October 10 - Students and faculty of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Sto. Tomas Campus (PUP-STC) joined the "Largest University Walkout in History" on October 10, 2025, in solidarity with thousands of Iskolar ng Bayan across the country calling for accountability, transparency, and increased funding for public education.

The university-wide protest was spearheaded by the PUP Office of the Student Regent (OSR), the sole representative of over 95,000 students in the PUP System. The OSR called for a system-wide walkout to denounce widespread corruption, government neglect in the education sector, and recent controversies surrounding the DPWH's flood control projects.

At exactly 10:00 AM, PUP Sto. Tomas students and faculty members walked out of their classrooms and gathered by the campus gates to voice their demands for better governance and a higher education budget amid reports of budget cuts for PUP. The mobilization remained peaceful, with campus administrators and security personnel present to ensure the safety of participants.

In a statement, the PUP OSR urged the PUP community to unite under the banner of people's education, declaring:

"Ang ating mga silid-aralan ay magiging entablado ng protesta; ang ating mga tinig, sandata ng katotohanan. Ang PUP, bilang People's University of the Philippines, ay muling mag-aalab sa sigaw ng bayan: Tumindig laban sa korapsyon! Ipaglaban ang mataas at sapat na badyet sa pamantasan! Baguhin ang bulok na sistema!""

PUP Sto. Tomas joined other campuses in synchronized actions, including PUP Sta. Mesa (10:00 AM & 12:00 NN), Taguig (2:00 PM), Quezon City (1:00 PM), Parañaque (9:00 AM), Alfonso (10:00 AM), Maragondon (10:00 AM), Sta. Rosa (2:00 PM), Talisay (10:00 AM), and Lopez (11:30 AM).

The PUP Sto. Tomas Central Student Council formally sought and received approval from campus administration to hold the walkout, ensuring the event remained coordinated and secure.

During the Recognition Ceremony held the same day, Campus Director Dr. Armando Torres expressed his support for these peaceful mobilizations, emphasizing that such actions demonstrate the students' awareness and concern for pressing social issues. He commended the PUP community for exercising their rights responsibly and for embodying the spirit of civic engagement that defines the Iskolar ng Bayan.

This marks the second major mobilization at PUP-STC this month, following the October 2 walkout commemorating the 53rd anniversary of Martial Law—another demonstration against tyranny, corruption, and the continuing struggle for genuine social justice and education reform.

Iskolar ng Bayan, Ngayon ay lumalaban!