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Thousands of Metro Manila students who walked out of classes Friday afternoon, October 17, 2025, to occupy Mendiola to protest corruption and demand accountability. Michael Delizo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Students stage walkout, mass protest vs corruption in Manila

Michael Delizo

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Students from various universities and colleges in Metro Manila walked out of their classes Friday afternoon to protest against corruption in government.</p><p>Chanting calls for accountability and waving banners, thousands of young people marched through the streets of Manila as they converge on Mendiola.</p><p>Among the participants were students from the University Belt, Taft Avenue, and Intramuros clusters, as well as other schools in Manila and universities in Quezon City.</p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FAnakbayanNE%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02EwhEFpczaEf7yV4f3j77X4vzM5d5MRDw7nJ4h1hYrs1N2KTQNg8Vnk1tSkJaXznbl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="747" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Students from Nueva Ecija’s Central Luzon State University (CLSU) also participated in the simultaneous protest.</p><p>The youth demanded accountability over the ongoing flood control corruption scandal.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/10/students-in-10-pup-campuses-walk-out-to-protest-corruption-1822">Students in 10 PUP campuses walk out to protest corruption</a></div><p>As investigations and hearings continue, protesters called out top government officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, for their alleged involvement and complicity. They also criticized the lack of transparency in the probes and the persistence of pork barrel allocations in the recently passed national budget.</p><p>Aldrin Kitsune, a film student from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, joined the massive walkout despite being among those hurt by tear gas, stones, and truncheons during the violent protest in Mendiola on September 21.</p><p>“Takot talaga ako no’n. Takot at galit ang nararamdaman ko no’ng time na ‘yon,” he told ABS-CBN News. “First time ko po talaga ma-tear gas, para kang sinabuyan, sobrang anghang, sobrang hapdi.”</p><p>“Siyempre pupunta pa rin ako bilang isang mamamahayag, bilang film student ng De La Salle-Saint Benilde, bilang officer ng Kalayaan Kontra Korapsyon. Ipapakita ko pa rin ang suporta ko,” he added. </p><div><strong>NO PERMIT</strong></div><p>According to the Manila Police, the rally in Mendiola had no permit.</p><p>Authorities deployed thick line of police officers, reinforced with fire trucks, double concertina wires, and concrete barriers.</p><p>“Ito pong Mendiola ay hindi po ito freedom park. Marami po tayong naapektuhang kababayan natin. May pasok po ngayon. Tingnan din naman po nila ang karapatan ng iba. Marami po tayong commuters, marami po tayong kababayan na maaapektuhan po,” said PMAJ Philipp Ines, spokesperson of the Manila Police District.</p><p>Over a thousand students occupied Mendiola, blocking motorists, according to Ines.</p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/10/16/gen-z-protests-why-are-asia-s-youth-so-angry-0235">Gen Z protests: Why are Asia&#x27;s youth so angry?</a></div>

<p>Students from various universities and colleges in Metro Manila walked out of their classes Friday afternoon to protest against corruption in government.</p>

Students from various universities and colleges in Metro Manila walked out of their classes Friday afternoon to protest against corruption in government.

Students in Metro Manila stage walkout, mass protest vs corruption

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Students in Metro Manila stage walkout, mass protest vs corruption

Michael Delizo,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 17, 2025 04:06 PM PHT

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Updated October 17, 2025 07:39 PM PHT

Read More:

Rally

Corruption

Student walkout

Manila

Central Luzon State University

CLSU

De La Salle-Saint Benilde

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