer and work).
“Bilang isang Bedista, hindi tayo mananahimik. Tinuturuan tayo sa San Beda ng ora et labora, hindi lamang ora, dapat may labora, hindi lang dapat tayo ang kumikilos para sa tama at para sa bayan,” said Legal Management junior John Dave Francisco.
Voicing similar sentiments, Enzo Ochoa, President of the Bedan Business Spectrum (BBS) underscored the necessity of concrete action in addressing prevailing social issues in the country.
“Isa ‘yun sa mga nabanggit ko sa speech ko kanina… for me pinaka-kailangan nating pagtuunan ng pansin, hindi lang sapat na ora or prayer lang. Kailangan mayroong labora, merong action, merong progressive change na ginagawa ‘yung isang tao or ‘yung isang community kung nasaan man tayo so moving forward, ‘di namamatay ‘yung issue, ‘di siya namamatay after one protest,” he told The Bedan in an interview.
San Beda Debate Society (SBDS) Vice President Vincent Mira spoke as well on the need to engage in activism and external demonstrations in the school environment.
“…I think it’s not enough na ‘yung mga kapwa nating estudyante [ay] nagmamartsa sa labas, it should also happen within the school, because this is exactly the place where students are being molded, especially not just their intellect but also their values in life,” he said.
Also present were some CAS faculty and administrators, including Prof. Marvin Reyes, PhD, Prefect of Student Activities, who opened the program with a message of solidarity, and Asst. Prof. Sybil Agreda, the Assistant Prefect of Student Activities.
After the demonstration, some Bedans marched from Centennial Garden to the Mendiola Peace Arch to attend the broad program alongside other schools.
The walkout was part of the broader movement in the university-belt (U-Belt) which included the University of the East, Far Eastern University, Arellano University, National Teachers’ College, and Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
This demonstration marked the first time Bedans staged a rally in campus grounds in decades, with the last known major demonstration taking place way back in 2007 when students protested against the uniform policy imposed by the administration, as well as the passage of the Magna Carta for Students.
(with Dianne Radel Magallon)