Palace tells student protesters to keep calm

MANILA -- Students who are planning to stage another nationwide walkout are advised to keep calm and instead look at the whole concept of the national expenditure program to understand the budget cut.

Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma, who was a member of a student council active in protests in his college days, said student leaders should see the bigger picture of the P1.645 trillion national budget.

“Baka po ang nakikita lamang sa ngayon ng ating student leaders ay ‘yung seeming reduction of a certain allocations in the budget. Dapat po siguro makita nila ‘yung buong larawan,” he said in a radio interview.

“Hindi naman natin inaalis sa kanila ‘yung pagkakataon o ‘yung karapatan na ipahiwatig ‘yan. Sana lang ay gawin nila ‘yon sa mahinahon sa paraan at ‘yung hindi nakakasakit o nakakapinsala,” Coloma added.

In fact, Coloma said, the education department topped the priority list of the administration with the highest budget of P207.3 billion.

Students however are protesting the slash on the 2011 budget for various state-run universities and colleges. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)