Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines and De La Salle University set aside their rivalry in college basketball to unite against the sneaky burial of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Heroes鈥� Cemetery.
One by one, leaders of the so-called 鈥淏ig Four鈥� schools, except for the University of Santo Tomas, spoke before thousands of anti-Marcos protesters, many of whom were millennials, at the People Power Monument in Quezon City on Wednesday night.
Before giving a message, Ateneo President Fr. Jett Villarin, S.J. sang the Ateneo chant 鈥淥ne Big Fight!鈥� along with the crowd.
Students and alumni from UP in the rally also chanted 鈥淯nibersidad ng Pilipinas!鈥� when Chancellor Michael Tan took the stage.
The chancellor thanked the students for attending the rally while the Ateneo Blue Eagles and the FEU Tamaraws were competing in a do-or-die UAAP basketball match.
The Blue Eagles won over the Tamaraws in overtime, 69-68.
Tan said it was rare that people from Ateneo, La Salle and UP 鈥渉ave put aside the UAAP and basketball鈥� to attend Wednesday鈥檚 big event.
Tan said that although he does not fully support the exhumation of Marcos鈥� remains at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, he encouraged UP members to 鈥渄ig the truth up.鈥�
鈥淟et鈥檚 unearth the truth. You鈥檙e the ones who will write it. The millennials will write the history and it would be a history that would include this afternoon鈥檚 event,鈥� he said.
De La Salle Philippines President Brother Jose Mari Jimenez, meanwhile, criticized President Duterte鈥檚 鈥淐hange is Coming鈥� campaign slogan in the May election, saying change for the entire nation does not depend on the decision of one person only.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been told that 鈥楥hange is coming.鈥� If change is really coming, this will not come from one man,鈥� he said.
鈥淚t should come from us,鈥� Jimenez said.