UP Oblation Run leads protest vs tuition hike

The traditional yearly "Oblation Run" where masked male students belonging to the Alpha Phi Omega (APO) fraternity ran naked around the Quezon City campus of the University of the Philippines highlighted the series of protest action by students and faculty members against the proposed 300 percent tuition increase.

At least 40 naked student wearing masks and brandishing placards against the tuition increase run around Palma Hall amidst the shouts and cheers of people, students and visitors who trooped to the UP campus in Diliman, Quezon City.

"The Oblation Run highlights this year highlights the strong protest against the proposed tuition fee hike," Lani Abad president of all UP Academic employees told The STAR.

Hundreds of placard-bearing students picketed the Quezon Hall of the university where the UP Board of Regents held their meeting yesterday afternoon to decide on the tuition increase.

Abad said if the UP administration pushes through with the Board of Regents meeting to deliberate and decide on the tuition hike then the meeting should be opened to the public in the same manner that the public has the right to attend and listen to the deliberations of the Congress on important policy matters such as the con-ass.

Several students interviewed by The STAR also expressed strong opposition to the proposal saying that if the new rate is implemented then poor but deserving students could no longer afford to study in the state university.

Pol Bugalon, an Education student, said at present he only pays P6,000 per semester but if the new rate is adopted he will be paying P 20,000 each semester.

Bugalon said his mother is now a regular employee while his father has no permanent job, so his other brothers and sister will now lose the opportunity of studying at UP.

Instead of increasing tuition the students demanded additional government support to the state university.