Marcos or Duterte? Youth leaders in Cebu say hold both accountable

CEBU, Philippines – Cebu City’s main thoroughfare on Monday, March 17, was bustling with chants during a student-led walkout for academic freedom which called to hold president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and ex-president Rodrigo Duterte accountable for alleged injustices.

Marching from the University of San Carlos (USC) Main Campus and Cebu Normal University (CNU) along Osmeña Boulevard, student organizations and youth advocacy groups shouted, “Marcos singilin! Duterte panagutin (Demand from Marcos, Hold Duterte accountable).”

Hans Noel Balila, president of the USC Supreme Student Council, said in an interview that a majority of the student organizations that joined the walk out were there to call out the repression faced by students inside universities.

According to Balila, their student council has been fighting for proper recognition as the representative of the student body in the decision making process of student policies.

“Whatever policies, whatever revisions in our student manual that the administration implements, we as students cannot have a say on it because the USC Supreme Student Council does not have a seat in the policymaking body,” the student council president.

Balila added that the walk out is a show of solidarity with other youth leaders in different universities.

“We stand with them in the calls for accountability from the Dutertes and the Marcoses, especially with their grave negligence of the demands and welfare of the Filipino people,” Balila said

Negligence

Many youth organizations and advocacy groups in Cebu have criticized the administrations of Duterte and Marcos for their negligence towards issues faced by students.

In 2021, the World Bank published a report which identified gaps in the Philippine education sector, concluding that there was an “education crisis” in the country that started even before the coronavirus pandemic.

Nearing the end of his term, Duterte attributed the nation’s low education ranking to its “third world” status, and said that the issue best left to be solved for the next administration.

After winning the elections, Duterte’s daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte became education secretary by Marcos’ order in May 2022. However, on June 19, 2024, the vice president resigned from the position, citing her concern for Filipino teachers and the youth.

Jose Paulo Echavez, the second nominee of Kabataan for the 2025 polls, told Rappler during the Monday walk out that most student organizations in universities either receive threats of being expelled or being told that they would not receive funding for their organizations for being critical or even airing out grievances.

“Dapat si Duterte ikulong kay daghan siya og sala sa mga kabataan, especially sa iyang drug war…Over 150 youth ang gipatay sa drug war unya wala man gani ni sila nakaagi og trial,” Echavez said.

(Duterte should be locked up because he has done a lot of wrong to the youth, especially in his drug war…Over 150 youth have been killed in the drug war and they haven’t even been put through trials.)

Echavez cited the controversial killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos who was gunned down by cops who claimed that he “fought back” and that the minor was a “drug courier.” Delos Santos is one of many minors and students killed in Duterte’s drug war.

As of this writing, Duterte is in The Hague, to face charges for crimes against humanity related to his war on drugs campaign during his presidency.

For Echavez, Marcos should also be held accountable for the lack of funding in the education sector. 

The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) Year Two Report, released on January 27, pointed out that the country’s education spending failed to meet the recommended benchmark of 4% to 6% of the Philippines’ gross domestic product. – Rappler.com