Photo by Joe Lugti
Central Student Council (CSC) President Janela Love Nartates said that the council chose not to participate in the recent nationwide anti-Marcos protests to discourage other students from joining for their safety.
“‘Yung protest, hindi kami sumali, not because we are pro. We have a stand and we believe, the Central Student Council (sic). We are not encouraging students to go for the sake of their safety,” Nartates told TomasinoWeb at the sidelines of the CSC-led prayer vigil “Tomasino para sa Bayan.”
“We are hoping that the students will see that we are doing some actions for them to understand na we don’t need to go to protests to voice out our feelings. We can offer it peacefully,” she said.
She said that candle lighting and praying are much more peaceful alternatives to massive street protests like the ones which overthrew former dictator Ferdinand Marcos and ousted former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada.
“We try to make another kind of movement, like lighting the candles and praying for the Philippines. Just because we didn’t go there, doesn’t mean na wala kaming pake,” she said.
UST was the only “Big Four” school which was absent during the Nov. 30 protest at the People Power Monument in Quezon City.
UP Chancellor Michael Tan, Ateneo de Manila University President Fr. Jett Villarin, and De La Salle Philippines President Jose Mari Jimenez went onstage in solidarity with the protest.
However, some Thomasians joined the protest along with students from UP, Ateneo and La Salle. Together with other activists, they formed a 3,000-strong contingent on White Plains Avenue.
Lack of student involvement
The CSC was expecting most students from the University to join the prayer vigil and candle lighting ceremony, however, only around 50 students joined the gathering.
“On the actions of the [Thomasian] community, somehow kulang pa. Like the prayer today, we are planning to have another segment pa, para makita ng students na may ginagawa regarding the issues, not just the Marcos burial, but other issues that affect our country,” said Nartates.
Central Board of Students spokesperson Nykko Bautista lamented that Thomasians cannot be mobilized even for a simple prayer vigil.
“Mapapansin natin na kahit nag-start na ‘yung Central Student Council, nag-call na for action, kahit simpleng prayer lang, wala masyadong pumunta, prayer rally na nga lang. Bakit hindi pa rin sila pumunta, kahit simple na nga lang siya? Apathy is something na mahirap i-address,” said Bautista.
However, it can be recalled that Thomasians spontaneously mobilized on Nov. 18, the same day of the stealthy burial of Marcos. Thomasians also assembled at Plaza Mayor on Nov. 25 before marching to Mendiola and joining the large protest at Luneta. Calls were also made for Thomasians to join the Nov. 30 rally at the People Power Monument.
Bautista remains positive that the school administration will soon make a stand on national issues such as the burial of Marcos.
“If the students can show it to the administration, that we are united, meron tayong stand, they might entertain the idea of releasing a statement.”
UST remains mum on the issue of the burial of Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. -V.A., T.A.
