Irked over Mar Roxas' perwisyo' remark, students vow more protests

Annoyed after Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas remarked that Monday's transport strike was a "perwisyo" (nuisance), the Kabataan Partylist group vowed to stage more protests in the coming days. Vencer Crisostomo, secretary general of Kabataan Partylist, said state universities and colleges (SUCs) -- including the University of the Philippines system -- are preparing for the "national week of actions," which will start on September 23. Roxas trooped to a protest point in Cubao, Quezon City on Monday, calling the transport strike "perwisyo" in front of the rallyists and the media. The strike was launched by Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON). Crisostomo said Roxas' statement "reveals his refusal to think deep about the issue" just because he is unaffected by it. "It is so easy for the likes of Roxas to dismiss the people's protest as another annoyance because the continuous oil price hikes do not affect him as a gut issue," Crisostomo said. The real nuisance is the government's "inaction" to the "unabated" rise of oil prices, he added. Education budget cuts Crisostomo said the nationwide strikes and actions will be accompanied by prayer rallies, noise barrages, white ribbon lacing, and wearing of school color t-shirts, among others. He said the upcoming protests and strikes are intended to demand sufficient government funding for social services. He disclosed that the P21.9 billion proposed budget for SUCs is still P24 billion short from what the institutions need. Meanwhile, the P49.9 billion budget for health makes only for barely half of what the sector needs, especially in public hospitals. "When the government turns its back on the people's welfare, that's our signal to launch collective actions," Crisostomo said. Other protests On Monday, around 30 members of the League of Filipino Students and Anakbayan also protested by storming out of their classrooms and "planking" or lying straight and face-down on the busy streets of Manila and Quezon City. The protest action was in support of the strike launched by PISTON. On Tuesday, the Manila Police District warned protesters that it may detain those engaged in "planking" sessions, especially if they pose a danger to others. The surprise protest also prompted Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo to file a bill against "planking" during street protests. In a statement, Castelo said the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education should issue a code of conduct for student activists who engage in street demonstrations. "The parent in me tells me that this precedent... could just be very dangerous in the future. Life and limb are pretty much at risk here," he said. - with reports from Andreo Calonzo and Marlon Anthony Tonson, VVP, GMA News