400 schools to hold nationwide sit-down strike, alternative classes on Nov. 28 — Alliance of Concerned Teachers

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines will lead a nationwide “day of action” on Friday, November 28, with public school teachers in more than 400 schools set to conduct a sit-down strike and hold alternative classes focused on corruption, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and what they describe as the chronic neglect of the education sector.

In a media advisory on Thursday, ACT said participating teachers from Metro Manila and regional chapters nationwide will remain inside their classrooms but will suspend regular lessons for the day. 

Instead, they will facilitate discussions, testimonies, creative modules, and people’s education activities intended to highlight how corruption and alleged plunder in government affect public education and put communities at risk during calamities.

Coordinated protest actions

The day of action will begin at 6:00 a.m. with simultaneous banner-hanging activities in schools across the country.

The sit-down strike proper will run from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with teachers carrying out alternative learning sessions centered on governance issues, accountability, and the “systemic roots” of problems faced by public education.

ACT said the initiative is part of its broader call for accountability over alleged anomalous infrastructure projects, the doubling of the national education budget, and justice for teachers and learners who they say continue to bear the brunt of underfunded public services.

To close the day, teachers will join health workers, government employees, and other sectoral groups in four separate convergence points across the National Capital Region to push for higher funding for education, health, and other social services, as well as to denounce what they called “massive corruption” in government.

According to ACT, the following assemblies in Metro Manila will take place at the following locations:

• Quezon City: Educators, education workers, and students will march from University of the Philippines-Diliman campus’ Quezon Hall at 4 p.m.toward Philcoa along Commonwealth Avenue (northbound lane), where they will converge with health workers and government employees. A program will begin at 5 p.m.
• Manila: Teachers and health workers from the Philippine General Hospital, together with educators from UP Manila, will gather near Oblation Park and march toward Taft Avenue outside Araullo High School to meet other groups.
• Pasig City: Teachers, parents, and students will converge at Plaza Bonifacio at 3 p.m.
• Muntinlupa: Teachers and parents will hold a candle-lighting protest at Alabang Public Market at 7 p.m. —Sherylin Untalan/RF, GMA Integrated News