Irish Mae Sevilla / Junior Journo
The Supreme Student Council of the University of San Carlos (USC SSC) joined a multisectoral rally in Metro Colon, Cebu City, on June 24, 2025, to condemn the military offensives by the United States and Israel against Palestine and Iran.
The rally also aimed to protest the recent oil price hike linked to the ongoing geopolitical conflicts. Rallyists called for the Philippine government to end its cooperation with the U.S. and Israel.
“No student wants genocide — no human being likes seeing the deaths of so many people,” expressed Maui Cruz, the president of USC SSC. She explained that her participation in the rally, as a student, came from genuine concern. “To stay silent is to side with the oppressors,” she emphasized.
Cruz highlighted that the U.S.–Israel alliance has turned Iran and Palestine into a “warzone,” claiming tens of thousands of lives and exacerbating the situation by blocking humanitarian aid.
“As a human being,” she added, “I don’t want to see that happening.”
She further described the U.S. aggression as a form of imperialism aimed at dominating the Middle East.
“Imperialism is not something we only see at a distance. The fight isn’t just in countries like Iran, Palestine, Israel, or the U.S. alone,” Cruz asserted. “It seeps through our country as well.”
Cruz stressed how the Philippines continues to grapple with the various forms of imperialism.
“Our indigenous communities are still being displaced by militarization. Our workers and farmers continue to be buried under neoliberal policies,” she said. “We can even really feel it in our education system.” she said. “That’s why students should care about these kinds of matters”
“Hindi po kami bayad (We are not paid) to speak up,” Cruz clarified, addressing misconceptions. “It is free to stand up for the rights and well-being of your fellow countrymen and of oppressed people everywhere.”
She reiterated that their involvement was simply out of concern.
Cruz concluded the interview with a powerful message: “From Palestine to Iran to the Philippines, imperialist violence is global—and so must be our resistance.”