Presidential spokesman Harry Roque told students of the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) who called for an academic strike against the government’s pandemic and typhoon response they would fail and not graduate.
“Babagsak po kayo,” Roque said in an interview. “Bilang isang dating propesor, kahit anong dahilan ng sinasabi niyong strike, ‘pag hindi kayo sumunod sa academic requirements, mawawalan kayo ng kinabukasan.”
Over 500 Ateneans have called for a mass student strike to protest the government’s alleged “criminally neglectful response” to typhoon Rolly and Ulysses.
ADMU’s official student newspaper, The Guidon, the students’ call to university to “concentrate all efforts into helping the most vulnerable citizens of the Philippines.”
“We believe that things cannot continue business as usual. We can no longer stomach the ever-rising number of deaths due to the state’s blatant incompetence. We cannot prioritize our schoolwork when our countrymen are suffering unnecessarily at the hands of those in power,” said the students’ statement.
“We strike in solidarity with the students who are victims of calamities and of COVID-19, who cannot be expected to catch up with their studies within three to five working days,” it also said.
“In addition, many Atenean students are leading or are part of initiatives that address what the Duterte administration has not been responsive to. On top of their responsibilities, these students have gone the extra mile to help our fellow Filipinos who are in dire need of assistance,” it added.
Roque to ADMU students calling for strike: You will not graduate
However, Roque said a strike would affect students’ future.
“Hindi kayo makaka-graduate sa Ateneo,” he warned.
ADMU and De La Salle University have eased their academic workload for one week due to typhoon Ulysses.
“The Office of the Vice President for the Loyola Schools released a memo on additional measures to deal with the aftermath of the recent typhoons. The second quarter for both undergraduate and graduate classes has been extended to early January 2021,” the Guidon tweeted.
Meanwhile, The LaSallian on Twitter posted that academic workload for students shall be eased between November 16-21, “moving all deadlines to succeeding weeks.”
It added that professors aren’t prohibited from giving graded activities and are “encouraged” to reduce or forego synchronous sessions.