October 2, 2025 — Students of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Sto. Tomas Campus (PUP-STC) staged a walkout and took to the streets in a historic and powerful protest condemning the bloody legacy of the Marcos dictatorship while also calling out the deep-seated corruption that continues to cripple the nation.

The mobilization, held on the 53rd anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, was spearheaded by The Searcher, the campus' official student publication, alongside the Dibujo Art Society, Mozart's Guild, and Bagong Himig Batangan. The demonstrators called out both the brutal repression of the dictatorship and the ongoing decay of governance today. Student speakers particularly emphasized the rampant anomalies within government agencies, pointing to the scandal surrounding the DPWH flood control projects as a glaring symbol of how corruption thrives while ordinary Filipinos are left behind.

At the heart of the protest stood a haunting art installation: a scarecrow, a broken television, chairs, and placards — representing the journalists, artists, and ordinary citizens silenced during the dictatorship. It served as both a memorial and a challenge: a call to refuse silence in the face of lies, repression, and systemic abuse.

The action began with a walkout from classes, as students marched across campus with chants thundering against tyranny and graft. At the New Building, speakers delivered fiery addresses drawing parallels between the killings, censorship, and injustices of Martial Law and the corruption and incompetence of today's government.

Cultural groups lent their voices to the protest. Mozart's Guild performed protest songs like Dekada '70 and Upuan, while Bagong Himig Batangan echoed the call with Tatsulok and Kapangyarihan. These performances amplified the reminder that the struggle for justice and accountability is far from over.

After the performances, students marched toward the unfinished campus building under the DPWH's responsibility — a decaying structure that was meant to be a new learning facility. Now it stands abandoned with bent steel, moldy walls, and no sign of completion. To the students, the building symbolized how corruption and incompetence rob the youth of their future.

The program culminated with a solemn candle-lighting ceremony, dedicated both to the victims of Martial Law and as a vow to resist ongoing oppression and corruption. Professors, standing with their students, joined in the act of remembrance and defiance.

In a searing statement, The Searcher declared: “Ang tunay na diwa ng pakikibaka ay matatagpuan sa walang humpay na pagsusulong ng katotohanan at katarungan. Mula noon hanggang sa kasalukuyan, ito ang aming paninindigan: Iskolar ng Bayan, Ngayon ay Lumalaban. Hindi dito nagtatapos, nagsisimula pa lamang.”

Never Again, Never Forget