UP, state college students protest vs budget

Students of the University of the Philippines (UP) and other government schools walked out of their classes before noon on Friday to protest the slash in the budget for state universities and colleges (SUCs) for 2011. Radio dzBB's Allan Gatus reported that at the UP campus in Diliman, Quezon City, students marched out of their classrooms and gathered at the Palma Hall. UP Diliman Student Council Chairman Rainier Sindayen said they planned to join their counterparts from other state colleges and proceed to Mendiola Bridge near Malacañang. In Manila, students similarly walked out from their classes at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Earlier, National Union of Students of the Philippines secretary general Vanessa Bolibol said they aim to make the government aware of the financial realities faced by SUCs. The NUSP said under the proposed P1.64-trillion budget for 2011, SUCs will receive only P23.08 billion, 1.7% lower than the budget last year. UP will receive P1.39 billion, which will be divided among the different campuses of UP in Luzon, the Visayas and in Mindanao. Philippine Normal University will have its budget slashed by 23.59%. –VVP, GMANews.TV