Indignant over the “triple whammy” of combined hikes in tuition, water and power rates, youth formations led by Kabataan Partylist staged noise barrages and picket protests throughout Metro Manila today.

Three years into the Aquino presidency, the same problems remain – and even worsened. Millions of families continue to be mired in poverty, while millions of youth greet the school opening outside their campuses, unable to enroll due to financial constraints. Thus the youth tags Aquino ineligible to govern for the remaining years of his term.

Responding to the Supreme Court’s decision to junk the petition against the implementation of tuition hikes filed by youth groups last week, Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raymond Palatino said that it will not hinder students from continuing the fight for accessible education.

A day before the regular en banc session of the Supreme Court, youth groups led by Kabataan Partylist called on the high court to immediately issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the implementation of tuition and other fee increases in 354 private colleges and universities nationwide.

Students denounce tuition hikes, full implementation of K-12 program

Several youth groups led by Kabataan Partylist along with students from various colleges and universities filed a petition in the Supreme Court at around 2:30 p.m. today to stop the implementation of the newly-approved hikes in 354 tertiary schools nationwide.

Youth partylist Kabataan hit the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for delaying the proclamation of all winning partylists in the midterm polls, saying that the delay would “open a wider room for fraud and vote manipulation.”

Responding to Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chair Patricia Licuanan’s earlier statement to the media that the commission has yet to “officially approve” on Monday, May 27, the proposed tuition increases in 344 colleges and universities nationwide, youth groups led by Kabataan Partylist pointed out that several schools with pending proposals have already begun the enrolment period, with new rates already being implemented.

Youth groups led by Kabataan Partylist and the National Union of Students of the Philippines denounced the approval of a new spate of tuition increases in 343 colleges and universities, and 260 elementary and secondary schools across the country.

Youth groups led by Kabataan Party-list staged an indignation rally at around 1 p.m. today to protest the the apparent manipulation of election results and various anomalies hounding the midterm elections.